Company: Recent Episodes
Manson Podcasting Network
A podcast, produced in rural Australia, bringing together ambitious women from the bush, the city and all over the world. As a former ABC Rural journalist, Company host Skye Manson loves to shine the spotlight on rural people doing amazing things. Each series will include a hand picked mix of stories from well known and inspirational women in our cities, international friends and colleagues and of course - country women who're killing it in business.
Growing up as one of four children on a sheep farm in southern New South Wales, I think I always knew that it would not be me that was coming home to work as the 'farmer'. This was never implicity suggested, it was just a feeling. For females who've grown up on a farm, I'll bet many of you had the same feeling. Today's guest Jess Howard certainly did. She grew up on a farm in western Queensland and a career or life in agriculture didn't quite feel 'right' to her - but with such a strong attachment to the land and place where she grew up, this has always been an uncomfortable feeling. As she carved her path in jobs and vocations internationally, there was always a yearning to return home, to be able to 'contribute' to agriculture and her family's long held love of life on the land. Is this a feeling you've ever had? I most certainly had. Here are my musings on this - Just because you don't want to be a 'farmer' does not mean you don't want to be a part of the life on the land, to help build up the industry at large, the communities that live there and do something with your talents that honour your family's values and business direction. Up until now, it's been hard for families to recognise, support and celebrate the multitude of skills that could be put to good use in an agricultural operation. Don't get me wrong - this is definitely changing now, but it's a quandary that's been felt by women all over, and at a very deep level. If you're not a 'farmer' then your not really involved. I'm not sure if this is making sense, so I'll let you listen on this conversation with Jess Howard, editor of Bush Journal and one of the women of the Bush Collective - an instagram platform celebrating the beauty of bush life through incredible photography, seriously there's nothing second grade about this account. You can pre-order the Beauty in the Bush Collective's hard cover book - Bush Life here.
There's no deny-ing it today's guest is infatuated with routines, systems and being organised. Bridget Johns lives on a broad-acre cropping, sheep and goat farm on the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia with her husband and two children She's a mother, organisational expert and a grants writer and founder of Be Simply Free. Bridget teaches women to go from being time poor to time rich by decluttering their homes, phones, calendars and minds. What I have found fascinating is that Bridget is also driven by data and as you will hear in this interview, many of the things she does in her life are formulated with reference to data - the time she get's up for example of 4.44am. But please don't let this turn you off. It's true, I don't think I have ever met anyone so organised but I am very glad Bridget Johns has come into my life and I most certainly am taking heed from her approach to managing her farm household. You can find Bridget and her courses at besimplyfree.com.au or @be.simplyfree on Instagram.
Today’s guest Sophie Weeding is rural girl born and bred making her make as a mark as super talent bed and breakfast creator in Tasmania.
Born of late nights scrolling on Pinterest while breastfeeding her babies – Soph realised she could channel her skills in design and branding in a venture recreating old homes near her farm in Tasmania. To-date she has three super gorgeous accommodation options under her belt, The Bruny Boathouse, Raffah House and a new addition - a beach shack on the east coast of Tasmania
Sophie is a full time mum, secretary of the local Agricultural Show and her love project is the renovation and management of these three Bed and Breakfasts.
Sophie lives in Oatlands in Tasmania with her husband Nick and her two children Willie and Archie
Soph actually great up in the lush landscape of Western Victoria, so I wondered how on earth she ended up in Tassie in the first place. Instagram @raffahhouse @brunyboathouse @mansonpodcasting Or sign up to our newsletter at companyonsundays.substack.com
Today we head to north, and then West, to the main street of Tambo in Queensland. To meet the current co-owner of Tambo Teddies – a beautiful bush business born of adversity – as in when the price for wool was taking a pounding in 1992, over 40 years ago now. “A brain storming session during a workshop developed the idea that Tambo could assist the wool industry, encourage tourists and create employment by making unique teddy bears from wool pelts and stuff them with wool.” 40 years later, Tambo Teddies remains. Its current owners are Tammy Johnson and Alison Shaw who I speak with today.
The first is The Suite Set, a business making and manufacturing hospital packing bags, and the second is Sally Branson Consulting, a crisis management advisory business. She is a mum to two young kiddos aged four and five. I feel a tad embarrassed to say I’ve never come across Sally before, but I should have as she’s a bit of a big deal, having previously been the State Director of the National Party, Senior Advisor to Federal Minster for Small Business and Press Sec to Prime Minister Tony Abbott. You can find out about the minute of Sally’s day-to-day routine on our Daily Routines podcast too. The best way for you to stay across the growing swag of podcasts coming from the Manson Podcasting Network is to sign up to our newsletter companyonsundays.substack.com Or via @mansonpodcasting on Instagram and mansonpodcasting.com. It’s a total bargain $49/year of $4.99 a month. Thanks for tuning in – I’ll be back next week when we speak with wonderful bush business Tambo Teddies.
