AVRIL HEITIA
Nominee for what Award/s
Everyday Trailblazer Award
Brave in Business Award
Confidence Reclaimed Award
Everyday Trailblazer Award
Everyday Trailblazer Award
1. What male-dominated space or tradition did you step into?
My career has been rooted in the construction industry, working as an Architectural Designer, a space traditionally dominated by men. While the presence of women in architecture and construction is growing, the industry still carries remnants of outdated mindsets and behaviours. On good days, I’m treated with the same respect as any other professional. But on others, I’m reminded, subtly or overtly, that many of the old stereotypes and power structures are still very much in place.
2. What barriers or stereotypes did you face?
Over the years, I’ve encountered a range of barriers that stem from both conscious and unconscious bias. These include:
● Being excluded from key project meetings and decision-making spaces, even when I was directly involved in the work.
● Having my ideas overlooked or dismissed, only to watch them later celebrated when voiced by a male colleague.
● Assumptions about my commitment due to having young children, leading to missed opportunities for promotions or travel.
● Lack of access to informal mentorship networks, such as the “boys’ club,” where relationships and promotions are often cultivated out of sight.
● Being labelled as "too soft"—as though empathy and emotional intelligence disqualified me from leadership. Ironically, these are precisely the qualities that make great leaders.
Despite being highly capable, many of these experiences forced me to work harder to be seen, heard, and valued.
3. How did you stay motivated when facing resistance?
I stayed grounded by focusing on the quality of my work and maintaining a strong work ethic. Meeting and exceeding my KPIs became a way to silently, but powerfully, demonstrate my value. Rather than getting caught up in workplace politics or seeking validation in circles I wasn’t welcomed into, I let my results speak for themselves.
Resistance became fuel. It reminded me of who I was, what I stood for, and what I was capable of achieving. I held onto the belief that my commitment, consistency, and integrity would eventually be recognised, and in many ways, it was.
4. What does being a trailblazer mean to you now?
To me, being a trailblazer isn’t about accolades, it’s about resilience and authenticity. It means staying true to who you are in environments that may not always make space for you. It means setting a quiet example that you can thrive without compromising your values or trying to fit a mould that was never designed for you.
Being a trailblazer also means honouring your self-worth, even when others don’t. It’s about creating space, not just for yourself, but for others who are coming behind you.
5. How do you want to open doors for the next generation?
One of the most rewarding parts of my journey is mentoring and supporting other women entering the industry. I believe in uplifting others by sharing what I’ve learned and helping them stay confident and grounded in their worth. Whether through informal mentorship, offering encouragement, or simply being a sounding board. I want to be the person I wish I had early in my career.
I make it a priority to celebrate women’s achievements, encourage self-advocacy, and remind others that their contributions are valuable, even when the world doesn’t immediately reflect it back.
By standing firm in my own truth, I hope to leave doors open and footprints behind for others to follow.
Brave In Business Award
Brave In Business Award
1. Tell us about a major setback and how you recovered.
A year ago, I faced one of the most devastating moments of my life: the sudden and unexpected loss of my mum. It rocked me to my core. She was my grounding force, my greatest supporter, and losing her felt like the ground had been ripped out from underneath me.
At the time, I was also going through the busiest period since launching my business less than 12 months earlier. I was overwhelmed with grief, but I also had responsibilities, clients, and deadlines waiting for me. I wanted nothing more than to stop. To disconnect. To curl up and let the world pause. But I couldn’t. Deep down, I knew that’s not what my mum would have wanted.
Instead of collapsing, I gently picked myself up, moment by moment, hour by hour. I let myself cry, and then I kept going. I met commitments, stayed in motion, and found unexpected strength in showing up, even in the middle of heartbreak.
2. What mindset helped you keep going when quitting seemed easier?
The mindset that carried me was this: “If I stop now, I may never start again.”
Grief pulls you into a fog where nothing feels important. But I knew if I allowed myself to disappear into it, I might lose not just my momentum, but also my identity, purpose, and connection to the vision I had fought so hard to build.
I told myself: You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep going. I leaned on discipline when motivation was absent. I leaned on routine when inspiration was missing. And I kept reminding myself that strength doesn’t always look like pushing forward at full speed, sometimes, it’s simply showing up through the pain.
3. How did your vision evolve because of adversity?
Before losing my mum, I was building my business with typical goals: growth, clients, credibility, sustainability. But after her passing, something shifted. My business became more than a career, it became my anchor.
