The Four Words That Changed Everything
"I'll pay you for that." Four words that transformed a corporate marketing executive's career uncertainty into a thriving consultancy. Tania Fielding's journey from imposter syndrome to strategic partner reveals how the 'messy middle' of career transition can become your greatest professional asset—and why premium businesses need marketing partners who understand both corporate strategy and entrepreneurial soul.
From corporate marketing executive to strategic partner for premium brands.
How one moment sparked a revolution.
"I'll pay you for that."
Four words delivered in a text message. Four words that would unravel twenty years of corporate marketing strategy and rebuild a business from scratch.
Tania Fielding almost didn't hit send on the brand strategy advice she'd crafted for her Pilates studio owner. After four years at home with her children, following two decades developing marketing campaigns at Nova, Fairfax Media, and WIN Corporation, the imposter syndrome was deafening. Who are you to give business advice?
But she pressed send anyway.
The response changed everything.
"It was my light bulb moment," Tania reflects from her South Coast base. "Not just about my own capabilities, but about how we as women underestimate our strategic expertise. We think time away means skills lost, when actually, experience evolves into something more powerful."
That evolution became Little Luxe Marketing, where Tania now partners with established businesses ready to scale strategically. Her unique position - having developed high-level marketing strategies for media giants while understanding the entrepreneur's reality - allows her to translate premium corporate thinking into growth strategies that actually work. She's moved far beyond her uncertain "messy middle" phase to become the marketing strategist luxury brands seek when they're ready to think bigger. Her clients aren't just any businesses - they're the ones who understand that premium positioning requires premium strategic thinking.
"I work with visionary women who've built something meaningful and are ready to elevate it," she explains. "They know their worth, they deliver exceptional experiences, and they want marketing that matches their sophistication."
What sets Tania apart isn't just her corporate credentials, it's her understanding that sustainable growth requires both strategic rigour and authentic connection. She's witnessed firsthand how the traditional corporate playbook often fails entrepreneurs who are building something deeply personal. Her approach bridges that gap, bringing institutional knowledge to businesses that refuse to sacrifice soul for scale. "Too many marketing consultants offer tactics without strategy, or strategy without heart," she says. "I've learned that the most successful businesses are the ones that stay true to their vision while being smart about how they grow."
“I work with visionary women who’ve built something meaningful and are ready to elevate it,” she explains. “They know their worth, they deliver exceptional experiences, and they want marketing that matches their sophistication.”
Yet Tania hasn't forgotten the isolation of career uncertainty. Her upcoming launch, The LUXE Method, crystallises both sides of her mission - premium marketing strategy for businesses ready to scale, with the empowerment element that supports women wherever they are in their journey.
“Whether you’re building your first million or your next million, the principles are the same,” she says. “You need strategic thinking that honours your vision and the confidence to charge what you’re worth.”
The marketing executive who once questioned her worth now partners with Australia's most ambitious businesses, from coastal entrepreneurs to established brands seeking that rare combination of corporate-level strategic thinking with genuine understanding of what it takes to build something meaningful.
"I see your vision, and I bring it to life," Tania explains. "That's what premium businesses deserve - a marketing partner who operates at their level."
Sometimes the most profound business transformations begin with four simple words. Sometimes they change everything.
Learn more about strategic marketing partnerships at littleluxemarketing.com.au
The Regenerators: Cultivating Land, Sea & Soul
For many of us, work is like a whirlwind, wearing us down as it sweeps us through the daily grind of routine. But for others, their work is to cultivate. To work with the land, the sea or the soul to make something better, create something deeper, or restore something lost. These are the regenerators, the people who toil with the seasons, embracing the flow of nature’s rhythms, rather than battling against them. Their work is a dance, a slow process of patience and understanding. And although they work through very different elements and mediums, they each strive to leave a positive impact in their wake. Here, we tip our hat to some of Salty’s favourite Regenerators.
Whether it’s nurturing the environment, the body or the mind, regeneration is a process of net improvement, and that’s something worth celebrating.
By Carolyn Beasley
For many of us, work is like a whirlwind, wearing us down as it sweeps us through the daily grind of routine. But for others, their work is to cultivate. To work with the land, the sea or the soul to make something better, create something deeper, or restore something lost. These are the regenerators, the people who toil with the seasons, embracing the flow of nature’s rhythms, rather than battling against them. Their work is a dance, a slow process of patience and understanding. And although they work through very different elements and mediums, they each strive to leave a positive impact in their wake. Here, we tip our hat to some of Salty’s favourite Regenerators.
Farming for the future
For dairy farmers Mahlah and Kel Grey, their journey to regenerative farming was not born of idealistic green notions, but rather an economic imperative.
Tucked into the bucolic Kiama hills, the farm was founded in 1854. Taking over in 2008, the couple were confronted with an evolving and less profitable dairy industry.
“We weren't in a position where land acquisition or intensifying was an attractive or viable option for us,” Mahlah explains. Instead, the couple sought to reduce their input costs, starting with the grain-based feed. But how would the cows get enough nutrients from a pasture-based system?
“It led us down that rabbit hole of ‘We need to improve our pasture, we need more biodiversity, we need better management in the grazing systems,’” Mahlah says. Mahlah and Kel soon switched to a cross-breed animal that would perform better on this non-grain diet, yielding a higher fat and protein milk, albeit it at lower volumes. This would play into their new ambitions to create higher value products, like cheese and gelato.
“We were putting out fires as we went, that's probably why we didn't realise we were going down a regenerative path,” Mahlah laughs. Eventually, the couple paused, considering their farm on a whole-system level.
What followed included cell-based paddock rotation, where cows graze each paddock for only 12-hours, before being moved to the next. Each paddock is usually rested for 60 days between grazing. Soil and pasture are chemical-free, nurtured with the farm’s compost and biodynamic preparations involving cow horns and silica. In winter, a diverse cover crop is added.
“We put on a lot of nitrogen fixing peas this year, which came out as really pretty purple flowers in the paddock,” Mahlah explains.
Intertwined with the science, is a desire to work gently; an understanding of the power of rest, for pasture, for cattle, and also themselves.
“We’ve stopped milking the cows year-round,” Mahlah says. “We now calve them all down in spring and milk them for a season, and then we dry them off coming into winter, and they get a rest, and we get a rest, and then we start the process again.”
Mahalah and Kel sell their regeneratively farmed products in their store, The Pines Panty in Kiama. They also hold farm ‘pop-up’ events, where the public can meet animals and experience farm life. For Mahlah, it’s gratifying to see people, especially the younger generation, forming connections with nature.
“I know from having my own kids here, they have a whole different understanding and ability to be present in a landscape,” Mahlah says. “My youngest, she'll catch any bug. And I had to pull her up and be like, ‘Babe, we have to talk about the type of spiders you're handling.’”
Unlike kids, adults often hold tightly to traditional ways. But for Mahlah, it’s important to let go.
“I know for us, the majority of the changes we made only came through a mindset shift first, Mahalah says. “And that's my biggest takeaway. In any space that you are working in, if you have very set paradigms around that, it's really, really hard to create that change.”
Saltwater inspiration
Cultivating food with care and patience is not restricted to the land, and for James Wheeler, his farming takes place in the saltwater of Merimbula Lake. James is a second-generation oyster farmer, continuing a legacy that he doesn’t take for granted.
“Hopefully when my kids are at that age, they have the opportunity to take it on if they want, too,” James says.