Rosie is a photographer, videographer, and creative director based in Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia. Having spent her childhood in the bush and the beach, Rosie works as a freelancer specialising in these areas - shooting everything from farmers and machinery, to ocean-side fashion and lifestyle campaigns. With a background in journalism and a passion for creativity and storytelling, Rosie does everything from shooting photo and video, to styling, production and creative direction, and writing. Every day is different. When she isn’t shooting and creating, she’s often out exploring her backyard with her trusty side-kick Nelson (of the red Kelpie kind) by her side, ever in search of adventures and inspiration. Her passions are rural and regional Australia, storytelling, mental health, psychology, creativity, design, regional development, swimming, skating, adventuring and exploring.Thank you to Bec Bignell who suggested I interview Rosie for Company! You can hear the interview we did with Bec for Graziher's Life on the Land' here.
The older I get, the more I fall in love with England and its gardens and landscapes.And today’s guest speaks to that and another of my loves, magazines and publishing.Skye O’Neill is an Aussie now living in the UK. Last year she and a friend started Fieldfare Press a print journal about landscape, gardens and most of all place.I forever interested in how these project blossom from an idea to the real deal, and this publication in particular is interesting as it’s run across three continents. Australia, the UK and the USA.
My guest today really is living the life I would love to live as a rural content maker. Kimberley Furness is the editor and founder of Oak Magazine in Victoria and the A Friend of Mine Podcast.This year she was the Victorian winner of the Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award, which will see her creating an audio version of her popular magazine and I learnt she’s just bought a van that she’s fitting out so she can travel to rural areas and record more stories. To me THAT is the dream.I love magazines, like really I cannot get enough of them and its beyond exciting to see so many of them flourishing in regional Australia – Oak is no exception and it was a delight for me to steal and hour with Kimberley to record this conversation.Manson's Daily Routines podcast is weeks away from launching. If you want to know more, you can find the trailer episode at mansonposting.com or wherever you find your podcasts OR the easiest and funnest way is to subscribe to our newsletter which you can do via the shownotes, our website or via @mansonpodcasting on Instagram.Sign up to our newsletter here.
Today’s guest is Dimity Brassil from A Lasting Tale a professional interview service for people with a lifetime of stories to share.Family History especially in the spoken word has the ability to deeply touch those who consume it – can you imagine listening to your loved ones speak, years after they have left this earth?What a treasured gift, heirloom and a legacy that could be.Well, this is the work of Dimity Brassil and her business A Lasting Tale. Dimity spends her time interviewing and record personal oral histories of people all over Australia.She lives in Albury and most of her work is centered about this location, but not all of it and one day Dimity hopes A Lasting Tale will have people working and recording in communities all over Australia.
I think today guest has one of the coolest jobs. Melinda O’Donohue makes wedding dresses, not from a swanky studio in city but from her farm near Gurley in north west NSW.Isn’t that just so fabulous?!Melinda’s Instagram profile reads, 'Soon to be retired bespoke wedding dress maker doing up an 1860/1900 Australian homestead in North West NSW with her clever husband, Des.'I think she’s trying to retire, but the brides keep coming and coming and coming.
Today’s guest Louise FitzRoy is a good friend, and a total wonder woman – she lives her life between her family farm at Guyra in the NSW New England and the Cayman Islands.She’s successfully infiltrating schools all over Australia with her paddock to plate curriculum, she’s a published author, owns and runs an online yoga platform and to boot, she’s won a Walkley.Total overachiever – but sweet as pie at the same time and good fun too.
Bec Fing from House Paddock Consulting, is a master of routines. She is a professional get things done person, get systems in place, your shop in order, life organised – the whole bit. Bec lives on the outskirts of Goondowindi with her husband, and three children and has built her business from nothing to something that consults all over Australia, almost daily. To add she has a side business Bec Fing Designs. House Paddock Consulting started as a consultancy in the Work Health and Safety space and has evolved to become one, that’s focused on helping women, mostly in rural areas, better manage all the balls, and juggle all the things.I think you’re going to find this chat really helpful. You will actually learn some tips to help you manage your time better because Bec is so generous with what she does so get your pens ready. It’s like a mini house paddock consulting session.
