On International Women’s Day we asked people to nominate great businesses in the New England run by women. We got so many nominations we had to break it down into a number of stories. In part 2 of our series, meet an interior designer, a dance instructor, a mum’s co-operative creator, and a mindset educator.
Lisa Post from Lisa Post Design
Lisa Post has been growing and evolving her interior design business since 2016. Starting out as an upholstery, curtains & blinds offering, it has now evolved into a holistic interior design service.
Lisa Post offers a unique interior design service to clients Australia wide.
“Our main focus is the creation of function, flow and connection within your home.
“Creating spaces with an expression of colour, textile and craftsmanship, our success lies in our ability to connect your daily activities to your unique style and surroundings.”
Lisa says she works collaboratively with clients so they feel free to express their design dreams.
“We take your ideas and push the boundaries of what is possible, to create a space that is grounded in function yet nuanced in beauty, personality and atmosphere.”
Lisa Post’s design studio can do everything from transforming one room to re-designing an entire home, whether that be a renovation or new build.
“We now have our own draftsman onboard so can create your project from start to finish or we are happy to work with an existing architect or draftsman that you have already employed.”
Helen Tucker from Shimmy in the Glen
Helen Tucker is a bellydance teacher in Glen Innes. Quite a contrast to her day job in corrective services, Helen says she started her business in 2019 due to popular demand from friends in town asking her to run regular classes.
“There were some quiet periods during COVID but I now run a weekly class and the occasional weekend workshop.”
“I help people to connect with their bodies and learn to move them in new and beautiful ways.”
” I also encourage my students to join our local Shimmy Mob team (I am the Team Leader).”
Shimmy Mob is an international event aimed at raising awareness about domestic abuse and funds for support services, using the fun of a bellydance flash mob.
Alissa Patacic from Flourish The Cooperative
Flourish is one of the more unusual businesses that has something distinctively New England about it, embracing collective leadership, sustainability and community in a co-operative space for mothers.
“Flourish was an idea that grew from my experience with matrescence – or the period of transformation that occurs when a woman becomes a mother – where her dreams, goals, and even relationships take on a new light for her,” founder Alissa Patacic says.
“Suddenly, once deeply held beliefs in who she is are questioned in the postpartum period where we often hear new mums saying, ‘I don’t even recognise myself anymore.'”
“But this period can be an opportunity too if there is the right kind of support to help women in separating the role of being a mother from feeling like an individual with her own needs and aspirations.”
“That’s where Flourish was born: the idea of creating a physical, emotional, and virtual space for mothers and their little ones to create, learn and grow.”
The mission of Flourish is to change the lives of mothers across Australia by creating a safe and enriching environment that empowers women to get back in touch with their values in motherhood. The model is designed as a cooperative business and targets mothers within the first 7 years after the birth of any child.
Alissa started Flourish in 2022 and they held their first Mother’s Markets in December. A mother’s directory is currently being built on their website. They are planning a calendar of events like Mastermind Zoom calls for local business owning mama’s, Floral Arrangement and Tea Making workshops. Their next event is in partnership with UNE SRI talking children’s nutrition.
Grace Hull from Grace Hull Mindset Education
Grace Hull started her mindset education business in January 2022 as a way to share everything that she had learned along her own self-development journey.
“It was a long time leading up to that start date, but my first course kicked of over a year ago now.”
“I started my business as a way to share everything I’ve learned along my self-development journey. To pass on the things that helped me begin my healing journey.”
“I think when you’re at the start, or getting back into self-enquiry it can feel a bit overwhelming, not knowing how to begin.”
“I started my business as a way to introduce all of the concepts that I consider to be core to self.”
Grace Hull Mindset Education runs courses teaching people how to build a relationship with self.
“The foundational one is 6 week, in-person where we explore concepts from ego, thoughts, emotions to values, neutralising charged events, conflict and everything in between.”
“The second course, looks more practically at my process for self-enquiry looking at priorities, judgements and how to deconstruct beliefs.”
Once you’ve covered the basics, they also run once off workshops that explore these concepts in a deeper way.
Thank you to everyone who nominated these amazing women and their businesses! We’ll have another 4 great local businesses for you next week.
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