 Aloha and welcome to the Savvy Chick Show on Think Tech Koi. I'm Lily Williams and I'll be co-hosting today with Chantelle Selville who is live from the Gold Coast in Australia. Now ladies, would you like to have it all? Well you can. And Chantelle and her guests will tell us how. Aloha Chantelle. Now let's get to it. Aloha Chantelle. Aloha Lily. Hi. Thanks so much. It's really neat seeing you in the studio instead of me. I know. How's your morning in the studio? Going great. It's been really fun. We miss you here. But can't wait for you to talk to your guests. Lily's a communication, they're experts from quick communications in Hawaii. So for any of you have a look up KLICK. Thanks so much. I had to give them a little plug because I'm so grateful for their care. Now more about us. I'm here in the Gold Coast of Australia with two amazing entrepreneurs. I'm so excited. Also beside me is one of my very good friends, Trinna Probert. She's an entrepreneur and businesswoman. I mean they all go together but I call her a business boss. And then we have the incredible entrepreneur and artistin. So look at the way she's presented. Just incredible. Susan Yacou. And we are in her dream home and that's why this episode is all about how you can have your dream home, your ideal partner, your ideal dream job and even how creative expression all together and a family. Can you believe that? These ladies have it all and they're going to tell us how they do it. So we're going to start with you Trinna. How do you do it? Well some of it is accident and it has to be said but for the most part it's just a lot of energy and really believing that if you believe in your dreams and you chase after them that you can have them. And to be honest I don't know that I actually ever realised that you had to think about whether you could have it all. I just went about living my life and did the things that I was really passionate about, connected with the people that I really believed in and felt could help me to achieve my dreams and just focused on it. Perfect. That's how you do it. We've got lots more in the episode. Susan? What's your thoughts on that? Well I've always loved leather and working in leather since I was nine years old and I've been working in it for 40 years and I've just stayed with the same medium and worked towards what I now call my retirement which is making a bit of a jewellery and with leather and perfecting my techniques and staying focused with that but in the meantime having several careers and a family and just always staying focused on what I love and my passions and taking opportunities when they come up and recognising them and just following through. I think that's a really important point is actually recognising them. So the starting point for me with that is actually staying open to opportunities and realising that they can actually come in any form, I mean our relationship is a little bit of an example of that as well because Susan and I actually met because I met the daughter who's also an amazing creative and entrepreneur and a growing business woman in her own life but then I met you and we became friends through that and now we're also commercially intertwined as well so I think being open but finding ways to link that to your passion but also just having a commercial focus really helps too. And one of the things I've always been inspired by when I spoke to Susan we had a chat a while back when we first were speaking and you told me how it actually ran around the family and what you went to the markets with your mum and the smell of leather, can you tell us a bit about that? I fell in love with leather when I was nine years old and I went to a leather store and I put my head into a bin of leather and I was soaked. Isn't it incredible how it's something so simple here really? Because your mum was into this? Yes, we were involved in the craft as seen very heavily through the 60s, right through the 70s and then I took off on my own career and then just developed it from there and certainly surpassed everything that I thought that I could achieve in my life with my leather work which was very exciting. I've made several commercial careers out of it, making my phone covers, selling Australia-wide through the 90s, setting up the communication business based on from my mobile phones, but I also started up with nursing. So everything sort of culminated to develop a commitment to my work, being able to work within teams and retail training and everything else and it sort of culminated into where I am now which is a very strong base with doing trunk shows and just communicating with other women and the jewelry links together and they get very excited about what I do and very passionate with the things that they see. So it's like we're going to be passionate about exactly things. And it's wonderful, they get really excited and they inspire each other and I just love that intercommunication when they get together and I'm trying to show them because usually you're sort of a group of friends or acquaintances that all have something in common. So it's like a party of like-minded people as well which is neat. That's why we're actually all here on the Gold Coast, obviously at Susan House, but we're all part of it's actually a network marketing company called Arbonne that I had a guest which was Michelle and Trina had introduced me to Michelle. I interviewed her on the Savvy Chick show and before you knew when I was part of her team. So it's another example of how powerful women get together and really inspire and empower one another. I know a lot of you, we haven't really done any relationship episodes on the Savvy Chick show. So for these two lovely women, both have incredible