Liz Nable 0:00
Spend just a few minutes with a pencil artist Cathy Hamilton. And you know, you're in the company of one of those iconic Aussie characters, who just epitomises all the best bits of the bush, humble, humorous, happy and pretty matter of fact about her success. She's arguably one of Australia's most well known pencil artists, and a very talented one at that. clever and creative from a young age. Cathy's worked in product development at origin and tried her hand at many other artistic endeavours like oil painting and ceramics over the years. But it's the incredible magic she creates when she picks up a pencil and a piece of paper that has catapulted her to commercial success in Australia, and led her to start her own business. Cathy Hamilton artworks at the tender age of 57. Inspired by the farm animals in and around her home, a bee farm just outside Cootamundra in rural New South Wales. Cathy initially started drawing again as a hobby after her adult children left home. At a friend's suggestion, she turned some of her drawings into cards and began selling them. It was a small but enjoyable lifestyle business. But lo and behold, a drought a couple of COVID lock downs and a feature as one of the first artists on the famous buy from the bush platform. And Cathy's little business exploded, graciously ambitious and not afraid of admitting she has plans for world domination in more than just the pencil art space. Cathy's range has now expanded to greeting cards, gift tags, soaps, art prints, bookmarks, notebooks, tea towels, tablecloths, placemats, and baby blankets. And they're all proudly Australian made. Plus for hobbies happy to because as he says pencils are cheap. Cathy story has cut up captured the attention of the rural media too, with features in Central West living the land and grazie her. And her Instagram popularity is pretty impressive too. With a bit of a dodgy internet connection at times, and enthusiastic Kilbey in the background. And Cathy's other half packing parcels on the side. It took us four goals to get this episode going. But we got there in the end. I absolutely loved this chat with Cathy. She's larger than life itself. And speaking of large, there are big exciting things happening for Cathy Hamilton artworks this October. So watch this space. Or better yet, head over to her Instagram page at Kathy Hamilton underscore artworks to be the first to find out. But don't go anywhere just yet. You've got a podcast episode to listen to. Hello, I'm Liz Nable. And you're listening to Nable My Business, the podcast. When I first started in small business almost 10 years ago, I had no idea what I was getting into. You see my background was in the media. I had spent 15 years as a television news journalist and reporter working at several major networks in Australia. And then as a freelancer in the US and around the world. I spent years dividing my time between working long shifts on a news desk and travelling the world chasing stories. It was unpredictable and exciting. Until it wasn't anymore. I decided I wanted a life where I was in charge of what happened next. And where I was working to build my own empire, not someone else's. I also never wanted to work a midnight new shift again. Now, I don't have to. There was a lot I had to learn about running my own business. But one thing I already had in the bag was how to get media coverage and free PR. I knew what the media wanted. I knew the secret formula for what made us and I knew how to leverage those organisations to build my business, get more exposure, and ultimately make more sales. During my decade of building my business, I have managed to get featured in almost every major news outlet in the country. I've been interviewed on television countless times had personal profiles written up in women's magazines don't point of view pieces for large newspapers, and being listed in top 100 List women in business and in my industry. And I've never spent a single cent on PR. I took that knowledge for granted until it dawned on me one day that I could teach what I knew to other businesses, let them in on a secret and they too could build their businesses, leveraging the media and gaining free PR. They could use my insights in the industry and my behind the scenes experience and take their business from best kept secret to a well known brand simply by following my formula. Welcome to enable my business the podcast.
Thank you Cathy for joining us on the show today full time lucky
Cathy Hamilton 5:03
Thank you, Liz. So much life on the farm always has its problems.
Liz Nable 5:07
No, absolutely. I totally understand now I've been really excited to chat with you because Grace Brennan, who has been on the show in the last couple of weeks, recommended your story, to me is a really fascinating one to share. So, I've been super keen and excited to speak to you,
Cathy Hamilton 5:25
mate. This is great fun. Thank you for having me. So I think
Liz Nable 5:32
part of the catalyst of your story, which I love is that you started the business that you're in now as a pencil artist, Cathy Hamilton artworks when you were 57 years old. We will talk about that. But can we go back to the start? And can you tell me a little bit about what led you to that point?
