Sydney Creative People: Koskela

Sydney Creative People: Koskela

As part of this interview, I asked Sasha, one of the owners of Koskela, what she thought was the key to success. She said, "Follow your heart, trust your judgement and do it with joy."

Honestly, I think I've seen a version of these words from lots of business owners, and it can be one of those feel-good phrases that you nod your head to, and you know it's true, but it might just float over your head as just another motivational phrase. But, I've been seriously thinking about these words this week...

Sydney Creative People: Fairina Cheng

Sydney Creative People: Fairina Cheng

One of the hardest parts of owning your own business is marketing it. It's truly one of the most time-consuming, frustrating parts of doing business because it's a never-ending exercise, and it takes patience, persistence and experience.

Today's blog post is about Fairina Cheng, who had a past life as a marketer, and is now a Sydney-based jewellery designer. Imagine how handy all of that marketing experience is now... knowing your bitly links from your inbound links and evergreen content (!). Having those kinds of marketing skills to fall back on are obviously very useful, so there's a bit more brain space left for the making/creating part of her work, which is obviously super important and probably a bit more enjoyable!

Sydney Creative People: Cured Manly

Sydney Creative People: Cured Manly

What do you get when you mix an architect with a hospitality expert?? Well, the answer lies within the walls of Cured in Manly, a beautiful little establishment that specialises in wine, cheese and cured meats.

They say simplicity is confidence, and in the case of this business, I'd say that's bang on the money. Cured opened its doors just under a year ago, and it didn't take long for us to stumble across it (as you do when you live in Manly... almost NOTHING goes unnoticed here). The thing that excited us about it is that it's completely different to anything else in town. Their vision is so strong, clear and uncompromising, and that's a beautiful thing to see.

Sydney Creative People: Photo Corner

Sydney Creative People: Photo Corner

I should probably preface this by letting you know that the owner, Renae, is actually a friend of mine who I've known for many years. We both used to work at a bar, back in the day. We bonded over red wine, music and the compulsive need to chat... and have been friends ever since. When Renae told me a few years ago that she was going to set up a photo booth business, it was one of those moments when you look at someone and go 'YES, that's exactly what you should do!'.

Sydney Creative People: Naked Paleo

Sydney Creative People: Naked Paleo

Walking into the Naked Paleo packing warehouse in Brookvale is like walking into an urban Melbourne warehouse: there's high ceilings, heaps of beautiful light, artwork painted onto the walls, a plant installation on the wall, and there's a fully-operational coffee machine sitting on the counter at the side. You might see lots of converted warehouses south of the Harbour Bridge, but northside, it's pretty rare. The space has been beautifully renovated and decorated by Naked Paleo owners Jen Thompson and Blake Poole, and it's a sign of the attention to detail they show to their entire business.

Interview: Sunday Tracker

Interview: Sunday Tracker

Having a business partner who lives on the opposite side of the world has the potential to be quite tricky - dealing with time differences, not being able to chat face-to-face or work side-by-side can present a few challenges! But the truth is, the online world we now live in opens up doors for non-traditional businesses to exist far more easily than in the past. We can work with whoever we want, and wherever and whenever we want. 

Today's interview is with Miriam and Julia Grundy – two sisters who decided to create a business  because of their shared love for fashion. Only trouble is, they live at opposite sides of the world, and they both already have demanding careers to deal with. It's interesting and inspiring that the reality of this fact hasn't stopped them from going for it...

Interview: Bow and Arrow

Interview: Bow and Arrow

To have a point of difference, and something that makes you stand out from everyone else is something a lot of us truly want. Yet, somehow, the temptation to fit in and be the same as others, especially when you see other people doing it successfully, is strong. To operate by your own rules, and to step on a path that hasn't been well-trodden by others is brave and risky! It's not easy to put yourself out there without any assurances of how you'll be received, or if people will like what you're doing.  But, while it can be harder to do things this way, following our hearts is what will ultimately bring meaning and purpose into our businesses.

Interview: Hillbilly Cider

Interview: Hillbilly Cider

Hillbilly Cider is a lesson in simplicity: simplicity in packaging, simplicity in product, and simplicity in brand story. The people behind this brand are Shane and Tessa McLaughlin. Shane is a winemaker who, after a move to Bilpin – the land of the apple – decided to have a go at making cider. They started Hillbilly cider about three years ago, and they've won awards each year since launching. This is their inspiring story.

Interview: Betty Browne

Interview: Betty Browne

Today's post is about a business owner who saw a problem and decided to do something about it. It started with Linda Smyth's fruitless hunt for the perfect tee. Tired of hearing her talk about it, her husband told her to go and design her own. So she did. Just like that. And, after other people could see how great her designs were, Linda turned her back on her career in advertising and communication and started her own fashion label. She now designs and produces a range of tees, tops and dresses that really are the perfect selection of wardrobe essentials.

Interview: Bonnie and Neil

Interview: Bonnie and Neil

Bonnie and Neil are killing it in the Textile and Homewares scene in Australia. Each and every item that comes out of their workshop is still handmade, while their business keeps growing and growing... Here's how they find the space to be completely absorbed in the creative side of their business.

CONTENT SPACE ON INSTAGRAM

The best stuff in life is seen when you lie down and look up...
Sydney Creative People: Koskela As part of this interview, I asked Sasha Titchkosky, one of the owners of Koskela, what she thought was the key to success. She said, "Follow your heart, trust your judgement and do it with joy." These words
"When you are the only person in the business, it's important to have a network of friends and peers to bounce ideas off... I have a group of friends I meet up with regularly who are also running their own businesses and going through the same t
Just coming out of a really intense few months of work. I've been churning out stories and copy like a maniac, with the help of a few paper clips which were used to fasten my sleepy eyelids open. This is what I learned... Value your time!! There are
"Do you spend more time with dream thieves and life vampires than you do with honesty barometers – the ones that believe in you, the ones that elevate you, the ones that celebrate in your successes, they console you in your defeat but they
Sydney Creative People: Fairina Cheng "I think the fear of failure is the fear that gets everyone. Before I launched my first product, it was terrifying to think I could put something out there that meant so much to me and get no response. But t
It's all about vision, vision, vision! Words of wisdom from Jeremy @cured.manly. Read the full interview on the Content Space blog. Link is in our profile.
Sydney Creative People: Cured Manly ➖ I have always dreamed about owning a small bar - where there's beautiful wine, space for friends and family to come and hang out on bar stools, and delicious little morsels of something to eat whilst you out the
No Mondayitis happening around here either... Read the @photocornersydney story on our blog. Link is in our profile above. #sydneycreativepeople
This is exactly what I needed to do today... #relaxandrecharge
Go all in! Sitting in the fence just hurts your bum anyway... Read the full rest of the interview from @photocornersydney on the Content Space blog. Link is above. #sydneycreativepeople
Sydney Creative People: Photo Corner ➖ "I've really put my all into the business, and at times I wondered if giving up the cruisy 9-5 job was the right decision? Now I've found my feet, I genuinely wake up every morning excited about the future,
Having come from a corporate background, and a small business that worked with corporate clients... to then being my own boss... I totally agree with Jen on this. Has taken me while to get used to it, and to get rid of the nagging feeling I 'should'