Stylish Bag Lady...who would have thought!

For as long as I can remember being a "Bag Lady" was not something any woman would aspire to be but as times have changed and thank you to Kathryn Eisman we can now embrace the term with style and confidence. It's no longer about the brand, although I still love Chanel, but more about our personal style and what the bag says about who we truly are!

INTERVIEW WITH KATHRYN EISMAN ON
HOW TO TELL A WOMAN BY HER HANDBAG

I’ve read that your book is a celebration of all kinds of women and that you aim to help women to understand who they are through their handbag choices…..How can women use your book to understand themselves better?

This book isn’t you’re cliché fashion book- it’s a celebration of women. Why we pick a certain bag above all others and carry that through life- reveals more about us than we dare imagine. The book also has ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ for each type of bag lady and offers comfort, advice and a few cheeky laughs.

We all know that fashion has the power to transform how we feel about ourselves. A new pair of heels to slip into, a pair of sexy jeans, a cashmere sweater….How can a handbag give us the confidence to take on the world?
It’s the item of apparel we keep closest to our heart. It’s a place of mystery and fantasy- only a fool would dare take a peek inside another woman’s bag! It carries all our secrets.

All women get the whole shoe thing…but bags? Tell us about your love affair with handbags and how it can change a woman’s life?

We change our shoes depending on our mood- but we’re much more loyal to the bag we carry, often selecting the same bag time and time again (despite all the others waiting for their turn). Our bags really are a reflection of who we are- I call it you’re Purse-onality.

They say dress for success is this also the case with handbags. How can choosing a particular bag help women achieve greater success?
They say dress for the position you want, and that’s certainly true with the handbag you carry. The link between a woman’s bag and her status in society has existed since Ancient Egypt and hieroglyphics. In the middle ages, a woman’s status in society was easily revealed by the level of embellishment and gems encrusted on the bag she carried. In the roaring 1920s, the mesh bag was elegant proof of a woman’s high socio-economic status.

What about the woman who can’t afford to buy a designer bag? Of course every woman would desire a Hermes, Chanel or Louis Vuitton and one understands the way these brands make us feel about ourselves…. But what about the great Aussie brands like Oroton, Mimco and Witchery….Does brand really matter or is it more about the style of the bag rather than price?
This book isn’t about how many dollars and cents you have in the bank- it’s about your sense of style, sense of humor and ultimately, your sense of self. The book explores a myriad of bags and only some of them are luxury labels, the rest are affordable. I’m less interested in the value of the bag and more interested in what that bag reveals about your values.

I’m a huge fan of our Aussie labels and have numerous bags by Australian designers. However, while they all come from home grown talent, the book shows that Oroton, Mimco and Witchery bag are all quite different and would be worn by a different kind of gal.

Click her to purchase your copy of
"How to Tell a Woman by her Handbag"

"Women are divine and mysterious ceatures, gracefully dancing their way through life, all the while carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. To fully understand a woman, dont be distracted by the light-footed skip in her step; look at the actual weight on her shoulder - her handbag. Whilst a woman's clothing and shoes change with different moods and seasons, its her handbag that remains loyal; after all, it is the item literally closest to her heart"....Kathryn Eisman

KATHRYN EISMAN ON MSNBC.COM

Unstoppable force....Kathryn Eisman shares her success secrets!

There are some stories and some women who seem to have a fire and a spirit which makes them an unstoppable force, something my partner called me the other day, with him being the immovable object...mmm interesting!! There are some women like myself who no matter what, will find a way around, over or under the immovable object be it man, obstacle or anything else that comes our way!!! I love these women for their courage, strength and determination to make their dreams come true and to carve out their own path.

As we journey down this path we often find success may come to us through one area that we focus on but what I found out many years ago is that everything that we do in our lives is like a jigsaw puzzle that we must put together to make all the pieces fit and see how they unite to allow us to live the life we were meant to live. A life that fulfills us and the work that will allow us to express who we are whilst making a difference in the world.

Now if there's one woman we would want to say 'I'll have what she's having' it's Kathryn Eisman. From interviewing President Clinton to being backstage at New York Fashion week interviewing Carolina Herrera, the red carpet with Sarah Jessica Parker and George Clooney to the tough streets interviewing reformed drug addicts.

Model, journalist, TV presenter, fashion expert, relationship adviser, columnist and public speaker Kathryn Eisman is a well grounded woman who has the whole world at her feet. I am honored to have the opportunity to interview her and continue working with her in inspiring women to create a life full of love, success, joy and fulfillment.

Current City
Los Angeles

Favourite fashion brand
Tibi- She mixes mid century palm springs fun with modern chic

Favourite fashion brand
Tibi- She mixes mid century palm springs fun with modern chic

How do fashion brands/designers empower you as a woman
Style not only changes the way the world sees you, it has the ability to change the way you see yourself.

Favourite charity
I am a proud ambassador for SISTER2sister. A life changing organization that mentors at risk teenage girls for a 12 month period. As a former Big sister I know just how transformational this program can be for the little sisters and the big ones too.

Things you love and can’t live without
Playful dinner parties with friends, Skype conversations with my Grandmother, Thai Massages, Frozen Yogurt, open house inspections in the Hollywood Hills. My brand new Maine Coon kitten Samson and my man.

How did you start out?

I started modeling when I was 17 a few days after finishing year 12. I walked into Chic Model Management with a photo of me in a bikini that some pervy Club Med photographer had taken while doing aqua aerobics of all things! That same afternoon I was sent out on a casting trying on lingerie for Formfit and booked the job. While I was modeling I studied communications majoring in Journalism at UTS. During my semester breaks I worked at Fox News in New York and wrote my first book, How to Tell a Man by His Shoes. A few days after graduating from university I headed to New York for a small book tour. I ended up being booked on Good Morning America and the TODAY show in New York. Viewers rang in and said they wanted to see more of me. A few months later they created a position for me as their Feature/ Lifestyle reporter. I was 21.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love writing my column for Cleo magazine each month and talking about the thrills and spills of love. It’s amazing how universal our desires and concerns are. I recently did a Book signing / reading at Barnes & Noble in LA for my New book, How to Tell a Woman by Her Handbag and it was an absolute treat sharing my work with so many fun people. As I said on the night- never before had so many good looking people been in a book store on a Friday night. We had a blast!

