Angela Smith didn\u2019t set out to build a career in cruising. In fact, when she was first approached about joining AmaWaterways, she had never even heard of the brand.<\/strong><\/p>\n Fast-forward less than three years and she has helped establish its presence in Australia and New Zealand as head of marketing ANZ, earning the industry\u2019s recognition with the 2025 Women in Travel Cruise Award along the way.<\/p>\n But for Smith, the biggest career milestones have rarely been about having everything figured out.<\/p>\n They have been about backing herself, saying yes to opportunities that feel a little daunting and surrounding herself with people who make her feel capable of more.<\/p>\n As she reflects on this year\u2019s Never Too Much theme, she shares why sometimes the most important person to convince is yourself.<\/p>\n I\u2019m quite introverted in many ways so my initial reaction is about taking up too much space, being too loud or asking for too much. But I mostly see it as an outlook on life.<\/p>\n It\u2019s okay to want things, to have a go or work towards something. That doesn\u2019t always mean climbing higher or achieving more.<\/p>\n It might be trying something new, having a different experience or just making time for something you enjoy. Why should we feel guilty about things that make life richer?<\/p>\n It\u2019s also how I approach family, friendships, work and leadership. I want to be someone people can count on, whether they need advice, a sounding board or just a chat.<\/p>\n I\u2019m still figuring out a balance where I show up for others and remember to show up for myself as well. But that\u2019s a huge part of who I am.<\/p>\n Kimi was my first boss in a corporate role and immediately comes to mind.<\/p>\n She was the only woman in a large senior leadership team, and I watched her hold her own, speak up and make sure she was heard.<\/p>\n But what I admired was how she did the same for others, including me. She fought for me in rooms I wasn\u2019t in, created opportunities for me to be seen and heard, and made sure my work was recognised.<\/p>\n She led with empathy and honesty, two things that have stuck with me and form the foundation of how I try to lead today.<\/p>\n I\u2019m lucky that my current boss, Steve, has those same qualities. I know he has my back, and I don\u2019t take that for granted.<\/p>\n Kimi and I are still friends today, although there\u2019s one thing I won\u2019t let her forget.<\/p>\n She was on the interview panel for my first job and voted for the other candidate because he\u2019d brought lollies to bribe them!<\/p>\n She denies it now, of course, but I quickly learnt that food really is the way to her heart.<\/p>\n Forget work ethic, I won her over with my rocky road!<\/p>\n When Steve called me out of the blue about an opportunity with AmaWaterways. I\u2019d never worked in cruising, I\u2019d never even heard of AmaWaterways.<\/p>\n But his enthusiasm was infectious. He told me about the company, the people and their plans for Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n It sounded exciting, but I was also a little daunted. This was a brand that clearly meant an enormous amount to the people who\u2019d built it, and I was being asked to help introduce it to a whole new market.<\/p>\n Plus, I had to get through three rounds of interviews and impress some of those same people.<\/p>\n What sold me was the chance to own the marketing function and build something from scratch, but with the backing of an established global brand.<\/p>\n How often does that come along? And quite frankly, it sounded fun.<\/p>\n My first day on the job, I was in Amsterdam, onboard a river ship for the first time, meeting 100 colleagues from across the world.<\/p>\n Talk about being thrown in the deep end! I truly can\u2019t believe we\u2019ve achieved everything we have in under three years.<\/p>\n The lesson there is that having a bit of trust, saying yes and taking the step is one thing.<\/p>\n Finding the right people to do it with makes all the difference.<\/p>\n I get it. It\u2019s not always easy to put yourself forward, especially when you\u2019re not entirely sure you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s probably the best time to do it. It\u2019s easy to look around and think everyone else knows more, has more experience or is better suited to something.<\/p>\n And sometimes they might be! But that doesn\u2019t mean you shouldn\u2019t put your hand up too. We need more women coming through, having a go and bringing their own ideas and perspectives to the table.<\/p>\n And that means giving ourselves permission to learn, ask questions and get things wrong. You shouldn\u2019t know everything before you start. It should feel a little uncomfortable.<\/p>\n And find your people. The ones who\u2019ll back you, challenge you, tell you when you\u2019re on the wrong track and celebrate when you get it right.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been lucky to have people like that in my career, and I see it as a privilege if I can do the same for someone coming through behind me.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t talk yourself out of something before you\u2019ve even given yourself a chance. You\u2019re 100% capable of more than you think.<\/p>\n \u201cI get to do this.\u201d It\u2019s about reframing \u201cI have to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n When you \u2018get to\u2019 do something rather than having to do it, there\u2019s a special perspective you get from that.<\/p>\n It gives me gratitude for having the access or ability or gumption, especially when something feels a bit daunting or the pressure is on.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been lucky to work in environments where I\u2019ve been encouraged to try things, even when there\u2019s a chance they won\u2019t work.<\/p>\n And I think that\u2019s so important. Some of the best ideas come from things that didn\u2019t quite go to plan the first time.<\/p>\n You just need to be somewhere that gives you the confidence to try. There\u2019s something exciting about starting something when you don\u2019t quite know where it\u2019ll lead.<\/p>\n I love being able to look back and say, \u201cI did that\u201d or \u201cI was part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Even better if it was something I wasn\u2019t entirely sure I could do in the first place.<\/p>\n And if it doesn\u2019t work? Well, at least I\u2019ll have learnt something. And hopefully have a good story to tell.<\/p>\n I should be saying passport, or scarf (I do always have one of those for multiple uses) but if I\u2019m honest, it\u2019s my own shampoo!<\/p>\n It\u2019s that creature comfort I don\u2019t negotiate on. I\u2019ve finally even found the perfect bottle to decant it into that doesn\u2019t leak or surprise me with an explosion in transit.<\/p>\n I\u2019m not known for being a light packer and \u2018carry on only\u2019 are three of the scariest words to me.<\/p>\n The shampoo and excess pairs of shoes I \u2018need\u2019 are clearly part of that problem.<\/p>\nWhat does \u201cnever too much\u201d mean to you personally? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
Who was the woman who showed you it was okay to take up space? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Angela](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Ange-Cesky-Krumlov-768x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"Angela](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Ange-Cesky-Krumlov-768x1024.jpg\")
What\u2019s the trip, the role, or the moment that felt almost too big to reach for? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
What would you say to the woman who\u2019s still convincing herself to ask for less? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Angela](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Ange-FC-Expo-1-768x1024.png\"\/)
![\"Angela](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Ange-FC-Expo-1-768x1024.png\")
What do you tell yourself in the moment before you step up? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the one travel item you can\u2019t live without? <\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/WIT-26-SPONSOR-BLOCK-0909-4-601x1024.jpg\"\/)
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/travelweekly.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/WIT-26-SPONSOR-BLOCK-0909-4-601x1024.jpg\"){kind=spacer}
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n