Unknown Speaker 5:51
Okay, well, I've always been creative. I drove my mother Mom, mad as a small child, I was always creating things, sticking glueing drawing you name it. Loved art at school. So then lived in a city and about 20 years ago, my my husband's family had properties at scone and we thought we'd follow suit. And so we packed up and we bought a property out of brewer in New South Wales. And we had a sheep and cattle property there. And all was well. But all of a sudden, things got hairy. My father died, whom I adored. We were threatened with wind farms surrounding us, which we didn't agree with. And then I was dying. Now as with breast cancer, and it was quite severe, so we battled through that, and then decided that you know, life's short, let's semi retire, I guess that's the word we're looking for. So we sold a property decided that cheaper to purchase. So we moved south down out of Cootamundra and bought a beautiful old 1865. Home, and which we decided to renovate. And then we actually I found that I had more time on my hands. And I saw Oh, so I started drawing again, because drawing is my passion, my absolute passion. And we're very lucky include Amanda to have an art centre. And so I went along there once a week and just drew with a group of women. And I kept drawing. And then I started drawing animals on the farm, some of my dead ones, loved ones, and one of my girlfriends, and what are you gonna do with these drawings? And I went, I don't know. Have you ever thought of making them into cards? So I said, Yeah, why not? Give it a go. So I had a few printed, I went to a local shop and said, What do you think? And they went, Oh, my God, these are great. So 152 stores later? Here I am.
Liz Nable 8:03
That's incredible. So tell me a little bit about your early life, though. How I know you said you were always had your hands in paint pots, and all that sort of stuff. But was there a career before now that led you? Were you in designing a career or were you what career did you have before this? Or were you at home with the kids or
Unknown Speaker 8:23
now? Well, it's funny, I actually worked for a company, whichever, I don't know, Oroton, and I was a product manager for the for them for a long time. And then I had children. And I was home with my three month old baby and I said, Oh my god, this is what I'm going to do. So I started cross stitching, and I used to make baby brand books and off they go and I'd sell them to the local shop. And then as a kid started growing up, I was took up oil painting and then I started trying everything and then I got into the world of ceramic so I actually opened a ceramic art studio in Sydney. And from there then I started taking tours of women to Spain, Portugal and Italy. And they were sort of ceramic shopping, drinking and eating tours and they were brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. But then I was working on a big one when September live and hit and that's stopped that and then within six months with found the farm
Liz Nable 9:31
so you've always been you'd have you've always been very artistic always had a design brain it sounds like what sort of what sort of ledges
Cathy Hamilton 9:43
once you've been left handed? Oh wow.
Liz Nable 9:47
Well, I've got no hope then because I'm right handed. So you started the business now you obviously you will you had that your husband on the farm and that so it was a side business would you say like a side hustle with the cards and the pencil drawings on the side and tell me about how it how you built it from there.
Cathy Hamilton 10:07
Oh, totally. And utterly. It was just, it was just something tiny. And I used to go down to Sydney and get printed, and then I'd cold call on people. And then my daughter helped me set up a website. And it just just kept evolving. And all of a sudden, my poor husband was having to come in and help me pack boxes in his spare time. And so this went on for a few years. And then the next thing, Grace Brennan came into my life, and they she started up the bar from the bush pay. And I had gone into at that stage, handmade soaps from Queensland, and they will come in the white box, featuring my artwork, and they featured my son. So pretty soon after that, the Instagram page started and I was absolutely overwhelmed. I just got my website up and running, and I still couldn't use it. And then all of a sudden, you see this Ding, ding, ding, ding these orders, I was getting 60 and 65 orders a day. And it just kept happening and happening and happening. So anyone that buys from me on the retail side gets every gift, beautifully wrapped, handwritten card and a beautiful bow. And my husband was sitting with me to two in the morning trying to do bows, and then they just kept going out. Then the next thing Grace organised and how she did I don't know, she organised this amazing marketplace in Martin Place in the city. And there were 20 rural businesses chosen and I happened to be one of them. And it was the most amazing day of my life. And I'll never, ever, ever, it'll never be replicated. It was just brilliant. And so then I sort of thought, Well, okay, this is really starting to work. So now I go and exhibit in trade show. So I do two trade shows a year. I've just come back from Melbourne, this last few days, and was my fifth one. And I think it was my best. And I'm getting a bit of a name out there. And I've moved into textiles. And because I've remained true to Australian made. And that is one of my biggest things is being Australian May I now, having produced here, beautiful tablecloths featuring my artwork, tea towels, beautiful baby throws, and I'm the sort of person that like, you know, once I've achieved doing a product to go, oh, gosh, what do we got, we've now got to get another one, I've got to get another one. So I keep trying to reinvent. So we build a warehouse here. And now we're about to outgrow it.
