Top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane

Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash

3 min read

A message from the President

Ok, well just when we thought the kick-off to 2020 couldn’t have gotten much worse, we have suffered the unwelcome birth of COVID-19 taking over the world like an 80’s Armageddon movie. TOTALLY INSANE!!! This week I have committed to dedicating no further energy for negativity and will be attempting to enjoy some of the benefits self-isolation and working from home will bring us all. Here are my top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane:

1. No Peak Hour Traffic

Typically I drive to Melbourne each day in hideous peak-hour traffic and am typically filled with rage after the 1hr 50mins journey. Nope - not anymore. For the unforeseeable future I will be enjoying the beautiful surrounds of my quiet surfcoast town in Victoria and partaking in regular beach walks and consumption of fresh coastal sea-breezes. Ok, so I know you may want to punch me now but seriously, most of the year you would empathise with my 18hrs of commuting so please, allow me this little gloat!

2. Home Improvements

I’ve attached a few images of the things we have done this weekend to make our home working space more serene. We painted the walls of our bedroom a cosy Dulux Wentworth blue (once Bauhaus minimalist white) which seems to have really given a kick to our prints and plants. I am lucky enough to have two office spaces to use and this weekend we did a mini make-over on both of them so we can stay sane over the coming weeks and months (insert awkward emoji). 

3. Memes

If there is one positive I can take from the last few weeks is the sheer volume and quality of pant-wetting social media content in circulation. I have been saving up my favourites and have attached for your viewing pleasure (although no doubt you have seen them in high rotation anyway). 

4. Leggings & El’ Natural

I’m not one to conform to social norms for the sake of it and I do proudly call myself a feminist but at the ripe age of 44, I don’t have the radiant skin I once did and do feel more human when I spruce up with a bit of make-up and actually blow-dry my hair (which is naturally mousey blonde and so thin my scalp is visible). The last few days, I have enjoyed my sans-make-up face state, the frequency of my pyjama bottoms, yoga pants and leggings. I’ve even held multi-person Zoom meetings “newsreader style” with a blazer and black T on top, and some daggy over-stretched leggings and Uggboots down the bottom. This is genius and I am not ashamed of adorning this attire during Covid-19 times. I do fear this may become a habit hard to break but for now…. 

5. Out of the woodworks…

I have heard from more people over the past 2 weeks than I have in 2 years! It has made me feel loved and of importance which has been reassuring. Of course, it also promoted thinking “Holy shit, I should call…. And reach out to…. And Skype…” 

6. Take-away…

OK, I know I said top five but this is critically important. All my favourite restaurants down in the surfcoast are now doing free delivery or take-away and hell, what sort of community-minded person would I be if I didn’t support them and order copious amounts of Devonshire teas (not joking, I can do that now!), Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese? I have told my husband (who does 80% of the cooking) that it is our civic duty and therefore we must continue on this culinary path (insert wink and dancing girl emojis). I am anticipating significant weight gain and bank account depletion but at least I will be content and helping other small businesses stay afloat! 

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So this is how I will be surviving, and I hope you are too. Remember to be kind to yourself and to others. Meditate, breath and try to get outside for some fresh air and sanity. In coming weeks all of us at CWC will be looking to bring you all some new content via digital forums - be patient with us while we work out the best way to do this. Sending you all virtual toe-taps + elbow pumps!

- Amber Bonney, CWC President

5 blog posts to get you started in 2020

Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash

2 min read

Now that it’s January, many of us may be reflecting on the year that’s just gone, or looking towards new horizons. There are all sorts of things you might be thinking about in your creative practice. Do you take the leap and start a brand new endeavour? What can you improve with what you are doing now? And how do you start the year in the most organised efficient way?

So, this month we are revisiting the blog archives with some valuable tips, tricks, and reflections to help you along in the new year.

For getting yourself organised…

Andres McArthur

For getting started in January…

Lizzie Stafford

For changing careers this year…

Bec Mackey

For making things happen…

Dannielle Cresp

For understanding why desire and motivation pull us in different directions…

by Emily Willis

Katherine Masiulanis and her creative practice in landscape architecture

Katherine Masiulanis a landscape architect and the director of Leaf Design Studio. At the heart of her practice is a combined passion for design and storytelling and in addition to site-based designs, her work extends into Interpretive design and Public Art (when she’s lucky!). Katherine has a lovely partner who is studying for his PhD, and a seven year old son, so she’s currently also the family breadwinner. Here she is - on getting into her field, her projects, and creating a career around life and family.  

