CWC Summer Reading
Summer is upon us, and along with the festivities of the silly season, the summer days lend themselves wonderfully to some solitary reading time. Whether on the beach or in the bush, for improving the mind or just plain unashamed escapism, I love getting stuck into a book. It’s not something I get to do very often in my day-to-day. So when I get some time off during a holiday period, the lure of a good book and a well-worn couch is simply too hard to resist.
Photo by Krisztina Papp. Source: Pexels
Summer is upon us, and along with the festivities of the silly season, the summer days lend themselves wonderfully to some solitary reading time. Whether on the beach or in the bush, for improving the mind or just plain unashamed escapism, I love getting stuck into a book. It’s not something I get to do very often in my day-to-day. So when I get some time off during a holiday period, the lure of a good book and a well-worn couch is simply too hard to resist.
I remember that time in my 20’s where I read Alex Garland’s The Beach, on the beach in Thailand, reliving the story it in-situ like all the other tourists. Then there was that year I read all of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in one uninterrupted sitting, bleary-eyed but determined to get closure from a decade-long literary journey.
This summer, I’m working my way through A.S Byatt’s The Children’s Book. Set in Victorian England through to WW1, a famous children’s author writes a story for each of her children. I’ve been promised a tale of family secrets, betrayal, lies, and treachery and so far it does not disappoint.
I’m always out for new titles to try from friends and family who have given their seal of approval before it gets into my hands. So when it came time to put together this post, I called out to some people (including the trusty CWC board) to send through their favourite reads.
So, in no definitive order and with no particular genre in mind, here are 12 recommendations and why you should read them, without giving away too much. And if they don’t make your summer reading schedule this time, you now have one book to read a month for the upcoming year.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking - Susan Cain
Susan Cain delves into the power and value of the introvert in a world that seems to worship the extrovert. But this is not just a beneficial read for introverts to learn that their approach has merit. It’s also an important book for extroverts to pick up to better understanding of the introverts in their lives.
Unpolished Gem – Alice Pung
Alice Pung’s memoir takes the reader through her childhood and adolescence growing up in working-class Footscray. She describes three generations of women - herself, her mother and grandmother - navigating through their worlds from war-torn Cambodia to suburban Melbourne . It is witty, vivid, nuanced and shows a girl’s experience of moving between cultures and identities in contemporary Australia.
How to be Both – Ali Smith
How to be both has an interesting way of telling the story of two very different lives that exist in completely different times, but the book subtly shows how we are all intertwined as humans. Ali Smith paints people in their purest form with their purest thoughts, which makes it a book that can really ground the reader.
This is Marketing – Seth Godin
This is the quintessential marketing book of the decade. Seth Godin speaks about the value of making connections with customers that last over a lifetime. It’s about the long term success over the short term buzz that people will quickly forget about. A solid read if you want to refresh your marketing approach or don’t have much experience with marketing.
Uprooted - Naomi Novik
Uprooted is a delightful read. It’s a high fantasy tale with roots in Polish folklore. Naomi Novik crafts an intricate world and her prose carries strong characters such as the heroine Agnieszka. It was one of the most highly lauded and award winning fantasy novels of 2016. Best thing is that it’s a stand-alone book, which can be quite rare in the fantasy genre.
The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion
As a professor of genetics, the protagonist Don lives an orderly predictable life in an academic setting. The Rosie Project explores the romantic and comedic errors of a man with undiagnosed Asperger’s Syndrome as he looks for a wife. It’s funny, empathetic and beautifully written.
Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan
The book is always better than the movie, they say. So if you’ve seen the film and liked the bling, extravagance and crazy rich relatives, check out Kevin Kwan’s original words. And if you like this book, you might as well stay for the sequels. It’s a witty trilogy full of drama and couture, and it’s a whole lot of escapist fun.
Women of Letters: Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Michaela McGuire & Marieke Hardy
This is a part of the Women of Letters series of book that is curated by Michaela McGuire & Marieke Hardy. It champions the lost art of letter-writing and showcases the humour, sentiment and wisdom of these notable Australians. This is a great non-fiction option to dip in and out of when you have a bit of free time.
