How I built my successful 6 figure business over 3 decades

My journey began with a key decision: choosing Charles Sturt University over TAFE, following my parents' advice that a degree would open doors for my future. While balancing high school, university, basketball, and swimming, I worked hard to set a strong foundation for my career.

After graduating, instead of taking a gap year like many peers, I followed my family’s advice and applied for jobs immediately. To my surprise, I landed the first role I applied for—a junior designer position in Mosman. There, I gained experience in pre-press, print production, and proofing, working with clients like Ilve, Columbia TriStar, and Xerox. During this time, I registered my business name, VR Graphics, to handle freelance projects alongside my full-time role.

I later joined a design agency in Surry Hills, where my work on movie artwork strengthened our collaboration with Columbia TriStar and Universal Studios. While I loved the creative projects, I wanted to grow further, so I continued freelancing to build my portfolio.

My next step was an in-house design role at Caltex Australia, managing retail projects like Catalogues, point-of-sale, web, brand and illustration. I worked across branding, engineering, and digital teams, and my artwork for racing campaigns gained recognition internationally. Caltex even won the Best Industry POS Award during my time there.

My next venture, I joined Singleton Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Agency, working on campaigns for KFC, Dove, LG, and more. My designs for Scratchies were rolled out nationally, and my Rugby logo pitch was chosen. While freelancing for Vitalgas on the side, I began building their branding.

When the agency was making changes and lost major accounts, I was made redundant, but it became a turning point. I used my payout to focus on VR Graphics full-time. Caltex became a long-term client, and word-of-mouth brought collaborations with brands like Aldi, Nudie Juices, The Distributors, The Sunrise Group, Metro Petroleum, and others.

The journey wasn’t without challenges. Running my business allowed me to balance work and parenting as a single mum while learning to value my skills and charge fairly. During COVID, contracts slowed, but I adapted by investing in a website, focusing on social media, and expanding into Etsy. This pivot created passive income and gave my brand new visibility world wide.

Looking back, I’m proud of how far I’ve come. Despite ups and downs, the lessons I’ve learned have shaped me, enabling me to grow a six-figure business and sustain it for nearly three decades.

Lessons learned over the years in business

1. Resilience is Key
   Life and business are full of highs and lows, but staying focused and adaptable ensures you can overcome any challenge.

2. Opportunities Can Arise from Setbacks
   Redundancy or unexpected changes may feel like a loss, but they can open doors to new and better opportunities.

3. Never Stop Growing
   Always seek to expand your skills and knowledge. Each career step helps you develop expertise that later contributes to business success.

4. The Power of Networking
   Strong relationships and word-of-mouth referrals are invaluable for building and sustaining a business.

5. Consistency Builds Trust
   Delivering quality work and meeting deadlines consistently fosters long-term client relationships and repeat business.

6. Adaptability is Essential
   Challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic forced me to pivot my business, proving the importance of embracing change and finding new ways to grow.

7. Diversification Creates Stability
   Expanding into Etsy and social media allowed me to create new revenue streams and reduce dependence on a single client base.

8. Passion Fuels Success
   Loving what you do keeps you motivated, even during tough times.

9. Prioritise Balance
   Running your business allowed me to be present for my family while pursuing my professional goals.

10. It’s Never Too Late to Start or Pivot
    Success is achievable at any stage of life with dedication and the right mindset.

It’s never too late to chase your dreams! I’m living proof that with determination and focus, anyone can create the life and freedom they aspire to. 

Kindest Regards