Starting a creative business when you have young children
Whether you start a side hustle at night after the kids go to bed or launch a business during maternity leave, choosing the freedom of a business or freelancing is an increasingly popular choice for women who have young children. But there are questions. A lot of them. How, exactly, does it work? When do you work, how do you work, how do you decide what type of business to start?
To answer some of these questions, we interviewed three Creative Women’s Circle members who have forged this path for themselves. They give us some behind the scenes insights into the process of starting their businesses, and how, exactly, it all works.
Kerri Hollingsworth with her daughter
5 min read
Whether you start a side hustle at night after the kids go to bed or launch a business during maternity leave, choosing the freedom of a business or freelancing is an increasingly popular choice for women who have young children. But there are questions. A lot of them. How, exactly, does it work? When do you work, how do you work, how do you decide what type of business to start?
To answer some of these questions, we interviewed three Creative Women’s Circle members who have forged this path for themselves. They give us some behind the scenes insights into the process of starting their businesses, and how, exactly, it all works.
Our interviewees
Nadine Nethery, based in Sydney with three children, runs Can Do Content. She is a copywriter who works with female entrepreneurs, helping them to find their brand persona and their ‘why’. A lot of these women are also juggling their business with family life, and it is Nadine’s mission to help them find their voice.
Nadine Nethery. Image: Sister Scout Studio
Kerri Hollingsworth runs antiquate from her home in Gippsland, Victoria . Combining two passions, one for upholstery and weaving and the other for sustainability, she uses recycled materials to create one-of-a-kind armchairs, each piece telling its own story. Kerri runs her business alongside being a mum to her three year old daughter.
Kerri Hollingsworth
Melbourne-based Tess McCabe is a familiar name in CWC circles. The previous president of the Creative Women’s Circle board runs Creative Minds Publishing, a boutique publishing company that produces and sells high-quality books and resources that provide practical advice and inspiration for creative professionals. She juggles this alongside part time work and caring for her two kids.
Tess McCabe
What prompted you to start your business?
Image: Kerri Hollingsworth
Kerri: I started out doing standard upholstery before my daughter was born, while I was working as a flight attendant. But I was getting frustrated with the amount of waste I was producing in my home and my business. I was looking at the fabric scraps— my business of upholstery art, Antiquate Artistry, came from wanting to be less wasteful. The idea just evolved. If you let it evolve then its amazing where it goes.
Image: Tess McCabe
Tess: I could say that wanted to diversify my income to incorporate products, but really I just wanted to design nice books and make all the decisions! Plus publishing is not a big money-earner (at least the way I do it!)
Nadine: The flexibility, and being able to do what I love. Corporate life isn’t for me.
How did you get started?
Image: Sister Scout Studio
Nadine: Like many female business owners I started my business as a side gig, around my day job in corporate events in communications. One of those boring days in the office I decided to give it a go. At the time I had two kids and was working full time. I thought, no pressure, and see how it goes. Then I got to the point where I almost had too much work, and went on maternity leave with my third child and have been working on Can Do Content since then.
Kerri: I was on maternity leave from my job as a flight attendant and when I was waiting to get the call to go back for retraining, I thought I would just give the upholstery business a go. Qantas called a few months later, but by then I had got into a magazine and had a front cover feature, had held an exhibition and I had three orders – one for eight chairs. I decided to leave flying. It was a really hard decision, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling, it was like my heart was bursting. And I knew I couldn’t combine flying and being away with motherhood.
Tess: It started unofficially through self-publishing Conversations with Creative Women in 2011, and was formalised into a company in 2014.
Image: Tess McCabe
What obstacles and challenges have you faced?
Tess: Books need marketing to sell, so once the book is produced, while there is no more ‘making’, you have to find time to keep on top of marketing. Finding time is always a challenge!
Nadine: Probably confidence – imposter syndrome. I know I can write, I have a background in marketing, I know there is a need for my services but I still questioned myself. The self doubt and wondering if I’m good enough.