For James, the lifestyle is part of the draw. Saltwater and sunshine are his daily tonic.
“I grew up surfing, so I've always been in and around the ocean,” James says. “I really appreciate being able to go out on the lake, especially on still mornings.”
With each oyster taking around three-and-a-half or four years to reach market size, it’s definitely a slow food. Oyster farming is inextricably linked to nature’s rhythms; the seasons, the tides and the daily whims of south coast weather.
“It’s an early start, about seven,” James says. “We usually try to go out in the morning when the wind's not up, because the wind just makes the easiest jobs hard.”
James says that if he’s harvesting oysters, he’ll zip down to his lease area near the entrance of Merimbula Lake. But the main job of oyster farming is thinning out the oysters in the mesh bags, using a size grading machine.
“If the oysters are too dense in the bag, it stunts the growth,” James explains. “So, our job is to try and keep the oysters as comfortable as possible.”
Then there’s the repetitive job of flipping bags of oysters, exposing the oysters to air for up to a week at a time to remove marine fouling organisms. It can be hard work, especially if conditions are less than ideal.
“One of the good things about technology is we can sort of predict the weather, and if it’s looking terrible, we’ll try and do what we need to the day before,
But some days, you just have to go out there and just grit your teeth. Put the rain jacket on and just try and stay warm.”
Nature hurls other challenges at oyster farmers, too. In recent years, south coast farmers have dealt with damaging ash from bushfires, heavy rainfall and oyster diseases such as Vibrio, a naturally occurring bacteria that can reach dangerous levels during prolonged underwater heatwaves. These events can all trigger health regulations and a temporary ban on harvesting oysters, sometimes for weeks at a time.
Oyster farmers need a thick skin and stoic resilience to combat these stressful and unpredictable events.
“It's like for any farmer, if their animals get sick, it's devastating,” James says “I think with farming in general, you don't know what's going to be around the corner. You’ve just got to try and plan ahead as much as you can.
Perhaps one of the best ways to plan ahead is to diversify the business, and this spring, James is launching oyster tours on Merimbula Lake.
“I'll be pointing out different techniques of oyster farming and the history,” James says. “And as we scoot across the water, there's a white table cloth set up on a table, with Champagne and lemons.”
Standing in the water with the guests, James will lead an oyster shucking master class, sharing decades of cumulative experience. By putting his own stamp on the family business, James hopes to be ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
Soulful stirring
From her home in the Shoalhaven, in the shadow of the Illawarra escarpment, artist Anna Glynn has fostered a deep connection to nature that manifests in her creative works. While she is known to document nature’s regeneration, the beauty in her art works also benefits the viewer, perhaps regenerating souls.
“I have a kind of dual layer in my works, whether they be video or sound or paintings or drawings, and so there's a deeper meaning,” Anna says. Sometimes Anna’s works contains sadness about the way humans are impacting nature, but first, people will be attracted to the beauty, and that can be spiritually regenerative.
Anna says her natural inspiration is often found in her forest home.
“We're surrounded by wallabies and wombats and lyrebirds, so it's just lovely to be somewhere where you're just part of nature with the other creatures,” she says.
With a backyard full of habitat, Anna has the chance to observe or record these animals at close range.
“I've got a low timber coffee table on the deck,” Anna explains. “The baby wombat went under it one night, and I didn't know, and I just heard this sort of horrible scraping, and I went out, and the whole table was just moving around!”
Then there’s the elderly wallaby that Anna has been filming, with his penchant for citrus fruits.
“I've got lovely footage of him from last week eating a whole orange, and then the juice was dripping down his hands, so he licks all the juice off,” Anna laughs. “This is my life, kind of sharing the space with nature.”
Over the course of her career, Anna’s work has touched on regeneration in literal sense, particularly after the 2019-2020 black summer bushfires. Anna’s home was in the path of the fires, and she was forced to evacuate. In a stroke of luck for Anna and heartbreaking misfortune for others, the winds changed. While Anna’s property was spared, many in Kangaroo Valley were not so lucky.
“I spent about four or five months recording, and I set up time lapse cameras at different people's properties and filmed all the lovely new growth and did sound recordings,” Anna says. “One of the most traumatic things was the lack of sound. It took six weeks before I heard an insect.”
This moving-image art work, called ‘Love kindness…walk humbly’ is part of the Australian Parliament House and National Museum collection.
“It's just been showing on a loop in Parliament House for months and months,” Anna says. “So, I like the idea that the parliamentarians can see it, just to acknowledge that's what the communities are living with.”
All along the nature-rich South Coast, we live immersed in the environment. And those that nurture the land, gently cultivate the sea, and nudge our consciousness through art provide us with the threads that tie us back to nature. Sometimes they’re obvious and often they’re hiding in our midst; these are the regenerators.
Crudo for the Win: A No-Cook Weekend Upgrade
You’ll find this kingfish crudo on the menu at Arlo—the in-house restaurant at The Oaks Ranch in Mossy Point. It’s part of a menu rooted in what’s local and seasonal, drawing on produce from the South Coast (the menu features things like sashimi‑style kingfish alongside dishes like prawn toast and market fish)
This crudo fits right in—it’s as simple as it sounds: thin, cured slices of kingfish, buttermilk, quick pickles, herb oil, maybe some flowers on top. Clean, fresh, and easy to do at home or enjoy at the table.
So it’s the weekend, finally. No big plans, just some well-earned downtime, a Netflix binge, and maybe a glass (or two) of Pinot Gris.
Sounds pretty good already. But... what if we took it up a notch?
Hit your local fish shop. Grab a few things from the grocer. Head home and lift your weekend game, with zero cooking required.
Below is the kingfish crudo recipe from The Oaks Ranch, and it’s kind of a showstopper. Clean, fresh, ridiculously tasty. Just a little prep, a bit of balance — and you’re done.
Why it works
Crudo is essentially raw fish — sliced, seasoned, and dressed. That’s it. But when it’s done right, it feels fancy without the effort. And because it’s served cold, it’s perfect for warmer days, no-oven nights, or those lazy “I want to eat well but do very little” moods.
The trick? Use fresh fish. Don’t mess with it. Let the ingredients do their thing.
What you’ll need
A good piece of kingfish
Buttermilk
Celery and cucumber, thinly sliced and pickled (recipes below)
Green herb oil (also below — easy)
Edible flowers if you're feeling it, but totally optional
When to serve it
This is a strong move for a weekend lunch or a warm night in with mates. Plate it up with a crisp wine and maybe a few salty snacks on the side. You’ll look like you’ve got it together — without trying too hard.
Kingfish Crudo with Pickled Celery, Cucumber, Buttermilk & Green Oil
Serves 6
Ingredients
300g kingfish fillet (skin off)
100g salt
300ml buttermilk
50ml green oil (see below)
Pickled celery (see below)
Pickled cucumber (see below)
1 punnet edible flowers (optional)
This one comes straight from Arlo, one of our favourite spots on the South Coast. At The Oaks Ranch, Mossy Point.
Method
Trim the fillet lengthwise down the centre to create two long halves.
Pat dry, then rub the fillet with salt. Cure in the fridge for 2 hours.
Rinse off the salt and pat the fish dry. Chill until ready to use.
Slice the kingfish into 5mm thick pieces — around 50–70g per serve.
Plate the slices. Pour over about 50ml of buttermilk per serve. Add a few drops of green oil.
Place rounds of pickled cucumber and celery on top.
