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The Background Behind Sydney Chic
I am often asked about my background and why I started Sydney Chic. I’ve certainly had an interesting journey and can honestly say I never get bored.
I AM AN ANTIQUE
I was born in Wales in 1961 and we immigrated to Australia when I was four. My dad’s work took him all around Australia so I’ve lived in many of the States and I’ve lost count how many schools I’ve attended, I think about 15! I also spent nine years living in Dunedin, New Zealand from the age of 10 to 19. I moved to Sydney when I was 19. I love Sydney and I've seen many changes in all those years.
I left school just after my 16th birthday and I failed every subject in School Certificate except for shorthand typing – I got 50/50 for that but when I finally got a job as a receptionist my typing speed improved, and in fact, I am a touch typist at around 100 wpm. I should point out that I was taught to type on a manual typewriter..not a golf typewriter.. a manual! Yes, something like that one below! I also have no idea how I became a writer since I hated English lessons with a vengeance and, I flunked at something like 38/100 in the School Certificate which contributed to my fail pass LOL.
I don't consider myself a great writer, more so like someone who can get quick to the point without blabbing on forever and, is authentic.
After I left school I worked as a receptionist and then personal assistant to eventually working my way up as an office manager. I was totally bored with that sort of work as I didn't have the right sort of personality for it. The corporate world wasn’t for me either. I just didn't know how I could do anything else unless I went back to study, which wasn't something I was keen to do. I've worked as an Office Manager, Executive Assistant, Speaker Bureau and Recruiter! I was actually a great recruiter and stayed in the industry until 2013 but it wore me down after 7 years of doing it.
TODAY
Life is full of adventure and in December 2017 I relocated to Forster Tuncurry. Of course I had to start a new blog on The Mid North Coast NSW!
In saying that, I am back in Sydney about 4-5 times a month and I know this city like the back of my hand. Plus, I have great contributors in Sydney who attend events for me, and I like having those 'youngsters' representing this brand.
MAKING MONEY BLOGGING
That brings me to another question that I always get asked; how do you make money as a blogger? So in a nutshell I make money on sponsored content and I help small business with PR, one-on-one digital marketing coaching and creating websites for small business.
UPS AND DOWNS
Tragedy struck my family on the 2nd November 1998 when my brother, Gary, took his own life and died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Gary and I were very close and I had been his rock in life helping him with his depression. I was the one he confided in first to tell me his depression had been caused because a Catholic Priest molested him. His death shattered me, I suffered with grief for years and it took me a long time to pull myself back together. Six months after Gary’s death I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, which was another blow I had to deal with. Two years later my marriage failed. Those were tough days.
In 2004 I met a professional Speaker, Ron Lee, who encouraged me to open my own speaking agency which I worked on for a decade, I can’t say it was hugely successful so I ended up being trained as a recruiter and worked both in recruitment and my agency. It was building the speaker bureau that I taught myself all my online skills including blogging, web design, social media and built my digital profile. I re-invented myself again and opened my own social media consultancy in 2013. In that business I help my clients build their own digital profile and tell their story. Ron, by the way does all of Sydney Chic's theatre reviews.
When I met Sharina from Radio 2UE she invited me to be a regular guest on her show on Sunday nights reporting on celebrity gossip, that was my break into radio and I spent two years co-hosting a marketing show on Eagle Waves Digital Radio.
I love radio and interviewing all the interesting people. I still appear on Sharina's show quite often too. I also have a very crazy Music Podcast Show on Sydney Chic just on SKYPE doing music interviews...no editing just as authentic as it is. As life would have it, Sharina and I had so much Synchronicity we ended up best friends.
Blogging is something I love, I think it's the creative side of it so as if I haven't got enough on my plate I also have another blog where share my life experiences with others.... www.thejasmineintheforest.com and www.travelmidnorthcoast.com.au
The photo above: I'm a brand ambassador for www.wings4kidz and in this photo we are flying baby Charlie home to Ballina after brain surgery. She had to fly at special height so a private plane was our transport and no one gets paid, not the pilots, the CEO, the Founder, even me.
SYDNEY CHIC
This brings me to Sydney Chic. I have been blogging for years on the speaking and motivational industry and, typical of me, I wanted something more exciting to blog about and decided I’d build another website and call it Sydney Chic, that was in 2013. If you are a regular reader of Sydney Chic you will see that is quite an achievement. I would have to say it’s the second biggest achievement of my life. My biggest achievement is bringing into the world two beautiful daughters, Emma and Grace.
People get a bit of a shock when they meet me; maybe because the name Sydney CHIC gives an impression of some sort of high flying snob. Not at all...in fact, I'm a country girl and I am always brought back into line when the majority of people introduce me as Sydney CHICK! Cluck Cluck...lol
Favourite foods: Japanese, Seafood, Italian and Greek
Coffee: Soy Cappuccino - I have my own Nespresso Cofee Make and have this Soy Latte gig down pat!
Home: Tuncurry Forster...formerly Kings Cross, Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Manly, Bellevue Hill, Central Coast
Music: Most except country and classical. Especially like chill. Will never forget the Pink Floyd and Guns'n'Roses concerts ...back in the day.
Favourite TV: The Vikings – Sons of Anarchy - The Handmaid's Tale...bit disturbing really isn’t it?
Life advice: Laugh at yourself and don’t take life too seriously because life is too short to be boring.
Favourite Quote:
“Come to the edge," he said. They said, "We are afraid." Come to the edge," he said. They came. He pushed them...and they flew.” ― Guillaume Apollinaire
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