EPeeps Heather Rizzo | ANZ Head of Operations

Hi, I’m Heather and I’m the ANZ Head of Operations based out of Sydney.  I’m a new addition to EP having started in March this year and I’m super excited to be part of the growing team!

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m originally from the US where I grew up in the sunny suburbs of Los Angeles.  After getting my Bachelor’s degree in Law and Sociology at the University of California Santa Barbara (go Gauchos!) I decided being a lawyer wasn’t for me so I ditched the prospect of heading to law school and went into the corporate world moving from the west coast over to New York.   

I’m a big believer in pushing yourself to try new things – particularly when you’re young and still learning what you like and what you’re good at – so I spent time in various roles including recruitment, business development, and account management before I started to dive more into backend operations of a business. I loved my life in NYC, but I had the urge to see more of the world so I took some time off and spent a year travelling through Central and South America. I met a few Australians along the journey and Australia sounded like a better place to be in January than NYC, so I decided to pop down for a few months and wait out the East coast winter. That was over 8 years ago and I’m still in Sydney.… but now with a husband, two beautiful daughters and our dog, Kobe!

Why become an EPeep?

I was fortunate enough to work with a few EPeeps in my last role including our CTO Loucas Gatzoulis who told me about all the great things happening here at EP. The more I learned about the impressive growth trajectory of the business and their mission of Humanising Technology for Lifelong Learners, the more interested I became in being part of the journey. 

I had a chance to meet with more of the leadership team including Burkey, Simon and Emma and I was drawn to their passion for the business, their commitment to a true people first culture, and their vision for the future of education. As I’ve started to get to know other EPeeps, I’ve found those traits really echo throughout the entire business so I’m glad to have made the leap!

What book/movie/music/podcast etc has been a big influence on you?

I’m a big advocate of podcasts and I love a good book so I could dedicate pages to answer this, but I’ll mention one that has stood the test of time.

When I was in my early twenties, a friend loaned me the book “When Genius Failed” by American journalist Roger Lowenstein.  It tells the story of famed hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management which rose to prominence in the 90s and ultimately (as you can tell by the title) collapsed in 1998 nearly setting off a global financial crisis.  Part of the strategy of the firm was to hire some of the smartest economists in the world who built statistical models that they thought they could use to predict and beat the market.  There were many reasons why things went wrong (and I recommend you read about them in the book!) but most people viewed their demise as a cautionary tale of what happens when greed and ego collide.  That’s certainly a lesson in and of itself,  but what really stuck with me is that part of the reason their models failed  was because they assumed that people will always behave in a rational and predictable way….and of course as humans we can sometimes be anything but rational! 

So, here’s the one-line lesson that has remained with me: Never forget the human element.  That’s true when designing models, creating good processes, planning for change management, and building high performing teams.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

The best thing about being in an operations role is that you get to work across so many different parts of the business.  At the moment, I’m focused on improving our sales operations function so I’m getting the chance to work alongside our sales leads and take a real deep dive into how this team operates. The nature of the project also requires input and assistance from the product, finance, engineering and marketing teams so I have the unique opportunity to learn the business from a variety of angles. It’s an awesome way to jump right in and get to know a large number of EPeeps, understand their roles and what makes the business tick!

What’s your morning routine like?

I’m up early (usually between 4:30am and 5:00am) and it’s straight to the coffee machine.  When I can, I head out for a long run or walk, listen to music or a podcast and clear my head. I find this is my peak thinking time and I can often solve some challenges that have been lingering in the back of my mind from the day before.

My husband leaves for work around 6, so I’m always home by then and spend the next few hours chasing my girls around the house, getting them fed, dressed and off to daycare.  Then it’s straight back to my desk where I spend 15 minutes reviewing my calendar and preparing a plan for the remainder of the day.

Tell us about your pet(s)!

Kobe is a Rhodesian Ridgeback and has been part of our family for nearly 7 years now.  Ridgebacks were originally bred as lion hunters in South Africa, but lucky for Kobe we live in the city because this dog is afraid of his own shadow! He’s my dedicated running partner and a good sport with the girls and we just love him. 

Who is a historical figure you admire, and why?

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This woman was a brilliant legal mind and a real pioneer for women’s rights.  Her work changed the way we think about gender, gave women a voice, and paved the way for the future female generation in America.  I admire so much of what she was able to accomplish in her life and the example she set for what it means to be a powerful female leader. 

I also want to give a shout out to EP’s Mana Wāhine which was built in the same spirit of empowering women. It’s an internal initiative to support the network of women across EP and I’ve already had the opportunity to join two of the monthly sessions where we talked about unconscious bias in the workplace and financial wellbeing. It’s a lovely community of women sharing stories, supporting each other and discussing topics that are relevant to pushing forward in our professional and personal lives.

What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?

I think a lot about this in the context of what I want to try and teach my daughters. I will tell them that there are an infinite number of ways to live this life and education will unlock many of those opportunities so make learning a priority. Don’t limit yourself to the familiar – explore the world, “try on” different values, places, and lifestyles to find what works for you. If your values change or what you’re doing doesn’t reflect the person you are or want to be, find the courage to change course. Recognise that this is not a sign of hypocrisy or failure, it is the by-product of growth. When you do find people you love and a purpose that matters to you, dedicate your time and energy to these things and don’t give up even if (and when) it gets hard as this is how you will find joy and make a difference in the world.

And while you’re trying to figure it all out, understand that everyone around you is doing the same, so always be kind – to others, to yourself and especially to your mom.

To my younger self specifically, I’d also say to go ahead and invest a bit of money in that thing called Bitcoin you’ve been hearing about!