Career vs Entrepreneurship with Jayme (R&C Brand Manager)

I would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this episode is being recorded, the Komboo Marry people.

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Respects to elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Today I'm your host, Georgie Stevenson, and this is the Rise and Conquer Podcast. This is the podcast where we cha mindset, self development and becoming your higher self mix soon with a lot of laughs, plus behind the scenes of my life running two businesses and being among Think of us as the perfect combo of brunch with your.

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Hey everyone, welcome back to the potty Today we have such a special episode. I'm interviewing Jamie, our RNC brand manager. Hi Jamie, Hello everyone, and we're gonna chat about all things Korea and business. We noticed a common theme in the Facebook group of people talking about how they can get more freedom and really thrive in their career, and it kind of seemed like everyone was thinking that they needed to start their own business.

To get those things.

And we do know there is a lot of talk online about that sort of thing of how working for yourself is very fulfilling and happy and great, and we know it is all those things, but we really also wanted to show you that it isn't the only way to get all of those things, So you can be for field and happy and really thrive working for someone else. And Jamie has had experience in both, so we thought we'd chat to her about it.

So exciting.

In this episode, we also dive deep into how you can excel in your career, how you can kind of move up in your career, find fulfillment, find something that you do love doing, and yeah, also I guess attract your dream job and attract dream opportunities. So if you are someone who is wanting to go to the next level with your career or find a job that really lights you up, you'll love today's episode.

You will, and Jamie also shares some pretty crazy stories, So let's.

Get into it.

Welcome to the podcast, Jamie thank you happy to be here.

We're so excited to have you.

So we are going to do this interview in two parts. The first one is going to be all about Korea and feeling fulfilled in your career. We noticed a running theme in the Facebook group with a lot of people who were thinking about massive career pivots and things and feeling like it's too late and all the things, so we thought we'd get the queen.

Of career on here, Jabie Love a good career.

And the second part, which we will be dropping soon, is questioned from our community, which is like a little bit of small business questions, a little bit of career, just a mix. So let's get straight into it. For anyone who doesn't know, do you want to tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?

Of course, I'm Jamie. I'm the marketing and brand manager here at RNC, So basically I manage the team and do all the marketing strategy and business strategy and then work with the team to execute it all, which is a lot of fun, a lot of variety.

And yeah, and what about you personally tell us a.

Little bit about yourself outside of work?

Outside of work? Okay, we know this is something you struggle with it, but I guess I don't know. Just moved up to the Gold Coast in December. I have a dog, obviously, love to go out, be social, love the beach, love self development, and I feel like my biggest passions in life really tie into work here, but I do a lot.

Of that outside of work as well.

I feel like, yeah, guys, Jamie, we have this running joke. I think we've said it on this podcast before and stories or something, but Jamie's life is a literally seventy five part I.

Love a good routine, trend, jim love walking on the beach, sunset, sunrises, all the good stuff.

She just says all the things.

I feel like I'm the kind.

Of person who has to squeeze the most out of every single minute in every single day and always be doing something so fair.

And I know this isn't on the question list, but do you want to share your life's purpose with us?

Oh?

Yes, I would love to.

My life's purpose is to leave people better off than when I f them, which is very simple, but I feel like it's something that I can easily navigate back to in every part of my life. And you know, in my relationships, in my work, in everything that I do, I feel like I am fulfilling that purpose. So something nice and simple.

Love it.

Now let's get into the questions. All right, so excited Number one? What has your professional journey been?

Okay, So, I, as pretty much everyone in this office, I did a Bachelor of Communications, majoring in public relations and minoring in marketing. I got into it because I loved writing. As we all know, I'm a big words gal. And then from that I started as a marketing coordinator and I was also kind of doing social media stuff on the side just for free to get experience a small businesses. And then I got into marketing in like

And then I also had MAD.

Which was my small business. I still have it, but we've taken a little hiatus. And yeah, I think that also excelled me a lot in my career and professional journey. I learned so much in that, which we'll get into.

And when did you start MAD?

Well, I wasn't actually in the start of MAD. I came into it a few months in, but I think it was about two years ago, so maybe like four months after I started working for Georgie. So I was doing that full time and also business full time, so pretty much working life.

Yeah, but you know I love work, so I didn't mind.

Now could you share a little bit more about what your business was?

