Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.
We’re a green event management company that provides a
kickarse alternative to conventional event
production by offering standout creative concepts and production services
within green principles
Tell us how the name Green Elephant Events come about?
It’s a cheeky take on ‘the white
elephant in the room’ and the name Green Elephant Events comes from Petersham.
Who (or what) inspires you to do what you love in your own creative
business?
Monica:
Josie
Where do you get your inspiration from when you design an event?
Monica:
Our vision and all the obstacles and limitations we face producing green events
Josie:
Yoga! I walk into class with a problem or in need of a creative solution and
when I walk out I have the answer or idea!
What are the five words that people who know you would use to
describe you?
Monica:
Stubborn, creative, unconventional, curious, and excitable!
Josie:
Loud, creative, little miss bossy, perfectionist, dramatic
Tell us about your very first job and what path have you taken since
then?
Monica:
Does working for your family’s variety store count? I didn’t get paid but I had
to handle money. Much like the first year of working on the business.
Josie:
My first job out of uni was as an usher and stagehand at Circus Oz during their
Sydney season. My path since then has been a crazy and fun one, which has
continued into a new circus called Green Elephant Events
Describe a typical day in your studio space?
Monica:
There are none, that’s what keeps me going.
Josie:
Coffee, work, lunch, work, afternoon tea, work, yoga, work, home time
As a business owner, what is your biggest frustration?
Monica:
Having no one else to blame.
Josie:
Cash flow
Tell us about how you prioritise your workload?
Monica:
Weekly meetings and dated to-do lists.
Josie:
With a numbered to do list and WIP
Tell us about how do you connect with other creative people, and
your customers (i.e. how do you network)?
Monica:
Not through any formal networks, we participate in a lot of industry fairs and
I’m always happy to talk to anyone about the Green Elephant
Josie:
We know quite a lot of creative people so we use them to open new and exciting
doors for us. This is where we meet more creative people and often clients.
What advice can you offer other creative people who are just
starting out and following their passions?
Monica:
Try to learn as much as you can from other people’s experiences, be realistic
about your finances, and don’t let anyone stop you.
Josie:
Never lose hope; it is really hard but rewarding.
What dreams do you still want to achieve or fulfil in your life?
Monica:
There are so many, but I’ve got my heart set on this one still.
Josie:
To have a little house in the country.
What is your proudest moment so far?
Monica:
Our last event, each one is my proudest till the next.
Josie:
Every morning when I wake up I am so proud to work for myself
Who do you most want to meet and why?
Monica:
Subcomandante Marcos of the Zapatistas, a real life masked hero.
Josie:
Monica in 10 years
What is the most important lesson in life that you have learned?
Monica:
That we create our own realities
Josie:
That you never stop learning – boom!
What book are you reading right now, and do you have a book you
would like to recommend?
Monica:
Saul Bellow’s Herzog. We’ve had an on-again off-again affair over the last
couple of months. I would recommend Anne Enright’s the Portable Virgin to
anyone. It’s breathtaking.
Josie:
Life of Pi by Yann Martel. I would recommend Jeffery Eugenides’s Middlesex it
is dramatic.
Where do we find you and your services?
Images Copyright & are courtesy of The Green Elephant Events
