https://www.juliemathers.com/blog daily 0.75 2021-11-03 https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/f-f-the-first-year monthly 0.5 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617df5d49676e9337ff42f6b/1635644900566/petersham.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - Just the Two of Us For over 18 months it was just Tom and myself working at F&F. We packed orders in the evening and between us ran customer care, did the marketing, buying, graphics design and everything else. That's when we discovered we were a pretty awesome team and our different skills and styles worked really well together. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617dedf9d676d7500ad0f8ff/1635642885975/warehouse.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - The Shed For the first few years we ran Flora & Fauna from our 'shed'. This is where we have some of our fondest memories. Our shed is a fairly decent size and was a pretty awesome place to hang out and pack orders of an evening. When we started we spaced everything out so it looked beautiful. As we grew that soon changed. By the end, it was a treasure hunt! https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617deba9b886ad6c40bb26da/1635642289677/website-pre-launch.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - The Website Our first website was very much a start. It was a bit clunky and didn't have too many bells and whistles. We knew it wouldn't last us forever but it got us started and when you're a self-funded business you need something to get going - you can make it look really swish later. For that first year all the graphics, product loading and anything website was me. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617e1ddde6eef67e5b2b9f9d/1635655133832/awards.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - Awards Within that first year we were finalists in the Online Retail Industry Awards for Best New Retailer. We didn't win but it was more about saying we're here and putting ourselves out there, and it was an amazing recognition six months in. It also does help answer the critics that described our business as a hobby! I got that a lot in the first few years - proof is in the pudding as they say. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617dee3a8339745a6e78f891/1635642938393/boxes-1.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - The White Glove Treatment This was one of those 'it was a good idea at the time' moments. I had the idea that all orders would be packed with white cotton gloves for that extra special treatment. That is great when you're packing 2 orders a day. Scale it up and those white gloves soon turn grey and you're having to take them on and off to write notes. It was really impractical so we soon lost that - we did keep it going for around a year though! https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617def74a9cb2d351f9029d0/1635643281425/blog-list.jpg Blog - F&F: The First Year - That Expo! One of the things that sticks in our minds most is an expo we did in June 2015. It was a disaster but we learnt a lot! The expo was in Melbourne so we decided to hire a truck, take almost all the stock we owned and make 400 beauty boxes. We returned with 398 beauty boxes, all the stock we owned and a lot of lessons. We didn’t have a great location, our stand looked terrible and we’d focused on all the wrong products. https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/flora-and-fauna-the-start monthly 0.5 2021-11-01 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d39d960c9f76037698618/1635596791980/unsplash-image-NnsqpLjiA94.jpg Blog - Flora & Fauna: The Start Pretty Caucasian woman at the beach smiling at camera. https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/finding-my-purpose monthly 0.5 2021-11-01 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d342e8228304e64a49973/1635595328314/Julie-hero-cropped.jpg Blog - Finding My Purpose Bright natural dining room nook with vases plates and fruits on the table. https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/getting-launched monthly 0.5 2021-11-01 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d43fa8a0ff30aa49b9992/1635600440236/website-launch-2.jpg Blog - F&F: Prepping to Launch - Make it stand out The First F&F Website https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/7-memories-in-7-years monthly 0.5 2021-11-08 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61890a1fefef857da6437d41/1636370990443/blog-showroom.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Our F&F Store I'm a huge believer in stores and physical retail. Humans are social animals and we (generally) enjoy interacting with each other. An F&F store was always on the agenda. When we moved to the North Rocks warehouse we put in a store with a glass wall so customers can see into the warehouse and the team can see customers. A truly transparent experience. We launched our store on July 13th 2019 - over 1000 people turned up and there were queues around the car park. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/618907f84b33cd39c06dbcd7/1636370444805/blog-plastic-free.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - A Lightbulb Moment in 2016 we made the move to plastic-free packaging. One day I realised the plastic satchels had to go. We then introduced a tiny tickbox at checkout for minimal packaging. That was a key turning point for us in driving change as we saw the quick uptake. Customers were telling us they wanted less. In 2017 we launched a recycling program, we're now processing thousands of boxes of recycling a month. We also became a B Corp in 2017 and in 2021 recertified. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/6189092bc3ee107f47eda27c/1636370819099/blog-customers.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Our Customers Our customers are the reason F&F exists. I have so many fond memories from Elizabeth in the very early days, who I talked to weekly and kept her across the latest amazing skincare, to the many customers who have contacted us thanking us for helping them make a few different choices. One recent letter was from a beautiful woman reaching out about her experience with Down Syndrome. F&F has always been so much more than a business to me, it's a way for us to engage with each other. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/618908b99ee172551e14b3d7/1636370644125/blog-wpf.