In turns of TV, I’ve never read an autocue I didn’t write and have always found my own stories, researched them, written and produced them myself. I could never be a talking head. The on camera work is really only a small part of the work that I do and I love researching and exploring new topics, issues and people. My job has never felt like work.

What do you feel is your calling and how do you achieve it through
what you do as an author, speaker, media personality?

I love being able to communicate with a large audience and use various mediums (TV, Columns and Books) to express my beliefs and sense of humor. I’ve always wanted my work to make women think about their own lives, feel connected to one another and to laugh in the process!

What other professions have you tried and when and how
did you know that this was your calling?

Other than modeling I never really tried any other career. Mind you when I started out it didn’t immediately look like a career. Most people pick one discipline be it; writer, TV presenter, fashion expert, pop culture expert, relationship adviser, news journalist, columnist, public speaker or illustrator. I was passionate about all these things so I picked them all, which you can imagine was initially confusing! It was only later when I had some success in each area that I realized that they all built on each other. I then saw I could beat out my own path.

What inspired you to choose this path?

I simply love doing what I do- be it standing and talking in front of a hundred people and making them laugh or interviewing Oscar de la Renta . I feel that I was born to work in media and that if I didn’t I wouldn’t be true to myself. I certainly don’t do it for the praise and there are certainly more consistent, less stressful choices out there- but I do it for the quiet satisfaction that comes from knowing that I am living my destiny. Something I wish for everyone.

How did you go about achieving such a level of success? We want the secrets….

I’m just getting started- but the secret to all success is perseverance, passion, authenticity and to keep on going even when you’re afraid you might fail. Sometimes I’ve had a few lucky breaks and sometimes it’s felt like I was pushing up hill in a pair of 5 inch Christian Louboutins. Just keep going. I always tell my girlfriends that if they’re not getting rejected they’re not trying hard enough!

What do you believe is the reason you are where you are today?

A mix of fate, passion, hard work and taking a chance on myself. There have been many turning points in my life where I have taken a huge leap of faith and pushed myself well and truly out of my comfort zone. Moving to New York at the age of 21 not knowing a soul was testing. Then leaving an amazing job at NBC and returning to Australia to be with the people I loved was another scary moment. Recently relocating to LA for work has been another exciting challenge. I think you have to be brave and just participate in life, even when it’s more comfortable to accept status-quo.

What is success to you?

Love; Finding someone to share your life with. Having a close family and group of friends whose affection for you isn’t based on how “successful” or “unsuccessful” you are at that particular moment. And the peace that comes from doing what you love.

What has your success enabled you to do?
What other goals and dreams has it allowed you to pursue?

I’ve seen the world and experience so many wonderful things from being backstage at Radio City Music Hall interviewing President Clinton to being backstage at New York Fashion week interviewing Carolina Herrera. From the red carpet with Sarah Jessica Parker and George Clooney to the tough streets interviewing reformed drug addict-I’ve experienced many touching and awe inspiring moments.

Was success a choice or something that just happened?
What conscious decision did you make to get to where you are today?

I believe success is a choice. I have had both supporters and naysayers all the way- people who have told me I’m the best thing that ever happened and others who have told me that it will never happen for me. At the end of the day, it’s all just noise! If you truly care about something and commit to making it happen it in your mind and heart- it’s only a matter of time until you get where you’re going.

What do you believe contributed mostly to you achieving success
as an author and media personality?

I’ve always been obsessed with words and language, a particular turn of phrase can leave me spellbound for days. I started writing poetry aged eight and my happiest days in school were spent debating literature in my 3 unit English class. I think a deep love of language and commitment to the craft is essential when developing as a writer.

In terms of Television- my first real job in television was as a reporter for NBC in New York. Coming from that serious news background, surrounded by some of the most respected news journalists in America, I leant the importance of having integrity, of doing your research, of knowing your facts. I am also the exact same person on camera as I am off - and I think people intuitively recognize that authenticity.

Who are your role models and what inspires you about them?

Nora Ephron has carved out a wonderful space for herself as a female writer in books, columns and movies. I also love Chelsea Handler for saying it like it is and for daring to be so un-PC, at a time when political correctness can limit creativity and foster even deeper discrimination. Of course Oprah is one of my heroes for her talent, integrity, warmth, depth, lightness and fighting spirit. My grandmother Anna is so strong yet such a lady. She’s experienced so much change from being in the death camps in Europe to a successful career in fashion. She turns ninety in September and despite not always feeling 100% always manages to leave the house looking composed, elegant and beautiful. I also admire my mother’s intelligence and intuition- she ‘just gets it’. Everytime.

What do you attribute to your success and having reached being at the top of your game?

I don’t “outsource’ anything. If there is a job to do, I don’t wait around for someone else to do it. Also, you’ve got to have fun otherwise, what’s the point! I’m sure to be smiling or laughing for a good portion of the day.

Have you had a mentor along the way and who inspires you most and why?

Travel has been my greatest mentor. Having to rebuild a life in different cities, make new friends and create new job opportunities teaches you a great deal about the world and about yourself.

Who would you most like to meet and why?

I’d love to meet Oprah. Perhaps to talk about my latest book
HOW TO TELL A WOMAN BY HER HANDBAG!

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt along the way?

1. To be kind- if you had to step on someone else to get there it’s not somewhere you want to be
2. That professional success alone won’t make you happy. Having someone to share your highs and lows with makes life so much more fun
3. Do what you love, so it doesn’t feel like work
4. Don’t waste time with lazy agents
5. Keep practicing

If you could say one thing to women out there to inspire them on
their journey to success what would it be?

Don’t be afraid of having a dream and saying it out loud.
The first stage of bring a dream to life, is admitting that you have one.

Private Interview with Mahalia Barnes

I've recently realised the importance that family play in the role of making us into who we truly are. Can we really reach our full potential if our family life was one of hardship, dysfunction and lack of love or is it exactly those things that make us reach for the stars and be greater than we ever thought possible....

We all hear of stories about those that grow up in less than favourable circumstances but somehow they reach deep within themselves and find the strength to create a life full of that which they never experienced growing up. I love those stories because it shows us that no matter what and no matter who we are and where we come from that we can reach our goals, we can live out our dreams if only we believe in ourselves and not allow the past to control us through the story we hold onto in our minds.

The successful women I have interviewed have come from all different backgrounds, some with famous fathers and others with role models they have found outside of their own families but what they share is their drive, determination and desire to find their calling in life and to be the very best by their own definition.

