Episode 1 Transcript
Carrie Kwan (00:02):
Hi, welcome to Mumbition, the podcast for business-owning women by Mums & Co, where we share inspiring stories of Australian mums in business. I'm Carrie Kwan, the co-founder of Mums & Co, and I will be joined each week by our community manager, Lucy Kippist. Together, we'll discuss how our guests harmonise their ambition, livelihood, and well-being. Let's get into the inspiring stories now.In the spirit of reconciliation, Mums & Co acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia, and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay our respect to elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Lucy
00:34
What differentiates your business in the market? Of course, it's the great product or service that you've lovingly created for your dream customer. However, what's the really crucial element? Well, it's you, You, your story, your authentic self and the way you present yourself into the world is what will make or break your business. Today's guest has documented the behind the scenes of a growing Mums & Co for many years. Her flourishing business helps women sell their products and services by celebrating their fabulous and true self.
Carrie
0:00:36 - 0:01:00
Jade Warne is the founder of Hipster Mum Photography, a thriving photography, videography and digital marketer and also a mum of three. Jade embraces running her business while raising a family. Hipster Mum makes it cool, if not essential, to know your best side when posing for business photography and letting that confidence shine through in your digital marketing. Welcome to the Mumbition podcast.Jade0:01:01 - 0:01:04Thanks for having me. How fun. That was a beautiful introduction. Thank you.
Carrie
0:01:11 - 0:01:23
I'm so excited for our chat now. Our first question to any business owning mother is always to hear her pitch. We believe that women should embrace every opportunity to share the amazing work they are doing, make introductions and connect. So may we please invite you for your
Jade
0:01:23 - 0:02:40
elevator pitch? Yes, for sure. I tell this picture, to any mum at the school gate, any random I meet on the street and that is that I am your visual wing woman. So whatever story you have to share, whatever product you have to sell, I am the girl to capture your visuals. So that could mean photography. Videography, reels, gifs, social media, carousels. Whatever you want. I work with you to co create the best absolute presentation of yourself that you can have on screen. And then once we have that beautiful visual we will deploy it to reach maximum eyeballs for maximum reach and ultimate success. So it's kind of like, instead of getting lots of different people along the way, a graphic designer, a videographer, you actually just work with me and we do it all together in one big go. So I love to serve women in business the way I would want to be served, which is one point of contact. Someone who gets where you're coming from, someone who knows that you don't want to look too overblown, like a Hollywood movie star. But at the same time, you probably want to look a little bit more elevated than you do at the mum drop off in the morning. All of that is just unspoken, because I just get it. And so that's what I love to do.
Carrie
0:02:40 - 0:03:12
I love that you are absolutely the wing woman and with such a vast arsenal of, skill sets so I know intimately, you've done some great work. I've loved watching your business grow as well and we've also been lucky enough to have you as our wing woman for some time. So let's get stuck into how we actually do that. How should women? This is the Million dollar question, isn't it? How do we pose in a photo shoot?
Jade
0:03:12 - 0:04:53
Yeah, definitely. Well, I think that one of my strengths is always posing people in the most flattering way. But it also starts from you. It starts from you kind of conceptualising. Well, what is the story of my business? What is the story of me? What kind of image do I want to project in this setting? And I always say, start on Pinterest. Start with the mood board. We're thinking about other imagery that lights you up, and so for you Carrie it could be kind of capturing you at home, in front of your desk. Nice light, bright atmosphere. But for another businesswoman, it could be a kind of really glamorous fashion photography setting with marble floors and huge kind of dark, lofty windows or whatever it might be. So it's kind of not… there's not a cookie cutter pose that's going to work for every single person. But what is going to work for every person is them investing in the story that they want to tell, taking the time to feel comfortable in that and then pouring themselves into that character. And often I think, as business women or just as women in general, we think, “Oh, I could never I could never do that’. I could never look at that. I love images where they're really bright and colourful. But I could never do that.” I think when you work with me, what we do is we find out what lights you up and then we work that version for you. So it might not be the same as someone else, but it will be the essence of that in the most flattering way for you as possible. And I did that the other day with this businesswoman just from the Talent Sourcing Collective, and she just rocked it. She wore all different outfits. She had different colour backdrops going on. She had balloons. She had confetti.
