Priscilla Jeha
General Manager, Alt/Shift
General Manager. Solo Mum to 9 year old twins (the biscuits). Lover of adventure and challenges. I've run marathons, got my private pilots licence, competed in open ocean yacht races, renovated whole blocks of apartments and travelled alone to far flung places - to trek Peru with Sharmans in the Amazon Jungle and to deliberately lose myself in the heady spices and winding alleys of the medina in Marrakech. But I'm also a planner. A meticulous mapper, charting the course of goals and the road to reach them (which is always deliciously winding and often calls for Plans B, C and D!). I can't wait to share all of my experience with a fantastic mentee this coming year - supporting and helping them to reach their absolute potential!
Career & Background
What inspired you to do what you are doing now?
The journey to my current role has been anything but linear – the good things in life rarely are! My last role (coming home from a long stint in the UK) saw me running a Media and Communications team in a very busy State Government Department.
This covered everything from the delivery of state-wide, integrated ad campaigns, through to the in-and-out bound press function (which was particularly busy during the collision of both cyclone and youth crime peak summer season!).
This flirtation with the insanely ‘immediate’ world of media and PR whet my appetite enough to want to explore more. When the alt/shift opportunity (General Manager of Queensland) came knocking, I was 1000% in. Who wouldn’t want to lead the Queensland arm of Mumbrella’s Large PR Agency of the Year? Additionally, my fantastic role is 4 days a week – which is something I had been wishing for. You know those Goldilocks moments when everything about an opportunity feels ‘just right’? This was one of those.
Could you tell us a bit about your professional background and where you are headed in your career right now?
I cut my teeth as a Receptionist at BCM 30 years ago! Eeeek (still great friends with Kev Moreland)! I then bounced around a mix of boutique and multi-national agencies in Brisbane, levelling up at every opportunity. If there was a pitch, you can be sure I found a way to be on it… If there was a presentation, I sidled up to the speaker and asked how I could support. Lots of late nights… but lots of learning and growing. I honestly adored every second.
I then spent almost 10 years in London at Grey London as a Global Business Director, leading a team across 35 international markets and winning a host of awards, including two Euro Effies. After landing back in Brisbane (with my newborn twins) I was GM at Khemistry before starting my own agency, The Together Society where I delivered projects for 99 Bikes, Surf Life Saving Foundation, Hasting Deering, Secrets Shhh, Griffith Uni, Discover Queensland and a range of corporate clients.
Wanting to ‘run with a pack’ again, I then spent time in the bosom of Queensland Government at an incredibly interesting time (lead up to an election) leading the Media and Communications function; and here I am now absolutely loving my GM role at alt/shift.
I really embrace high growth roles where I am offered the autonomy to build (on an already) high-performing team. I think Brisbane is so primed for growth over the next decade, that there is an incredible opportunity for our agency, which spans multiple disciplines.
In my ‘spare time’ I own a natural detox brand – St Agnes Rituals, which won Skincare, Beauty and Wellness Product of the Year for 2024 (She.com Awards). I have since launched the brand in the UK. What can I say… I just ADORE creating brands!
Your favourite food for thought
Books
- The Four Hour Work Week – Tim Ferris
- Ignite: The new business guide – Edited by Peace Mitchell & Katy Garner (I actually wrote a chapter in this book!)
- The Pivot Year – Brianna Wiest
Podcasts / Thought Leaders
- How I built this – Guy Raz (every episode blows my mind and is so expansive and inspiring)
- Add to Cart – Nathan Bush (cause I’m an ecomm die-hard and Bushy is a local ecomm legend!)
- Marketing ATM – Jess Ruhfus & Anaita Sarkar (Two Australian ‘bosses’ that have teamed up to talk all things marketing – the best insights to take-away)
What drives and inspires you
What are your core values?
- Perseverance
- Trust
- Vision
Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Maxine Horne is a HUGE inspiration. As a female entrepreneur, she is self-made and carved a path before so many others. She kicked out her husband when she found out he was cheating and cracked on as a solo parent, juggling life, motherhood and business.
Selling out of her ‘white labelled’ Telstra retail stores, she went on to co-found Vita Group, which owns Artisan Clinics (early pioneers in the ‘neighbourhood aesthetics’ category). She’s now on Shark Tank… AND she lives just near me (not that I’ve been following her or anything… I swear!). Love you Maxine!
You as a Mentor
Why have you decided to become a mentor?
I have previously mentored with Assisterhood and I’ve been gifted some of the more beautiful relationships with my mentees. I’ve been invited to weddings and stayed in such close contact… meeting on different continents for dinner, being their reference for new jobs and still offering guidance wherever I can. Although this program is ‘officially’ for 12 months, the bonds it can build have lasted many years!
What are the top 5 skills or qualities you bring to mentoring?
- Confident
- Connected
- Empathic
- Non-judgemental
- Nurturing
Ready to apply?
The best time is right now. Take a chance – you never know where an Assisterhood mentor can take you.