moose yaks: boo + who
There are a few good reasons to head to Boo & Who in Rundle Mall [Regent Arcade]. One, sensory overload, thanks to the sweetest smelling candles, flowers and other home-y bits n bobs. Two, it's a tres-friendly pop up shop [thanks Renew Adelaide]. And three, the great incentives like spending over 30 bones and getting this cute flower pot (pictured) for free.
Bonus points for the cute name! Well with drawcards like that, Neon Moose just had to catch up with creative cat Rebecca Lane to chat about life in the entrepreneurial lane.
How did you get into candle making and floristry? I've always loved making and creating stuff and started experimenting with candle making when my housemate at the time got given a really expensive candle. I thought, I wonder if I can make them. It all led from there, I did my first market and it went really well. I've been doing markets on the side of having a full time HR job up until the beginning of the year. I left to develop an app with a friend (still happening, look out for Little Birdy coming in December). It was a big jump, I'd been at the company for 8 years and they are amazing, it was like home. But life is short and I never want to wonder what if, so I took the leap.
Tell us about Boo & Who. My shop Boo&Who? is part of a Renew Adelaide project in Regent Arcade. Renew Adelaide is a non-profit urban renewal project that works to revitalise under used and empty buildings and shop fronts. They give amazing opportunities to provide incubation space for young and emerging entrepreneurs. They encourage foot traffic in urban areas and help create vibrant cities both socially and economically.
Why do you do what you do? I love creating and I love making people happy, corny but true. I get to do both.
Tell us about your first entrepreneur experience as a kid. I promised once to weed a neighbour’s garden (about an acre) for $8. Got the money up front, and never did it. Have felt guilty ever since. I'm much better now though haha.
Best piece of advice you’ve received in building your business? It's stuff I've picked up from my previous employment and other awesome people, but here are my top 5:
1. Embrace competition
2. It's just a big kids game, have fun!
3. The only difference between people who do what looks like "big stuff" and those that don't, is they do stuff. Keep taking action in spite of all the reasons you can think of not too.
4. "No" is not personal, keep taking action (even if you don't feel like it)
5. Be good to people, always
What does creativity mean to you? I think every one is creative in their own way. I think it’s playing which is natural to us all. For some people is art and craft, others gardening or cars.
Advice to aspiring creative out there? It all depends if it’s just for you or you want to earn some money. But here’s a couple: Do what you love, play. If you want to make some money, be commercial and model your business on a business you love. Check out the competition, embrace them, make them your friends. There is enough room for everyone!
