Dream & Do

Creative Show & Tell - inspiration & the anti-inspiration

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 - The Care Factor

In moments of need it’s amazing how feeling cared about can make you feel both vulnerable and give you strength at the same time. Having spent a few days in hospital last week with the threat of surgery looming, having the support from my loved ones welled up a lot of emotions for me. It also highlighted the fact that if I didn’t have the support system of my family and friends, how little support one could feel. Having my branding hat on I thought what an opportunity this is for businesses to connect with people on such a deep level, when they need it the most.

For example, if I didn’t have someone to be there for me to drive me to the hospital, bring me some comforts from home and hold my hand, potentially brands could step in an offer their complements. If Uber would offer a free ride to the hospital, if your health insurance could send you a “thinking of you” pack with simply some shampoo, or deliveroo to send your favourite meal for free to lift your spirits. The ideas and relationship benefits are endless.

Brands should consider the “Care Factor” when analysing different customer journeys and when to reach their customers. I feel this is really important for brand placement to be relevant and at the right place at the right time rather than unwanted in your face promotion. By identifying and staying true to your brand vision, mission and values, there are many ways your brand can approach customers when they would really appreciate your support.

Here is one example where a brand understood the struggles of their customers was Mini Fashion Bar. Not as needing as a hospital patient, yet a hotel guest has their own issues of crinkled shirts and limited options. The Pimkie brand identified a niche customer journey and saw an opportunity to offer ready-to-wear fashion in hotel rooms around Antwerp, Paris, Brussels and Milan. That feeling of ease and being cared for cannot be measured in dollars but will earn you brownie points.

Ashley - designer

(ANTI)INSPO #2 - The Breakup Shop

My "inspiration" this week was more of an "anti-inspo" as when I saw it, it was a giant neon sign example of what NOT to do. 

The Breakup Shop was started by two brothers in the US, and it offers just what the name suggests, to break-up with your partner on your behalf. This can be done through messages, letters, emails, phone calls, or even a whole "Breakup Kit" which involves wine and DVDs.

What "anti-inspires" me about this is it's a great reminder that just because you have an idea, it doesn't mean you have to act on it. For me, these boys are being incredibly careless with peoples feelings and potentially lives, and are cashing in on human emotion. Also, presumably this idea came about because one of these guys was too afraid to breakup with his partner himself - little cowardly in my eyes. 

I could rant for awhile about the ways in which I think it's detrimental and in poor taste, however I'll just end with this. The world is already struggling to encourage love, compassion and support amongst so many different groups within society. Instead of trying to cash-in on an easy sell, let's always try and innovate and grow areas that encourage positivity and beneficial social change, commoditising human interactions will never be the answer.

Laura - Creative Project Manager

Dreamy events you should check out in 2017

Tara SheltonComment

Do you get a case of the entrepreneurial guilts when you even think of attending an event?   We know how you feel… when you’re running your own business, it may seem stressful to take a day out and go to an event. You’re probably thinking that time is money, and you’d be better off spending the day on your emails.

Well we’ve got a different perspective for you: what if you realised that the time invested in attending an event is a piece of time invested into your business success and your future? Those in the entrepreneurial community like to say that your network is your net worth, and we couldn't agree more. People you meet at events may not feel relevant at the time, but they come back ten-fold. In fact, Tara has met some of her best staff members and loyal clients at networking events in the past few years! It’s a great opportunity to hand out your business cards, practise your elevator pitch and watch people’s reactions as you talk about your business.

If your idea of networking is standing in a stuffy room trying to make conversation with strangers without sounding like a sleazy salesperson… we get it. We’ve been there. And that’s exactly why we wanted to share a list of our favourite, unique, tried-and-tested events to add to your calendar.

AngelPitch: Investible Masterclass for Entrepreneurs

This is your chance to practise pitching to an investor for your business! Investible will be hosting a full-day masterclass for entrepreneurs, giving you the opportunity to build and validate your idea, learn how to pitch your business to investors and have the opportunity to pitch face-to-face with an experienced angel investor for individual feedback. Talk about the opportunity of a lifetime… one step closer to bringing your dream to life.

Calendar date: 9 June 2017

Click here and enter code DREAMDO25 for 25% off your ticket to AngelPitch!

Cereal Entrepreneurs

Little bit of shameless self-promotion here! We’ve run five Cereal events in the past year and we’ve got another really exciting speaker to be announced soon… watch this space! Cereal Entrepreneurs is a fun breakfast event series, bringing together business, creativity and big ideas. We do a live interview and then Tara runs a creative workshop.

Calendar date: TBA

Festival of Dangerous Ideas

FODI runs every year at the Opera House and it will seriously open your mind. The curated timetable of speakers is always about pushing the boundaries, disrupting collective patterns of thought and inspiring challenging ideas and conversations. Last year, we saw author Lionel Shriver talk about breaking one rule a day and Andrew Bolt discussing the mess of politics, just to name a few.

Calendar date: TBA, usually September

Startcon

Startcon is known as the best start-up and growth conference in Australia, bringing together some incredible international speakers, investors and start-ups to a sell-out event, six years in a row!

Calendar date: December 1-2, 2017

Remix

Culture, technology, entrepreneurship - Remix has it all. The likes of Google, Bloomberg and UTS have teamed up to create this event of world-class speakers, panels, masterclasses and debates.

Calendar date: 7-8 December, 2017

Symposium Sydney

Hosted by Rakuten Marketing, Symposium Sydney is a more boutique half-day event where you can experience inspirational content from industry leaders about business planning, networking and performance marketing.

Calendar date: TBA

 

We’ve teamed up with Investible to get you 25% off tickets to the AngelPitch: Investible Masterclass for Entrepreneurs. Enter code DREAMDO25 at checkout - early bird tickets end today so get in quick!

 

 

Catching up with Lunch Lady Lou: business, branding, big dreams

Tara SheltonComment

Linda Ellis, aka Lunch Lady Lou, was one of our first clients, back when Dream & Do was just Tara and a junior designer, holed up on the couch in Tara’s apartment. We had the best time   re-branding the Lunch Lady Lou website and comms, including a beautiful photoshoot of Lou in the kitchen working her magic. Lou has been a loyal sponsor for every Cereal Entrepreneurs event we’ve hosted (six in the past 18 months!) and so we thought we’d catch up with her to hear how the business is going since its humble beginnings in 2014.

1. We’ve been lucky to have worked alongside/partnered with you for a number of years now. Take us back to pre-Dream & Do time and how the business has progressed over the years...

In the beginning, it was me feeding my work colleagues with a dream to exit the corporate world. I eventually quit my corporate job at the start of 2014 and delivered lunches around the city, on foot, with a blue and white polka-dot trolley. I was recently approached by Volkswagen to test drive their new Caddy and ended up with my branding on a van! This totally changed my business. Now I work on corporate catering and event specific jobs, I tailor menus for my clients’ needs, and I get to drive the coolest yellow van around town.

2. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about running your own business?

Just one?! Every day there’s a lesson... or a lot of them.

1. Self-care is non-negotiable and if you’re not practising this, nothing else works.

2. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.

3. You’ve been a huge partner and advocate for Cereal Entrepreneurs; tell me why you enjoy partnering and collaborating with others?

Lunch Lady Lou has a fairly small delivery area, which means some people miss out on our delicious food each day. The biggest benefit of collaborating on events is reaching new people but also giving event attendees a Lunch Lady Lou experience, when they may not be able to order from us due to their work location.  

And, of course, to have the opportunity to open people’s minds that healthy food tastes delicious.

4. Where do you hope to take the business in the next three, five or ten years?

Oh, so many plans! Even after being in business for four years, I really feel like I’m just getting started. In the short term, there are some new care packages being released. Watch this space...

My husband Pete and I are building a farm - Loop Farm. We created this dream over five years ago while we were sitting on a beach in Vietnam eating pineapples. Pete has over ten years experience in Horticulture and Bushland Management, and with my holistic nutrition skills, it’s perfect. It will be kind of like a Lunch Lady Lou retreat, so we’ll host groups to stay and chill out and I’ll feed them.

Many more cooking classes are on the cards too. I had to give these a break for a while, but the fire in my belly is telling me they’re needed again.  

5. What’s everyone's favourite lunch option?

Tough question… Seeing as we do a range of breakfast, lunch and raw treats, I’ll just give you some food envy right now.

Brekky - Bacon and rosemary frittata or the super delicious Berry Bircher

Lunch - Almond-Crusted Schnitzel with nutty ‘mayo’

Raw treats - Fully loaded raw Snickers bar or the Bounty bar

 

6. What’s your favourite lunch option?

Too hard to answer. Everything that is made, I eat too. If I’m not loving it, it’s not on the menu.

Because I’m currently cold, I’m going to say the slow baked maple tamari chicken, with house-made goat cheese ricotta and sweet potato mash.

7. What’s your advice for anyone starting their own business?

Self-care is non-negotiable. Actually, that’s probably just my lesson for life. If you’re not taking care of yourself emotionally, physically and mentally, then what have you got? Oh, and it must be fun, you must love it, because when it gets tough - and it will - you need to have a dream and a vision that you love as an anchor.

8. You have a few great ordering options available (i.e. all delivered Monday, group orders or collect); is this something you’ve always done or integrated recently? Has it made a huge impact on your orders and clients?

Yes, it’s made a huge impact and I enjoy creating these menus so much more. The model changed last year to focus on corporate catering and group lunches. This is the offering I’ve been building up over the last four years. I worked in a job that fed us the worst food in meetings, and they expected so much from us. Your employee’s health and wellbeing is a company's biggest asset. My food connects groups around the boardroom table and provides a talking point - they discuss the colours, or the ingredients, or how they’re going to re-invent what I’ve made for their family. I love that my work has this kind of impact on my clients and their guests.

9. You currently deliver to North Sydney and the CBD... do you have any plans to expand?

Yes and no! I’m not really interested in city domination at this stage but for our catering jobs, Lunch Lady Lou will go anywhere. Plus there’s always the farm, coming soon!

 

Visit www.lunchladylou.com.au.

