7 Min Read
Put the Olivia Rae products aside, and we are a platform to serve, a place to motivate our community to follow their dreams and wholly inspire individuals to live their truth.
In today's society, social media can be a major time-waster as people often get caught up watching other people's lives and activities. To counteract this, I find it helpful to surround myself with inspiring, motivating and good-hearted people and luckily, my sister’s are exactly that.
It is an honour to introduce my first guests exploring this space of truth and motivation, Jessica Sepel, founder of JShealth Vitamins and Gabriella Weinstock, co-founder of Avenue the Label. 
1. Jess, what is a secret most people don't know about you?
I am a homebody. I would prefer to be in bed watching TV with a cuppa tea, than probably anything else. An introvert at heart.
Andddd, that I don't like shopping. At all. :)
2. Ga, what tips can you give people starting a business with their best friend? And what boundaries to have to ensure your friendship is intact whilst running a start-up?
Find someone who you love working with! Jessie and I studied at uni together for three years before we started a business together. Doing what you love and finding someone who is aligned with your passion and drive is key! I couldn’t do Avenue without Jessie, and I feel so lucky we have such a strong friendship behind building this business together.
3. Jess, how do you think you came to listen to your true passion and purpose regarding your career? Especially when there are so many choices and voices, what advice would you give to others trying to find their passion?
I think by being super honest and vulnerable, I was able to express my hardships and therefore connect to others, which ignited my passion and purpose to help people.
Being real = relatable.
- Often, your pain and hardships can lead to your passion and purpose - so do not be afraid to share them.
- Not being afraid to be vulnerable in life - it sets you free
- Listening to your intuition
- Connecting to what lights you up and gives you a feeling of purpose every day
4. Both of you are always listening to your intuition and keeping connected to your customer base - what have been the key marketing strategies you live by and would pass on?
Gabriella:
Listen to your customers! They will tell you what they like and what they don’t like! We got a great tip from our friend Nick Molner a few months ago to call our top customers and ask them what they think about the brand and product. We gain so much insight from this exercise and try do it 2-3 times a year. It’s one of my favourite things to do because you are able to connect to your customers on a deeper level and find out exactly what they think.
Jessica:
I always say - there is no better influencer than your own customers.
If you manage to create a good product - they will spread the word, don't you worry! And there is nothing more powerful.
5. Jess, Gabz and I always ask for your secrets about your morning and night routines, as these routines are crucial when it comes to building a business - can you please share your go-to tips and tricks for a productive and delicious day/night time routine, so you get the most out of them??
Morning and nighttime routines are essential because they allow for a healthy and productive day.
When building a business, you need energy and focus.
- 30 min AM routine before work where I workout, drink coffee, eat a wholesome breakfast, meditate and do NOT check social media for a fresh start.
- 30 min PM routine where I switch off all technology by 830pm and prepare for deep sleep, so I wake up energised - I bathe, read, eat a JSH dinner and leave my phone in the other room.
6. From my own experience so far, I feel like you need a lot of confidence and courage for the scary and crazy hard times one experiences with starting your own business - How do you both personally fill your cup up? To ensure you remain confident, brave, strong and happy through all the challenging business times?
Gabriella:
You really need a thick skin when starting your own business. You get so many different opinions when starting a business, and you have to listen to your gut and do what you think is right. Hang in there. It always works out the way it’s supposed to.
Jessica:
You never feel 100% confident. You will always have some self doubt, that is human.
You can just try your very best.
- Leaning into imperfection
- Learning on the job
- Connecting your end goal and vision during the harder moments
- Reminding yourself of your WHY
- Grounding yourself with family as often as possible
- Taking a few steps back from work when fatigue/burn out sets in
- Knowing at all times - it is not meant to be easy. Building a career is HARD AF!
7. As we know, there are a million things that contribute to success, timing, luck, connections and hard work, but what is one thing you can say has helped you both with your successful careers?
Jessica:
Connecting to my passion to help people live a healthy life, everyday.
And not giving up when the hard times have arrived. That is the moment to hang on tight and remind yourself of your purpose.
Gabriella:
Working hard! I really believe you create your own luck, and working hard gives you the best chance to get lucky! I also think staying kind and humble is very important. The relationships you form along the way are instrumental to your career, so I believe in always staying true to who you are and not getting caught up in the hype.
8. On that note, how do you find a balance between self-care and future projects? What tips and tricks can you give to people struggling with
that?
Gabriella:
I really think having a morning routine is key! I try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, so I have about an hour before I start my work day. I usually wake up around 6am which helps me not rush in the mornings. I hate rushing! This time gives me the energy and focus I need for the rest of my day.
Jessica:
I always always ensure that I have enough sleep and eat wholesome meals to keep me energized and inspired for my work days.
My husband and I take 2x breaks a year where we disconnect from work, delete social media and spend time resting - this reignites our inspiration for future work. Game-changing.
9. Something I live by "is with better awareness, you will make better decisions" - Being both strong, brave, and Independent businesswomen - how have you both maintained your integrity, truth and awareness to be better and do better?
Jessica:
Always focusing on my community. Listening closely to them and actually caring about them. The care you have for your customers will never allow you to fail them. It maintains your integrity to create products based on efficacy.
Gabriella:
We always strive to be better and do better in our personal lives which I think extends to our business life. We are constantly striving for the absolute best experience for our customers in everyway, that is what drives us daily.
10. Another thing I think we all try our best to live by - is when it comes to our finest hours of the day, we don't want to be giving our whole selves to Instagram or other social platforms - what activities or hobbies do you guys do enhance your life besides working?
Gabriella:
I love travel, trying new restaurants, seeing friends and family and just being outdoors. Living in Tamarama and being right near the beach has been a game changer because you get to be outdoors daily! Going for a coastal walk and clearing my head is a go-to for me.
Jessica:
Night walks with my hubby.
We walk every night from 9-10pm and we are able to disconnect from the chaos of the day and start fresh again.
I also love to practice yoga, enjoy new restaurants and travel to inspire me in life.
Lastly, tell us your go-to quote that you live by?
Gabriella:
One of my favourite authors is James Clear who writes about habit formation.
This is one of my favourite quotes from him “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” James Clear
Jessica:
What you put out there, comes back. Everytime.
Take care of your energy.
