Meet Emily Jean Robertson, the owner of Emma Robertson Designs, Tasmania
Meet, Emily, the small business owner of Emma Robertson Designs, a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated creative arts business in Tasmania. Emma is passionate about culture and loves to incorporate First Nations designs by creating wearable art, jewellery, prints, clothing and homewares.
“I am an artist and cultural practitioner and I enjoy exploring new ideas and pushing the limits of my imagination. I love to work with natural materials such as kelp, fibres and shells and utilise them in contemporary designs. I continue to expand my skills and explore other mediums such as photography and digital graphic design. I express myself creatively and love to combine cultural practice with contemporary methods.”
Read more about Emma’s business journey so far:
Emma’s Business
My business, Emma Robertson Designs is a 100% Aboriginal-owned and operated creative arts business based in Tasmania. I am proud Palawa woman, from the Trawlwoolway nation in north-east Lutruwita, Tasmania. Besides running my art business, I am also an Aboriginal Health Practitioner and work full-time as a Health Manager for the local Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service. I am still working as a full-time practitioner while simultaneously operating my business. I dedicate my evenings/nights and weekends to my business.
My business is all about art which reflects Indigenous designs and culture; I offer wearable art in the form of jewellery, clothing, accessories, and homewares. I wanted to go into business because I have always been passionate about art, and I used to gift a lot of stuff to friends and family who always praised my art and design sense. This encouraged me to convert my hobby, or you can say side-hustle into a formal business.
“I am an artist and cultural practitioner and I enjoy exploring new ideas and pushing the limits of my imagination. I love to work with natural materials such as kelp, fibres and shells and utilise them in contemporary designs. I continue to expand my skills and explore other mediums such as photography and digital graphic design. I express myself creatively and love to combine cultural practice with contemporary methods.”
Working with Many Rivers
I remember I saw an advertisement on Facebook and then I looked up the Many Rivers website as I needed small business coaching and mentoring. When I decided to formalise my business by registering an ABN, I realised that I needed proper business coaching or mentoring to do it correctly. I did not want to start my business in a rush without any proper guidance or support from a professional business coach.
I have been receiving tailored one-on-one business mentoring from my Many Rivers business coach, Anthony. We just meet every now and then to discuss progress and new ideas to build on the strength that my business needs. We come up with plans to work on before we meet again.
To be honest, Anthony has been incredible with respect to helping me with my business plan and at every step where I needed guidance from someone who has a better business acumen than me. He has empowered me to run my business in the most efficient and creative manner. These days, he is mentoring me with the cashflow and budgeting plans for my business.
Do you have any current employees?
No, it’s just myself right now and it’s working out well for me. If at a later stage, it gets difficult for me to manage my full-time practitioner job alongside managing my business then I might hire somebody to assist me in managing my business.
Biggest Challenge
My challenge lies in finding enough time to successfully run my business. It is a bit of a struggle to take out time for my business with my full-time job as a health practitioner. But I am determined to make it work because art is something that I am very passionate about and I will always manage to squeeze in time for it.
Biggest Success
I think it has been my profile as I have developed a good business name and reputation for myself and my work. People see me as a professional and just not as a hobby anymore.
I also want to share that I recently visited the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair 2023 which filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride. As an artist, I had the opportunity to showcase my work alongside other talented individuals. The sales were great, and it was a true testament to the appreciation people have for Indigenous arts, crafts, design, and jewellery. And it wasn’t just about the sales. It was the connections I made with fellow artists and art enthusiasts that made this experience truly special. We shared stories, techniques, and even a few laughs. It felt like a big artistic family coming together to celebrate our shared passion.
Another moment of success for me was when I was nominated for the prestigious “Cultural Adornment Award” at the National Indigenous Fashion Awards. This award celebrates individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the world of art, fashion, and style. It recognises those who have embraced their unique cultural heritage and used it as a source of inspiration to create something truly remarkable. It’s like the Oscars, but for cultural awesomeness!
Biggest Change
This business is an additional financial gain for me and my family, so I am grateful for that. Moreover, it has brought a positive change in our lives as it is showing my children that you are never too old to start anything. I was 43 years old when I started this business so in some way, I can be an inspiration for my kids to look up to when they grow older.
Future Goals
I hope that my business continues to grow consistently in the future as well and that as an artist my profile keeps getting bigger and more recognized. I hope I can continue to celebrate the art and designs of First Nations through my work and through the work of other Aboriginal artists. With regards to growth, I plan to keep it simple for now by just managing online sales through my website. I want to take it slow slowly and do it correctly.
Thank you, Emma, for sharing your business journey with us. We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavours and business success.
If you would like to stay updated with Emma and her small business, follow Emma Robertson Designs on social media:
Website: https://emmarobertsondesigns.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emmarobertsondesigns
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emma_robertson_designs/
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