As Mahalia Barnes will share with you in the private interview that despite having an incredible role model and a famous father that this "privilege" which opened many doors also shut just as many. Famous parents or not ultimately we all have to prove ourselves and create our own success no matter what!

Where were you born?

SYDNEY

Where did you grow up?
MITTAGONG IN THE SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS TILL I WAS 12 THEN AIX EN PROVENCE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANE FOR A FEW YEARS, THEN TO SYDNEY.

Current city?
SYDNEY

Favourite fashion brand - why?
CAMILLA – SO BEAUTIFUL AND COMFORTABLE!

Favourite designer - why?
CAMILLA FRANKS – SHE MAKES GREAT STUFF AND IS A GOOD FRIEND TOO!

How do these fashion brands/designers empower you as a woman?
THEY ARE GREAT TO WEAR, BUT ALSO LOOK FANTASTIC, VERY FEMININE, AND NOT ONLY FOR THE SKINNY, MODEL TYPE GIRLS – CLOTHES FOR REAL WOMEN!

Favourite charity?
THE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL – HAVE WORKED WITH THE GEORGE GREGAN FOUNDATION CHARITY EVENTS FOR THEM.

Favourite artist? And why?
MUSIC? PROBABLY ARETHA FRANKLIN OR TINA TURNER – SUCH INCREDIBLE SINGERS, STRONG POWERFUL PERFORMERS, INSPIRING WOMEN!…ARTIST OTHER THAN MUSIC? I LOVE VAN GOGH. I LOVE HIS COLOURS AND HIS SUBJECT MATTER REMINDS ME OF LIVING IN THE STH OF FRANCE.

Favourite holiday spot – why?
THAILAND. I’M HALF THAI AND HAVE BEEN GOING THERE MY WHOLE LIFE. THE BEST FOOD!

Favourite resort/place to stay?
IN AUSTRALIA, KIM’S BEACH AT TOWOON BAY, GREAT ATMOSPHERE AND FOOD, RIGHT BY THE WATER.

Things you love and cant live without?
MY PARTNER BEN, MY BABY RUBY, FAMILY, FRIENDS, MUSIC AND GREAT FOOD

How did you start out?
I GUESS, AS A KID WITH MY SIBLLINGS, YES I WAS A TIN LID – WE RECORDED OUR FIRST RECORD WHEN I WAS 9, BUT I WOULD REALLY SAY THAT I GOT STARTED IN MY DADS BAND AS A BACKING VOCALIST WHEN I WAS ABOUT 15.

What do you love most about what you do?
I LOVE BEING ON STAGE AND SINGING WITH MY BAND, MUSIC JUST MAKES ME HAPPY. I LOVE BEING ABLE TO TRAVEL AND SEE DIFFERENT PLACES, MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE. I LOVE SEEING OTHER PEOPLE ENJOY OUR MUSIC. I FEEL SO FREE WHEN I’M SINGING, COMPLETELY IN THE MOMENT.

What do you feel is your calling and how do you achieve it through your art and work as a singer/performer?
I GUESS IT IS TO ENTERTAIN, TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SOMETHING THROUGH MUSIC. I ALSO LEARN A LOT ABOUT MYSELF THROUGH SINGING AND WRITING SONGS, HONESTY IS AN AMAZING THING. IF YOU CAN BE PURE AND HONEST IN YOUR PERFORMANCE, AS WELL AS IN LIFE GENERALLY, IT IS VERY LIBERATING.

What other professions have you tried and when and how did you know that this was your calling?
I HAVE WORKED IN RETAIL, I USED TO WANT TO BE AN OLYMPIC SWIMMER, BUT I’VE ALWAYS KNOWN I WANTED TO BE A SINGER. I GUESS IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY!

What inspired you to become a singer/performer? Did you always know what you wanted to do?
MY DAD I SUPPOSE. HE ALWAYS SANG AND PLAYED US GREAT MUSIC. I ALWAYS WANTED TO SING, MUM AND DAD NEVER PUSHED US IN ANY DIRECTION, BUT GAVE US A LOT OF SUPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

How much did your father Jimmy Barnes influence your career choice?
WELL, HE WAS ALWAYS TOURING AND PERFORMING, AND AS I SAID PLAYING US LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC, IT ALWAYS SEEMED LIKE A GREAT OPTION FOR ME. I SAW HOW MUCH HE LOVED HIS WORK.

How has being the daughter of such a successful Australian artist given you the upper hand?
IT HAS DEFINITELY HELPED ME, FIRSTLY BECAUSE I’VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH DAD AND HIS BAND MEMBERS AND FRIENDS, WHO ARE ALL AMAZING, THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOT MANY WOULD GET, BUT PART OF HIS SUCCESS IS HOW HARD HE WORKS AND HE HAS DEFINITELY TAUGHT ME THAT. A LOT OF DOORS ARE OPENED BY WHO I AM, BUT JUST AS MANY ARE CLOSED. UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE SEEM TO ASSUME A LOT ABOUT WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST, AND HOW I HAVE GOT WHERE I AM SOLELY BECAUSE OF DAD, BUT I DON’T REALLY MIND WHAT PEOPLE THINK, I’D JUST LIKE THEM TO COME AND SEE ME PERFORM AND DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHY I AM WHERE I AM.

How did you go about achieving such a level of success? We want the secrets….
HARD WORK, PASSION, LOVE, PATIENCE, CONFIDENCE, COMMITMENT…A LOT OF SHOWS AND A REALLY GOOD SUPPORT NETWORK AROUND ME. I LOVE MY WORK, SO IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE DOING LOTS AND LOTS OF TOURING, IT DOES TAKE HARD WORK THOUGH. I THINK PATIENCE HAS BEEN VERY IMPORTANT TOO.

What do you believe is the reason you are where you are today?
I HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME, AND I’VE WORKED REALLY HARD AND BEEN BLESSED TO WORK WITH A LOT OF GREAT MUSICIANS. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT SUCCESS AND FAME REALLY QUICKLY. IT CAN HAPPEN, BUT MORE THAN FAME I WANT LONGEVITY AND RESPECT. I WANT TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE OF COURSE, BUT I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO IMPROVE, AND SING BETTER FOR ME. I SET A VERY HIGH STANDARD FOR MYSELF, BUT I AM STILL VERY CONFIDENT IN MY ABILITY. IT IS SO IMPORTANT AS AN ENTERTAINER TO HAVE CONFIDENCE, NOT ARROGANCE BUT REAL CONFIDENCE. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN YOUR SELF, BUT YOU ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF AND NOT TAKE YOURSELF TOO SERIOUSLY. BE THICKSKINNED (BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS CRITICISE – ART IS ABOUT PERSONAL TASTE) BUT DON’T LOSE YOUR EMOTIONS. BALANCE.

