Deirdre Young and Sinead Bailey Kelly, H&G Creations
Dee – I worked as a paper girl at the age of 10. I found a flyer for looking for people to deliver papers in my area and convinced my mother to allow me to do it. I was chased down the road by a big black dog on my first week, needless to say, I did not last long in this position! Sinead – I worked as a baby sitter for all the kids on my block at home in Canada, I started when I was 12. Then I got a proper job as a store clerk in a local newsagent. Dee – Being fortunate to walk into a job each day which I love. There are, of course, times when I’m tired and stressed, but ultimately I walk to do a job which I’m proud of and work alongside a person I completely respect who just so happens to be my best friend! Sinead – Oh my goodness there are so many really! I would say H&G Creations is. Being jobless in a recession, then being able to have the get-up and go to start a company with no business experience, no investments, no savings, no clients. The ability to turn literally nothing into something that I’m so proud of, that sustains myself and Dee our employees and our creative community. I’m so very grateful every day to do something that fills me up with people I love. Dee – Happiness, Sustainability, Purpose Sinead – Freedom, Time, Creativity Dee – To not wait until everything is absolutely perfect with your business to launch it. Waiting for perfection can hamper creativity and motivation. You have to be adaptable, to realize in motion that certain things need to be tweaked, changed due to clients needs/ where the market trends are going. This has stuck with us, and we pride ourselves on our adaptability and are always testing new avenues to take our business. Sinead – Don’t be busy, be smart. You don’t have to work harder, be smart with your productivity if it doesn’t serve you its ok to say “no”. Time is finite, time is valuable. It’s better to pick quality work over quantity of work to ensure you have enough time for yourself, your own physical and mental well being, that is your real wealth. Dee – You need to take the time to appreciate the team around you. You can only achieve greater success with a larger community. We always try to get to know our team. Pretty quickly you realize that some people are motivated by flexible hours, group projects or even from being given more responsibility! Unfortunately, money is not always the answer. For myself, I don’t really need more motivation than knowing that Sinead and I are in this business together. Sinead – It’s difficult to fill other people’s cups when yours is empty, I spend a lot of time filling my cup with self-development, reading various books, listening to podcasts and Ted talks from inspirational thought leaders. This helps to give me different perspectives on how to improve work-life balance for myself and my team, different approaches to business and strategy, and the psychology behind how to better motivate a group of people. My personal opinion though is to truly listen to each member of my team, treat them with respect and compassion, encourage them to be the best versions of themselves, and help them play to their strengths. When you’re in a good place and encouraging work environment you do the best work you can do. Dee – It’s actually quite close to home, but Ronan Healy from Catapult Events. We’ve worked with Catapult for years and it’s inspiring to see an events company grow in uncertain climates and retain its staff so successfully. Sinead – Tony Robbins, I would love to just crawl around in this man’s head for a day. To gain insight into the energy the enthusiasm, and practical skills on how to maximize productivity, business, psychology, etc. He’s just an extraordinary being. Dee – I love going to exhibitions, festivals, and travelling to different cities to see how other creatives tackle the challenges we at H&G face. It’s inspiring and re-energising! Though to really relax I meditate and do yoga, this industry can be quite demanding at times, it’s good to log off when you can. Sinead – Meditation, exercise, reading, doing anything creative….hanging out with my cat. Dee – We can find a resolution to everything. Events, honestly, can mainly comprise of crisis management. Things will go wrong that are out of your control. It is your reaction that you have control over. In saying this, however, I am an avid planner! Sinead – Nothing is impossible. Dee – To create a creative agency with a large community of artists/creatives who are working collectively to push the company further. Sinead – To take the world by storm creativity and to bring our community with us for the adventure.What was your first job?
What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
In three words or less, how would you define success?
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
If you could step into the shoes of one business person for a day, who would it be and why?
How do you relax?
What’s your motto?
What are your aspirations for the future of your business?
