T H E [ WO M E N ] M OV E R S & S H A K E R S I S S U E
THE LIFE STYLE EDIT YO U R C U R AT I O N O F L I F E & S T Y L E
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO IT, IS JUST TO DO IT. - AMELIA EARHART
© Copyright 2018 The Life Style Edit. A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
All rights reserved. No part of this publiocation may be reproduced, distributed or trasmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, scanning or other electrical or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the publisher, except where noted.
All imagery supplied by Interviewees. TWO | 02
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
THECONTENT
MEET
OUR WOMEN. 04
EDITOR’S LETTER Heidi Albertiri
22
YASSMIN ABDEL-MAGIED Mumtaza
06
LISA MESSENGER Collective Hub
28
LUCY KUPER Biologi
10
VASHTI WHITFIELD Maybe McQueen
32
GABY HOWARD Flaunter
14
PRU CHAPMAN Owners Collective
36
SONYA GARDINER The Flower Seekers
18
TARYN WILLIAMS The Right Fit & WINK Models
40
TESS ROBINSON Smack Bang Designs
AND OUR TEAM. EDITOR Heidi Albertiri editor@thelifestyleedit.com.au @heidi_albertiri
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ART DIRECTOR Emma Cheg. emma@thelifestyleedit.com.au @emmacheg
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IRI RT BE
@H EID I_A L
IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
HEIDI ALBERTIRI
FOUNDER + EDITOR, THE LIFE STYLE EDIT
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
FOUR | 04
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
HEIDIALBERTIRI
AND THE DAY CAME, WHEN THE RISK TO REMAIN TIGHT IN A BUD, WAS MORE PAINFUL THAN THE RISK IT TOOK TO BLOSSOM. - ANAIS NIN
I have never quite fit inside the square, I’ve always run left of centre so much so that I even have a tattoo on my body that reads “she flies with her own wings”. I never purposely set out to be different, I just seemed to see the world a little differently to most. Consequently my work and my life in general resemble the same, I listen intuitively to my inner world and gravitate towards people a bit skewiff ( you know who you are ). So when it came time to fill our digital pages with “Movers + Shakers” for our April Issue, I had no problem compiling a list of my favourite fabulous women to share with you. Running alongside International Women’s Day it seemed like a natural fit.
They all followed their inner stirrings, they acknowledgeD that “A-ha moment, they listened to their own intuition, they followed their instincts, learnt by their mistakes and got out of their own way. These women are our peers, these women hustle, every day for the greater good of themselves, their businesses, their staff, their family and humanity. They are not stopped by “NO”. These women are brave, powerful, strong, feminine and adaptable. These women are absolutely bloody awesome. And if you don’t have your hustle on by the end of reading this edition then go back to the beginning and read it again and again until you do. What I know now is that we can’t be the person we need to be without the backing, support and the positive voices of other women around us. Humanity still has a way to go, but I hear the voices of women louder than ever before and the more we stand together, with acceptance and evolve in our thinking, the faster the change and recalibration will come about.
On reading the answers to the questions as they rolled in one by one, I felt I’d found my kindred spirits. My Tribe. It was like I was reading my own story. Each one another version of the other and for each story and moment that I read and connected to I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I realised we are all speaking the same language. This extraordinary group of women who we have gathered, some I know, some I know much better now, all have wonderful stories to share, each unique and motivating in their own right, yet they all have a common thread.
Go forth and hustle with pride my ladies. It is an extraordinary time to be a woman. Love + Courage, Heidi.
FIVE | 05
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
LISA MESSENGER FOUNDER + EDITOR IN CHIEF, COLLECTIVE HUB ENTREPRENEUR, AUTHOR, SPEAKER.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
SIX | 06
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
LISAMESSENGER
[TLSE] YOU’VE BEEN LABELLED A “GAME CHANGER, A DISRUPTOR AND AN ENTREPRENEUR” AND YOU EMPOWER WOMEN TO FOLLOW YOUR LEAD; HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU REALISED YOU SAW THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY, AND WAS THERE A PARTICULAR “A-HA” MOMENT THAT YOU SAW THIS CLEARLY? [LISA] There have been so many aha moments. They generally didn’t occur to me at the time as I didn’t have the worldliness or emotional intelligence to recognize them. But looking back there were lots of little moments. Firstly – I was perpetually thrown out of the classroom at school (like every day) because I was always asking “why” and challenging the convergent way of teaching. Now that same trait that was frowned upon by the education system holds me in perfect stead to be an entrepreneur. Then there are earlier signs. I wrote in a book when I was about eight, that I “wanted to live a big life” – how on earth I could have known what that meant but I wrote it. My sister and I were just this weekend cleaning out my Dads apartment after he passed away and we found a “tape” from when I was about seven that was “The Lisa Messenger Radio Show” – I have no recollection of this. I think what could have been seen as boredom or rebellion (without a cause) when I was young, when I learnt to channel it and stepped into my purpose – suddenly ANYTHING was possible!!