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Where Pigs Fly When I started F&F a big driver was my love for animals and passion for better animal welfare. F&F started as a cruelty-free beauty store because no animal should be harmed for our vanity. I really wanted to partner with an animal sanctuary where we could make a meaningful difference. In May 2017 we took a trip to Where Pigs Fly to visit them and their beautiful residents. It's not often you get a piggy welcome and goodbye. I knew straightaway they were the right partner for us to support. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61890b5e05ed2a3e4fb47676/1636371333877/blog-telstra-won.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Telstra Award I’m going to put a bonus memory in as it’s very special to me. In 2018 we won the Telstra Business Award for Small Business in NSW. If anyone has ever been exposed to these awards you’ll know a lot of work goes into the entry and the judging process is tough. From over 30,000 entries for NSW we won. It was such an emotional evening for myself, Tom, and the team. I remember walking in and we had a table at the back so I thought there was no chance we'd win. And then we did. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61890a7e8d98cc27e055e8c6/1636371081265/blog-warehouse-move.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Growing Up n 2018 we had grown really quickly so suddenly needed to double the team which we managed to do within a week via a social post. We then realised we were just too big so we moved to our new warehouse in North Rocks in October of that year. We hired a van and moved over a weekend and were back up and running by Tuesday. Once we were out of the Galston 'shed' that's when I thought 'Oh wow this is a proper business'. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/6188f9a53d34ea765671c3e4/1636366775690/blog-my-first-order.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - The First Order Probably one of the most vivid memories for me is the first order that came through. There is a huge amount of buzz when you're in the throws of building a business before you launch it. It’s exciting and all-consuming. Then you launch and crickets.... until you get that magical first order. We spent a good half-hour picking and packing it to make sure it was just right. It was packed with so much love. In that order, we wrote a little note and we haven’t stopped since. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/618903e8f5624d55b5eef4c3/1636369398457/blog-market.jpg Blog - 7 Memories in 7 Years - Markets From the very first expo which was a disaster to all the other ones we’ve done since, Tom and I have loved markets, events, and expos and getting in front of customers. From my first job in retail I have always loved talking to customers and our community and this is an important part of any business. We have thoroughly enjoyed all of our events from the Sydney Vegan Market to the Adelaide Night Market, World Vegan Day, and lots more all around the country. https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/category/money monthly 0.5 https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/category/health monthly 0.5 https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/tag/Building+a+Business monthly 0.5 https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/tag/Start+Ups monthly 0.5 https://www.juliemathers.com/blog/tag/Flora+%26+Fauna monthly 0.5 https://www.juliemathers.com/home daily 1.0 2021-11-08 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617b44df898a7b444d8da7c2/1635588925675/Julie_Mathers_.png Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617fda124b60646515e16e45/1635768871473/julie-mathers-blog-home-2.jpg Home Pretty Caucasian woman at the beach smiling at camera. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617fd934a7b096151f8696af/1635768657858/julie-mathers-blog-home-3.jpg Home Happy smiling woman with curly hair lounging on couch. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/618852033d34ea7656689a6a/1636372040426/blog-thumbnail-homepage-first-7-years.jpg Home Bright natural dining room nook with vases plates and fruits on the table. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617fd4c6aca4a703a9115540/1635767549975/blog-homepage-my-purpose.jpg Home Scenic shot of the beach with waves hitting the rocks. https://www.juliemathers.com/about daily 0.75 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61810e0ca8cf7a53ee5d30b9/1635847512994/blog-1-julie-about.jpg About Me - Julie Mathers I’m a purpose-driven entrepreneur and leader. I am focused on driving change and building better businesses, better for our planet, people and animals. After 20+ years of working in retail I founded Flora & Fauna in 2014. Tom (my amazing husband) and I grew F&F with no external investors to be Australia’s largest eco store. We were listed in the Deloitte Tech Fast 50 in 2019 and 2020. I’ve been named #1 in Ecommerce in 2019 and 2021. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61810d586f35a23f6c855d11/1635589504180/about-1.jpg About Me - My Purpose. I’m here to make a difference. I have a very simple philosophy; I want to give back more than I take in my time on planet earth. My aim is to change perceptions, change habits, educate and create awareness around social and environmental problems. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61810db7ad2b023f0bb2e08e/1635847513002/blog-julie-about-1.jpg About Me - My Journey I grew up in Manchester in the UK and loved science and maths (I still do). I studied a Bachelors and Masters of Engineering at Cambridge University. My love for retail came about when I worked in a bakers at the age of 15. Since then I was hooked and over the last 30 years have worked in retail for John Lewis, Virgin, Coles, Woolworths, Javelin Group and KSA. I have always had a passion for the planet and at the age of 19 went to Spain to build solar cookers for two months. That was the start of me realising I needed to do more. