Meet Tracey
And the amazing people that help make TraceyWaring.com.au a reality
Hey there - my name is Tracey... it is so great to meet you.
I was born and bred on a beef and grain farm in country Victoria, in a place called Broughton, which is about a 5 hour drive north-west of Melbourne. I am the second of four daughters to two wonderful parents and sister to three inspirational women. I loved my country upbringing with the values, freedom, and power of community it instilled in me. I have been married for over 25 years to an incredibly supportive husband, and am the proud mother of two spectacular daughters, who are now in their early twenties.
The first part of my career, which I refer to as “Tracey 1.0”, was spent at EY (also known as Ernst & Young, a global professional services firm). I had a highly successful 30+ year career there, with 15 years as a partner, focusing on audit and complex accounting structuring consulting. I was EY’s global mining & metals accounting lead, which took my family to live in London for 2 years (which was AMAZING!!). It gave me the awesome opportunity to visit, and meet with people from, over 30 countries around the world – which was life changing. Met so many people and formed lifelong friendships. My husband said my job was flying around the world talking.
My job was accounting structuring, but my super-power was making the complex simple. I always loved (and still do love) a “picture on a page” and I have a (possibly) unhealthy love for post it notes.
I am, and always have been, passionate about the advancement of people. At EY I interacted, worked with, and learnt a huge amount from, a wide range of stakeholders at all levels of organisations. I led many different teams and worked with, coached, counselled and proactively supported, the development of the careers of many people. I was a regular, energetic and engaging presenter, facilitator and emcee at many forums facilitated by EY and externally. I was, and still am, regularly sought out as a mentor both in and outside of EY and have been the keynote speaker at a range of forums around the world speaking on a range of topics, including Authentic leadership.
I live, and have always lived, a busy, full and rewarding life and am active in the communities in which I live. I am inquisitive and love to learn, being an avid reader and consumer of all things leadership and personal development. I believe in the importance of service of, and contribution to, society, and truly believe in the inherent goodness of others. I live my life through filter of: Accountability; Simplicity; Curiosity; and Being a good human.
And now, after 30+ years with EY building Tracey 1.0, it is time for Tracey 2.0. I am so excited to share the next phase of my journey with you. Keep reading to find out more!
What people say about Tracey
Tracey is described as someone who is authentic, passionate, inclusive, and kind. She approaches everything with energy and enthusiasm. She has a genuine skill of being able to cut through complexity and share her insights in a clear, practical and engaging way, easy for all to digest. She has always taken responsibility for her own life and career, with one of her favourite sayings being “If it is to be, it is up to me” (a quote by William H Johnsen).
Tracey is generous with her time and makes others feel seen, heard, valued and safe. She is curious, not only about learning but also about people and why they behave as they do. She has, and is willing to share, her points of view, while at the same time being willing to genuinely listen and understand the views of others. She is also able to have some fun and is willing to, and can, laugh at herself.
Why fulfilment and not happiness?
A life worth living is more than just being happy. While happiness can imply a constant state of positivity and ease, true fulfilment requires a deeper pursuit. To live a meaningful life and leave behind a eulogy and headstone you are proud of, it is important to focus on aiming for a sense of fulfilment.
Living a fulfilled life means embracing curiosity and stepping outside your comfort zone—trying new experiences, meeting new people, and simplifying complexity when you can. This journey may result in disappointment, failure, and frustration, but encountering these challenges enhances your appreciation for the more positive emotions of success, joy, love, and connection.
The start to living a fulfilled life is to first understand and accept who you are and consider whether this aligns with who you want to be. Understanding and accepting your authentic self and knowing how best to show up in each situation (i.e., agile authenticity), is crucial. So too is taking responsibility for your life and career. You cannot expect others to sort things out for you, “If it is to be, it is up to me” (William H. Johnsen).
In today’s world, where social media showcases seemingly perfect lives, revealing your true self can be daunting. The pressure to conform to a certain “type” can intensify as your career progresses, leaving many feeling exhausted from maintaining a façade. Many individuals conceal their struggles, worried that showing vulnerability will jeopardise their professional prospects. This emotional toll can severely impact both personal well-being and professional performance. While many think they are good at hiding it, the reality is the impact can, and will be, seen at some point.
Ironically, those who appear flawless—like a swan gliding on a calm lake—may not appeal to today’s generation. People seek authenticity; knowing that perfection isn’t required inspires them to engage more fully. Research indicates that individuals who live fulfilled lives are more engaged and productive, leading to improved performance and employee retention.
