Next year will be my 10th year in business. StartUp Creative was born from a desperate desire to find a better way to live and work after a close call with burnout.
Like many, I started working the day I was legally able to do so.
Both of my parents are very hard working, middle class people who taught me from a young age that if you want something in life, you’d have to work for it. From the moment we could earn money to contribute to the household, we were expected to do so.
My high school working years were mostly spent doing weekend shifts at the local McDonalds. The day I received my first pay check, I went straight to the post office to buy my first mobile phone, a Nokia 3315— despite my parents strict orders not to do so. I loved the social aspect of my workplaces, but it often got me into trouble. Instead of serving customers, I could be found gossiping in the storeroom or scheming ways to prank my fellow team members.
A relatively easy career trajectory took me from one job to another and eventually I found myself working a corporate job alongside the State Government. I thought that I’d hit jackpot with my role as a ‘Project Officer’ in a fancy office with travel perks and earning more than my mum at the time. I was even invited to meet the Royal Family.
Nine months into the role I began to notice the first signs of burnout. Waking up with headaches, low energy, grumpy all the time and an overwhelming dread for each waking day.
This sucks! Why me? Someone come and save me, I’m miserable.
After three months of trying to suppress the growing anxiety, I was forced to face the reality of my decaying health and negative state of mind.
My symptoms were serious enough for my doctor to order brain scans and began to investigate what was going on.
A tense 24 hours waiting on the results, I reflected on where and how it had gone so wrong and what I was going to do if this was the beginning of the end. Thankfully I received the news that my physical health was in the clear but my mental health needed some very serious and urgent attention and care.
I left the doctors office feeling defeated with little to no energy reserves to face then reality of my situation. The thought of rehabilitating myself felt like an impossible task that I clearly was not adequately equipped to handle.
The long journey out of the darkness began one very small step at a time. Immersing myself in personal development, self-help books, therapy and clinging to the small glimmers of hope that would get me out of bed each day.
Along the way I began to learn of a career path that I could barely spell— entrepreneurship. It was like I had discovered a secret elixir to life and wondered why no one had ever told me about it?
For the first time in a long time I began to feel excited about my future and saw a path out of the cave of hopelessness.
I felt inspired to get up each day and learn more. The more I absorbed, the more motivated I was to find as much information as I could from books, fellow entrepreneurs and networking events.
I hired a business coach who would help me to concept my very first business plan— StartUp Creative: Your go-to source for straight up business advice.
Without any specific business experience, money or formal education, I decided to give it a crack. I just started. I had an idea, examples of other people who had gone before me and saw an opportunity to fill a large gap in the marketplace. My compass had been set and I was determined to provide business advice in a relatable and digestible way for everyone and anyone who had an idea to turn their passion into a viable business.
Nearly 10 years on and I’m still in business. Along the way I was told that it wouldn’t work because ‘startups, let alone creatives didn’t have money to invest in coaching and courses.’ I was advised that my business name wouldn’t stick and that ‘I wasn’t the right person for the job.’
Despite the many setbacks, mistakes and lessons along the way, I held firm to my vision and kept putting one foot in front of the other, every single day.
One of the hardest times of my life lead me to some of my greatest achievements:
I started a magazine, published five editions, printed over 15,000 copies, distributed them around the world and stocked in the Virgin Australia Lounges
I’ve personally coached thousands of people in 1:1 Business Coaching
I’ve hosted workshops, talks and Masterclasses for tens of thousands of people worldwide
Hosted a sold-out event in New York City
Worked with brands such as Meta, Microsoft, Redbull and many more
Have had my writing featured in CNBC, Frankie Magazine, The Age
Published my first book ‘How to Start a Side Hustle’ with Hardie Grant Books
I didn’t have any extraordinary talents or advantages, I had an idea. And I truly believed that if you want it bad enough, you’ll find a way.
I love meeting and working with so many incredible creatives in my business. But the best part of my job is helping others to believe in themselves. To share my expertises and experiences and to help them turn their passions into viable businesses.
Once upon a time the world of business was a prominently male run, an elite group of people who kept the knowledge for themselves so as to win at all costs.
I feel honoured to have been able to start and support a community of creative entrepreneurs who are building businesses doing what they love. That at are contributing to the world and others along the way so that we may all have a chance at success.
We no longer have to sacrifice our creative passions, personal connections and the majority of our precious time here on earth in order to have a thriving career. Life and business can and should be a joyful adventure that we wake up each day excited to encounter what’s next.
As the saying goes—
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
—Confucius
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Kay
Loved this! Wow. also you looked like a completely different person in that corporate photo, it's amazing how we change and evolve throughout life :)