A chat with Jes Egan

Image: Bo Wong

Jes Egan is a go-getter who believes there is always a positive way to view a situation or a solution to a problem. For Jes, every bump in the road just opens up a new direction to follow - who knows what you may end up with if try a new path. She joins the CWC board this year to share her wealth of knowledge as Head of Strategy and Partnerships.

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I studied Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) + Diploma of Project Management (Swinburne). I worked in advertising / creative agencies for 15 years and have also lectured at Business by Design at Billie Blue, a design university, for 3.5 years

I love to experience new places and have worked overseas in the UK. I spent 2 years in London and London 4 in Manchester. Travelling is one of my favourite things, seeing how different cultures do different things. I like looking at how cultural differences impact the day to day and seeing how it can be applied to our daily life.

I also love the ocean, spend a lot of my time following ocean / water based photographers on instagram. 

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

Currently I am the Operations Director for Linktree and Bolster. It’s a great job, two days are never the same.  My creative outlet is paper cutting (free hand cutting with a scalpel to create images), I sold my paper cuts under Paper Chap for a few years and now save it as my creative outlet (when I get the time!).

What does a typical work day look like for you? 

I’m an early bird and function really well in the morning and not so well at in the evening! I’m often at my desk around 7am, its my planning and most productive time. I plan out my day and get most of my solid thinking time done first thing. I head out mid/late afternoon to pick up the kids and keep in touch with work until the end of their day. 

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career? 

Having children! I was not prepared for the shift in your thinking that they bring. I would never change having them for the world, but I’d say I was not prepared for how that shifted my perspective on work, which was always so important to me. It still is important but I definitely have a much better balance with them in my life. 

What do you do in your ‘down time’ (and do you have a guilty pleasure)?

I hang out with my family as much as I can, any time we can make that near the beach even better. 

What are some of the things which inspires you?

I enjoying seeing people grow and progress, you learn a lot with experience and I enjoy mentoring / coaching people and giving them guidance or ideas to follow themselves. Seeing someone develop and give it all their best is so rewarding, we can all learn from each other, no matter what position, department or industry. 

Best creative memory?

I had a lot of fun at uni, I remember the late nights we’d pull come folio submission, meeting up at 7/11 at midnight for a slurpee to talk about the assignments or give each other tips on Mac short cuts (which I was always rubbish at, I’m much better now!).

A few years back I was at Supergraph, I did a few live paper cutting sessions that was great to show the process and make some mess.

What would you tell your younger self?

During my career there have been times when something happened at work and I really took it to heart, I’ve learnt to seperate work and personal a bit better now, I would’ve liked to have tried to think about it in that way when I was younger. Sometimes in business we need to learn to not take it personally. I think the adversity can be used to gain better insight, open up new paths, it’s not always fun at the time but can be seen as an opportunity. But I only now know that with in hindsight and with experience. 

In conversation with Kip&Co

Kate Heppell is one of the Co-founders and Co-Creative Directors of Kip&Co. She grew up in Upwey in the Dandenong Ranges and Caulfield and went to St Margarets in Berwick.  Straight after school she went to Melbourne University for the next 6 years, where she did Commerce / Arts.  Kip&Co began 7 years ago and is been based in Collingwood / Abbotsford.

Tell us about how you got into this industry…

After Uni I worked as an accountant for 2 years. After that, Hayley (another Kip&Co Co-founder and my sister) opened an awesome little health food store, café and yoga studio called Sprout Health Store & Organic Grocer in Hawthorn which we ran for 5 years. I then worked as the Business Manager of the Melbourne fashion label, Obus.  A few years later I had my first son, Hayley and I were ready for another business, and alongside Alex, we loved homewares and felt the industry was prepared for a bit of colour disruption.  And so, Kip&Co was born.

What does a typical work day look like for you? 

I work 2 full days (with no kids – all are at school or with a nanny); 1 from our Melbourne office and 1 from Barwon Heads at Hayley’s home.  The day is Barwon Heads is devoted purely to design.  This is essential.  My day in Melbourne with the team is more about what’s going on that week, what’s coming up, strategizing over all types of business ideas we have brewing, meetings with collab partners, but primarily we spend a chunk of time with each senior staff member and go over exactly what’s happening in their area of the business. It’s an enjoyable day each week.  We love our team of ladies. 

What have been some of the biggest challenges in your career?   

Hands down the juggle between work and family.  The hard bit comes when I actually love my job (!!) but also love multiple days a week with my little kids and don’t like them going into too much care.  Sometimes work is bottlenecking but my days with the kids are just so precious to me, and so I have to work late at night after they crash out.  I know that I am only in the thick of it with 3 young kids, and it is getting a little bit easier every year.  Eventually, I hope to not work at night (too much). 