Liz Nable 12:46
Oh my gosh, that's amazing. Was there a moment that you can remember in your childhood when you discovered you could draw? I'm
Cathy Hamilton 13:00
probably not till I was about eight. And then I knew I could draw. And then I remember when I was about 15, there was actually just really brought back this memory, there was a company in Sydney. And it was a graphic design company, which before computers. And they used to be looking for new graphic artists. And I was thinking what I do when I left school, so they'd send you out in the mail two or three pictures of a cartoon, and you had to copy it and send it back to I just remember. And then they said, Well, if you want to go when you leave school, we take you on the head, it was hysterical, that I didn't do it.
Liz Nable 13:45
So I discovered you can draw. And I think you kind of know, I'm thinking back to that age. And I'm not creative in that way in terms of drawing it or I think I'm creative in other ways, because I'm a journalist but or former journalists. So I'm creative with words, but but I know that I'm not an amazing writer. Is there something? Is it learned or is it instinct? Or what would you say? How did you feel about being able to beautifully? I think it's
Cathy Hamilton 14:15
a bit of both. And I think when you're a child, you don't really think about what you're doing. You just produce it. And as I got older, you know, I knew that there were rules without and so I did a lot of I did a lot of courses to nine. So I went along and I sort of learned the meaning of tonal values and I learned you know, perspective and each each workshop, I learned something from and I think now because I do it all the time. It's almost become second nature. You know, as soon as I do also do a lot of pet portraits. And I look and I know myself, the minute I get their eyes, right, I've done I've got the picture, done and asked did
Liz Nable 15:00
incredible. Can you explain to me a little bit about when you when you first you said were You were featured on Buy From The Bush, and you could hear the computer or your phone dinging with the orders coming through? What was your reaction? Did you realise that was orders being made? Or did you
Cathy Hamilton 15:21
I just, I couldn't stop jumping up and down, I couldn't believe that my little website was up and running was just going off. And I just, I couldn't believe it. And I didn't have a lot on the website, then. But the people who were jumping on to buy the sites, were looking at my cards, and we're looking at my wrapping paper, and we're looking at the prints. So they just just kept going. And I still have people that bought from me way back then that still bought from me now, which is lovely. It was just, it's just terrific.
Liz Nable 15:51
And what did your husband say? Was he beside himself when you were just all of a sudden overcome by this influx of orders?
Cathy Hamilton 15:57
Yes, he was. And we just thought it was absolutely fantastic. And as I said, I think he you know, getting him inside to help wrap and tie bows. And after day three of about, you know, I don't know, four or 500 little presents with bows, I think he almost had it. And he said, I think I can hear the cattle calling. I have to go now.
Liz Nable 16:19
Oh, that's so was there at that point, when you when that buy from the bush kind of early stages, buy from the bush launched and you had this overwhelming, you know, number of orders? Did the penny drop, then at least was a business? So are you still just thinking this is a little bit of a novelty?
Cathy Hamilton 16:37
No, no. Well, I see I already had some existing customers. And then I just I just got such a buzz from the whole thing. I decided to really knuckle down and grow. And I've now got I've got a girl who works for me. And now I've got two other girls that work off site for me. So I'm slowly building up my little crew, and a bit about me is Liz, I never shut up. I never shut up. And I've tried to be funny. And I love young people. And it's so good. I have met through this entire journey. So many young, especially rural women in business, who have I can say have become my friends. And when I can't work out how to do an email or how to do something, I jump onto the phone and they will help me they just, it's just I love it. I just love them. And I love what what I've created.
Liz Nable 17:34
What a fantastic discovery at at this point in your life to realise that there's this whole, not just the business opportunities, but this network of people who are like minded to you that you can lean into.
