Women’s business communities combine as Beam in Business acquires Freelancing Gems

Four years since launching the dedicated women’s job site, Fleur Madden and Kirsty Jackson have sold Freelancing Gems to Beam in Business, another female-led and owned women’s business community.

Freelancing Gems launched in the depths of COVID-19 around a time of significant changes in how we work, with a promised ambition to champion women in consulting or part-time work to get paid what they are worth.

At the time, Freelancing Gems cited research finding that women in consulting are paid up to 38% less than their male counterparts.

The platform has since supported more than a thousand women to find work, with Madden saying 65% of women on the platform are now getting paid more than they did before joining.

“We are very proud of the impact our business has had in supporting women to find work across Australia, and close the gender pay gap in this space,” she said.

Freelancing Gems will now move under the stewardship of Beam in Business, led by CEO Beck Smith. Madden says Smith’s passion for supporting the advancement of women led her and the cof under Kirsty Jackson to believe she was the best choice to take the platform forward.

As Jackson said, “We have always believed that we are stronger together in the women’s community space, and Beam was one of the companies we have had a long relationship with. We admire the work they have been doing to shine a spotlight on women’s business achievements, particularly in the regional space”.

Both Madden and Jackson say they are also proud of the work they have achieved in supporting charities impacted by the effects of women not having access to suitable work, equitable pay and fair super. Together, they have also run a successful refugee program, supporting women as they make a new start in Australia. “We achieved what our mission was when we started, so it was time to look at what was the next chapter,” said Jackson.

Beck Smith started Beam in Business around the same time as Freelancing Gems and notes that both communities have been on the same mission, supporting businesswomen, just in different ways. Smith runs the Beam Awards, as well as a magazine for women in business.

“The opportunity to bring their members across to Beam is a natural fit and an honour for me to continue the incredible work Fleur and Kirsty have done advocating for women in business,” she said.

Madden and Jackson will stay connected to Freelancing Gems until the end of 2024, with the terms of the acquisition not disclosed. They will also continue to run business coaching and online courses for freelancers and small business owners under their sub-brand, Gem Academy.

This article was first published by Women’s Agenda.

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