Best creative memory? 

We absolutely loved our collaboration with Desert Designs where we got to work with original artworks by Jimmy Pike.  And our multiple collaborations with May Gibbs as her mass of art is just heaven to look through and of course, play with and recreate.

What do you love best about your job? 

Doing collaborations like those just mentioned and working alongside my 2 best friends! 

What do you get up to when not working? 

All types of family activities and we love-love-love travelling with the kids.  Whether it be in Australia or overseas, it is these pockets of time with our little people that my husband and I just crave and enjoy so intensely.  

What’s on the horizon for the future? 

We have a couple of collabs in the pipe-works that have us all really inspired at the moment.  And as for travel, I am off to Borneo with my husband and kids for 2 weeks late June, so we are all counting down the sleeps until that moment. 

If you had any creative business advice, what would it be?   

Say YES – to everything.  Kip&Co was really founded on this mantra, and I really stand by it.  We don’t say Yes to absolutely everything anymore, but honestly, we do most of the time. 

If you could be anyone else for a day, who would it be and why? 

I have wracked my brain, but I really am just so happy in my own skin.  No one comes to mind.  I think it would be suitable for all people to walk in the shoes of someone from a real minority group for a day. I guess I’d do that.  Empathy is a hard thing to teach, but maybe this would help us all have it within in a more profound way.

Meet the CWC board: Liz Anderson

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory

We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Liz Anderson, board member and Head of Events for CWC.

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

I run a tour company which specialises in designing and operating journeys on the Trans Siberian Railway, through Mongolia, the Silk Road and the Caucasus. Outside of work I enjoy hand embroidery and painting.

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

I was teaching in Japan and wanted to travel back to the UK overland so ended up on a Trans Mongolian and Central Asian adventure. A few years after being a Management Consultant in London I made the switch into the travel industry and became a Tour Leader in Russia. Since then I’ve worked in all parts of our business with particular focus on product development, operations and marketing before completing my MBA and becoming Managing Director.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

I was looking for a community where I could meet creative people and explore more of my own creative side. I believe strongly in championing those in small businesses so it was a good fit!

What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?

From my first meeting I have been awed by the breadth of experience and interests of members and how welcoming everyone has been.

How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?

CWC’s ethos of championing and connecting women truly shines through and the support offered through the group should provide value to all.

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

I confess I do have a soft sport for the brutalist Soviet architecture ... too much time spent in Russia! Most days I love anything colourful and at the moment am loving the work of Monika Forsberg and Helen Dardik - they make me happy!

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

By always believing I can finish the “big project”... it normally results in a lot of very late nights! 

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?

I would love to create embroidery designs inspired by textiles from around the world.

Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years?

I believe we can continue to grow and connect more creative women across Australia and provide opportunities for them to meet, share and learn together.

Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?

We have lots of exciting things planned as ideas are brimming over on the new board. It’s also a great time to voice where you would like to see CWC grow to.

Liz leads a tour company specialising in the Trans-Siberian Railway, Mongolia and the Silk Road, Sundowners Overland. Her time spent living and working overseas, primarily in these regions as well as Japan and Central America, has led to a keen interest in the creative diversity, particularly in textiles, from around the world. With an arts degree, MBA and human centred design qualifications, Liz is delighted to bring a healthy appetite of curiosity to the team about all of the areas CWC members work in. Liz is sure her tenure will also inspire her to turn her creative ventures into more than just hobbies.

Meet the CWC board: Anika Cook

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory

We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Anika Cook, the Treasurer of the CWC board!

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

I'm currently taking “long service leave” after wrapping up The Gently Unfurling Sneak, the design business that I ran for twelve years. I'm using this time to take a breather and explore new creative possibilities.

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

When I was studying for my Bachelor of Creative Arts at the University of Melbourne I started experimenting with screen printing and collage and selling little bits and pieces at local markets. After graduating I had a brief dalliance with working in IT (which I was not remotely qualified for) and it gave me the motivation to get my business off the ground. I worked part-time doing web and graphic design at Craft Victoria whilst I built The Gently Unfurling Sneak up, slowly growing until I had to take the leap to being full-time. And then the leap to having staff! Eventually we grew to offer fashion, accessories, cards and artworks, selling online as well as through retailers and then opening a dedicated shop in North Melbourne in 2015.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

I stumbled across the website a few years ago and promptly joined up so I could listen to all of the event recordings – I think I was at a moment where I needed some perspective and inspiration for my business. I then went to a morning tea and fell in love with the community… and the cake.