YOU’VE FACED SOME HEARTACHE AND SETBACKS ON YOUR JOURNEY, WHAT WAS IT THAT HAD YOU TURN THAT INTO A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH RATHER THAN BE A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCE? WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU OFFER TO OTHERS TO BUILD RESILIENCE ? Perfect segway from my above answer - love that! Serendipity at its best. I think all of us have a choice, every single moment of every single day. I trained myself into the way of thinking that we can’t control what comes at us, but we can control how we react and I choose dignity and grace every time. Resilience is a bit like a muscle. You just keep getting comfortable being uncomfortable and pushing yourself that much further each time – eventually you realise you have an innate inner strength. WHAT’S YOUR WORD FOR 2018 ? 2 words – Time and Space WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY ? Having an unwavering insatiable self belief.
I truly believe in life, the more you get knocked down, the more challenges you have, the more things “piss you off”, the more you can use this to fuel you for good and you can step into your genius zone.
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THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
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IGNITE. HUMAN. POTENTIAL.
2018 HAS HAD YOU FINE TUNE YOUR BUSINESS MODEL TO ADAPT TO CHANGING TIMES. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO BE FLEXIBLE IN YOUR DAY AS A LEADER, AND WHAT IS ONE THING THAT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE IN YOUR DAY ? I am fine tuning every single day at the moment. Flexibility is the key. There is absolutely no point being a leader, a disruptor or an innovator if you stay with the same product the entire way through. It can’t ever be about the product. It has to be about the feeling it creates. If you know your purpose and your why – then the delivery mechanism becomes irrelevant. Collective Hub has never been about the print magazine. We stand to Ignite Human Potential, and you may well see some very big pivots on how we do that this year…
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
@LISAMESSENGER | @COLLECTIVEHUB
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LISAMESSENGER
SEVEN | 07
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
VASHTI WHITFIELD FOUNDER, MAYBE MCQUEEN EXECUTIVE COACH, FACILITATOR, SPEAKER.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
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VASHTIWHITFIELD
[TLSE] I KNOW YOU AS A FEARLESS LEADER, A SEEKER OF TRUTH WITH A FILTHY SENSE OF HUMOUR, AND AN EXTRAORDINARY MOTHER… DESCRIBE TO ME, WHO VASHTI IS IN 2018.. AND WHAT LIFE LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
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AS A 40 SOMETHING WOMAN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUR 20 SOMETHING SELF ? Dear Vashti…… you’ll always be too big, too loud, too tender, or too creative with your spelling for someone, SO learn to understand what your unique strengths are and what it is that YOU as an individual bring to the table and the world! Find a purpose, as it is EVERYTHING!
[VASHTI] Well the humour hasn’t changed, I’m still known for my unrelenting ability to always lower the tone …. My intention these days, which differs from how I have historically run the show, is my ever determined desire to integrate my life, so that my work, time with my cubs (my kids) and what I love most in life, are all rolled into one. My time is currently split as a facilitator, an executive coach and as a speaker - or as a conversationalist, as I like to call myself. I work in five very distinct areas - life, resilience, leadership and legacy. The fifth is the area that people find the hardest to wrap their heads around, and that is the evocative area of death - grief and loss. It’s an area that I am absolutely passionate about re – educating people around - and as strange as it may sound – is a topic that when opened up, in and out of context, has the ability to instantly create clarity, opportunity and a fearlessness that the usual human ego is unable to access without a larger lead up. As you can hear I’m passionate about turning what we fear most into a catalyst for growth and personal legacy. At heart I am a creative, so whatever hat I am wearing it is most often delivered and facilitated in a fairly unconventional way, which along with my ‘unusual’ humour, promises an experience that is not only far from predictable, but keeps all on their toes. North America is my other passion and like a lover you can’t let go of, I know that at some point in the near future, the relationship will have to advance from wonderfully intense but fleeting, into something with a little more commitment and structure. My cubs, who for those of you that don’t know, are my two children Jesse and Indi. They are like food and water to me and who along with the ever present values, from the very inspiring life once shared with my late husband/best friend, fuel me, inspire me and remind me on a daily basis, who I not only want to be in the world, but what actions I need to take to honour the legacy I’d like to leave behind.
