Dear Chyka,
As we head towards another birthday and another year around the sun… Now is a wonderful time to reflect on what has been your life and the young girl you were before you headed on this journey…
It’s hard to believe that I have been out of school for 39 years when in fact sometimes it feels like only yesterday… I wish I could have felt more confident and more in control of the girl I was… I was such a non-believer in myself and maybe that was to my credit as I didn’t realise how much I constantly tried to change or work on the things that needed to be done to make me feel good about myself… I have always known that I am a kind, hard

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-working and loyal friend who thrives on the excitement of life… I was never made to feel at School like I was very clever or even had the ability to have a career that would in later life excite people… I still find it hard to believe that people pay to listen to me talk about my life and the journey I have been on… It’s incredible to think that the young, and unconfident girl I was has turned into a woman who now really loves and respects herself… I believe I have created and made an amazing life for not only my self but my family too…
I remember so clearly one year at the races when I had decorated and designed about 15 of the marquees in the Birdcage… I was so busy trying to get

things done that I hadn’t really stopped to look at the finished work… One of my team asked me if I had AND told me to take 10 minutes to walk around and appreciate what I had created… It was actually a really pivotal moment in my life as I realised how many things just go by unacknowledged because life is busy… I now make it an absolute point to always stop and appreciate something I have done and give myself honest feedback… It doesn’t have to always be full of praise but also seeing something that hasn’t gone as well as it should have is something I appreciate too needs to be looked at…
I grew up in an age where there was no such thing as a mentor and you just had to work it out yourself… I absolutely

love that the younger generation coming through now realise how important it is to speak to people who have life experience and take advice from them… This is something I really wish I had as it would’ve been such a huge help to have known I wasn’t the only one going through or creating something on my own…
Life really is an extraordinary journey and the one thing I feel so immensely proud of is not only the happy marriage that Bruce and I have together and the equal partnership that we both have but that we have also created the most beautiful family… My children are my greatest accomplishment and achievement and watching them both flourish and

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living their own lives is truly the most fulfilling thing for me.
I always wanted to be a mother and in fact I thought I would be a stay at home mum with four or five children… It’s interesting how when life truly begins it doesn’t always turn out the way you imagine.
Every year as I grow older I totally understand how important good friends are in your life… People that understand you and always have your back… When I was younger I knew a million people but never really felt that I fit in… I now know that a lot of us feel that way and the fun part is finding your tribe..

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living their own lives is truly the most fulfilling thing for me.
I always wanted to be a mother and in fact I thought I would be a stay at home mum with four or five children… It’s interesting how when life truly begins it doesn’t always turn out the way you imagine.
Every year as I grow older I totally understand how important good friends are in your life… People that understand you and always have your back… When I was younger I knew a million people but never really felt that I fit in… I now know that a lot of us feel that way and the fun part is finding your tribe..
So as I finish this letter to myself I suppose the great words of wisdom to my younger self would have been, be kind to yourself, enjoy the journey of life and constantly keep exploring and challenging yourself.. Surround yourself with good people and always continue to be curious and excited… One of my favourite quotes is you can have everything you want in life but not at the same time… So be patient and everything will work out the way it’s meant to…..

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To Mum and Dad,

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Being asked to write this letter feels so natural.. as we all know, writing has always been my go-to for the harder, more heartfelt conversations, especially when I was younger.

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Taking this moment to stopand reflect on you both feels incredibly special - an honour to memorializeeverything you’ve built together, both in life and in love.

It’s a rare experience to be born into a partnership like yours. To witness two people love each other so completely - through romance, friendship, and business - has shaped me in ways that are difficult for most to relate to. I know how much of a privilege it is to have grown up around true love. And as I get older, I see more clearly just how rare it is.

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I’ve watched the work you’ve poured into yourselves, into each other, and perhaps most beautifully, into everyone around you. You’ve built such a solid foundation that your love, grace, creativity, and generosity extend effortlessly to your teams, your family,and your friends.

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You didn’t just show me how to love and be loved, you taught me

how to be kind in the realworld, and in business. You’ve always wrapped your arms around the people you work with, and built relationships grounded in trust, care, and purpose. That’s probably one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from you: you reap what you sow. When you build genuine relationships, you’re surrounded by energy by people who understand your vision and want to help you see it through.

The Big Group is proof of that. It’s a living reflection of everything you’ve created at home; a community of talented, driven people, united by a shared goal and sense of purpose. Just like our family of four, working together toward one foundation you built.

You’ve created something uniquely yours, a rhythm that flows wherever love, grace, and creativity lead. And that current runs through all of us.

I also want to acknowledge the way you’ve both grown - individually and together. Mum, you’ve always movedthrough life like water. You let things flow through you, lessons, love,challenges and your openness to understand has always made life feel a little softer, a little more grounded.

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Dad, you’ve shown me a different kind of growth - one that’s taken courage and conscious change. You’ve taught me more about growth in the last five years than anyone. Yes, in business; in how you stay ahead of trends, evolve as a leader, and adapt to whatever comes next, but even more so as a man and as my father. You’ve shown that emotional growth isn’t weakness. That “it is what it is” doesn’t cut it anymore. You’ve proven that real strength is in standing up, owning you revolution, and leaning through everything - past, present, and future.

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And while I know you’d bothsay that BJ and I are your proudest achievements, I hope you also seeyourselves that way. You are your own greatest creations. You found each otherbecause you were both deserving of a love like this and the life you’ve builttogether is a reflection of all the work you’ve done on yourselves.

I know I speak for both BJ and I when I say thank you for being the parents we could only have dreamed of, and for always being our rocks.

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With so much love,
Chessie

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