What is success to you?
SUCCESS TO ME IS HAPPINESS, BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE MUSIC I LOVE, BEING RESPECTED MUSICALLY, BEING ABLE TO TOUR AND PLAY TO NEW PEOPLE, AND CONTINUE TO LEARN AND GET BETTER. MOVING FORWARD IS SUCCESS. BEING TRULY HAPPY IS SUCCESS.

What has your success enabled you to do? What other goals and dreams has it allowed you to pursue?
IT HAS ENABLED ME TO TRAVEL AND PLAY TO LOTS OF PEOPLE, MEET AND WORK WITH AMAZING PEOPLE. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TRAVELLING TO NEW COUNTRIES, AND MY SECOND PASSION IS FOOD AND COOKING. I LOVE GREAT FOOD. WITH ALL THE TRAVEL AND SUCCESS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO AND EAT AT AMAZING RESTAURANTS ALL AROUND THE WORLD!

Was success a choice or something that just happened? What conscious decision did you make to get to where you are today?
I GUESS IT JUST HAPPENED, I MEAN WHEN YOU GET INTO ANY ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY YOU ARE CRAZY TO SAY YOU DON’T HAVE A GOAL OF BEING SUCCESSFUL, BUT HOW SOME PEOPLE MEASURE SUCCESS IS VERY DIFFERENT TO OTHERS. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN SUCH GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH MY MUSIC, AND AS I SAID EARLIER SUCCESS FOR ME IS BEING COMFORTABLE AS AN ARTIST AND ENJOYING YOUR WORK, AND GETTING THE CHANCE TO SHARE WITH OTHERS. I MADE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION NOT TO SIGN A RECORD DEAL OR RECORD AN ALBUM UNTIL I WAS READY AS AN ARTIST, I WANTED TO KNOW WHO I WAS AND WHAT KIND OF SOUND I WANTED TO ACHIEVE BEFORE I REALLY PUT MYSELF OUT THERE. I AM SO GLAD I DID.

What do you believe contributed mostly to you achieving success and becoming a leading singer in Australia?
HARD WORK! AND PASSION. I HAVE BEEN PLAYING LIVE SHOWS OF MY OWN FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW AND FEEL LIKE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS I REALLY KNOW WHO I AM AS AN ARTIST, I DON’T FELL LIKE I AM TRYING TO BE ANYONE ELSE, I AM JUST ME. I LOVE WHAT I DO SO MUCH AND I THINK PEOPLE SEE THAT AND IT HELPS THEM TO ENJOY MY SHOWS. I THINK CONFIDENCE IS THE KEY.

Who are your role models and what inspires you about them?
MY DAD – HE IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ARTISTS IN AUSTRALIA, BUT HE STILL WORKS HARDER THAN ANYONE ELSE I KNOW. WHEN HE IS ON STAGE I’VE NEVER SEEN HIM GIVE LESS THAN 100% EVEN WHEN HE’S TIRED. HE ALSO ALWAYS MAKES TIME FOR PEOPLE, HE IS SO GOOD AND GENEROUS WITH HIS TIME. NOT TO MENTION HE’S AN INCREDIBLE SINGER! I HOPE AT 54 I CAN BE GOING STRONG LIKE HE IS, STILL ENJOYING IT, STILL GROWING AS AN ARTIST. TINA TURNER – ONE OF MY FAVOURITE VOICES/PERFORMERS EVER. ARETHA FRANKLIN – FOR THE SAME REASONS. THEY BOTH INSPIRE ME AS PERFORMERS AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR SO LONG!!

What do you attribute to your success and having reached being at the top of your game? HARD WORK, LOVE, DEDICATION, LUCK, SUPPORT…AND I DON’T FEEL THAT I HAVE REACHED THE TOP OF MY GAME YET…I’VE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO!

Have you had a mentor along the way and who inspires you most and why?
YES, MY DAD. I AM ALSO INSPIRED BY ALL THE AMAZING MUSOS I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH, THEY HAVE ALL TAUGHT ME SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS.

Who would you most like to meet and why?
WELL I GOT TO MEET ARETHA FRANKLIN ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO WHICH WAS INCREDIBLE! I GUESS TINA TURNER.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt along the way?
PATIENCE. WORK HARD. LOVE WHAT YOU DO. CONFIDENCE.

What difficulties and challenges have you faced to get to where you are and how did you turn them around?
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE MADE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME AND MY ABILITY BASED ON WHO I AM, BUT I FEEL THAT I HAVE MANAGED TO “PROVE MYSELF” AND OVERCOME A LOT OF THOSE PRE FORMED IDEAS THROUGH A LOT OF TOURING AND CONSISTENCY IN MY PERFORMANCES. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN FAMILY DIFFICULTIES ALONG THE WAY, BUT WE HAVE ALL MANAGED TO GET THROUGH THEM WITH A LOT OF LOVE AND COMPASSION AND A GREAT SUPPORT NETWORK OF EXTENDED FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

When things were tough and there were moments where you doubted yourself and the path you were traveling on? How did you overcome the doubts and what did you do?
I HAVEN’T EVER REALLY DOUBTED MY PATH. I GUESS I’M VERY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT.

What has been your strategy when things got tough personally and professionally?
WORK HARDER. I DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING CAN STOP YOU IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING. I AM NOT REALLY A NEGATIVE THINKER, I (SO FAR) ALWAYS SEEM TO THINK EVERYTHING WILL BE OK WITH TIME.

If you could say one thing to women out there to inspire them on their journey to success what would it be?
DON’T GIVE UP, BUT REMEMBER THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND OPEN TO CHANGES ON YOUR WAY TO BECOMING SUCCESFUL. KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY PRESENT THEMSELVES ALL THE TIME, BUT OFTEN GO UNNOTICED. WORK HARD, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS WITHOUT HARD WORK AND PASSION. LOVE WHAT YOU DO OR YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME.

