In this special episode of The Cowbell Podcast, we celebrate International Women’s Day with an extraordinary guest - Jess Baird Walsh. A mother of three, entrepreneur, and ultra-runner, Jess has been running every single day for nearly 1,000 days. But what started as a personal challenge became something much bigger - a journey of resilience, self-discovery, and purpose.
An unexpected twist of fate led Jess to discover the Indigenous Marathon Foundation (IMF), founded by Australian running legend Robert de Castella, and to cross paths with Charlie Maher, the first graduate of the Indigenous Marathon Project. That encounter gave her a new mission - to raise $1 million for IMF, supporting Indigenous runners and leaders.
Beyond endurance sports, Jess is the founder of Capital X, an initiative dedicated to bridging the investment gap for women in technology and startups. She shares her experience as a female founder, the challenges of raising venture capital, and how persistence - both in business and on the trails - can drive meaningful change.
As we honour International Women’s Day, this episode is a testament to the strength, resilience, and determination of women pushing boundaries in every field.
🎧 Tune in to hear Jess’s powerful story and what keeps her going—one step at a time.
🔗 Go to Jess's fundraising page https://runningtoraisefunds.imf.org.au/page/JessicaBairdWalsh
🔗 Find out more about IMF
🔗 Find out more about Capital-X
The Cowbell Podcast episode is brought to you by Kelvin Yip from "Endu1 - Endurance Fuel & Hydration" @endu1sportsnutrition and Dave Stewart @_daventures_, the legendary trail race MC.