LIVE. LOVE. LEARN. LEAVE A LEGACY:
My Experience at the World Indigenous Business Forum 2025
What an incredible three days in Naarm (Melbourne) at the World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF). It was a watershed moment—not just for me, but for Australia's Indigenous business community.
For the first time in its 16-year history, the WIBF was hosted in Australia in 2025. Over 1,000 delegates from more than 20 countries gathered at the Hyatt Place Melbourne, Essendon Fields, from 28–30 October to connect, collaborate, and champion Indigenous business on the global stage.
As the founder of Chocolate On Purpose, Australia's first Indigenous chocolate business, I was there as an Artisan Market stallholder—showcasing our award-winning, handcrafted chocolate infused with native botanicals and ancient wisdom.
But this wasn't just about selling chocolate. It was about representation, connection, and possibility.
The Wisdom That Anchored Me: Ernesto Sirolli's Transformative Keynote
Before I share the highs and the challenges of the forum, I want to start with the wisdom that grounded everything: my friend Ernesto Sirolli's keynote address.
If you haven't watched Ernesto's famous TED Talk "Want to help someone? Shut up and listen!", I urge you to. His message is transformative, and hearing him speak in person at the WIBF was a gift.
Ernesto's Core Teachings:
- Self-empowerment of others = shut up and listen to what they want to do and what they know they need. This is how you help them—empower them to do what they need, the way they see they need to do it.
- Above all, people don't wish to be helped—they wish to be empowered to reach self-sufficiency. Listen to their story and aspirations. Their dreams. Respect them. Then use your gifts (knowledge, experience, connections, networks) to surround them with what they need, so they can make THEIR dreams real.
- In the spirit of ngunggilanha (reciprocity): We are not born an empty vessel. There is a code of the soul. We are born with a gift. We have a duty to return that gift to the world.
- Act with authenticity. See the beauty of people. See their intelligence. Help others to be their full potential. This is our duty of care.
- Intelligence comes before education.
And the phrase that became my anchor throughout the forum:
Live. Love. Learn. Leave a Legacy.
These four words encapsulate everything I believe about business, about Culture, about Community. They remind me why I do what I do- not for profit alone, but for purpose. Not for dominance, but for reciprocity. Not for self-promotion, but for collective empowerment.
As I navigated the three days of the WIBF, these principles became my compass- especially when I experienced behaviour that was antithetical to everything the forum stands for.
The Kinaway International First Nations Female Entrepreneur Lunch
The Kinaway Team hosted the WIBF in Naarm. Mandaang guwu (thank you) Alex and Team, you were all welcoming and inclusive of us, especially Isaiah whose care of us was kind, considerate... and fun!
Before the main forum opened, I attended the Kinaway International First Nations Female Entrepreneurs Lunch on 27 October at Aerial in South Melbourne.
This intimate gathering brought together Indigenous female entrepreneurs from around the world for three hours of connection, collaboration, and sisterhood. The room was filled with women who understand what it means to build business rooted in Culture, Community, and Country—women who've navigated systemic barriers, intergenerational trauma, and the unique challenges of being Aboriginal women entrepreneurs.
My guest was Anna Barlow, former Innovation Manager at Cadbury Mondelez New Zealand and now a Naarm-based business coach and trusted mentor. Anna's expertise in chocolate manufacturing, her allyship, and understanding of business challenges make her an invaluable guide.
The Friendships That Sustain Me
The WIBF was a reunion of sorts. I reconnected with people who've been part of my journey:
Greg Hodgkinson (First Nation Innovators), Tom Dawkins (Start Some Good), Liz Liddle (Marrente Soap owner & Aboriginal Retail Association CEO), Nicole and Mick Harding (Ngarga Warendj Pty Ltd), Sarah Gorst (South Coast Seaweed), Kirsty Nichols (Supply Nation), Jaynaya Winmar (Blakbone Sistahood), Sharon Brindley (Jala Jala Treats), and Brad Wall (Bunjil Services Group).