Cathy Hamilton 17:51
Ah, it looks He's incredible. And I don't think that the what goes on out here in the bush the quality of the work that some of these girls do. And I mean, they mainly girls, and the way they nurture their business is just second to none. I just I just find it fascinating. And they're also lovely, you know, they just would do anything to help me because, you know, I keep saying, I'm 62 I've got so much to get done before I die. You need to help me and they do I feel sorry for me.
Liz Nable 18:23
Do you think there's a different perspective? I mean, you saying that to me? Now I just I'm thinking because you start a business later in your life? Do you feel like you're looking at it through different eyes? And if you'd started at 30 years ago, are you in a race here to go? I've got to do this, this, this and this. These are the things that I want to get done now. Is this a sense of gap?
Cathy Hamilton 18:48
Oh, there there is. Because I know it's getting more difficult with it. I mean, I've mastered not quite Instagram, but keeping up with the changes and this is why I've got this gorgeous young girl at the age of 22 helping me now I don't know if it's a race. Yes, I would have loved to have started years and years ago. But I still think I bring some knowledge to these younger people. You know, like when they talk I can still advise them on things that I don't know. I just I guess that's just a maturity. You know, I've been here for a long time you know? Yeah, I know I've done I've had to write I wouldn't call it that but I still got a lot to do.
Liz Nable 19:35
Well, we all have. So same same right. Do you Do you regret not starting earlier? Do you think that this all the things that have happened to you in your life? Have been serendipitous to lead you to start this business at a later age or do you think I really wish I'd started it earlier and under had a longer leading?
Cathy Hamilton 19:56
Look I wish I had because I just keep thinking I could have taken over Well, by now I could have, I could have been another big Laura Ashley company and more buildings and shops all over the world. But anyway, well, we'll keep battling at it.
Liz Nable 20:10
Do you have ambitions for that sort of thing? Can you still hear me?
Cathy Hamilton 20:20
I guess sorry. I missed that last question.
Liz Nable 20:22
Do you have ambitions for that sort of thing? Do you want to grow the business really big? Do you want to have you know, do you want to be global? Do you have kind of goals that you want to achieve? And what are they in the business?
Cathy Hamilton 20:35
Yes, I do. I never stopped like, I've got a secret. I can't tell you all the details. But in October, I'm my drawings are going to be featured on I'm in a major store that has 195 stores. I can't say what it is yet.
Liz Nable 20:57
Wow, that is so exciting. What a huge accomplishment for you to be hitting those milestones so quickly. I mean, your business is still young, right? It's only five years old set, right? Yeah. Yes.
Cathy Hamilton 21:09
Yeah. Huge. And they found me.
Liz Nable 21:16
Have you looked at it? I probably should have asked this earlier. Can we just rewind slightly? You're a pencil artist. So can you tell the listeners, you know, obviously, many like me, who aren't artistically inclined, a little bit about specifically what a pencil artist does and how you approach your artwork?
Cathy Hamilton 21:37
Um, well, okay. One good thing is my husband keeps saying that pencils are cheap. I'm not doing I'm not doing oil paintings that cost about $50 A tube and you use hundreds of them. So I I, I have my favourite pencil. Which isn't a bit bizarre, but I have my four B and my two B, and my mechanical pencil and my favourites. And then I use what they call paper stumps. And I do a lot of blending. I do an awful lot of blending. So I'll lay down some graphite, even loose graphite, and I use the blender to blend it to help me build up my shading. It's but it's all self taught and that the more you do it, the more natural it becomes. And soon as you start something you can see if it's going to be good. I can, I don't like about a lot. The I just I just I just love it. But you know, it's funny, someone asked me the other day, if they were to put in front of me a huge big canvas and a whole lot of hot pink blue colours at the moment do an abstract painting. I couldn't do it. I could not do it because I I liked the detail. I liked the realism. And I love black and white. And I know a lot of the trend at the moment and a lot of the beautiful shops. They're all colour, colour, colour colour, but black and white is classic. And it will remain classic forever and a day.