Creative Show & Tell - The MOON, Meaningful & Personal Brands & Heirloom Soy Sauce

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 MOON app by Charlie Deets

If you're anything like us Dreamers, you're a little obsessed with all things universe, and especially like me, the moon. I am a big believer in it's energy and influence, and like to keep one eye on the ol' girl and what she's up to.

Our amazing copywriter Amy, is also a bit of a moon-sister, and told me about this amazing app simple called MOON

This app is simplicity at it's truest form, and is beautifully designed to boot. All it does is show you visually the phase of the moon each day, as well as info about the new room, full moon and what stage the moon is at present. You can also change the date, so you can see what's up with Lady Moon down the track.

What inspires me about this app is how simple it is, yet so affective. It's not overly complicated and doesn't feel the need to inundate you with exactly what each phase of the moon means or what to expect, but just gives you the info needed and let's so take from it what you will. It's also designed so beautifully, and I am a sucker for a pretty face.

Laura - Creative Project Manager

 

INSPO #2 Why Meaningful Brands Will Always Come Out On Top

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This week I chose pocketcityfarms.com.au as my show and tell, and it goes without saying that I absolutely love this concept - it warms my insides and brings a smile to face.

Increasingly we are are seeing an intersection between brand purpose, values and consumer aspirations and consumption. Consumers are demanding purpose-led brands, ones that stand for something bigger, something meaningful and something that will create positive impact on the societies we live in. Go even further than, you'll also see there is a huge trend toward living a simple life, one with just the essentials, and good old natural products. Society is looking for a way to peel back the layers of tech, virtual contact and feeding big corporates. Some very clever brands, like pocket city farms are responding to this demand.

No longer do we need to plan weekends away and escapes to the country side, they'll bring the country to you, with the launch of their first urban farm in Camperdown Commons. The concept extends beyond the farm, and includes an onsite restaurant, inspired by the concept of farm to table dining, offers Yoga on the premises and runs community workshops, where people connect and even swap crops, aptly called the "crop swap".

So what can your brand do today to respond to this growing consumer demand, how can you create change, that is aspirational and meaningful. Every brand has it in their DNA, its just a matter of tapping into it.

Dani - Creative Strategist

 

INSPO #3 The Importance of A Personal Brand

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On a personal note, this weekend I was in great space re: my wedding planning, being super productive with sussing out some of the finer details. I really wanted to lock in a celebrant for the ceremony, and I am one to want to consider every option available to validate that I am getting the best value possible. As I am having the ceremony out of town, I couldn’t rely on word of mouth from my network and instead hit the web. I was unpleasantly surprised how hard it was to find celebrants that showcased themselves and how they perform the ceremonies.

This experience showcases a great example to businesses that you need to understand how to clearly distinguish your unique personality from your competitors and to really think through the ways in which you can best represent this.

For service based offerings like celebrants, where you need to sell your personal brand and voice, it’s crucial to use all the tools possible to represent who you are, what you do and how you do it differently. It’s so easy today to make a video where your personality and presentation skills are easily shown.

Too many of the options that I researched had outdated websites with pixelated photos and no personal branding. It was really hard to form an impression of how they are going to be on our special day.

In times where people are time sensitive, it’s important to create a great first impression to be in the top pool of considerations.

For now I have only found 1 option that clearly represents who she is, yet with none to compare her with, I am left feeling frustrated, unsure and unwilling to go ahead. Companies must aim to minimise frustrations and make the choice as simple as possible.

Ashley - Designer

 

INSPO #4 Heirloom Soy Sauce and the Meaning of Life

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Late at night the past week, one of my favourite things to do to unwind after a long day at uni is to watch Chef's Table. A Netflix documentary series that follows individual chefs from all over the world and tells their stories in 60 minute episodes. From ramen shops to experimental Peruvian gastronomy, Chef's Table took me to Korea - To a place where you wouldn't expect to find a chef. A buddhist monastery. Temple food, as explained by Chef Jeong Kwan is an extension of their way of living. 

"Secular food is dynamic, but temple food keeps your mind calm and static"

As the practice of meditation extends into the intent of the food she creates, she crafts it to incite a feeling that reflects so perfectly, that of her spiritual practice. As in the world of creative agencies, a designer is surrounded by millions of pictures, influences and visuals everyday - it would be interesting to adopt a practice that borrows from Jeong Kwan's mindset. That what you consume must be carefully selected and curated, as what you ingest must awaken your mind, not dull it. It's about mindfulness and awareness of the elements that exist, and the ability and intention to bring them together and synthesise them into something that brings "enlightenment" or a new bright perspective to anyone that happens upon the result. 

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A lovely example of this was her recognition of soy sauce as a heirloom. A peculiar comparison this may be, but it all made sense as she explained the meaning behind it, whilst gently spooning dribbles of rich brown liquid from porcelain bowls into the green tangle of spinach in front of her. Soy sauce existed in three separate versions on her cooking bench. Each representing the past, present and future. Some soys had been passed down over a hundred years, becoming a unique family heirloom, whilst others only 5 or 10 years old and others not yet ready for the palette - fermenting away in earthenware pots, half-buried in the soil. Yet when they were all brought together, an awareness and appreciation for the soy sauce making processes her ancestors and monks before her (as well as her own practice and the realisation of those to come) arose.

Yet, this practice and this way of living seems so far removed from the fast paced "wired" modern world, it almost seems impossible to be able to actually enact these beautiful values and concepts in a world that just doesn't have the time for it. According to Kwan, Time is naturally transformative and the most beautiful things, arise out of the serendipity and natural allowance of time to run its course. But maybe it isn't just about the physical concept of time, but the appreciation that lies behind what the unfolding of time has to offer. As Kwan plants each bulb, seed and flower in the monastery garden, she sends vibes of love, compassion and thankfulness into each and every one. Perhaps it is this practice of reflection. 

Just stopping and stepping back, letting time standstill for a moment to appreciate what is before us, what the moment has to offer. And that is something I feel becomes lost in the motions of work in the modern world, being so caught up in completing tasks, against a deadline or just ticking off the boxes to what has to be done. We forget to enjoy every motion, movement and moment that is offered to us, the learnings that we experience - past, present and future. 

Chef Kwan describes the 5 senses as something unique - and all together different to what we know: 1. Body 2. Feeling 3. Perception 4. Consciousness 5. Intention. A collection of 'senses' that collaborate with and connect the physical world to the spiritual and emotional nuances that exist in all of us. A holistic perspective that doesn't just draw learnings from the present, but fuses an understanding by taking into account the past, future and present. 

If we combine the 5 senses we know and love and these new 5, we have 10! And it's so important to use these 10 senses to absorb the potential learnings that are in front of us, if only we take the time to appreciate it. 

Edie - Junior Designer

 

Do I need a brand video? 4 ways to get your name out there

Tara SheltonComment

First of all, you might be thinking, ‘What’s a brand video? Do I need one? Will my business fail if I don’t? Does it need to go viral? Will I be invited onto the set of the Ellen show?!’

Fear not, dreamers. With the help of our biz friends, Storydriven, we’ve compiled a list of four types of brand videos and what they can do for your business.

Video is not just for YouTube and Vimeo and Hollywood screens anymore - it’s a way more accessible and viable form of content marketing than any of us ever imagined. With phone apps like iMovie making it pretty easy to create decent content in a short time frame on a low budget, not to mention snippet video apps like Boomerang taking over our feeds, watchable content is all the rage. Remember when the film Jobs with Ashton Kutcher made and released the trailer on Instagram? Yep, the future is here.


But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Read on to find out the four types of brand videos and which one might be best for you.

1. The ‘About Us’ video

Who are you? What are you about? Rather than tell your brand story through some well-crafted (or sometimes not so much!) words on a page, it can be really great content to create a visual narrative. You can then embed this brief introductory video on your website’s About page, or use snippets of it for social media promos. It helps build rapport with your future customers, provides relatability and a human face behind the brand. But remember to keep it short - the average viewer has an attention span of less than two minutes.

2. The Educational video

If you’re looking to turn ice cold leads into warm paying clients, the educational video is your best friend. The key to this kind of video is to provide as much value as possible, without completely giving the cow away with the milk. You want people to believe in you and your brand, respect what you have to offer, and want more of it. Basically, you want people to realise why they need you. Think of a problem your target market might be experiencing, and provide some insights that will help them get on track. When they’re ready to buy, they’ll remember you.

3. The Explainer video

A little more intensive than the educational video, an explainer video gets into the nitty gritty. People coming along to view this kind of content are one step closer to pulling out their wallet. They’re your prospective clients or customers in the consideration phase of their journey, so it’s important to impress. Provide a specific solution to their likely issue, and pack as much information as possible into your video so they can make their decision.

4. The Case Study video

You’ve wowed your target market with your myriad offerings and knowledge, but what about letting your brand speak for itself? When a customer says you’re awesome, it basically makes you doubly awesome in the eyes of future customers. Your work is done, so let your happy customers be your new brand advocates.

The guys at Storydriven have put their money where their mouths are and made their own explainer video about the four types of brand videos that could act as a vital part of your marketing toolkit.

Check it out here.

Check it out here.


To stay on top of all things video, subscribe to Storydriven’s email newsletter here. 

Creative Show & Tell - Jam, Journaling & Micro-nations

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 The Jam Factory 

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I recently took a trip to Adelaide where I stumbled upon an inspiring creative space called the Jam Factory. It’s a non-for-profit organisation that supports and promotes outstanding design and craftsmanship within ceramics, glass, furniture and metal design. It not only serves as a space for creatives to build their skills but also features an exhibition and retail space to showcase these contemporary Australian products made in the factory, to the general public.

What I loved about the experience that I had with this brand is being invited into the process and seeing the “behind the scenes” of what goes into the production of the artworks in the gallery and the items in the shop. It made me feel invested in the process and ultimately made me feel I could leave the space without buying a little piece of it!

Obviously this transparency is not a new phenomenon, we’ve seen it with in restaurants where the kitchen is in full view of the customers, however it’s becoming an expectation from customers. People like to be involved in the process and learn how things work.

What I take away from this inspiration is that I implore new business dreamers to think how they could celebrate the process that gets them to their final product/service and how to involve or educate customers in that process. This will not only gain you personal investment into the final product but also build brand loyalty and brand ambassadors that will generate great word of mouth. Let’s all try to be a little more like Jam Factory!