partners or husbands, I'd love to know a little bit of advice how you found them, how you do it, what you look for, just a bit of relationship talk. Well, you know, there are no straightforward answers when it comes to relationships. Let's be honest, I mean I actually met my husband over 20 years ago when we were golf caddies together in Japan. But I was 19 and he was 20 and you know, we definitely had a deep intellectual connection at that time. But don't get me wrong, we were not intellectual 20 years old. We're pretty silly but compared to the rest of them, we probably had quite a strong intellectual connection but nothing else at that time. But what happened over life was we continued to be friends and ultimately we ended up working together and in the same thankful places and just gradually our love for learning and our love for creation and building things really drew us together and we discovered when we were working in a corporate that we loved working together. But you know, the real world is not necessarily the way I'd always like it. And so, you know, not everybody is always comfortable when you have a business or work with your partner because it can be quite settling for them in some ways. I mean, I know you've had that experience Susan, I'll come back to that in a moment. But for me, my experience was I wasn't willing to let go of the fact that we're awesome when we work together. You know, we're better when we work together, better as a couple and also better as business people. And, you know, it's a rare thing but I do know some amazing partnerships like that. And for me, setting up my own business felt like the right way to bring that to life. It also gave me the opportunity to genuinely be who I am and do the things that I love. So, you know, I'm deeply involved in investments and financial services which doesn't seem perhaps very creative and exciting from the outside but I'm a deeply creative person and, you know, I whistle a lot and I hug people and I wear colourful clothes so I didn't really fit in very well. And so, you know, my desire to have an amazing, innovative, creative business in financial services where I could be myself and work with my husband. I mean, he wasn't my husband when I first worked with him but now he is. And, you know, I think we're amazing and powerful together and because it's our own business, we have the opportunity to build the culture that we want, work with the types of people that we want to work with and really chase after our dreams together. And the gorgeous thing about that for me is that, you know, we've actually brought that first dream to life which is we want to work together. And, you know, we're very deliberate about chasing people who respect and care for us more because we work together rather than the people who try to pitch you against each other. That experience as well, right? Yes. It's really important to find someone that understands your creativity and can boost your, for me, the business side I needed help with and he took that, you know, to the nth degree because I was busy staying at home having children. And so he's sort of really, you know, together we just built this amazing team and we spent, you know, all of our lives together just building up different businesses and now he's doing his thing and I'm doing my creativity and we get together and he still supports me on the business side and personally and now I also have three adult children who support me as well. Which is, yeah, and we all join together around your dining room table and come up with business ideas. I think a scene that's coming through for me is about celebration. So earlier you were talking about women who come together and that energy and connection and really you're celebrating women with your creativity and your work and allowing people to enjoy that side of themselves as well. But when people come together and are supportive of each other's business desires, dreams and goals and allowing them to work alongside lifestyle choices I think that's really celebrating the individual and celebrating independence of thought, freedom to express yourself. And then I think the other piece of that is that, Michael, your husband, you know, clearly instead of being threatened by your independence and brilliance you celebrate that. When it's absolutely true, I mean, you are incredibly talented and so, you know, some people can be threatened by that and that's actually where some of that conflict comes from that you're talking about. For me, I think that what my husband's been able to do for me is he taught me to be comfortable in celebrating my own difference. You know, I'm not the same as everybody else. Nobody is the same as everybody else. And I really don't understand why we're all trying to shove everybody into the same box. I actually think with genuine opportunities, creativity and growth comes from is when we're able to celebrate each other's difference. And that's actually what happens when you get strong women together and strong communities of people together and really working on celebrating each other. And having confident husbands. Can you go further into that? How you actually choose your ideal partner or what type of qualities? Very deliberately. I actually have a list. By the time I hit 30, my list got shorter. So, young girls, you can have a list this big, but as you get older, I can put it into the list. One thing for me was about creativity, to know that he would understand my creativity. And one of them was about colour. And Michael surpassed even what I knew about the psychology behind different colours. So, to me, on the first date, that really sealed the deal. And I want to get to know him more, just from that question. My