When I was younger, I was that lemonade stand child. I was the girl who used the monopoly money to try to sell dinner to my family once I had cooked it- they had to pay to eat! I was the kid where a hobby always turned into a mini business where I was selling my ugly painted cement pots to my parents’ friends when they came over. I was that child. (Sorry mum and dad..)
When I was in college and everyone was choosing their careers I honestly just didn’t know what to choose, as all I knew I wanted to do was to help people and build something that was my own.. well the problem was, that didn’t align with those quiz thingos they make you fill out in career class. I tried to convince my dad to buy a café that was for sale with me when I was in year 11, I did the business plan and pooled my savings to show him I was serious. He didn’t think that was my future though as I couldn’t cook to save my life!
So, I decided I would be a nurse. That sounded smart and sensible. So I did work experience in a hospital and quickly realised that I did not have the bedside manner for that.. (I am so blown away by what my nurse friends do, that I could never). No one could seem to tell me a career path that would fulfil my creativity, sustain my analytical problem-solving skills and give me endless opportunities for growth, challenges and create that dream life I desired. All of these things while also making a difference in this world and helping others while I’m at it.
I didn’t feel like I was asking for much??
So, I decided when I finished collage, that I would have a gap year to try and solve this problem and work out what I wanted my future to look like. I got an administration job at a business that sold farm machinery and was beyond excited to challenge myself in an industry that I had grown up around. As I was working away there, I started to notice that there were opportunities that I felt were being missed in the advertising realm. So, I went away and did some research on what we could be doing and naively brought up my ideas to the Business Manager at the time. He then gave me the opportunity to pitch my ideas to the management team in a few weeks. I spent every night until that meeting doing all the research I could and put together a 12 month marketing plan, PowerPoint in tow (my English teacher would have been proud) that I then presented to six men, some of whom had come down from Sydney for it. I was then asked if I wanted to roll out that marketing plan for them on a trial. They linked me up with some mentors who worked at big agencies in Sydney and Melbourne and I spent the next twelve months working harder than I ever had and learnt everything I possibly could about this new world of Marketing.
At the end of that year the business was purchased from the Multinational company that owned it by new owners and I applied for a new role as the Marketing Manager. This saw me get to be part of managing the whole marketing of the business from advertising, events, PR, branding and social media for four branches including one in NSW. The days were so busy full of strategy planning, organising, maintaining relationships with reps and all the little day to day things that needed to get done. I loved how busy it was and that I was always kept on my toes. You can never get complacent in marketing, especially in the Ag industry. Things are not guaranteed like in other industries. The hay season could come early and so you have to work in overdrive to get your hay season campaigns released early or there could be a draught, so you have to pivot and be more creative at how you structure your offers. There is so many external things that you just can’t rely on, so you always have to be ready.
I learnt so much in my time working for this successful agricultural company that has impacted how I do things today. I fell in love with the agricultural industry and I also found my calling in Marketing.
One thing led to the next and I started to feel ready to take on a new challenge. Doors opened and I found myself being drawn to step out of the safety that full-time work provided and into the scary world but full of endless opportunities in running my own business.
The name Mountain Marketing came out of a trip that my husband and I went on in 2018. We were road tripping around the Pacific North West and found ourselves sitting at a lake for a few hours watching the sun set over a mountain. We chatted at length about what we wanted to achieve in our futures and where we wanted to go. It was at that moment I said to him; one day I am going to run a marketing agency. Later when I was thinking of a name, Mountain Marketing seemed perfect.
I am still learning every day about all the things to know about marketing. But I also hope I am still learning thirty years from now. The marketing industry is changing every day, being influenced by every area of the world and so it is vital that we stay on top of these changes by being continually in a place of learning. I believe that my study, industry experience and desire to learn is the reason why I can get results for my clients even at my age. I am willing to work the hardest so that my clients get the best out of me and I am honest with them, so that they can know they can trust what I say.
I have big dreams. I don’t think I will ever stop dreaming. But I am so exciting at where I am at right now stepping out into the next big thing and I am so excited to see where this journey will take me.
Thank you to each person who has contributed to my journey of getting here so far, without you I would not be where I am.
And here’s to 2020!
I can’t wait to see where it takes me.