Ashley - Designer

 

INSPO #2 Why every successful entrepreneurial needs to be vigilant with their time

Image Credit: Best Self Co. Instagram*Source: Self Journal, by Best Self co. 


Image Credit: Best Self Co. Instagram*Source: Self Journal, by Best Self co. 

With more things to do, and what feels like less time, the art of journaling and self reflection is a growing business, but I have to say, this journal from Best Self co. definitely spiked my interest, more so than other journals of this kind I've seen. So much so, that I went ahead and bought it. 

The reason I loved this journal is because it focuses on habit creation, to achieve your big picture goals and "chunks" this up into 13-week sprints, so it makes the entire process of goal setting much more disciplined. There are no dates, so you can start the journal at any point that is right for you (love this), and the days planner is bookended with positive psychology and inspirational quotes. 

In the 1960s, University of Maryland psychologist Edwin Locke and University of Toronto psychologist Gary Latham discovered that goal setting is one of the easiest ways to increase motivation and enhance performance. Over dozens of studies, Latham and Locke found that setting goals increased performance and productivity by 11-25%*. The Self Journal is based on this concept, and many of the world's most successful entrepreneurs in the world know that the key to success is through setting short-term goals and measuring their progress. 

To add further to this, I attended a "Design your day for Success" workshop, run by, business coach, Lauren Trlin, where she sighted examples from the likes of Steve Jobs and how they prioritise their time for maximum productivity. Steve Jobs wore exactly the same outfit, every day. Every. Day. He was so vigilant with his time, that he looked at certain tasks in his day that expended willpower and energy, and decided which of these he could sacrifice, instead spending his daily willpower and energy on actions that were productive, and laddered bag to his broader goals. He decided why waste your energy choosing an outfit every morning, when you can use your energy and time elsewhere. 

As a creative agency, we talk a lot about the art of sacrifice here at Dream & Do. It not only informs our creative product, but it informs a lot of our ethos. This journal inspired me, because it took the idea that habits create your behaviours, behaviours create your goals, and your goals create your life, and it systemised this process. Clever. We obsess about every detail when it comes to our creative work, just like business owners should obsess about every detail of their business. So to all you budding entrepreneurs and startups out there, what can you ditch to free up space for the daily tasks that are going to shift the dial on your big goals? 

Dani - Creative Strategist

 

INSPO #3 Becoming the emperor of your own micro-nation

Emperor George II sounds the like name of Europe royalty, not a stock-standard Aussie bloke in the middle of rural NSW. Appointing one's self at the mere age of 15, as emperor of "Atlantium" may sound like the makings of a meglomaniacal dictator. But worry not, nearly forty years later Emperor George has hardly made a dent in the national welfare of Australia. Seeing as we are a country where politics move slower than the cows. 

It's amazing to think that something so seemingly ludicrous, could in fact exist for such a long time and attract so much interest without self-promoting at all. There is an incredible amount of detail and craftsmanship that has gone into sculpting the identity that is the micronation of Atlantium. 

A flag carrying the colours of blue, yellow and orange, little postage stamps emblazoned with a graphic of the Emperor himself - designed in blue and orange, and to top it off a crest, featuring the same open palmed salute. If not anything, Atlantium proves the ultimate power of a brand.

That when done right, and expanded with the right resolve and into the right niche can be oddly successful (it has 3000 citizens from 100 countries around the world.

None of them live there though) The Empire of Atlantium has a lasting power and a timelessness that has superseded the passing fads and trends of the decades. A lucrative venture as well, the globally (albeit on a lowkey scale) recognised nation has enabled the Emperor to rent out his plot of land on Air BnB for $65 dollars a night. With visiting perks including being able to stay in 'Government House' or take a stroll through the 'Imperial Botanical Garden'. 

George has created a brand that overtime, has evolved into something that has enough reach that it may one day become better than the Big Banana, a serious tourist destination and landmark in Australia.

Edie - Junior Designer

Creative Show & Tell - Strangeness, tea, customer UX & milk bars

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 Zig-zagging into Strangeness

I recently came across a snippet of a lovely article in Flow magazine, detailing a curious practice. Quote below: 

The following is from "The Gentle Art of Tramping" by Steven Graham:

 

"The problem is to let chance and the town take charge of you. For the world we travel in is more wonderful than human plan or idle heart's desire. One day in New York, wishing
to explore that great city in a truly haphazard way, I hit on the following device - a zigzag walk. The first turning to the left is the of the heart. Take it at random, and you are sure to find something pleasant and diverting. Take the left again and the piquancy may be repeated. But reason must come now to the rescue, and you must turn to the right in order to save yourself from a mere and uninteresting circle. To make a zigzag walk, you take the first turning to the left, on (...) How unusual, real and satisfactory were the impressions obtained by going not the crowd's way, but the way of the zigzag, the diagonal between heart and reason."

 

In the entrepreneurial world, this sort of disruptive practice or behaviour is always referenced in many innovation-centric papers and ted-talks alike. Where such undertakings allow you to step outside the box and shake off any sort of mental complacency your patterns of thought may have fallen into. How many of us have zoned out on the walk home from the station? 
A path so "familiar" that our brains tune out and take our surroundings for granted. 

This sort of "blinkers-on" lull that many of us fall into, walking the same path everyday - demonstrates how we live in a bubble of assumption. It's such a powerful thing to become aware of what our assumptions are. And to instead take on the practice, adopted by ethnographers and anthropologists, that when entering a new culture, or tribe - to adopt a mindset of "strangeness". An existence where everything becomes new and not assumed to be experienced before.
Where no action, reaction or set of behaviour is taken for granted.Thus opening them up to a perspective that views the world as a constantly unfolding place of a million potentials, where there is always something new to be gained, even in what seems like the "same-old" experience. Don't box yourself in with assumptions, take a zig-zag walk! Who knows where it'll lead you (even if it might be right back to your doorstep). 

*Stay tuned for next week when the Dream Team takes their own zig-zag walks!! 

Edie, Junior Designer

 

INSPO #2 O'ssuloc Tea (Brand Experience Design) 

I was gifted O'sulloc tea from a close friend who grew up on the Jeju Island of South Korea where it is made. When she presented this little sachet to me, she held it with such reverence and pride as it was my first introduction to something that represented where she was from. From the soft texture of the packaging, refined design and unique taste is truly felt like something special and to be treasured.

 

“It is our hope to provide people with valuable time in which people can form warm relationships and have more taste in their lives while cultivating their mind in the midst of their busy life in today’s society.” - O’sulluc

 

The entire brand ethos is both executed beautifully and consistently across each touch point that customers have with the brand. This is my key takeaway from this inspiring brand.
When building a company, all moments in which customers are introduced to your brand must be considered and made to be special. Whether digital or physical, the customer should always be wowed no matter the cost that went into it. Clever brand experiences can always be thought of even on a budget. Each channel that customers interact with the brand builds the perception and relationship with the brand, forging brand loyalty and brand ambassadors.

At Dream & Do we are all about building conscious brands. This is about being conscious of the entire brand experience and possible customer user journeys to ensure that at each touch point they are seeing your brand’s true personality and reason for being.

Ashley, Designer

 

INSPO #3 VOW Customer Experience 

If you're not familiar with them, check out the jewellery brand Vrai & Oro. They're a beautiful fine jewellery brand currently taking the US by storm.

I've been a fan of the brand for a few months now, but recently came across their sub-brand, VOW (Vrai & Oro Wedding) when doing some competitor research for our amazing client ESQ. While these wedding and engagement rings are next level beautiful, what struck me most about the brand was part of the service they offer.

As some of you may know finding an engagement ring is no easy task. You need to try things on, deliberate over styles and what suits you. VOW operates largely as an online business, so that customer experience process of trying on different styles wasn't an easy option for their customers. In order to combat this, they created a "Home Try-On" service, which allows customers to try on three "mock" rings in the styles they have for seven days, free of charge. Genius. 

What I love about this service is their ability to think outside the box and give time and creativity to their customer experience. Just because something is traditionally an offline experience doesn't mean you can't adapt it to your medium or business model. Don't be afraid to take something you think is impossible and make it fit to work for you, you could end up with something as innovative and amazing as this!

Laura, Creative Project Manager

 

INSPO #4 Why strong brands give you creative license 

This week I picked Daisy's milk bar for my creative show & tell. Daisy's is a contemporary take on an Aussie, old-school milk bar. They have an eclectically quirky and nostalgic brand, that takes you back to your childhood. Think back to those primary school days, when life was playful and full of possibility. You trotted around, carefree with your oversized school bag, played kiss and catch with the boys, ate tuck shop sandwiches and hot chips with vinegar after school. Life was beautiful in its simplicity.  

All of this is just one part of why I love this brand, the entire experience transports you back in time, and evokes happy and nostalgic memories. Beyond that, they are using creative ways for people to engage with the brand, going past the bricks and mortar experience, and beyond their primary product, food. 

Not only do they have an online store, complete with Daisy's milk bar paraphernalia, including nail polish, sticker packs, brooches and accessories, but they recently partnered with local jewellery designer, Haus of Dizzy. Who would have ever thought that a cafe and a jewellery design could partner together? This is the essence of creativity and original thought. Having a strong brand is what gives Daisy's its creative license. Because of the quirky nature of the brand, having a branded paraphernalia just works, and through this creative license, its opened them up to diversifying the ways people engage with their brand. Clever. 

Dani - Creative Strategist

Creative Show & Tell - Data, pop-ups, art & spirituality

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INSPO #1 - Moderated remote usability testing

Being obsessed with data driven design, I have been looking into moderated remote usability testing. I know a mouthful right! Simply, it’s all about understanding the problems and confusion real users may encounter throughout their experience with anything you put out there (from website design, packaging design, advertising etc), while the user is in a realistic user environment. The researcher watches and interacts with them via screen sharing to witness and analyse the user experience.This observes a much more authentic data compared with traditional lab based user testing where participants are in an unfamiliar environment and asked to perform pre-defined tasks.

By receiving direct feedback from the target audience we can address and potential issues before the launch, and in turn increasing the usage performance.