Add edible flowers if you like — or don’t.
Green Oil
Ingredients
1 bunch basil (leaves picked)
1 bunch parsley (leaves picked)
1 bunch chives
100ml grapeseed oil
Method
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Blanch herbs for 1 minute.
Refresh in iced water. Squeeze out all moisture.
Blend with grapeseed oil until smooth.
Infuse overnight. Strain through a filter or muslin cloth.
Pickled Celery & Cucumber
Make them ahead — they’ll keep for days in the fridge.
Base Pickling Mix
250ml rice wine vinegar
100ml water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Slice cucumber and celery thinly. Heat the pickling mix until sugar dissolves. Pour over veg. Cool, then refrigerate.
It’s straightforward, considered, and relies on quality over complication.
A Quiet Revival on the Far South Coast
A Quiet Revival on the Far South Coast
Sunlight filters through ancient gums. A long deck stretches out over the Towamba Valley. Each safari tent is a pocket of reverence carved into the wild.
Currajong Retreat is anchored in the art of slowing down, offering a retreat re-made around salt-tinged air, misty dawns, and regenerative country life.
The river runs slow and time runs slower.
It's kidding season—when new life arrives in soft, silent leaps. Angelic Angora goat kids tumble from wobbly legs and bound with discovery. Their playful innocence infuses every paddock, every gathering. Guests arrive with curiosity; they leave with wonder.
This is a sensory anchor. The season lifts the stay from luxury accommodation to life-felt experience. You wake to the sound of gentle bleating. You watch tiny hooves navigate morning dew. You witness the tender care of mothers and the boundless joy of new beginnings.
By Charms Baltis
“There is nothing cuter than watching kids jump and play as they explore their new world.”
Sunlight filters through ancient gums. A long deck stretches out over the Towamba Valley. Each safari tent is a stillness-and-spark moment carved into the wild.
Currajong Retreat is anchored in the art of slowing down, offering a retreat re-made around salt-tinged air, misty dawns, and regenerative country life.
The river runs slow and time runs slower.
Life Begins at Kidding Season
It's kidding season, when new life arrives in soft, silent leaps. Angelic Angora goat kids tumble from wobbly legs and bound with discovery. Their playful innocence infuses every paddock, every gathering. Guests arrive with curiosity; they leave with wonder.
This is a sensory anchor. The season lifts the stay from luxury accommodation to life-felt experience. You wake to the sound of gentle bleating. You watch tiny hooves navigate morning dew. You witness the tender care of mothers and the boundless joy of new beginnings.
The kids don't perform for guests, they simply exist in their wild joy while you happen to be there.
The Story of Land, Love, and Stewardship
Lara, Grant and Jenny's journey echoes the rhythms of this place. They left city life for mudbrick beginnings, goat paddocks, and solar-lit nights. Jenny swapped preschool chaos for labours of love with their growing herd. Together, they built Currajong Common and Currajong Retreat, tending land, architecture, and heart in the same breath.
Each season adds new layers to their story: riverbank gardens, regenerative grazing, the homestead revival, and the tented enclave that softly floats above valley slopes.
A Retreat That Honours the Senses
Perched above the Towamba, each tent is poetry of intention: queen bed, waterfall shower, kitchenette, and signature outdoor bath on a private deck, warmed by sunrise and cooled by night stars.
Off-grid luxury that blends wild solitude with comfort. Swimming holes replace schedules. The only thing on your to-do list is a warm bath with a valley view.
Country-style dinners arrive at your door, menus crafted to honour dietary needs and local abundance. The tents are spacious, the food is local, the nights wrapped in silence, broken only by wind through gums and a cork popping on the deck.
This is disconnect in order to reconnect. Each tent offers private sanctuary amidst the bush, space to breathe whilst remaining gently connected to place. Just the sound of the river, birdsong, distant goat chatter.
Off-grid luxury that blends wild solitude with comfort.
Swimming holes replace schedules. The only thing on your to-do list is a warm bath with a valley view.
Why This Matters Now
In a world that demands constant motion, Currajong offers radical stillness. Where others chase experiences, this place lets experience find you. A goat kid bounds across your path. Mist rises from the valley. Stars appear without announcement.
Slow luxury: elevated comfort without disregard for quiet or authenticity.
Nature-first living: each moment shaped by goats, mist, campfire, starlight.
Intention in every detail: lighting, food, farm experiences, hand-curated.
Emotional simplicity: a place that works on you quietly, weeks after you've left.
This is what happens when founders don't just build a business, they tend a place. When the work is generational, the care runs deeper.
Stay Wild, Stay Still
This is kidding season at Currajong. A chapter of new life is unfolding. You could be part of it, watching wobbly legs find their footing, witnessing the tender chaos of mothers and young, feeling the deep contentment that comes from bearing witness to something pure.
currajongretreat.com
If These Walls Could Talk
"If these walls could talk," Belinda muses, "they'd probably say we're a resilient bunch. They'd talk about the family we've created-staff who've become lifelong friends, customers who've become family. They'd tell you about watching people's eyes light up when you place a perfect plate in front of them, because that's what this is really about. Food is just my love language. Connection is what we're really serving."
The Stories Held Within Mossy Point Cafe.
If the weathered walls of Mossy Point Cafe could speak, they'd tell you about the time they saved lives. Not in some dramatic way, but in the quiet way that only a place with deep roots can manage.
It was the week before Christmas 2019, when the fires came. Communications were down. Eftpos machines dead. Families found themselves stranded with empty wallets and emptier pantries. Outside, chaos reigned. But Belinda found herself standing in her darkened kitchen, miner's headlamp cutting through the blackness, making a decision that would define everything the café represents.
"We had thirty thousand dollars worth of food that would spoil," she recalls, her voice carrying the weight of that moment. "People were desperate. Families with no money, no food, no way to get either. So we just... cooked it all."
For days, with no electricity but plenty of gas, Belinda and her team worked by headlamp. They turned spoiled food into meals for families who needed them. Thousands of eggs. Kilos of bacon. Everything they could salvage became sustenance for a community in crisis. It wasn't charity, it was what neighbours do for neighbours. What family does for family.
The building itself carries stories in its bones. Originally part of Moruya Hospital, it was relocated to this quiet Mossy Point street in the early 1940s. It was one of only two shops serving the area. Since then, it's been many things. A milk bar where children pressed pocket money into eager palms for penny lollies. A scuba shop outfitting underwater adventurers. A beloved muffin shop that drew customers from across the coast.
Each iteration left its mark. Not just in the pressed metal ceilings or vintage advertisements that still grace the exterior, but in the collective memory of a community that has always gathered here.
When Belinda first walked through these doors a decade ago, she came with no grand plan. She was a Canberra-based pet care business owner looking for a career change. She describes her entry into hospitality with characteristic honesty: "Blind ignorance, really. I knew nothing about café’s, nothing about the building's history. A friend asked if I wanted to go halves in a cafe business, and somehow I said yes."
What was meant to be a six-month setup became a ten-year love affair.
The first time I realised this was more than just a cafe was when customers started sharing their stories," Belinda reflects.
"People would come in and tell me about buying lollies here as kids. Or about the scuba gear they'd purchased decades earlier. I'd meet elderly folks who'd actually lived in this building when it was still a house."
"Suddenly, I understood, I wasn't just running a business. I was stewarding something much bigger.