Hay, Hell and Booligal are words made famous by much loved Australian poet Banjo Patterson and today I’ll take you to the so-called 'Hell' (which isn't really hell at all, in fact it's buzzing with movie stars at the moment)It’s the One Tree Plain, on the Cobb Highway between Hay and Booligal and it's home now to the also in-famous One Tree Hotel – which might be familiar to you without you even knowing – its façade, a timber building, with an iron roof on a flat plain that stretched forever is quintessentially Australian.Sally Smith, from Hay is the owner of the One Tree Hotel – which has quite a story – and the reason I wanted to speak with was because right now the multi million dollar film Max Max is being rehearsed and later filmed there.
In the Association's one hundred year long history, its women have become known as the reliable, just-get-stuff-done kinda people and it rings true to this day.
In part two of my conversation with Liz Harfull, the author commissioned to write 'Women who Changed Country Australia’ for the CWA of NSW's 100th birthday. Liz introduces us to some of the trailblazers of the NSW CWA – the women who she wishes she’s been able to share a scone and a tea with.
The legend of the iconic Country Women Association makes up the threads of the cloth that is worn (and honoured and respected) by many, if not all the women in rural Australia.As a rural journalist, some of the stories told to me by women of the CWA reflect what I consider to be ‘real acts of kindness and camaraderie’ in some of the most isolated communities in Australia. They are my favourites.And for my guest today, author Liz Harfull there’s a similar pull to explore and celebrate the mighty women of the CWA.This series of Company is kindly sponsored by the CWA of NSW. This year, it's celebrating its 100 year anniversary in NSW.To honour all that has been and gone within the organisation Liz Harfull has been commissioned to write the book – 'Women Who Changed Country Australia.’Liz spoke to me from her lovely old cottage in the Adelaide Hills, where we started our conversation reliving her childhood as the daughter of a dairy farmer in south east South Australia.
Today’s guest has rural roots that keep her sane, especially at the moment.Stephanie is the Senior Editor for the Asia Pacific at a group called Storyful: A News and Intelligence Agency.Each day from her home in Sydney, she verifies content on social media before distributing it to news organisations all over the world. It’s a media role that would not have existed 10 years ago, and as you will learn, her task of fact checking grass roots content is so important in the process of getting stories of things like – the war in Ukraine – to air in an accurate manner.I’ve been thinking of her, in the last few weeks, it would have been so intense.Outside of her work with Storyful, Steph has led an extraordinary career which has taken her from her home town of Gunnedah to the newsrooms of Prime News initially then the BBC, SkyNews London, Al Jazeera English and she’s been a supervising producer with Channel 7’s Sunrise. She’s worked with TV teams in Mongolia and Bangladesh for World Vision and Solomon Islands with Unicef.Steph is a TedX talker - and now she has a podcast of her own – And We’re Rolling – which interviews some of the best female correspondents, presenters and reporters in the world.Thank you to the CWA of NSW – Celebrating 100 years in 2022 for supporting this series of Company.You can get more Company goodness by signing up to the newsletter at mansonandcompany.com
I'm really chuffed to be bringing you this very special live recording of the Company podcast from regional co-working space, The Collective, Grenfell run by Belinda Mahwinney and Ant Dixon. Jane Cay grew up in Cooma, she went away to boarding school in Mittagong, her first ‘big girl’ job was at IBM in Sydney, then she fell in love, with Oli, quit her job and moved her life to Cooma. In a way it was the beginning of the rest of her life as the Big Bird of BirdsNest, and it was a path she never envisaged.She moved her life to Cooma. Bought retail clothing shop, High Country Outfitters.In 2008 she took the business Online, everyone said she was crazy. Online wasn’t a thing back then. The business grew and grew and grew, Jane and Oli had three children and life was busy. At some point Jane googled ‘How do I calm down?’ and alongside a survey of staff, Jane was set off on a new trajectory of self awareness, that ultimately has seen her family owned business and Jane’s leadership journey, go from strength to strength to strength.In 2017 BirdsNest came 4th in the BRW Great Places to Work Awards and then nest year Jane was awarded number one in the Top 50 People in E-commerce in Internet Retailing. Today we’re going to delve into this journey, with a particular focus on Jane’s journey of leadership and self awareness.
My guest today interior designer Sheila Smith is a glowing example that a childhood in rural Australia is no hinderance to development of a world-class business in the bush in later life.Sheila's career path is fascinating and completely left-field. She worked alongside designers in Melbourne, in the underground mines of the Pilbara, WA, she found herself cooking on super yachts and drinking Imperial bottles of Dom Perignon in the Caribbean and finally landed back in the main street of her hometown, running her own interiors business and BnB from a historic bank that's been in the family for generations.Sign-up to the Company on Sunday newsletter to see Sheila's personal podcast and interior magazine recommendations. mansonandcompany.com
Apparently Beef Snacking is a thing - and bringing it to the fore is the mission of Emma Williams who, alongside her mother, is the brains behind Impact Meat – an ag start-up selling good looking beef jerky and biltong using Australian beef.Emma grew up in Sydney’s north shore, but the biggest influence on her life, her stock and station agent grandfather, lived thousands of kilometres away in Tamworth. And there was no doubt about it, despite not living on a farm, Emma was always going to study Ag at University.She’s worked at grain company Manildra, is the marketing manager at global digital grain management company AgriDigital and is driving Impact Meat in her spare time.This series of Company would not be possible without support from the CWA of NSW - Celebrating 100 years in 2022.