Kerri: I think the biggest challenge was probably my mindset. I’ve always been a really positive person, but you can’t help the fears that come up where you wonder if people think it’ll be silly, I’m constantly working to quiet those little voices that say ‘you’re stepping outside the norm’. A lot of us a fear of success because then people might react in a certain way.
What are the pros and cons to running a business vs having a job when you have a family?
Nadine: As a mum the paid sick days are a pro of a job. Whereas in your business everything stops and comes to a halt. You need a big support network if you have a deadline, partner, family and friends that can help. But the flexibility and the reward for finding a passion that you happen to get paid for, rather than showing up to an office everyday to get paid for something that you don’t want to do are the highlights of having your own business. And I love that no day is the same, no client ever has the same story.
Kerri: Financially having your own business there is more pressure. With a job you turn up and do your job and you go home and you know you’ll be paid. There was so much I loved about flying, but I know not being in the job I remember the good and not the hard parts – like the 23rd hour you’ve been awake and you still have to drive home.
Tess: I was running my own business as a graphic designer for various clients before having kids, so working for myself on my own books meant that I didn’t have external deadlines, only my own. But the money is different when you have a product-based business vs a service-based business. Time is not the only outlay and there is more financial risk.
How do you structure your business around your family?
Image: Tess McCabe
Tess: Because I’m mostly the primary carer (and I have a p/t job) and my husband works full time, I use one weekend day when he is home to concentrate on my business. Outside of that, it’s night times.
Nadine: Before going on maternity leave, I worked on my lunchbreak, and then also in the evenings. I tried to keep the weekends free. At the moment its during naptime and the evenings and I still try not to work on the weekend.
Kerri: It looks different everyday – when my daughter was younger, it was a bit easier, because I would go into my workshop and work while she was sleeping. Nowadays when I’m working, if she wants to stay with me and I have to keep going, then she loves to help so I’ll give her something to do alongside me. I’ll set up a little loom and she’ll weave alongside me. I try and include her in everything so she doesn’t feel like she’s excluded. I hope that she sees it more as we’re playing together rather than ‘mummy’s at work’. We go on walks around our property if need be to reset. The two days she’s in daycare I do the things that I need to do that I can’t be interrupted for.
Final words of advice
Image: Sister Scout Studio
Kerri: The main thing is to remember who you are. It’s so easy for mums to lose touch with yourself. If you’ve got a bit of an idea, don’t say its silly, because the voices that say that are just trying to keep you safe. Push through that because its really worth it. Your children and family fill your heart in one way but having your own purpose – they don’t take from each other if you give each their space.
Nadine: Don’t wait for the perfect moment, if I waited for the perfect moment it wouldn’t have happened. If you have that underlying passion and desire for something, just do it. If you think too much then you can always find a reason not to do it. Just give it a go and the worst that can happen is it doesn’t work out. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Don’t listen to the mum guilt, something has to give, if the dishes aren’t done, whatever, its going to be ok.”
Tess: It takes a village! Utilise and ask for help. And don’t be too hard on yourself – businesses can evolve as your kids grow.
Connect with Nadine, Kerri and Tess on Instagram:
Bec Mackey is a freelance feature writer who has worked in the media industry for over fifteen years. She writes about wellbeing, work, personal development and parenting, and when she can muster the energy and courage, she writes about Things That Matter. Connect with Bec via Instagram or at www.becmackey.com
How to deal with the ups and downs of a creative career
When you make a mistake at work, do you let yourself off the hook or beat yourself up? Or if things aren’t going well with your business, do you offer yourself kindness or identify all the ways you feel you’ve failed? If your answers are skewed to the negative, you’re not alone. Creatives are notoriously hard on themselves, often perfectionistic and hold themselves to standards they would never expect of others.
Let’s be honest: carving out a career as a creative is not for the faint-hearted. Budgets are tight, clients are demanding and keeping a high standard of work is challenging when you don’t have an abundance of time. Add in strong competition and a career landscape that can be devoid of mentors, and you have the perfect recipe for burnout and emotional drain.
