ICMS Graduation 2025: Alumna’s “Pebbles on the Pathway” Career Lessons

ICMS alumna, entrepreneur and marketing leader Ali King returned to campus as the keynote speaker for the October Graduation ceremony.  

Speaking to new graduates from ICMS, Aspire Institute, and the International Sport College of Australia (ISCA), Ali shared real stories about building a career, step by step. 

Her speech, “Pebbles on the Pathway,” started with a familiar sight. 

“When I walked across campus today, I noticed something that made me laugh,” Ali began.  

“The same old pebbles on the pathway. The ones that used to get stuck in our heels walking to class. Back then, they were annoying. Now, I see them differently. They’re the perfect metaphor for how life unfolds, one small step, one pebble at a time.” 

This idea of building purpose as you go ran through her whole speech. She encouraged graduates not to be too concerned about having their lives planned out. 

“You don’t find your why on graduation day. You collect it, pebble by pebble,” she said. 

From Campus Life to Global Brands

Ali’s own journey proves that little steps matter.  

While studying at ICMS between 2009 and 2011 she lived at Moran House and then Addison Road, worked late nights at Hugo’s in Manly and Sheraton on the Park, and learned how to deal with different people. 

After graduating, Ali switched from hospitality to a corporate role as a Marketing Coordinator in tech.  

That’s where she learned to say “yes” to new things, even when they seemed tough. 

That “yes” attitude helped her jump into her dream role as Head of Marketing and E-commerce at Reebok just five years later.  

“On paper, I was five years underqualified,” Ali admitted. But she showed that being curious and giving things a go can get you further than you think. Her time at Reebok showed her “that curiosity, attitude, and storytelling can open doors experience alone cannot.” 

She led her team to smash budget targets, lift conversion rates by 21%, grow their database by 25%, and roll out an affiliate program that boosted online sales. 

Building a Career, Pebble by Pebble

Ali’s time at Reebok set her up for big roles at Lacoste and theright.fit.  

She kept building skills and gaining new experiences. 

In 2017, she and her sister started Ask Marketing. For the past seven years, they’ve helped B2B companies in sectors like engineering, construction, and finance.  

Every job along the way has given Ali something new; hospitality taught her service, tech taught her to adapt, leading global brands showed her how to lead, and running her own business brought resilience.  

She encouraged graduates to expect a path that isn’t always straight, and to see value in every job and lesson. 

“You’ll move through jobs, industries, and ideas that don’t seem connected. And that can feel uncomfortable, like you’re lost or behind,” she said.  

“But that’s how you find your why. Every experience adds something.” 

Advice for New Graduates

Ali closed with three pieces of advice: 

1. Keep saying yes, even when you don’t have all the answers. 

1. Collect the pebbles: every experience, every person, every lesson. 

1. Trust that your why will reveal itself in time. 

She also added, “Don’t burn bridges. The world is smaller than it seems.” 

Ali’s speech offered honest encouragement to new grads just starting out.  

She shared that careers aren’t about nailing a perfect plan. Instead, it’s about collecting experiences, learning as you go, and building your story, one pebble at a time. 

“One day, you’ll look back and see that the pebbles didn’t just mark your path,” she said.  

“They built it. And your why was there the whole time, waiting for you to notice it, one pebble at a time.”