Of course, So Mad is a sustainable activewear company. So we make all of our pieces out of recycled plastic bottles, which is very cool, and yeah, I think it kind of encompasses a lot of wellness, lifestyle, sustainability. It was a very like lifestyle kind of brand alongside being that sustainable active were label, so it was very intentional and purposeful. And yeah, that's pretty much sums it up.

We love Now, why did you want to start your own business? How did you sort of end up in Mad. You mentioned you rolled in a few months in, So how did that all look?

Well?

I actually went from being strangers to business partners within twenty four hours, you wild gal, which was such a well wind and so random of me.

A bit rogue.

But basically, Maddie had started MAD I think it was maybe four months before I came on, and she had spent a couple of years coming up with a concept, finding a supplier, all those things, and she thought the hardest part of starting a business would be that starting the business, but as she grew into it, she kind of realized the hardest part about starting a business is

Yeah.

So Maddie was a lawyer by trade, so she was very much like in that financial side of the business and loved all the cash flow side of.

Things and that.

And then yeah, I came over and was very much into the marketing and all of that side of things.

And then the.

Next day I kind of said, you know, if you want some help, more help with marketing, just let me know. And she was like, Wow, I was wondering, would you like to be my business partner? And I had never really I had never really thought about having a product based business. I thought, of I had a business, it would be coaching and helping people with their marketing, because

I love that.

So yeah, I know, And like a few people have asked us how we, you know, decided to be business partners together and how that navigated that relationship, And whenever we say it went from like strangers to business partners in twenty four hours, people especially who have had a business partner are like.

What, reflecting back, do you think it was actually easier to maybe navigate the business partner relationship because you were kind of strangers and there was no like pre existing friendship or things you had to worry.

About one hundred percent And me and Mad's are the kind of relationship where we are so honest with each other.

Our communication is like next level.

We people always say we act like a married couple because we're just so honest with each other upfront.

And if she came.

To me with an idea and I thought it wasn't gonna work out, I.

Was just like, nah, like that sucks.

No, I just that's not where we're headed or of you know, it's same thing. We were just so and we both thought so differently, but we had a very mutual agreement that the main priority was the business. And it's not like we were had a relationship first and that was the priority.

Their priority was the business.

So every decision we made was from that, not from trying to like look at our relationship or anything like that. But we've grown to be like best friends, So I love that. Yeah, But definitely I think it's I think it's almost better to not have that relationship because I think it can be so challenging to then navigate that. You have to have a very special kind of relationship to be in business together, because it is like a marriage.

Our next question is what was sort of the realities of starting your own business like?

And were there any.

Read shocks, because I feel like often, especially on socials, you see a lot of the like reflect to post of people like who were in the trenches and they were they say, oh my gosh, it was so hard in the beginning stages, but I'm so glad I pushed through. Look at me three years later, look at me five years later with like seven eight figure business.

But what was it like for you?

I think the realities of starting a business is you have to make so many sacrifices in the beginning, and you have to go all in, and you're doing things that a lot of the people around you aren't doing, so, you know, working really long hours, missing out on social events. And I think that was a big shock to the system at the start because I'm such a social person. But I think that just gave me so many lessons in terms of boundaries and kind of working out what

And did it sort of move as fast or as slow as you expected, or what what sort of happened for you in that sort of term.

We actually had MOTT We actually had mad At during COVID, so that was huge for e commerce. That like blew up businesses, and there was so much expendable income for people. They were at home, they weren't doing anything besides online shopping. So I think at the start, so many businesses saw exponential growth and saw so many sales, and then it almost gave you a reality that moving forward with that, that's.

What it was going to be like.

But then as people started to go, you know, back into their normal lifestyles and things like that, and especially with the economy at the moment, those sales just went down. And I think for a lot of businesses who had started in COVID, they had such an unrealistic expectation of how much they were going to be able to grow outside of COVID.

Yeah, and I think, yeah, it was.

It was an interesting time for e commerce in in terms of navigating that because you we were like, oh, this is so easy, like so many people are buying there's and especially with a sustainable business, you're at a higher price point. And as we came out of COVID, that really showed because people were not as willing to spend that higher price point on sustainable things because they came out and for them what was more important was money. So they're then going to go to, you know, obviously

And when you guys sort of obviously would have seen that growth and then started to see the decline, how did that make you feel in terms of your business success?

How did it make you feel.

In terms of yourself and what you were doing, because I assume you would have like leveled up and up and up and then it just wasn't working.

How did you navigate that period?

