Mathew Walker

During a difficult season for our family, I kept wondering whether I was giving my daughter enough attention and teaching her the things she would need later in life.

I wanted Nilsy to learn how to make a plan, follow through and recover when a day went badly. She would always have me for advice and support, but I did not want her to need me standing over her before anything got done.

We started with a small set of useful daily jobs that we chose together. They were hers to complete. The first version simply showed what she had agreed to do and when it was done.

Nilsy helped decide what would keep a kid interested, what felt rewarding and what did not make sense. I built the app around what we learned together.

I have spent more than 15 years running large events and leading the people and business development campaigns behind them. I have managed a convention centre with 155 staff and a $22 million budget.

At WishList, I grew the volunteer workforce from 51 to 180 people and placed more than 3,000 volunteers each year with Sunshine Coast community organisations.

I am now Treasurer of the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show Society, which runs the annual Show at the Nambour Showgrounds. I bring hands-on event operations, volunteer workforce planning, sponsorship, council relationships and digital experience to the role. My focus is keeping the Society’s finances healthy, transparent and working hard for members.

I also run Law SEO, an Australian marketing agency focused on helping law firms build stronger websites, search visibility and client growth.

I do not want an app to take credit for a child’s work. Brave Powers should provide structure, then let the child earn the result.

Her growing independence mattered most to me. I wanted her to trust herself and still come to me when she wanted help.