Melissa Reader

Background

About Melissa Reader

I'm a social entrepreneur who's learned that good intentions aren't enough. My background in leadership taught me there are a couple of things about driving real change that are crucial, but often overlooked. First, you can't just tell people what needs fixing. You need to help them see they're not just along for the ride, they're actually key to making it work. Second, you need thick skin and a stomach for start-up. The pushbacks and setbacks come fast and often. Trust me on this one. Real change happens when people feel genuinely connected to both the problem and their role in solving it. Nobody likes being managed through change, but they'll move mountains when they're actively shaping it. This philosophy, combined with my own family's struggles with the last stages of life, led me to create Violet - a virtual care platform changing how families navigate life's final chapters. We've supported over families by balancing cutting-edge technology with genuine humanity, proving innovation and compassion can work together, setting new benchmarks in #caretech,#agetech, and #lifetech. This isn't just about building better products and systems. It's about fundamentally changing how society approaches ageing, illness, care and the last stages of life, which will inevitably affect all of us. I'm a Harvard Kennedy School and INSEAD graduate, Techstars alumni, recipient of the Chief Executive Women's Entrepreneurs Scholarship and Westpac Social Change Fellowship. Honestly, I'm just building what I wish had existed when my family needed it most, and making sure millions of others don't have to figure it out the hard way. Outside of work, I love our life in the Southern Highlands, with my kids, my husband Mark, our horses, garden, and an open fire.