When we be of service to others, the noise in your head of dissatisfaction, unworthiness and fear, will silently slip away and make way for the real potential of you and what you have to offer. Life is shorter than you will ever imagine, so don’t waste a single moment fostering self limiting beliefs, instead try everything, go for it all and TRUST that by simply trying, you will end up exactly where you are supposed to. And lastly but most important of all…… remember that everyone and everything, that comes in and even out of your life, happens FOR you, as an opportunity to grow and learn. Don’t live your life according to the rules of another, live them only ever by the values that truly reflect YOU. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE ACCORDING TO VASHTI WHITFIELD? At the risk of sounding repetitious, the meaning of life to me, is hugely lead by understanding the meaning of death. When we are gifted with the opportunity of staring down the barrel of no foreseeable future, whether it is your own or that of someone you passionately love or care for in your life, the ability to then live in the depth and breadth of any given moment explodes into something wonderful. From a coaching perspective, the route of all frustration, anxiety and potential blocking, is because we either live filtering our thinking through the past, and/or our imploding anxiety, driven by our fear of the unknown future – I try to live, squeeze and lean into every moment as if it is, as it independently holds the value that we so often structure into an end result that might be years away…. And lastly EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR YOU ( ~ Byron Katie) and not to you, be an opportunist versus a victim and watch what becomes available to you…
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THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
I KNOW YOU LOVE EARLY MORNING RUNS AND A SWIM BEFORE THE REST OF THE WORLD SURFACES, MOST PEOPLE ARE JUST RISING WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN UP FOR HOURS. JUST HOW IMPORTANT HAS THAT BEEN FOR YOU, AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS JUST FOR YOU? I am at my most creative from about 5am and also LOVE watching the day unfold. I love the duality of sharing that with others and at the same time doing it in silence. A run and a swim on Sydney’s Bondi Beach with a coffee first at the Republic Bakery is my daily ritual, rain or shine. Without that hugely necessary time I not only become too overly involved with some of my less constructive thinking but I also notice how far less productive my day is. Oh and the fact that my cubs start saying things like, ‘MUM I’m not sure what’s going on for you but you’re clearly taking out your own frustrations on us.??!!!’ There was whole decade around small babies and enabling my husband’s growth where I neglected making this space for myself that was needed at that point in time more than ever, and in retrospect didn’t serve any of us. Sometimes we have to rethink the relationship with time or the story that we are running in order for us to enable it to magically appear.
FOR SOMEONE FEELING STUCK AND UNINSPIRED, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO GET THEM INTO ACTION AND BACK ON TRACK ? When we feel stuck it is more than often because of what we are choosing to focus our attention on and the fact that we haven’t taken the time to clarify what it is we most want. If we focus only on the problem or the fact that we are STUCK, we begin to feel unmotivated, overwhelmed and often hugely distracted. The first step is to get clear on what it is you most want and then very openly and honestly clarify where you are getting in the way of it eventuating. The second is to run through what it is exactly you would have to let go of in order for your want to become possible. And finally if you really want traction in moving forward, after you’ve described what your vision of the outcome really looks like in as much detail as possible, break it down into manageable bite sized pieces and work through one patient and committed step at a time! I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes [below].... @VASHTIWHITFIELD
WHAT IF I FALL? OH MY DARLING, WHAT IF YOU FLY! A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
TWELVE | 12
VASHTIWHITFIELD
THIRTEEN | 13
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
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PRU CHAPMAN FOUNDER + HEAD HUSTLER, OWNERS COLLECTIVE “A DEDICATED DIGITAL COMMUNITY, AND GLOBAL ONLINE RESOURCE HUB FOR EARLY STAGE ENTREPRENEURS”
[TLSE] YOU WORK WITH HIGH-END HUSTLERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, TEAMS, EVERYDAY INDIVIDUALS AND ENTREPRENEURS TO REALLY TURBOCHARGE THEIR RESULTS, WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DO FOR YOURSELF THAT HAS YOU PERFORM AT A LEVEL TO MAINTAIN BEING PRESENT AND ABLE TO HOLD THE SPACE FOR SUCH HIGH ACHIEVERS? [PRU] I’m incredibly dedicated to keeping my mind and body healthy. On a physical level this means moving my body everyday and being in nature as much as possible. I recently moved to Byron Bay and live just outside of town with no traffic or noise, but still just three minutes from the ocean, which has been incredible for my clarity. I eat well (but not strictly) and I don’t drink to keep my mind sharp. I’m also incredibly conscious about how I’m feeding my mind. I focus on putting plenty of good stuff in there, as well as weeding out the bad. This means that I’m constantly consuming podcasts, books, and taking sessions with different mentors and intuatives. I’m an avid meditator, and find that most of my answers are found in the quiet moments of my mat, or hiking solo deep on a bush trail.
HOW DOES ONE WOMAN GO FROM ZERO TO SIX FIGURES IN ONE YEAR? SERIOUSLY !!!! Hustle. Funnily enough with my last official pay check working for someone else I managed to buy my first home and my first ever new car – so if that doesn’t put some hustle in your bones I don’t know what will?! Basically I was betting on myself. I knew that I had the smarts to make it work, and this way I really needed to! Quite early on in launching my own gig I learnt the quote “feel the fear and do it anyway”, so I challenged my comfort zone every single day. This included everything from reaching out to people I knew, building collaborations, public speaking, and building strategic alliances. For me, becoming a Personal + Professional Coach I knew that speaking to large audiences was a big part of this, so I put my hand up everywhere and anywhere to speak. It absolutely terrified me initially, but the alternative was going back to work for someone else which just wasn’t an option. So in those early days I said yes to everything, scared the pants off myself regularly, worked with tonnes of different clients to perfect my craft, and remained open and flexible to new opportunity when came along.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
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PRUCHAPMAN
FIFTEEN | 15
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
SIX | 06
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
PRUCHAPMAN
WHAT IS A NON NEGOTIABLE ON YOUR JOURNEY? Freedom is my non-negotiable. As soon as I feel caged in I know that it’s time to change something up. This drives my team crazy at times, but I was very clear when I went into business that it was to create a place where ‘must do’s and should do’s’ didn’t exist. So I’m constantly checking in with myself about whether what Owners Collective is doing as a company and my role within it feel expansive rather than restrictive. While this means constant change, it also means that we play at the front of our game, are constantly innovating, and our work and lifestyles remain fresh and adventurous. WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018? Flow. For a while there I toyed with the word ‘surrender’, but it didn’t quite align. I’m much more a make sh*t happen kind of gal. Flow feels like a nice balance of enjoying the moment and being wide open to new possibilities.
