Welcome to The Plain Janes Journal; Don't just exist, live!
We focus on people's lives and how they arrived to where they are today. Each month we will be celebrating individuals and their experiences.
Say hello to Tash and Nikki, the extraordinary powerhouse duo and creative forces behind Coasties Mag. Read their raw and honest truth's about buying a publication without any media experience and how they have grown the magazine and readership into the juggernaut that it is today.
Brit: You’ve had Coasties Mag for nearly 2 years now! How does this milestone make you feel?
Tash & Nikki: We are super proud of the growth we’ve managed to achieve in the last 2 years. Not to mention the incredible partnerships and relationships we’ve built and the support we’ve received from the wider community. It blows us away EVERY DAY that people love what we do. We are constantly pinching ourselves, that this is what we do.
Brit: Since starting this journey, what's the biggest lesson you’ve learnt? If you could start from the beginning again, is there anything you would have done differently?
Tash & Nikki: Haha, what a great question and where to start? We bought the mag with zero media experience..so in terms of what we’ve learnt…well, let's just say EVERYTHING. We are constantly learning new things. But this means that we are not jaded, we are winging it big time like beginners do and we have fresh and possibly weird perspectives or takes on things that media folk don’t have. There’s nothing we’d have done differently. This is such a fun ride and I think the blissful ignorance has helped us pull shit out of the bag in more ways than one.
Brit: Both of you are mothers of two, so life is pretty busy! We’d love to know how you juggle it all?
Tash & Nikki: We are always dropping the balls more than juggling we’d say! Haha. No, in all seriousness we are both realistic with our boundaries and know that we can’t do it all. We can only do what we can do. We are a great team and complement each other’s skill sets fabulously. So when one of us’s balls are lost the other will usually have theirs in some sort of order.
Brit: What advice would you give to mums who are new to juggling this work/life balance or are at the point of wanting to start something on their own or take the next big leap in their career?
Tash & Nikki: Start before you’re ready! As Nikki in her coaching business always says to her clients: Don’t let the inner narrative hold you back. BUT, be clear on WHY you’re doing what you’re doing and what you value and that will help massively when it comes to setting and keeping boundaries as not to burn out. Because the reality is that the to do list is never done, the juggle will always be there and so you have to work out how to manage it sustainably.
Brit: How do you choose to spend your down time? What does switching off from work look like?
Tash & Nikki: Spending time with our families is a big one for both of us. So is being in and around the ocean. We both love a cheeky margi! And, watching the surfing.
Tash and her fam are mad Mariners fans so they rarely miss a game. Nikki and her fam love getting out to explore and adventure around the Coast - there are so many great bush walks and cool neighbourhoods on the Coast. They also love waterskiing and wakeboarding.
Brit: Describe each other with 3 words only - go!
Nikki for Tash: Kind, Approachable (face), Self-assured
Tash on Nikki: Capable, Creative, Unique
Brit: Favourite holiday destination and where to next?
Tash: Mexico. Staycations are about all I can afford atm! Haha, but we’re loving them.
Nikki: Eek, I hate picking favourites, anywhere in Africa always warms my heart like nothing else. I’m from South Africa so maybe that's why…it’s always good to go home. We’re heading out to Milthorpe for Easter! And, the Cooks in July.
Brit: If you were to walk into Plain Janes today, what would you buy?
Tash: Ssaint perfume, always up for a bottle of that in one of their delicious scents! Some new silver everyday earrings and no doubt some piece of linen!
Nikki: Probably very similar to Tash, but I’d swap out the earrings for something fun for my kids and I’ve been eyeing off a pair of the Alias Mae Darcy Black Satin shoes!