What do you have on your desk at the moment?

Quite a few playspace projects, and unusually for me, a private garden design.

I have a moth orchid from a friend which is currently blooming, and a selection of my pottery and basket-masking. I love making things, but then I need to find homes for them, so my pens and other plants are housed in a variety of odd vessels.

How would you describe your career so far and how did you get into this industry?

Serendipitous.

I actually started at Uni in Mechanical Engineering, then moved to Industrial Design at Monash University after two years, somewhat by accident. When I came out, I couldn’t get a job directly in the industry, so worked for a couple of years as a design draftsperson, for a playground manufacturer.

It’s a bit like putting Lego together, which can actually get dull eventually. After a couple of years I applied for a position with a Landscape Architect, not actually knowing what one did! Thankfully she employed me, and gave me lots of opportunities, responsibilities and scope to learn on the job.

Since then I’ve worked in a range of consultancies and for local government before starting my own practice nearly 4 years ago.

George Pentland Botanic Garden playspace, Frankston. Winner of the AILA Victoria playspace award 2019.

What are some of the most important/ topical issues you tackle in landscape architecture?

We deal with outdoor spaces - so doing what we can to combat climate change is a huge one, whether it’s revegetation or trying to save existing trees; planting for biodiversity or to combat the urban heat island effect; planning communities for the future; or choosing to use recycled and low impact materials in our designs.

There has also been an increased focus within AILA (Australian Institute of Landscape Architects) in the last few years on genuinely engaging with the traditional owners of the land, and respecting country.

Shelter at Marysville Heart, designed while at Urban Initiatives.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

Having a child was challenging within a traditional consultancy. I think there was an unconscious prejudice, as they were outwardly welcoming and flexible; and yet I was reduced from running multiple projects to taking the minutes and running none.

Now I run the business, and all my own projects - and get to choose which ones to work on! On the other hand - there is no-one else there to take up the slack if I’m ill or would like to travel, so that’s a juggle.

There has been (and continues to be) a challenge in specialisation. By that, I mean that when you become skilled at one area of design, it can be hard to break into other areas. I have a great deal of experience in playspace design, and while I enjoy those, I’d like to be taking on more varied work. Variety makes me happy.

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

Outside work, I am a serial (and sometimes parallel) enthusiast. I tend to get quite involved in a particular creative pursuit, and then move on. At the moment it’s ceramics, textiles and to some extent watercolour painting.

Enthusiasms of the day have included bellydancing, writing (I’ve published three books, some short stories and poetry), guitar, and ephemeral art.

How do you balance work/ life?

I typically work three days a week. I look after my son, make things, and do life admin on the other days. It gives me the flexibility to work a little more if I need to, but also to keep sane.

When I started the business, I was still working at Council, and trying to write a book, and it was really too much. I had a sort of ‘mini breakdown’, where I felt I wasn’t doing anything properly, and ended up with shingles, which was a wake-up call!

It made me reassess my priorities, and acknowledge that I can’t do everything at once. A little humbling, but definitely a step in the right direction. Now I carefully manage my workload, and don’t hesitate to say to clients that I can’t take on projects when I wouldn’t be able to service them properly. Reputation is so important in business, so I’d rather be honest up front than let someone down.

Castlemaine Botanical Gardens playspace, Castlemaine.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to break into the industry you are in?

There are so many Landscape Architecture graduates out there at the moment, so I imagine it must be hard. It can be really valuable to know how things are really constructed, so if you can do some time with a Landscape Construction or horticultural company that’s great.

I’ve also seen people starting out getting stuck CAD drafting with little opportunity to take responsibility, which is a lost chance for employers.  It’s so important to have people who have an ability to be proactive and run with projects independently, as they are the reliable backbone of a company. I find that mentoring people and seeing them blossom is terrifically rewarding.

Kinetic bird sculptures, Public Art installation at Cardigan Village, Ballarat.

Website: www.leafdesignstudio.com.au

Book: How to Grow A Playspace co, authored with Elizabeth Cummins of Bricolage Design, published worldwide by Routledge, Taylor and Francis.

Meet Cat Rewha

Cat is a digital performance specialist working in the Australian live events industry. A music-head by night and data nerd by day, she is working toward building data frameworks that can predict sustainable economic trends in Australian arts & culture.

With a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.), Cat specialises in music as communication and is passionate about using the intersection of music, tech & culture as a tool to educate people about marginalised cultures.

