Creative T started as the seed of an idea two years ago.
At the time, I was feeling how isolating it can be to work as a freelancer or small remote business owner. Then my project manager Mika joined me, fresh off the boat from agency life, while I’d been working in my tracksuit for about two years.
Back then, the only “networking” resource was the Facebook group The Resource—31,000 people strong and a bit of a feeding frenzy whenever jobs were posted.
The idea of an event where we could all gather, swap skills, and connect went onto the back burner. Until I went on maternity leave earlier this year.
On the very first day back, ready to dive into work, my biggest client of ten years ghosted me. Just like that, two-thirds of my income vanished.
This is the same agency that once moved a colleague—who had been winning awards on huge car and financial brands—onto formula and nappies, because they assumed she would “mom out.”
That moment taught me two things:
1. Agency and corporate life are not made for people like me.
I’ve been called a “badass boss bitch” more than once—not my title, but I’ll take it. At the same time, I’m also an on-demand milk machine with a tiny baby depending on me. Both things are true at once. Corporate life has never been designed to hold those truths.
2. Our industry is built on competition when it should be built on collaboration.
You climb the corporate ladder—not the staircase. What we need is a space where we can sit around the proverbial campfire, swapping stories and skills. A space where we problem-solve the industry together. And yes—where we can braid hair, eat berries… or at least, eat cake.
That’s exactly what transpired at Creative T.
We didn’t eat berries—we ate cake. But we did collaborate, mingle, and connect.
Meet then panelists
✨ Nikki Symons (Sweet LionHeart)
If you don’t know Sweet LionHeart, do you even live in Cape Town? Their cakes are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen (and I’m the mother of two children, so that’s saying a lot).
I’ve had Sweet LionHeart cakes at corporate events, birthdays, and Mika’s wedding, and I’ve even requested one in my will—for my funeral. Yes, slip a slice into the coffin, please.
Nikki and I first bonded while both pregnant at a birthday party. By the third WhatsApp message, one of us had dropped the word “nipple.” If you know, you know.
✨ Marius (Mirari Press)
The week I met Marius, my husband texted me: “You’re a witch.” It was meant as a compliment—I’d pulled off some big wins through sheer intentionality that week.
Later, I stumbled into a book launch for Seven Wonders: Stories About Witches. The cover was striking, the title felt fated, and the audience? About 95% gay men. My gayvitational pull at work again.
The book isn’t just double-double-toil-and-trouble witchy—it’s about reclaiming female power, about not suppressing what’s inherent but harnessing it. That’s what Marius champions through Mirari Press: creating space for the sacred feminine and inclusivity.
✨ Georgina (Style Rotate)
We invited Style Rotate to buy tickets. They replied: “How about a collab instead?” Bold move. We liked it.
Their platform is turning fast fashion on its head. As Georgina says: “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.” And that’s really what Creative T is all about—asking, trying, and going for it.
A Word on Money (and the Magic of Profit)
We also had the absolute privilege of a workshop with Liesl (Profit for Creatives). If you were in the room, you’ll know she’s not just a finance whizz — she’s a straight-talking, no-nonsense guide who knows how to make money feel less like a monster under the bed and more like a tool we can actually use.
Nuggets of Wisdom from the Panel
The panel discussion was overflowing with insight, but here are some highlights worth holding onto:
💡 From Marius:
- “The most valuable currency you have is time. Spend it wisely.”
- “Don’t ask advice from people you don’t wish to emulate.”
💡 From Nikki (on balancing artistry with money):
- “You can’t be everything to everyone. Sell what you do best. Anything else—they can get somewhere else.”
💡 From Sonia (audience):
- “Women are natural storytellers because they do it collectively.”
💡 From Georgina (Style Rotate):
- “Fake it till you make it.”
- “If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.”
- The future of fashion may look like this: renting entire wardrobes, not just items. Imagine booking an Airbnb with a curated summer wardrobe waiting for you.
💡 From Marius (on imposter syndrome):
- “Adopt a more data-driven mindset. If you’ve never tried something, there’s no data to support that you’re bad at it.”
💡 From Liesl (finance queen):
- “Start by putting just 1% of your revenue aside as profit. It’s not about the number, it’s about building the system.”
Closing Thought
As Seven Wonders puts it:
In a world that has long feared and vilified witches, this collection reclaims them as heroines—figures of resistance, wisdom, and the inexorable power of the sacred feminine.
That’s exactly what Creative T is reclaiming too. A space for collaboration, courage, and cake.