Stardust – Neil Gaiman
Another book that’s been adapted to film, Stardust is Neil Gaiman’s much loved fairy tale about a young man who seeks to capture a fallen star. A wonderful book that is not too long, it is sweet, funny and a cheeky departure from reality.
Born to Run - Christopher McDougall
If you want an uplifting story that will make you want to hit the running trails after an overindulgent Christmas, then this is for you. Christopher McDougall’s tale begins with him looking for answers to his running injury woes, which leads him on an incredible quest to discover a hidden Mexican tribe who run 100’s of kilometres, often barefoot. McDougall makes a great case for the simple pleasures of running.
Where the Crawdads Sing – Delia Owens
Set in 1969 on the North Carolina coast, Where the crawdad’s sing is a story of a woman, Kya Clark, who defies her circumstances to create her own success. It’s a coming of age story intertwined with a bit of crime. A movie adaptation is currently in the pipeline, set to be produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Levy Neustadter.
Book of Dust: The Secret Commonwealth – Phillip Pullman
This is the second book of the The Book of Dust trilogy by Phillip Pullman. It is part of the His Dark Materials universe, now a HBO show currently on Foxtel. The His Dark Materials universe has always walked the line of young adult/adult fiction with a rich tapestry of fantasy, character building and deep philosophical themes. This new book explores the world and perspective of the protagonist Lyra (Belacqua) Silvertongue as an adult in college who witnesses a murder. A great read for fans of the broader series.
So there you go, hopefully some of these provide your summer with some solitary indulgence.
Happy holidays to you all, and see you on the other side!
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 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.
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
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.
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.
To blog, or what to blog? 50 ideas for creative businesses
To blog, or what to blog? That is the question. If you are wondering about the relevance of maintaining a blog for your creative business, or you are feeling uninspired about creating content, fear not. Blogs are still seen as reliable sources of information as buyers look online to answer their questions. Done well, blogs further express your brand personality, help identify your niche, and enable you to connect with your clients or customers.
Over the past several years blogging has evolved from personal journal to marketing platform, given the rise of social media. While platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook may come and go in popularity, a blog is home to all your platforms. A directory for your portfolio, podcasts, products, services, and information while creating additional online visibility.
Given that blogging is slower and more expensive than social media, the key is quality over quantity. Below is a list of 50 blog topics to inspire you to create original, authentic content for your client base, while building community. Whatever your creative business or niche, you will find inspiration for your blogging content.
Ok, here we go!
Image: Christina Lowry
Restate your brand vision. Your why.
Q&A - They ask, you answer. Comb through your client emails for your most commonly asked questions, or use social media to put a call out for client questions, then answer them in this post. Invite readers to leave further questions in the comments.
Create a library of free training – a one stop post for any tutorials, how to’s, lists of tips etc
Include client testimonials and photos of clients using your products – the more creative the better
Share behind the scenes of look books or photoshoots – shout out to the team, the location, relay stories from the day
Create a mosaic of your nine favourite images from Instagram with a call to action to follow you on Instagram
Share your successes – awards, features, published work, do a recap on your/ your businesses achievements
Travel diary – going away for the weekend, heading overseas on a holiday or buying trip? Create a travel diary with tips from your experience
Summer reads – books that fit your niche that they may not have heard of and will thank you for
Curated gift ideas – Create a collection of products from your range that would be perfect for a special occasion, like Mother’s Day. Or, inspire with a selection of local makers products for a Christmas wish list
‘Meet the Maker’ interviews – take five with a crafter you employ or represent, interview a staff member
Recipes – whether your brand is food related or not, recipes often add a sense of connection
Seasons – from seasonal products, to imagery of the seasons, nature is always a great starting point
Tips or advice – your favourite apps, the best way to do something, how to get a job in your industry, share your knowledge
Behind the scenes – everyone loves to take a peek behind the exterior and see the details of how things are made
Insider’s guide – share the secretes of your niche, your hometown, styling etc.
