We've been a busy couple lately. Graeme works in advertising as an Art Director meaning he does a lot of creative, brainstorming, print, radio and TV ads. He's won loads of awards, traveled to Cannes... He is really good at this advertising business. The boys love watching his ads and shouting "It's daddy's work it's daddy's work!" He's just moved agencies to one of the top, most prestigious and awarded agencies in the country - King James. With clients like Allan Gray, Kulula, Steri Stumpie, Santam, Johnnie Walker, Burger King and Bells... He's sure to have a good time there, and he is.
Something else that Grays has always been passionate about is design. It's been a fun side project for him and after exhibiting at Design Indaba this year, so many opportunities have opened up. So many orders, exposure, new systems and structure. The Sitting Lamp (with custom made white shade) is now also available at Weylandts nationwide. Isn't that amazing?
He's busy working on new designs with his manufacturer right now, and those will be launching with his new little website - which we're all working on at the moment. I cannot wait to reveal his new designs and shout it from the tablemountaintops. Kidding. That cable car freaks me out.
It's something crazy to have so many side projects while working a full time job and being a full-time parent. We've always had a great entrepreneurial spirit and it's so rewarding to watch your biggest love and passions drip over in to your bank account, slowly. It's rewarding because it's yours. Nobody else can touch it or tell you to change it. You have full control over something, and there's a certain confidence that comes with watching your own little idea become a mini success. It's rewarding and it scares the rabbits out of you at the same time because suddenly you wonder if you actually do have potential. It's quite comfortable to sit around and not do much, but when you get that confirmation that you might be good at something or have a talent or that you may be able to take ownership of your own career... It's scary. It's like you've just become responsible for yourself in a different way. It's a creative independence that I can't explain.
I sort of (not really) understand how people can get addicted to gambling. It's like you're looking at these cards... this deal. You figure... This is a pretty good hand (idea). I don't know if it's good enough to win. I don't know if it's good enough to make any money. I don't know what everyone else has and what they will think of my hand and most probably someone might have a better hand (idea, company, client, blog, design) than me but I'm gonna try anyway. I'm going to be confident about this one thing and it might not work but I'm going to try anyway. It's just a game, it's just money... I want to try.
Building a brand is obviously different and can take years. Grays loves advertising and I don't think he'll ever leave it, but it's been great watching his little design process over the past two years. Watching him do the little sketch, get it made. Watching him open his first magazines with mentions and interviews about his lamps. Watching him pack his first orders. I'm so proud of this man and I love watching all of this grow so naturally around him. I hope that the boys will feed off our spontaneity and that they will push themselves to achieve and conquer all sorts of obstacles and that they'll have confidence in themselves. That they'll take chances and believe that they can achieve great things, because I know them and I know that they can do absolutely anything. They can even get me out of bed at 4am to make them tea, so they've already set the standard in the otherwise unachievable.
It's like my dad always said: "If you love what you do, you'll never work another day in your life." Here's to working hard right now so we can play later. Here's to many late nights, cups of coffee, packing boxes, peeling stickers, designing websites, glasses of wine and Eric Clapton. I'm so proud. More announcements to come... SO MUCH NEWS.
YAY for you Clark-Bettles!
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