WHAT CAN YOU SEE AS A NOTABLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT MAKES A BUSINESS / PERSON SUCCESSFUL TO SOMEONE WHO CAN’T SEEM TO FIND THEIR WAY? AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO SOMEONE WHO IS STARTING THEIR JOURNEY, IN CREATING A PURPOSEFUL LIVING ? I think the people that are ‘successful’ - meaning that they’re living a purpose-filled life - are in motion. Too often I see people sitting around too afraid to take a step because they think that it might not be the right step. Clarity comes through action. Trying things out, failing miserably, getting back up, and investigating all the things that fire up your spirit. I think our purpose is constantly growing and changing as we grow and change as people, so key to staying on-point is being open to opportunities and exploring them. For someone just starting out I would encourage them to put the money thing aside and start experimenting with the things that they’re passionate about. Whether it’s environmental issues, design, photography or taking adventures, anything! Through action you’ll find clarity and purpose, and from there the money will follow. Oh, and get a mentor! Honestly it’s one of the best things I ever did for my own business and it continues to fuel my fire doing it everyday for others. Business ownership is a wild ride and there’s no need to navigate it alone! @OWNERSCOLLECTIVE | @PRUCHAPMAN
CLARITY COMES THROUGH ACTION. SEVENTEEN | 17
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
TARYN WILLIAMS
FOUNDER + CEO OF BOTH THERIGHT.FIT, AND WINK MODELS
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
EIGHTEEN | 18
TARYNWILLIAMS
[TLSE] ONCE UPON A TIME YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO MAINTAIN “CONTROL OF EVERY LITTLE THING AND MANAGE EVERY TINY ELEMENT OF THE BUSINESS.” WHAT CHANGED, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE TO THE WAY YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESSES NOW? [TARYN] I reached a point where I realised I was the bottleneck in my own company. I was hindering growth by wanting to maintain control over too many elements. When I stepped back and realised that I was in fact the problem, and instead found experts to run each division (head of product, head of marketing, CFO, etc) not only did it mean the business grew, but it freed me up to do what I am best at, as well as work ‘on’ the business, not ‘in’ the business. I love the quote “If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room” - and this is so true when building a team. It’s inspiring to me to be surrounded by incredibly talented, hardworking, industry experts every day. YOU HAVE DISRUPTED THE INFLUENCER AND CONTENT INDUSTRY (WITH THERIGHT.FIT). HOW DID THE IDEA COME ABOUT AND HOW DID YOU MAKE IT HAPPEN ? I built an end to end onboarding, calendar management and payroll integration software for my first business, WINK Models, about 5 yrs ago. It was my first foray into scoping and developing a tech platform, and whilst it was a painful learning experience, I loved that I could remove key pain points in my business through utilising technology.
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
At the same time, I was aware that our industry (creative talent) was ripe for disruption - there was a move towards smaller bits of snackable digital content to feed always on social channels, more relatable/authentic talent for ad campaigns, and the advent of social media influencers. I knew if I could unite all the type of talent required for campaigns (photographers, models, actors, hair & makeup, influencers, content creators etc) in a marketplace that made it faster, easier and more affordable for both parties to find and book campaigns, that we could streamline a process that had been inefficient for so long. And thus theright.fit was born! AS EVERYTHING WE DO EVOLVES AND CHANGES OVER TIME, WHAT IS A NON NEGOTIABLE WHERE YOUR BUSINESS AND HOME LIFE ARE CONCERNED? AND WHY? I wish I could say I had the perfect ‘work/life’ balance, but what I’ve come to accept is that as my businesses evolve, the demands on my time & energy will have periods where they simply must be the priority. This is a conscious choice for me, I elected to run this company and build a high growth tech company, and that comes with inherent sacrifices. What is non negotiable to me is time for fitness & eating well, as this directly impacts my performance at work. I have 5 key important friendships in my life and irrespective of how busy I am I will make time to keep in touch, even if it’s just a quick call while I’m waiting for a flight.