Liz Nable 23:18
A lot of the women that I speak to who who have gone into business, a lot of them are passionate as you are so passionate about what they do the product or the service that they offer, but they don't necessarily like and or feel like they're good at the business side of the business. How has that unfolded for you? Are you passionate about running a business? Or do you feel like you could just stick your head in doing pencil art all day and let someone else take care of the rest of that for
Cathy Hamilton 23:48
you this my husband keeps telling me I'm a control freak because he has tried to help me and my the young girls trying to help me I've got a girl that does all my website work and I've got a girl who's my pattern service designer, but I can't help getting involved and every so often they all say can you just go away and draw? Yes, but then I I don't know I think it's fine. 80% of people in their own business are control freaks and they want to run it all there's some things I have to let go of because as I said before the IT side of the world is is just getting more difficult so I'm have to leave that to other people but not I'm a control freak.
Liz Nable 24:40
Until maybe about the in terms of the growth of the business financially. You obviously doing it as a side hustle. So was there ever did you ever have goals like initially to say this is going to be going to become a business on its own? Or how's it gone financially to like make it worth your while to build it into a legitimate you know, Bs Since it stands on its own two feet.
Unknown Speaker 25:01
Oh, absolutely. It was from you know, as soon as that store said yes to the cards, that was it, I was up, I was off and I'm just gonna keep growing it and growing and all I say to my husband because you know, he he's such an angel, he does help so much and my little girl and everyone carts, you know, because we're 25 K's from town like cart parcels in the winter. But I say, Just be thankful I don't sell sofas.
Liz Nable 25:29
Yes, cards, and stationery and light. It's easy. So you had a hustle from an early time. So from the moment you sort of could see this was a business opportunity. You hustled to outsource and sell those those products to 152 retailers. Is that right? Did you do that one by one?
Unknown Speaker 25:53
Well, I'd probably had about 20 or 30 that I had sort of gone around or said back then people started hearing about me and contacted me. But I think it really revved up when I started doing the trade shows. And that that's your now I sort of have the same stand when I go to the trade fairs people come from and I think why it did so well this time. And it was very interesting. And the one in April is people now after COVID and the pandemic and everything else they're looking and they're hunting down for Australia mate, and they will pay that big extra. Another thing I should have pointed out to when I first started, I said I'm rushed to Sydney to get my printing done. But then we have a printer in our local town so I can proudly say that all of my cards, my tags, my pads, my placement, everything is printed in the local town of Cootamundra.
Liz Nable 26:49
That's amazing. Truly well and truly supporting regional businesses. Can you quantify the success of the businesses in any way for me like would you say your business has doubled in five years quadrupled? Do you have any kind of benchmarks where you think, Wow, that's amazing this time last year, I you know, was making this much and now making this much can you can you see or quantify that growth in any way?
Cathy Hamilton 27:15
Oh, look, it's it's grown 10 times because when I started off I was selling my cards, which retailed now retail for $7.50. So I'm now selling tablecloths that retails for $290. So the dollars are so much more now. And I've got you know, I've gone from 20 clients to 152. And I've also now started doing corporate work. I think, you know, like, last year, I did all a bank of Queensland Christmas cards and like, so it's just getting bigger and bigger by the minute. Oh,
Liz Nable 28:00
my gosh, you're gonna you're looking to employ more people instead of plans for the growth of the business. Yes,
Cathy Hamilton 28:07
I I love talking to people that my idea is to get the girl I've got now's not full time. I'd love to have her on full time. So I'd like to get out on the road more because I just love talking. And I love just going and meeting these people with the most beautiful stores. We've just built. We were going to build a big shed on the property, but we decided to build I've got this huge ol home with these big verandas. So we filled in this brand or cost of fortune and it's all beautiful. Let's now the warehouse are now just about outgrown. I don't know what to do next.
Liz Nable 28:45
Do you need any storage space for all the stock? Yes, yes, I
Cathy Hamilton 28:50
mean, because I've now gone into as well. Great big canvas prints of my work. So they take up space. Everything takes up space and when I had an order, the tablecloths are huge. I keep saying I want to open a shop that the old handbrake has been saying I would possibly do that. But I just I can see Kathy Hamilton home, in lots of countries.
Liz Nable 29:23
will say keep the marriage together. Maybe don't do that one as a surprise.
Cathy Hamilton 29:28
No, and we're about to have our 40th wedding anniversary. Oh my god.
