Inspired Beginnings
I was about eleven when I decided I wanted to be a nurse. My great grandmother was a huge source of inspiration behind the idea. She wasn’t a nurse. Not even remotely. But she had a great capacity for love. She was infectious and warm. Every soul who sat down next to her had her full attention, and was held safely and lovingly for that moment. She was treasured by everyone who knew her. I can remember her so well. She smelt soft and musty, with a touch of Oil of Ole. Her hair in a grey, wispy bun at the top of her head. Lipstick on. Blue dressing gown buttoned up to her chin. Her home was a wooden cottage that smelled of the sea, where your feet always had a collection of sandy trails carved into them.
My eleven year old brain must have correlated that generous sense of empathy with nursing. So I decided, that if I was going to be like my great gran Kath, that I must become a nurse. And I did. I also realized I wanted to take an intrepid career path. So I wondered. I crossed a couple of continents, roamed through a few different countries and came to claim country and connection in Zambia once again. Along the way, one of the things I realized is that we all need to be nurses at some basic level.
Nursing is by no means basic. It’s an extraordinary profession. Let me explain. For me, a good nurse is a combination of three key ingredients. One part kindness and empathy, one part deduction and critical thinking, and one part practically being able to get the job done. These are also the corner stones of first aid – critical thinking, practical skills and empathy.
I connected these dots, and once I had, the idea of starting a first aid company wouldn’t leave my brain. I owe a lot to a few key people who shoved me out the ‘lofty dream’ space and into action. When I sat down to write the courses, I knew that the foundations of nursing had to be at the core. If you know what is happening in the body, then you can prioritize injuries, anticipate how it could get worse, practically mange the situation, and make them feel super safe while doing it. These were the bones. The meat part was the science behind the teachings and techniques. The nerves, I figured, needed to be how I taught the courses – creating the sensation of empowerment. And the outer aesthetics were how Odonata looked and felt as a brand.
This was the easy part. I love writing and learning, and I love teaching. I love connecting with people. I love hearing stories about the human experience. I love being inspired to find different ways I can help, and making it happen. I do not love doing my taxes. I studied nursing, not business, so the rest of what it means to develop and run a business has been…well…an arduous series of lessons, which I’ve fumbled through, wide eyed and confused most of the time. I have often stared blankly at my husband as he’s tried to guide me through the accounting program. I can see his lips moving, my eyes are squint with concentration, but I am only more convinced that he’s speaking a special form of gibberish, that I’ll never understand. Bless his socks for trying.
Reflecting like this, infuses these memories and moments with warm tones of gratitude. Odonata has not been created alone. It has been nurtured to life with the help of precious family and beautiful friends who have held me safely through it all. I am so deeply grateful for each and every one of them – they have been wildly generous with their time, talents, words of encouragement, humour and unwavering love. I wouldn’t be where I am (or sane) without them. There is also, of course, an immense amount of gratitude for everyone who took a chance and believed in Odonata; who trusted in the vision and the product. There’s a lot to prove as the new kid on the block, but I hope I’ve convinced you that I’ll always keep bringing the best.
The final whiff of nostalgic gratitude is for that freckled eleven year old girl, who made the life choices she did. I’m proud of her, because I love what I do, and it all boils down to that one determined decision. I wish I could tell Gran Kath how much she’s inspired me…but I’ve got a feeling she knows.
Much Love,
Dani