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FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT WITH A SMALL IDEA AND LACKING CONVICTION IN ITS STRENGTH. WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO GET THEM STARTED AND ON THE WAY? Seek advice from people who have been on this journey before you, do your research, and invest time in mapping out a structured financial model. You want to know if your idea is going to be financially viable before you get started. Don’t be afraid to reach out to industry experts and ask for 15 min of their time for a call or coffee to pick their brains - the worst they can say is no! WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018 ? Resilience. Being a founder is lonely, hard work, filled with high pressure - it’s an incredibly gritty existence. For me, resilience is about facing self doubt and coming back strong, taking the punches every day and not falling down. Remembering why you started. WHAT ARE YOU DOING DIFFERENTLY IN 2018 ? Spending more time on strategy, and less time on tasks. There is always something to do in a start up, and it’s so easy to spend 16hrs a day doing ‘things’ but not moving the needle. This year, I am focusing on things that are needle moving that no one else in my company can do. @THERIGHT.FIT | @WINKMODELS | @TARYNWILLIAMS
RESILIENCE, IS ABOUT FACING SELF DOUBT. AND COMING BACK STRONG. A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
TWENTY | 20
TARYNWILLIAMS
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
TWENTY-ONE | 21
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
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YASSMIN ABDEL-MAGIED FOUNDER + CEO OF MUMTAZA THE WORLD’S FIRST SPEAKER BUREAU, FOR WOMEN OF COLOUR
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
TWENTY-TWO | 22
YASSMINABDEL-MAGIED
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
[TLSE] I FIRST HEARD YOU SPEAK AND WAS IN AWE. I WAS GOBSMACKED AT HOW ARTICULATE YOU WERE IN YOUR STAND FOR WOMEN, ESPECIALLY MUSLIM WOMEN. WHEN I WENT TO YOUR WEBSITE AND READ THAT YOU ARE “THE WORLD’S FIRST SPEAKERS BUREAU FOR WOMEN OF COLOUR”, I GOT GOOSEBUMPS ALL OVER ME, AND IT HAS STRUCK A CORD WITH ME EVER SINCE. YOU CLAIM “WOMEN, AND PARTICULARLY WOMEN OF COLOUR (WOC), ARE SEVERELY UNDERREPRESENTED, GLOBALLY, ACROSS ALL SPHERES OF POWER. HOW DO YOU AND “WE” AS A COLLECTIVE BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE ON THIS ISSUE? AND WHY IN 2018 DO YOU THINK THIS IS STILL AN ISSUE AT ALL ? [YASSMIN] Thank you for your kind words! Why, in 2018, is this still an issue? Ahh... In some ways, we are still in the midst of a historical battle for the rights of women, and for a truly egalitarian society. In many modern nations, women - and in many cases, only the wealthiest - were only afforded the vote a century or so ago, and so part of the collective acknowledgement needs to be around understanding that achieving rights for some women has not necessarily meant rights have been achieved for all. Different women face different obstacles; for some of the women of colour around the world, further challenges arise from the impact of colonisation, slavery and ultimately, a system of white supremacy. As such, it is not a question about simply looking at ‘women’s rights’, it is also about advocating for a deeply intersectional approach when it comes to feminism. My lived experience means I am rooted in the intersection of faith, gender and race, so that’s the space in which I advocate most specifically for. As a collective however, it is important to be constantly thinking about how we can be inclusive in our advocacy, or at the very least, be aware of our blind spots and not assume our truth is universal.
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A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
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YASSMINABDEL-MAGIED
YOU ARE THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF MUMTAZA. AS WELL, YOU ARE A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AND SOCIAL ADVOCATE, AND YOU FOUNDED YOUTH WITHOUT BORDERS AT THE AGE OF 16, HAVE DONE A TED TALK AND PUBLISHED YOUR MEMOIR AT 24. TELL US ABOUT THE JOURNEY ON HOW YOU GOT HERE? AND WHAT WAS THE DRIVING FORCE THAT LEAD YOU IN THIS DIRECTION? Well, I’ve written a book about this journey, if people are interested in the long version! At the end of the day, I am driven by faith and a sense of duty to and responsibility to pay it forward. I feel incredibly blessed to have been provided the opportunities in my life, Alhamdulilah, and want to do everything I can to make sure everyone, no matter where they are born, has the chance to realise their full potential and live their best life. That’s the pipe dream, at least.
Advice? Remember your intention, what you are working towards, and that all change comes with challenge and adversity. Oh and also - people are rarely ever shamed into changing their minds: if you can, find alternative ways to connect with people that respects their agency - even if you disagree. Lastly - you can’t change everyone’s mind. Focus your energy on what is within your control and on people who are open to learning. There is no point exhausting yourself unnecessarily - do what you can, but also look after yourself. HOW DO YOU WANT THE WORLD TO CHANGE ? I’d like to live in a world of equal opportunity for all, and where structural oppression - of all kinds - is a relic of the past. I may not live to see that day, but that’s what I work towards.
WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018?
WHAT CAN EACH OF US DO ON A DAILY BASIS TO BE MORE AWARE OF TACKLING BIASES AND THE UNEQUAL REALITY WE LIVE IN ?
I don’t have a single word, but I am certainly hoping for Twenty-GREAT-een!
Start to become more conscious. When you’re in a room, look around and think - is anyone not represented here, and why?
In all seriousness though, it’s a year of understanding understanding myself, my boundaries, my capacity for change in the world, and hopefully, creating more understanding between folk for a fairer world for all. Inshallah.