Today's guest is the epitome of no-fuss go-getterism! Kate Hufton is the former co-owner of The Sir George pub and restaurant (and now accomodation) in Jugiong, NSW.A Sunday walk with her mother, landscape designer, Liz Prater,Six years ago, after Kate's engagement party, she and her mother took a walk around the ground of the derelict pub at Jugiong, flippantly throwing around the dreamy idea of one-day making it their own renovation project. With no real intent the conversation was let go - but when the pub come up for sale, they ended up as the owners.A rural road trip ensued after a google search of the 'best beer gardens in NSW' - and as a result the pair learnt there was a real demand for big, bold and beautiful beer gardens and set about creating their own under the mantra, 'build it and they will come'.The end product was a world class pub unlike any other in rural Australia, that put the small village of Jugiong on the map and kick started many other small businesses and on-farm accomodation venues in the area.The Sir George was sold in late 2021 and Kate now works in a local sheep stud.
Breaking into normal transmission today to bring you my Pitch for the Buy From The Bush x PayPalAu Big Break Competition.
Thank you for listening! Skye xx
Kate Greenwood has always had an itch.An itch to make and create. But as is often the case, it took a while for her to take her urge to make things seriously.From her home near Molong in Central New South Wales, Kate cuts, rolls and bakes, fabulously colourful earrings and accessories, under her label Greenwood Designs which now boasts more than 14,000 followers on Instagram – and can be found in almost any groovy and fun shop in any country town!You can find Kate here on Instagram. Thank you to Lindner Quality Socks our generous sponsor for this Series.
Kristy McGregor was born on a 1 acre block in Camden now on the outskirts of Sydney. She's the lady behind New Zealand's, Shepherdess the rural womens brand including a magazine, events, live social media get-togethers and more. If this isn't enough to pique your interest, let me tell you that although Kristy now lives in NZ, a huge part of her heart in Australia's outback. She helped pioneer the awesome, Channel Country Ladies Lunch as well as studying social work at CSU in Wagga Wagga. There's a whole lot going on - but once you know her story it all makes sense. You can find Shepherdess at shepherdess.co.nz or @shepherdess.nz on Instagram. Thank you to our Sponsor for this series Lindner Quality Socks in Crookwell, NSW.
Today’s guest, Denise McClelland Yates from Grenfell in central west New South Wales, rings true precisely the sort of women I want to tap into: ambitious women living in rural Australia. Denise has never let the fact that she lives in a small – yet strong – rural community hold her back. She’s worked so many careers - and after this chat –and most things she turns her hand to she becomes a master at! She's also a perfectionist, and a fellow Virgo. Denise's latest business is as a holistic health coach for integrative nutrition. Her business Lorien Well encompasses all facets of health, physical, mental, hormonal, sexual, relationships - the whole bit! I hope you love this chat as much as I did. Thank you to our Winter Series sponsor Linder Quality Socks.
Today’s guest is someone you want to put on your online shopping list. Even if you don’t put anything in the cart, the wonders that Lucinda Newton works with her hands are just beautiful.Her brand is Luone, a handcrafted jewellery business with pieces that are timeless and 100% stunning.Lou says she always been obsessed with jewellery. Since childhood, she’s eyed off the jewellery of every woman that’s crossed her path. Although she didn’t initially choose this vocation, all her tendencies pulled her towards where she is now, from a childhood growing up on a farm at Bellata to her own open and airy studio shop front in Port Fairy in Victoria.Thank you to Lindner Quality Socks the sponsor for this season of the podcast.
The Bread Tag Project started when Shani Nottingham's boys were hungry and devouring tonnes of bread a week and leaving the bread tags all over the kitchen. Shani's creative mind naturally took over - and she decided this was going to be her point of difference as an artist. That was almost four years ago and now The Bread Tag project has become a huge beast, fuelled by bread tags send to Shani, in Cowra in central west NSW from all over the world and not just envelopes full, huge bags and boxes full. Today you will learn of what's become of Shani's idea - which is a ever evolving project with 7 main aims. If you know of anyone who would be interested please forward this podcast to them and listen in for Shani's best contact details so you can take part too.
