With the launch of our brand new website, I’m feeling the pull to show up here on the blog a little more often and share more of the real story, and less of the highlight reel. For you, and also for me.
You see, in the opening days of this year, I started to feel into what 2018 could look like. What might come next, for this 2-and-a-half-year-old brand and business? As I always seem to do in those rare spaces between, I wandered my way back through my digital folders (and more folders) of photos from the year just passed. 2017 was BIG. I vividly remember it as a year full of leaping out of comfort zones, growing, scaling, flying here, there and almost everywhere, and SO very much hard work.
But, then I noticed: every single flight, city and travel-related adventure was captured, edited and archived meticulously. But where was the rest of the picture? Where were photos of our collection vision boards, year road mapping, product manufacturing, creative processes, trade shows, team dinners, and the other everyday moments of running this business?
In between travels, my camera had rested safely in our bedroom wardrobe, awaiting the next adventure. And aside from a handful of hurried, photos snapped on my iPhone here and there, for everyday business moments, there was only memories.
Around that time, I also put the call out to you, our readers and our customers asking what would you like to see from me next? Far more than anything else was the request to share more of the behind the scenes of Emma Kate Co. What it takes to run this brand, and what it really looks like.
Suddenly, it’s December, and the year has largely swallowed me up. But this year, something did change. Rather than my camera sitting pretty in the wardrobe, awaiting the next trip, more often than not it’s been in my handbag; joining me at meetings and travelling alongside me during the mundane as well as the amazing.
With the support of my family at Olympus, over the next few weeks, I’m going to be putting together a 3-part blog series, taking you behind the scenes of some core small business moments from this year, all captured on my OM-D E-M10 Mark III.
This small but powerful camera seamlessly weaves into every day at Emma Kate Co. – from the daily routines of the studio, to product manufacturing visits, from breakfast meetings to wine meetings and moments in between.
First up? Let’s start with a real day at work (Monday 14 October, to be precise) in the studio at Emma Kate Co. – photo diary style.
7:00 am
The business day always starts long before arriving at the studio, but today is an especially early start. It’s going to be a huge week ahead! With a coffee and a side of emails, I start with my to-do list.
Good morning, home office!
Our 2019 planner shipment arrival is imminent, meaning we’re preparing to send out hundreds of pre-orders later this week. We also have Finders Keepers design market over the weekend, with bump in planned for Thursday, so I’m finalising the booth design, the packing list for setup and product price tags. It’s everything at once, always!
Starting the day with a coffee + planning out the day.
9:00 am
Time to load up the car and get to my first meeting! Our greeting card inventory levels have run so low, and we have been eagerly awaiting a big restock of cards. So, over the weekend, I hand-folded a few hundred cards, so that we can keep up with orders this week. I slip my OM-D E-M10 Mark III into my handbag [it’s smaller than my purse] and off I go.
Loading up my little car
Stock + supplies to take to the studio
Off to find coffee – en route to Short Straw Hawthorn
9:30 am
But first, caffeine! My warehouse manager + studio sunshine Cindy and I meet at local cafe favourite Short Straw to have breakfast and figure out an action plan for the week.
Meeting essentials. Yes, my coffee is bigger than my camera! The OM-D E-M10 Mark III is dependable and my essential business accessory.
11:00 am
We arrive at our studio, and set off on our tasks. Time to divide and conquer! Cindy gets to packing today’s orders. I set up my laptop, and check through emails.
Welcome to our warehouse! A day in our studio looks a little like this…
2:00 pm
I hop back out for a meeting in Prahran with our website developer, Chris. We launched our new website a month ago, and now we’re finalising the finer details to fix, and to nut out the next stage: adding wholesale ordering for our stockists.
A staple in my handbag – the OM-D E-M10 Mark III is lightweight and so tiny, it joins me everywhere throughout the day.
4:00 pm
I return to Co.Co and it’s already nearing 4pm. Where has the day flown to? I dive into a number of priorities. By 6pm, the courier and post pick ups have come, so Cindy and I cheers to the day with a glass of wine, and head home.
9:00 pm
After dinner, I start the night shift, back at my desk. I am currently finalising our creative collaboration with Chantelle from Fat Mum Slim. We’re re-launching our Scatter Love project soon [since launched!}, and today I’m sending the packet artwork off to print. There’s always so many tasks to be done, it’s hard to make time for creating, so it’s often late at night. At midnight, I call it a night and get some rest before waking to do it all again tomorrow!
Today’s essentials, with my OM-D E-M10 Mark III at the ready.