Do you have a favourite quote you would like to share with us and what it means to you?
“IN MY MIND, WE CAN CONQUER THE WORLD” – STEVIE WONDER FROM THE SONG YOU AND I….. I ALWAYS FEEL THAT WAY.....BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING.

Interview with Australia's Lipstick Queen...Poppy King

The big question has always been "what is true success". Is it lots of money in the bank, beautiful homes and treasures, wonderful friendships or a life full of purpose. Some of the most successful people don't always feel so, some rise quickly and fall and then find the strength to get up again and there are some who look like they have reached the top but feel like they are at the bottom. Isn't there always more we can accomplish, higher mountains we can climb and more dreams we can pursue? From the many inspirational women I have recently had the pleasure of interviewing I can see that success is deeply personal and there is no one size fits all. We must be true to ourselves in finding our own definition and moving to the beat of our own drum.

Poppy King is one Australian woman who has been on everybody's lips....no pun intended :-)
With her successful rise to the top fresh out of high school and only 18 years old, she single handedly built an empire turning over more than $6 million a year as Australian women flocked to buy her long wearing, rich-toned matte lipsticks and became known as the Lipstick Queen of Australia.

The Queen currently lives in New York but surely will always call Australia home....Step inside into the world of Poppy King as she shares with you the secrets to her success and what it truly takes to get to the top if in fact there is such a place...

Where were you born?

Melbourne - Australia

Where did you grow up?
Melbourne

Current city?
New York

Date of birth?
05/24/72

Favourite fashion brand - why?
I don’t have a favorite brand, my favorite is vintage and thrift store finds because what you find and what you like in these stores is unique and personal to you and your imagination.

Favourite designer - why?
Azzedine Alaia because of his understanding and respect for women’s bodies and his expertise, he celebrates sexiness without making it trashy.

How do these fashion brands/designers empower you as a woman?
The vintage empowers my imagination by taking a garment out of context the find you it and imagining it in a different scenario…Alaia empowers my sense of celebrating the curves and sensuality of being female.

Favourite charity?
I have a few. Charities involving children, women’s empowerment, disaster relief and animals.

Favourite model and -why?
Don’t have one. I don’t take enough interest in models to know :-)

Favourite holiday spot – why?
New York City!!! I love this place for work and those times when you can just enjoy the city with nothing you HAVE to do.

Favourite resort/place to stay -?
Fire Island…I have a summer share there in a ramshackle old beach house that I love.

Things you love and cant live without?
People, art, music, books and patting dogs.

How did you start out?
I started out by realizing that there were no matte lipsticks on the market and that if I could find somewhere to make matte lipsticks for me was sure I could sell them to women who were looking for them to. I really thought about it very simply and that was my best asset because it allowed me to just to solve each piece of the puzzle step and step and ultimately get my own lipstick to market.

What do you love most about what you do?
The women I meet in stores or through being my customers. I find the experience of being a woman fascinating and love having the excuse of (lipstick) to connect with other women abut how they find being female.

What do you feel is your calling and how do you achieve it through what you do?
My calling is to give women the dignity that the beauty industry strips from them every day by treating them like idiots who can only be scared and intimidated into buying product rather than inspired to be themselves. Everything that the beauty industry puts out is about being better than what you are and I want you and me to celebrate what you ARE right now. I do this by only ever using graphic art to promote my products and NEVER using models, celebrities or standardized ideas of beauty to promote what I do or what you should be.

What other professions have you tried and when and how did you know that this was your calling?
Other than waitressing….this is all I have known and all I ever done since I was 18 and started my first brand. I have also written a book Lessons of a Lipstick Queen; Finding and Developing the Great Idea that Can Change your Life…so I guess I have also been an author too! Both of these professions feel like my calling because they satisfy my soul.

What inspired you to become a creator of lipstick? Did you always know what you wanted to do?
I never knew what I wanted to do and was in fact quite lost when I stumbled onto the idea and then the way to go about creating my own lipstick brand. I always knew however that I wanted to do things differently to institutions and whatever I did I wanted to focus on individuals rather than systems. These motivations inspired me to create lipsticks that were different to the very glittery, pink and peach lipsticks of the time.

How did you go about achieving such a level of success at such a young age? We want the secrets….
The secret is so simple it is almost dumb…the secret is that I just TRIED. I decided to see if I could find a factory to make the lipsticks that I wanted and I did. Most people never ever take the first tiny step and just try something.

What do you believe is the reason you are where you are today?
My willingness to try and my ability to get more invested in the trying rather than the results. The results are almost irrelevant in a way…it is the trying that means everything.

What is success to you?
Trying and taking initiative and never setting out to gain at someone else expense. Anyone can be successful if they are ruthless but success coming from concern is beautiful.

What have been some of your greatest successes?
The internal demons I have fought, the fears, the sadness, the disappointments that I have dealt with along the way and allowed them to make me stronger and more generous not less so.

What have been some of your greatest failures and how did you overcome them?
I have had very public failures at times such as my first business going into Chapter 11 back in 1998 so that was for sure a failure. I overcame it by making sure I learnt from it and not wallowed in the loss. It is still a daily challenge to deal with the wounds of that but it is the most worthwhile challenge I can take on because it is about never ever giving up on your spirit.

What has your success enabled you to do? What other goals and dreams has it allowed you to pursue?
It has allowed me to meet so many women that I otherwise never would have met and has allowed me to come into contact with people so far from just my own tiny little life. It has allowed me to travel, to observe, to contemplate and to search all of which I consider luxuries and privileges.

Was success a choice or something that just happened? What conscious decision did you make to get to where you are today?
Success is a choice. It is how you CHOOSE to deal with the setbacks that make you a success. I make a conscious decision to learn from every setback, try to forgive myself and others and move on to a higher plane from there.

What do you believe contributed mostly to you achieving success and becoming the lipstick queen in Australia?
My authenticity. I have never lied or attempted to trick and fool my customers and have always tried to offer them inspiration and truth.

Who are your role models and what inspires you about them?
The role model I think of most is Rosa Parks. The woman who refused to move from her seat during the time of segregation between black and white people in the USA. Can you fathom the courage of her convictions and her willingness to go on such a difficult path to force people to look at the truth? She is the biggest role model to me although I wasn’t even born when she did this.

What do you attribute to your success and having reached being at the top of your game?
I attribute my success to never focusing too much on the destination and more on the journey hence I don’t believe I am at the top of my game, there is no such thing, there is just life and the continuation of learning how to appreciate that more all the time.