Creative careers are often lacking a foundation of support. There are rarely established HR departments or long term business strategies in place for employees or business owners to lean on when things get tough. This can cause creative people – especially women – to internalise and blame themselves if things aren’t going well.
So when you find yourself exhausted and emotionally drained, what to do? Ignoring the signs of burnout or anxiety triggered by a tough phase at work is a dangerous path when your career depends on putting yourself into your work (which so many creative careers do). Add to that the possible impact on your personal life and relationships, and it becomes clear that your mental health is vital to thriving through the ups and downs of a creative career.
You have probably heard of mindfulness, and all its potential benefits for stress. But when things are tough at work (and indeed, in life) and you feel unsupported, there is a deeper practice that might just help shift some of the difficult thoughts and emotions that arise and conspire to keep you stuck.
Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) is a practice developed by two American psychologists, Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer. It is made up of three components designed to break through self criticism and painful emotions; mindfulness, self-kindness and common humanity. For the purposes of simplicity, here we’ll use the terms ‘pay attention’, ‘be kind’ and ‘you’re not alone’.
1. Pay attention
This part involves paying attention to your own thoughts and emotions. Most of us avoid this because, well, it can be painful. But stopping and paying attention to how you’re feeling is actually the key to moving past it. Avoidance leads us in the opposite direction: to stuck-ness, anger, and frustration. Neff and Germer say “why is mindfulness an essential component to self compassion? Because we need to be able to turn toward and acknowledge when we’re suffering, to ‘be’ with our pain long enough to respond with care and kindness.”
But how do you actually pay attention to yourself in this way? It can help to write it down, or speak to someone who won’t judge or offer advice to start with. The key is to explain exactly what you’re thinking and feeling without editing yourself at all. It’s vital to remove judgement, explaining and solving from the equation to see the real truth of what is going on for you. After some practice, it should be something you can identify internally – all it really takes it to be able to say: “this is exactly how I feel”. Don’t judge yourself at any stage of the process, especially if its hard to do at first!
2. Be kind
The key difference between mindful self compassion and a straightforward mindfulness practice is the self compassion component. Arguably, this is its most transformative element. Once you know exactly how you actually feel, then it’s time to respond.
We are all familiar with responding to our emotions and thoughts, but for most of us the response is predominately negative. Enter self-kindness. This part is simple but challenging. Your task is to respond to the emotions and thoughts that arose in step 1 with deep compassion. There are two options: imagine, in response to yourself, that you are either responding to a very small child, or your closest, most cherished friend. How would you respond? What would you say? The likely answer is that you would be kind, understanding, helpful, empathetic. As women we are well practised in putting ourselves in others’ shoes and showing (and genuinely feeling) compassion. Try writing your response down as if you’re speaking to the small child or good friend, and once you’ve done that, its time to direct this towards yourself.
Look back on what came up in step 1 and sit with yourself, no matter how uncomfortable it is, and offer the kindness that came up in this step. Do this when you’re alone if possible, as it’s important to allow yourself to feel without judgement.
3. You’re not alone
The final component is an important close to the practice. Common humanity is the reminder that you are not alone. Whatever you’re going through, someone has come before you, and someone will experience it after you do. Remembering that you’re not alone is difficult in our increasingly isolated communities, where we don’t necessarily hear and see (face to face) exactly what those around us are going through. But the truth is, all humans suffer. We all struggle, and no one is immune to challenge. Truly understanding this can alleviate a great deal of pain.
To be more specific, working in a creative field can be hard. It takes courage to persist and show up, no matter what your job, business or practice. Know that there are many others in the same position as you, often struggling alongside you, feeling all the ups and downs. Even if it feels lonely, you are not alone – just knowing this fact can help you feel more supported. Understand you are part of a bigger picture, and a community of creative people who, no matter how it seems, really do understand what you’re going through right now.
