Cosmopolitan Australia — November 2017

How did Spell start?

‘Isabella had moved

from Melbourne to

Byron Bay and was

designing jewellery

and selling it at the

markets. I had been a

film editor for over 12

years and ended up going

through a huge break-up

in Sydney and my life got

turned upside down. I then

did a self-development course.

The morning after I finished

the course, I called Spelly

[Isabella’s nickname] and

said, “Do you need a business

partner?” She said, “I totally

do!” So I moved to Byron.’

How did you and Isabella take

Spell from a market brand to

a powerhouse business?

‘I needed to make it profitable

because Spelly had let me in

to the business and made me

a partner. When I started,

there was the prospect of

pushing wholesale or our

online presence. We tried

wholesale and we didn’t feel

it was our path. It was the

online approach that came

a lot more naturally for us

through blogging, social

media, imagery and creating

our own editorial. We wished

we could have our clothes in

magazines but they wouldn’t

look at us because we were

tiny, so we created our own

editorial. We started putting

budget into shoots – paying

photographers and investing

in imagery.’

Why do you think you work

so well with your sister?

‘I see sisters working together

often because sisters really

do have very different traits

that complement each other.

Growing up, Isabella was the

creative and I was the ideas

girl – it has always been that

way. Without me, I don’t

think she would have had

a business, and without her,

I wouldn’t have a business –

but together we work.’

What type of boss are you?

‘I’m very empathetic and

compassionate, but I expect

a high level of performance

from my team.’

Is it true you only work with

ethically accredited factories?

‘When we started looking

for factories to partner with,

we were looking for owners

we really connected with and

had similar values to. So we

could see the workers were

being treated amazingly and

it was fine, but as we grew

and took on new factories, we

knew our customers wanted

more than just our word.

We wanted to be able to say,

“These factories have been

ethically approved by a third

party auditing body.”’

What are your thoughts on

work/life balance?

‘If you asked me six months

ago what the biggest business

challenge was, I would have

started crying and said “the

juggle”. It’s only now that my

youngest has turned three

that the balance has come

naturally. Now I feel like I’ve

come out of the tunnel – the

vortex of mother guilt – and

I’m so much happier because

my kids are older and every-

thing is falling into place.’

What’s one piece of advice

you’d give to Cosmo readers?

‘In business, don’t be afraid

to start small and humble.

Start with one product, do it

well and you’ll be fine.’ #

A D AY

IN MY

LIFE

SUNRISE:

I wake to my two

kids jumping into

bed with me to chat

and play. Some

days, I head to

Barre Pilates.

MORNING:

Coffee! Checking

with my GM, emails,

meetings, fittings,

design briefs. I love

our marketing

meetings where

my team and I

brainstorm and

analyse strategy.

NOON:

Our team take

lunch together in

our sun corner.

EVENING:

School pick-up

then beach or skate

park. My husband,

Johnny, and I pick

up the kids by 3pm

so there’s time

for play. Some

evenings I meet

friends for a

women’s circle or

catch-ups over

wine. Other nights

Johnny and I head

out for date night.

THE STORE IN

BY RON BAY.

OFFICE SPACE

OF OUR

DREAMS!

AS TOLD TO AMY MILLS. PHOTOGRAPHY (LEAVES) ©JUJ WINN 2017; SUPPLIED