The challenge is that regardless of background, role or experience, many people do not have a thorough and robust understanding and acceptance of themselves. They have never “peeled the onion” layers of their life. They have not delved into who they are and what makes themselves tick. They have not explored and unearthed the attributes of a task, role, undertaking or situation where they are most energised, i.e., a place where their abilities, values, passion and purpose align. They often chase job titles, money or other factors without ever truly knowing what great looks and feels like.
This is why a journey of self-discovery is the place to start. While such a journey may feel challenging at times, it is ultimately empowering. When you truly understand yourself, you can fully embrace and accept who you are and feel more confident in being yourself. By peeling the layers of your life, you unlock the potential for stronger relationships, higher performance, and deeper satisfaction, both personally and professionally. This empowers you to live with intention and create a meaningful legacy that reflects the life you want to lead and the person you want to be remembered as.
I believe a successful career, a fulfilling life and leaving a meaningful legacy, does not depend on what you know, what you have achieved or who you know. Instead, they ultimately depend on how well you know, and can be, your genuine self; how you approach life; and how you treat others.
And you are in the driver’s seat – It starts and ends with you.
What can Tracey offer you?
After more than 50 years of life and her highly successful 30+ year career at EY, Tracey has had, and still has, a wide number of roles in her personal and professional life. These include daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, EY colleague and partner. During this time, she has interacted with an incredibly wide range of people; people from over 30 countries around the world, all walks of life, all levels within an organisation, with different backgrounds from diverse communities.
Also, through all of her experiences to date, Tracey has learned a lot about herself and life. Including that life is not about balance, it’s about integration. She has had to learn how to integrate all aspects of her life – her family, career, friends, community and herself and her health. She didn’t always get it right, and even now, she doesn’t always get it right. She’s read, seen, experienced and heard a lot. Over this time, Tracey has gathered and curated a lot of insights, perspectives and wisdom from others. She has also given a lot of thought about what really matters in the end.
In working with Tracey, she will leverage these real-life experiences, her insights and passion for people, to inspire and empower talented people to discover and understand who they really are. She shares her personal perspectives and wisdom on what to think about and focus on, i.e., what really matters. Tracey has a range of practical tips, insights and resources she has gained along the way and which she has added to her toolbox of life.
In sharing her experiences and tips, Tracey acknowledges that every toolbox is different, as is every career and life. Her idea of what a successful career and fulfilled life looks like, won’t necessarily be the same as yours, even though they may appear similar. Tracey is also aware that she does not have all the answers and cannot offer an easy 5 step quick fix that will help you build that career or live that fulfilled life. But nothing in life worth achieving is easy.
In spending time with Tracey, you will gain insights into some tools you might want to consider adding to your toolbox of life.
She offers a variety of services which can be tailored to suit the needs of individuals or organisations who are seeking practical and relevant ways to enhance careers and achieve fulfilment for either themselves, their teams and/or talented leaders.
So if you are looking for someone to inspire and empower you and/or your teams as part of your emerging talent/leadership development programs, via a keynote speech, fireside chat, workshop, training session or mentoring arrangement; or if you are seeking an effective and high energy emcee for your next event, then reach out to see if Tracey would be the right fit for you and/or your organisation.
My Inner Circle
The people who ground me, lift me, and make everything feel possible.
Noel, Brianna & Skyler
My beautiful family
My cheer squad, sounding boards, truth tellers and the one’s who often hear “hey, I listened to this great podcast…”
– I wouldn’t be where I am today without them
Mos & Elaine
My wonderful parents
Where it all started – they gave me so many opportunities, showed me first-hand what great work ethic looked like, helped me build my love and appreciation of community, and encouraged me to develop my ability to speak and express myself.
Jodi, Kelly & Michelle
My amazing sisters
Always been in my corner, by my side and available to sense check my ideas – also really good at keeping things real for me – wouldn’t and couldn’t do life without them.
MacKenzie
My nieces and personal stylists
Responsible for photoshoot make-up, making sure there was no “fringe gap” and that all the poses made sense.
Addison
Creative Contributors
The talented team who brought my vision to life - each adding their own magic, skill, and heart to the story.
Joe Frese
Photographer
Responsible for all photos – has an amazing ability to capture moments and the true essence of me. He is always able to put me at ease (as I don’t love my photo being taken) and was able to recommend some shots I wouldn’t have normally considered. He delivered a portfolio of amazing photos I was able to use in all parts of my practice – website, socials, emails, marketing and presentations.
Andy Carruthers
Website developer and builder
Responsible for my website – has an outstanding ability to listen to what I’m looking for, work through all my copywriting for content, provide useful and relevant suggestions, and then build a professional and user-friendly website that perfectly combines my story with the branding and the photos, such that people say, “it is so you”.