This is a story about taking a rundown building in the main street of a country town – and being bold with it to create a beautiful space that people will travel hours to experience.I can think of many country towns that have spaces like this – all they need is someone creative to take hold – and I can also think of many women living in rural towns with the style, nous and grit to do this.Elise Croker wanted to create an accommodation option in Crookwell, NSW that made you feel like you were in London, with old books, artwork and pieces made with love. But she also wanted the space to have a boho feel and be fun and exciting at the same time. The result is her beautiful BnB, Mister Munro in the main street of Crookwell. It's clever and creative and cosy and I love it.If you’re thinking about taking the plunge with an old house or building in your town or on your farm then I hope this story can be an inspiration to you.Thank you to Lindner Quality Socks the sponsor for this Series of Company. Incidentally, Lindner is just across the road from Mister Munro in Crookwell. Get yourselves some cosy socks, walk across the road, pour a red wine and read a book or watch a movie while settling into Elise's Mister Munro.
In the main street of the southern NSW town of Crookwell you'll find a small building stocked with rows and rows of colourful socks, some are thick and fluffy, others are thin and refined. Out the back green machines plug away, to make the heritage socks, sewing, shaping and creating some of the most beautiful feet warmers in the country.The Linder Family of Lindner Quality Socks has been making socks for 10 generations and today you'll hear their incredible story which includes moving a young family from Germany to Goulburn, Australia without any English speaking skills, starting up a factory in Crookwell, sourcing wool from local farmers, venturing into tourism and spending a lifetime trying to create the perfect sock. Thank you to Andrew, Linda and Gisela Lindner for sharing their time and their story with me today.Thank you to Lindner Socks who are the Series Sponsor for Company.You can follow them @lindnersocks on Instagram.
Today I’ve decided to bring you a little bonus episode for two reasons. I think today’s guest is a pretty cool chick and someone you need to know and I thought it was a good chance to tell you about the Women Behind Wool initiative that myself and my very good friend Penny Ashby are running right now. For the next six weeks of so – we want you follow our @womenbehindwool on Instagram – and then take a look, and a listen – at the short films and podcasts telling you the stories of some of the most impressive women behind the Australian wool industry.As we are in the initial stages of building this community – we need all the help we can get – as well as following us on instagram, the community will reach further and grow faster is you can take 2 minutes to subscribe to our podcast. Rate it and then tap out a small review. Thank you.For today's podcast, I want to meet Atty Mitchell, she was one of the Women to first take the stage for our Women Behind Wool project. Atty is a catwalk model, in fact- she used the face of Louis Vuitton but she’s also a farm girl – who loves nothing more than being in the sheep yards with a drenching gun in hand. To me, her story is just fascinating and goes to show that anyone can become anything and that farm life really is the best!If you want to hear more from Atty and her mother Caroline and her grandmother Tink you can watch their film and/or podcast below. Short Film - Watch Here Podcast - Listen Here
As you know this Series of Company has been brought to you with support from Amanda at the The Grampians Goods Co and this interview was her idea and I’m so glad she alerted me to these two women. Former journalist Kirsten Diprose and founder of Rural Women’s Day Jackie Elliot sound they are - in their own rights - busy women beyond belief, with heads that bubble with ideas that later somehow see the light of day!Their latest venture a new podcast. It’s called Ducks on the Pond and it will feature discussions with women all Australian around hand picked themes that important to women living in the country.You all know how I love a new podcast so it was with great excitement that I wanted to learn more about Jackie and Kirsten, what this is all about and how they came to be working together.
My guest today is the co-owner of The Grenfell Collective.A beautiful co-working space in Grenfell in central west New South Wales.Dr Belinda Mahwinney and her partner Ant Dixon took on this venture – to solve a personal problem, Belinda wanted a space where she could work in town, and they both wanted to create a modern, stylish environment to number one: hold client meetings but also to inspire the other sole workers in the small town.
The crazy lovely artist Zoe Young is my guest today. As a child – Zoe and her family moved around with the seasons – this meant a circuit of 3 primary schools, one in Sydney, one at Crackenback near the Snowy Mountains and one in the NSW Southern Highlands. All came with their separate cultures, surroundings and group of friends and colourful community characters.As a result the spectrum of childhood influences for Zoe is hugely diverse – and can be seen in her growth as a professional artist.I really loved this chat as we get lost on tangents with Zoe educating me about what it’s like to be a professional artist – she’s also quiet hilarious – for example she was certain she would make a living as a supermodel like Naomi Campbell when she grew up and she used to ‘lose’ her ski school group wandering the streets of Prague while training to be a pro racing skiier.
Victoria McGrane of the Scenic Route is a daydreamer with a big imagination and she's at her best when she's surrounded by nature, so it makes perfect sense that she runs her textile business The Scenic Route from the road in 'Daisy' her converted 1990 Toyota Coaster.
