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JANE RULJANCICH

“You need to be resilient enough to stand up for what you know you’re worth”

I’m a jewellery designer, maker and teacher; I run my own business called Jane Ruljancich Jewellery.

I knew I wanted to do something creative early on, but didn’t know what. I thought perhaps interior design would suit me, but after a year doing a degree at RMIT, I realized it wasn’t for me. I dropped out and decided to travel the world.

During my travels, I worked as a councilor for Camp America – the working holiday program allowed me to extend my overseas stay, and was a lot of fun. Completely by chance, I was made a craft instructor at the camp. I loved it: I found a real joy in making things with my hands. One of my friends there was studying ceramics, and it was a revelation to find out you could actually study a craft as a degree. Continue reading →

TINA KOH

“The accounting course is our date night: I’m always looking forward to Wednesdays!”

I am a property investor, a dental clinic manager, a student and a mother.

Even while I was studying for my a Bachelor’s degree in Science and Commerce at the university in Auckland, I knew that I didn’t want to sit in an office 9-to-5. I thought there had to be something more than that. It got me thinking about financial freedom and wealth.

I also had other reasons to think about financial independence. I lost my dad to cancer when I was 18. After his loss, I went through depression – it was my lowest point, and my family’s.

When he passed away, the stability of my family was lost. He was a successful businessman, and everyone depended on him. With him gone, I watched my mother and siblings really struggle to get through life and its challenges. Continue reading →

Sally at the university of melbourne parkville campus 1

SALLY RULJANCICH

“I put it a call out on Facebook, saying “Who wants lamb?” – and it was all sold out in 10 minutes.”

I am an Advancement Researcher at the University of Melbourne. I work remotely, from our farm in South Gippsland, which allows me to concurrently run our organic grass-fed meat business, Colin and Sally’s Organic Lamb and Beef.

I’m also a mum to two little boys, 2 and 4 years old. My husband Colin is a stay-at-home dad and farmer, and I couldn’t do what I do without him.

My first job was in a fruit and veggie store in Kew, whilst I was doing my arts degree in Melbourne Uni. It was an amazing job. I worked there for three years and I truly learned what it meant to work. Continue reading →

CAINE TSANG

“When you help a guy lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, it’s going to improve not just his life, but his kids’, too.”

I am a Personal Trainer at Virgin Active.

After I graduated from high school in Geelong, I went straight to work. I didn’t really have a focus on what I wanted to do, so I just took a job that came my way. I started out in the furniture business, doing things like furniture assembly and spraying. Over a about three years, I changed a few jobs and companies, but in the end realized my heart wasn’t in it.

Next I thought I’d get into cooking. I started with a cookery course at Gordon’s institute in Geelong. From there I applied for a few shift jobs in Surf Coast and Geelong area. I worked as a chef for about 5-6 years, though I never completed the test part of getting a certificate. It was hard to combine studying and working as a chef. Continue reading →

SHEILA MATTHEWS

“During another strike a brick was thrown through the bus window as I was driving. I just stepped on the gas! I didn’t dare stop.”

I recently retired from Melbourne University, as a Clinical Trials Coordinator managing a national project for Indigenous Australian children.

Over 70 % of our Indigenous children have chronic hearing loss from an early age which can affect them for life. The most appropriate treatments for them are still being debated, so the project is following up and measuring the outcomes of 2 different options.

My career path has been convoluted, but certainly not boring. I’ve worked with an amazing array of people and professionals.

My mother told me from an early age that I would follow family tradition and go into nursing. I left high school at the end of 1969, when the major career choices for women were nursing, teaching or secretarial duties. Continue reading →

Photography by Val Bubner

TANIA KUNZE

“A hard earned thing is deeper appreciated.”

I am a ceramic and mixed media artist, specializing in custom design and community projects. My small business trades as Tatty K.

I didn’t really know who I was or what I wanted to do at school, so I quit school after year 11 and worked in retail and hospitality (because I knew how to work hard and be polite to customers – and therefore earn a wage).

I also moved out at 17, because my parents lived in the rural area of Darwin & I couldn’t wait to live in the city. At 19, I moved to Brisbane with a few friends & continued to work as a waitress, barperson, maitre’d, short order cook, book keeper – “whatever was needed”. Continue reading →

VENUS BRUTNALL

“This time, rather than just doing the moves, I was learning the theory of movement.”

I am the Head Pilates Coordinator and Educator for Premier Sports & Spinal Medicine Injury Specialist. Along with my team I co-manage four Pilates studios in Melbourne.

From an early age I was quite a talented young athlete, especially in gymnastics. In those times there was no minimum age requirement to become a gymnastic coach in Queensland. So at the young age of 8 years I started a career in coaching gymnastics.

This would ultimately shape my eventual career path more than twenty years into the future. The idea of going through all of the proper channels in order to acquire the certifications required to become a coach Continue reading →

ADRIAN BUTERA

“If I think something’s great and I believe in it, I can’t leave it. I’ve got to do it.”

I am a Real Estate agent and auctioneer. I am also the director of Compton Green Real Estate.

I went to Parade College in Bundoora, squeezed through year 11 and had no real aspirations to do year 12. I was offered a cadetship to be a Training Manager at Safeway where I had already worked before. So I decided to do that; at 18 it was a big role for me.

Even from that early age, I was driven, I wanted to be a young buck – in something, though I didn’t have a clear idea what. Funny thing is, I remember looking at some course brochures: one for a real estate course, and one for electrical and lighting design. Both appealed. But then my father offered me an opportunity to go into business with him, and I put that decision on hold for a while. Continue reading →

MEL HIATT

“I believe there’s a real synergy of your mind, your body and your spirit. When you’re working on your body, you’re training your mind and your spirit.”

I run two Step Into Life fitness franchises in Bayside.

Growing up, I moved around a lot, eventually finishing school in Victoria. Yet all through school I had a part-time job at McDonald’s – kind of ironic, with my current career in health and fitness! But it gave me good grounding and work ethic; I learned a lot about systems and processes.

After school I was offered a place at university, but it was a long way away from home and I wasn’t ready to move out. I decided not to go and continued working at McDonald’s as a manager. I was doing that for over a year.

After a while though, I didn’t feel like it was going anywhere, so when the police force were doing a recruiting drive, I thought I had nothing to lose by applying. Continue reading →

RACHEL FLETCHER

“I am big on not having regrets.”

I’m an events manager at a winery in Lancefield.

I coordinate weddings and conferences, which involves liaising with clients, discussing details, planning and overseeing their events.

I wasn’t sure what to do after school; I moved around, doing hospitality and sales jobs. After Year 11, I worked at a supermarket, but soon realized there had to be more to life. That prompted me to go back to school to do year 12, and then university.

I chose Sociology as my major, and then Asian Studies and Japanese as my minor, because of my father’s influence. I discovered after a year that I didn’t like Sociology: it was impacting how I interacted with people, making me over-analytical rather than social! I ended up making Japanese my major and dropping back to part-time study.

When I was 25, an opportunity arose to go and live in Japan. Continue reading →

What I Did / What I Do

Personal experience stories focusing on work and career.