What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?

It feels like I have really found my people. I found that 'traditional' business people didn't really understand the unique trials of running a small creative business, and fine artists or hobby makers didn't necessarily understand what it's like to make things for a living. The CWC community can give advice, commiserate and celebration all in the one place.

How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?

It's incredibly valuable. The advice, camaraderie and support that you receive as a member cannot be found anywhere else.

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

As an artist I admire Hannah Höch, one of the only female Dadaists, an originator of photomontage and someone who used her art politically, during the Weimar Republic and Third Reich in Germany.

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

By trying new things. I seem to want to avoid repeating myself so I often find that I've gone off on a creative tangent without realising… sometimes too far! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?

That's what I'm trying to figure out now… there are a lot of ideas swirling around but nothing has settled yet.

Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years? Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?

The new board is full of beans and excellent ideas so there's going to be a lot happening! We have lots of goodies planned to help people in their businesses and careers, from the part-time and emerging to fully established. We'd love to see you on board.

Anika is a designer, illustrator and collagist. She was the founder of fashion label The Gently Unfurling Sneak, which recently closed after twelve years in Melbourne and had a particular focus on intricate prints and the use of vintage imagery. Prior to starting her own business, Anika worked in the art and design sectors with Craft Victoria and freelance web design. Anika holds a Bachelor of Creative Arts from the University of Melbourne. Connect with Anika via Instagram.

Meet the CWC board: Fiona Brand

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory

We recently sat down and interviewed our board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Fiona Brand, the Secretary of the CWC board.

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

Founder of Brand by Name, an award-winning brand identity, graphic design & web design studio based in Melbourne, Australia

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

I’m a largely self-taught, hands-on graphic designer. I started out as a Finished Artist in the early 90s, in the last few years of paste-up, cow gum, spray adhesive and bromides. Over the years I have worked in various design-related industries – Advertising agencies, Children’s television, Public Relations and Marketing agencies. On April Fools’ Day in 2012, at a tiny school desk in my lounge room and a 2011 iMac, I started Brand By Name.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

I discovered CWC in 2011, when I had recently moved to Melbourne, and was looking to connect with other creatives.

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

I admire anyone who tries to make a living as an artist! Right now that person would be Jess Thom – I just saw her show ‘Backstage in Biscuitland’ – it was joyous, moving & laugh out loud funny. The best theatre I’ve seen in ages. http://www.britishcouncil.us/tourettesheros-backstage-biscuit-land

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

I usually have a side project or two on the go.

What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?

If I weren’t a graphic designer, I would be a chocolatier

Fiona is a highly experienced designer with 20 years’ involvement in the design, advertising, web and interactive industries. Fiona’s strengths lie in her depth of knowledge across a variety of design areas: her understanding of interactive and accessibility issues on the web, knowing her way around printing processes, how to achieve a brilliant result within a tight budget, and a design style that adapts itself to every different client. In 2011 she founded Brand by Name, an award winning creative design studio, providing design expertise across branding, print and web communication. Connect with Fiona or check out her work via her website, Instagram or LinkedIn.

Meet the CWC board: Jane Connory

2 min read

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory

We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Jane Connory, the new Vice President of the CWC board!

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

I am currently a full time PhD candidate at Monash where I am exploring the visibility of women in Australian graphic design. I also teach in the Communication Design degree, honours years and masters programs there and are employed two days a week as the National Head of Communications at the Design Institute of Australia.

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

I have been a potter, an illustrator, an art director in advertising agencies, a camp councillor in the US, a senior designer in publishing and a Program Manager at a private university – but it all started doing colouring-in competitions at primary school.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

I was keen to engage with other creative women and help to champion their contributions to the Australian design industry. I approached the outgoing President, Tess Mccabe , to run a work shop at a national event I ran at Billy Blue College of Design, which celebrated women in design with NYC designer Jessica Walsh.

What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?

It sounds a little cliché but it is really like finding your tribe.

How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?

CWC offers a safe space for women to meet and share creative hobbies and careers without the ego that can exist in other parts of the creative industries.

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

Eirene Mort was a designer in Sydney in the 1900s who designed logos, textiles, typography and many beautiful objects typical to this Arts and Crafts movement. But Eirene was also integral to pulling creative groups of women together and providing platforms for education and to exhibit their uniquely Australian work. A founding member of The Society of Arts and Crafts in NSW, Eirene left a legacy of championing creative women that I am proud to see the CWC continuing.

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

By getting myself out the door every morning with 2 kids in tow.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?

