Company

The Bread Tag Project started when Shani Nottingham's boys were hungry and devouring tonnes of bread a week and leaving the bread tags all over the kitchen. Shani's creative mind naturally took over - and she decided this was going to be her point of difference as an artist.

That was almost four years ago and now The Bread Tag project has become a huge beast, fuelled by bread tags send to Shani, in Cowra in central west NSW from all over the world and not just envelopes full, huge bags and boxes full.

Today you will learn of what's become of Shani's idea - which is a ever evolving project with 7 main aims. If you know of anyone who would be interested please forward this podcast to them and listen in for Shani's best contact details so you can take part too.

This is a story about taking a rundown building in the main street of a country town – and being bold with it to create a beautiful space that people will travel hours to experience.

I can think of many country towns that have spaces like this – all they need is someone creative to take hold – and I can also think of many women living in rural towns with the style, nous and grit to do this.

Elise Croker wanted to create an accommodation option in Crookwell, NSW that made you feel like you were in London, with old books, artwork and pieces made with love. But she also wanted the space to have a boho feel and be fun and exciting at the same time. The result is her beautiful BnB, Mister Munro in the main street of Crookwell. It's clever and creative and cosy and I love it.

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge with an old house or building in your town or on your farm then I hope this story can be an inspiration to you.

Thank you to Lindner Quality Socks the sponsor for this Series of Company. Incidentally, Lindner is just across the road from Mister Munro in Crookwell. Get yourselves some cosy socks, walk across the road, pour a red wine and read a book or watch a movie while settling into Elise's Mister Munro.

In the main street of the southern NSW town of Crookwell you'll find a small building stocked with rows and rows of colourful socks, some are thick and fluffy, others are thin and refined. Out the back green machines plug away, to make the heritage socks, sewing, shaping and creating some of the most beautiful feet warmers in the country.

The Linder Family of Lindner Quality Socks has been making socks for 10 generations and today you'll hear their incredible story which includes moving a young family from Germany to Goulburn, Australia without any English speaking skills, starting up a factory in Crookwell, sourcing wool from local farmers, venturing into tourism and spending a lifetime trying to create the perfect sock. Thank you to Andrew, Linda and Gisela Lindner for sharing their time and their story with me today.

Thank you to Lindner Socks who are the Series Sponsor for Company.

You can follow them @lindnersocks on Instagram.

Today I’ve decided to bring you a little bonus episode for two reasons. I think today’s guest is a pretty cool chick and someone you need to know and I thought it was a good chance to tell you about the Women Behind Wool initiative that myself and my very good friend Penny Ashby are running right now. For the next six weeks of so – we want you follow our @womenbehindwool on Instagram – and then take a look, and a listen – at the short films and podcasts telling you the stories of some of the most impressive women behind the Australian wool industry.

As we are in the initial stages of building this community – we need all the help we can get – as well as following us on instagram, the community will reach further and grow faster is you can take 2 minutes to subscribe to our podcast. Rate it and then tap out a small review. Thank you.

For today's podcast, I want to meet Atty Mitchell, she was one of the Women to first take the stage for our Women Behind Wool project. Atty is a catwalk model, in fact- she used the face of Louis Vuitton but she’s also a farm girl – who loves nothing more than being in the sheep yards with a drenching gun in hand. To me, her story is just fascinating and goes to show that anyone can become anything and that farm life really is the best!

If you want to hear more from Atty and her mother Caroline and her grandmother Tink you can watch their film and/or podcast below.

Short Film - Watch Here

Podcast - Listen Here

As you know this Series of Company has been brought to you with support from Amanda at the The Grampians Goods Co and this interview was her idea and I’m so glad she alerted me to these two women. Former journalist Kirsten Diprose and founder of Rural Women’s Day Jackie Elliot sound they are - in their own rights - busy women beyond belief, with heads that bubble with ideas that later somehow see the light of day!

Their latest venture a new podcast. It’s called Ducks on the Pond and it will feature discussions with women all Australian around hand picked themes that important to women living in the country.

You all know how I love a new podcast so it was with great excitement that I wanted to learn more about Jackie and Kirsten, what this is all about and how they came to be working together.

My guest today is the co-owner of The Grenfell Collective.

A beautiful co-working space in Grenfell in central west New South Wales.

Dr Belinda Mahwinney and her partner Ant Dixon took on this venture – to solve a personal problem, Belinda wanted a space where she could work in town, and they both wanted to create a modern, stylish environment to number one: hold client meetings but also to inspire the other sole workers in the small town.

The crazy lovely artist Zoe Young is my guest today. As a child – Zoe and her family moved around with the seasons – this meant a circuit of 3 primary schools, one in Sydney, one at Crackenback near the Snowy Mountains and one in the NSW Southern Highlands. All came with their separate cultures, surroundings and group of friends and colourful community characters.

As a result the spectrum of childhood influences for Zoe is hugely diverse – and can be seen in her growth as a professional artist.

I really loved this chat as we get lost on tangents with Zoe educating me about what it’s like to be a professional artist – she’s also quiet hilarious – for example she was certain she would make a living as a supermodel like Naomi Campbell when she grew up and she used to ‘lose’ her ski school group wandering the streets of Prague while training to be a pro racing skiier.

Victoria McGrane of the Scenic Route is a daydreamer with a big imagination and she's at her best when she's surrounded by nature, so it makes perfect sense that she runs her textile business The Scenic Route from the road in 'Daisy' her converted 1990 Toyota Coaster.

Today’s guest is total sunshine and I cannot believe the size of the empire she has built from regional Australia. Kristy Withers is the founder of Incy Interiors, a multi-million dollar designer kids furniture business based Orange. Kristy grew up as one of four children on a sheep farm in Oberon. She took the skills gained from working St George Bank and in marketing and advertising for EBay before the days of online and took the plunge into sourcing, designing and manufacturing her own kids beds without any experience in the field.

This year Incy Interiors is celebrating it’s 10th Birthday and there are some seriously exciting collaborations happening this year to coincide with this.It's not surprising really as Kristy is another one of those human energiser bunnies who're now popping up all over regional Australia.

We chat about Sundays at home, growing up in a big family, her stylish Mum, how she built her business, collaborations and dreams for the future.

This Series of Company is produced in partnership another awesome rural business, The Grampians Goods Co. Just enter the code MANSON10 at the checkout for a 10% discount for a limited time.

Welcome back! After a long hiatus here I'm pleased to tell you that the next 6 episodes will be brought to you in partnership with the Grampians Goods Co. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know the women behind this brand Amanda Cochran as a part of this partnership – and when you hear her story I know that you’ll be on board with her too. While she didn't grow up in the country, she has grown to love the majesty of the Grampians, and through many - rather large- up’s and down’s has build her brand around her love of the her home and its surrounds.