Dynamic Duos: ‘It was as if a missing puzzle piece had finally fallen into place’

In Dynamic Duos, Mumbrella each week asks two colleagues with a professional and personal affiliation to share with readers the importance of workplace relationships in an increasingly hybridised world of work.

Jessica Hunter:

It’s rare to find an instant connection during a job interview, but that’s exactly what happened when I first met Batoul.

From the moment we started talking, it was clear we were cut from the same cloth. We shared a deep-rooted alignment on values, a relentless focus on team growth, and a similar leadership compass spending a lot of our time outside of work mentoring and coaching others.

Beyond shared professional goals, there was a natural camaraderie that felt like we could have been friends for years. This special bond became the perfect foundation for a kick-ass partnership.

Batoul Peters:

Jess and I met on the job, in fact Jess was a key decision maker in me joining The Brag Media (thanks Jess!) I work with her on building the commercial excellence of our business.  Our relationship is built on mutual respect, collaboration, and a deep desire for success. We have a similar work ethic and style so we gel really well together!

In her role as the head of The Brag Media, Jess has a huge remit to drive our business forward and her collaborative leadership means we are all invested in the vision with her. Jess’s approach harnesses the collective strengths of everyone in the business, and fosters an environment where everyone’s ideas and contributions are valued as she actively empowers us all to contribute in shaping strategies and solutions. It’s a very refreshing team dynamic that enables us all to thrive.

Jessica on Batoul:

Most memorable moment with Batoul: I’ll never forget Batoul’s electrifying arrival at our SXSW Rolling Stone courtyard weeks before her official start. The team was cautiously optimistic about a new sales leader, but her infectious energy instantly transformed the mood. It was as if a missing puzzle piece had finally fallen into place.

Fast forward to our national sales team day at Peats Bite. We worked side by side to inspire and motivate the team in a magical setting on an island in the Hawkesbury, accessible only by plane or boat. Batoul’s fearless spirit truly took flight (literally!) when she conquered her fear of seaplanes. Talk about building morale – that moment showed the team what it meant to truly go for it!

Best word to describe her: During a team activity we were asked to write an acrostic poem describing each other’s attributes using the letters of our names. Batoul’s qualities were summed up perfectly as big hearted, adaptable, tenacious, outgoing, and a leader.

While all these traits define her, if I had to choose one word, it would be “tenacious.” Batoul’s determination is not merely a quality; it’s a driving force. She approaches every challenge with a relentless pursuit of success, inspiring those around her to reach higher.

Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: Batoul’s got a secret weapon: humour.

She is the unexpected comedic genius of our team. Behind her focused exterior lies a quick wit that always catches us off guard. Who would have thought she could effortlessly switch from a sales leader to a spontaneous rapper? Her impromptu fire rap during the Old El Paso campaign blew us away. That’s the Batoul we love – serious when she needs to be, hilarious when she wants to be. It’s this perfect blend that makes her an incredible colleague and friend.

Batoul on Jessica:

Most memorable moment with Jessica: It’s hard to pinpoint one specific moment as we collaborate and cross over every day, all the time. However, the moment that springs to mind is most recently when my terminally ill father was in hospital. I was busy navigating life, work, and business, not really thinking about what I needed. I remember being on a call with Jess while I was at hospital, putting on my go-to brave face, when she stopped to ask me about my father’s condition and I told her that the doctors had just been to see us with the news that he only had a few more days with us left. All I remember is her saying to me on the phone “Just focus on your family Batoul, don’t worry about anything else, be with your dad”.

At that moment, I felt that she really understood my humanity and showed her own humanity by being a friend and I was very grateful that I was able to switch off my business-brain and just focus on being by my father’s side, with no work-guilt. Insert heart emoji here! 

Best word to describe her: Collaborator!

Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: There are a lot of endearing qualities about Jess, from her hustler DNA to her process-driven obsession to her empathetic nature. She’s the full package!

I love that Jess started her career in sales, so from my perspective, I have a leader that truly understands the sales environment and hustle mentality that is required to grow a business like ours. Her process-driven obsession has created a much more streamlined business operation and made cross-functional team collaboration more cohesive. And lastly, but most importantly, Jess’s empathetic nature is her guiding light as a leader. She genuinely cares about everyone in her team and celebrates everyone’s individuality and contribution to the business.

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