The cafe’s layout still reflects this residential history. Visitors often hesitate at the threshold of the "nanna's lounge"- a pink-hued room that feels so much like stepping into someone's living room that first-time customers worry they're intruding. The blue room holds similar intimacy. It's this domestic quality that makes The Mossy feel less like a business and more like coming home to a place you've never been.
But it's the consistency that has made the cafe legendary. In a world where opening hours are suggestions and quality varies with the mood, The Mossy stands dependably. Open every day. Familiar faces behind the counter. Some, like manager Dean, have been there nearly a decade.
"We have customers like Mike and Joyce who come in every single day for their coffee," Belinda shares. "When they don't appear for a few days, former staff members who've moved on will check in: 'Have you seen Mike and Robin? Are they okay?' That's when you know you're more than a business, you're part of people's lives."
This reliability was tested during the fires, but it held. When the community needed them most, the doors stayed open. The coffee kept flowing. The sense of sanctuary remained intact. It's a trust built over years of small, consistent acts. Remembering how you like your coffee. Asking after your dog by name. Being the place that's always there when you need it.
"If these walls could talk," Belinda muses, "they'd probably say we're a resilient bunch. They'd talk about the family we've created-staff who've become lifelong friends, customers who've become family. They'd tell you about watching people's eyes light up when you place a perfect plate in front of them, because that's what this is really about. Food is just my love language. Connection is what we're really serving."
The walls have witnessed transformations beyond the physical. They've seen Belinda evolve from corporate refugee to passionate chef. She spent countless midnight hours perfecting recipes, finding in the quiet kitchen a sanctuary where she could lose herself in the flow of creation. They've watched Dean grow from teenager to young man, now running operations with the confidence of someone who's found their calling.
Most significantly, they've housed countless moments of connection. Celebrations of life's big events, yes, but more importantly, the small daily rituals that build community. The unqualified therapy sessions over coffee. The gentle check-ins with elderly customers who might not speak to another soul for days. The way former staff members return not just as customers, but as family.
In an era where authentic community spaces are increasingly rare, The Mossy represents something invaluable. It's a community space that bridges home and work, past and present, visitor and local. It's unassuming enough to blend into the suburban streetscape, yet significant enough to anchor an entire community's sense of belonging.
If these walls could talk, they'd probably tell you to stop overthinking it. Come in. Sit down. Order the coffee. Say hello to Dean. Become part of the story that's been writing itself for decades, one cup at a time.
The cafe’s success lies not in transformation, but in understanding. Recognising that some things are worth preserving exactly as they are, while others need careful evolution. The charm remains, enhanced by modern efficiency. The heart stays the same, strengthened by consistent care.
These walls have absorbed decades of stories, witnessed countless iterations, and weathered literal and metaphorical storms. Under Belinda's stewardship, they've become something the community can depend on. A place that's always open, always welcoming, always ready with good coffee and a familiar face.
"We're just the local cafe," Belinda says with characteristic understatement. "But maybe that's exactly what people need."
If these walls could talk, they'd probably tell you to stop overthinking it. Come in. Sit down. Order the coffee. Say hello to Dean. Become part of the story that's been writing itself for decades, one cup at a time.
Mossy Point Cafe is located at 31 Pacific Street, Mossy Point. Open daily.
Soul on Canvas: Josh Burkinshaw
The alarm sounds at 4:30am, but Josh Burkinshaw is already awake. In the pre-dawn darkness of his South Coast home, anticipation courses through him like electricity. "When all the forecast research I've done lines up and the conditions are perfect, there's a rush of anticipation," he explains. This is the ritual of a man who has found his calling in the marriage of ocean and light, where split-second decisions determine whether fleeting beauty becomes eternal art.
Where light meets water.
By Charms Baltis
The alarm sounds at 4:30am, but Josh Burkinshaw is already awake. In the pre-dawn darkness of his South Coast home, anticipation courses through him like electricity. "When all the forecast research I've done lines up and the conditions are perfect, especially for a sunrise shoot, there's a rush of anticipation," he explains, camera gear already packed beside the door. "That moment sets the tone and leaves me on a high for the rest of the day."
This is the ritual of a man who has found his calling in the marriage of ocean and light, where split-second decisions determine whether fleeting beauty becomes eternal art.
“My jaw drops, and it feels almost unreal, like I’ve stepped into another world,. Then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, it’s gone, and I’m left thinking, ‘What did I just witness?’”
There are moments Josh can recall as if they happened yesterday, standing waist-deep in churning waters, watching colours explode across the sky. "My jaw drops, and it feels almost unreal, like I've stepped into another world," he says. "Then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, it's gone, and I'm left thinking, 'What did I just witness?'"
These ephemeral encounters fuel his passion, the pursuit of moments that exist for mere seconds before dissolving back into time and tide. "At the heart of it, I'm chasing moments that will never happen again, unique scenes that exist for only an instant. I want to capture them not just to share, but to be able to look back and relive that exact feeling."
For Josh, photography transcends hobby or profession. "When I'm out shooting, I feel free. All the noise of life fades away, and there's nothing but peace and the moment in front of me."
The South Coast has become Josh's canvas, its waters his muse. "Reading the ocean starts long before I arrive at the break," Josh explains. "I plan my shoots based on swell direction, swell size, and cloud cover. When I get there, it's about fine-tuning that plan, watching how the light interacts with the water, and sensing the energy of the ocean."
Positioned in the lineup, camera housing protecting his equipment as waves build around him, the dance between capturing the shot and staying safe requires constant vigilance. "In wave photography, you win some and you lose some, I might take a thousand shots to get ten I'm truly happy with," he admits.
Josh's philosophy extends beyond technical expertise to perspective itself. "For me, 'capturing the epic beauty of life' is about looking beyond the obvious- finding a perspective that reveals something new. It's about showing the world from a different angle, one that invites people to pause, look closer, and experience it in a way they've never seen before."
In the solitude of dawn sessions, surrounded by nothing but water, light, and possibility, Josh finds his truest self. "When I'm alone in the ocean at sunrise, capturing waves, I feel completely free and at peace. It's the place where I truly find myself, my happiest moments are out there, surrounded by nothing but water, light, and the rhythm of the sea."
““But Mother Nature always has the final say, and you have to respect that.””
What sets these South Coast waters apart isn't just their beauty, it's their character. "The South Coast is unique because of its rugged coastline and incredible variety," Josh notes. "We have powerful slab waves, crystal-clear waters, and untouched, empty beaches. It's a rare mix of beauty and rawness that makes this stretch of coastline truly special."
This raw authenticity translates into images that carry more than visual appeal, they hold the essence of place, the spirit of untamed Australian coast where power meets poetry in every breaking wave.
When someone chooses one of Josh's wave prints for their home, they're inviting a piece of the ocean's soul into their daily lives. "I like to think I'm sharing a peaceful moment, frozen in time, the softness of a wave, the beauty of the colours in the sky. When someone hangs one of my prints, they're bringing a piece of that tranquillity and the ocean's spirit into their home."
In a world that moves at breakneck speed, Josh's work offers something increasingly rare, an invitation to pause, to breathe, to remember that some of life's most profound moments happen in the space between one wave and the next. "Those fleeting, surreal moments are what I live for," he reflects. And in sharing them, Josh ensures they live beyond the moment, captured forever in frames that hold the very essence of what it means to be fully present at the edge of the world.
