What course are you or have you taught at Orana?

I teach across all three Diploma courses at Orana, with the main one being Social Media. I teach a variety of subjects from diversity, personal branding, personal development, organic socials, content creation and more! 

What has been your favorite part about teaching at Orana?

Our students. Watching each person, not only learn intellectually, but also learn and explore who they are and want to be through the time they are with us. We have a lot of fun, even when we’re doing less exciting activities. I appreciate how honest and curious each of our students are. It’s an inspiring environment to be in, and I do everything I can to make sure it’s the same for our students too.

When did you start your career, and what do you do?

I began working in social media in 2012, half way through my own studies of Fashion Business. This was before ads were even a thing on Facebook. My first title was ‘Digital Coordinator’ for a surf brand. After 10 years or so of mostly freelancing as a content producer and copywriter, I moved on from actively working in marketing. I have now fully switched into teaching and mentoring, here at the college and in my own business.

What does a day look like in your career? Tell us about your business/job.

Everyday is different for me, though it starts off the same most days of the week. I’m at Orana usually until classes finish, then I head to working on whatever passion projects I have going on. I might be working on my book project, I mentor mystics and creatives 1-1, sometimes I even sing in a cover band, and I also host events and workshops around the theme of personal and spiritual development. I love to work and create, so I do that most days until I get hungry for dinner. 

What tips do you have for students looking to enter the same career path?

Since social media is all digital, I encourage students to think outside of the box (aka their phone or computer), and find their unique style and voice that will attract their dream client or role.
For example, sending a digital portfolio is a must to “get the job”, but why not take a book of your mock content to the interview or client meeting, something tangible and thoughtful that can lead to a better connection? Good business is founded in trust. So developing rapport and connection with people, not just present numbers and results is always a good idea for a long lasting business relationship. 

Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to be still teaching and working with young creative people, who want to make a difference in the world through their ideas and their existence. 

What made you want to teach at Orana?

When I first started working at Orana, I was hired to do our marketing. But at my job interview, I told Yvonne, our director, how passionate I was about mentoring young creatives. So with the support from Yvonne and the team, I went from mentoring students on their portfolio in my first year, to then a couple of years later, becoming the main trainer for our social media course. From the first casual class I taught, I knew teaching was how I could achieve my dream come true!