Testimonials
Santo Buccheri, Director,
Buccheri Group
Buccheri Group is an Australia-based, family-owned coffee roasting company that combines centuries-old roasting traditions with state-of-the-art technology and leading coffee roasting intelligence.
I called on Anna Ridgway (InterMondo) to support us at a critical growth period as we launch a major new brand and develop marketing material for our core coffee roasting business, Antico Coffee. We had experienced frustrations with poor marketing services, but Anna quickly grasped our communication situation, delivered a strategic communication needs assessment and crafted our company mission statement and other core marketing material, saving us time and money.
Anna is great to work with. She is enthusiastic and empathetic, understands our ‘personality’ and genuinely shares our vision. Anna listens deeply and respectfully, she’s willing to make challenging suggestions to get better outcomes, and she goes the extra mile to research and understand the industry. I value our professional partnership and would not hesitate to recommend her services.
Karen Baldwin, Senior Project Officer, Agrifood Skills Australia
‘I worked with Anna on the review of the (Australian government accredited vocational education) FDF Training Package with her as the lead consultant and project manager.
Anna worked effectively with a number of technical reference groups who had strict timelines and who were required to agree to some very complex, technical and at times controversial decisions. Anna was successful in bringing together these groups and to see the project through to successful submission on time. Anna is an excellent and effective communicator and facilitator – I learned a great deal from her and I hope that I have the opportunity to work with Anna in the future.’
Maggie Bracher, Director, Corporate Language Communications
It has been a pleasure working side by side with Anna Ridgway on cross-cultural assignments.
She is a complete professional in every way providing invaluable support to our clients in translating cultural knowledge for different business settings globally.
The breadth and depth of insight into cultural values, codes and behaviours and how these play out in different business settings globally is vital to our clients. Anna has been able to quickly gain our clients’ trust and confidence to address these cultural challenges in an empathetic and non–judgmental way.
Her creative approach and lively communication style enable her to frame cultural issues in a way that business people respond to and to bring an important skills addition to businesses that seek to expand or become more effective in global markets.
Anna is passionate about culture and helping people and businesses adapt successfully to different cultural settings. I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Sarah Tynan, Senior Business Manager, Office Team Melbourne (Robert Half International)
‘I find Anna Ridgway [InterMondo] has an extremely professional, non-judgmental approach when it comes to her coaching style.
In my opinion her strength is asking questions in such a way that it empowers you to come up with your own solutions/answers. Anna is open, friendly, understanding and super easy to talk to.
No matter how obscure your goal is you can count on Anna anyways being open minded and helping you to think outside the box.’
Indira Kennedy, Director, Conscious Leadership
I called on Anna to assist me to refine the cultural nuances in my first leadership presentation in Malaysia recently.
I had good experience in Europe and knew it was important to anticipate cultural barriers to quickly create rapport and trust so participants could take advantage of what I had to offer. Anna spent 2 sessions with me addressing my concerns re equality and difference, languaging issues, separating out individual difference from cultural norms, levels of comfort speaking up and group think. She gave me deep responses and we had very rich interactions.
On my return from KL we used a blog I had written as the basis of our debrief. Anna had picked up on points I had made in ways that gave them greater cultural significance than I might have imagined, showing me my own sensitivities were in fact on track and highly developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the equal exchange of knowledge and experience as we created a far stronger platform for me to stand on in future presentations globally.
Anna is an essential resource in anything that requires inter-cultural exchange. I feel very blessed to have her on my team of advisors.
Hayleigh Beach, Team Leader, Santa Fe Wridgways
‘[InterMondo’s workshop ‘Overcome your cultural resistance to become more effective in international business settings’] was a great eye opener considering I have lived in the country for 15 years, looking at the Australian culture from an entirely new perspective gave me great insight.
More so I learned a great deal about dealing with the team, my internal customers, understanding how my beliefs as an ex-Brit, may be far different to my Aussie colleagues. Now we are becoming more cultured in our staffing, it is even more important that other staff’s backgrounds are considered in day to day discussions, attitudes, expectations etc.
The day was very interactive, very much needed for a stagnant team of late – forced everyone out of their shells.
It was great to see individuals participating and learn more about the people we spend our days with as well as sharing more of ourselves with each other.’
Jesse Gall, Export Coordinator, Santa Fe Wridgways
Being aware of the different cultures within a work environment and the different ways that a culture might prioritise time and work is very interesting and useful when dealing with many overseas agents. This will help resolve issues and increase my inter-office relationships.
A fantastic insight into the workplaces overseas and the life that our international colleagues live.
Estrella Samonte, Assignment Manager Sydney, Santa Fe Wridgways
I find the [‘Overcome your Cultural Resistances to be more effective in global markets’ workshop] very informative and helpful to someone like me who just relocated in Australia. I also appreciate that the training included some information on history and a bit on politics as I find them useful in understanding how the current behaviours evolved.
Emma Dalton, Assignment Manager, Santa Fe Wridgways
‘Good to obtain a feel for what our assignees experience in Australian Culture, even if they are from other western cultures it can still be difficult in adjusting.
I also really liked the interactive quiz and how to look at a cultural situation, if you could please obtain the link I think it would be a good tool for us to apply when in a challenging situation.
Anna & Maggie were fabulous with a huge wealth of knowledge. I feel confident in recommending and up-selling to include this type of program understanding the value it will bring to the employer.’
Jennie Ridgway, Manager, Dancing Wombat
Anna Ridgway is a dream developer.
I had a dream of developing a website and blog to support my advocacy for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder and share my experiences of living with and teaching special needs kids. Anna took my ideas and gave them form, honed and sharpened them and then presented them in a way I could never have achieved alone.
The name of my website, ‘Dancing Wombat’, was Anna’s inspiration. She suggested the initial form and layout, graphic design elements and overall presentation. It exactly encapsulated the mood and elements that I wanted to achieve. This shows Anna’s skill in listening to and understanding her client’s vision.
Anna is a great partner to work with. She suggests and prompts respectfully, is a clear communicator and is always mindful of what the client wants to achieve and how. She understands that communication occurs on several levels, and her perceptiveness, knowledge and understanding of this have made my Dancing Wombat divine!
Thank you, Anna!