Bec Mackey is a freelance feature writer who has worked in the media industry for over fifteen years. She writes about wellbeing, work, personal development and travel, and when she can muster the energy and courage, she writes about Things That Matter. Connect with Bec via Instagram or at www.becmackey.com.
Meet the CWC board: Liz Anderson
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Liz Anderson, board member and Head of Events at CWC.
Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Liz Anderson, board member and Head of Events for CWC.
What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?
I run a tour company which specialises in designing and operating journeys on the Trans Siberian Railway, through Mongolia, the Silk Road and the Caucasus. Outside of work I enjoy hand embroidery and painting.
Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?
I was teaching in Japan and wanted to travel back to the UK overland so ended up on a Trans Mongolian and Central Asian adventure. A few years after being a Management Consultant in London I made the switch into the travel industry and became a Tour Leader in Russia. Since then I’ve worked in all parts of our business with particular focus on product development, operations and marketing before completing my MBA and becoming Managing Director.
When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?
I was looking for a community where I could meet creative people and explore more of my own creative side. I believe strongly in championing those in small businesses so it was a good fit!
What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?
From my first meeting I have been awed by the breadth of experience and interests of members and how welcoming everyone has been.
How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?
CWC’s ethos of championing and connecting women truly shines through and the support offered through the group should provide value to all.
Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?
I confess I do have a soft sport for the brutalist Soviet architecture ... too much time spent in Russia! Most days I love anything colourful and at the moment am loving the work of Monika Forsberg and Helen Dardik - they make me happy!
How do you challenge yourself creatively?
By always believing I can finish the “big project”... it normally results in a lot of very late nights!
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?
I would love to create embroidery designs inspired by textiles from around the world.
Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years?
I believe we can continue to grow and connect more creative women across Australia and provide opportunities for them to meet, share and learn together.
Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?
We have lots of exciting things planned as ideas are brimming over on the new board. It’s also a great time to voice where you would like to see CWC grow to.
Liz leads a tour company specialising in the Trans-Siberian Railway, Mongolia and the Silk Road, Sundowners Overland. Her time spent living and working overseas, primarily in these regions as well as Japan and Central America, has led to a keen interest in the creative diversity, particularly in textiles, from around the world. With an arts degree, MBA and human centred design qualifications, Liz is delighted to bring a healthy appetite of curiosity to the team about all of the areas CWC members work in. Liz is sure her tenure will also inspire her to turn her creative ventures into more than just hobbies.
Meet the CWC board: Anika Cook
We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Anika Cook, the Treasurer of the CWC board!
Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Anika Cook, the Treasurer of the CWC board!
What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?
I'm currently taking “long service leave” after wrapping up The Gently Unfurling Sneak, the design business that I ran for twelve years. I'm using this time to take a breather and explore new creative possibilities.
Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?
When I was studying for my Bachelor of Creative Arts at the University of Melbourne I started experimenting with screen printing and collage and selling little bits and pieces at local markets. After graduating I had a brief dalliance with working in IT (which I was not remotely qualified for) and it gave me the motivation to get my business off the ground. I worked part-time doing web and graphic design at Craft Victoria whilst I built The Gently Unfurling Sneak up, slowly growing until I had to take the leap to being full-time. And then the leap to having staff! Eventually we grew to offer fashion, accessories, cards and artworks, selling online as well as through retailers and then opening a dedicated shop in North Melbourne in 2015.
When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?
I stumbled across the website a few years ago and promptly joined up so I could listen to all of the event recordings – I think I was at a moment where I needed some perspective and inspiration for my business. I then went to a morning tea and fell in love with the community… and the cake.
What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?
It feels like I have really found my people. I found that 'traditional' business people didn't really understand the unique trials of running a small creative business, and fine artists or hobby makers didn't necessarily understand what it's like to make things for a living. The CWC community can give advice, commiserate and celebration all in the one place.
How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?
It's incredibly valuable. The advice, camaraderie and support that you receive as a member cannot be found anywhere else.
Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?
As an artist I admire Hannah Höch, one of the only female Dadaists, an originator of photomontage and someone who used her art politically, during the Weimar Republic and Third Reich in Germany.