Jade
0:04:53 - 0:05:21
She had the whole thing going on for what was essentially a professional kind of HR business. But she wanted to bring that vibrance to her imagery, and the photos are better than ordinary professional cookie cutter that everyone else does. There's something that invites people into her world, and because she's in her happy place, then she's sharing that energy with them on screen. So I think, it's something that we work out together. I love seeing how
Carrie
0:05:21 - 0:05:47
much fun I think people have on your photo shoots. They're beautifully shot, they’re professional as well but I actually love that they have an element of fun and ease about them. So what's one of the.. I guess the number one piece of advice that usually give when on a photography shoot? Is there a universal piece of advice that you provide?
Jade0
:05:47 - 0:06:49
Yeah, Look, photo shoots are all made in the preparation. So, like what happens on the day is like the final little piece of the puzzle. And the real real photo shoot is built in the prep that you have for it in the vision you have for it, in the outfit your thinking about, in the location that you determine and the photographer that you work with. They're all kind of equal parts of the pie, and then on the day we're just kind of bringing it together. But when you have a really good plan, you also have that extra boost of confidence. Like I know what I'm doing. The photographer knows what they're doing. If this doesn't work, we've got Plan B, C, D, E and F to Z, and that is the mum life and way to roll, isn't it? Like, you know, if you don't have a nappy in the bag, you've got one in the car. And if there's not one in the car, then there's one in the pram and it's that kind of approach to life where we've always got to back up. We've always got a second option, and if something goes wrong, which inevitably it will it's not the end of the world. We will just roll to the next thing. So I definitely think that's the secret source to what I do… being really well prepared, amazing and
Carrie
0:06:49 - 0:06:51super adaptable.
Lucy
0:06:51 - 0:07:21
100% the confidence and clarity in your voices when you're talking about what you do makes me want to get in front of a camera with you! I can totally imagine how people get creative with you. It's really inspiring. I loved also what you said about the real value or the real power of creating a brand with photos and video is telling the story of the brand. So what would your message be to people who might be listening to this? Who are in business? What do you
Lucy
0:07:21 - 0:07:23
think is the most important
Lucy
0:07:23 - 0:07:24
tip they could have at that point?
Jade
0:07:24 - 0:08:30
I mean, I think it's just collating visuals of things that you like. Being kind of like a bower bird of visual information, so that could be great quotes that you like on Instagram or great pieces of music that lift you up or colours of outfits that you see. If you're kind of collecting them all together in a central place, then all of those ingredients are going to form the kind of secret source of your brand because you want your brand to be the essence of you, but in a really lively and exciting way. And that essence isn't going to come out of nowhere, like there's nothing more intimidating than looking at a blank white sheet of paper and thinking, “Oh my God, I got to come up with the brand. I’ve got to start a business.” The best thing to do is just find things you like and then use them as a guide to create a kind of combination of those things in your special way. So, yeah, Instagram isn't that amazing? Save feature saving two collections. I know I have, like a zillion collections going of all different things that I've got in my life, whether it's furniture or typographic treatments or videos to watch or whatever. So I highly recommend using that feature.
Lucy
0:08:31 - 0:08:48
Fabulous advice and great tip there to use that feature. It's an excellent idea. So at Mums & Co, we talk a lot about harmony as being a triangle of ambition, livelihood and wellbeing. So harmonious life has those three aspects woven in. How would you describe the shape of a good life for you?