I'm touched that Cheryl Taylor and Sam Wilkins dropped in for a visit! I love that Cheryl and I stay in touch, even though our roles in business no longer intersect (yet)! And it was a highlight to meet Sam (RMIT lecturer in Business in Society)- the man who chose Chocolate On Purpose as a case study for 2,000+ first-year students annually- in person after working together remotely. His email to me in 2023 started a partnership that's introduced thousands of young Australians to Indigenous business, social enterprise, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals through my story.
Meeting New Friends
The WIBF also brought new connections: Uncle Lionel Dukakis (First Nations Traffic Management), Carlos (Strong Im Bisnis Solomon Islands), Nikki Gallagher (Blakbird Designs), Lee Couch (LA Couch), Chella Goldwin (Areya), Kerry Arabena (Ilan Style), and so many more.
And I can't forget Rob Campbell ("Soupy")—National Director of Indigenous Services for MNP and one of Canada's "Top 50 Executives." Rob made us laugh every time he walked past our stall, bringing joy and genuine connection to every interaction. His warmth reminded me that leadership isn't just about titles—it's about how you make people feel.
And then there was the wonderful in-person reconnection with Ernesto & Martha Sirolli. Hearing Ernesto's keynote was transformative, but meeting him and Martha in person was a gift. Their warmth, wisdom, and genuine interest in my journey reminded me why I'm doing this work.
When Arrogance Meets Authenticity—And Why It Matters
Why I'm Sharing This Publicly
Amongst the Community Uplift and Profound Sharings, there was discomfort and pondering. But before I dive into what happened, I'd like to explain why I'm sharing this publicly.
This is uncomfortable. It would be easier to stay silent, to "keep the peace," to avoid rocking the boat. But silence doesn't serve transformation—and transformation is what I'm here for.
Waynha is the Wiradjuri word for transformation. It's at the heart of everything I do at Chocolate On Purpose. Transformation doesn't happen in the shadows. It happens when we bring things into the light—when we name what's happening, examine it honestly, and choose a different path forward.
This is my way:
- Transparency. I believe in radical honesty—not to shame or attack, but to create space for growth. If we can't name the patterns that hold us back, we can't break them.
- Relationality. Everything is connected. My story is not just my story—it's part of a larger pattern affecting our entire Community.
- Focus. I'm not interested in gossip or drama. I'm interested in systemic change. This story isn't about an individual- it's about a behaviour pattern rooted in colonial trauma that affects all of us.
- Action. Sharing. Learning.
- Waynha—Transformation. We can't transform what we won't acknowledge. By sharing this story, I'm choosing to break the cycle of silence that allows harmful behaviours to continue.
Discomfort is often the doorway to growth.
The Encounter
The WIBF 2025 Melbourne was overwhelmingly positive—a celebration of Indigenous business excellence, collaboration, and shared value. But there was one interaction that was surprising, and I'd like to share it because it's a lesson in the difference between arrogance and authenticity in business- and the deeper colonial wounds we're still healing from.
A business owner approached offering their chocolate because 'they wanted me to try it' while they tried mine. I was genuinely interested to connect. I thought we'd share insights, swap stories, and perhaps explore collaboration.
Instead, what followed was a monologue of self-promotion with no interest in feedback to them. In reflection, this wasn't about mutual learning- it was about narcissistic validation and competitive positioning, using another's work as a mirror to reflect their own perceived superiority rather than genuine curiosity or collaboration.
They claimed professional training without interest in mine and read my pull-up banner (which outlines our mission to empower Aboriginal women 45+, increase Indigenous representation in the bushfood industry, and create ethical chocolate experiences) and claimed we were "doing all the same things."
But as the conversation continued, it became clear we weren't doing the same things at all.