I no longer just wanted to succeed, I wanted my work to have meaning. I wanted every client interaction, every project, and every choice I made to reflect values I learned from her: kindness, excellence, integrity, and courage. My business became more human. I became more human.
Adversity made my vision clearer: success isn't just what you achieve, it’s how you show up through the hardest moments, and who you become in the process.
4. What keeps you motivated in business and/or life today?
What motivates me now is the legacy I want to build, not just for myself, but as a reflection of everything my mum poured into me. I want to live a life that would make her proud.
I'm also motivated by the women I now support, women who are navigating their own setbacks, doubts, or transitions. I’ve realised my journey gives me a powerful empathy, and I use that in my work every day. Helping others rise reminds me that I’m still rising, too.
Lastly, I’m motivated by the knowledge that life is unpredictable and fragile. That reality pushes me to live with intention, courage, and presence.
5. What’s your message to others experiencing burnout or loss?
You are allowed to feel everything. You’re allowed to fall apart. But you are also more capable of getting back up than you realise.
Loss will shake you, but it will also shape you. It doesn’t have to steal your fire. Let it remind you what matters. Let it soften you, not stop you.
And if burnout has dimmed your light, remember: you don’t have to come back blazing. A slow burn is still a fire. Rest when you need to. Reach out when you need support. But don’t give up. Even your quietest comeback is still a victory.
Confidence Reclaimed Award
Confidence Reclaimed Award
1. Describe a moment when you had to rebuild your confidence from rock bottom.
In 2020, after 13 years with the same company, I was made redundant, not due to the pandemic, but due to a toxic leadership change. Our new manager was unsupportive and abusive, prioritising his image with upper management over the wellbeing of his team. It was demoralising. After years of commitment, I was discarded without recognition or care. I tried to pivot into a new industry I had been studying for, but in the midst of a global crisis, my confidence was shattered, and my new business struggled to find its footing.
In an attempt to stabilise financially, I took on part-time work in my previous industry, only to experience similar abuse and belittlement in yet another unhealthy environment. This period pushed me into a deep spiral of depression, with my sense of self-worth at an all-time low. I began to wonder if the problem was me. It truly felt like rock bottom.
Then again, a few years later, the same patterns started to surface in another work place that I had excelled quickly in. I was promoted within 3 months of starting there. Another case of overwork and lack of support and toxic behaviors started to have an effect on me. Instead of spiralling. I stood my ground, knew my worth and quit.
2. What internal beliefs did you have to change to reclaim your self-worth?
The biggest shift was realising that I was complicit in my own burnout by consistently putting others’ needs above my own and seeking validation through overwork. I had to confront the belief that my worth was tied to productivity or external praise.
I learned that not setting boundaries is not humility, it’s self-abandonment. I had to rewire my thinking to understand that saying “no” and asking for support are acts of strength, not weakness. Most importantly, I came to believe that I am valuable not because of what I do for others, but because of who I am.
3. Who or what supported you during your comeback?
Two people were instrumental in my recovery: my partner of 10 years, and my best friend of 18 years.
My partner was my rock. He provided the emotional, physical, and financial support I needed to get back on my feet. His unwavering belief in me gave me space to recalibrate.
My best friend, a fierce and loyal soul, has always seen my potential, even when I didn’t. She’s my biggest cheerleader and never hesitates to give me a loving “kick in the butt” when I start to doubt myself. Their belief in me helped me rebuild my own.
4. How do you now walk in your truth and inspire others?
I now run my own consultancy, grounded in 34 years of industry experience and fueled by clarity and confidence. I no longer tolerate environments that drain me, I choose work that aligns with my values, and I prioritise balance, not burnout.
Walking in my truth means trusting my voice, honoring my boundaries, and being unapologetic about my worth. It also means mentoring other women, formally and informally, to help them see that they, too, are capable, worthy, and powerful, even if they can’t see it yet.
5. What advice would you give to a woman currently doubting herself?
Feeling unsure doesn't mean you aren’t capable, it means you’re human. Doubt is a signal, not a stop sign. Surround yourself with women who reflect your strength back to you when you forget it.
Remember: confidence follows action. Start small, but keep going. Each step forward adds a brick to the foundation of your self-belief. You don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to believe that you’re worth the effort. You are not stuck. There is always a path forward, and you have the power to choose it.