I think it was just all about learning how to pivot and not hold so much emotion attached to those like metrics and success and really look at like how you were then going to strengthen who you were within that business. I feel like having a small business has done more for my mindset than any other journey I've been on in my life because it does just like test you so much, and you have to learn to like isolate your own identity from something that is kind

A really expensive life coach, Yeah, pretty much. So our next question, what were your your favorite lessons from being a business owner?

I love this.

I truly believe what you learn from having a business kind of almost time collapses what you'll learn in your career because you.

Don't have anyone else to rely upon. You only have yourself.

So you are in the trenches doing absolutely everything, You're playing a million roles at once, and you don't have anyone to go to to kind of get the answer. And I think when you don't have anyone to rely upon, you learn at such.

A rapid rate. I truly believe I wouldn't be.

At the position I'm in my career if it wasn't for having MAD. And I think just the self responsibility and the ability to be self led that comes from having a business is something that I am so grateful

I know you mentioned earlier that you are currently taking a bit of a hiatus from MAD and what sort of made you decide you and Maddie, I guess, decide to take this hiatus from your business, because that I can imagine would have been a massive decision.

Massive so Basically, I was burning the candle at both ends, and I was trying to put one hundred percent into my role in R and C and also my role in the business. And Maddie was kind of doing the same thing because she has her own pt business as well. And when I decided that I was going to move up to the Gold Coast because I wanted to come to the next stage of my career and go all in in R and C, I kind of had to reassess my life and reordit.

What I was putting energy into.

And I knew that my role in R and C and rn C as a business was so aligned to I guess what my purpose in life is.

And I decided that I wanted to go all in in R and C.

And for me to do that, I kind of needed to let go of MAD because I just knew that I couldn't do both at one hundred percent. I think it's hard when you have a small business because you kind of need to have that income on the side of having a full time job. But I guess it needs to be something that you're not fully in vested in, because to be able to do both is very hard. I did it for two years and it was yeah, tough.

And what success looked like for.

Me was being all in an R and C and growing with the business and I just believe in it so wholeheartedly.

So yeah, we just.

Kind of decided that for now it was best that we took a step back from mad because we never wanted it to be a chore or we never wanted it to be something that we felt like we had to do or we just did to avoid, you know, feeling like we're letting it down or whatever.

And how was that pro Like, how did that process feel like for you? Were there any massive or any big, standout limiting beliefs you had to work through during that process of I guess like putting the business on hold and.

One hundred percent, I think when you start a small business there is so much pressure that comes with continuing it and not being a part of the statistic that you know says that most small businesses will fail and.

Things like that.

So there was obviously so much in a work that came with making that decision. And I think when you have a small business, there's so much almost like proving energy. You've gone out and you've started this thing, and you almost feel like you've just got to keep going with it because there's so many people watching how you're going.

And I think for me, I.

Really had to look at what success looked like and what happiness looked like for me and just realize that it's okay if things are in your life for a season, and it's okay if you decide to pivot or change, and that doesn't mean.

That you're failing.

But I took that leap and I changed direction and I pivoted, and I have never been happier. So it was kind of one of those situations that it really did work out better than I could have imagined, And whilst it felt really scary at the start, if you're holding onto something just because you feel like you're going to look like a failure or you feel like you know you're going to get judged, you're making a decision from other people's views on you, and you're not making

Did you financially, Like you mentioned like it's nice to have that income on the side kind of thing.

How did you work through letting that go? Well?

I just kind of think money will always come in the way that you are. You know, if you're doing what is a line for you, and you're doing what's best for you, the money will follow. And I just that wasn't even a factor for me. I was just like, what is going to make me feel the most happy and fulfilled? And I think once you let go of having to get money a certain way, it'll come in another way.

And would that be your tip? Say someone's going through and trying to make this decision for themselves at the moment, what would be your tip sort of on the money mindset side, I guess for them to I guess comfortably let go of that side.

Income.

Well, I'm for most people in small business, you're not actually making an income anyways, because you're just putting everything back into the business. So, but I would say if you're holding on to having things look a certain way, you're blocking yourself off from probably the next level of yourself because you're holding onto a certain version of yourself.

And when you sort of took the hiatus or did that sort of thing, did you at endpoint feel like a bit of a failure and how did you sort of navigate that with yourself?

Of course I did.

