Important concerns and issues get sideswiped when we get shellshocked by a global threat such as the recent pandemic. One of these concerns is climate change – another world phenomenon that can only be answered by changing our ways of consuming things. When it comes to sustainability, one of its staunch advocates is international model, fashion stylist and philanthropist, Emily Kate Symes.

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Like everyone else, the first few weeks caught her by surprise. However, instead of stressing over what is seemingly uncontrollable, Emily looked at the situation from a different perspective. “Mindset is so important. A lot of people saw it as a negative, but I saw a lot of positives at that time. I saw that it’s a time to pause, to stay still, to reflect , to go inwards and focus on the internal rather than the external. We were forced to stop … and take a break to really re-evaluate our lives and what matters to us. It’s a beautiful gift we’ve been given to stop and think .. because we don’t .. a lot of times we just go a hundred miles an hour .. and so I saw it as a blessing .. I used that time to ground myself to re-evaluate,” Emily explains.

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"In business, nothing is ever linear," she continues. "I realised that we have to stay positive and grounded. Be fluid. The world is constantly changing and unless you are doing that, you are not going to keep up and you are going to be left behind. So, I thought of ways to diversify - sell on social media, go back to modelling, focus on my jewelry line..."

This gave her a better understanding on how to handle the effects of the pandemic to her passion business project, EKOLUV – a conscious, sustainable and compassionate living boutique which she launched in 2012 to help create a different mindset for people who love fashion and lessen the amount of wastage that comes from fast fashion. EKOLUV also supports Opportunity International, an organization that helps people create an opportunity for themselves through education. This is achieved by donating part of the profits from the purchase and rentals of EKOLUV’s fabulous inventory or outfits. “I believe in giving a hand up rather than a handout. Giving women access to education empowers so much and it empowers the community,” Emily enthuses. “I think what’s really important is equality. When people don’t have a choice and they are born into poverty, they should have at least access to education. Because that’s the number one thing that’s important. If you have an education, it means you have a fair working ground to operate from,” added Emily.

What came out of this introspective approach to the pandemic is another way for Emily to share her passion for sustainability. “I’m building a business course – 3-month mentorship that helps …anyone to create a conscious sustainable business … it really focuses on self-development, building on a strong foundation and going to business practices and then conscious and sustainable business,” explains Emily.

cttoThis is called the EKO Collective – which does not only provide a 3-moth mentorship experience designed to help you grow your dream business consciously and sustainably but it also provides a community that will support and communicate with you while you are on your journey to building your business. The EKO Collective launches on March 25 in an event titled “A 2021 NIGHT OUT: EKOLUV – Talk: How to build a conscious and sustainable business. This features VM Media Empowerment Workshop and is a collaboration between the city of Sydney and the Woollahra Council.

Emily will be chatting about what a conscious business actually is and how to be sustainable, she’ll be giving her best tips and advice on how to grow the business of your dreams, consciously and sustainably of course. Followed by a women empowerment workshop by Vivienne Maher founder of VM media.

For more information, click this link. To get your tickets, click here.

It’s going to be a fun night of self-discovery, DJ music, local art and light refreshments. See you there!

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