Women of The Rocks share tips for business success
Sydney businesswomen share their inspiration and tips for success
Central Sydney
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From the swirl of a tearoom, to hand-poured candles, wearable art and fashion, the women of The Rocks are leading the way.
ARLENE NOLLY: DUX COLLECTION
I started Dux Collection after making a bottle of pure essential oil pillow spray for our daughter to help her manage stress related to a chronic bleeding disorder she developed in primary school. It led to being so successful in managing her illness that family and friends all started asking us to make blends for them, before we knew it, we were making for health care professionals, spas and boutique hotels. My favourite part of my job now is that I get to work in a creative environment with my family and share my passions with all my customers. I am hugely inspired by my daughters each day which transpires through to the work in my business; they are my living icons. If I could give any young women advice in starting a business, it would be to do work you believe in. Don’t only give something a go, give it your very best.
REBECCA COLLINSON-SMITH: HUNTING HUE
I originally started the idea for Hunting Hue through using my great grandmother’s Box Brownie to shoot and process my own film. Photography has always been an interest of mine since I was a little girl. Through my studies in photography and sculpture I began to experiment and print on different mediums, turning my work into werable art and in turn creating Hunting Hue. A female that inspires me is my
mother, her work ethic is incredible, and she has set the precedent for my career. I bounce all my ideas off her and value her honest opinion always. The one piece of advice I would give to other women looking at starting a business, is that the timing
has to line-up for you to put the right energy into a business. It is super scary to take the jump yet is also very rewarding. Don’t forget to celebrate the small successes of the journey along the way.
AISLING KINCHIN: THE TEA COSY
Both my parents were small business owners, so opening The Tea Cosy just seemed like a natural next step to me. I was also really interested in hospitality and thought The Rocks would be the perfect place for an old fashion tearoom. My mum would have to be my biggest inspiration. She had her own business in The Rocks, and I was always so proud of the fact that my mum was a businesswoman. Now as a mum of my own two kids, I can appreciate how hard she would have had to work. I’d like to say women can have it all and you can own your business and have babies but not without a lot of support.
JESS SPEERS, KATHRYN COWLE & TESSA BOEHM: FAID STORE
FAID is a platform that allows Australian emerging brands to band together and lift each other up. So many of our designers are women and their stories are all so different, it’s exciting and inspiring to see how other women are tackling business. No two-days are the same for us at work, there will always be someone in the store or working on their brands, answering emails, coordinating events and PR for the store - so we are always on the move. If we could give aspiring young women some advice it would be to trust your gut and power through. It will be worth it. You don’t have to start big but start somewhere. And don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions, there are so many businesswomen out there that want to share their knowledge.