The Australian Tax Office is on the forefront of this with their testing ground (ATO Beta) that involves users to participate in the refinement of their digital products. The ATO Beta tagline “Change driven by you” says it all. They are putting your needs and opinions first, and what more would users want!

“By trialling new digital products and designs with real people, we’re making sure Government services are simple to use and meet your everyday needs.”

EyesDecide is one tool that designers, user experience pros, marketers, agencies, product managers and market researchers can use to understand and improve user experience. EyesDecide claims that “The game has changed for research and design” and we at Dream & Do agree. We want to be on the forefront of emerging developments in the design and brand creation process and this platform allows you to test, validate and / or optimise our design.

EyesDecide visualises where users attention is focused using heatmapping of eye-tracking that’s observed by the computer’s webcam.

This is an example of one of the heatmaps generated by EyesDecide, comparing two homepage designs. You can see that on the left, the design pulled too much attention to the top due to it’s complexity which put off users from exploring the rest of the page. The simplified design on the right proved to encourage users to flow through the information through the entire page. It allows you to see through the eyes of the users. These kinds of insights could not be gathered by measuring click throughs alone.

I feel users are becoming more and more accustomed to the unfinished nature of brand deliverables, and being able to participate and be involved in the process is only going to create a greater investment in the success of the brand, producing more brand ambassadors.


This inspires my process at Dream & Do to make informed design decisions that are backed up by data from true user experiences. We are all about business minded design, and must start looking to include these practices in our offerings.

Ashley, Designer

 

INSPO # 2 - Outside-in

Pantone's colour of the year could not be more relevant. I'm seeing green everywhere, paired with an overwhelming urge to develop a green thumb, which has become my impetus this year. 

Amongst scrolling for plant-y inspiration on Pinterest, last minute Bunning's trips with the more toxic than intoxicating smell of fertiliser, and succulent potting sessions and a friend's house. I stumbled upon the "Outside-In" hotel. A space created by Pantone to celebrate the colour of year "Greenery". For 200 pounds/night (with the proceeds going to AIGA professional association for design) you get a lush oasis of rich foliage, moss on the floor and beds grounded - futon style onto a pillowy carpet of real grass. 

It sounds more like an outdoor getaway than a one-room hotel, that has managed to bring the outdoors - in. Not only a surprising natural delight, juxtaposing what appears to be the stony grey facade of an industrial building. It's siimilar to the backdrop of Chippendale - where the Dream & Do HQ hangs out! But at the core of it, an absolute salute to the importance of brand! A tribute to how clever Pantone is as a brand. One that is so well established that they probably didn't need to promote themselves - and could happily, successfully exist at an arms-length existence from their target audience. 

But yet continues to push the boundaries, by thinking of ways to engage in the real world. Rules for prospective guests as are as such "bring positive energy, use the lawn for morning yoga, recycle and compost, and “breathe deeply and slowly to take in maximum oxygen from the plants”.

Pantone's greenery is no longer a colour, transformed into a lifestyle, a way of living, setting the tone for every facet of the existence of the design world's year. Taking on a sense of heart that most big monopolising brands are missing. Brands are all about finding the ultimate connection, and Pantone has done just that. 

Edie, Junior Designer
 

INSPO # 3 - Another Day in Paradise, by Myuran Sukumaran

On Saturday some friends and I drove out the Campbeltown in the western suburbs of Sydney to see the exhibition Another Day in Paradise, by Myuran Sukumaran. The name might sound familiar to you, he was one of the members of the "Bali Nine", the group of nine Australians who were caught trafficking heroin out from Indonesia. Myuran was one of the two who were executed for the crime, the other seven serving varied sentences. The Nine were originally arrested in 2005, with Myuran and Andrew Chan, being executed by firing squad in 2015. 

During his time in prison, and especially in the days leading up to his execution, Myuran spent time doing oil paintings, of which made up this exhibition in Campbelltown. 

As you can imagine, I felt a complete myriad of emotions about the artworks, their stories and even the physical elements of the painting were incredibly moving, the paint itself very thick and textural.

What moved me the most about the exhibition was the obviously different state of mind Myuran was in at different stages of his incarnation, and also with different subject matter. His self portraits varied in perspective, with the portraits of his family looking a little unfinished in comparison to the rest. It almost feels like the subject was too hard to paint for too long.

Unfortunately the exhibition is now over, however you can read up on more information here

Laura, Creative Project Manager


INSPO # 4 - Oracle cards

I am a creative director and founder of a creative company, my value largely depends on being creative. All. The. Time. Therefore, it is so important that I am always inspired, in a state of creating, being open to new ideas and new opportunities. Show & Tell is a strategic way to keep the team accountable to being inspired. We bond over great work and ideas and it allows us to step outside of our business for an hour and talk about the world. It is always a wake up call for my creative process when I find myself scrambling on a Sunday night or Monday morning for "inspiration" to bring to Show & Tell. This shows me that I have not been inspired lately in an open sense of the word. I am inspired my my team, our clients, and our projects daily, but I have not been in the outside world - amongst materials and experiences that are so important to craft original thinking.  

So for me, my inspiration today was a tool that I use in these moments where the world is spinning too fast and I need to jump off and channel my higher self: Oracle cards.

Whether you are a believer in the universe or not, this is a clever tool for divergent thinking. Similar to the 'random object technique' that I use during my workshop at Cereal Entrepreneurs, the card pulls you away from the same patterns your brain follows to answer a problem. 90% of our thoughts in our brain are ones we have had before, so we need to stop telling our self the same old stories and get a fresh perspective to make way for new ones. 

We live in a world where everything is on us. We have so much responsibility for our own happiness, our career, our family, our finances, our love life and it is just too damn hard to have all the right answers ALL the time. I believe that we have a higher self, that there is a universe made of energy that we can't explain, that there are signs all around us and we have a destiny from the moment we are born. Oracle cards ground me and channel the magic of the universe. The team were giddy with excitement as they picked their one reading card. This just shows me that we are excited for answers outside of our own, we want to be guided by something greater than us and spontaneity is exciting in this very structured world.

Go buy some and try for yourself here.

Tara - Creative Director & Founder

Creative Show & Tell

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INSPO #1 - Break-Up Boss 

She's bloody done it again. The ultimate #girlboss Zoë Foster Blake has created yet another amazing product that is sure to be loved by her many followers.

Break-Up Boss is an app for anyone who's going through the sucky process of a break-up. It provides users with advice and techniques on how to navigate those treacherous heart-break waters and ultimately own your break up and positive grow from the experience. It's also got illustrations by Mari Andrew, an incredible artist from New York. 

The two things I love most about this idea is the amazing support and community element of the app, but also the way it supports Zoë's personal brand/mini-empire. I am a big believer in people being "multipotentialites" and embracing their many talents, and Zoë is the perfect example. She's completely diversified her product and service, but has remained true to her brand's ethos around supporting women, whether it's through her writing, beauty products or now app, she is always encouraging and empowering and reaching people in different ways. Gone are the days of sticking to your one career/industry your whole working life, embrace your many talents and callings, it'll all come together in the end. 

Download the app here or click through the links above to find out more ifo. 

Laura - Creative Project Manager

INSPO #2 - Breather

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Because I don't have much time to read these days, I listen to A LOT of podcasts to learn as much as I can. I listen to that many that unfortunately I can't recite which exact one this inspiration came from, but here it is! A very inspiring interview with Julian Smith, Co Founder of Breather - a share space concept that integrates modern technology. 

He originally wanted to create a space in New York where business owners and workers could go and "grab a breather" - chill out, break away from work, do some work for a couple of hours, meditate, do yoga etc. Too many people hung at coffee shops and there were always so many issues with this, but a problem that no one had really solved. He soon realised the huge set up and running cost of implementing a flagship style fit-out  for Breather as he had originally imagined and it, plus it didn't serve everyone as everyone in all different urban locations. They are needing space on the go, so it would be silly for them to have to travel to take a breather. It should be more convenient than that.

At the same time, he discovered the new mobile technology where you can unlock doors with your phone. The breakthrough making smart homes a near reality for all. He also discovered that there were so many empty spaces in large cities that had not been leased from whole floors, to single rooms.

Cross pollinating these ideas and problems he came up an even better "Breather" solution. A network of share spaces all over the city, that you can unlock with your phone, any time. With multiple rounds of investment, Breather now unlocks doors in 9 cities in the USA and is now in London, UK.

I adore the story of how this came into fruition. All of these ideas and problems and seeds of mismatched information influencing an outcome. I think, in reality, this is how real great ideas are born and become successful. You have to stay open to your idea changing and integrate a modern way of doing things. The sharing economy is a trend that I am super proud is here. Instead of creating more and more, we are realising what we can do with what already exists. Anti establishment ideals are exciting when we look at the every day person and what they can add to our life and business. I can't wait for Breather to make it's way to Sydney. Dream & Do will be unlocking doors all over town.

Tara - Creative Director & Founder

INSPO #3 - Do schools kill creativity?

I chose this incredibly inspiring TED talk for my creative show & tell this week, because encouraging creative thinking, particularly amongst youth is a personal interest of mine. In an ever changing and demanding world, they are our future. 

Speaking from experience, I can safely say that in our education system students are left little room for creative thinking and expression. As a society we tend to educate from the waste up, putting a great deal of emphasis on literature, numeracy and science based subjects, with the arts often falling to the bottom of the list, or not being seen as particularly prestigious. 

Here's the thing though, we grow out of creativity, not into it. It's an innate nature within all of us, and unfortunately often suppressed in our education, not from lack of caring, just a bi-product of the society we live in. 

This TED talk encourages us to reframe the way we think about intelligence, it encourages human experience to learn different disciplinary ways of seeing things. 

For me, the cherry on top is the incredible story of Gillian Lynne, British ballerina, dancer, choreographer, actress and theatre director. Noted for her popular theatre choreography and associated with two of the longest-running shows in Broadway History, Cats and Phantom of the Opera. 

When Gillian was in school, teachers were telling her mum that she had trouble concentrating and was always distracted, many thinking she has ADHD. After seeing a different doctor, he saw something else. In the consult room, he turned on the radio, left Gillian in the room and watched her immediately jump up and move around. Gillian's mum was told, "your daughter doesn't have ADHD, she is a dancer." 