Today’s guest is total sunshine and I cannot believe the size of the empire she has built from regional Australia. Kristy Withers is the founder of Incy Interiors, a multi-million dollar designer kids furniture business based Orange. Kristy grew up as one of four children on a sheep farm in Oberon. She took the skills gained from working St George Bank and in marketing and advertising for EBay before the days of online and took the plunge into sourcing, designing and manufacturing her own kids beds without any experience in the field.This year Incy Interiors is celebrating it’s 10th Birthday and there are some seriously exciting collaborations happening this year to coincide with this.It's not surprising really as Kristy is another one of those human energiser bunnies who're now popping up all over regional Australia. We chat about Sundays at home, growing up in a big family, her stylish Mum, how she built her business, collaborations and dreams for the future. This Series of Company is produced in partnership another awesome rural business, The Grampians Goods Co. Just enter the code MANSON10 at the checkout for a 10% discount for a limited time.
Welcome back! After a long hiatus here I'm pleased to tell you that the next 6 episodes will be brought to you in partnership with the Grampians Goods Co. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know the women behind this brand Amanda Cochran as a part of this partnership – and when you hear her story I know that you’ll be on board with her too. While she didn't grow up in the country, she has grown to love the majesty of the Grampians, and through many - rather large- up’s and down’s has build her brand around her love of the her home and its surrounds.
Today’s guest is a 15 year old business entrepreneur from Greenethrope in central west New South Wales. Sienna Capra has just launched her own brand of Tea for teenagers, called Spill The Tea Co. She launched it from the comfort of her room at boarding school, winged by a gang of girls cheerleading her on, and helping to taste test, critique and perfect the taste and feel of her product – which is designed to fill a gap in the market – tea to help sooth issues faced by teens and early adults.
I was unaware of the work of today’s guest until only a week or two ago. Mea Campbell of Connected AU is real go-getter. You’ll know what I mean when you hear her story.Last year, Tarnished by drought, her husband and young family made the tough decision to leave the community of Burren Junction in far western New South Wales and relocate to Dubbo.I mean as if a big move with your family isn’t enough – pretty much as soon as they’d arrived Mea, who a qualified lawyer and a legal writer, began her next hugely successful venture – The Letterbox Project , a social enterprise connecting lonely and isolated people via letters. This project has 13000 people signed up and an average of about 550 letters sent each week.I’m so genuinely enthralled by Mea’s story – and I admire her ability to have an idea and action it straight away. I have many ideas – that never see the light of day – so perhaps I need a but more Mea in my life!Thanks for tuning in to Company - if you would like a weekly injection of inspiration and nice things you can sign up to my newsletter, Company on Sundays via my website mansonandcompany.com
Liza Ratliff grew up an only child in the small rural town of Barraba in north western New South Wales - even in childhood she was good at the hussle, writing letters to magazine editors and newspaper bosses to see if she could one day work for them. It paid off. She's now the Head of Podcasts at Australia's leading womens podcasting network Mamamia, working alongside the esteemed Mia Freeman. Just a week ago Mamamia's podcasts hit the 5 million downloads in ONE MONTH mark! Amazing. You can find Liza @lizaratliff on Instagram and you can find me at @skye_manson or get in touch via my website mansonandcompany.com
From two ovens in her home kitchen (all council approved) in Inverell, NSW, Edwina Mill has handmade over 26,000 personalised biccies in the last 12 months. Her business Sprinkle and Bake was featured on Buy From the Bush almost 12 months to the day – taking it to some mind blowingly dizzy heights within hours.You can Edwina at www.sprinkleandbake.com.au and under the same name in Instagram and Facebook.You can find me at skye_manson on Instagram or sign up to my weekly(ish) newsletter at mansonandcompany.com
If you love country living then today’s guest will be another than needs no introduction. It's Claire Dunne the editor of Graziher magazine. At the age of just 22, fed up with the fact that no editors would commission her stories on rural women, she decided to go it alone and start own publication - she was living with her mum and dad on their family farm in Queensland, and pulled together the first issue in-between days doing farm work.Last year Graziher celebrated its 5th birthday and this week, we’re all blown away by the excitement over the launch of the Graziher podcast, Life on the Land. Claire blows me away herself – she is so understated and yet so successful in her pursuit to build a community that celebrates rural women. Here’s her story ….
Right now here in Australia many of us are being plunged back into lockdown due to COVID-19 and for many the second time around is harder, more isolating and more mentally challenging. But what if you’d never left isolation? Today's guest, west Australian dairy farmer Tahlia McSwain has been stuck on a boat (a live export boat) in a port in South Africa for more than 100 days – after their plans to disembark were derailed by confusion and COVID. I came across Tahlia on Instagram about 2 months ago and I haven’t stopped thinking about how mentally challenging, boring and scary this experience would be for her. But she’s a bundle of strength and mature beyond her years as you will hear. I hope you are equally as blown away by her story as I am.