I think everyone who lets go of something that they were so fully in might always have those thoughts that pop up. But what I kind of realized was I don't actually believe in failure. I just don't think it's a thing, because if I look at what Mad gave me, and look at what that season of my life gave me, it actually led to me feeling like the most successful version of myself in this role and in where I'm at in life. And if I didn't have that, I

Even a thing.

I'm just stepping in a different direction and I'm stepping into where I meant to be in life.

And did you find that hindsight sort of helped with that or did you feel that way when you were kind of in that trenches of the decision.

I think for me, I had to do the inner work before.

That shift.

Yeah, And if I hadn't have done the inner work, then I wouldn't have made that shift. But definitely, I think hindsight is a beautiful thing because now I'm in my life and you know, I like crive happiness every day, so I think being able to be in that stage of my life. And I was even having this conversation with Cooper about like what success is and how so many people chase like money or a certain career or

Now, what would be because we're going to take a little bit of it from the small business chat back to our career chat for our career gals Career galies, what would be your top five tips when it comes to getting your dream job?

Oh?

I love this question because you could absolutely have any job you want.

Definitely, it's a start. Get experience however you can. I worked for free so much when I was first starting out, and I think everyone always says, you know, you can't have this job because you can't get experience, And how do you get experience if you can't get in the job.

I think the next.

Thing is going into things with the right attitude and confidence. If I was hiring someone, I would be looking at who they were as a person more so than the skills that they had, because I think you can upskill anyone, but it's harder to change who they are and how

I know, for you did the vision.

Board, Yeah, I brought that to my interview. My interview application was like about presentation. Yeah, first slide was, yeah, why you should?

I be like six, we love it.

You love the confidence, And I sent in a video with mine, which that was why I got the interview. So I think, especially if you're wanting to go into marketing or a pre industry, that's yeah, anything that's a creative, an industry that is quite competitive. You need to be able to do something that is going to make you stand out in your application. I just if you're setting in just a word document resume and cover letter.

Luck.

I think on that though, it is like very important to read the company and read the industry you're in, because I know that some people go over and above with resumes and the feedback they get is I needed to see that on one page, like I don't have the time.

To page through.

Yeah, but definitely try to stand out within your industry.

Well I mean it, Yeah, definitely depends on your industry. Obviously.

In this industry, people want to see the ability to be able to be creative and think.

Outside the box.

But if you know you want to be a doctor or something, maybe don't send in a couple of powerfoy presentation.

Though, do what feels first for you.

I think the next thing is genuinely learn and about the brand and care about the brand.

If you're just.

Sending in the same generic resume and cover letter. Again, it depends on the industry, but for me, when I look at resumes and cover letters, I want to see that the person genuinely cares about the brand, especially at rise and conquer because it is such a community based business. So to be able to see someone who genuinely cares about the mission and the values and everything like that behind the brand makes them stand out a lot. So definitely that for getting a dream job. And the last

I love that. Thank you for sharing those tips.

You're welcome.

What I guess you've kind of already touched on this, but what skills and attributes do you value in team members?

Oh, this is a good one.

Tell me what you love about me?

Well, I think I think such A huge thing that I look for in team members is the ability to be self led and have self responsibility, because as a manager, it can be really hard to continuously you know, be across everything all the time. Yeah, So the ability to be able to be self led and go the extra mile and you know, do more than is expected of you, that is always to be really beneficial to your manager

Yeah, but yeah, it's very valuable in a team member.

And how would you suggest someone show that to a potential impoint because obviously that's something quite I feel it comes out after you're working somewhere. But how could you or how would you say you went for a job show that you have that skill to someone else.

I think there's a few things with that is how are you living your everyday life? Is it congruent to that sort of personality, because I think when I look at potential employees and things like that, looking at how they show up in their everyday life says a lot about how they're going to show up in your business. So I think being able to demonstrate that as that is just who you are as a person. It's not something you have to try and do or it's not something you have to like go out of the way

So I think it's just about.

Being congruent and integral in every single aspect of your life. So then it's just a part of who you are.

And for someone who maybe isn't as good at that yet and wants to develop those skills, what would maybe be your top two or three tips for someone who wants to become like more organized, more across everything.

I know you've Jamie, Guys, Jamie set up the best notion for rn C.

You're welcome.

Yeah, well, for us to do in our personal lives, how would you like what are your dips?

I think just looking at your everyday life and how you're showing up, Like, how is your morning routine looking? Like?

Are you struggling with your morning routine?