Have you had a mentor along the way and who inspires you most and why?
My true mentorship comes mainly from the customers I meet because they inspire me to keep telling my truth.

Who would you most like to meet and why?
I try to gain some insight from everyone I meet even if it is insight into what I don’t want to buy into.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt along the way?
That there is never any perfect way to do anything there is only trying your best and so much of what ends ups happening is timing and variables you can’t control, all you can ever control is your efforts.

What difficulties and challenges have you faced to get to where you are and how did you turn them around?
I have been misunderstood so many times along the way by people who assume I am something that I am not, that I am super human when really I am as human and vulnerable as the next person. I am learning all the time that that is their problem and not mine and to turn that around is learning how to let other people’s expectations never cripple my sense of self.

If you could say one thing to women out there to inspire them on their journey to success what would it be?
That women are the backbone of this entire world and that we have been told we are the weaker sex when really we are anything but and don’t ever believe you need men’s permission to be successful.

Do you have a favourite quote you would like to share with us and what it means to you?
My favorite quote is from a documentary about Francis Ford Coppola and what he went through to make the film Apocalypse Now. His wife said “He had to fear a little, die a little and go insane a little to come out the other side.” The reason I love this is because it identifies that success is filled with darkness as well as light.

x Poppy King

Private Interview with Samantha Wills......

The more I look into the lives of some of the worlds most successful women the more I find that success is not about luck, not about a handout and certainly isn't something that happens to "special" people.....Tori Spelling was born into wealth and spent her childhood with the great Aaron Spelling but her achievements have been her own after she discovered her love for acting and was only successful when she was living her truth. Ivanka Trump followed in her fathers footsteps and found her calling from a young age when she put Barbie away and played with leggo building skyscrapers instead. DJ Havana Brown found her calling in her love of music and sharing her passion has given her the greatest success at a young age....

So whether you sing, dance, create, paint, design or DJ each of us is born with a gift and it is our path to find it and give it to the world. There is only one Picasso, one Gianni Versace and one Jimmy Choo..... there is no need to be someone else, no need to copy what somebody else does but to dedicate your life to finding out who you are and what gift you bring to this world and success will truly follow. And as I continue to find women who inspire me and those that I can learn from I feel relieved to know that success can come to all of us if only we dare to try....

Samantha Wills, our very own home grown aussie girl, model and award winning designer dared to try and just happened to create an empire along the way....

Her jewellery line SAMANTHA WILLS is worn by some of the world's most recognisable women, including Nicky Hilton, Eva Mendes, Nicole Ritchie, Jennifer Hawkins and Delta....

What started in Bondi markets just six years ago is now on the brink of becoming a huge international brand and here I'm given a rare insight and interview which I share with you into the private world of Samantha Wills and what it takes to build an empire.....let's take a look....

Where were you born?
I was born in Newcastle (NSW) but my family moved to Port Macquarie (NSW) when I was 2, so Port Macquarie is where I call ‘Home’

Current city?
I am currently in NYC, but I split my time between NYC & Sydney, spending time in London & LA in between!

Favourite fashion brand - why?
My favourite brand, for brand purposes is Stella McCartney. I do not know of another brand that is so emcompassing & true to their brand messages & beliefs. I really admire the way Stella has built her brand.

Favourite designer - why?
I am a little obsessed with Sass + Bide – I love that you can find something for every occasion in Sass + Bide.

How do these fashion brands/designers empower you as a woman?
Stella because of how true she is to what she believes in. She doesn’t say ‘oh I don’t like cruelty to animals’, she lives & breaths this message thru her brand & takes action on it, not using fur & even leather in her collection, a life time vegetarian & active supporter of cruelty free charities. I think in this day & age, it is very ‘fashionable’ to jump on the latest ‘campaign’ so it is really empowering to see women like Stella to not just speak , but act.

Favourite charity?
I work with REDKITE charity. It is an Australian charity that works with children + their families who are dealing with cancer. The organization is full of people who work tirelessly for such a great cause.
http://www.redkite.org.au/

Favourite model and -why?
I like Erin Wasson! I love her style & like how she has expanded out from Modelling to work with brands like Alexander Wang & RVCA

Favourite holiday spot – why?
In Australia I would have to say Noosa or Byron Bay – these places are great because they are not to far away, so you go for a mini weekend break & as soon as you get there, life just seems more paced & relaxed!
I have never been, but I am dying to go to Bora Bora…. Staying in a hut over the water! How luxurious!

Favourite resort/place to stay?
In Bali, I stay at Kanishka in Seminyak. They are private villas & they have no back wall, so literally the living room & kitchen join straight into the pool with your own private waterfall – so beautiful!

Things you love and cant live without?
As much as I am ashamed to admit it – My Blackberry! it seriously is connected to me, but is it so convenient & allows me to run my business from anywhere in the world!
Music! My ipod also comes everywhere with me, I could not live without music. I love that is has the power to literally transport you to another world, it can bring back memories or can inspire.
My notebook & pen. I NEVER go anywhere without them as I never know where inspiration will hit. My mind has the retention of a goldfish, si if I think of something I need to write it down pronto otherwise it could be lost forever!

How did you start out?
I started making jewellery just a hobby. I started selling to stores & it literally took off!i started the company when I was 21 & have not looked back since!

What do you love most about what you do?
I love that being creative & design is my hobby & I am lucky enough to earn a living from it. Even if it wasn’t my career, I would be doing it anyway so it is a blessing to be able to do what I love everyday!

What do you feel is your calling and how do you achieve it through your art and work as a designer?
As the company grows, I feel that my calling is to show other women that if you have a dream of doing something in your career, you should not let anything hold you back. I did not study design or business, what I did do is continue to push doors & not let the hard times get on top of me & I hope that what we achieve with the brand encourages other women to follow their dreams also.

What other professions have you tried and when and how did you know that this was your calling?
When I first moved to Sydney from Port Macquarie, I was just working as a retail assistant when I was selling my jewellery of a weekend. Even when I was suppose to be selling clothes, I was re-merchandising the store or thinking how if I worked at one of the brands of the clothes I was selling, what I would do differently if the brand was mine! So I think I was always destined to have my own brand!

