Tiffany Loh: How did the idea start?
Marsha Golemac: A few years back I came to a crossroad and started asking myself, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" It’s a strange question to ask yourself at 28, but I realised that it is very natural for one to discover new interests or revisit old ones as time moves on.
I looked back at my childhood and realised that the little me really seemed to be on to something all those years ago. I spent my time drawing, painting, creating collages and constantly rearranging my parents’ home. I guess I was naturally influenced by society to ‘grow up’, find a full-time job and eventually make lots of money, when in fact I should have just listened to my 10-year-old self and said ‘I want to create beautiful things, and get paid for it!’
I wanted to explore being my own manager. I’ve found when you work for someone else you always have support, but when you’re on your own you only have you and that’s a challenge. I needed that experience, not just from a business perspective, but also a personal one.
TL: How did you start the business?
MG: I gave myself three months to get my first paid freelance job. I was very determined but I also understood that the dream jobs don’t just come in right away. You will always (and I do mean always) have to do work that doesn’t particularly make you scream with excitement, but it’s your approach that really determines this.
Some projects are more elaborate, some have a bigger budget, but what matters and what makes a particular project exciting is the client. When I’m working with a client who’s passionate about creating something unique for their brand or business I get chills of excitement. It’s also more collaborative, which I love.
TL: What did you realise?
MG: Work won’t always come to you and I think that’s a good thing because it keeps you on your toes! When I started freelancing I contacted businesses and magazines that I wanted to work with and thankfully some of them were interested. Now these relationships have grown and new ones have been established naturally due to networking and being open to new things.
The Biggest Lesson
Contact those who inspire you, you never know what may come of it. The first thing I did when I left my day job was contact someone I admired in the industry and asked them out for a coffee. Instead, she invited me into her home and made me coffee. I asked her all the questions I wanted answers to and that conversation was enough for me to say, ‘Okay, it’s time to go for it’.