Read a book written by an author of a different faith, race, sexuality. Next time you catch yourself making an assumption about someone - say, someone you just met - interrogate why you have assumed that, and where that assumption has come from.
YOU MANAGE TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL OF CALM AND COLLECTEDNESS IN YOUR SPEAKING APPEARANCES EVEN WHEN THE UNDERLYING CURRENT OF THE CONVERSATIONS ARE ON TOPICS THAT MOST AUSTRALIANS ARE UNEDUCATED ON.
Ultimately, get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because that’s how we grow, change, and be our best selves. @MUMTAZANETWORK | @YASSMIN_A
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR MESSAGE AND WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR HAVING A VOICE? It’s important to remember your intention and the bigger picture that one is working towards. Personally, I believe that positive change - and building a fairer, and more equitable society - has it’s foundations in empathy. Empathy has been proven to come from creating understanding through stories and connection, and so that is what I focus on and centre. I’m also deeply inspired by and guided by my faith; as a Muslim I often look to the example of the Prophet Mohammed who was always generous in the face of conflict and adversity. Many leaders have demonstrated the power of forgiveness, generosity and kindness in building a better future, and I do my best to follow their examples. I don’t always succeed, mind you! But I am always striving, inshallah.
START TO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS. TWENTY-FIVE | 25
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THE LIFE STYLE EDIT
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A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THE LIFE STYLE EDIT HAS INTRODUCED TRIBE NIGHTS, SIMPLY TO CONNECT. WE WANT TO CHAT, SHARE, NETWORK AND DISCUSS THE IN’S AND OUT’S OF OUR BUSINESSES, WITH SOME LIKEMINDED WOMEN. WE WANT ADVICE. WE WANT TO LAUGH. BRING YOUR BUSINESS CARDS, AND TURN UP.
DATE: OUR FIRST TRIBE NIGHT IS THURSDAY 22ND MARCH. TIME: 6PM FOR A 6.30 START LOCATION: TLSE HQ, 10 FITZROY PLACE, SURRY HILLS, SYDNEY.
REGISTER YOUR INTEREST AND RECEIVE MORE INFO, HERE.
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
LUCY KUPER DERMAL THERAPIST, BIOLOGI SHAKING UP THE SKINCARE INDUSTRY, WITH FOUNDER ROSS MACDOUGALD
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
TWENTY-EIGHT | 28
LUCYKUPER
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
[TLSE] YOU’VE BOTH DISRUPTED AND THROWN A SPANNER INTO THE WORKS OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY WITH THE LAUNCH OF BIOLOGI, PIONEERING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS THAT GIVES SKINCARE RESULTS WITHOUT RELYING ON ANY SYNTHETIC OR DILUTED INGREDIENTS. HOW DID YOU GO AGAINST THE GRAIN TO PROVIDE SUCH AN AUTHENTIC PRODUCT? [LUCY] Biologi goes against the grain by delivering real phyto actives at 100% potency in a single ingredient format which is pure, natural and organic. Biologi controls all aspects of the process from the fresh fruit through to the revolutionary extraction process to bottling the liquid serum. We have simplified the skin care market by delivering the active at 100% instead of diluting it in water and synthetic fillers and skin irritants such as fragrances and preservatives. The Biologi serums work in days not in weeks/months or not at all. YOU ARE A COUPLE AND BOTH WORK IN THE BUSINESS TOGETHER, HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU AND AGAINST YOU? The pros - we both bring different qualities to Biologi, blending science and technology with expert understanding of how the serums will work on the skin. We live and breathe Biologi which has brought us closer together to a point where one of us will think something and the other will say it. Both of us have the upmost respect for each other’s abilities which is a key component of our success not only in business but in our personal life as well. The cons - we have to consciously make time for us as we found that Biologi was consuming all of our time. We now have a date night each week in which business is not discussed and emails and social media accounts are not checked. That is difficult but achievable.
TWENTY-NINE | 29
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THIRTY | 30
LUCYKUPER
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
HONESTY. INTEGRITY. AND RESPECT FOR YOURSELF.
WE KNOW THE HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY, AND STRONG CODE OF ETHICS THAT BIOLOGI LIVE BY, WHAT ARE YOUR VALUES THAT YOU ARE UNCOMPROMISING ABOUT IN LIFE AND BUSINESS?
WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018? Positivity (with a dash of patience and a splash of humour). WHAT DOES 2018 LOOK LIKE FOR BIOLOGI?
Honesty, integrity and respect for yourself and the people around you in both life and business is paramount. That is why Biologi will only ever offer single ingredient serums and will never offer products that contain synthetic ingredients. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN OF MAINSTREAM AND HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN AN ESSENCE OF POSITIVITY AND BELIEF IN YOURSELVES AND THE BRAND TO KEEP FORGING AHEAD?