Cat joins the CWC Board this year heading up Communications.

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

Studied - I dabbled a lot, but then focused in the end.
Philosophy, then communications, then marketing, then film, then back to communications to do an Honours in Ethnomusicology. It took 7 years to finally get a degree but I made it in the end.

Music - My Dad was a musician so my whole childhood centred around learning and listening to music. Nowadays I’m more of a listener but nothing truly excites me more than hearing a good transition in a DJ set.

Travel - I’m very interested in the different ways communities operate around the world so I like to get out of Australia every now and again to learn a thing or two about different ways of living. At the moment, I’m obsessed with the Nordics and have been lucky enough to take my travels there a few times.

What does a typical work day look like for you? 

The only thing typical about my day is I take lunch at the same time everyday otherwise I get hangry.

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

I’m the Head of Digital at a creative and marketing agency called Bolster. We specialise in music and entertainment and I’m lucky to have a very diverse role that allows me to work with lots of very talented people.

Outside of that, I try my hand at film photography, writing and playing piano.

What is the most important aspect of your job/ creative pursuit? 

Maintaining healthy relationships with the people around me so that we can all achieve the same goals in the smoothest way possible.

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

I’m not sure if this is ‘down time’ but I exercise if I want to relax. Running, walking, F45. That’s my definition of relaxing. My guilty pleasure is Jersey Shore. 

What are some of the things which inspires you?

Our next generations. The worldliness and creativity coming out of Gen Z is inspirational and mind-blowing. 

Grassroots activism - It’s inspiring to know that there are always people in our communities working tirelessly to make this world a fairer and safer place to live in. Their stories and achievements drive me to find meaningful purpose in everything that I do.

Best creative memory?

I was in a band for awhile so some of my best memories were sitting around in rehearsal rooms coming up with songs, laughing about nothing and being able to sit around for half a day and just play music with my mates.

I also had a piece published a few years ago about idolising female musicians when I was growing up, one of which was Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.  The article spread around a bit on Twitter and finally made it’s way to Kim Gordon who read it and inboxed me to thank me and wish me luck. That was pretty special.

What would you tell your younger self?

Good things take time.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to break into the industry you are in?

You don’t always have to have the answers and you don’t always need to get it right. You just need to have the willingness to learn and the resilience to pick yourself up again when something goes wrong.

Meet Mirte van der Lugt, Brand Director of Hey Tiger!

Hey Tiger's Brand Director Mirte, originally from The Netherlands, moved to Australia four years ago. With a background in both fashion and branding across Europe and Australia, she worked on campaigns for brands such as Nike, Landrover, Microsoft and a variety of young start ups. She brings a different approach to the Australian chocolate industry, looking at Hey Tiger as a lifestyle brand vs confectionary. For her, brands are all about inclusivity, making people feel accepted and part of something greater. Every like, follow, thumbs up and comment is a real human interaction and it’s important to never lose sight of that.

I grew up in…

the Netherlands. In a town 40 minutes outside of Amsterdam. My younger brother and I were (and are) incredibly lucky with our parents. My mum introduced me to art and encouraged my creative side. While my father brought in philosophy and a wide understanding of business and human behaviour. When I think of it that way, it was the perfect melting pot for a career in branding. 

Education

My early school life was off to a rocky start. With my Dyslexia and ADHD labels firmly clipped to my back, I was anything but the ideal student. Schools denied me, test results were covered up as to not effect the schools reputation and the teachers weren't all that excited to have this difficult kid in their class. If it wasn’t for my parents and one incredible teacher who believed I could do more, I truly don’t know where I would have ended up. It wasn’t until I made a big change in high school that everything turned around. I found my passion for art and film and the kid that was once called dumb by her teachers (no joke) was now thriving at school. It’s funny what happens when a kid realises they only have themselves to rely on when it comes to education. I was only going to get out what I was putting in. Now that I was doing it for myself and I no longer listened to the negative feedback from my teachers,  I started kicking ass.

After High school I travelled for 3 months through Thailand where I met my Aussie beau Damon. After meeting him, I decided to live in Australia for a year and then Damon and I moved back to Amsterdam. I began my bachelor degree at The Amsterdam Fashion Institute where I studied fashion and branding.

What did you do straight after your studies?