Josh Burkinshaw's ocean photography captures the raw beauty and power of South Coast waters. View his collection at joshburkinshawimages.com.au
Life’s better Salty…
More from our Cultivate Series…
Beyond the Grind: Building Health, Identity and Brotherhood for South Coast Men
Beyond the Grind
The South Coast promised something more — a life with space to breathe, more time with our kids, a break from the burnout. But for too many men, the grind followed them here. This piece is a bold reset for blokes stuck in cycles of overwork, identity confusion, and silent stress. From real stats to straight talk, JC calls time on the old story of manhood and lays out five powerful moves to reclaim health, intimacy, and brotherhood — without losing your edge.
Beyond the Grind: Building Health,
Identity and Brotherhood for South Coast Men
Let’s be real. The South Coast is full of good men working hard to build a life they can be proud of. Business owners, tradies, brand builders, dads - we came here chasing that elusive balance. The promise of more time with the family, fresh air, and a life that isn’t just about the grind.
But here’s the hard truth most of us don’t want to admit: too many of us end up rebuilding the same trap we tried to leave behind.
It’s time for a reset. A chance to rethink what success really looks like. Let’s break down some of the biggest blockers standing between South Coast men and the life we moved here to live.
The Identity Trap
For a lot of blokes - work, husband, father becomes who we are. Titles are where we get our sense of worth, our validation, our reason to get up in the morning. But what happens when the business slows down? When the kids don’t need you quite as much? When your body starts to send warning signs?
If all you are is your work - you’ll feel lost when it’s time to step back. Your value doesn’t come from the business. The business is just something you do. Who you are is bigger than that. And your health? That’s what keeps all of it going.
Fact: According to a 2021 study in Frontiers in Psychology, men who overly identify with their work are twice as likely to experience depression when business falters - compared to those whose self-worth is rooted in more than the job.
Calling Out the Martyrdom
We’ve been sold a lie that overworking is noble. That the best thing we can do for our family is to break ourselves in service of providing for them. But here’s the truth: if you fall apart, the people you’re trying to protect will feel it first.
Self-care isn’t selfish. It’s strategy. When you look after your body and mind, you’re investing in your family’s future, your business’s future, and your own ability to keep showing up strong.
Fact: Over 70% of Australian men cite work stress as their biggest mental strain - yet fewer than one in three take proactive steps to care for their health. (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)
Health as Leadership
Here’s the thing about being a man in business: people are watching. Your staff. Your kids. Your mates. The way you treat your own health sets the tone for how they treat theirs.
If you’re the bloke who never stops, never rests, and never looks after himself, you’re teaching everyone around you to do the same. Flip the script. Be the man who shows that strong leaders know how to work hard and take care of themselves.
Fact: More than 80% of employees say they’d be more likely to adopt healthier habits if they saw senior leaders doing the same. (Harvard Business Review, 2019)
Don’t wait for burnout to make the call for you. Start with these five non-negotiables this week:
Move daily – Even a 10-minute walk before work or during the day can shift your energy and mindset.
Schedule recovery – Lock in one health appointment this month: a massage, sauna, cold swim, round of golf, or a PT session. Make it part of the plan, not the reward.
Connect intentionally – Message a mate and book a coffee. Women are better at checking in - we need to catch up.
Connect romantically – Lock in a date with your partner. Lunch, dinner - whatever works. And don’t cancel. Intimacy needs protecting, not postponing.
Be honest – Ask yourself: What truly makes me happy? Whatever came to mind first - do more of that. Your wellbeing depends on it.
Bonus move: Set a “CEO Hour” every Friday to review your health, not just your numbers.
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These aren’t luxuries. They’re life support. Put your own oxygen mask on first - then lead from there.
I look forward to speaking with you soon.
JC
JC works on mindset, habit formation, and long-term whole-body health.
He’s worked with premier league footballers, Hollywood actors, and high-performing executives, helping them achieve optimal movement and health both locally and globally.
You can find him at rewildwithjc.com
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The Art of Holding Space
In an industry built on transformation, South Coast hair stylist Grace Roby has discovered that the most profound changes happen not through what she does to her clients, but through the space she creates for them to simply be themselves. In this intimate conversation, Roby shares how her philosophy of "holding space" has built a thriving salon business where clients don't just book appointments—they seek sanctuary. From her coastal Milton studio, she reveals why choosing presence over pressure became her competitive edge, and how relocating from Sydney's pace to the South Coast's rhythm transformed both her life and her business model. The story includes Roby's own words on what it truly means to hold space for others, offering a rare glimpse into the emotional intelligence that's made her salon a sought-after destination and positioned her as a quiet revolutionary in the beauty industry.
In a world that rewards the loudest voice in the room, a new breed of leaders is discovering something counterintuitive: the most powerful influence comes not from speaking, but from creating space for others to be heard.
The best leaders aren't loud. They quiet their voice so others can find theirs.
It's a radical idea in our attention economy, where personal branding and "owning the room" have become business gospel. But across industries, from boardrooms to hair salons, a quiet revolution is taking place.
Grace Roby built her thriving South Coast hair business on this principle. Over fifteen years in the industry, she's discovered that the most successful enterprises aren't always the loudest, they're the ones that truly understand their clients.
"I can feel it the moment someone walks in," Grace says, describing the business intelligence that's made her salon a sought-after destination. "Sometimes it's in their eyes before they've said a word." This intuitive approach to client service has become her competitive edge.
What Grace has mastered is creating an environment where clients don't just receive a service, they receive an experience that keeps them returning and referring others. "Holding space means creating an environment where people feel completely safe to be seen, heard, and celebrated exactly as they are" she explains. It's a business philosophy that's proven remarkably profitable.
Her one-on-one salon model was a deliberate business decision. "Being one-on-one is welcomed by my clients, I can be completely present with each of them” Grace explains. This premium positioning allows her to charge appropriately for the personalised experience she delivers. "While someone may book in for a haircut, what they leave with is often something much deeper."
When Grace relocated her business from Sydney to the South Coast, it wasn't just a lifestyle choice, it was a strategic business move. "There's a slower rhythm to life here. It invites stillness, softness, and presence," she says. The coastal location aligned perfectly with her business vision and allowed her to build the practice she'd always envisioned.
The move also catalysed another business venture. Frustrated by mainstream hair care brands that prioritised profit over quality, Grace developed her own product line. "I wanted to offer my clients something Australian-owned and made that ticked all the boxes, paraben and sulphate-free, vegan, cruelty-free, and organic," she explains. "Something I could use myself and be confident giving to my clients."
“Holding space means creating an environment where people feel completely safe to be seen, heard, and celebrated exactly as they are”
The Grace Roby Hair product range represents everything she stands for as a business owner: quality, authenticity, and genuine care for her clients' wellbeing. Soon to launch on Shopify, the line will extend her reach beyond the salon chair to customers across Australia.
"I've laughed with clients. I've cried with clients," Grace reflects, describing the deep client relationships that form the foundation of her business success. This emotional connection translates directly to business outcomes, client retention, premium pricing, and powerful word-of-mouth marketing.
Grace's willingness to share her own journey, including the challenges of building a business while raising her son, creates authenticity that clients connect with. "Moving to the coast brought me and my son back to what matters. It shifted how I show up in life and business," she shares. This transparency has become part of her brand story, the successful entrepreneur who chose presence over pressure.
Her business model challenges industry norms about volume and efficiency, proving that focusing on quality over quantity can be highly profitable. The approach has created a waiting list of clients and established Grace as a leader in her field.