Jade
0:08:49 - 0:10:24
Oh my gosh, the shape of a mum's life or my version of motherhood is so not harmonious. It's hilarious. My understanding of motherhood is is it is just like hardcore crawling on your belly through from the minute the alarm goes to the minute your eyes closed. Definitely work and being able to build and create and enjoy something is just so much the fun part of everything. And then motherhood is this other kind of battle zone of just dealing with emotions facing your fears. You know, trying to get through all your triggers and trauma and then, you know, kind of help your kids, to be resilient in their way. It is so hard core, I wouldn't say there's much harmony in my life at all, but my work is my happy place. So when I, you know, out of all the things that are kind of going haywire, I can always come back and do some video editing or some photo editing, and I find that it's almost like it's almost like embroidery, it's very cathartic. It's very peaceful. It's very quiet, very calm, and it's really nice to have that in my life, an area where I'm just good at it. And it's just something I can retreat to and just kind of process through and have that bit of space and then kind of go and face the fray of kind of bedtime and bath and everything like that. So it's never in harmony. It's kind of ups and ups and downs and just trying to swim through in the middle
Lucy
0:10:24 - 0:10:54
of it. And it's so true what you say. I feel exactly the same about my work. My work is my happy place and my safe place and my quiet place. And you know, we're recording this at the moment in a time of lockdown where suddenly my worlds are colliding every minute of every day and I'm finding that very stressful. Something that I'm sure everybody does. But it's wonderful to hear it described that way. And it's so wonderful that you found a job in a business that I mean, it's clearly why you're so great at it because you've got that it's beautiful.
Jade
0:10:55 - 0:12:27
I mean, lockdown is so hard, it's so challenging. I think you're just not having that compartmentalisation of our lives where you have your professional life. Then you have your family life. That is real. It's a real luxury and privilege. And then when it all collides, it really does force you to problem solve in a whole new way, and it definitely... like lockdown and having to care for the kids all around the clock when we first... Because lockdown kind of collided with me moving to a new city, and I didn't have my child care providers available. So I had to kind of, I was kind of on call with the kids while we got everything set up in this new city and definitely, like it pushed me to my limits. Like that was losing my happy place, losing my little corner just snuggle up in, which is my work, was intense, and it pushed me to seek out, new support through a new therapist, through online work, through mothers groups online, through my own reading and definitely through that really hectic trauma. Yeah, it definitely pushed me to another level of motherhood, competency and management of the situation. And I feel like I'm never gonna stop having a push to new levels of that. I'm always gonna need to level up. I've got a 13 year old and I've got a three year old, so I'm constantly both kind of pressing the top end. And then I'm going right back down the bottom end and learning to change nappies four times a day and feed, you know, three times during the night. So it never stops. I mean, hopefully that will be a good thing in the long run. You
Carrie
0:12:27 - 0:12:37
know, you do mention that you've you've got three kids. You do a lot of business travel as well when we're not in lockdown. Tell us about your
Lucy Carrie
0:12:39 - 0:12:49
overall Co. So is this the partners, the friends, the clients or the community that you have around you and how do they support you?
Jade
0:12:49 - 0:14:41
It's an interesting one, I guess. I think that, my partner Patrick, he's just not like, I don't know everyone's partners are different, right? And so you hear a lot of the stereotypes of, I guess in different other couples where they're having, you know, the wife is having to deal with a whole lot of home stuff and a whole lot of work stuff, whereas Patrick and I have always just been just a natural team. So like a supernatural team, because he pushes himself domestically in a way that I have to meet. So he's actually quite inspirational in the energy he applies to his domestic work. It actually inspires me to be more attuned and focused on that area. So, for example, when I come to Sydney to shoot the Mums & Co events, like I will come home to, like, everything, done all the washing, done the house absolutely sparkling because he's worked his guts out. But he's worked so hard because he knows that that makes a huge difference and equally if he goes away like it's a challenge, it's not like it's not like the expectation is there and I have to do it. It's just that it's so nice to be in a partnership where someone else actually goes above and beyond, and it inspires you to think about that stuff differently. And so I am just naturally, you know, always going to focus 110% on work, like I just feel like that's my happy place. That's where I'm like a greyhound running, whereas he is, he has a much more even approach to work and family, and so that really when I see him incorporate that balance, it inspires me to have a more even approach as well. So that's really interesting. And then I mean in the broader concept, definitely.
