By Natalie Magri, Head of Operations at Riverside Property Services

When I think about International Women’s Day, I think about real life. Not perfection but persistence.

Because many of us are balancing so much. We’re balancing work, home, responsibility, expectations, and for some of us, motherhood. My journey hasn’t been a straight line.

I studied Fine Art at University and at that point in my life, I thought my future would look completely different. I didn’t plan to work in housing or have a roadmap for my career. And I know there are young women and girls who feel like that right now unsure, figuring things out, wondering if they’re on the right path.

What I’ve learned is that it’s okay not to have everything figured out. Your path will find you through experience, through growth, and through saying yes to opportunities you never expected.

Thirteen years ago, I joined housing as a scheduler in the repairs service. I was quiet. I wasn’t someone who stood out in the room. I didn’t network. I didn’t push myself forward. I just focused on doing my job well, learning and going home.

Step by step, I grew though.

Today, at 39 years old, I’m Head of Planned Operations, responsible for services that directly impact people’s homes and lives.

My growth happened because people took a chance on me. They saw something in me before I saw it in myself, and I took the opportunities people gave me.

The biggest motivation in my life is being a mother. As a mother, there is no switch-off. You carry responsibility in every part of your life. You balance work pressures, home life, emotional support, and still show up every day to be “mum”.

There are days when it’s exhausting. Days when you question yourself. Days when you feel like you’re being pulled in every direction. But there is also purpose. Because my daughter is watching me. She’s watching how I show up. She’s watching how I work hard. She’s learning what resilience looks like without even realising it.

I want her to know that hard work matters. That setbacks don’t define you. That being quiet doesn’t mean you don’t have strength. And that you can build something meaningful for yourself, even if you don’t know exactly where you’re going yet.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen poor leadership, and I’ve seen great leadership and both have taught me something. They helped me build my own leadership style, one built on empathy, fairness, accountability, and supporting others. Because I know what it feels like to be the person at the beginning. The person still learning. The person still finding confidence.

One of my proudest moments wasn’t a promotion. It was realising that I had earned my place. That my experience mattered. That my voice mattered. Not because I was the loudest person. But because I stayed consistent. I stayed committed. And I didn’t give up on myself.

If there’s one thing I want every woman to know, it’s this: You are stronger than you think. Every day you show up, you are setting an example, even when it doesn’t feel like it, and your contributions today are helping to shape tomorrow.

And if there’s one thing I want younger women and girls to know, it’s this: You don’t need to have everything figured out right now. It’s okay to start somewhere and discover your path along the way.

Your confidence will grow through experience. Your strength will grow through challenges. And your future will be shaped by your willingness to keep going.

International Women’s Day is about recognising those journeys, not just the finished product but the growth, the learning, and the resilience behind it, and supporting one and other throughout those journeys.