Liz Nable 29:33
Oh, yes. You want to make that milestone. Tell me. How have you gotten the word out about the business? As you know, in my business, I teach women in business about using the media to leverage and grow. Have you been? There's a media come to you have you been an attractive target because of your story for the media or has it been word of mouth? How have you sort of seen the business grow and the word spread
Unknown Speaker 29:59
I think I've been extremely lucky because I was featured in the Central West Living Magazine, they found us last month that would they did a full page on me in the land newspaper, they found me. I wanted to be in grazie, hurry, because I love that magazine. So I wrangled my way into that and got sprayed in there. I don't know. And I think whereas some of the younger girls haven't got the maturity, if I want something, I'll go after it. So I'll stop pestering people and emailing them until they go, Oh my God, we just someone talked to this woman. And then the power of Instagram, you know, like, I have people I've just come and family and shops and. And, for instance, there's a there's a cafe in Gunnie. Gunnedah? which is between Goulburn and Yass and New South Wales, the Merino Cafe. It's a lovely little cafe. And she is one of my biggest stalkers she has so many people stop on the highway. And then I'll go and buy my prints by cards. And the next minute, I've got a new message saying, Oh, I stopped like, we've got a store opening. Yeah. And then I also supply the Long Track Pantry at Jugiong. And people buy from there and then they go, Oh, I was passing through the on the web and Melbourne, I've got a store. So it's just I don't know, a lot of it's, I guess, word of mouth and just seeing my product. So you've obviously
Liz Nable 31:31
told your story a lot through social media and the media and you know, through word of mouth. How important do you think your stories for other women are the business women do see a connection there with people being fascinated by your journey?
Cathy Hamilton 31:50
I look I think so. And the message I like to get across is that you can be any age to start a business. As long as you have the passion. Success usually follows passion. And to start off with something like I did. It was pencils and paper. So I thought I'll give this again, if it doesn't work. Well, I just stopped doing it. I'd say with anyone that wants to start a business, whether they're sewing or making blankets, whatever. You're not outlaying billions of dollars, and it's worth giving a shot. I think anyone any age could start, I think maybe starting at at 65 or 70 might be a bit harder. But if you've got if you've got the passion do it.
Liz Nable 32:39
Have we? Have we learned success? Sorry, go ahead.
Cathy Hamilton 32:45
Sorry. Success follows passion.
Liz Nable 32:50
Absolutely. And when you're passionate about something you're drawn to do it often and when you do it often you get really good at it and then success follows Have you had a lot of women who are a little more mature in their years come to you and say you've inspired them how is that kind of part of the story translated?
Cathy Hamilton 33:13
Not really, because you know, I've got so many friends but I am so passionately involved in my own little world I hardly go out anymore. People have their own home trying to start a business but I I don't really know. I'd like to think yes, but as I said, I'm I'm in my little world and I'm just in love with what I do.
Liz Nable 33:35
And as you know as you know, starting a business can be it's quite stressful. It's can be overwhelming. Do you sort of feel like oh my god, I've bitten off this huge chunk, you know, do you do relish in that busyness and that that stress? How did how does that have you done starting a business leader and dealing with all of that part of it?
Cathy Hamilton 33:56
Never worries me it's it's it's fabulous because I've got a lovely big garden and I'd rather be inside working rather than than working in the garden. Nothing fazes me, we get through it we find the answer. I love researching I mean I'll sit in bed till three in the morning researching looking for something seeing whether I can buy the the best you know ribbon or the best Australian made this and I just I just my brain never ends never turns off.
Liz Nable 34:28
Yeah, it's fascinating, isn't it when you're so consumed by something like that you're so passionate about it doesn't feel like you're working at all.
Cathy Hamilton 34:37
No does it and then I suddenly have a day or two. I just don't know what to do what to draw. And now I think this morning I got up really early on. I've got to start I'm gonna design a new baby throw I'm gonna I'm onto I'm onto it. So I've been drawing all morning and then I had to stop and pick some orders.
Liz Nable 34:59
So you You get sort of seven days a week. Is that right? Absolutely. And don't don't resent that in any way, shape or form?
Cathy Hamilton 35:09
Not one second. No way. No, not at all. If there was eight days a week, I'd be doing it. I love it. That's amazing.
Liz Nable 35:17
And is there any sort of advice you give to other women that necessarily older, younger but looking to start a business who might be a little bit hesitant or unsure or?