Jade
0:14:41 - 0:15:28
I'm on Instagram and there's a large community of women that I interact with on Instagram, and I find that you know, in times like this, when we are separated from each other physically and we can't meet up as regularly than just connecting with people on that platform is amazing, because on Instagram you can have these conversations that our drips and drabs of text messages voice messages three days later a video message. And it actually is a really cohesive and mum friendly way to correspond, as opposed to... I'm finding email really heavy these days, like having to, let's say, like, hello and so you know, it's just too much. Whereas instant messengers I find it so much easier to correspond. There's no obligation to respond, but you know that they will get back to you when they can. So I think that community there is really helping me kind of get through everything that's going on.
Carrie
0:15:28 - 0:15:51
It's amazing that you have that support as well, and I feel that by men actually equally sharing the load or even taking more of the load with the caring side of things as well, that actually unlocks our ability to do work that we love or to work on our ambitions. So, um, I think that's great that you have that support around you.Lucy0:15:52 - 0:16:01Creativity is obviously a hugely important part of your business, Jade and I'm really curious to hear about how you balance this with protecting your business from risk.Jade0:16:01 - 0:16:07Yeah, that was such an interesting question. I was interested to hear more of your definition of what risk? .
Lucy
0:16:10 - 0:16:25
Yes. So I guess in terms of protecting the business from, say things like cyber security risks, financial risks, type risks, relationship risks in terms of client management, those kind of aspects of the business,
Jade
0:16:26 - 0:18:06
I think I'm not naturally a very risk averse person. Like, I think I am naturally a more risk kind of accepting person. So I think that kind of plays into my character. And certainly with the three kids, you can see my risk accepting nature right in front of everyone. So in terms of a business sense, I think any business that you do any endeavour that you have, it's a bit of a roll of the dice of whether it's going to be safe or not, whether it's going to last or not, whether you're gonna have clients tomorrow or not, and I kind of just take that as a as a part of doing business. It's not something I think about much. It's not something that holds me back.. If everything was to collapse today, I would like to think that I could just roll over and start again tomorrow in whatever it may be. I kind of feel it's that mum life way of operating in that. Yeah, we had all our careers. We had everything on track and then, boom, one kid comes and then boom when another kid comes and then boom, another kid comes and you pretty much lose your capacity to, you know, you lose. I lost my capacity to work around the clock like I used to, and it's much more limited. And I've got to work in a new way, and then it's interesting. With something like covid, you find that oh, my gosh, the mum life way of working, which was always kind of online and working odd hours. All of a sudden, the world has like turned around and gone “Oh, my gosh, this, like, you know, working on it really works. And we're all going to do it now.” And so isn't it funny that mums have kind of pioneered this way of operating? That the rest of the world has suddenly woken up to. That's a legitimate way to have a professional career.
Jade
0:18:06 - 0:18:17
So I don't think, that being risk averse is ever going to hold me back or stop me from doing anything. I think I'm just happy to roll the dice and see what happens tomorrow.
Lucy
0:18:17 - 0:18:26
Really, really awesome perspective. And it's so true. COVID has sort of tipped everyone into mum life. I absolutely love that. That is so true. We're all doing it now.
Jade
0:18:26 - 0:19:51
I know it. Isn't it tough like this is the thing like and you know, dads are writing these big kind of… It just it is. It's really, really hard. And I don't wish it on anyone, but also at the same time, I don't find it that much different to my ordinary life, which you know, having like a toddler with you. You can't go to lots of places. And, you know, even car parks are dangerous. And so the limits that were on my life already haven't changed that much in lockdown. And I hope that it kind of opens people's eyes to just how hard it is to manage domestic responsibilities with a professional career all from the one room. And people have a lot more grace and understanding and real lived empathy for what parents do every single day from dawn to dusk, and that our workplaces really adapt to have less strict parameters around them that actually allow for the flexibility of what real life is, which is raising a family, helping elderly parents, contributing more to your community. I know that Carrie has been a long time advocate of this kind of thing, and that's why Mums & Co is such an incredible vehicle. Because it highlights how this is possible. It kind of blazes a trail for other businesses to follow, and I think that's what they're all doing right now.
