Edwina Sharrock: The Midwife Who Delivered Her Own Life-Changing Startup Exit
August 19, 2025
23mile
What does it take for a midwife to deliver a life-changing startup exit?
Edwina Sharrock became what she calls an "accidental entrepreneur". Her journey began not in a boardroom, but as a clinical midwife from a small regional town in Australia. It was a career she chose "almost by accident" to facilitate a move to Sydney to play hockey, only to discover a deep passion for it. That passion for community health, combined with a frustration over the sudden closure of a local maternity ward, sparked an idea that started in her living room.
That idea grew into BirthBeat, Australia's first fully online childbirth education platform. In this episode, Edwina shares her unfiltered story of bootstrapping a business with no formal training—so little, in fact, that she had to Google "what is a P&L?" two years into the venture. She offers a candid look at the immense personal sacrifices, the challenges of being a non-technical female founder, and the pivotal moments that defined her path.
This conversation is a deep dive into Edwina’s unconventional funding strategy, including her decision to reject a deal on Shark Tank Australia and later buy out her VC investor to maintain 100% control of her mission. She explains how she navigated the COVID-19 boom, pivoted to a B2B model, and ultimately engineered a successful multi-million dollar exit to a company that aligned with her values.
This is a powerful story about the importance of trusting your gut, the resilience required to overcome unexpected challenges, and the profound success that can come from building a business with a philosophy of "enough".
Agenda:
The Accidental Entrepreneur:
Her journey from a structured career as a clinical midwife to becoming a founder after a local maternity ward closed, forcing her to solve a community problem from her living room.
Choosing a nursing degree not from a deep calling, but to facilitate a move to Sydney to play hockey, only to fall in love with the profession.
Bootstrapping & Funding on Your Own Terms:
Her experience building the business with no pay for five years and the relatable story of having to Google "what is a P&L?".
Appearing on Shark Tank Australia, securing a deal, and ultimately rejecting it because it "wasn't good business".
The decision to buy out her VC investor to regain 100% control and protect the company's mission.
Scaling from a Small Town:
The unique challenges of building a national tech company from a regional town, including the sacrifices of constant travel for an accelerator program in Sydney.
Dealing with "tech bro" culture and the unsolicited advice to "dress a little more to fit in".
The Founder's Mindset:
Her lessons on trusting your gut, backed by data, and the courage to scrap a profitable product (the Sleep School) that didn't align with her passion.
Overcoming her "head noise around money" that was sabotaging early growth and the importance of investing in business coaches.
The physical and mental toll of the founder journey, including needing a total hip replacement shortly after her exit.
Engineering a Mission-Driven Exit:
How a casual conversation with a university friend serendipitously led to the acquisition of BirthBeat.
The importance of finding a culturally-aligned buyer and her powerful philosophy of "enough" versus chasing the highest possible valuation.
Memorable Quotes
"My personality is just, why not? Say yes, figure it out later.."
On being told to dress differently: "That's a red bag to a bull... So I was overtly feminine, I was overtly dressing in my florals just to really say, stick it to you, mate."
"So many people in this entrepreneurial space are just having so much fun and get quite evangelical about their brand, but they're not aware of what are their sales doing?"
On her exit price: "I live a full and wonderful life and I don't have to worry about things and it's enough. And I'm like, I just feel like that's such a gift."
Links & Resources Mentioned
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