Unknown Speaker 35:32
And I think one of the things is that Never be afraid to ask, you know, I've people are worried to start a business or start something because they think, Oh, my God, I don't even know where to what do I do? I don't want to you know, I don't approach anybody, I can't do it. I ask people, I would ask anybody, I walk into a post office and say, How the hell do I work out how to put this stuff in? Or I would ring someone up and say to a girl, a friend of mine who sells scarves? How do you manage your website? Can you help me and you've just got to keep asking people love helping each other. And it's not being afraid to ask for the help. There's a great down in Albury. There's the business system company that helps it's run by the government and they run all these I go to workshops, I listen to webinars, I go along and meet these young people. I just came back from Melbourne and stopped in Trentham in Victoria and went to a style shoot feast workshop for two days. I learned so much just in that. I've been to the Huddle, which is up in Orange. Oh Yeah,
Liz Nable 36:40
I mean to that to
Unknown Speaker 36:42
Pip Brett, you know, 700 women, or 30. But I go and I talk and I mix with them all. Ask them questions, and it's it works. You just have to ask that is the most important. Do not be afraid. And think about it. You're not going to lose millions of dollars. If you're starting off small. Just give it give it a crack.
Liz Nable 37:00
Do you think that attitude comes with maturity?
Cathy Hamilton 37:04
Yes, yes, I do. Because I think the younger ones won't ask this. Yeah, yeah. Invincible, and they too. Oh, I couldn't ask that. I'm so embarrassed, I wouldn't be able to do it my own there.
Liz Nable 37:23
So what's next for you? What are your I know, you've got this secret project? That I'm sure we'll find out in due course. What are your sort of goals for the next sort of, you know, quarter, year, five years? Do you have plans?
Cathy Hamilton 37:40
Well, I'm going to keep growing the range because I just can't stop. I actually have a daughter in Sydney, who's 37, who is in the fashion world. And she's very, very good at and has been for the last 18 years. So we want to develop an Australian made children's range of clothing featuring all my artworks.
Liz Nable 38:04
Oh, wow, that sounds amazing. So clearly the artistic blood runs through the family.
Cathy Hamilton 38:12
Well, I wouldn't say that about my son. But yes, my daughter is extremely clever. He's very clever. He's in finance, and I wouldn't be able to do that. But yeah, not for instance.
Liz Nable 38:22
Is your husband artistic as well?
Cathy Hamilton 38:26
Well, he's actually he makes sculptures.
Liz Nable 38:31
Wow, I thought I read that somewhere, which is why I asked. I thought, what a combination.
Cathy Hamilton 38:38
Well, I sort of direct the side of it, and he wilted but he came up, got now cut through probably eight years ago with this idea of making these Willdan Agha Pantsers and you'll have to have a look at them. And we've now sold over 4000 of them. And each one sells for about 109 $190 and we hand I hand paint the tips of everyone. And they're just they just keep going it's just a nice made soup is exhibited in sculpture shows every year he goes up to Maggi he's been to Victoria he won a big prize in Melbourne yet, so
Liz Nable 39:25
that's amazing. Oh my gosh. How do you where do you find time to
Cathy Hamilton 39:34
sleep? Oh, that's alright. You don't need a lot of sleep.
Liz Nable 39:40
Oh, it's been an absolute pleasure chatting to you. i Where can we? cathyhamiltonartworks.com.au is that where people can find you?
Unknown Speaker 39:48
Yes, yes. And if you want to check out my husband sculptures, its natureinmetal.com.au.
Liz Nable 39:55
That's amazing. Thank you so much for your time today. cabbie. It's been an absolute pleasure. John,
Unknown Speaker 40:01
always thank you so much for listening to me prattle on.
Liz Nable 40:05
I loved it. I love your story. Thank you for listening to this episode of enable my business. If you've loved it, please share it on Instagram and Facebook for your friends. I'm all about listening and learning from you, my audience. So please pop a review on iTunes and let me know how you're enjoying the show. I'd love to hear from you. So if you have any questions, email me at Liz at Liz Nable.com And if you want to know more about what I do, head over to Liz Nable.com I truly hope this podcast is a game changer for you. Whether you're a small business owner, franchisee you have a side hustle or you're just starting out. This is where you truly begin to build your own empire and the life of your dreams.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