Without invitation they proceeded to critique, claiming they couldn't taste the Ooray (Davidson Plum) in my white chocolate. But here's what was ignored: the Gold Medal on the packaging from the
Royal Adelaide Show 2025 Chocolate Competition- one of Australia's most prestigious food competitions, judged by expert chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and food technologists with decades of industry experience. Judge Feedback: "Clean processing, Subtle flavours. Very pleasant. Lovely after taste. Nicely moulded, good size. Profile reads authentically."
Yet here was someone who professes to hold qualifications in which they should understand these technical nuances, claiming they couldn't taste what trained expert judges had celebrated. It begs the question, "what was their actual agenda in instigating this interaction"?
The Ruby Chocolate Moment
Then came the moment that revealed the agenda behind their actions and words... uncovering a fundamental non-alignment of values.
They told me they don't use ruby chocolate because "the ruby chocolate tree is destroyed after seven cycles."
I paused. There is no "ruby chocolate tree."
The company that developed ruby chocolate through over a decade of research made their initial discovery of this 4th type of chocolate around 10 years ago. This chocolate is made from ruby cocoa beans, which come from the same Theobroma cacao trees as brown cacao beans, grown in Ecuador, Brazil, and Ivory Coast. But the difference... the ruby magic... is that specific terroir conditions allow certain beans to naturally develop ruby characteristics.
Their claim that trees are "destroyed after seven cycles" is not only false—it's economically absurd. It's extremely unlikely any grower would burn a tree down after 7 years, when the average lifespan of a cocoa tree's production is 25 years with seedlings taking 3 years to mature to start producing. From a financial position it would be crazy to destroy a perfectly good cocoa tree.
Sustainable cacao farming practices—like those promoted by Cocoa Horizons, which I partner with—focus on preserving trees, extending their productive life, and supporting farmer livelihoods.
I attempted to correct this misinformation, but it was dismissed with a sneer. And you know what? This wasn't a conversation. It was a performance- one designed to elevate themselves by diminishing another and using fabricated "facts" to position themselves as more ethical, more knowledgeable, more superior.
The Tempering Truth
Another truth that remained unsaid because they had zero interest in what I had to say... at the Kinaway International First Nations Female Entrepreneurs Lunch, there was chocolate on the table. I shared some with Anna Barlow, who immediately noticed the white chocolate was soft, greasy, and lacked snap.
Anna- an expert with years of experience at Cadbury Mondelez- shared that coconut inclusions interfere with tempering because the saturated fats in coconut differ from cocoa butter, disrupting the crystallisation process during tempering.
Any trained chocolatier or pastry chef should know this. Yet here was someone claiming superior expertise while producing chocolate with fundamental technical flaws. This would have been an interesting conversation had they genuinely wanted a two way dialogue.
Why This Matters: Lateral Violence and the Colonial Legacy
Here's where I need to zoom out and ask a bigger question: Why is this behaviour happening among us- a demographic that is already marginalised in Australian business?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples represent less than 3.8% of Australia's population, and we face further inequity due to systemic barriers in accessing capital, markets, and opportunities. We've been historically excluded from Australian commerce and business through genocidal government policies- assimilation, forced removal, stolen wages, denial of citizenship, and the deliberate destruction of our economic systems.
The missions and reserves were the first real attempt to "divide and conquer" Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Colonial policies deliberately created competition, jealousy, and distrust within our communities.
This is the origin of what researchers now call lateral violence- aggressive or harmful behaviour directed sideways within a marginalised group, stemming from internalised oppression and historical trauma.
As one study notes: "Lateral violence stems from the colonial system. Settler-colonialism created lateral violence within Aboriginal communities through dehumanising practices, divide and conquer tactics to create division, and the internalisation of oppression." (Article Source: "Lateral violence stems from the colonial system': settler-colonialism and lateral violence in Aboriginal Australians" Authors: Theoni Whyman, Cammi Murrup-Stewart, Yin Paradies. 2021.)
