Transcript Episode 136: Juliette Wright: From Kitchen Table to $100M Impact – The Story Behind GIVIT

AI Generated

Carrie Kwan (02:27)
Welcome to Mumbition: The Podcast by Mums & Co, where we celebrate the stories, ambitions, and impact of working mothers across Australia. In today’s episode, we’re honoured to welcome Juliette Wright OAM, the visionary founder and CEO of GIVIT — a national giving platform that began at her kitchen table and now connects millions of Australians in need with those who want to help. Her mission to alleviate poverty across Australia has reshaped how communities respond to crisis, hardship, and everyday need.
Juliette’s journey is a powerful example of purpose‑led entrepreneurship. As a mother and changemaker, she brings deep insight into balancing parenting, the mental load, and community readiness while building something extraordinary. Welcome, Juliette.

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Juliette Wright (03:20)
Thank you so much for having me.

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Carrie (03:23)
It all started at your kitchen table and grew into a national platform. Can you take us back to the moment when GIVIT was born? What was the problem you were trying to solve, or who were you trying to help?

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Juliette (03:28)
I was fortunate to have two babies through IVF. When my son Hudson was born — I had the pigeon pair — I was given so many baby clothes from friends, family, and even people I didn’t know. Beautiful brands: Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Sprout. I didn’t even know Calvin Klein made baby clothes! But Hudson put on so much weight that he skipped sizes rapidly, so he never wore most of these gorgeous outfits.
I felt incredibly grateful, and in that hazy, emotional first six months, I had this strong desire to give those clothes directly to another mum who didn’t have what I had. But when I tried to donate them, I failed — dramatically.
In 2009, I lived in North Brisbane and went everywhere from Burpengary to Spring Hill. I looked up services in the yellow pages, rang charity after charity, and none of them would take them. So I started asking, “What do you need?” And the answers sparked a lifelong curiosity. They needed things like baby change tables or closed‑toe work boots — not baby clothes.
That blew my mind. Why would a children’s charity need work boots? They explained they could house a mum and child, but not the father. If he could get a job working on the roads, he could reunite with his family. A pair of boots could lift a family out of poverty. And yet the worker didn’t know the boot size and would spend hours on the phone trying to source them.
I suddenly saw the massive gap between what people had and what people actually needed. So I created GIVIT. It definitely wasn’t smooth sailing — I failed building the website several times — but once we launched, charities came on thick and fast.

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Carrie (07:10)
Yes — you failed, which is exactly what entrepreneurs and changemakers do. I love that your curiosity led you deeper into the real root causes of need. So for those unfamiliar, how does GIVIT actually work? And what has been the most powerful impact so far?

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Juliette (08:08)
Organisations register and we authenticate them. Then they can request exactly what their clients need. One of the first requests was a bike with a baby carriage on the back for a mum transitioning out of homelessness so she could get her child to daycare and find work.
The very first item ever donated through GIVIT was a microwave — for a man whose wife hadn’t taught him how to cook hot food. He was living on tea and toast. A lovely woman named Lisa donated the microwave, and we simply swapped her details with the charity so they could arrange pickup. It was transparent and simple.
But then people wanted to give items not on the needs list — whole households of furniture, for example. I started emailing charities each morning with “what’s on offer today,” and it became messy. So I created the virtual warehouse, where people can pledge items with photos, condition, and delivery options.
Now charities can search by keyword and postcode — “bed”, “pram”, “laptop”, “0–10 km” — and see what’s available. If they can’t find what they need, they request it, and that goes onto the public GIVIT list.
Right now, there are 66,000 active requests, and a new request comes in every 12 minutes.
In 2014, I realised that even well‑intentioned donations can cause harm. Unsolicited donations overwhelm emergency services during disasters. So I proposed we stop bringing physical goods into disaster areas and instead ask for cash to buy items locally. That supports local economies and ensures people get exactly what they need.
The board agreed instantly. I thought GIVIT would fail — that we couldn’t compete with big charities for donations. But then Cyclone Debbie hit, and local councils started telling people to donate to GIVIT because 100% of the money stayed in the local business community. It was extraordinary. That’s when I knew: best practice wins the day.
We’ve now pushed $100 million into local businesses supporting disaster‑affected communities.

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Carrie (15:32)
These are the highs and lows of entrepreneurship and community work. During that period of raising a young family, what were your biggest challenges as a working mother building something from the ground up?
Juliette (15:58)
I’ll be really honest — my kids probably won’t listen to this podcast, so it’s safe! When major disasters hit and I had to be on the ground doing media at 6:10, 7:10, 7:20, I wasn’t home. I had a nanny. And that particular disaster — Cyclone Debbie — is the reason Hudson can’t write properly. His handwriting regressed because I outsourced parenting. It still breaks my heart.
I missed rehearsals, recitals — everything. And that year I received several awards, so I also had commitments outside of work. The guilt was enormous.
Even recently, I missed my husband’s operation because I had unavoidable meetings. That old conflict rushes back chemically — the feeling of not being where you’re supposed to be. It’s still hard.

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Carrie (18:33)
Thank you for sharing something so personal. Many parents will relate to the tension of wanting to be everywhere at once. I’m sure your children have also gained resilience and skills from watching you build something impactful.

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Juliette (19:50)
They’re nearly independent now. I asked their permission before starting a new business — and they cried, saying, “Will you always be on the phone in the car again?” They remember how busy things were. But we survived it, they’re strong, and we’re a happy family.

