Cool People Doing Cool Stuff
In volume 1 of Cool People Doing Cool Stuff, we speak with some of Australia’s most exciting creatives about breaking boundaries in their respective industries and finding their path
Interviews by Jack Paech and Zara Richards
Stit Shreeram
From Me 2 U Clothing founder and fashion designer
Tell us about your pathway to now.
I started as a self-taught artist. My first designs were hand-painted on denim clothing, mainly jeans – that’s how I got my foot in the door and gained a bit of traction on social media. I’ve always loved art and fashion. Being able to paint on clothes was a really fun way to merge the two. Since then, my clothing has changed quite a bit. I no longer paint on jeans. Instead, I design and sew my own clothing. I love the technical aspects of fashion design and taught myself patternmaking.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from running From Me 2 U?
I’d say learning how to scale quickly and efficiently. You want to be able to grow in a way that none of your business needs are neglected. As you grow, you spend too much time getting stock ready and you might neglect why you grew in the first place, like design and marketing. Learning when to hire help and delegate tasks is also a big lesson!
From Me 2 U is ethically made. For you, what does this mean?
Ethical manufacturing, to me, is when no one in the supply chain is exploited. We work with a small team of artisans and I personally hand-make the patterns and hand-sew all my samples, which are then sent to my manufacturers to produce in bulk. We are anti-fast fashion, which means we come out with fewer designs compared to big fashion corporations.
You donate a portion of the proceeds to Suicide Prevention Australia. Why was it important for you to incorporate a philanthropic angle into your business?
I think the main reason behind this is that I don’t have any interest in hoarding money. As long as I can comfortably do what I love and create art for people all around the world, the rest can go towards a greater good, like making sure all of my employees and manufacturers are paid well and money is regularly donated to charities.
What advice would you give someone who wants to work in your industry?
Just get started and give it your all. And don’t get stuck in the planning and thinking stage!
Lilith Malloy + Bella Veith
Runt! Records co-founders
Tell us about how you got here! What was your initial motivation for starting Runt! Records?
We did a music performance course together [at MusicSA], and one of the assignments we had was to create a ‘microbusiness’. We came up with the idea for Runt! Records then. We were two out of four non- male people in a class of about 20, which also influenced the decision to create Runt!.
Runt! creates inclusive spaces for queer, female and gender non- conforming people. How does this ethos influence the organisation of your events?
Everything we do is led by a desire to cultivate safe spaces in the scene. We’re mindful of the venues that we host shows at, taking into account the kind of crowd that the venue has regularly and how this will impact our audience. Venues that are accessible, queer-friendly and artist-focused are usually our focus.
You’ve come a long way in that year. What are some lessons you’ve learned?
Some of the challenges we’ve faced mainly involved the smaller pool of people we can work with and the smaller audience. We’ve learned how to market our events to the right audience and have managed to build a fantastic audience for our shows. We’ve also discovered some awesome bands and people that we’re excited to work with.
What are your plans for the future?
Our plans for the future involve getting into physical media. We’re really keen to work on a Runt! zine that focuses on bands we work with and events we put on. We’d also really love to make mixtapes of bands we’ve worked with.
What advice do you have for people who are interested in organising events of their own?
Ask for help! It can be really scary booking events for the first time, and a lot of the information and knowledge that’s needed is hard to find on your own. There are so many knowledgeable and talented people in the scene who would be more than happy to give advice or lend a hand. I think that’s one of the biggest secrets – there are so many people who go into putting on an event. You can’t do it all on your own and that’s awesome!
Jessi Tilbrook
P.A.K Records co-director, Rocky’s Pride and Joy drummer, Events & Sponsorship Manager
Tell us about your pathway to now. How did you start in your current industry?
I studied Festival and Event Design and Management at Flinders University and then a Cert IV in Music Business at MusicSA. I hosted my first live music event at the Crown & Anchor when I was 18 – a festival that activated every corner of the pub (even the balcony!). Putting on events was how I became involved in the local music scene because I wasn’t playing music myself then. Travelling a lot, volunteering and embracing new experiences when I was getting started also helped me find my direction.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve taken from your career journey?
The ongoing challenge has been finding a way to work sustainably that doesn’t cost me my mental health or take away from other parts of my life. Profitable gain has never been the motivator for P.A.K – the focus has always been community building and, on a personal level, skill building. It has operated from day one on a very DIY spirit and the skills that I've developed through P.A.K have given me some amazing commercial opportunities in my career so far. Finding the balance has been tricky at times, but I rely on P.A.K as one of my greatest sources of creative expression and my lifeline to the music community. Being able to support lots of my favourite artists through this journey has been very rewarding.
Tell us about some career highlights.
Last year, I ticked ‘put on a concert at Hindley St Music Hall’ off my bucket list. I also put on the largest event of my career during National Reconciliation Week for 3000 people in response to the failed 2023 referendum and the 2024 theme, ‘Now More Than Ever’. It was an emotional and powerful event – one I’ll never forget.
What surprises people about your current roles?
How busy I am. The truth is, I don’t know how else to be. I have a lot of energy to put towards projects I care about, and I’m used to having different creative projects on the go. I think it’s a condition of being in this industry. I also wish people understood how hard creatives work – it’s a serious hustle!
Any advice for someone looking to be where you are?
Don’t measure your own success against others. This is your journey; you make the rules! Try lots of things when you’re first getting started and follow whatever gives you that deeper sense of purpose. Journalling and goal setting have always helped me – maybe it will help you, too. Also, there’s a whole world to see beyond your own backyard and so many people to learn from. Get out there and have as many new experiences as you can!
Kaspar Schmidt Mumm
Artist, giant robot puppet maker, and frontman of music / theatre collectives The Bait Fridge and Slowmango
How and why did you start in your current industry?
I started making art with my family (they’re artists). Then, I did a lot of street art and had my first exhibitions in cafes. My paintings became big enough that they became sets and I started performing in them. Now, my exhibitions are like big interactive theatre games in hand- built imaginary worlds.
What are the challenges you've faced in your career journey?
Working with people that don’t [share] the same ambitions or just want to be famous and not make beautiful things for fun. Also, resilience. I apply for a new project every week and get knocked back for more than half, but I keep pushing!
What do you wish people knew about your industry?
Being an artist isn’t just making pretty things for others to buy or see. Art is something you do because you see how the world could be different or more beautiful. It’s a way I can show what I think and feel about society.
What skills or traits do you think work well in this industry?
Writing, drawing, listening, feeling it out, ambition, rebellion, excitement. The satisfaction of building my own world is the greatest reward of my career and I’m addicted.
What has been a highlight of your career so far?
Driving a car decorated as a crocodile across a croc-infested river to get kids in Arnhem Land to school on their first day. We had a big parade through the town with junk instruments, protest signs, food and a giant croc car.
What advice would you give someone who wants to work in your industry?
Just make art for your family and best friends. The people closest
to you are your biggest fans, [and] the greatest artists made their work for the people they loved and themselves. Don’t try to impress the world. Your world is so wildly different to everything else on this planet. The simple act of showing that is enough to move people. It’s not hard, but you have to be persistent and dedicated.
Teen Spirit was produced in partnership between Carclew and The Note magazine, supported by the Government of South Australia via the Music Development Office (MDO), the Department for Education and Arts South Australia. Read the full magazine online here.
