In this episode, we hear from Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy, co-founders and creative directors of Dinosaur Designs, the Australian luxury homeware and jewellery studio. Founding their business in 1985, Louise and Stephen began by selling their creations at Sydney’s markets where they both attended art school. Since then, Dinosaur Designs has grown to become one of Australia’s most renowned design studios and expanded internationally. 

Louise and Stephen share with us their advice on how they have built an internationally recognisable brand, why growing slowly is important for company culture and why looking after your team first is the No. 1 priority when running a successful business.

Louise and Stephen's advice: 

• When forming a partnership, bear in mind the stresses that building a business can bring
• Use lawyers and accountants to set up a firm basis
• Listen to those experienced in your area
• Keep within your capacity and grow slowly
• Look after your staff; remember it’s a collaboration
• Manage stress in whatever way suits you best
• Retain a student mentality and keep learning
• Success will give you the courage to take risks; creation leads to creation
• Don’t rush decisions; allow them to percolate
• Learn from your failures
• Be determined and take the plunge

If you’d like to contact Stephen or Louise you can reach them on via this link

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FF&M enables you to own your own PR.
Edited by Milun Haggipavlou. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2022 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

Let us know how your start up journey is going or if you have any questions you would like us to discuss in future episodes. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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