In 2018 Biologi will become a leader not only as a revolutionary skin care brand but as an educator in terms of plant and skin science. @BIOLOGISERUM
Education. There is so much misinformation in regards to skin care, how products work on the skin, the actives they contain and their benefits. Re-education of the consumer in terms of questioning the claims and understanding the ingredients that go into skincare are the biggest challenges . Our positivity and belief only grows every time we receive feedback from the growing number of consumers. A lot of these consumers have struggled for years with unsuccessful skincare regimes and have sensitised their skin. They have found that within days of applying Biologi they have seen dramatic results of their skin looking healthy, hydrated and luminous without any irritation
THIRTY-ONE | 31
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
GABY HOWARD CEO AND FOUNDER, FLAUNTER A DIGITAL PLATFORM THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR LIFESTYLE BRANDS TO REACH BIGGER AUDIENCES BY MAKING THEIR IMAGES AND PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO CONTENT PUBLISHERS ON-DEMAND.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THIRTY-TWO | 32
GABYHOWARD
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
[TLSE] YOU STARTED FLAUNTER IN 2015 AFTER BEING FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS OF MEDIA AND IMAGERY, WHY NOT JUST LIVE WITH IT? WHAT WAS THE ‘A-HA’ MOMENT YOU KNEW YOU NEEDED TO CHANGE THE GAME? [GABY] It was probably the moment when it became clear that the problem wasn’t just my own. There was an opportunity to apply everything I’d learnt in 15 years of working in the industry to solve what was clearly a global problem. That’s an exciting challenge. IN AN INDUSTRY TO MOVES SO FAST, HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH YOUR BUSINESS AND YOUR INITIAL VISION? It all comes down to vision and focus - and a touch of single-mindedness [read: persistent, determined, optimistic, devoted...]. Once you know where you want to get to, your priorities become clearer. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be fluid in your approach to HOW you get there. Also, being aware of changes in your industry, the market, competitors and the broader global landscape is important, but don’t let these things set you off course. I love shiny things just as much as the next person, so I’m really mindful of potential distractions. Having a clear vision means that every key decision we make in the business can be measured by how much closer it will get us to our end goal.
THIRTY-THREE | 33
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
ONCE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GET TO, YOUR PRIORITIES BECOME CLEARER.
WHAT IS NON-NEGOTIABLE IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE? 1. Having a deep love for what I do. 2. Growth. Continually feeling like I’m growing, as much as the business is growing. 3. Focus. Time is precious, and I’ve become more acutely aware of the need to spend it wisely! I know I’m incredibly fortunate to have fallen in love with my ‘work’ but this quote from Culture Amp CEO Didier Elzinga has also really stuck with me...“We borrow our time at work from people who are much more important than the work is.”
AS A DISRUPTOR IN YOUR INDUSTRY, WHAT KEEPS YOU ON TASK AND HOW DO YOU HANDLE BEING THE FIRST TO CHANGE THE FACE OF BUSINESS AS FAR AS PR AND CONTENT GOES? It is important to keep your customers in mind at all times. We always check in with both our brand users and media users to find out what’s working, what’s not and how we can evolve our platform to keep up with their changing needs. I also think that a clear vision helps keep the team on task. For us, our vision guides our commitment to educating the PR industry and ensures we stay resilient and determined when faced with the inevitable challenges of being change makers! @FLAUNTERMEDIA_
WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018? Focus. Can you sense a theme?!
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THIRTY-FOUR | 34
GABYHOWARD
THIRTY-FIVE | 35
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
SONYA GARDINER EDITOR, THE FLOWER SEEKERS CONNECTING LIKE MINDED FLOWER LOVERS
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THIRTY-SIX | 36
SONYAGARDINER
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
[TLSE] AT A TIME WHEN MAGAZINES ARE CLOSING DOWN LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE WHAT MADE YOU THINK “ I SHOULD START A MAGAZINE OF MY OWN “? WHY FLOWERS ? [SONYA] The commercial landscape for magazines is indeed changing, as is the way we read the news and the number of actual bookshops now open or where you can even sell your publications. Embracing these changes has been key for me, people are just as interested as they were last week, last year, a decade ago in the information magazines, newspapers and media provide just in new, different and more convenient ways.
The ISSUU platform is an excellent tool to publish on and has allowed me to produce the Flowerseekers magazine and connect it with flower lovers across the world; we print in limited numbers for those that love to have, hold and collect print hard copy. WHY FLOWERS? To support and showcase the incredible floral talent, growers and creatives we have here in Australia. Whenever any leading magazine adds flowers to their content, their cover whether it’s fashion, interiors, food or travel, it gets twice the love - and so, this magazine has been curated for the flower lovers. Flowers appear in many different situations in our lives, like fashion they trend and cycle on colour and styles, capturing that, where the flowers come from. Flowers in art, styling and life is all a part of the Flowerseekers magazine content vision. The Flowerseekers magazine is curated by me with my collective team from an audience perspective. That is - “What does a flower lover want to see and what do they want to know more about?” - and the response to that is, “engaging floral related content that includes real life stories, where the flowers come from, learning opportunities and a flower feast of visual inspiring designs and images.”