When we engage in these behaviours against each other- undermining, competing, dismissing, attacking- the coloniser is winning.
A Question for the Community
I'm sharing this not to shame, but to ask: Have you experienced this too?
Have you been at a networking event, a market, a forum—and encountered another Indigenous business owner who:
- Claimed you were "doing the same thing" to diminish your uniqueness
- Critiqued your product or service to elevate their own
- Spread misinformation to undermine your credibility
- Used dominance tactics instead of collaboration
If so, I want you to know: You are not alone. And you are not the problem.
This behaviour is a symptom of trauma. It's a learned pattern from oppression. And we can choose to break the cycle.
Breaking the Cycle
The WIBF stands for something different. It's built on the principles of ngunggilanha (reciprocity), shared value, and collective empowerment.
When Ernesto Sirolli said "Live. Love. Learn. Leave a Legacy," he was reminding us that our work is bigger than competition. It's about self-empowerment of others. It's about seeing the beauty and intelligence in each other.
The speakers at WIBF embodied this different way. Gail Chamberlain (Original Traders Inc, Canada) spoke about championing Indigenous intellectual and cultural property rights for all. Luis Felipe Duchicela shared how he launched a $50 million development programme to lift entire Indigenous communities. Brad Jackson described 30 years of supporting hundreds of Indigenous communities to build resilient, community-led economic systems.
These leaders understand: we rise together, or we don't rise at all.
From Narcissism to Reaching Outside Ourselves: We Are All Interconnected
Amid the challenges and discomfort, there was a moment that reminded me why we gather, why we connect, and why Indigenous community matters.
News came that a Canadian delegate's uncle was dying. Without hesitation, the community gathered for a Smoking ceremony—a sacred practice of cleansing, healing, and collective support.
In that moment, I found myself gifting the Canadian brother my Milk Chocolate with Boombera (Macadamia Nut). I was nudged to do this—the Ancestors at it again. Why? The message was clear: macadamia nuts are Indigenous to Australia, and all of the world's macadamia trees' DNA traces back to our ancient Australian rainforests. A demonstration of how we share roots, a symbol of something profound: global Indigenous interconnectedness.
This is the choice we have: to turn inward in competition and narcissism, or to reach outward in service, connection, and collective care.
The Smoking ceremony wasn't just about one person's grief—it was about all of us choosing to show up for each other. It was the antidote to lateral violence. It was ngunggilanha (reciprocity) in action.
That moment—standing in ceremony, holding space for a brother in need, offering chocolate as a bridge between cultures and continents—that is what the World Indigenous Business Forum is truly about.
Not arrogance. Not competition. Not self-promotion.
Connection. Community. Care.
What I'm Taking Forward
The World Indigenous Business Forum 2025 was transformative- not despite the challenging encounter, but because of it. It reminded me why this work matters.
I'm taking forward:
- Ernesto's wisdom: Live. Love. Learn. Leave a Legacy.
- The power of ngunggilanha: Reciprocity, not competition.
- The commitment to transparency: Naming patterns so we can break them.
- The belief in collective empowerment: We rise together.
As I continue to build Chocolate On Purpose, I'm committed to modelling a different way- one rooted in Cultural authenticity, ethical practices, and genuine collaboration. One that empowers Aboriginal women 45+, increases Indigenous representation in the bushfood industry, and creates chocolate experiences that honour Culture, protect Country, and drive positive change.
This is Chocolate for Good™. This is waynha (transformation).
And this is the legacy I'm building—one chocolate, one connection, one act of reciprocity at a time.
Join the Conversation
Have you experienced lateral violence in Indigenous communities or business spaces?
How do you navigate competition vs collaboration in your work?
I'd love to hear your stories. Share in the comments below, or reach out directly at info@chocolateonpurpose.com.au
Mandaang guwu (thank you) for reading. May we all choose reciprocity over rivalry, and collective empowerment over individual elevation.
Live. Love. Learn. Leave a Legacy.