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61810e615278c578d86bf17d/1635847513005/about-3.jpg About Me - F&F After many years in retail I decided I could, and should, do better so I founded Flora & Fauna in 2014. Flora & Fauna is a B Corp. We’ve saved over 30 tonnes of plastic, recycled lots of plastic via our beauty recycling program, and worked with many charities including Greenfleet, Down Syndrome Australia, and Where Pigs Fly. We’ve also helped many people make better choices for the planet, people and animals. I live in Australia with Tom and my two baby boys, Woody and Alfie. I am very focused on inclusion and diversity in the workplace. https://www.juliemathers.com/my-work daily 0.75 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61720d66afbff9569b46b9d4/1635589648035/Artboard+14+copy%402x-8.png My Work hand-drawn armchair icon https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61720d9b47cc2600465ea1d3/1635589758155/Artboard+14+copy+2%402x-8.png My Work hand-drawn aim target icon https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617b429b1cdbab6e36898075/1635589713599/Artboard+14+copy+3%402x.png My Work hand-drawn simplified needles in back acupuncture icon https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61720d7a06a7863ad12cdb31/1634864516885/Artboard+14%402x-8.png My Work hand-drawn empty pill bottle icon https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d20c0d510f2419c7df39d/1635590336420/0E1A3483.jpg My Work - “Julie is incredibly driven to make things better” — Matt Tyson (CEO, Board Director) https://www.juliemathers.com/speaking daily 0.75 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/616d650e92d8495ab38d3cc3/1635591909519/julie-1.jpg Speaking Speaking I have spoken in Australia, New Zealand, and globally at small and large events. I love to speak about my journey and experiences in starting and growing an ethical business to hopefully leave the audience inspired and motivated to make a difference. You will also find me talking on Podcasts including The Mentor by Mark Bouris and on webinars and panels. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/6180b1652e23265b19db1340/1635591890005/speaking-julie.jpg Speaking - Speaking Topics Topics I enjoy speaking on include: Entrepreneurship Sustainability Building a purpose-driven business Ecommerce Brand Building Running a Bootstrapped Business, Transitioning from Corporate to Start-Up If you would like me to speak at an event get in touch. Note: I do charge a speaking fee. Email — LinkedIn https://www.juliemathers.com/our-approach daily 0.75 2021-10-11 https://www.juliemathers.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-11-03 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/616d54e7cd52732e3caa159c/1634555210064/blog-Flora-Fauna-Julie-Mathers-CEO-1.jpg Contact - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.juliemathers.com/get-started daily 0.75 2021-10-15 https://www.juliemathers.com/flora-fauna daily 0.75 2021-11-03 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d24c65958771fd100accc/1635832198813/f-f-2.jpg Flora & Fauna - Flora & Fauna I founded Flora & Fauna in 2014 after working in retail for over 20 years. For too long we haven't known enough about how products are produced, what they're made of, and who makes them. I wanted to create and build a retailer focused on changing this. After having trouble buying a lipstick and not knowing what was in it or how it was made I decided to launch a beauty store where nothing was tested on animals and the ingredients were clean and transparent. We launched with 500 products in November 2014 and operated out of a very, small warehouse in NSW. Fast forward 7 years and we sell over 10,000 products across beauty, personal care, and home and we’re Australia’s largest eco store and a B Corp. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d261a0b87a82570bf8cda/1635591752800/FloraFauna_63.jpg Flora & Fauna - Our Purpose The key to F&F progressing over the last 7 years was finding our purpose, defining our values, and then really leaning into it to own it and be the change we want to see. I wanted Flora & Fauna to be the best version of a retailer possible. That didn’t just include the customer experience and the operations but also included societal and environmental impacts. From minimal plastic-free packaging to the recycling program, carbon offsetting and diversity focus F&F has continually pushed the boundaries and led the way as a purpose-driven business. If we thought something could be done better we’d do it. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/6180d1561e9646532e8fe445/1635832180911/f-f-3.jpg Flora & Fauna - The Journey In 2016 we converted to plastic-free shipping packaging then in 2017 moved to minimal packaging, introduced a retail-first recycling program and became a B Corp - it was a big year! In addition we launched our own sero waste brand, Green + Kind. In 2018 we moved warehouse and we also won Telstra NSW Small Business of the Year which was a huge, and emotional, win for us. Not to stop in July 2019 we became 100% carbon offset, opened our first physical store and launched a new website - that was a huge job! Fast forward to 2021 and we have recertified as a B Corp, have a really strong focus on inclusivity and have done lots more. https://www.juliemathers.com/green-and-kind daily 0.75 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/61754c555a84c233c3a041a7/1635077279610/Green-Kind-Cotton-Buds-200-3.jpg Green + Kind The Brand I created Green + Kind in 2017 with a mission to bring low waste alternatives to everyone. This zero waste brand has plastic-free alternatives for the home and personal care. Green + Kind is also a B Corp and member of 1% for the Planet so 1% of all revenues are donated to planet conscious charities. https://www.juliemathers.com/advisory daily 0.75 2021-11-02 https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d2f7967400a025c6063ed/1635594243999/Julie+02.jpg Advisory - Coaching & Advisory I love to coach and advise others and businesses. I have been lucky enough to have inspiring people and leaders cross my path during my career and I hope I can help inspire others. I have previously sat on boards in the UK and currently am a board member of the National Retail Association (NRA). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/615ce89964b32363e94ffdff/t/617d2fe5e6eef67e5b1fa5a9/1635594261116/Green+%2B+Kind+.jpg Advisory - My Skills My areas of experience and expertise include: Starting a business Growing a business from start-up to a thriving business and exit Planning and strategy Ecommerce and Digital Brand building Sustainability Growing a purpose driven business Customer Experience