Woman.com.au coworking with creative entrepreneurs event review
By Hande Cerkez
Last week Mkt. Communications was fortunate enough to spend an evening coworking with likeminded female creative entrepreneurs. The event titled; Movers, Shakers, Makers was hosted by women’s business site woman.com.au and welcomed an array of savvy females.
The events guest speakers included dessert designer and founder of nectar & stone Caroline Khoo, Communications manager of Etsy Australia Kristeene Phelan, founder of the Cowork Collective Bec Mutch and Etsy top seller and winner of 2014 Etsy Design Awards Britta Boekmann of BoldB. These speakers shared their start up stories, their journey of highs and lows and their regrets and advice for fellow creatives.
Their insights were rewarding and eye opening, delving into the not so exciting side of start-ups, proving that determination and confidence are essential in making your creative dream become reality.
Founder of nectar & stone Caroline Khoo shared her creative meets cakery journey; from her beginnings in the fashion industry to her stint in the corporate world. Her skills in baking, photography, painting and styling resonated with those around her prompting her to begin pushing creative boundaries in her field. In doing so Caroline unintentionally created a very successful business out of nectar & stone, which is now followed by more than 160,000 Instagramers. What’s more all those carefully curated photos are taken on the humble iPhone!
German-born Britta Boekmann is an industrial designer by trade who followed her heart to Australia in 2013 and discovered her creative calling in the process. Settling in Wangaratta with her Australian partner, Britta discovered a love for Australian timber and jewellery making through the Wangaratta Woodworkers, founding her jewellery brand BoldB and opening her Etsy shop shortly after. Britta’s wood and resin jewellery has proven a hit with customers around the world. Last year she was announced as the Fashion and Accessories category winner at the inaugural Etsy Australian Design Awards. Now based in Melbourne, Britta works full time on her business, creating jewellery in a small workshop space at her home.
Brisbane born but Melbourne made Kristeene Phelan spent four years building her jewellery label Scrumptious Productions before jumping into the role of the first of two Community Managers for Etsy in Australia. Describing her journey as a long and winding one. Kristeene is a self-confessed talker and social being, and believes this is what got her into the position she is in now. She claims it’s not always what you know it’s who you know and who you meet along the way. Now working as Etsy’s PR and Communications Manager for Australia, Kirsteene is continues to be passionate about women in business, microbusiness and creative commerce in Australia. Despite no longer running her label, Kristeene still loves brightly coloured tights and trawling the world for vintage jewellery supplies.
Each speaker’s story resonated in different with the crowd of aspiring creatives. Their success stories and their experiences along the way had heads nodding, in agreement at the often-similar journeys we undertake when endeavouring to turn hobbies into sustainable businesses. A journey we often embark on at Mkt. with our own clients.
Woman.com.au hold monthly coworking events, bringing together like minded women to learn, connect, collaborate and be inspired to create and dream big! Their next event is being held on the 26th of May and is all about how to build a resilient business, an irresistible brand and a healthy bottom line. You can find out more here.