Melissa Turner

Every month the Spotlight is put on a select Australian woman who has either excelled in her career, and/or has established a successful or potentially successful business. Highlighted in Spotlight are business profiles, answers to useful career questions as are some quirky personal points.

Spotlight is designed to give us all inspiration and confirm that anyone can make his or her business dream or that promotion a reality...

This month read on to find out all about Jewellery Designer Melissa Turner.
MELISSA TURNER

Melissa Turner started out with a Civil Engineering degree under her belt and after working in that field for a number of years, decided that engineering was not for her. Melissa then completed an Associate Diploma in Jewellery Design where she enjoyed the work. She headed off to Adelaide shortly after and took up a post as an Associate Designer at the Jam Factory Contemporary Craft and Design. Melissa quickly made the discovery that it was very difficult to make a living from being a contemporary jeweller and found that pumping out production pieces can get a little boring at times. So she turned her hand to teaching, which allows Melissa to support her jewellery habit and create pieces SHE wants to make.


Profile

Occupation/Title
Jewellery Designer/Maker

Company/Organization
I work for myself

State
QLD, a very recent move from NSW.

Age
33

Where did you grow up?
Northern beaches in Sydney, a great place to grow up.

What was your first job?
Shop Assistant at Skippy at the Rocks, selling stuffed kangaroo toys to tourists.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Apart from wanting to be a postman when I was quite young (and it is still a job that holds an attraction for me) I really had no idea - that is why I ended up doing Engineering for a while.

How did you get to where you are now?
See profile.

What qualifications/experiences are required to perform your job?
None really.

How many hours a week do you work?
Depends if I have an order to fill or an exhibition deadline coming up. It can vary from 0 to as many hours that I can stay awake in a week.

Where would you like to be in ten years?
Don't know about myself, but I would like my work to be in galleries/museums/collections around the world.

What advice would you give to somebody embarking on their first business or aspiring to achieve extraordinary career goals?
That is a tough question that I don't feel qualified to answer!

What do you class as your biggest career achievement?
Inclusion in the Goldfields OzGold Exhibition (currently showing at Craft Queensland in Brisbane)

What is the best piece of advice anybody has given you?
Whatever decision you make - it is the right decision.


Fast Facts

Who living or dead would you most like to invite to dinner?
All of my friends, wherever they are living at the moment, from across Australia and the few who are overseas.

Your favourite toy as a child:
Blue Ted

What are you reading at the moment?
Heaps, I have a 10-week-old daughter and breastfeeding is a great time to read. 'A Wild Sheep Chase', 'Vanity Fair', Alice Munro short stories, old Vogue magazines, anything I can get my hands on.

Is there a talent/attribute you wish you had/ had more of?
Anti-procrastination would be a good one!

Which song transports you to another place when you hear it and why?
This is embarrassing, but Yazz "The Only Way is Up" seems to be the song most able to do this. Back to Europe with my school friend at the age of 19, this song seemed to be on holiday with us.

Your favourite place in the world, and why?
A surf beach - the smell, the sand, the fun to be had.

What is your idea of the perfect Day?
A happy baby and a lot of catch-up sleeping for everyone.

Can you tell us 5 things required for a happy healthy & enjoyable life (important to you)?
Family & friends; my dog Zephyr; time & space to do my work; good food and SLEEP.

- Annemarie Failla