I’m honoured to say the least to have been able to interview today’s guest. It’s the former editor-in-chief Country Style Magazine Victoria Carey.
I occasionally write for Country Style magazine – this has been a dream of mine since I was child. I wanted to so badly to become a part of the pages of the magazine that seemed to be so revered by family and all the women in my community, my grandmother, my mother, our family friends and relatives. When I grew up a house was not complete without a bookcase or big pile of Country Style magazines, extending back years cataloging the most stylish houses, and occasionally featuring people we knew.
I feel so lucky to have worked with – and be guided by Victoria, and now to have had this conversation looking back on her career and the future of print media in Australia.
You can find Victoria @the editors house on Instagram.
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Today’s guest has a beautiful way of honouring her favourite family moments - through cooking. Lo Corcoran lives in Boorowa in southern NSW with her husband and her three daughters – and has spent a lot of her life in the kitchen – and often it’s been alongside some of the great cooks of her family. Her website and blog Lo’s Kitchen pays homage to this and she so generously shares all this goodness on Instagram too. She’s published 250 published recipes and 40 recipes waiting to be written up and a post wall full of recipes to include in her cookbook – which she is going to write – one day.
Today you're going to meet a girl, who has a community collaboration project that I think you should all get on board with. In fact, if you’re a small business owner, I know once you see this Instagram feed you won’t be able to help yourself!It was at 2am that Tori Packer decided her page @the_smallbusiness_community on Instagram need to become reality. It's a curated page of beautiful products and services connecting the best small creative businesses and artisans across Australia. I hope you enjoy meeting this energiser-bunny-bombshell girl! She has endless energy. As a treat she's written about her perfect Sunday and all the small businesses she would peruse along the way for our Company on Sunday newsletter. Sign up here if you aren't already part of the gang!
My guest on this episode was suggested by a beautiful listener (thank you) but for years I've been perving on her hats and handiwork from afar. It's Fiona Schofield, from Fiona Schofield Millinery based in Orange, NSW. The story that leads her to today is fascinating and dynamic. She speaks of a childhood in Forbes, NSW, the benefits of being the youngest child and attending her mother's 'Tuesday lunches'. And shares with us her journey in fashion at the Whitehouse Institute of Design, designing hats for Ansett Airlines air hostesses, what it looks like in her studio and her favourite podcasts and instagram accounts. You can find HUGE list of her favourites on instagram in my soon-to-be-released newsletter 'Company On Sunday' by signing up here on my website mansonandcompany.com
“When we were little Mum got sick of us drawing on the walls and she used to cover our small hall, either weekly or daily, in brown paper and she would change it so we could keep drawing. Seeing things in that way – I knew I always wanted to be there,” says Steph, who is also one of 10 kids. I’ve known Steph Corkhill Hyles for a long time, she's been an artist for 22 years and I think she is the world's most positive person. This positivity shines through in all her works and as you will learn today in her rituals at home on her farm between Bookham and Jugiong (she was almost my neighbour) and her approach to life and her children in general.You can see some of her works at stephaniecorkhillhyles.com and on instagram @stephaniecorkhillhylesWhile you are there (on Instagram) pop over and say hi to me @skye_manson. I'd love to hear your feedback and any suggestions for guests in the future.
Today’s guest is stylist, curator and shop owner Carlie Oates. She says our homes are our cafes, our restaurants and our nightclubs - this is true for everyone right now during coronavirus times, but is also always true of people living in the country, away from the cities.Carlie moved with her husband from Sydney to a farm at Jugiong on the NSW central tablelands. Her husband had no farming experience and is now a farmer and Carlie – makes masterpieces of people’s homes through her interior design company and homewares store Curators Collective.Carlie is lovely and insightful and has adapted her business to cope with COVID 19 lockdown and whatsmore she’s having a wonderful time creating new family rituals and cooking up a storm in her kitchen whilst the world goes through a revolution of sorts. You can find Carlie here on instagram and you can get a good dose of retail therapy at her website curatorscollective.com.au
Australian photographer Kara Rosenlund is spending her isolation and lockdown days on North Stradbroke Island in Queensland and is using it as an opportunity to dive deeper into the nature that surrounds her home. She's sharing her journey on Instagram and through online courses in the hope it will, 'give people some distraction and make people feel good about being at home.'Please don't forget about the Cosy up with Company winter love package - which will be sent to one lucky newsletter subscriber. Sign up here at mansonandcompany.comThe package includes a 100% Australian merino wool scarf (and softest thing in the world) from Lady Kate, delicious hot chocolate and marshmallows from Ballarat based Grounded Pleasures, a candles and some other goodies too. The winner will be announced in a month's time.