There is something incredibly powerful in that story, and it involves one person seeing things that no one else saw, and that epitomises creativity and creative thinking for me. 

Dani - Creative Strategist

Creative Excursion - Queer Art After Hours

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Once a month we the Dream Team likes to head on out in to the world to find inspiration. This month's creative excursion took us to the Art Gallery of NSW for Queen Art After Hours in celebration of Mardi Gras. The gallery was absolutely bursting and no wonder with the amazing art, performances and experiences that we're going on. Here's some of our fave parts!

 

INSPO #1 - Drag Tour by Verushka Darling

Have you ever walked through a gallery without reading the labels next to the realistic paintings and just guessed the context behind them? Typically your mind may see the art in a conservative sense, seeing a damsel in distress during a time of war or an innocent girl looking for shells on the seashore.

Verushka Darling opened up the possibility to look at this art and interpret it in a more bacchanalian way. She claimed to unlock the secret meanings in the National Art Gallery’s collections of old masters. Take a look at the video and step into the hilarious mind of Verushka.

I feel that all creative work is open to interpretation and should encourage discussion and engagement. We had a discussion amongst the Dream team if the original artist would be amused by their art being analysed in a different way and I think they’d love it. It increases awareness about the work and provokes an emotional reaction, which is what all creatives are aiming for with their work, no matter how it is received. Everyone has the right to have their own view and opinion of things and being able to discover the possible dual meanings of things only enriches our understanding of society.


Pushing views being the conservative is what Dream & Do pushes for as well. I hope this inspires clients and creatives to not be safe and ordinary in their approach but think how would Verushka approach it.

Ashley, Graphic Designer

INSPO #2 - Rose by Suda Yoshihiro

Whilst a few members of the Dream Team were getting their pretty faces made over at the “Glitter Bar”, I went for a wander in the “Upper Asian Gallery” just around the corder. Suda Yoshihiro’s 2004 work ‘Rose’, which consists of the flower and a petal, was an artwork that I stumbled upon here, during our fun evening at The Art Gallery. It is said to reflect the Japanese concept of ‘ma’, the space that exists between things or events. 

Tokyo-based artist Suda Yoshihiro makes extraordinary life-like wooden sculptures of flowers and weeds. Usually placed in large empty spaces, these delicate objects have a powerful presence. The space around the object is a crucial element of Yoshihiro’s work. By placing sculptures into often overlooked locations, (in this instance up high!) Suda increases awareness of space and encourages viewers to notice things they may otherwise overlook. 

I am currently obsessed by the idea of turning an “ordinary” experience, moment or object “extraordinary” one – and I find this theme cropping up in many design briefs I have worked on of late. I thought the work was a lovely metaphor for the process of creating design solutions: finding beauty in places and details often overlooked. Suda’s work is the perfect embodiment of this idea. The already delicate rose is made more delicate and special by the ornate carving and hyper-real colouring. It is suspended in the air (creating drama), and by treating the context with respect (space around the sculpture, and delicate lighting), the rose is given even more presence.  

I am especially drawn to art and design inspired by Mother Nature, and I loved the sense of respect for the rose that Yoshihiro had created in this artwork. The attention to detail (with a floating petal by the rose’s side) was breathtaking. It was a beautiful reminder to take joy in the happy little moments in life, and that inspiration is everywhere. 

Kate, Graphic Designer

INSPO #3 -  Alice and Alice by Cocoloco

I am a huge fan of performance art, especially art that surprises and delights, as well as pushing your buttons a bit. If performance art makes me nervous for what's to come, I am in! I very much got my wish while waiting on the steps of the Gallery for the final Dream Team members to join us.

Mid conversation these two delightful girls called Alice joined us. Like a true childhood nightmare, these two Alice's had all the familiar signs of the much-loved Disney character, but with something not quite right (potentially their corpse-esque make-up). Speaking in perfect unison, these two doll-like creatures introduced themselves to people and told stories that both shocked and entertained. 

 

Laura, Creative Project Manager

Getting to know Leezair

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Tech startups, adventure travel and the importance of a good brand - seemingly separate topics but they’ll all makes sense in the next edition of Cereal Entrepreneurs. We chatted with Leezair’s brand manager Rosa Clare Willis for the 411.

Have you ever found yourself in a foreign country, ready and raring for adventure but not sure where to find it? That’s the dilemma Angus Vidor was faced with in 2014, dying to go scuba diving in the Philippines but unable to easily book the activity online, last minute, in real time - and so Leezair was born.

The Leezair app allows travellers and adventure seekers to fully explore their surroundings, suggesting activities and experiences they can book with ease and convenience. Angus sees Leezair as more than an activity or leisure organiser though. For him, it’s about “utilising technology to innovate an industry that has been left behind.”

Innovation isn’t the only thing that Leezair values however, and the decision to recruit a brand manager as their first hire (a move uncommon in startups) is testament to the importance brand plays in this business.

Leezair is first and foremost an app, however, the brand positions itself not only as a tech startup, but as a movement - a movement that inspires adventure and creates freedom. It’s also a movement that aims to combat one of the main things standing in the way of people achieving this globe trekking freedom - fear.

According to Leezair’s brand manager, Rosa Clare Willis, their brand reflects this in every sense.  “Leezair has been created by a bunch of avid travellers.” She shares. “We have all felt the urge to explore and venture off the beaten track but there is a type of fear that holds us back. It's not a fear of the unknown, or getting lost or even running into trouble. It's a fear that we won't be able to find anything to do once we are there.”

Let’s face it, for those of us not technologically inclined, the idea of an activity booking app doesn’t sound overly exciting. The majority of us, when searching for an activity to do whilst travelling, will be more enthusiastic about the activity itself, rather than the process of booking. So how does one get the ordinary person excited about an app?

By developing a brand that sells a lifestyle rather than just a product, that’s how. That’s the way all of the world’s leading brands seem to do it. In reality, a computer is just a computer but a little brand by the name of Apple has managed to dominate the computer industry for years by marketing their product as a ‘tool’ that allows the creatives and visionaries and innovators of the world to lead an easier, cooler and more connected lifestyle. In comparison, in their 2006 campaign, ‘Get A Mac’ , Apple goes head to head with competitors, suggesting the PC is for the behind-the-times, old fashioned corporate type. We know which we’d rather be.

By aligning their product with aspirational qualities, Apple and other brands like it, attract consumers who want to emulate those qualities. Leezair have crafted a strong and attractive brand that will appeal to its target market - travellers and people who consider themselves adventurous and thrill seeking - by selling a lifestyle rather than just an app. Leezair becomes something that people want to be a part of and all of a sudden people are engaging with it.

“We knew we had the smarts to build the product, but we also know that technology doesn't inspire people into action,” Shares Rosa, “brands do. So that's why, every day, we work at building a movement with our brand, not just our technology.”

Consistency is also key when it comes to branding and the brand message itself must be reflected in every element of the business, not just in the logo and mission statement. “Our brand really does lead everything we do. We use our brand to guide our product and business development, partnerships and marketing strategy.” Says Clara. “It helps us to prioritise and ensure that we are always working on something that is valuable and true to our audience.”

Of course, it takes time to build any business and overnight success is rare, but Leezair has two elements that position it well. ”What we do know, is that the brand will work, because whenever we share our vision or purpose with people, customers and partners, their response is ‘How can we jump on board?’ We know that the technology works, but it will take time to really achieve our dream of creating personal experiences for everyone.”

Business owners need to be aware of the role branding plays in their business and the power a strong brand can have over an audience. “At the end of the day it truly doesn't matter what you create or how you create it,” explains Rosa, “what matters is that you are building something that people will be proud to associate themselves with.”

With new companies forming and innovators disrupting the tech industry all the time, technology itself can only get startups ahead for so long, until something more advanced is introduced. Branding, however, has the potential to build loyalty and trust and should not be undermined by tech startups, as it might just be the secret ingredient that keeps them relevant when the next best thing comes along. Like every good brand manager, Rosa knows this all too well, “If we can use our brand to build a loyal followership that will spread our messaging and purpose to the masses, it may just help us change the industry.”

Creative Show & Tell

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 - Meet the Bearded Bakers

Knafeh is a delicious, sweet and hot Israeli dessert, much like the boys that serve it to you! They are fondly known as the Bearded Bakers and have created quite a household name for themselves. 

I picked these guys for my creative show and tell this week because they inspire me on so many levels. Creativity is so much more than an interesting campaign idea. 

Their operational model is pure genius, using shipping containers means that they can take their service virtually anywhere in the world, and who doesn't want a business that has that scalability and freedom? 

They have an incredibly strong Brand. One that is unapologetic, fiery, raw and genuine. It's not afraid to stand out, and embraces their culture wholeheartedly. This comes across in their experience, their staff and their Instagram feed. 

Being single minded is built into their DNA. They do one thing and they do it well. They also don't need to be on every social network out there. 

They launched in the suburbs of Sydney. I'll say it again, in the suburbs. Super clever. Start with the audience that is easiest to convert and then use them to build your story. Now they can be found all over Sydney, including the CBD and most recently Melbourne. 

With their entrepeneurial flair and creative spirit, I reckon there's no limit to where the Bearded Bakers can go. 

Dani - Creative Strategist

INSPO #2 - How AI technology can help improve brand storytelling

As the tech landscape has evolved so drastically in the last few decades, many of us are asking ourselves “will the future be run by robots while we twiddle our thumbs?”. Yes, AI can do a lot for us in terms of data analysis but I feel empathy is a key ingredient that could never be digitally fabricated.

However, AI can be our best friend and make us better at what we do! Enter Influential, an AI platform that can help brands not only connect with their relevant audience but also calculate how the brand is being perceived and predict insights to discover latent needs. This technology uses IBM’s Watson and their personality insights and alchemy language to analyse content from a social influencer and score them against their relevance to your brand, depending on their demographics, psychographics, and context. These influencers will resonate with your audience and enable meaningful engagements.

Currently, Influential has gathered insights on 10,000 social media influencers which total 5 billion followers. Big players like Kia have trialed this tech and gained a 30% increase in engagement and recall when aligning the brand voice with relevant influencer voices. The data doesn’t lie and is hard to ignore!

Through the platform, brands and agencies can monitor the campaign and connect directly with influencers through the app. We can’t wait to try this out.