How do you challenge yourself creatively?
By trying new things. I seem to want to avoid repeating myself so I often find that I've gone off on a creative tangent without realising… sometimes too far! But I wouldn't have it any other way.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?
That's what I'm trying to figure out now… there are a lot of ideas swirling around but nothing has settled yet.
Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years? Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?
The new board is full of beans and excellent ideas so there's going to be a lot happening! We have lots of goodies planned to help people in their businesses and careers, from the part-time and emerging to fully established. We'd love to see you on board.
Anika is a designer, illustrator and collagist. She was the founder of fashion label The Gently Unfurling Sneak, which recently closed after twelve years in Melbourne and had a particular focus on intricate prints and the use of vintage imagery. Prior to starting her own business, Anika worked in the art and design sectors with Craft Victoria and freelance web design. Anika holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne. Connect with Anika via Instagram.
Meet the CWC board: Fiona Brand
We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Fiona Brand, the Secretary of the CWC board.
Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Fiona Brand, the Secretary of the CWC board.
What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?
Founder of Brand by Name, an award-winning brand identity, graphic design & web design studio based in Melbourne, Australia
Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?
I’m a largely self-taught, hands-on graphic designer. I started out as a Finished Artist in the early 90s, in the last few years of paste-up, cow gum, spray adhesive and bromides. Over the years I have worked in various design-related industries – Advertising agencies, Children’s television, Public Relations and Marketing agencies. On April Fools’ Day in 2012, at a tiny school desk in my lounge room and a 2011 iMac, I started Brand By Name.
When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?
I discovered CWC in 2011, when I had recently moved to Melbourne, and was looking to connect with other creatives.
Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?
I admire anyone who tries to make a living as an artist! Right now that person would be Jess Thom – I just saw her show ‘Backstage in Biscuitland’ – it was joyous, moving & laugh out loud funny. The best theatre I’ve seen in ages. http://www.britishcouncil.us/tourettesheros-backstage-biscuit-land
How do you challenge yourself creatively?
I usually have a side project or two on the go.
What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?
If I weren’t a graphic designer, I would be a chocolatier
Fiona is a highly experienced designer with 20 years’ involvement in the design, advertising, web and interactive industries. Fiona’s strengths lie in her depth of knowledge across a variety of design areas: her understanding of interactive and accessibility issues on the web, knowing her way around printing processes, how to achieve a brilliant result within a tight budget, and a design style that adapts itself to every different client. In 2011 she founded Brand by Name, an award winning creative design studio, providing design expertise across branding, print and web communication. Connect with Fiona or check out her work via her website, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Meet the CWC board: Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Jane Connory, the Vice President of the CWC board!
2 min read
Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Jane Connory, the new Vice President of the CWC board!
What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?
I am currently a full time PhD candidate at Monash where I am exploring the visibility of women in Australian graphic design. I also teach in the Communication Design degree, honours years and masters programs there and are employed two days a week as the National Head of Communications at the Design Institute of Australia.
Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?
I have been a potter, an illustrator, an art director in advertising agencies, a camp councillor in the US, a senior designer in publishing and a Program Manager at a private university – but it all started doing colouring-in competitions at primary school.
When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?
I was keen to engage with other creative women and help to champion their contributions to the Australian design industry. I approached the outgoing President, Tess Mccabe , to run a work shop at a national event I ran at Billy Blue College of Design, which celebrated women in design with NYC designer Jessica Walsh.
What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?
It sounds a little cliché but it is really like finding your tribe.
How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?
CWC offers a safe space for women to meet and share creative hobbies and careers without the ego that can exist in other parts of the creative industries.
Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?
Eirene Mort was a designer in Sydney in the 1900s who designed logos, textiles, typography and many beautiful objects typical to this Arts and Crafts movement. But Eirene was also integral to pulling creative groups of women together and providing platforms for education and to exhibit their uniquely Australian work. A founding member of The Society of Arts and Crafts in NSW, Eirene left a legacy of championing creative women that I am proud to see the CWC continuing.