"Intentional. Nourishing. Empowering," Grace says when describing her business approach. "I want people to leave feeling more themselves." It's a philosophy that's built a thriving enterprise and positioned her as an innovator in the beauty industry.
Grace's success demonstrates that in an age of connection scarcity, businesses that master creating space rather than noise will thrive. Her quiet coastal salon proves that the most powerful influence isn't about how loudly you speak, it's about how deeply others feel heard in your presence.
Grace Roby Hair is located in Milton on the NSW South Coast. For bookings and to explore Grace's natural hair care range, visit gracerobyhair.com.au
This story celebrates the deeper currents that flow through our coastal community, the healers, the space-holders, the quiet revolutionaries who remind us that true luxury lies not in excess, but in presence.
The Greatest Love Story You’ll Ever Write
From the time we're little girls, we're handed the narrative that romantic love is the pinnacle of our existence.We're taught to map our lives around finding "the one," to believe that our wedding day will be the happiest day we'll ever know. And yet, amidst all the cultural pageantry that surrounds romance, it's often in our friendships with women where we experience our truest, most unfiltered selves.
Science backs this up. Studies show that emotionally supportive friendships reduce stress and inflammation, improve immune function, and lower our risk of depression and anxiety. But here's the piece that often goes unsaid: friendships don't simply happen. They're built, brick by brick, through effort and intention.
Because when it comes to female friendship, the stakes are higher—and the rewards deeper—than any romantic entanglement
“Because when it comes to female friendship, the stakes are higher—and the rewards deeper—than any romantic entanglement.”
by Lillie Brown
We drove up the coast with the windows cracked, Erykah Badu and FKA Twigs curling through the speakers. We were heading away for two nights at Bangalay Luxury Villas—a sponsored stay, yes, but one that would quickly become far more than content fodder or a highlight reel.
Bangalay is named for the Bangalay Sand Forest. It’s a place designed to feel like a bush track leading to the sea, and it delivers—swathes of banksia hum with wattlebirds and the familiar screech of rainbow lorikeets. One night, a possum peeked over the roof as we ambled back from dinner, as if to check who was laughing so loudly under the stars. Over dinners that stretched into hours, beneath candlelight and a bottle (or three) of Pinot, we dissected everything from business strategies to the darker corners of our inner worlds. The venison was deliciously prepared but horrifying for me—a newly minted meat-eater whose moral conflict was laid bare for group debate. Emma regaled us with a hysterical tale from her days working the door at a club in Hawthorn. Her boss told her it was a dress-up night, but didn’t specify the kind of dress-up. She rocked up in a karate outfit—completely unaware that it was a club night for swingers—a la Cady Heron arriving at the Halloween party in Mean Girls as a zombie bride while everyone else is adorned in racy costumes.
“Be the one who texts first. Remember birthdays. Show up with coffee (and a pile of hot chips) on the bad days.”
Poolside Bangalay Luxury Villas
Laughter came fast and easy. But so did the vulnerable confessions and tears. And that, I think, is the point. Because when it comes to female friendship, the stakes are higher—and the rewards deeper—than any romantic entanglement.
From the time we’re little girls, we’re handed the narrative that romantic love is the pinnacle of our existence. We’re taught to map our lives around finding “the one,” to believe that our wedding day will be the happiest day we’ll ever know. And yet, amidst all the cultural pageantry that surrounds romance, it’s often in our friendships with women where we experience our truest, most unfiltered selves.
Science backs this up. Studies show that emotionally supportive friendships reduce stress and inflammation, improve immune function, and lower our risk of depression and anxiety (Uchino, 2009; Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010). Neuroimaging research indicates that social connection activates brain regions tied to reward and positive emotion—meaning that the glow we feel after a girls’ trip isn’t just psychological. It’s deeply neurobiological (Lieberman, 2013).
It’s easy to dismiss a girls’ weekend as frivolous—a splashy indulgence of matching robes, rosé, and Instagram reels. But at Bangalay, I was reminded that these moments are the very foundation of our emotional lives. They’re where we get to put words to the parts of ourselves we usually hide, to be held and seen and sense-checked in a way no lover or partner quite manages.
Friendship is built in these mundane, golden interludes
—a shared space to just be. Charms is napping on the couch exhaling into a rare pocket of stillness, while Bloss sits across the table tapping away on her phone, immortalising the trip’s memories into social content. Emma sits nearby feeding Banks, her new baby; settling him for the afternoon. I’m on the deck, legs propped on a concrete coffee table, reading the equally captivating and puzzling tale of Larrimah, a sun-scorched town in the Territory. There’s no pressure to perform. We are simply witnessing one another, quietly tethered by proximity and care.
“Want to be invited to dinner parties? Start hosting them”
Earlier that day, we’d spent hours moseying through the streets of Berry. Drifting in and out of boutiques, overcaffeinating ourselves with one too many soy lattes, buying cut-crystal butter dishes we absolutely didn’t need. Arms linked, laughing so hard we snorted, without a care for the passersby who overheard the undignified sounds coming out of us. That evening, we took a slow sunset stroll along Seven Mile Beach. Feet bare, not a phone in sight, we watched the sky blush and fade over the ocean. A rogue wave snuck up on Bloss and completely saturated her pants; cue our heads thrown back, cackling.
Female friendships are the rarest kind of love: one without obligation, where the only currency is love and presence. It’s the friend who knows the contour of your secrets, who calls you out kindly when you’re self-sabotaging, who lets you dissect the same situation for the sixth time and doesn’t keep score.
But here’s the piece that often goes unsaid: friendships don’t simply happen. They’re built, brick by brick, through effort and intention. I see countless people online lamenting how hard it is to make friends as an adult, as if friendship is a random cosmic gift that falls into the lap of lucky recipients. But friendship is an act of creation.
Want to be invited to dinner parties? Start hosting them. Buy the groceries, plan the menu, scrub dishes until midnight while laughter spills down the hall. Want friendships that feel like soul-anchoring safety nets? Be the one who texts first. Remember birthdays. Show up with coffee (and a pile of hot chips) on the bad days. Help someone move even when you’d rather stay in your pyjamas. Plan the girls’ trips that become stories you’ll still be telling when you’re old and soft and wise.
Because when I think about the people who fill my life with colour, who hold my secrets, and who remind me that love is not exclusive to romance—it’s the girls. And it always will be.
So take the trip. Book the villa. Order the venison or don’t. But above all, prioritise and tend to your female friendships.
They are the greatest love story you’ll ever write.
bangalayvillas.com.au
Finding Courage in the Depths: My Journey to Women of Water
When trauma left Amanda unable to work, the ocean became her sanctuary. What began as gentle healing swims with her dog Abby evolved into something far more profound—a journey 12 metres beneath the surface where whales sing and tears flow freely underwater. From single motherhood to the depths of the Ningaloo, Amanda's story reminds us that sometimes our greatest transformations happen not on land, but in the embrace of salt water. Her photography book Women of Water celebrates the subtle courage we all possess and the divine feminine connection that flows between women and the sea.
“This isn’t just my story - it’s all of our stories of finding courage in the depths. And that sometimes, through the waves of change, we find our truest direction.”
By Amanda Battle
They say there's a fine line between stupidity and being brave - and trust me, I've walked that line more times than I care to admit! But at the heart of my story lies a different kind of bravery: the gentle, subtle courage that whispers rather than roars.