This is inspiring to me because I love using data to inspire creative concepts and help clients realise the potential measurable success. Using analytics to track the effectiveness of my creative output is also important to me and I want to make sure that I’m delivering work that generates the best possible engagement and perception for clients.

Ashley, Graphic Designer

INSPO # 3 - Minimalism: A documentary about the important things

We all know, from books like ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, that decluttering your home can bring about more peace, clarity and happiness into your life - But what about decluttering your business?

This week, I was inspired by a film called Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things.

It’s needless to say the film was cinematically stunning. With expansive shots of a bustling, consumer-crazed city, juxtaposed with a minimal desert, it’s cinematography keeps in tone with it’s powerful message that living simply creates more freedom and happiness.

As it’s title suggests, the film is about what filmmakers Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, call the important things, and it made me reflect on not only the important things in my life, but also how relevant these concepts are in running a business.

So - how does one become a Minimalist business owner? Or perhaps a better question is, how can we declutter our businesses, to achieve more peace, more focus and more ca-ching? I have a few thoughts:

1. Reconsider your marketing channels
Are you wasting time trying to pursue more marketing channels than they are worth? Instead of trying to be all things to all people, every minute, of every day, measure what’s most effective and focus on that. Put your other channels on pause, or invest in some social media management tools, like Hootsuite to help you free up some time.

2. Reconsider your space
Are you wasting money working out of a space you don’t need? Perhaps you thought you needed to get your very own warehouse-converted office in Surry Hills to impress your clients, or worst, your friends. There are plenty of amazing co-working spaces to consider.

3. Reconsider your why
We all know them. Those people who want to start a business for all the wrong reasons - vanity, ego, self-promotion. It’s important to remember why you wanted to start your business in the first place, and keep that top of mind in all your business decisions.

It’s an uncomfortable question to ask for some, because figuring it all out can mean some major changes need to be made. But trust me - you’ll thank yourself for it later.

In the film, I appreciated the fact that Minimalism is not made out to be anti-consumption, but rather, anti-compulsory consumption. In the same way, it makes you think about how business owners can sustain a revenue-oriented business, without the need for excessive spending or ego-driven decision making.

Emily - Marketing & Events Manager

INSPO #4 - Unequal scenes

Photographer: Johnny Miller

Drone photography and video has become increasingly popular recently with creatives capturing beautiful scenes in nature. 

This series is a little darker in contrast, highlighting the affect of the apartheid in Cape Town, South Africa which only in 1994. It is still clear to see the affects of the apartheid on the community being forcefully and architecturally segregated.

We can see the contrast of class and wealth with poverty in these images. It's surprising that this series has gone viral around the world, bringing this issue to light and creating much needed conversation, no matter how uncomfortable to some and this is what I found inspiring. Art as a powerful medium to make people see and face the truth's around them. 

Have a look at the website for more information behind the images. 

Renata - Graphic Designer & Photographer

 

A B to Jay-Z - 5 Minutes with Jessica Chiha

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If you’ve ever been to the Dream & Do offices, chances are you’ve heard some form of Beyonce/Drake/Gambino mash-up blaring on our speakers. What can we say, we’re big Hip Hop fans and we don’t care who knows it.

So you can imagine our excitement when this project crossed our path. For those of you who share our love for all things Biggie, or are looking for the ultimate, unconventional 'baby gift', this one's for you.

 

A B to Jay-Z - A Hip Hop Inspired ABC children's book

If you're having alphabet problems I feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems but my ABC's ain't one!
 

We sat down with one half of the dynamic duo behind this incredible idea, Jessica Chiha, (her hubby Danny is the other half), to chat about how this idea came about and where they’re hoping to take it from here.

 

Tell me about the idea behind the book, A B to Jay-Z - A Hip Hop Inspired ABC children's book?

The book is something I’ve wanted to do for years. My husband, Danny and I have always been obsessed with anything Hip Hop, and whenever our friends or family would have a child, I always found myself wanting to give them a “little gangsta gift”, something that reflected us and brought some of our personality to the present. In short, I always wished it existed, so I thought why not just do it myself?

 

What made you finally take the step to follow your dreams?

Danny and I have a vision board that we use to help visualise our goals, and Danny’s board last year included writing a book. It was coming up to the end of the year and it looked like it wasn’t going to happen, then we remembered this idea and it felt like the perfect time as we’d just found out we were pregnant with our first baby. I knew then that I had to make this dream into a reality. Along with the support of Danny and my friends and family, getting pregnant was the real push I needed to take the leap.

 

You’re just over half way with your Kickstarter campaign, how have you found it? Would you recommend Kickstarter to other Dreamers?

We were complete Kickstarter rookies when we started our campaign, but I cannot imagine doing it any other way. The whole process is very user friendly and I would recommend it to anyone looking to raise money for their business.

On top of that, Kickstarter is great to test the idea and see if there is a customer base out there without having to invest too heavily into the idea beforehand. People can donate however much they wish to, so it takes the pressure off.

Although saying that, we’re in the last week of fundraising now, so we’re really trying to raise the final amount to get it over the line. The pressures on now!

 

What’s the next steps after the Kickstarter campaign?

All the exact dates and details can be found on the Kickstarter page, but if we reach our target, we’ll immediately begin refining the illustrations and content, and then with the help of Dream & Do’s expertise in printing and production, we will have a printed product out to market in April.

 

And finally, what’s your advice for someone thinking about chasing their dreams but is holding back?

It’s sounds cliche, but you’ve just got to take that first step. I am not a risk taker, my husband is, and he’s always encouraged me to make this dream a reality. Once you do, you’ll realise how much overwhelming love and support you’ve got, which is key when taking a risk like this. Without my wonderful husband, friends and family and Dream & Do, I wouldn’t of had the courage to get the ball rolling and just make it happen. So just do it, take that first step, it feels amazing.
 


Needless to say, the Dream Team have already made their pledge and are counting down the days until the book arrives in the post, so head to the Kickstarter Campaign page now to check out the details. Make your pledge now and let's bring this baby (book) in to the world! 

 

Ladies Lounge Podcast with Tara

Tara SheltonComment

Our incredible Founder & Director, Tara Shelton, was interviewed on the wonderful podcast - The Ladies Lounge - with Anna Masse and Emma Franklin Bell. It was quite the interview, have a read of the transcript below or jump online here to listen for yourself. Enjoy!

Today we have Tara Shelton here from Dream & Do, she’s just amazing, she’s done all sorts of stuff - worked in design for years and we’re gonna talk about her jumping ship into her own business. She’s won a B&T 30 under 30 Award, she ran her first business called Moi Self and was featured in InStyle, Vogue and Hello May. She also won a young designer of the year award and now runs her own design agency Dream and Do.

Here she is on the lounge! Is there anything else you’d like to add Tara?

I’d just like to say that Dream and Do is a creative agency for startups, visionaries and dreamers everywhere, so it’s a very specific creative agency. There are a lot of agencies out there but not one specifically for startups.

When you talk about visionaries and dreamers, what does that mean to you?

Business visionaries are people who want to take their business to the next level, they want to do something different with it and they need to engage with creative people to give them an idea that they haven’t thought of already. Startups are of course bouncing with ideas, they just need help getting noticed, so we can give them a really powerful brand to do that. Business visionaries are people who want to reposition their business a little bit. People with businesses at the two, five and ten year mark are typically at the point where they want to rebrand and/or reposition, taking things to that next level.

Those are the kinds of people we work with and then we also deliver creative content for businesses. They’ve got this epic brand, have put the time and money into it, but how do they get consumers/customers to keep engaging with their brand in creative ways to keep them interested?

Aside from branding we do brand films, EDMs and social media, graphic design, live art at events to engage people in the audience, live social media (so interviewing people on the spot and blogging it straight away) - all the regular stuff but we really want to be doing the stuff that goes viral.

So you’re doing film stuff as well?

Yeah! I guess Dream and Do is just a creative pool outside your business that you can tap into to give you something amazing. We do have our standard range of services but we are the ideas people, the people that can make it happen, we hope to be a one stop shop for that.

Can I ask how you came up with that? You’re obviously in a position where you have experience in other jobs… so you saw this niche market and decided to work with entrepreneurs?

I’ve studied design and worked in marketing and graphic design for different fashion businesses and that was really great because I learnt the power of branding. Clothes are clothes, yes there are different designs but ultimately people are really buying a brand. That’s what I really learnt in the fashion industry. A brand reinvents the same thing, the same season over and over, that’s where I really developed my love of branding. The reason I wanted to work within agencies, the reason I chose my profession, funnily enough, was the movie What Women Want. When I was young I watched Helen Hunt up there presenting a Nike campaign and I was like “Oh my god, that’s what I want to do.” I literally chose my degree based on that scene in the movie. I wanted the experience of working in agencies, so after working in big agencies like McCann and boutique agencies like Studio Woo, I sort of realised that there was something missing for startups. It was something I noticed because I had my own business in the UK called Moi Self.

Yes, so tell us a little bit about that! So you were working in agencies when you came up with that concept?

I was working for a brand in the UK called White Stuff doing their design and marketing, art directing their shoots and things like that.

Had you gone on the classic 20’s two year visa sort of thing?

Ahh I have a passport so I went openly. It was meant to be two years but ended up being four... For my final year uni project I wanted to develop a brand. I have a history of depression in my family so I wanted to come up with some tools for girls to support other girls with before it got too bad, kind of a light hearted approach.

So I came up with five products - one was Helpful Hankies. I designed and screen printed them, one said ‘He’s not that hot anyway ‘ with a big cheetah on it, really cute and quirky! When I was interviewing for jobs in the UK I was showing this idea in my portfolio and everyone was saying ‘You should start this as a business!’ and two years into living in London I thought, ‘Stuff this, I’m gonna try!’

I think that’s where I got my love for the entrepreneurial journey. I’d always been a bit of an entrepreneur. I always had six jobs, never just one and would charge my little sisters to play with me and stuff like that... With Moi Self, I developed something from nothing and turned into into something fairly successful. I sold 5000 hankies, won an award, was stocked in major department stores, even in Colette Paris.

That’s huge! Retail is so hard over there (in Europe) too...

