Erin - Perth Makers Markets
Erin is the bright and bubbly face behind the Perth Makers Markets - an exclusively handmade only market South of the Swan River that makes its home at Heathcote Cultural Precinct in Applecross. As a hand-crafter herself, Erin found that it was not only difficult to break into the market scene, but that certain markets within the Perth area no longer cater to the exclusively handmade. So she made a market herself! Now Perth Makers Markets is a thriving event where you will never find something that wasn’t made in Western Australia, and is actively assisting both new and emerging artists, as well as talented school students in breaking into the handmade marketplace.
What advice would you give to you 15 year old self?
Don't take yourself too seriously or think you need to know what you want to do for the rest of your life at 15! Slow down, relieve the pressure on yourself and live life to the fullest. You can figure out what to do with your life later.
What makes you proud to be a woman?
This is a hard one for me to answer as I tend not to think about myself and my achievements around gender. I guess for me I'm proud to be able to do good for my community and provide opportunities for other women to earn some money doing something they're passionate about and provides flexibility around their families and circumstances.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
One of the biggest challenges was dealing with an extremely vindictive person who left a public review on our social media that was not just negative, but also factually incorrect. It taught me a lot regarding how to respond to situations like that, and that even if there was one person who was vocally unhappy, the majority of my community are happy and rallied around me.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
It changed a lot, but it tended to be teaching. I wanted to be a high school English teacher.
Who inspires you and why?
I get a lot of inspiration from the women I meet through a networking group I'm in called Fusion Biz Babes. Ashley Matkovic who runs the business has built a really great community where people build each other up and support one another. Her networking events are always really great as it's not just an opportunity to meet other people, but you always have an opportunity to learn. Through that group I've met Jay Crisp Crow who is the most amazing copywriter you'll ever come across, Demelza Leonard who runs Boss Mode Radio (an online streaming platform all about supporting small business) and so many others.
Check her out at:
Perth Makers Markets (Facebook and Instagram)
Behind the Perth Makers Markets (Facebook and Instagram)