husband's colourblind. What does that mean? They're relying on us to bring the colour into their world. Yeah, colourblind guys could be good, as that's your list. Yeah, I think that, you know, about that list, when I met you, something that you said was that you certainly were attracted to Michael. But you're attracted to him because of many things. And one of those was that you were looking for a partner in life. And for you, a partner in life is also a partner in business. And, you know, that's really stuck with me, because I think sometimes as women, we feel like we don't actually have the ability to necessarily choose. We wait to be chosen. And we also potentially focus on the wrong things. Now, don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with a gorgeous man who makes your heart sing because he's hot. Let's be honest. But, you know, I mean, I'm in my mid-40s now. Well, your husbands are hot. So they can have it that too, but more importantly. But that only goes so far. Exactly, this is what the most important part is. You didn't pick them on that, that's the... No, and I mean, it's not actually... So what I'm not saying right now is that you need to go into business with someone you fall in love with, and by the way... Yeah, that doesn't happen in a different way. A man, by the way, can be a woman as well. So it's really about the choices that you make for yourself, but about your life partner. And for me, that's the key. So I'm married to the man who is my soulmate, my best friend. He definitely needs me better professionally, but also personally. And, you know, I really think that there are things that we need to be looking for. You know, you want to draw to you in your personal life as your friends, your partners, but also in your professional life. You want to draw to you the people who are actually going to lift you up and allow you and help you to be a better version of yourself. Because we're on a growth journey all the time. Or we should be on a growth journey all the time. And to be there when you're down. Things are troubled and they can help you through that as well. Well, there's nothing like being in business with someone and going through really challenging times to work out whether they're going to be there for you through thick and thin. Definitely, trust me. And we were laughing about this just the other day that so many people, when they find out that you work with your husband, they're like, God, I couldn't do that. How do you cope with that? And my response to that is that for me, it's the exact opposite. I don't know how people don't work with the parents. But it's different for everyone. That's why I love that you both share this. Because it's different. Not a lot of people work with their husband. But if they do, it's maybe not successfully. But both of you have been able to create successful businesses with your husbands as well as keep a strong healthy relationship, have families, build your dream homes. I think there's often a misconception, which is unfortunate because it actually speaks to some of the discrimination against women and attitudes in society. And you know, we're talking between two different countries at the moment. But, you know, Hawaii and Australia are actually not that different. You know, I think we're bitches. No, we have good bitches. But I think that it's really about respect and empowerment. And a lot of people make the mistake and think that, you know, our husbands are being really nice to us and letting us have a career in their business. Well, no. You guys are really nice to them. It's so sweet of you to have a career in your business. I think that's just so important, especially for young women. I mean, even, you know, being younger, when I was in my early 20s, I was quite highly and powerful, like marketing position, PA management role. And often a lot of the guys around would choose these girls that weren't nearly as, you know, driven, I suppose. And it kind of made me think, well, why am I so driven in doing all this stuff? And should I sort of dim myself down so that I can maybe find someone suitable? But the truth was, the more that I stayed at my level and focused on the things I loved and was more who I am and was that strong, powerful woman, then you attract that type of person into your life. So anyone watching this, or if you've ever thought that or felt that, or you think men don't like independent women, well, these two are prime examples that really good quality ones do. So something to keep in mind. So we've done a bit of relationship talk. A little bit. It's fantastic, though. I don't think it's spoken about enough in this sort of empowering way to help women and girls, because obviously, as you get older, this is something you need to think about. But when it comes to, you know, business, how did you actually choose what you wanted to do in business? Well, I never choose, is the answer. And that can actually be a problem for me, because I do want to do everything. And so... Trina wants to help everyone. She's amazing at business. Everyone she needs, she wants to help with their business. But we need 20 Trinas, maybe 100. So, Susan talks about the absolute importance of focus and focus is absolutely critical. We'll come back to that in a moment. So choosing isn't necessarily something that I've done in the way that you mean, I don't think. I think what I chose was to... I actually felt like I didn't have any choice. I always felt like I needed to build and create things. That's just in me. And I never run out of ideas and I never run out of energy. I mean, I was working for very late last night, so I'm a little sleepy today. But I never run out of energy for creating and building new