My journey began as a single mum at 21, juggling a BA Science degree, then a Diploma of Education, while trying to provide stability for my beautiful daughter. I carved out a career as a high school science teacher, but my soul longed for something beyond classroom walls - wide open spaces, bare feet, salty hair, and freedom.
Following those whispers of discontent, I left education and dove deep into yoga, opening my own yoga studio in my hometown in Perth, WA. This led me to magical places like California, Bali, and India, teaching everything from SUP yoga to teacher trainings and festivals worldwide. But financial reality hit hard, and after a separation, I found myself back in "survival mode," returning to what I knew best - teaching.
“They say there’s a fine line between stupidity and being brave - and trust me, I’ve walked that line more times than I care to admit!”
Then came the day that changed everything - a traumatic workplace incident that left me unable to work for years. Some days, all I could manage was walking to my little beach with my dog Abby, swimming in the ocean, and sleeping. The sea became my sanctuary, slowly rebuilding the safety I'd lost within my own body.
A friend's suggestion to join a freediving and yoga retreat in Exmouth sparked something alive in me that had remained dormant for so long. I bought a pop-up camper and took off solo on what would become such a pivotal part of my journey.
Diving 12 metres underwater, on one breath, in the loving embrace of the Ningaloo, hearing whales sing so clearly and beautifully, I discovered you can cry underwater. That moment planted a seed that would grow into everything that followed.
An underwater photography retreat the following year called to every cell in my body. Though I'd never considered myself a photographer, I followed curiosity's gentle pull. A serendipitous meeting with local photographer Sarah led to my purchasing my first professional underwater setup - and despite flooding cameras and countless out-of-focus shots, I knew there was something magical happening.
That first photo of Abby in my ocean - the same waters that had held me since childhood - captured pure joy and essence. Now, thousands of photos later, predominantly of women in the sea, I still feel that same wonder.
Women of Water, now a published coffee table photography book and mini documentary, emerged from this journey - a celebration of the subtle bravery we all possess. It's about our deep, spiritual connection to the sea, how the ocean serves as a source of inspiration, healing, and inner peace. The divine feminine in its purest form.
This isn't just my story - it's all of our stories of finding courage in the depths. And that sometimes, through the waves of change, we find our truest direction.
Oceans of Love,
Amanda x
Salt on the Lips. Stories on the Table.
There’s a particular kind of magic in a girls’ weekend —
Bags overpacked. Stories overdue. The kind of hunger that’s not just for food, but for connection.
At Bangalay, we found both.
Oily focaccia. Black garlic butter.
Prawn toast that made you believe in pleasure again.
Crudo like cubes of ocean.
And sirloin that left a gloss no L’Oréal wand could compete with.
A slow, sumptuous evening at Bangalay Dining
Bloss McClelland
There’s something sacred about a girls’ weekend. As always, the bags are overpacked, the playlists are finely curated, and the group chat finally finds its real-life form, alive and noisy over Negronis. This weekend, we found ourselves chasing connection and indulgence in equal parts, and lucky for us, we landed at a table that offered both in spades.
Salty Founder Charms Baltis and wellness writer Lillie Brown
First up, focaccia with whipped black garlic butter.
Oily, salty, finger-licking good, the only fault? We all just wanted more. Even the hefty slabs of thick-cut, house-baked focaccia only teased us. The black garlic butter was the perfect quenelle and just the right amount; you can always want more butter, but it was just that, perfect.
Next on the menu: Prawns on toast, brioche, crème fraîche, bottarga & chive.
For those without shellfish immunity, there's the venison buckwheat cracker: crunchy, a little wild, and just cheesy enough to charm you into thinking it's a great idea to order your third dirty martini. Despite missing out on the delicious little morsels of another trendy prawn toast variation, the venison was notable, and the reportedly delightful prawn toast was enough to live vicariously.
As fresh as it gets, the Ulladulla yellowfin tuna crudo with pickled daikon, mandarin and oyster emulsion was the closest you get to eating precise little cubes of ocean. The umami punch of pickled daikon and mouth-watering mandarin, this dish was the perfect palate cleanser.
Well, well, well, what a shining star: 30+ day dry-aged Milton sirloin, parsnip, caramelised sprouts and kale. With parsnips roasted so perfectly, it was reminiscent of my nanna’s culinarily imperfect, but very delicious, slightly over-baked, caramelised root vegetables.
The perfect amount of jus, so well cared for, it left a delightful fatty shine to all our lips that no L’Oréal lip gloss could compare with.
““The perfect amount of jus... left a delightful fatty shine to all our lips” ”
Finally, while it's a cliché, it wouldn’t be a girls’ weekend away without a little bit of dessert; this white chocolate mousse, Davidson plum, and ruby chocolate crumb was quite the finishing touch.
Now, I’m a little bit more of a dark chocolate lover, and I read white chocolate and tend to get a little uncomfortable with the amount of sweetness I’m about to experience. And with a table of women full of sweetness already, if not in temperament, then in cocktails, did we need more?
Turns out, we did. But not in the way we expected — the Davidson plum was the ideal offset to a not-too-rich or overly sweet dessert, but an impeccably balanced one that even this bittersweet lover didn’t shy away from.
Bangalay Dining, Shoalhaven Heads is well worth the visit, regardless of the occasion.
Business Owner, Husband, Dad. If You Burn Out, Everything Burns With You
We came to the South Coast for space to breathe, time with the kids, salt on our skin. For something more than the city grind. But here's the kicker: even in paradise, too many of us are still drowning.
Business owner, husband, dad. The roles that define so many men on the coast. And the very roles that can quietly consume them. JC from Rewild cuts straight to the bone in his first piece for Salty's Cultivate series—because when you burn out, everything burns with you.
By JC - for Salty Magazine
Let's be honest. Most of us didn't move to the South Coast just for the hustle. We came here for something more - space to breathe, time with the kids, salt on our skin, less stress, more meaning and a different outlook on life to that in the busy city.
But here's the kicker: even in paradise, too many of us are still drowning in the grind.
We told ourselves we were chasing work-life balance, but for most guys I meet - business owners, builders of brands and legacies - it's work-meet the needs of others-work-neglect our own needs-repeat.
Somewhere between managing staff, chasing cash flow, showing up for our families, and trying not to lose ourselves completely… our health quietly slips to the bottom of the to-do list.
And that's the silent killer.
Not just physically - though the tight hips, nagging lower back, and 3 p.m. energy crashes are real - but mentally too. Stress piles up, sleep quality tanks, relationships strain, and decision-making gets sloppy. And what do we do? We grind harder. We tell ourselves we'll sort it out when things settle down. But they never do. Not unless we draw the line in the sand ourselves.
Fact: Over 50% of male business owners have not had a medical check-up in over 3 years. (Source: ATO Business Benchmarking Review)
Your Health Is Your Business Plan
If you run a business, lead a team, or have a family depending on you, your body and mind are your two most important assets. When they go down, everything else follows. I've seen too many good men (and women) burn out, blow up, or break down because they ignored that truth.
Fact: Businesses led by healthy, active founders are 3x more likely to grow profitably. (Source: Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneurial Leadership & Health Study)
Think of it like this: Do you keep important files scattered all over your desk? Did you build your business on a whim, without a plan? Then why are you doing that to your health?
Harsh Reality: 80% of business owners report poor sleep and physical fatigue due to work stress, which directly reduces decision-making quality, creativity, and leadership capacity. (Source: Mental Health Australia Small Business Research Report)
You Don't Need More Time - You Need Better Systems
I get it. The biggest lie we tell ourselves is, "I don't have time." But the truth is: we just don't have a proper system that puts us first.