Because if that is your biggest problem in the day, then it's going to be hard to then adopt organization and being you know, self led in a business. So for me, I think just nailing those small things in your life, because the small things really add up.

To be the big things.

And if you can be across those sorts of things and you don't even have to think about it, the rest.

Of your life is going to be so much easier.

Literally, I've experienced that transformation this year.

Yeah, that's an amazing tim And now, like.

I guess you've sort of spoken as a manager as an employee, what do you think it's most important to do?

Again?

I think your attitude and how you show up and hold yourself at work.

Yeah, so important.

How are you showing up and showing your employers and you know, the people who run the business that you are so valuable and that they can't do it without you.

How are you going the extra mile?

How are you, you know, showing up within your role even if they haven't asked things of you, doing more than is what is expected of you. I think I've always made sure, you know, in every role that I've had, I've shown them that I'm willing to do you know, the extromal. I'll always put my hand up first. I'll always rather than coming to them with the problem, I'll come to them with the problem and the solution. Because as employers and business owners, you have so much going

And I guess this is a bit of track, but I would love to know your thoughts on I know it's not something we really experience here because we love our jobs, But say you were working somewhere and it's it's a bit more corporate, because I know we do have a little bit some corporate galies that listen of it's a big business. You're in maybe a department that you're not quite gelling with, and you want to move somewhere and not necessarily a job open yet, but you

Well, I've experienced this because I have worked corporate and it wasn't for me. But I never rely on external factors to dictate how I'll show up internally. So if I no matter what environment I'm in or you know, what I'm dealing with, I'll still stay integral to who I am, And for me, who I am is showing up as that person, and that's what's important to me, not the external factors. So I think, just thinking about yourself as a human, how do you want to show up?

It's kind of almost playing into a little bit of delusional energy in the best way.

Just pretend that you're like, but yeah, I think it's just if you want the universe to be able to say, here you go, here's your dream role, you're going to have to show up as if you were already in that dream role.

So I think it's just about using.

That motivation and passion to show up as if you already have it, and don't let It's like that whole thing of like, are you're going to get up and go to the gym when it's raining, when you're tired? Those sorts of things like how you show up when things are hard says a lot about then how.

You'll show up when things are good.

So I think it's just staying integral to that and not letting the external factors affect your internal world.

What would be your tips to standing out at work? So you're in a workplace you really love, you're gutting for a promotion, what would you what advice would you give to someone to get that promotion? Yeah, or like whatever they're after, if they're after a pay rise in their current role. If they're after a promotion but there isn't one yet to apply for, how would you recommend they start showing up to attract that?

I guess opportunity.

Well, you need to be able to show your employer why you're more valuable now than when you first started, and how you have excelled within your own role. So things like how are you making the business maybe more money, how are you doing more things than when you first started, how are you going the extra mile in work? I would be showing the company every single day why you're an asset and why you're worth the extra investment or the promotion or that extra responsibility, whatever it may be.

Is because also you've got to have the conversation. You can't just be kind.

Of doing it and then be like bring it to me.

Yeah, Like I think it's so important, and I think so many people wait to be approached for a pay rise or wait to be approached for a promotion, but are you actually having the right conversations with the right

Yeah?

And I think, yeah, I think a lot of people, you know, wait till it's like six months, or wait till it's a certain anniversary or whatever. But how are you actually more valuable within the business to be worth that extra responsibility, investment, whatever it is.

And it doesn't matter how much time it's been, No.

I think it matters how you've held yourself in that business and how you've excelled and become a more valuable team member.

I love that, And I guess bit of a heavy question to end on, but can you feel completely fulfilled working for someone else? Because I do think a lot of people go to starting their own business and working for themselves because they aren't feeling fulfilled in working for someone else. They feel like they don't have freedom or

One hundred percent? I think there is such a stigma around the only way to feel fulfilled or purposeful or whatever it is is to have your own thing. And for me, I tried both and I actually feel more in my purpose and more fulfilled working at Rise and

Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you for your time today.

You're welcome.

We've loved having you on and we'll see everyone in the next episode with you where we answer some of their questions.

Can't wait.

Thank you so much for listening to another episode of the Rise and Conquer podcast. If you enjoyed it and want more, come connect with us on Instagram at Riseinconquer dot podcast and join our Facebook discussion group, a Rise and Concer podcast community. We're an independent podcast and we have a small team, so we do appreciate your time