TVM Startup Stall :: Emma & Vincent

Meet our TVM Startup Stall recipient for this week - classical musician and teacher turned entrepreneur, Emma Di Marco of Emma & Vincent.

Thank you so much! My first product range for Emma & Vincent has focused primarily on helping people be more productive and work more efficiently towards their goals. Customers can expect to find our range of uniquely-designed Planners and Diaries. We have the classic 2020 Diary (can you believe it's almost a new year, again?) but also some very different undated planners that people haven't seen before. Think planning pages that focus more on what you can "do" in a day rather than just listing when you have items in your schedule. For us, a Planner should be about managing and tracking your time and staying accountable to yourself. Why? Because that's how you hit the big, long-term goals!

You're a classical musician and teacher by trade, tell us a little bit about how your creative business Emma & Vincent came about?

The idea for my business had been rumbling around in my head for a long time. My grandfather, Vincent, was a businessman when he immigrated to Australia after WWII and had such a strong community focus in both business and life. He was a massive influence for me and it was through him that I knew I one day wanted to help people through business too. I've always been encouraged to follow my own talents (which lead me to classical music) and reminded regularly by my family that we each have our own unique gifts through which we can help people.

My experiences in classical music and being an educator made me aware that so many people have big goals and dreams for themselves but are leaving these on the back burner because of the daily grind. As someone who has had a 5-year-plan for my life since I was 18, this seemed like so many missed opportunities and life paths! I truly believe that we continually grow into the best versions of ourselves day by day on the road to our goals. So, I got an Adobe subscription and I started designing a planner that would help you set goals and be accountable to yourself on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. This is how I created our Action Planner. From there, my passion was ignited and I knew I could create a range of diaries and planners that could help people. Once the first range launched in September, I realised how much more the business could grow and I've been working away behind the scenes on some new things for 2020 - stay tuned!

What is your number one tip in staying organised, for other creative entrepreneurs?

Writing things down! It sounds so simple but it is so easy to overlook. Having everything you need written down in one place makes a huge difference to how you are able to use your time more effectively. We work on our phones, our laptops, our diary, different apps, services like Dropbox and Google Drive. It becomes impossible to marry everything up and manage your time when you're moving across different platforms like that. If you've always got one central portal where you copy everything down, you can't waste time.

For me, I use an Emma & Vincent Everyday Planner and, no matter what, I take time every day to copy down important emails, notes, and ideas into the Planner. This means when I get a spare half hour during the day, I can open it up and find a task to complete in that time with no hassles.

Why did you choose TVM as a platform for your new business?

TVM has a wonderful feel around promoting and supporting local small businesses. I think that these markets understand that people are choosing to buy local and "slow" more and more often and are bringing together makers, creators, and entrepreneurs that each have their own unique vision. There's something really special about wandering a market and selecting beautifully made pieces that you know won't be found in the big stores. And with Christmas time coming, a marketplace like TVM is the perfect spot to go gift shopping. I just knew this would be the place I would meet like-minded business owners.

No Such Thing As a Fish, for sure! I can't stop laughing and I'm always sharing the facts and tidbits I learn.

I'm actually trying to read 100 new books before my 30th birthday in 2020 so I've been through a lot lately. An all time favourite is '1984' but a new discovery that I enjoyed is 'The Institute' by Stephen King

I'm a huge fan of 'The Good Place'! Any show that mixes Kristen Bell with moral philosophy was always going to be a hit with me.

My absolute favourite spot to eat on the Coast is Cardamom Pod at Broadbeach. As a vegetarian, it is the perfect easy spot for lunch and is fresh and delicious.

TVM Stalls?
I've got my eye on some pieces from Golden Sunrise Activewear.