I often fantasise about going into business with a friend of mine as a florist.

Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years?

Our fantastic new board want to continue the amazing legacy of the outgoing team by adding to the benefits open to our current members and giving them lots of reasons to stay engaged.

Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?

We have some exciting things planned which just might include craft markets and Christmas presents!

Jane is a PhD candidate at Monash University, and is working towards a gender inclusive history of Australian graphic design. She has been a practising designer and illustrator in the advertising, branding and publishing sectors, in both London and Melbourne, since 1997. When she’s not teaching at Monash University you’ll find her being the National Head of Communications at the Design Institute of Australia. Find out more about Jane and her work via her website, podcast, or check out her research here.

Meet the CWC board: Samantha Jayaweera

Team CWC! Left to right: Alessandra Azzone, Yvonne Meng, Samantha Jayaweera, Anika Cook, Fiona Brand, Bec Mackey, Liz Anderson, Jane Connory

We recently sat down and interviewed our new board members to give you a chance to get to know them better, and we’ll be featuring one of these Q+As each week on the blog. Today we introduce you to Samantha Jayaweera, the new President of the CWC board!

What is your current business/creative pursuit/job?

I work as a Graphic & Digital Designer at Intrepid Group with the APAC Marketing Team. Outside of work I really enjoy pursing craft based projects like quilting, screen printing and collage.

Can you outline the journey that got you here? What previous work/creative pursuits/life decisions brought you to this place?

At uni, I studied a Bachelor of Multimedia (Media Studies) and shortly after completed a Master of Design (Graphic Communication). After graduating, I worked at a small boutique medical publisher that publishes guidelines that recommend medical dosages and therapies. This gave me a priceless foundation in typesetting and layout design which directly led to my role at Penguin Random House (PRH) as a specialised typesetter and layout designer. I worked at PRH for nearly five years where I worked on over 400 works of fiction and non-fiction across the Adult and Young Readers lists. Last year, I opted for a new challenge by moving out of publishing design and joined Intrepid Group as a marketing designer. I am really enjoying my position working with a multi-disciplinary team, learning more about digital marketing and getting the opportunity to creatively lead marketing campaigns.

When did you first come across Creative Women’s Circle?

I was working in a previous job where I wasn't getting any professional development or access to industry mentors. I decided I needed to look for opportunities outside of work, preferably in a volunteer position. I found Creative Women's Circle through some research, read about the amazing ladies on the board on the CWC website and volunteered shortly after. 

What has your experience been being a part of the CWC community?

I joined CWC because I wanted to surround myself with creative, intelligent, kick-arse women that could empathise with and advise me about my professional path. I found this and so much more! Among the group of incredibly talented women on the board, I found some of the most supportive mentors who epitomise the open, kind and generous spirit of the CWC community. 

How would you describe the value of membership with CWC?

In my mind, the value of CWC is best described by the creative community you are enveloped by. It is a really open, kind and generous community of women that want to support each other through connection, collaboration and championing each other's successes.

Which creative person, living or dead, do you most admire and why?

I really admire Bjork for her avant-garde approach to everything she creates. She is a classically trained musician that has pushed the boundaries of music, art, fashion and even dabbled in acting. She is constantly evolving and doesn't let her success or failure dictate where or what she should do. 

How do you challenge yourself creatively?

I see myself as a creative problem solver and over the years I have come to realise that I work best when navigating around constraints. I have often found that some of my proudest results were born from extremely constrained circumstances where I didn't settle for an average option.

What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current career? What is your ‘other’ dream job/business?

I have always really loved patterns and screen printing so I think I would pursue textile design or surface pattern design.  

Where do you see Creative Women’s Circle heading over the next two years? Why is this a great time to renew/sign up or volunteer to join the CWC community?

Creative Women's Circle is a rare combination of creative community, friendship and professional development. We are so proud of each of our creative community and want to tell the world about each one of them. At present, we are in the midst of reimagining member benefits, events and resources we offer to better suit the needs of our dynamic member base. So be sure to sign up or renew your membership to take advantage of these new changes. Now is also a great time to volunteer with us and develop skill-sets with a bunch of super friendly ladies. Plus there are always snacks! 

Sam is a graphic designer with experience in editorial layout design, typesetting, marketing digital design and production. As an avid learner of all things, Sam has embarked on further study in user experience design, surface pattern design and digital design. She is endlessly inspired by beautiful, thoughtful, innovative human-centred design across all creative industries and strives to imbue her work with the same love, devotion and meticulous attention to detail. Connect with Sam via her Instagram or LinkedIn.