I moved to Australia to be with my now husband Damon. I first began working at an ad agency where I worked on brands such as Nike and Jeep. After that, I moved to a branding agency to work on brands such as Cadbury and Matilda Bay’s Fat Yak. But something was missing. I wanted to work for brands that my values aligned with and put my creativity into campaigns that truly do some form of good in the world. I then set out on my own, working with my own clients. A little while later,  holy smokes! How grateful was I to meet the glorious Cyan Ta’eed - but we can fan-girl about her later.

My business is located at

Our kitchen and office is in Cremorne, Melbourne but you can buy Hey Tiger online via our website. 

What does a typical work day look like for you?

My role is split into a bunch of different pieces. Let’s put it down to Manager, Producer, Planner and Do-er.

As a manager I need to manage and motivate my team. Make sure they know exactly what they're doing, where the priority lies and that they keep up-beat and feel heard. We’re a young, small company that is growing fast. This means we’re demanding a lot from everyone. So it’s important that they know we’re a team and how valuable and important their piece of the puzzle is.

As a producer I need to make sure departments work together to get our deadlines over the line. From external work with clients like Mecca to internal work like filming content for our socials, creating presentations for wholesale and getting new packaging to print. This would be impossible without our amazing new junior designer Erin Langford. Her incredible eye for detail and brilliant creative mind have become invaluable to our team.

As a planner I need to make sure our future campaigns are living up to our audiences expectations. For this I heavily lean on my right hand Breana Phillips (gulp! I just freaked out a little thinking of what Hey Tiger life would be like without her! I might need to take Beyonce’s advice and buy her that ring. Too much?). We work tirelessly and seamlessly to make sure all our marketing efforts are effective and on brand.

As a do’er, I also need to create and do The-Work. New campaigns, packaging designs, website collateral, ad’s, photoshoots, social content, styling… this is where Hey Tiger’s brand truly comes to life.
Oh and did I mention meetings and emails yet? Let’s just leave that for now shall we.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?

I once was part of the growth of a small branding agency. I was in charge of building the agencies brand, new business and its culture. We started with 6 people and soon grew to about 15. Our energy and growth caught the attention of big clients and soon its father company saw an opportunity. They decided to merge the two in order to leverage the expertise of the father company and the youthfulness and growth of ours. I remember being worried this would negatively affect everything we had worked so hard on. Sadly my worries became reality. 

What followed was a year long struggle in knowing it was time for me to leave while wanting so much to stay and have it return to its old glory. I saw its culture diminish, I saw mistakes being made. I saw the company turn its back on its people and the fun and quirky brand we’d created - which had done so much for clients and culture. 

In hindsight, I stayed too long, but I learned so much from the experience. The importance of taking authentic risks with your brand and the importance of culture and team. 

What do you love best about your job?

Seeing people in our social community create artwork, photography, video’s with our products and on top of that, hearing how Hey Tiger makes them feel. This makes it incredibly rewarding. People truly feel part of our family and Hey Tiger genuinely gives them that unfiltered, simple joy.

Inclusiveness is one of my biggest personal values and Hey Tiger is no different. We put incredible effort into making everyone who contacts us feel heard and seen (even if we get negative comments - everyone gets treated the same). When someone posts about us, we make sure we thank them, TRULY, thank them. because what an honour that they graced us with that small square on their feed! I believe that it’s because of this that people feel so connected to Hey Tiger.

On top of that, it is our purpose. I'm incredibly grateful for Cyan Ta’eed (fannngirl time!) who founded Hey Tiger and brought this unique group of people together. She said “how can something (chocolate) that gives us so much joy do so much harm in the world?” and the action she took truly speaks to her character. She could have set up a for profit company but instead she turned the other way. Starting a value based brand that truly does good in the world. The fact that we’re not all bells and whistles but actually walk the talk with a stellar product, a learning attitude and an important purpose is a dream come true. I know that our hard work is not just lining the pockets of the big cheese but instead it is going to support our efforts to positively change an industry that is fundamentally broken.    

What do you get up to when not working?

I’m a bit of an extroverted introvert. While during the week I bounce around a million miles an hour, I like to take it easy on the weekend. My husband and I bought a block of land in Daylesford a few years ago and are now in the process of building our house so we can escape there on the weekends. The concrete has been poured and last weekend we saw the wooden frames that will make up our walls. Walking through this was an incredible experience and we can’t wait for it all to be done. This won’t only mean we will be able to escape to the incredible Australian nature on the weekend but also that specifically my parents can make the 24 hour flight down under and come stay here for several months. I truly want to make them feel at home and having them here would mean so much. Yes, your girl misses her Mum and Pops every day.

What’s on the horizon for the future? 

