People with Purpose: Raffy Sgroi
From Spark Plugs to Sisterhood
Most people pass by Fisher without a second thought, but in a quiet corner something extraordinary is happening. Inside a family-run garage, engines hum and tools clink, but there’s another rhythm at play: one of inclusion, empowerment, and legacy-building. And at the heart of it all is Raffy Sgroi, a proud Italian-Australian, community champion, and a woman determined to change the world around her, one purposeful decision at a time.
Raffy doesn’t just do a lot. She lives with intention.
As the founder of HerZest, co-owner of Car Mechanical Services (CMS), and a full-time carer while navigating her own chronic illness, Raffy Sgroi represents what it means to be a Person with Purpose. Her story isn’t one of flashy headlines or overnight success, but one of resilience, fierce generosity, and unwavering belief in the power of people.
Building a Business: Then Building a Movement
Let’s start with the spark.
Many Canberrans know Raffy through HerZest, a fast-growing platform that connects, elevates, and celebrates women across all stages of life and business. Launched with a clear mission, to create a safe and vibrant space for women to grow their ventures and their confidence, HerZest has become a local legacy in the making.
“There are so many incredible women doing incredible things,” Raffy says. “But too often, they’re doing it in silos. HerZest is about changing that. It’s about building a sisterhood, not just a network.”
From mentoring circles to business showcases, HerZest isn’t just about professional development—it’s about community belonging. Over 1,000 women have been involved so far, with HerZest offering speed-networking sessions, events, and digital spotlights that give women-led businesses the recognition they deserve.
Raffy’s joy is watching others win. “I love giving. I love seeing people succeed. Honestly, it lights me up,” she shares, her signature warmth infusing every word.
Rewiring the Trades: Inclusion at the Garage
HerZest might be the passion project, but Raffy’s day-to-day work is deeply rooted in a very different world: the mechanical trades.
Alongside her husband Charlie, Raffy runs Car Mechanical Services, a multi-award-winning workshop known for its outstanding sustainability practices and industry-defying commitment to inclusion. And she isn’t just helping cars run better, she’s helping a whole sector shift gears.
As the architect of CMS’s inclusion program, Raffy has made bold changes in an industry that rarely sees them. Through her leadership, the business has attracted 40% female participation in their training and mentoring programs, an astonishing figure in an industry where women make up less than 2% of the workforce.
She’s not stopping there.
“There are 280 other motor vehicle repair shops in Canberra,” she says, “and I want every single one of them to see what’s possible.”
From installing disability-friendly infrastructure to mentoring students with intellectual disabilities, Raffy’s approach is practical, personal, and powerful. CMS now partners with schools like The Woden School to offer hands-on training for high schoolers with disabilities, helping them enter the workforce with skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
It’s the kind of leadership that doesn't ask for applause, but deserves it.
Awards and Accolades, Yes, but It’s the Impact That Matters
Under Raffy’s guidance, both HerZest and CMS have earned serious recognition.
In just the past two years, CMS has been named:
Sustainable Small Business of the Year (2023)
Gold Winner – Automotive & Transport Equipment – International Business Awards (2024)
Silver Award – Diversity & Inclusion – Beam Awards (2024)
And Raffy herself won a Bronze Stevie Award for Sustainability Leadership
But if you ask her what she’s most proud of? It’s not the trophies.
It’s the young woman with an intellectual disability who now works confidently behind a shop front desk. It’s the high schoolers who finally feel seen in their first job placement. It’s the businesswomen who’ve left a HerZest event standing taller.
“These are the wins that stick with me,” she says. “The real ones. The human ones.”
Life Behind the Purpose
If Raffy sounds like a superwoman, it’s because in many ways, she is. But she’s also someone navigating a life with complexity.
She’s a mum to two teenagers, a full-time carer to her brother-in-law with down syndrome, and has been quietly living with multiple myeloma, a rare and incurable blood cancer, for years. Some days, it’s the simple joy of sharing a meal with loved ones or stealing a moment of peace with a gin and tonic that keeps her going.
“My tribe of women is my superpower,” she says. “I’m here because of them. That’s why I keep showing up, for them, and for the next woman who’s trying to hold it all together.”
That sense of sisterhood is embedded in everything she does, from workshop floors to business showcases to late-night pep talks with fellow founders.
The Bigger Picture: Why Her Work Matters
Raffy’s story is more than a feel-good feature. It’s a reflection of what Canberra can become when people lean into purpose.
She’s redefining what it looks like to run a business, not just for profit, but for people. In a world that often rewards shortcuts, she’s choosing the slow, deliberate path of impact. In a city where silos can stifle innovation, she’s building bridges, between industries, generations, and stories.
And she’s doing it all while making space for others to rise.
“Empowering women isn’t just about equality, it’s about unlocking the full potential of our community,” she says. “When we support each other, we all win.”
A Call to Action. Be More Like Raffy!
So what does it mean to be a person with purpose?
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up, again and again, in the direction of something bigger than yourself. It’s about choosing compassion in a world that’s rushed. Inclusion in a space that’s exclusive. And joy, even on the days when joy feels out of reach.
Raffy lives that, daily. And in doing so, she makes it easier for the rest of us to believe we can, too.
Her challenge to all of us?
Find your tribe.
Champion others.
Build something that leaves people better.
Because whether it’s over coffee, under a car, or on a stage, your purpose matters. And in this town, that kind of purpose makes all the difference.
Want to Support or Connect with Raffy’s Work?
Follow HerZest on Instagram: @herzest.au
Book with Car Mechanical Services: carmechanicalservices.com.au
Know a high school or disability support program that could benefit from a workplace partnership? Raffy wants to hear from you.