What inspired you to become a designer? Did you always know what you wanted to do?
I am inspired by not having limitations on my work. I think that you have that luxury when it is your own brand, rather then working to briefs. Along with a love for product (jewellery) design, I also really enjoy the branding side of the company & creating an emotional connection between our clients that goes beyond product. I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was at school, I knew I wanted to do something creative, but I didn’t go to university, so I didn’t have a lot of direction leaving school! Even when I started out just selling my jewellery on the weekend, it wa sonly ever a hobby, I never set out to create an empire!

How did you go about achieving such a level of success at such a young age? We want the secrets….
I don’t know if it’s a secret or just persistence! Alot of people who are starting up their own brands ask send me emails like ‘how did you get to where you are? I am going on holidays next week, can I come & see you when I get back as I don’t feel I am getting anywhere with my label?’ & I think to myself – that’s why! You cannot take holidays when you are starting up! You miss nights out with friends to meet deadlines, you work 27 hours straight if you have to. When I realized jewellery design could be more then just a hobby for me, I lived, breathed & lived it some more. If you want to achieve a certain level of success, it unfortunately does not come with out sacrifice. An example I use often was when I was 22, my best friend & I had a trip planned to travel through Europe for a year. 4 months to us leaving, the brand just took off & I, as a 22 year old, had to make the choice to stay in Australia & work with the momentum of the brand or go on the trip of a life time with my best friend! It was a really hard choice at the time, but I chose to stay & work really hard on the brand in the view that if I worked hard enough, the brand would allow me to travel the world – and I am now doing this interview from my apartment in New York, after just spending a week with my best-friend in LA! So I may have missed out on the trip with her at 22, but I know catch up with her at different places around the world!

What do you believe is the reason you are where you are today?
I don’t think there is one sole reason, along with hard work & persistence, I think one of the factors is I believe I am very opportunistic in the sense that if there is a window of opportunity, come hell or high water – I will ensure I am there to take advantage of it. The success of samantha wills pty ltd of where it is today is strongly due to an amazing team that is involved in the day to day & long term building of the brand. My business partner Geoff Bainbridge is a driving force behind the business side of the brand & our General Manager Sarah Moore who makes our visions into realities.

What is success to you?
I have been asked this question throughout my career & what success is to me now is very different to what it would have been to me at 22 & will be very different if you ask me again in another 5 years! Right now, success to me is to being able to travel the world & set up the brand in the US market while the company still continues to run & grow without me there. To me this signifies that we have recruited the right people, have a great placing in the market to be financially available to do so & that our brand & designs are appealing to our consumers.

What has your success enabled you to do? What other goals and dreams has it allowed you to pursue?
Travel I guess is the biggest one that it has allowed me to. The second would be to meet some pretty amazing people!

Was success a choice or something that just happened? What conscious decision did you make to get to where you are today?
I think in life fate gives you opportunities, however fate will only take you so far. The level of success is up to you & I definitely think it has to be a conscious decision.


What do you believe contributed mostly to you achieving success and becoming a leading designer in Australia and having a celebrity following?
I think we we first launched onto the market, statement jewellery was just about to take off, so we were one of the only brands doing it in Australia. We were fortunate enough that this generated a lot of media in the early days, to keep the momentum going, we have continued to bring out new things, expand, change, grow. It is the brands that stay stagnate that get push out of the market, the most important thing to be a market leader is innovation. We are very conscious that we continue to be innovative in every area of the business.

Have you had a mentor along the way and who inspires you most and why?
I am going to say my business partner, but more importantly my very good friend Geoff Bainbridge, he hates the term ‘mentor’! While he continues to inspire me in business & I learn so much from him, but it is the way he takes time to get to know people personally & really spends invested time in people that I really admire.

Who would you most like to meet and why?
I would really really like to meet John Mayer, but that has nothing to do with business! J I would love to have dinner with Tamara Mellon on her work on building Jimmy Choo into what it is today or Tory Burch on her success of herself titled brand.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learned along the way?
Never burn a bridge, it is a small world & you just never know when you will cross paths with that person again!

What difficulties and challenges have you faced to get to where you are and how did you turn them around?
I think being so young when I started the business, a lot of people didn’t really take you seriously. It was a matterof growing up (or acting a lot more grown up) when you are dealing with business – presenting to major department stores, they want to deal with a business woman, not a kid.

If you could say one thing to women out there to inspire them on their journey to success what would it be?
There is never an ‘ideal’ time to do something. You will always find an excuse NOT to do something, so my advice would be if you are looking to make a change either in your career or personal life to get on or continue the journey to success, you have to take risks & while that is mostly scary, remember the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward!

Beauty, Brains and Business.....who said we can't have it all....

Private Interview with DJ Havana Brown....

I have often wondered what it takes to achieve success and become known for the very thing you love to do…We all read about the worlds most famous celebrities, models, actresses, DJ’s and wonder how they got to where they are…Is there really a little secret or is it much simpler than what we think…At times it seems like the road to the pot of gold is full of challenges and thank you DJ Havana Brown who let me into her private world to be interviewed and to share what it takes to overcome them. As I continue to read one biography after another I see that it takes belief in who you are and what you do as well as making sacrifices to make your dreams come true.

I’ll now let Miss Havana Brown take the stage…a place where she truly shines…

Where were you born/grow up?
Melbourne, Australia

Date of birth? Valentines Day!!!

Current city?
I am currently in Los Angeles but am always traveling to different cities throughout world each week. Next is Toronto, Canada, then Dubai and back to Melbourne Australia.

Favourite fashion brand?Why?
I’m loving Balmain at the moment because of their sharp, structured look. Australian labels GRIPP and Bettina Liano have some great styles with that look also.

Favourite designer? Why?
Karl Lagerfeld! As well as simultaneously designing for Chanel, Fendi and his signature line, he has designed a H&M line and photographed all of the Chanel advertising campaigns for the last nineteen years!

How do these fashion brands/designers empower you as a woman?
I find that feeling good about my appearance helps me to be confident DJing in front of a crowd.

Favourite charity?
Greening Australia

Favourite song?
As a DJ it’s hard to put it down to just one favourite song as it changes often. Currently the track I love is “Feel It” (by Three 6 Mafia feat Tiesto, Sean Kingston& Flo Rida), no matter when or where I play this songs it always sets the dance floor on fire.

Favourite holiday spot – why?
New York. Everybody in the city seems to be poised and ready, waiting on the edge for something amazing to happen – it gives a wonderful feeling of anticipation and a great atmosphere that inspires me to give my best.