Hey Tiger, Hey Tiger, Hey Tiger. I believe this brand, its team, its product and its purpose is at the start of something big and I’m willing to work my butt off to get it there. Besides that, my husband and I always dream of creating our own furniture. He is a furniture maker and we’re always juggling ideas on how to make this a reality. The piles and piles of wood on our land in Daylesford is looking like a good opportunity to make this a reality BUT all in good time.

If you had any creative business advice what would it be?

Don’t be afraid to take risks and show your authenticity though your brand. We love leaning against the weird, having fun and joking around. We recently did a collaboration with instagram’s favourite dog Tofu. (@tofupupper). It took some convincing in the team, afterall, dogs don’t eat chocolate right? But it was one of our most successful campaigns to date. Decisions like this is what sets us apart from our competitors and makes us truly stand out - while having a whole lot of fun in the process. The genuine fun we have during our campaigns truly shines through our work and our audience feels that.

Screenshot of ‘Tofu’s Dream’ campaign video by Hey Tiger.

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be and why?

I’m really into philosophy, psychology and cultural behaviours. Because of that I would love to step into the mind of the people who write about or work in this space. I have a list of historical people but let’s keep it into 2019 shall we? Psychologist Esther Perel is one of them. To be in her mind and work with her patience would be incredible. For those interested, she recently started a podcast “Where should we begin” where she takes you into her counselling sessions with couples. It’s fascinating to listen to people's struggles and problems as it shows us how similar and human we really are but also how incredibly hard and beautiful it is for people to live and love together. It’s humbling. Other people would be the historian and philosopher Yuval Hoah Harari (Sapiens), the American Journalist Sebastian Junger (Tribe) and the author Robert Greene (The Laws of Human Nature). To step into their mind for a day and have the knowledge they possess. Pffeeewwweee transport me now... 

A chat with Jes Egan

Image: Bo Wong

Jes Egan is a go-getter who believes there is always a positive way to view a situation or a solution to a problem. For Jes, every bump in the road just opens up a new direction to follow - who knows what you may end up with if try a new path. She joins the CWC board this year to share her wealth of knowledge as Head of Strategy and Partnerships.

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I studied Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) + Diploma of Project Management (Swinburne). I worked in advertising / creative agencies for 15 years and have also lectured at Business by Design at Billie Blue, a design university, for 3.5 years

I love to experience new places and have worked overseas in the UK. I spent 2 years in London and London 4 in Manchester. Travelling is one of my favourite things, seeing how different cultures do different things. I like looking at how cultural differences impact the day to day and seeing how it can be applied to our daily life.

I also love the ocean, spend a lot of my time following ocean / water based photographers on instagram. 

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

Currently I am the Operations Director for Linktree and Bolster. It’s a great job, two days are never the same.  My creative outlet is paper cutting (free hand cutting with a scalpel to create images), I sold my paper cuts under Paper Chap for a few years and now save it as my creative outlet (when I get the time!).

What does a typical work day look like for you? 

I’m an early bird and function really well in the morning and not so well at in the evening! I’m often at my desk around 7am, its my planning and most productive time. I plan out my day and get most of my solid thinking time done first thing. I head out mid/late afternoon to pick up the kids and keep in touch with work until the end of their day. 

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career? 

Having children! I was not prepared for the shift in your thinking that they bring. I would never change having them for the world, but I’d say I was not prepared for how that shifted my perspective on work, which was always so important to me. It still is important but I definitely have a much better balance with them in my life. 

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

I hang out with my family as much as I can, any time we can make that near the beach even better. 

What are some of the things which inspires you?

I enjoying seeing people grow and progress, you learn a lot with experience and I enjoy mentoring / coaching people and giving them guidance or ideas to follow themselves. Seeing someone develop and give it all their best is so rewarding, we can all learn from each other, no matter what position, department or industry. 

Best creative memory?

I had a lot of fun at uni, I remember the late nights we’d pull come folio submission, meeting up at 7/11 at midnight for a slurpee to talk about the assignments or give each other tips on Mac short cuts (which I was always rubbish at, I’m much better now!).

A few years back I was at Supergraph, I did a few live paper cutting sessions that was great to show the process and make some mess.

What would you tell your younger self?

During my career there have been times when something happened at work and I really took it to heart, I’ve learnt to seperate work and personal a bit better now, I would’ve liked to have tried to think about it in that way when I was younger. Sometimes in business we need to learn to not take it personally. I think the adversity can be used to gain better insight, open up new paths, it’s not always fun at the time but can be seen as an opportunity. But I only now know that with in hindsight and with experience. 

