*Aiming to aspire to inspire as I chat to others, picking their brains, exploring their gifts and practices. All posts are raw & unedited because none of us are perfect & it is time to celebrate that - I'm here for the honest & real, you?
Who are you?
A Partner, sister, daughter, granddaughter, cousin, niece, friend!
What sets your soul on fire?
Being in the ocean!
What environmental or conscious traits do you practice?
My favourite one is growing our own vegetables, herbs, and fruit. But the garden is looking a little sad as of late being busy with the business (something I could work on with my work/life balance)
What do you wish you could have told your teenage self?
Listen to your mum when she says you get more with honey than with vinegar… I was a sassy teenager! Haha
What was your childhood like?
Pretty good! I have such a huge loving, supportive family, and I grew up around all my cousins. I was very fortunate.
If you could go back in time and change one thing in your life, what would it be?
Weirdly I wouldn’t change anything!
What is something most people don't know about you?
I don’t have nipples! Hahaha
What is your proudest achievement outside of work?
Getting through cancer… probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done (still doing)
What nourishes you?
Spending time with my partner, friends, and family! And creating!
What are you currently working on?
Currently working on feeling good in my own skin.
You’ve mentioned that your inspiration comes from the community and nature that surrounds you. How does nurturing your community shape your design process and influence the choices you make for your brand?
Engaging with and working alongside other creatives helps in understanding the needs and preferences of our community. It fosters a sense of connection and shared values, allowing us to create pieces that resonate and connect on a deeper level.
Manufacturing locally here in Australia is something you’re passionate about. Can you share what that journey has been like in building those connections and how it’s impacted your business?
I love being local to my manufacturers and being able to connect and chat in person, as I feel it gives more meaning to the clothes by being able to support other local businesses and knowing who’s hands created each piece. It has been extremely hard though! I have lost manufacturers that I love and have done great work, because they have had to take other jobs due to the cost-of-living crisis. We are very limited here in Australia with our manufacturing capabilities, so it is very challenging, and sometimes limiting on the brand, but it’s still a work in progress!
Producing in small batches to eliminate overproduction is a unique aspect of your approach. How has this philosophy influenced your relationship with customers and the way they engage with Cmnty Grdn?
I think it’s more annoyed customers than anything else haha! I’m always out of stock when people want something. Still trying to find a good balance with it.
Cmnty Grdn has such a beautiful blend of creativity and energy. What was the inspiration behind designing your swimwear collection, and how do you balance aesthetics with practicality?
I love to play around and create a little bit of curiosity in designs, but comfort and practicality are also of huge importance to me. If I’m comfortable and stylish I feel my best! And I really want everyone to feel their best when they get dressed, so I try to design fun unique pieces that allow people to be creative, but then also tune into the details that make people comfortable.
The Karla graphic is stunning and I remember falling in love as soon as I saw a girlfriend of mine wearing it. What was the inspiration behind its design, and how does it reflect the values and ethos of CMNTY GRDN?
I love that the brand launched with this print specifically. This print was created by one of my friends (Karla) who I studied fashion with, she created it for fun at like a sip and collage, and I fell in love with it and knew it had to be seen by the world! Connecting through creating is such a pillar to the brand.
What do you think we are about to see a lot of in your industry?
Hopefully more small niche brands, and less fast fashion.
What was your journey to making your passion your everyday? Being faced with death lol! Ultimately that made me just bite the bullet and start the brand I had been putting off for so many years “waiting for the right time”.
What has a challenge been when establishing your business?
Finding suppliers of sustainable materials that sell in smaller quantities!
What has been your favourite moment so far for your business?
Making new friends! There have been so many situations where I have met the loveliest people because of the business and have built friendships from it!
What is next?
A new swim collection coming very soon. Hopefully delve into clothing and accessories more. And I would love to do a local pop-up shop!
How would you describe your day-to-day work life?
Fluid. Every day is different, but I generally like to wake up early and exercise and go for an ocean swim to start the day. Some days designing, packing orders, and doing admin, and others are out meeting with my manufacturers or creating with other creatives!
Advice for anyone wanting to start in your field? Learn as much as you can, offer your time to businesses you admire.
What is your biggest goal for your business in the next 5 years?
An overseas pop-up!
What are your core values, and how do they align with your business goals?
Be kind to people and the planet. These are driving forces for the business by continuing to improve on sustainability practices, so that people and the planet are priority over profits.
What inspired you to start your business, and what motivates you to keep going?
I felt our industry was being overrun by fast fashion companies, who put profits over everything, and there wasn’t much option for clothing that had a considered approach, but that was also still fun and creative. I want to be proud of the clothes I wear, and where they come from, and I think our community does too! Little messages from customers saying how much they love a certain piece, and they wear it all the time motivates me to keep going!
If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be, and why?
I think it will be constantly changing and evolving as the world changes.
What does success mean to you, and how do you measure it in your business?
Success to me means happiness and enjoyment. As long as I am enjoying myself and the community enjoys wearing CMNTY GRDN, that’s success.
How do you balance your personal life with running a business, and what strategies have you found most helpful?
This one is still a bit of a struggle because I don’t currently force any structure, so I often find myself working on Saturday nights etc. I still feel as though I am in the set-up phase of the business, and I’m hoping when I get a bit more of a flow, I may create some more structure and dedicate days where I don’t think about work (as much).
How do you stay innovative and creative in your business, and what steps do you take to continually improve your products or services?
I love learning, so I am always trying to learn and teach myself new things, and speaking to other small business owners and sharing info and things we have found. I always ask my manufacturers questions so I know specific details into why certain stitches are used or other really small things that make a difference to the final product so that I can keep improving for future designs.
Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision in your business. What factors did you consider, and how did you ultimately make the choice?
Constantly facing difficult decisions haha! Ultimately, I consider how will this affect people and how will this affect the planet. I always take a quick initial moment of mourning/anger/sadness etc, and then I accept it’s happened, and decide whether it’s worth trying again, pivoting to something different or moving on completely.
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