Time for a walk? A weekly massage? A solo surf? A training session? These aren't luxuries. They're maintenance for the machine that makes everything work: you. And here's a little business advice - if you wouldn't ask your staff to run on empty, don't do it to yourself either.
This is where outsourcing and systems come into play. If you can outsource payroll, you can outsource meal prep or get help with your training. If you can schedule meetings, you can schedule a 10-minute walk outside, mobility, or a long overdue check-in with your own nervous system.
Reality Check: Regional men are 24% more likely to experience high psychological distress than men in metro areas, with fewer local resources or networks to support them. (Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare)
The Cost of Ignoring It Is Everything
Too many men wait until the wheels fall off before they get serious. Don't wait for the wake-up call. Your business, your family, your legacy - they need you strong, clear-headed, and grounded.
You don't have to do it alone - this is the point I'm ultimately trying to make. You need real conversations, practical strategies, and systems that keep you - the leader - in peak condition mentally and physically. Because at the end of the day, if you burn out, everything burns with you.
The BIG elephant in the room: Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Aussie men aged 18–44, with rural and regional males twice as likely to die by suicide compared to urban counterparts. (Source: ABS, 2022)
The conversation starts now.
We'll speak again soon, JC.
JC from Re:Wild with JC https://www.rewildwithjc.com
Laced with Light: Shona Joy Thatcher on Rhythm, Ritual, and the Quiet Power of Design
From Bondi market stalls to global recognition, Australian designer Shona Joy has carved a distinct path — defined not by trends, but by timeless design, coastal living, and a commitment to creative integrity. Now based in Byron Bay, she shares how slowing down sharpened her vision — and why fashion, like life, is richer when rooted in feeling.
From Bondi stalls to a global brand, designer Shona shares how the coast continues to shape her rhythm, and why quiet choices, not just bold moves, define a legacy.
Australian designer Shona Joy Thatcher has carved a distinct path, defined not by trends, but by timeless design, coastal living, and a commitment to creative integrity. From Mollymook to Byron Bay, she shares how slowing down on the coast sharpened her vision, and why fashion, like life, is richer when rooted in feeling.
1. You started at the Bondi markets. How has your relationship with place shifted since then, and does the coast still shape your rhythm, or has the pace changed?
Bondi and Paddington Markets is where I launched the brand, first selling hand-painted tees in 2000. It was the start of a new millennium – the Sydney Olympics had just arrived and the whole city felt energised. The markets were this vibrant launching pad for creativity and community and I have such fond memories of those early days.
We moved from Bondi around five years ago, during the pandemic. With the shift to remote work, we relocated to Mollymook to be closer to family. That time gave me a real sense of balance — to be with my boys, to slow down, and to look at the business with a fresh perspective. Now we live in Byron Bay, so the coastline is still part of our rhythm. It’s always been where I feel most grounded – by the ocean, immersed in nature with space to think. I still travel to Sydney regularly and stay in our family home there. Bondi will always hold a special place in my heart but these coastal moves have always kept me connected to what matters most.
“Boho, to me, means freedom. It’s a way of moving through the world with curiosity and ease.”
2. Your pieces evoke mood as much as style. What’s the emotional signature you hope lingers when someone wears Shona Joy?
Our pieces are designed to last: emotionally and physically. We think deeply about fit, form and fabrication so that every woman feels empowered and confident when wearing our pieces. At its heart, Shona Joy is about celebrating life – through love, through travel, through the simple joy of dressing up.
That sense of joy is something we hope lingers long after the moment has passed. It’s less about trends and more about creating memories that last a lifetime. It’s that spirit that has helped us connect with women for over 25 years.
3. Boho has been dismissed, misused, and reborn again. What does that word mean to you now, not just as a trend, but as a language of identity?
For us, bohemian isn’t a trend – it’s a perennial thread within the brand. The spirit of the 70s has always been woven into our DNA: a soft nostalgia reimagined through a modern lens. We speak to that era through sensibility. Tonal palettes, natural fabrications and a sense of undone glamour.
Boho, to me, means freedom. It’s a way of moving through the world with curiosity and ease. There’s raw beauty in that. In lace that feels lived-in, in silhouettes that breathe, in details that feel discovered rather than designed. The Shona Joy woman has always embodied this essence. Grounded, feminine and quietly otherworldly.
4. In an industry chasing clicks and capsules, how do you hold onto timelessness, and what do you return to when the noise gets loud?
We’ve always moved to our own rhythm, crafting each piece with longevity in mind – designed to live in your wardrobe well beyond the season. From our core silhouettes to signature fabrications, some of which have remained in the business for over a decade.When the noise gets loud, we return to feeling. To the emotional connection we want to create through design. That instinct has kept our pieces timeless.
5. What are some quiet but intentional decisions you’ve made behind the scenes, the kind that cultivate integrity, even when no one’s watching?
Integrity is built in the small things, and for us, it starts with people. Our team culture is one of care and connection, with ongoing wellness initiatives, learning programs and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.
We’re also proud of our long-standing partnership with SurfAid, supporting their incredible work in providing clean drinking water, sanitation and healthcare to remote communities with an emphasis on women and children. Since 2020, we’ve collaborated on initiatives that reflect our shared values, most recently as the official t-shirt sponsor for their SurfAid Cup at Bondi Beach.
While these decisions may not always be visible, this is what shapes our success.
““I’ve always been interested in the woman wearing the piece. What is she doing? How does she want to feel?””
6. For founders building quietly in regional corners, balancing vision, children, and bills, what have you learned about protecting the original spark while scaling the story?
The spark has always come from creativity. Having a creative outlet is why I do this, it’s the part I protect the most. Scaling the business with intention and purpose while raising a family is a constant balancing act but I’ve learned that boundaries allow the space for more thoughtful ideas.
Nurturing a team where every voice is heard and surrounding myself with creative, thoughtful and talented people has been essential to the process. Growth doesn’t have to mean losing your centre. Sometimes, distance from the noise helps to reconnect with what it was that made you start.
7. If you weren’t designing clothes, what kind of creative life would you be living by the sea? Sketch it out for us.
If I wasn’t designing clothes, I’d be working in interiors and creating spaces. Interiors have always been my other love – a natural extension of the Shona Joy world. I’m endlessly inspired by the warmth and texture of the 70s – an era that informs both my personal style and spirit of the brand. That balance of earthy minimalism, vintage charm and sculptural details run through everything I create – whether it’s a dress or a room.
I’ve been an avid collector of vintage furniture for years with my own treasure trove of keepsakes – coffee tables, lighting, ceramics and objects – each piece telling a story of its own. There’s something beautiful about objects that feel like they’ve lived lives before yours.
For me, everything, whether fashion or interiors, should feel timeless, soulful and belong to a life lived by the sea.
8. At Salty, we believe in the power of slowing down to find clarity and connection. What’s one coastal ritual or practice that anchors you, and reminds you why you create?
Coastal walks have always been my anchor. Whether it's a quiet stretch along the beach or a walk up the lighthouse to clear my head. It's where the noise fades and clarity returns. Living by the water keeps us grounded and mirrors the rhythm in which I create – intuitive and connected. Watching my boys surf, moving through regular pilates practice or simply being near the ocean reminds me to slow down and stay present to keep creating from a place of joy.
Discover more:
Explore the full Shona Joy collection at shonajoy.com.au