Favourite resort/place to stay?
I would have to sayRodriguez which is a little Island off Mauritius. Not too many people know about it yet and it’s absolutely beautiful. This is also where my parents are originally from.

Things you love and can’t live without?
I love my MacBook Pro and Blackberry, love Inglot makeup and super high heels, and can’t live without my family, friends, and music.

How did you start out?
I grew up with a steady love and involvement in music and eventually moved to London to pursue my singing career, joining the group Fishbowl. Unfortunately the band fell apart before the release of our first album but I was still pretty determined I wanted a career in the industry. While at a club one night in London I was inspired by the DJ’s ability to create an atmosphere and a performance with the music and eventually I decided that was it. I got a respected DJ friend to teach me the basics and I took it from there, working hard to get a set at some of the top clubs.

What do you love most about what you do?
I love being on stage; I’m a born performer! I also love being in the studio, writing and recording, and discovering new tracks to play. Of course, getting to travel to some amazing places is an incredible bonus!

What do you feel is your calling and how do you achieve it through your art and work as a DJ?
I think my broader calling in life is to be a good daughter, a good partner, a good sister and a good friend. Music makes me happy and fulfilled and so I’m sure it translates.

Professionally, working in the entertainment industry feels right to me and my work as a DJ is part of that. I plan to broaden my horizon in music and have no boundaries about the possibilities of what that could hold in the future.

What other professions have you tried and when and how did you know that this was your calling?
I knew from a young age that I had a love for music and performing, through experiences I had on TV shows and on stage. I always loved music.
I have worked in other areas along the way; as a singer in the band Fishbowl, a part time job at a clothing store whilst studying - I didn’t ever think of it as my profession though, but rather a way to support myself financially during school.

What inspired you to become a DJ?
Did you always know what you wanted to do? I had been working in the music industry in London when our band fell apart prior to the release of our album. After a lot of hard work, everything stalled and I started to look for something that gave me the opportunity to work with music and to perform, but where I didn’t have to rely on others so much. There are some amazing DJ’s in London and I just loved the way they could rock the dance floor!

How did you go about achieving such a level of success at such a young age?
Hard work and a lot of support from family, who always encourage and believe in me.

What do you believe is the reason you are where you are today?
Having drive, focusing on the bigger picture and the complete support of my family also allowed me to get to where I am in my career today.
I have worked really hard at my profession, but music and performance is also something that comes fairly naturally to me. I have been practicing music for years and years without any accolades, but I never gave up believing I could make a career of it.

I’ve also made sacrifices to get where I am, like moving away from my family for a period of time to live in London and work on my music, and passing up weekends away with the girls when I have a gig.

What is success to you?
Success is very subjective. To me success is being happy, fulfilled and content with who you are, where you are and what you’re doing. That could be being a great Mother or being a great President.

What has your success enabled you to do? What other goals and dreams has it allowed you to pursue?
Being a DJ has opened many doors for me, including producing my own music which has always been a dream of mine. I’m currently working on my own tracks and am very excited to be going to the US to work with some great producers soon.

After a lot of hard work I signed to a major record label (the only female DJ to do so in Australia) which has given me the opportunities to release 3 Crave compilation albums that have gone to the top of the ARIA charts. I’ve also been able to work in radio with a weekly Friday segment on the Austereo Network and the Party People FOXFM Saturday night mix.

Of course, it’s also allowed me to travel to some amazing places and take my friends to some amazing events, all in the name of work!

Was success a choice or something that just happened? What conscious decision did you make to get to where you are today?
I think success follows if you are very passionate and work hard at what you are doing, regardless of what that is. However, I also believe you have to make a conscious goal to work towards. If you are passionate and work hard at that goal it will ultimately lead to decisions that put your future goal ahead of the little things that give instant gratification.

What do you believe contributed mostly to you achieving success and becoming the No.1 DJ as well as being invited to perform with some of the world’s greatest artists?
I do believe that I am unique, have my own style and have something a little different to offer. I enjoy myself so much that I think everyone in the room can feel it. I have a strong belief in myself and always do me. I do what I believe is right and I am fortunate that people seem to like it.

As a DJ I am not afraid to take risks and mix different music genres together. I’ll play some Lenny Kravitz and mix it with harder R’n’B or house tracks. I don’t like to pigeon-hole tracks to a particular genre.

Once again without the hard work I can guarantee that this would not have been possible.

Who are your role models and what inspires you about them?
My mum and dad are my role models. They have taught me so much about life. They came to Australia with practically nothing and have worked extremely hard to be where they are now with their success business. They are so loving and caring and have given my brother and myself an amazing life.

A DJ that really inspired me was DJAM. He really crossed genres and styles in his mixes and blurred the boundaries of what it meant to be classified by a genre as a DJ, and he did it so well. It’s such a shame his life was cut tragically short.

What do you attribute to your success and having reached being No.1 R&B DJ?
Hard work, passion and not giving up.

Have you had a mentor along the way and who inspires you most and why?
My manager Vince Deltito has been an amazing support and mentor throughout my journey in the music business.

Who would you most like to meet and why?
I’d love to meet Barak Obama. He really gives me hope that our generation may be heading towards a brighter future!

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt along the way?
Know who you are, take constructive criticism on board and don’t take yourself too seriously. A lot of things in life are fickle but family and friends love you unconditionally.

What difficulties and challenges have you faced to get to where you are and how did you turn them around?
I don’t look like your typical DJ – for a start I’m female and the DJ profession is predominantly male – and so that’s a challenge because you have to work harder to earn respect. Once people really take note of my music it’s an easy challenge to overcome.

If you could say one thing to women out there to inspire them on their journey to success what would it be?
You don’t need to rely on anyone but yourself, keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to fail. It’s all part of the learning process.

Do you have a favourite quote you would like to share with us?
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
- Winston Churchill

Rock on glamour girl...

Private Interviews with successful women....

Have you ever wanted to know what it takes to get to the top of your game.... Is it passion, is it luck or is there a little secret that no one wants to tell you about...
I have often been inspired by the greatest leaders and wondered what it takes to get to the top and the challenges they have faced on their journey.
After seeing DJ Havana Brown perform at the Palazzo Versace Unmasked event on New Years Eve, I was truly inspired by the pocket size glamour girl and wanted to know her secret to success....and as I've learnt that the greatest opportunities are the ones you create, I set out to find out for myself....stay tuned for the very private interview with DJ Havana Brown and the chance to read about the woman who has performed for Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.