Carrie
0:19:53 - 0:20:23
You actually captured that so well, and it's something that we should be able to do. We shouldn't have to make that choice between our family and our ambitions or our career. So thank you for leading that charge with us. Now, I love your social page. I love your Instagram, and I know it's all about capturing the essence of a business owner and the truth of her story. What is your social media telling us about you? And is there actually something that we don't see?
Jade
0:20:24 - 0:21:57
There's heaps. I think I use my social media really intentionally, and it's very strategic. Everything that goes up is planned. Strategic. It's all part of, a larger approach that I have. And that's something that I also offer my clients is that you know, I will coach other clients and other businesses along how to develop a social media that really works for them. And so what you're seeing on there is fastened to me, and they are hugely me. So, like the humour, the sense of humour is definitely me. The bright colours definitely. But you'll notice like there's no kids on there and that's a really deliberate decision. As my account is 100% commercial focused. I'm 100% there to serve my clients and serve my audience, and I made the really clear decision that I didn't want my kids to be part of that and that's not a decision that I think everyone, doesn't have to make the same decision I had, but I definitely think that every parent, online or on instagram should be conscious of. Do I want this account to have a commercial focus? And are my kids part of that journey? How much are they part of that? And that's a really, deep and nuanced conversation, and that's something that also you can develop over time. You can change. You can have one approach one day, and then you can change to another. But certainly, I think being aware and conscious of, how much our kids are involved in our social media and how much consent they've given to that is, something that I think all parents should be conscious of every single day.
Carrie
0:21:58 - 0:22:12
That's a brilliant question, such an important consideration. And I think something that should be a conversation that content creators and all of us should be having as well. Thank you for the reminder, Jade.
Lucy
0:22:13 - 0:22:18S
o, Jade, in the spirit of women supporting women, who are the more ambitious that you would like to say hello to today,
Jade
0:22:19 - 0:23:20
So many different people I wanted to shout out to. So I've recently moved from Sydney to Canberra and I think that experience has given me a real insight into that kind of the more regional hubs of Australia. So previously, I was very Sydney focus, big city focus. But now I'm looking at those different regional hubs that have got so much going on and Canberra is one of them. I'm just inspired by a tonne of the Canberra business. There is a tonne of ladies here who have decades of experience behind them. And what I'm finding is that the regional centres, I think from a big city perspective, have a lot more of a balanced approach to managing work and managing family. And I'm really enjoying learning from them. I'm enjoying the way they built their businesses and raise their kids, usually more kids than me and just yeah, just paying attention and learning from them. And then, reflecting back on how I can give back to those businesses and how I can maybe work with some more regional areas around Australia.
Lucy
0:23:20 - 0:23:26J
ade thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today. and thank you, everybody for your company.
Carrie
0:23:26 - 0:23:28
Yeah. Thanks for having me, guys.
Carrie
0:23:32 - 0:23:36
Jade, we’ve got a little person to ask you a question.
Carrie
0:23:37 - 0:23:38
This is Remy. Now, how old are you now?
Carrie
0:23:40 - 0:23:52
Six. So, growing up. What's your most favourite moment in your day? Thank you for asking.
Jade0:23:52 - 0:25:01
That one moment came to me. It's a moment I have, like, once every week. And it is when I take my little boy to swimming and he's three years old, so he's, like, more kind of like sinking than swimming. But the challenge for him is now he has to learn how to how to float and how to be pool safe without me. So the instructors constantly kind of pushing us apart, and he's constantly kind of reaching for me. And the best moment of my day is when I see him paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle. And then he grabs the edge and he turns back and he looks at me and he's like, ‘Yeah!’, and I'm like ‘Yeah!’ down the other end of the pool. And a lot of mums talk about how much they love their kids when they're squishy and soft. And mine is the total opposite. Like I love my kids when I see them independent and strong and swimming away from me down the other end of the pool. And that just makes my heart flutter because I know that they're gonna.. they're gonna be okay. That's my favourite part of my day when I see them confidently walking away from me into all the wonderful adventures that wait for them. So
Jade
0:25:01 - 0:25:02
yeah.
Carrie
0:25:02 - 0:25:03
Thank you.
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