Meet the Leader: Helen Whait

Award-winning occupational therapist and founder of ActivOT, Helen Whait.

Helen Whait is the founder of ActivOT, an award-winning occupational therapist, and franchising expert. Here, the woman behind one of Australia’s most innovative allied health businesses, as named recently by the Australian Financial Review, answers our questions.

Looking back, what’s one life and career-changing moment that shifted everything for you?

Two stand out. The first was in 2001 while working as the only occupational therapist on a dementia team. I quickly uncovered serious ethical breaches, including staff bullying and abusive practises toward clients. Despite facing significant pushback for raising these issues, I couldn't stay silent when vulnerable individuals were at risk. After three years of investigations and considerable personal toll, I left that environment feeling disheartened, but it fueled my desire to take control of my destiny and establish my own practice. I wanted to create a space where I could practise my profession ethically and supportively, ultimately leading to the birth of ActivOT—a franchise model designed to empower like-minded occupational therapists to thrive in a collaborative environment.

The second life-changing moment occurred during a conversation with my friend Mel, the owner of Essential Beauty. She shared her challenges running a solo beauty therapy business and how franchising provided a solution that exceeded her expectations. This was a lightbulb moment for me—if it worked for her, why not for me? After conducting preliminary investigations, I realized that while state-based OT registration initially prohibited franchising, the transition to National Registration under AHPRA opened the door. In late 2011, ActivOT was born, with my first franchisee joining in March 2012. Franchising in healthcare is rare—particularly in allied health—so I embarked on this journey with the support of my accountant and lawyer, avoiding established norms to create a model that truly reflected the unique nature of our profession. Over time, ActivOT has refined its approach to adapt to the changing landscape of allied health in Australia.

If you took the full body of work you’ve produced over the last 10 years—every idea, project, speech, lesson, and insight—and the work you’re going to do over the next 10 years, and you had to summarise the mission that you’re on and why it matters, how would you do that?

My mission over the last decade has been to safeguard and truly support the Occupational Therapy (OT) profession while transforming community service provision in OT. I really do aim to empower women by demonstrating that they can excel in their careers and personal lives simultaneously—achieved through the right support and genuine flexibility. This work matters because it not only advocates for the OT community but also creates a more inclusive and balanced environment for future generations of professionals.

What’s one quote or message you find yourself saying on repeat? Maybe it’s a really great piece of advice someone has given you, or a statistic that makes your blood boil.

You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone. Only YOU can be YOU. You ARE enough.

We’d love to know what a typical day looks like for you. We’re nosey like that!

Each night, I set a priority list of 3-5 tasks for the following day that will help me move forward toward my goals! It is easy to get caught up in the “busyness trap”, but that won’t necessarily reap rewards in the business. By mindfully choosing where I spend my time each day, I can continue to smash my goals.

Having a team to delegate to is key. I firmly believe in “doing what makes your heart sing,” as this energises you—not drains your energy. Time is the one resource that we can never get more of; it is super precious.

I eat the frog first—always. My most productive time is in the morning when the house is quiet and I am fresh. Sometimes I have meetings, but I always push them back to mid-morning wherever I can in order to give myself that quality time, when I am fresh, to do my high-level work.

I usually “slump” a bit in the afternoons (like most of us do), so I allocate time for emails and meetings/networking at that time. I always book time for emails and returning phone calls (and ignore them at other times); otherwise, they interrupt my entire day—in fact, they can take up my entire day if I let them!

It's not always easy for women to make themselves visible. In fact, research shows many women prefer to make themselves 'intentionally invisible.' What has helped you claim your space, and what advice would you give to others feeling hesitant?

I have absolutely been one of those women and still am in a way. I have come to realise that this is not about ME—it is about helping others, and the only way I can do that is by example—by showing them that you can’t be invisible for that! I think ultimately the only way things will continue to change and improve for women is if we claim our space; for too long, it has been held by men who take control.

ActivOT was named one of Australia’s most innovative companies in 2024. 

We all love a good hack or time-saving tip. Tell us how you juggle a million responsibilities and make it appear effortless.

Sleep. I priortise sleep, always. If you’ve slept well, you can do almost anything. Spend time organising- it’s being kind to your future self and ultimately saves lots of time in the long run!

Permission to think big. What’s a career goal or aspiration that makes you feel nerv-cited (nervous and excited) just mentioning it out loud or in writing? If you’re happy to share, that is!

I want to be the best provider of community based OT services across Australia (not the biggest!)

Bonus question! Name a woman you know who you’d love to see more visible or profiled in a series like this, and why.

Azure Antoinette is inspirational in so many ways; she has overcome much. She owns her space and is a role model for others.

You can follow Helen Whait on LinkedIn here or Instagram here.