A studio/ workshop/ shop/ office tour – allow the audience to connect with and be inspired by your spaces and what they say about you or your brand
How To – use a product, make something, fix something. People love to learn.
The making of – a step by step visual of how something is made
Sneak peeks – create excitement about an upcoming collection
For the love of – share beautiful images relating to your audience. For the love of linen, gardens, lipstick, stationary
Highlights from the previous year, season or market – create a round up of images and info
Launch details – whether it is a book, product, event, share share share
Half yearly check-up – open up on how you working towards your goals, or encourage others to make plans for the next half of the year
Summer bucket list – things to do this Summer
Brand history – what has changed, what has stayed the same. When and where did you start out and where are you now?
Personal or funny stories – what you wanted to be when you grew up, how you thought Tasmania wasn’t a part of Australia, how you got a nick name
Create a regular feature – you can create a monthly challenge, feature a maker each week, a weekly editorial, a collection of inspiring images and quotes
Future plans – what are your big dreams? What direction do you see the business going in? If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?
Write a list of your favourite accounts to follow on Instagram/ podcasts
Travel essentials – what do you pack when you go away overnight, overseas, with children?
A ‘day in the life' post – people are always fascinated by a day in the life of an entrepreneur or business owner.
Your routine – morning/night – do you wake at 5 am to do yoga and write your diary, or are you a night owl?
Share videos – video content is getting bigger and bigger. You can make a video out of most of the topics in this list.
Celebrate your businesses birthday – do a giveaway, celebrate your achievements, thank your customers
Your must-haves – what’s on your rider? Is it kombucha and lip balm? Coffee and a great bag? A certain pen, organiser or night cream?
Overcoming a creative funk – how do you find inspiration? What is your go to for self-care?
Explain one of your services – imagine a client came across your page for the first time and you were explaining what you do, or how a product works.
Your road to success – the path to overnight success is usually a long one.
Overcoming failure – think of a time when you used a failure to achieve a bigger goal, or to motivate you to do even better.
Things you won’t ever do – perhaps you won’t sell your originals, perhaps you will never buy caged eggs, we are as much what we do as what we don’t do.
Organisation hacks – do you batch production, are you a compulsive list keeper, are you terrible and being organised and have found ways to make it easier?
Create a roundup of your best content – save them from reading the whole blog and create a post that has the best of the best in one place.
Staying motivated – what keeps you motivated when business is slow, or you haven’t reached goal, or someone has copied you
Charity – do you support an organisation, do you fund raise, do you work with a company that pays living wages in third world countries?
How to style – a dress, a cushion, an office
Which _____ is the right one for you? This is great if you offer several similar products
Re-publish your email newsletter with a call to subscribe
Share something new – a product, team member, idea, business cards. People are attracted to new things.
Steps you have taking to have less environmental impact – recycled packaging, non-toxic dye, compostable mailers, timeless style.
Now, it’s time to get writing! Grab a cuppa and a notebook and brain storm some of the ideas on this list to create blog posts of value, with personality, that connect with your audience. Use you blog to inform, entertain and ultimately, give them the details that help them decide to work with you.
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.
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.
Working with a Business Mentor
Ever wondered what it’s like to work with a business mentor? We ask Jane Vandemeer, CWC treasurer and board member for her advice.
Jane Vandermeer is a creative & entrepreneurial thinker who doesn’t thrive under red tape or lots of rules. Having worked within the Fashion industry for 30 years, you can definitely say that fashion and small business is in her blood! Her strengths are to problem solve, particularly with a small budget, and to look into a small business to see what areas need help and guidance. Hear Jane’s advice on working with a business mentor, and what you can get out of it.
Ever wondered what it’s like to work with a business mentor? We ask Jane Vandemeer, CWC treasurer and board member for her advice.