things. I never stopped seeing the connections and links between ideas and opportunities. But what it is about that is it's my excitement and passion for creation and connection that keeps driving me forward. And that's probably the link between us and what you do. In terms of my businesses, I really just look for opportunities. I look for things that get me excited and where I actually feel like we can make a difference. But I'm not a bleeding heart. I'm very commercial as well. So I look for market opportunities and I look for ways that I can deliver real value to solve problems or create new opportunities but which is also going to stimulate me intellectually and make it fun for me. And then that's how you live your ideal lifestyle and have it all as if you're doing what you love. You must also choose the people that you work with. 100% of those committed to you are. 100% of those interested in your business and are also committed to you. So you're actually enjoying your work because you're with other people because you are very much a hundred percent. And I think it's also understanding though that there are different types of creativity. So, you know, I'm deeply creative in ways that are nowhere near as spectacular from an artist's perspective for sure. But I am actually very creative in terms of creating material things as well. But I express my creativity in business through coming up with new models and innovations and ideas and different ways to connect things. But that piece around bringing together the right types of people is so important because my husband's very creative but he's an investment, you know, chief investment officer and a macro-global economist. You know, it doesn't sound very creative. But, you know, he's incredible. The way that he sees patterns and links on the tune of his own ideas. See, that's creativity in itself and that's interesting because I think the challenge of why people don't have as much creative expression as they perhaps would want to or should or would feel vibrant in having is because they don't recognise that. I mean, who would think that that's a creative pattern but Craig is fantastic at that and that's how he expresses his creativity and fuels his passion. Yeah, and I think bringing together people with those different strengths that was really powerful because that actually allows you to extract you know, it's what we're talking about. You brought deep creativity into the business not to actually cut a lot of blood in your business and Michael bought the business side and together you're able to flourish and live with each other. And yet Michael has a creative business side but also very commercial which is important to have the combination of those and then be able to flourish together. I mean, for you it's obvious you're creativity looking what you wear. I mean, you've created all that and I can't wait to tell you. After the break we'll share some of Susan's journey of creations but just even to think of you know, you can visually express so well and I think a lot of other creatives can be more challenged because if they don't think they're creating like that they might not feel that they have a creative expression. So if you look far enough within yourself what you're doing, it's kind of what lights you up that's your creativity and the more that you fuel that the more inspired you become and then as you said just for example with your designs you just literally draw the patterns and get ideas that come to you and it just keeps you moving and flow. I assume they weren't perfect or immediately. Oh, I can show you. And I say that really deliberately because when you were talking about choosing I actually also think I think the key thing is get started. You have to just get started because so many people say to me I want to be in business or I want to do my own thing or I've got this idea and you know the reality is until you do something it's actually, I mean it's obvious it's not going to happen and the reality also is that every great work of art there's labour behind it there was an evolution and a journey and persistence and experimentation and that's absolutely insane in business as well. So did I choose the businesses that I wanted to do? Not necessarily I just chose that I wanted to be in business and I got in and I just started doing it until I created anything that worked. And when you actually create something you know so exciting with such inspiration behind it I mean we'll start getting to a few of the things here but Susan, can you talk about that program? Very distracting for us all the beautiful things we can see. We want to show you a few things that we have around here. Now what did you say happened with this? I developed, I made this one in 2010 my daughter was working at Holston in New York and Sarah Jessica Parker was doing a capsule range of clothing for Holston and she came in and saw this one on the desk and went oh my god I love that so... Sarah Jessica Parker just Sarah Jessica this is what Susan told me last night eating some fruit at her beautiful kitchen bench here oh counter because in America and oh yeah Sarah Jessica Parker of course let's explain what it is oh it's a handbag yeah so it's got the strap there so it's got a handbag that you can take mobile phones credit cards put it over your shoulder and it's a work of art it's not what you can see we are sorry everybody but I also made it so that you sit on a table so you can sit at dinner with you it's like a bird it's friends next to you sit at a side so Susan actually started her letter in the 80s and she was doing I don't know if we'll be able to get some images up during the show but in the 80s you know there's amazing leather work