I had my day job as well which I was quite passionate about, so I took two weeks off work as a holiday and locked myself away in my studio apartment and got it going. Then on the side of my job, on weekends and nights I did the PR with a friend from work.

Did you start out doing markets or did you go straight in and pitch?

Straight to pitch! I didn’t have the time to do markets nor did I want to spend my time in London that way. It was a bit of a hobby but it went quite successfully, I got offered investment from My-Wardrobe owner Sarah Curran but denied it and decided to do it small by myself. I guess what that taught me, coming back to Australia, is there’s nothing like the buzz of starting your own business.

I was in agencies and getting tired of selling $12.95 hankies and I thought, I’m a person who has a million business ideas all the time and it’s kind of annoying because I’d need a thousand lives to do it all, so I thought, how can I use my skills in design to essentially start all these businesses or contribute to businesses?

I decided, I’m literally just going to offer my design and branding skills to startups. I was on a plane, working as a contractor at the time and I mentioned it to my husband saying “I think I’m gonna start a business called Dream & Do…” and he was like “Yeah, cool.” Cos I’m always coming up with ideas, sort of like “Yeah cool, can I finish this movie?”

I was writing like crazy and I thought ‘This is something.’ I googled ‘agency for startups’ and couldn’t find anything. My first challenge was everyone telling me I wasn’t going to make money out of startups.

...Yeah because people think startups don’t have much money, but you had done the startup journey and you knew how creatives work...

I knew there was value in it. Not everyone has the money and not everyone values spending money on branding. You need to test the market first, most businesses do to some degree, but I believe you don’t get a second chance at first impressions. You can create a brand from scratch quite cheaply if you work with the right people. If you want to differentiate in the market with your brand, you work with us. That’s our point of difference.

And you (Dream & Do) really grow brands because you’re so dedicated to it. I think, these days, that’s so important when every market is so saturated.

Absolutely. There are other options for startups - they can go to a graphic designer friend who will help them but they have their own stuff going on and you can’t feel like you can ask too much of them because they’re doing you a favour, then you’ve got Fiver and freelancer.com and everyone says they’re our competitors. They’re not. You can go and spend five dollars on a logo and realise you’ve spent 50 hours trying to get it out of them, so it comes down to how much your time is worth. Working with us, you’re really buying a relationship because we really care about our clients.

And for listeners, quite often people think branding is just a logo but in the marketing world we know that is not the case, so how could you sort of debunk that a bit Tara, and explain the almost holistic aspect of branding?

Branding is so much more than a logo, in fact it’s the last thing we do. Basically a brand is a personality. Think about what makes up your personality - it’s your values, how you dress, etc. There was a really good quote I read the other day, I can’t remember who said it but they said “We are all born naked and and we all dress in drag.” I thought that was really interesting and it says something about branding - how you dress up, your colours, your font, your imagery, it all says something about who you are. You’ve gotta figure out your values, your mission, your vision, these are all marketing bits you’ve gotta do. It’s really hard to work on it yourself, it took me ages to come up with my own and I do it everyday.

When you do your own, you start to compare yourself to competitors, then you’re judging yourself, then the overwhelm hits, then the fear hits because you want to be original and not copy anyone else. Do you find that’s one of the main issues clients feel, you know, ‘I want to be unique and original, how can I do that?’

These days it’s an information and knowledge economy. If you want to build a brand you can type into Google ‘How to build a brand’, so people feel that because they have the information that tells them how to do something, they think they can do everything and they can’t.

There’s no point in wasting that brain power. Instead focus on your customers, on your product, your efficiency and if you want a brand to differentiate yourself, work with someone, work with a creative.

I’ve always said everybody is creative but they close down, whereas with your creative eye, you can ask those questions to tease it out.

Yeah, I always bring up our logo, it’s a kind of constellation that says Dream & Do and yes, it’s all about the stars cos that’s nice and pretty and dreamy and fun, but people have all these gems that they come to us with, and we can join the dots. We tell them ‘Don’t think too much, just word vomit.’ and then we’ll say ‘That’s different. That’s not. That’s cool. That’s you.” and with all these bits of information we can form a picture. We also have a really unique practice... most agencies will get you to fill out a design brief and it’s very stiff - marketing objectives, what you want the customer to feel, the call to action. There’s no emotion and in that sense, I’m challenging how a design agency works as well.

Go you! Do you work with personal brands too?

Yeah! There’s been a real rise in that and personal brand goes hand in hand with your brand. When you are a startup, all you have is yourself so what we do particularly for startup branding  is we have this thing called the Dreamcatcher. It’s a very personal process, moodboarding their personal style and asking things like ‘What would you do if you weren’t afraid?’ ‘What does your house look like?’ What makes you feel good?’ rather than ‘how do you want your logo to look?’ There’s no point just executing it, we want to give you something that you can’t even imagine for yourself.

Yeah you’ve gotta cut through the rational mind and get to that emotional space, that’s quite personal development-y, isn’t it?

It is personal development and I guess that’s the difference with Dream & Do and why I feel passionate about it. We really are helping people follow their dreams. I’m not saying brand is everything but it gives them confidence. We see people come in with an idea but they are really lost even though they know they can do it. But when they walk out with this amazing brand…. a holding page and business card can make someone feel like a million dollars! I had a business card before I had a website and I’m a designer, but that little piece of power is so important to your own self esteem.

That’s my personal satisfaction. Not chasing the big marketing dollars like every other agency. You’re just a supplier in their eyes and I don’t want to be with everyone else kissing butts to get a piece of that pie. I wanna help the everyday person, the person who sends us flowers because they couldn’t have done it without us. That’s what makes us feel good everyday. Yeah we have to get paid, we’re a business too, but that’s not what makes it feel nice.

What’s your ‘why’ behind Dream & Do?

My why… I worked on it recently and again, you can’t decide on it overnight, it comes to you, it changes. My current why is ‘to help people create their own destiny by giving them the courage to do what they always dreamed of.’

Business can create your world if you’re up for it. It’s frickin hard, it’s not for everyone but if you want to take control of your life and you have an idea, then it’s a really good way of creating your own reality.

You say it’s hard, can you talk through some of those challenges? Because a lot of our listeners are in those early stages.. How old is your business?

Two years, so we’re still in startup phase.

To have a team of four people, that’s amazing, well done! And when you came back from being overseas, what were some of those early challenges?

I really  believe it’s not as scary starting out as it is when you’re in the thick of it. I didn’t have any fear because I didn’t have anything to lose. As soon as you start having people to pay, as soon as you’ve put what you believe in out there, you’ve gotta keep going and and that’s the scary part for me. I’ve had heaps of jobs where I’ve started and failed so I’m not scared of failure, I’m scared of success. I’m scared of what that success means for my life outside of the business because I’m super focused and can just go underground and that’s not good for my health.

I feel like there’s so much out there that can inspire people to start businesses and that’s fantastic, but there’s not much out there that supports people in the thick of it. People talk about the fear of starting, but for me, I was excited to start. When there’s more to lose (now) and it’s bigger, that’s when it is scary.

Especially when you have that responsibility of payroll. You’re kind of just on that treadmill and you have to keep the growth going and the business development going, you can’t just stop because you’ve got a team to pay.

Yeah, and a team that are on board with your vision too. As a startup, people working for you accept less money, they accept the fact that it’s a less established business, no HR etc, but it’s an exciting journey for them because they have to buy into you and what you see the company becoming.

And do you have a BDM or are you the one out there getting clients?

Yeah thats me, but I love that part of it! I don’t see it as selling, if you’re passionate about it, it sells itself.

So how do you think you harness your ideas and say ‘Ok we’ve gotta get strategic here and do this…’

My account manager, if she’s listening! It’s very interesting being an entrepreneur because you start doing what you’re good at, then you start doing all these other things you’re not good at and then they take you away from what you’re good at.

I suddenly became an account manager because I hired designers, so I was managing relationships and managing deadlines and I’m ok at that, not gonna totally talk myself down, but I don’t love it. I find it really hard and it interrupts my creative brain and pressure is not good for creativity. It is too a certain degree but not a lot of it. That was a huge step for me because Laura (my account manager), thrives on that, she loves being organised, loves seeing things through, she’s fantastic with people and that really freed me up. Suddenly I found that clients loved her more than me!

Were you jealous?

Haha I was kinda just like ‘Wow, that’s cool!’ and then I realised that I’m not meant to do that job because I felt relieved that relationships were being taken care of. I’m better at meeting new people, my husband is always like ‘Tara stop making friends.’ He’s joking, but now that I’m a mum, I have 10 mother in our mother’s group and I walk around the streets and talk to random people and suddenly I’m doing business with them. That’s just how I work and it’s what I love.

Can you give our listeners a couple of tips on letting go then? I think that’s something that’s so hard to do and you’ve obviously found a team you can trust. Was there a few stages?

Yeah there’s heaps of stages because I was designing and now I don’t design anymore. That was a huge step because that’s my identity. I’m creative and now I don’t even use Illustrator or anything anymore.

I had to move into more of a creative director role and decided I couldn’t do both, so the first ‘letting go’ was letting go of design completely.

Do you still do stuff in your own time?

No I don’t have time now, with a baby but I think about it all the time. We just started another business called Little Succers - it’s a same day succulent delivery service and it’s a Dream & Do business. We’ve just got an Instagram following at the moment, first we’re building interest.

How did you come up with succulents?

This is how we work: it’s literally just banter at a desk -

“Oh I can’t find a succulent.”

“Oh we should do same day succulent delivery because flowers die. Flowers suck. Little succulents. Little Succers, Ha, lets do it!”

I love it!

Same with Cereal Entrepreneurs, that was a mistake! Cereal with a ‘c’, it’s a breakfast event.

Amy, our old copywriter was proofreading a blog post and it was about someone who had started a cereal business and it said ‘cereal entrepreneur’ and she said, ‘Oh, is that an event?’ and I said ‘No but that’s cool….’ and that’s how that started! It’s just about being open to mistakes often and being open to little random ideas. But it is distracting.

Yeah because you can’t do everything. So how do you let go, but keep that vision? You’ve got the overarching Dream & Do obviously...