How do you challenge yourself creatively?
By getting myself out the door every morning with 2 kids in tow.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?
I often fantasise about going into business with a friend of mine as a florist.
Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years?
Our fantastic new board want to continue the amazing legacy of the outgoing team by adding to the benefits open to our current members and giving them lots of reasons to stay engaged.
Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?
We have some exciting things planned which just might include craft markets and Christmas presents!
Jane is a PhD candidate at Monash University, and is working towards a gender inclusive history of Australian graphic design. She has been a practising designer and illustrator in the advertising, branding and publishing sectors, in both London and Melbourne, since 1997. When she’s not teaching at Monash University you’ll find her being the National Head of Communications at the Design Institute of Australia. Find out more about Jane and her work via her website, podcast, or check out her research here.
Meet the CWC board: Samantha Jayaweera
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Samantha Jayaweera, the new President of the CWC board!
Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory
We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Samantha Jayaweera, the new President of the CWC board!
What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?
I work as a Graphic & Digital Designer at Intrepid Group with the APAC Marketing Team. Outside of work I really enjoy pursing craft based projects like quilting, screen printing and collage.
Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?
At uni, I studied a Bachelor of Multimedia (Media Studies) and shortly after completed a Master of Design (Graphic Communication). After graduating, I worked at a small boutique medical publisher that publishes guidelines that recommend medical dosages and therapies. This gave me a priceless foundation in typesetting and layout design which directly led to my role at Penguin Random House (PRH) as a specialised typesetter and layout designer. I worked at PRH for nearly five years where I worked on over 400 works of fiction and non-fiction across the Adult and Young Readers lists. Last year, I opted for a new challenge by moving out of publishing design and joined Intrepid Group as a marketing designer. I am really enjoying my position working with a multi-disciplinary team, learning more about digital marketing and getting the opportunity to creatively lead marketing campaigns.
When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?
I was working in a previous job where I wasn't getting any professional development or access to industry mentors. I decided I needed to look for opportunities outside of work, preferably in a volunteer position. I found Creative Women's Circle through some research, read about the amazing ladies on the board on the CWC website and volunteered shortly after.
What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?
I joined CWC because I wanted to surround myself with creative, intelligent, kick-arse women that could empathise with and advise me about my professional path. I found this and so much more! Among the group of incredibly talented women on the board, I found some of the most supportive mentors who epitomise the open, kind and generous spirit of the CWC community.
How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?
In my mind, the value of CWC is best described by the creative community you are enveloped by. It is a really open, kind and generous community of women that want to support each other through connection, collaboration and championing each other's successes.
Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?
I really admire Bjork for her avant-garde approach to everything she creates. She is a classically trained musician that has pushed the boundaries of music, art, fashion and even dabbled in acting. She is constantly evolving and doesn't let her success or failure dictate where or what she should do.
How do you challenge yourself creatively?
I see myself as a creative problem solver and over the years I have come to realise that I work best when navigating around constraints. I have often found that some of my proudest results were born from extremely constrained circumstances where I didn't settle for an average option.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?
I have always really loved patterns and screen printing so I think I would pursue textile design or surface pattern design.
Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years? Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?
Creative Women's Circle is a rare combination of creative community, friendship and professional development. We are so proud of each of our creative community and want to tell the world about each one of them. At present, we are in the midst of reimagining member benefits, events and resources we offer to better suit the needs of our dynamic member base. So be sure to sign up or renew your membership to take advantage of these new changes. Now is also a great time to volunteer with us and develop skill-sets with a bunch of super friendly ladies. Plus there are always snacks!
Sam is a graphic designer with experience in editorial layout design, typesetting, marketing digital design and production. As an avid learner of all things, Sam has embarked on further study in user experience design, surface pattern design and digital design. She is endlessly inspired by beautiful, thoughtful, innovative human-centred design across all creative industries and strives to imbue her work with the same love, devotion and meticulous attention to detail. Connect with Sam via her Instagram or LinkedIn.