leather clothing leather clothing yes I mean I think you bring that up I've been doing jewelry my jewelry is sort of being in the back for all these years and I've just perfected it and it's very professional and I've learnt techniques of eating and just to get back a little bit to being creative and how you get yourself started I often give people the advice that you you want to do something you love say you love leather work and you want to do be eating you copy someone you learn the techniques and then it will just gradually emerge and your own personality will come through but you just have to get the techniques in and just start working with it and that's the same with any me painting anything so that's really important if you're not confident in what you have in your own visual and trying to do something totally different to someone else start off copying and then it will develop and what you said as well is that you started off and the leather and the beads that's been your inspiration but then you have this ability to create this 3D type that there's not a lot if anyone else out there who creates the jewelry the way that you do with that 3D and that came from within and something that it's hard to copy if it comes from comes from within and I mean I'm just going to pull one of these over here you can obviously see the gorgeous one that Susan's wearing but I mean these incredible works of art she just sits in her dream home I mean the other week we interviewed a beautiful lady who's a stunt woman working from in her living room in her dream home on her trampolines yes and in your dream home I mean if you looked out the window here she just got the most beautiful view of the river here on the Gold Coast and she does her designs all day long creates them, beads them and just is in her element aren't you and that's to be able to live in your dream home and have that I think in my hobbies my business do it seven days a week and I love it yes there you go can you say that then both of you because this is how you have it all you do it seven days a week okay so it's really interesting so people think I'm a bit crazy because I'm she is because I'm pretty busy you know I have a blend of families I've had two beautiful step children I have a child from a previous relationship and I have a toddler really a toddler anymore is free and he's enormous but so I have four children I have two businesses and a bunch of others that I'm trying to build and you know I'm always trying to coach and connect other people and people are just like how do you do that and you know there's a number of different answers to that one I'd much rather create and get excited and achieve than sleep is the honest answer number two I have amazing support from my husband and I do have a wonderful nanny and I know that you had nannies and this is how you can also have all these other things that you have to support in different ways of working so your life might not look exactly like someone else's ideal savvy life create your own well that's right it's also about respecting yourself as well and you know there's a general expectation that someone's going to look after the children in the past in the past apparently not we tried that it was a terrible failure but you know there was always an expectation in the past that that was going to be women but you know we're very lucky that the world has changed at least in the countries that we live in and you know we are able to build businesses but so I think people sometimes feel maybe selfish or guilty about investing money into that service or about not being there themselves but you know I really believe that the best parent is one that is genuinely happy and enjoying their role in life and that may be being a stay-at-home parent but I spent the first two years of my first son's life and I really loved it in many ways but I was really challenged by that in many ways too and so I turned him into a job and I very focused on it and it was interesting but you know it's about making really strategic choices about the support that you put in around yourself and not feeling guilty about that you know treating that like a business decision as well yeah it is but also you've got to remember my children are all in their 20s so I have adults and they have learnt from they were the nannies and myself and family but they also learn how to manage their lives by your example so now trainers of children are too young to appreciate it but my children appreciate it and they can see that they can have the alternative lifestyle of not just a stay-at-home mum and they can have a business and they can have it all they can have the husband use their job and it fits and children travel and it's accepted now and the children I mean they would have seen the example with you about being true to yourself chasing your dreams working hard but working hard being loved yes but always working hard because you wouldn't have always loved it right always working hard being focused being committed being determined because life isn't always easy so it is about focused determination perseverance and that's actually why when you're working on something that you love or building something that inspires you or working with people that you respect and learn from and enjoy that makes it all worthwhile because it isn't always easy and that's why those things are so important I think so you've been an amazing role model children are amazing not always but at the beginning of the story they are amazing they're amazing they're amazing thank you so much ladies this has been an amazing show and we'll have to tune in next week to see what's going on in Australia hello thank you so much Chantel see you next week