It’s hard to stay focused, that’s the downside of being creative so that’s why I have to have people like Laura. Dream & Do is the big vision. It’s going to be more than an agency, it’s going to be a creative space where people can go to feel creative.

Dream will be down the bottom and Do will be the agency up the top. So that’s the big vision but how I get there, I don’t know yet. So I guess when I come up with these little ideas, I think ‘Could this help the big vision?’

Wth Little Succers, it’s our own creative project, we have the reigns and with that we can sell ourselves to our clients and say ‘Look if you can just trust us, look what we can do.’ Because that is the challenge, people come to us like ‘No, no I imagined this...’ and that’s fine because it’s their baby, but the clients who have really benefitted from us are ones like Happy Way (a protein powder that we completely did everything for - not taking credit for the business because they are going amazing, but we did the branding, the website, packaging, all the copywriting, taglines everything). They said ‘Just do it.’

They trusted us and the results have been amazing and now they just give us the creative freedom. So if we have our own little business, or little experiments then we have our own projects to show them what we can do without constraints. That’s how I manage my ideas - does it fit overall or is it just something I’m being distracted by?

Do you have any wise words you’d like to wrap up with, that would be fruitful for listeners to know?

Creativity is super important in this day and age. Before, I touched on how we are in an information and knowledge economy and it’s a really exciting time for creatives because you can’t google how to be creative. You have to practice using that muscle. People engage with emotions so I would challenge people to stay off Google and Pinterest as much as you can. There are no original ideas ‘out there’. Original ideas are the ones that you see in your own way, in your own experience and you try and manifest them.

So that would be my advice, obviously read all the business books find out all the stuff you can, but then just sit on it, don’t jump on acting on what everyone has told you because you won’t be original in that way. Think about doing the opposite.


Brand is also super important but I guess it’s being clear, like that saying, that you can be the juiciest peach in the world but there’s always going to be someone who doesn’t like peaches. I feel it’s the same with business. We only wanna work with people who believe in branding. There’s no point trying to sell it to someone who doesn’t, so listeners, if you believe in branding and just don’t know how to do it, then come to us and we’ll give you something amazing.

 

Listen to Tara's interview here - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/the-ladies-lounge/id1135933189?mt=2

Creative Show & Tell - Colours, cards, collabs and concepts!

Tara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 - Business Cards +

I'm a self confessed stationery nerd, so when I came across these bad-boys on Moo's website the other day, I almost fell off my chair.

Inarguably Moo plays the printing game well. They're cheap, cheerful (great branding) and very user friendly. They've just added an additional product to their line however, called Business Card +. In a nutshell, it's chipped cards that allow your cards to digitally interact with holder, sending them to your website, social media, new product, basically whatever your heart desires. 

I love the possibilities this kind of technology brings and cannot wait to workshop some incredible ideas with the Dream Team. Currently it's only compatible with Google or Android phones (booo), but once it hits iPhones, I predict this bad-boy will go off! 


Laura
Creative Project Manager

INSPO #2 - A New Economy 

In this "modern age" I think its always good to consciously consider the choices we make in life, work and the ripples that we create collectively as humanity. "A New Economy" is a documentary that focuses on this bigger picture. Of course there is a realistic underpinning, holding us back and dictating the way we function, and it is hard for many to embrace a system that could so easily in the wrong hands swing towards the scary extremes, like communism once did. 

But with the heart and soul of mankind in the right places we can PIVOT! And reject the status quo - that of which money is tantamount when it comes to the operations of society. With "A New Economy" it is nice to escape for just over an hour to a Utopia of sorts where individuals are coming together to create this "New Economy", one that will be able to sustain humanity, not just in a visceral sense, but spiritually as well. It's fulfilling to look at wealth as something that isn't just felt when we reach into our pockets. 

It was interesting seeing the reactions of my peers when first viewing this film at university. There was a unspoken majority that secretly longed and dreamed for this idealistic balance that would be created through an exclusive NGO/Non-for profit model. But at the same time they had an unspoken reluctance, underscored by a fear to disrupt. And a resignedness, believing the existing economic models were so deeply ingrained there was no point in lifting a finger. Then, veering to a negative extreme - some were outraged that such a skewed perspective was being shown to us. That realistically speaking, why the heck would you give ideas away for practically free and that businesses like this would NEVER exist in a world like ours. 

But they are. And they're working - despite the small scale they exist on. If Dream and Do has taught me anything in the short amount of time i've been here its to Dream Big - and don't be afraid to jump or you'll never get anywhere.

Edie
Graphic Designer Intern

INSPO #3 - Lagom - A lesson from the Swedes

Lagom was one of the few words I placed on my vision board for this year during a creative session with the Dream Team. It’s a word that I hold dear to my heart after living in Stockholm Sweden from 2013 - 2016. It’s a word I was most often introduced to by Swedes as the core of Scandi psyche; their way of life. In Swedish, I’ve been told, it translates to the feeling of being ‘just right’, ‘not too much, not too little’, ‘a middle ground’, ‘‘the perfect balance’. It’s all about being fair and that there is virtue in moderation.

This word presented itself to me again while browsing the Domain app, of all places. It featured an article on how Lagom is going to be the mantra for 2017. When researching deeper, this new story seemed to be picked up by everyone from Vogue, Elle and Harpers Bazar to the BBC, The Telegraph and The Huffington Post. These articles discussed how this philosophy of Lagom will be sought after due to the global ructions of 2016. In a world of contradictions and extremes, the appreciation will grow for restraint and an emphasis on the communal over the individual.

The word comes from the days of the Vikings where a single cup of mead would be passed around and each member of the group would take a small sip. It was the selfless act of taking the right amount to make sure that there would be enough for everyone to get a taste when it came around. This concept shows itself in many of Sweden’s social values from work life balance, to their consideration of their environmental impact. Some say it’s an inner voice that guides them not to be too showy or too shy, not to build extravagant homes but to be simple with style. It’s been a primarily socialist country for generations, and many other cultures talk of it in high esteem.

There is a lot we can learn from this way of thinking. It encourages us all to look after each other and realise that what’s best for you is what’s best for the group.


This is inspiring to me as I feel we should consider this in all our work at Dream & Do. Yet we must also approach Lagom with caution and modesty as well. To approach moderation in moderation to not stifle creativity.

Ashley
Graphic Designer

INSPO #4 - Worlds Favourite Colour

I found this site by chance on Instagram. It's a microsite by Colourplan, a huge paper supplier for printers around the world. 

As you peel back the layers you can see it is much more than it appears, it has hidden purpose. A few things inspired me: the first being the user experience and interactivity - the whole screen is a playing field of colour. I spent a good few minutes just exploring every corner of the screen to see the minute differences in colour. 

The website's purpose is to collect information on individuals and find out their favourite colour, it does so with a small form that is easy and quick to digest that it's painless and has received tonnes of submissions from people around the world. Personally I'd love to see the trends they'll find out from the information they'll collect, I love data visualisation and what it can say about our current culture. 

This is just an all round great idea which I think is a perfect example of we would love to do for Dream and Do. We don't won't give too much away but creating an online dream catcher would be cool... 

http://worldsfavouritecolour.com/

Renata
Graphic Designer & Photographer

Creative Show & Tell - Something sad, something mad, something rad!

Creative Show & TellTara SheltonComment

INSPO #1 Jason Silva - The Looking Glass Self

This is now my second piece of inspiration from Jason Silva, my previous one if you remember was 'what is the new billionare'. He is a modern philosopher using creativity and media to speak about technology, relationships, love and creativity with his series 'Shots of Awe'. Definitely recommend checking him out! 

Anyway, onto this particular video. I found his concept of identity and authorship and how we decide to portray ourselves, really fascinating, especially since we work in branding and social media. Essentially we create a brand for ourselves, carefully curating what we put up, when and the captions write. Branding really has never been more important or more understood than it is right now. 

What he says about the "Looking Glass Self" (We are not who we think we are, we are who we think other's think we are), is an amazing perspective about identity and that it is instead fluid and ever changing. Our everyday interactions end up creating our impression of ourselves but also allows us to change into who we rather be, how we rather others think about us.  

Renata
Graphic Designer & Photographer


INSPO #2 The Phone of the Wind: Whispers to Lost Families

NSFW guys (because of tears).

On a hill in Otsuchi Town in northeastern Japan is a phone booth known as the "Telephone of the Wind". It is connected to nowhere, but people come from all over Japan to find some closure and speak to their family members lost during the tsunami of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Heart breaking right?

This beautiful and heart-wrenching act is captured in a documentary by NHK World TV, telling the stories of those who come to the phone booth to speak and find closure.
This story for me is less inspiring and more beautiful, as I believe there is no emotion stronger than love, and that we should always connect with those we love, no mater how we go about it.

Have a read for yourself here

Laura
Creative Project Manager


INSPO #3 Founder Cards

Everybody loves a freebie!

I think we all secretly love to be surprised with a freebie. Whether it's a free hot bread roll before a meal, or a free lollipop at a counter, I'm sold! For me that generates instant brand love and appreciation. The only problem with these examples is that once received the engagement stops there.

When attending Startcon this November I received a freebie that really left an impression. It was a sample pack of founder cards. They were given out at the end of Ben Sand's talk where he passionately spoke about how he is on a mission to help Startups succeed (very in line with Dream & Do). The cards help you with a range of things from staying focused by saying no, how to hire by writing a love letter and handling high stakes meetings by channelling fear into excitement.

What I really liked about this freebie was that I wanted to keep them in my pocket to give me support even in daily life. With that kind of repeat engagement and assistance, my rapport with the brand grew and grew. I think these simple yet extremely helpful guides that are easy to digest and can be read on the go is exactly what an busy entrepreneur needs. I also liked that they are tactile and not digital because online I think they would loose their preciousness and get lost amongst the noise of other messages we consume.

This inspires me to think of what Dream & Do could produce as part of a starter kit we are developing when new dreamers ask for our support.

Ashley
Graphic Designer
 

Tara’s Top Tips for living a creative life

Dream & DoComment

One of the key motivations of Dream & Do is the desire to combine business with creativity, and spread that message. Businesses come to the agency when they’re feeling stale or stifled, unsure of the next step, or how to reach their target market/audience through new and creative methods. Here are Tara's top tips for living a creative life...