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Carrie (20:46)
Let’s talk about the mental load. Many working mothers carry it quietly. Is that something you’ve experienced?

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Juliette (21:09)
A hundred percent. When I was CEO for 10 years, HR issues or government reports kept me up at night. And I don’t function without sleep — it ruins everything. I love my work, but not every part of the job is loveable.
Sometimes you have to “eat the poop sandwich,” as I say. So now I eat it faster! I’ve learned to be less reactive. I leave emails overnight because I always respond better with fresh eyes. I don’t check work email on my phone anymore. Small tweaks have changed everything.

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Carrie (23:28)
You’ve touched beautifully on control, resilience, and working in alignment with your principles. Let’s move to something we’re passionate about at Mums & Co — financial readiness. What advice would you give women starting purpose‑led ventures with limited resources?

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Juliette (24:49)
I self‑funded the first website — a $500 fail, built by a uni student. Then I saved for a second attempt… and that failed too. I thought the universe was telling me to stop. My mum thought it would fail, my husband thought it was risky.
Eventually my husband gave me money “just to shut me up,” and I found a proper developer. It worked.
From there, I knew success required a million conversations. You must be obsessed. You must be ready for 10 times more “no” than “yes.” You must empower others to talk about your mission. That’s how GIVIT now has five and a half thousand charities using it and has facilitated nearly nine million donations.
And my biggest advice: don’t give up. I had no funding from 2009 to 2013. Back yourself.

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Carrie (28:29)
What’s one story that continues to inspire you and remind you why you started GIVIT?

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Juliette (28:38)
I have two favourites.
The first: a young boy from Eritrea arrived in Australia with no language, no community. A pair of donated football boots helped him join a local team. He became a star player. Within minutes he had a team, a coach, and a community. That mum now has a whole support network.
The second: a mother requested a boxing bag. I thought it was an “I want,” not an “I need.” But Meg in Western Australia said, “Trust the charity.” The bag was donated, and later the mother wrote to say: “Thank you. My boys have been using it — they haven’t hit me once.” That changed me forever. I’ve never removed a request since.

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Carrie (32:12)
How do you stay connected to the communities you serve and how does empathy shape your leadership?

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Juliette (32:44)
Connection is one of my top values — right up there with love and joy. If I don’t feel connected, I can’t function. I’d pull my husband out of a boardroom if I didn’t feel connected to him! I stay in constant contact with the GIVIT team through texts, Teams, meetings, and board work. I also stay connected to charities via LinkedIn, stories, and impact reporting.

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Carrie (35:19)
We’ve read some of GIVIT’s stories — the depth is powerful. One item can change everything.

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Juliette (35:43)
Some of the most heartfelt thank‑yous come from local businesses. After the Gladstone fires, one local store owner wrote, “I was about to tell my kids Santa couldn’t come. Then the fires hit, and then GIVIT came — and Santa will come.” Those ripple effects matter.

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Carrie (38:42)
What do you wish Australians better understood about the power of giving, especially during crises?

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Juliette (39:19)
People love giving at Christmas — but organisations are closed then, and need is year‑round. After Christmas we see huge spikes in domestic violence requests. Then families needing school supplies well into May or June. Poverty isn’t seasonal. People give in December, but need peaks in February to June.

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Carrie (41:51)
What’s next for GIVIT and for you over the next 1–3 years?

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Juliette (42:21)
We’re redoing our strategic plan. With a request every 12 minutes, I want to see needs met within 24 hours. That’s my jam: see a need, fulfil a need.
We want every ACNC‑registered not‑for‑profit to know they can request from GIVIT for free. We’re expanding our footprint in Tasmania, South Australia, and areas of deep poverty. We now have 1,500 Indigenous services using GIVIT and a huge role in domestic violence and homelessness support.
In disasters, GIVIT manages donations so only requested items enter communities, preventing overwhelm. The hardest part is that early “response” phase when needs are low but generosity is high — and months later needs skyrocket but donations drop. I’d love to smooth that cycle so donations and need are aligned.

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Carrie (46:21)
NIRMA Insurance, who also supports Mums & Co, partners with GIVIT to maximise impact. What does that partnership mean to you?

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Juliette (46:58)
They’re incredible. They look after their insured clients after crises — and by supporting GIVIT, they also help those who are uninsured and deeply vulnerable. It’s more than a partnership; it’s a marriage. They’ve been with us for 10 years. I credit a huge part of GIVIT’s success to them.

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Carrie (48:16)
My final question: what message would you share with women dreaming of starting something meaningful from their kitchen tables?

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Juliette (48:49)
Back yourself. You can do hard things. At times it will feel like the universe is against you — ignore it. Failures are just poop sandwiches; eat them quickly and keep going.
I once launched “GIVIT Kids” — complete flop. Kids that age want something in return and there were child safety issues. But I learned from it.
GIVIT is a unique model — it had never been done before. Proving it worked felt like pushing a truck uphill. But once it crests the hill, it glides beautifully. Starting something meaningful is gritty, but so rewarding.

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Carrie (51:07)
Thank you, Juliette. We’re so glad you never gave up. GIVIT is a remarkable, innovative platform that lets people give in a way that truly matters — and lets people receive with dignity. For anyone listening, if you’d like to donate money, goods, or time, GIVIT is the place. We’ll link it in the show notes.

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Juliette (52:02)
Thank you, Carrie. It was lovely chatting today. I really enjoyed it.

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