Yarning with Shakira Grasso

Tell us about you and your mob?

My name is Shakira Grasso, I am a Nyiyaparli Palyku woman from the Pilbara region in WA and with connections to Kariyarra and Nglurama through my great-grandmother Kathleen Lockyer-Mackay. My family live mostly in Port Hedland and Marble Bar where my mum and nanna both grew up. I was born in Port Hedland and spent a lot of my life growing up in the Pilbara and South West. 

In 2016, I was lucky enough to receive a scholarship from Fortescue to attend boarding school in Perth, which changed my life, I was given so many opportunities that I never received before and really grew into myself. 

I  am 22 years old, with a lot of ambitious and big dreams for my future. I have always been somewhat of a dreamer, wanting big things for my life and hopefully becoming someone who changes the world somehow, even if it’s just one person’s world.

I am the oldest of 4, with all my siblings being quite younger than me and I really pride myself on being a good role model for my younger siblings, setting an example for them that if “I can do it, they can do it too”. I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by many strong women who have given me that same strength. 

My Nanna, who is my favourite person in the world, is one of the strongest and proudest people I know. Growing in Marble Bar and still living there to this day, she is a proud community woman who has always taken care of others and those she loves. She was a single mum of 4 and her strength and love is something I am very grateful for. My mum is someone who I also really look up to. A strong black woman with a successful business, the best role model you can ask for. Watching her build her business to what it is today, despite many set backs she kept going, she sacrificed a lot and put everything she had into it and that has really inspired me to do the same with my businesses.

Tell us about your career?

After graduating high school in 2020, I started my first job in 2021 working for Fortescue in their Perth office as an undergraduate intern. I started out in the organisational development department where I spent a lot of time working in the diversity and inclusion, and community development space. I then moved onto the sustainability and corporate affairs team where I spent time working in climate change and human rights including helping develop the Fortescue Modern Slavery Training. At the same time as starting work I began my university degree at the University of Western Australia, partaking in a Bachelor Arts doing a double major in Law and Society, and Political Science and International Relations. At the end of 2022, I decided that I needed a change from working in a big company and I began working for my family business Kingkira Group. I started out as executive assistant to the general manager and also worked part time at Shooting Stars a not-for-profit as part of the Philanthropy and Partnerships team. After about a year at KingKira Group I transitioned into the role of Marketing and Community Engagement Coordinator/Manager, which was a perfect position for me as I have always been passionate about people and helping the community anywhere I can. As the child of two parents who have education and community backgrounds and also I think being an Aboriginal person, the value of the community and taking care of the community has always been instilled into me and I bring that care factor into every job I do. It really fills my cup to be able to give back and go into the community and meet different people. During all of this I also began forging my own path into the business world as well. A started as a partner in a few businesses alongside my mum Tammy O’Connor, and then eventually started my own business Waru at the end of 2023. As of November this year Waru hit 1 year officially in business , which was very exciting milestone for me and my team. We have achieved a lot within this first year including taking home our first ever award at the AEMEE Conference, for New Indigenous Business of the Year. Our success comes down to the passion, hardwork and determination of my team, who have been so supportive of me and my vision, and I am really excited to see what comes next. 

What pathway did you take?

My pathway you could say is a little all over the place. I am still young so still really figuring things out but enjoying the journey whilst I do. I did follow somewhat of the “expected” pathway going into university straight out of high school, which was never really my plan, I’d always planned to take a gap year and travel the world and then sort of figure things out from there. But COVID threw a bit of a spanner into the works and I had to adjust that plan. However, I am a big believer of “everything happens for a reason” and I truly think the path I ended up taking was the right one. I have taken my degree a little slower than the recommended, if I had of stuck to the path I would have graduated in December 2023, but I am now set to hopefully graduate in December 2025 and I am not mad about it. I have taken time off throughout my degree to focus on my career and travelling, but also my own personal wellbeing. And I’m glad I have, throughout that time I’ve travelled to Europe, Africa, the US and Asia. I volunteered working with Lions and other big Cats in South Africa and have spent a lot of time in my own community. I moved out of home into my own apartment when I was 20 living on my own for the first time ever and now I am set to buy my first home in January 2025. I think a lot of that never would have happened if I stuck to the expected/recommended path, I’m happy to be living life my own way. 

What skills do you need to succeed in your role?

I’m a big people person, so I think that really helps me out. Ironically, I actually struggle a lot with social anxiety but I can somehow switch on that social butterfly when I need to, to network. I’m also a pretty keen public speaker which doesn’t make a lot of sense given my social anxiety but as a former drama kid in school it is a skill I have developed and it has come in handy, with the many presentations at events and client meetings I have to make. I think in general just being able to talk to people, and talk to them in a way that they feel heard and where it is a genuine conversation, is super important and a great skill to have. Building meaningful relationships with clients and members of the community is super important in the business world and something that I pride myself on. 

What is the deadliest thing about your career?

The deadliest thing about my career is the opportunity I have to give back and be in the community. There is no better feeling in the world than knowing that you are changing people’s lives a little bit at a time. I love spending time with the organisations that we give back to and seeing first hand the impact that it has, it is extremely humbling and just a beautiful thing. I also love working in my family business, being able to build that legacy for the future generations of our family and working alongside my mum is very special. Having my own business now at the age of 22 is also pretty cool. I’m excited to build something for my future family like my mum did for me and my sister with KingKira Group.  

What career advice would you give your mob?

One piece of advice I would give is don’t let the imposters syndrome get you down or make you doubt yourself. As a young women in the business world I struggle with this a lot, many of the meetings I walk into is usually filled with old white men and I get very nervous that people won’t take me seriously or won’t listen to what I have to say. But I try to remind myself that I am there for reason, someone along the way believed in me and what I am trying to do and all I need to do is believe in myself as well. And that goes for anyone, the best gift you can give yourself and the best skill to have is that self-belief. The more you believe in yourself and what you have created or trying to sell so will others. I also think when starting a business find something you’re passionate about, I know it is easier said than done, but there is nothing better than having that passion, I feel the passion seeps through and others see it and feel it to.