Ingrid Bayer is an Australian entrepreneur, thought leader, and unapologetic champion for women standing at a crossroads later in life.

 

After decades of navigating the pressures of work, family, and the relentless expectation to “hold it all together,” Ingrid discovered a powerful truth: real transformation often begins when everything starts to fall apart.

 

A former Legal Secretary turned Virtual Assistant industry pioneer, Ingrid founded her own home-based administration business in 2008. In 2017, she went on to establish VA Institute, a trailblazing organisation that has since supported thousands of women to reclaim control of their careers and lives by building thriving, flexible businesses from home. Her work has helped reshape the Virtual Assistant landscape in Australia, advocating for meaningful work that honours women’s strengths rather than diminishing them.

 

But Ingrid’s greatest reinvention was personal.

 

After facing health challenges, professional upheaval, and the quieter grief that accompanies ageing and change, she stepped into a new chapter with honesty, humour, and a fierce refusal to fade into the background. She began writing the truths women rarely say aloud — about breaking, rebuilding, grief, grit, and the unexpected beauty of becoming ourselves again.

 

Her book, Not Done Yet – A Journey Back to You, is part memoir, part roadmap, and part rallying cry. Through her own story and the collective wisdom of the women she has mentored, Ingrid offers a powerful reminder that midlife is not an ending — it is the invitation. The turning point. The moment we stop shrinking and start rising.

 

Today, Ingrid writes, mentors, and speaks to women across Australia, helping them reinvent their lives, rediscover their voices, and build futures that feel rich, honest, and deeply aligned. She lives in regional New South Wales with her husband Karl, where she is joyfully proving that the second half of life is where the magic really begins.

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