Say hello to new CWC president Amber Bonney

Amber Bonney wears many hats. As well as being the force behind her creative studio Edison Agency , she is a mother, wife, sister, strategic, designer, artist, writer, planner, mentor and mediator. Amber now adds the role of CWC President to that list. Prior to accepting the role , she was on the AGDA Victoria Council and spearheaded the development of their Professional Mentorship program. We chat with Amber on work, life, and the things in between.

Tell us about yourself

I was born and bred in Melbourne, a girl of the mid 70’s who is now resenting my slow metabolism and thickening waistline and enjoying my sparkling wine more than ever! I have 3 children aged 16, 14 and 4 and my husband and I have a blended ‘modern’ family so life’s pretty full-on… hence my love of sparkling wine! I come from a large family of 5 girls so life has always been big and hectic and I learnt early only how to hustle through life to get my needs met. As the middle child I have always been self-driven and independent and have developed strong mediation skills which have been useful as a business owner.

What do you do?

I am the founder of The Edison Agency, a strategic brand and design consultancy with offices in Melbourne and Sydney. We use strategy and design to help businesses make positive change. My role is Managing Director and Head of Strategy and I am responsible for the executive creative direction of all major brand projects. Over the past 22 years, I am proud to have been influential in helping iconic Australian and international brands maintain relevancy, define their purpose and vision, and connect with their audiences in a more meaningful way.

How did you get into this industry?

I’m a communication designer by trade, an Alumni of Swinburne University, and have been blessed with a single minded career focus all my life. My father introduced me to the industry through his career in the marketing and packaging industry. Since the time I was 14 and went to my first University Open day, I knew this was what I wanted to do.

When you get to know me, you will understand why people refer to me sometimes as “a bull at a gate”. My mind moves quickly (great for creative strategy and thinking on ones feet) but it can be mentally and physically exhausting so I do try to manage my overactive brain with regular mindfulness practices using my phone app (I appreciate the irony) and of course the odd vino! I’m naturally intuitive which helps me forge strong and lasting personal and business relationships, some of my current clients are people I’ve worked with for over 15 years. 

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I like to schedule my time and live and die by my diary! My day is spent straddling client meetings, internal planning of projects, financial planning, and working closely with both our Group Account Director, Design Director and CFO. We are a small team of 10, so about 10% of my time would also be dedicated to making decisions and planning around people and culture.

Typically when we have a large meaty project starting I am consumed by research and strategy phases – I tend to be more involved in the first half of a project to establish the vision and creative precedence and then required less as the project evolves. I have a highly skilled team of people propping me up!

What is the most important aspect of your job?

I am inspired by the potential design has to transform people, culture and business. Knowing that our work is helping make positive change for our clients is uber rewarding. Also, I am a sucker for complex design challenges. When I’m working on something difficult, I completely immerse myself in that business, brand, problem and deconstruct it until I can see and understand all the inputs and components. Only when I’ve done this can I put it back together and develop a strategic solution. I am obsessed with understanding “why” and go to enormous lengths as part of the research phase to really get under the skin of a brand or problem.

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?  

I’m a proud feminist and I’m intolerant of the chauvinism our industry (and culture in general) is still accepting but I do see change and have high hopes for the world my daughter will grow up in. I’m a firm believer that it takes women banding together in support and advocacy of one another to truly make change. We are powerful, clever and innately resilient and this is why I believe in organisations like Creative Women’s Circle to shape the way women interact with each other, and within their industries.

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

I spend most of my down time with my children down in coastal Victoria where I live. I am re-energized by the beach and am looking forward to summer where I can swim, play lawn bowls and make pina-coladas at home (guilty pleasure). My husband and I are both passionate mid-century design enthusiasts and we spent allot of time reading books, magazine and watching architecture and design-based TV series.

Best creative memory?

Seeing the first ad I designed in the weekend newspaper – think it was back in 1998! I think I still have it somewhere.

What would you tell your younger self?

You teach people how to treat you. Don’t accept sub-standard behaviour as it creates a pattern that’s hard to break. This is an important message for young women especially in the face of male dominated environments and with the rise of domestic violence issues.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to break into the industry you are in?

Be brave. Take risks. Don’t be afraid to ask the “dumb” questions. Find a mentor. Research every potential employer, every client, every project – always be prepared and understand the “why” in every design challenge.