Penny Ashby is a modern day advocate for wool. Through her fashion label Lady Kate, she wants to give all women the chance to learn just how beautiful 100% Australian merino wool is to wear and touch. She's also a mum to two young boys, and with her husband Gus, she runs an aviation business in Narrabri in north west NSW. You can find her at ladykate.com.au or @ladykateknitware on Instagram. You can find me at @skye_manson on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter on my website mansonandcompany.com for your chance to win the 'Cosy up with Company' winter love package.
As someone who grew up in the country, Sarah Ryan left home for University determined not to end up in a tiny village, married to a farmer. Soon enough she returned home for holidays and never left - she now lives in a small village, married to a farmer. Outside of her life on the farm with her husband and 3 children - Sarah has her own business making and selling soy candles from a beautifully rustic studio in the main street of Quandialla in central west New South Wales. Look it up! You can find her @quandicandles on Instagram or even better - buy one of her candles on here on her website.Company is produced by Skye Manson of Manson and Company - a podcast production house based in rural New South Wales. Get in touch via her website with all your podcasting enquiries or you can say hello @skye_manson on Instagram.
From a farm to London Fashion Week with Sass and Bide, to starting her own fashion label and house-mothering at a country boarding school, Jacqui Hayes, leads a fascinating life!She runs her business, Barney & Jacq from her flat in Orange in regional New South Wales, constantly working with makers, cutters and production people in Sydney and elsewhere. She has some pretty cool stories about working for some of the biggest names in Fashion and what I love about Jacqui’s story is that she’s also a housemother to 47 teenage girls at Kinross Wolaroi School. By day she’s a high end fashion designer and by afternoon and evening she’s a mother hen – how cool is that?!I hope you love her as much I do! And in these uncertain times, her business is a great one to support if you want to buy some fancy new clothes that are timeless.barneyandjacq.comYou can find me at skye_manson on Instagram or you can sign up to my fortnightly newsletter or get in contact for podcast production at mansonandcompany.com.
This daily news podcast has built a cult following and is one of the most popular ways Australian's consumer their daily news. The story behind the inception of The Squiz' newsletter and podcast is one of the big reasons I wanted to speak with Claire - its a proper business, not a side hustle - its funding came from two rounds of capital raising and the podcast was voted one of the most popular in Australia and the Squiz team has this year introduced a third podcast especially for kids, Squiz Kids.The Squiz founder Claire Kimball is a bit of legend in my mind, I'm really in awe of the way she podcasts, she's a news junkie and she loves charcoal chicken on a Sunday (from the main street in Goulburn). The Squiz The Squiz Instagram The Squiz listenSquiz Shortcuts ListenSquiz Kids Listen Skye Manson instagram Manson and Company Podcast Production House
Pip's regionally based business, Jumbled and Iglou - housed in concept store The Sonic - in Orange in New South Wales, is a serious powerhouse of colour, fun and new ideas. Pip is so generous in what she shares in this episode - how to go about a collaboration, how social media is her biggest asset, dreaming big, moments of clarity and of course - memories of growing up on a farm. THANK YOU to Quandialla Candle Co for sponsoring this episode of Company. Please have a window shop of Sarah's work online and then buy - for yourself, family and all your friends. Her candles are signature pieces to have in your home and smell just gorgeous. If you would like to sponsor an episode or series of Company - I'd love to work with you - please drop me a line here on my website Manson + Company.
A special podcast explaining what rain really means to farmers experiencing drought.This is a conversation prompted by one of my friends living in the city. It features farmers, friends and family explaining what rain really means to their farming operation at this time of the year - and how much rain you need to truly break a drought.
Gifting from the garden this Christmas with The Garden Curator, Colleen Southwell who loves everything about gardening and nurturing plants. So why not save money and be thoughtful in giving a gift that's from the garden this Christmas.
Bringing Back a love for Christmas Cards with Naomi Bulger. Naomi Bulger loves writing and illustrating letters - and thinks we could all give it a go - to reach out to a friend who you've lost touch with, someone overseas or someone who would get a real lift from opening the letterbox to discover beautiful hand written card. Wouldn't we all love that!Thanks for listening to a taste tester of Company the podcast - Season 1 will launch in early 2020. But in the meantime if you can subscribe and rate us on iTunes we would love that! Even better, if you know of someone who might like the podcast - spread the word.You can find me at @skye_manson on Instagram or at mansonandcompany.com.You can find Naomi at @naomibulger on instagram or at naomiloves.com