Jane Vandermeer is a creative & entrepreneurial thinker who doesn’t thrive under red tape or lots of rules. Having worked within the Fashion industry for 30 years, you can definitely say that fashion and small business is in her blood! Her strengths are to problem solve, particularly with a small budget, and to look into a small business to see what areas need help and guidance. Read Jane’s advice on working with a business mentor, and what you can get out of it.
Part of my story
Not sure about you but I often found it challenging to cost up my garments. There was also the difficult task of promoting myself. Whether I was producing a range, making one-off pieces or providing a service (they were harder actually!), there was always the conundrum:
How do you price something when you are not sure how long it might take?
Perspective customers need a price or price range. So many times, I wanted the sale so I guessed the price, hoping that I was close to right. But it can be hard to remain competitive, cover your time, costs & make a profit!
Having a professional mentor can help
A professional mentor will look at your business from a different perspective. It is so hard to do that yourself when you are in the thick of small business.
Life gets in the way. It can be hard to keep yourself accountable. It is easy to push things to ‘next week’, particularly the things you don’t love doing.
One of the benefits is that having regular meetings with a mentor creates accountability and deadlines. It is one big way that can help propel your business forward, and significantly quicker.
Who is mentoring suited to?
You are at the start up stage and not sure where to start. This includes important things like where to focus or spend money first.
You have been in business for a while, feeling like you are working around the clock but can’t seem to get ahead and not sure why.
You are looking at an exit plan but not sure how to do that
You are passionate about so many things
Those who are willing to take advise & learn
Those who are brave to grow
Many creatives’ are multi-dimensional but this can be overwhelming. Then comes paralysis…so you do nothing! A mentor can keep you going.
Tips when selecting your mentor
I often describe selecting a mentor as like selecting a councillor. Working one-on-one with a mentor is such a personal experience. If you are going to invest in a mentor, you need to connect and align with the right person.
A good place to start is to spend time at an initial meeting to ‘get a feel’ about a perspective mentor before diving in. If after the first meeting you don’t think you’re the right fit, that’s totally ok. Be upfront - they might also be able to recommend someone who is.
Do you want your perspective mentor to be someone you admire?
Are they someone who has achieved or brings experience within the areas you need help & support?
Considerations for offerings/packages
In the initial meeting together, whether that is online, on the phone or in person, ask lots of questions. Make sure you are both clear on things like fees and what the mentoring service involves.
Mentors might have different fee structures depending on the type of service you require. Here are some examples:
An hourly rate. This is good for casual mentoring where something is project/problem based.
A program with a set number of modules. This type of structure gives perspective clients an idea of prices up front, so there are no surprises.
Some areas to consider:
Appointment/meeting duration
Frequency of meetings
Does it include support such as emails, resources, phone calls outside of meetings?
Are there certain days you can communicate?
How is the payment system structured?
Many do offer payment plans. This is often great for cash flow for small businesses.
Don’t be afraid to ask for clarity if you are not sure and get everything in writing.
Expectations
It is good to set some expectations between yourself and your mentor too. Do you want someone to ‘teach you’ how to do various tasks/aspects of your business? Or do you want someone to ‘do it for you’?
Different mentors will have different approaches. For me, I have always come from the space of teaching & sharing knowledge, so that you are empowered to know, understand & grow. Everyone works in their particular way and there will be a mentor which will suit your style.
Here is an example of what a mentor does….
A beautiful client of mine had been in business for over 5 years (so not a start up). She was working very hard yet not making enough at the end of each month.
After spending the time to understand her costs and sales. I discovered that she was only making 2% profit margin on many of her services!
We worked on a solution which gave her four options/strategies to increase profit within those existing services. The important thing was that they were all practical & easy to implement.
Her services were back up to 75-90% profit margin and best of all, it didn’t require that business owner to work any harder.
A final note…
Different ideas can provide a different perspective to a business. Professional assistance can help set up ways to attract prospective clients who happily and joyfully pay for your beautiful and considered work!
Jane is the owner of Finesse Business and Style which provides services in business mentoring and styling. She is also the founder of Intuitive Whispers which provides intuitive products for the heart and soul.