THIRTY-SEVEN | 37
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
THROUGH HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT, YOU CAN FEEL SATISFACTION AND JOY IN THE WORK YOU PRODUCE.
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
THIRTY-EIGHT | 38
SONYAGARDINER
BEING A PART OF AN INTEGRAL INDUSTRY, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO COME AT IT FROM A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANGLE AND WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MAJOR HURDLES YOU’VE HAD TO FACE?
WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018 ?
AND WHAT WERE THE UNEXPECTED ONES?
WE HAVE TO ASK… WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE FLOWER AND WHY ?
Curating the Flowerseekers magazine in today’s media landscape is an everyday enjoyable challenge for me and my team. Hurdles? wanting to do everything at once! we have so many concepts to action and have to discipline ourselves regularly to build and grow steadily for the long term.
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
Embrace
Hydrangea, as it is the first flower I truly remember loving and, at about age 3, I can vividly remember standing with my sister next to what seemed like giant clouds of pink blue and white hydrangea bushes at my Nana’s home. I bought the house I live in now because it has a hedge of hydrangea; the agent was trying to impress with me with the size of the house etc and I was already sold by the hedge of hydrangea I had admired everyday on walks with my dogs.
WHAT IS NON NEGOTIABLE IN YOUR DAY TO DAY? Time out from technology, and starting and ending the day with a walk in the fresh air with my dogs YOU GET TO MEET SOME VERY CREATIVE AND INSPIRING PEOPLE, WHAT IS THE MAIN THING YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THAT TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK AND FOCUSSED ON YOUR PURPOSE? Everyone I meet through the Flowerseekers from florists, to growers, to artists, to photographers and creatives reminds me that through hard work and commitment, you can feel satisfaction and joy in the work you produce @THEFLOWERSEEKERS
THIRTY-NINE | 39
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH
AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
TESS ROBINSON OWNER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR, SMACK BANG DESIGNS AN IDEAS GURU, BRANDING SPECIALIST AND COMPULSIVE MAKER OF THINGS
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
FORTY | 40
TESSROBINSON
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
[TLSE] YOU’VE BEEN CALLED A “MAVERICK” AND A “FEARLESS YET GRACIOUS BUSINESS WOMAN”, HOW DOES IT SIT WITH YOU TO BE DESCRIBED WITH SUCH A DIVERSE MIX OF DESCRIPTIONS ? [TESS] Well for starters, it feels like I have big shoes to fill! Ha! But in all honesty, I feel very lucky that my upbringing was conducive to me becoming a completely and utterly fearless human being. I was raised in a family that loved me unconditionally so I felt safe enough to dream, take risks and chase after whatever it was that I felt passionate about. As for the gracious part, well that’s something I work on everyday. The words on my phone wallpaper right now are ‘Grit & Grace’. A good reminder of the type of person I strive to be. WHAT WAS THE LAST MAJOR REALISATION IN THINKING THAT MOST TRANSFORMED YOUR LIFE AND/OR BUSINESS? In July last year, I threw the ultimate uppercut to city life and moved my life and my little family, to Coledale. A sweet little suburb just an hour and a bit south of the Sydney chaos tucked in behind the national park. My move out of the big smoke might seem small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it taught me some seriously big life lessons. The biggest of the big, was that I/you/we can all live the life we want, full-stop, end of sentence. Regardless of the things you tell yourself are holding you back, regardless of the limitations we create for ourselves or the negative comments your sixth grade teacher had to say in your report card, you can do and be whatever the hell you want (spoken like a true millennial!). This move was massive for me, particularly leaving my team in the Sydney office and only visiting them twice a week now... But I can safely say the business is so much better for it!
FORTY-ONE | 41
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
IN CONVERSATION WITH AS SEEN IN THELIFESTYLEEDIT.COM.AU
DOES MY GUT, SAY YES?
A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE
FORTY-TWO | 42
TESSROBINSON
IN MOVERS&SHAKERS
WHAT IS A NON NEGOTIABLE IN THE WAY YOU RUN YOUR LIFE AND YOUR BUSINESS ? Does my gut say yes? It might sounds cliche, but following my intuition is by far my biggest non-negotiable. I’m a sucker for casting all notions of risk, logic and rational thought to the side to chase down whatever it is that my gut is telling me to do. To be honest, I’ve built my entire business this way.
HOW DO YOU KEEP EVOLVING AND STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR GOALS AND INNER STIRRINGS? I’ve always had an innate sense of drive and hunger to be the very best I can. Sometimes this insatiable quest for perfection or immense amount of pressure on myself to succeed actually comes at my detriment - I just try too bloody hard. I’ve started to learn how to balance that ‘never doing enough’ feeling with slowing down and chilling out. I’m trying my best to remind myself that I’m in my late 20s - there’s no need for a midlife crisis… just yet! WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018 ? Spaciousness. So far, so good! But maybe ask me in a few months and things might be different.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE…. My name is Tess….. But my first name is actually Sophie. @SMACKBANGDESIGNS | @TESS__ROBINSON
FORTY-THREE | 43
THE APRIL ‘18 ISSUE
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