Ivette is a creative geek who is fuelled by caffeine, breathes inappropriate sarcasm but would drop everything in a second to help someone out whether it’s professionally or personally.
She describes her superpower as being like a chameleon. She can adapt to any situation with people from all walks of life and make them feel comfortable and listened to. She’s been told that she can make someone feel like the only person in the room. Which definitely comes from her past in Corrective Services when dealing with people who need to know they are being heard and understood.
Read on to learn more about Ivette and her business The Control Freak Co.
What is your business elevator pitch?
At The Control Freak Co. we have combined our skills to be able to provide a unique service offering and we help your brand in all it’s growing stages from start-up to expansion. From visual brand creation to coaching and organisation tools and products. Plus we throw in a bit of sass and will tell you how it is, whether you want to hear it or not.
What is your WHY for being in business?
After giving up a career in Corrective Services hoping to help young girls regain control of their lives that were spiraling out of control I found myself unable to actually achieve that. Rules, government, budgets, and men in high places who didn’t know wtf actually was going on stripped me of that passion and made me get out of bed with dread every morning.
So I forced myself to look deeper, my passions when I was growing up and be honest to myself about what I actually loved doing rather what I talked myself into and what perception everyone else had of me. Suddenly the penny dropped and I realised my heart started beating faster and my eyes would get wider every-time I saw someone designing/creating/painting/writing. So I went for it.
Over the years my directions have changed from creating wall art to corporate designing and then finding my groove in the PGB community. I love being able to work with so many beautiful brands and people who have a genuine why and being able to help bring that to life is humbling. Someone trusting YOU with their “baby” is a privilege for sure.
What is something business owners probably don’t know about your business, that they probably should know?
Most of the time I don’t use fonts or predesigned graphics for my designs but create everything from scratch. It gives my designs an extra dimension. I have a wide range of interests and in the same breath can tell you I love playing with colours, layering, and shapes while also drool over mono minimalistic designs. My tastes are very varied, a bit like my music playlist really (think Miley Cyrus, George Thorogood, sir mix-a-lot, Ed Sheeran and Disney songs)
Share a unique business challenge you have experienced, and how you overcame this?
Specifically to my journey, I think the fact I did my studies online was a challenge by itself. Design is such a visual concept. Perspective on any design is so unique to the person viewing it that talking to others, getting that feedback and being able to bounce of others is an integral part of learning and developing. It’s something I couldn’t do without anymore. Studying online was so hard, there was no contact with other students and my lectures were changing all the time and trying to smash out the feedback which meant it was all general and impersonal. It was good learning some of the programs but other than that I probably learned everything else by trial and error.
I would NEVER recommend doing it online. It was the only way I could do it at the time but it’s definitely made my business journey a lot harder.
What’s the strangest thing you have ever done as an entrepreneur?
Not sure if this is actually strange, haha but I was approached by a client to help design and put together a magazine cover bi-monthly using a program I’d never touched. I managed to keep a straight face and tell him “easy, send me to content and I’ll have it ready asap” only to spend the next couple of days googling tutorials and learning the ins and outs of that program!!
What’s got you “edge-of-your-seat” excited in your biz right now?
Having just changed my business focus again, merging with Kerrie Allen (from Gameface) and creating a whole new set of offerings is just making me pee-in-my-pants excited (too much info?). The Control Freak Co. is going places and so far it’s been such an awesome process, a derrrr moment!
With Negative Space Studio I am hoping to create a new workshop taking lettering a bit further and I have some cool art projects lined up that I can’t wait to get stuck into.
Then with Guerrilla Establishment we’re also changing it all up and I think this is going to be a turning point for us.
What is your favourite biz resource at the moment?
I am loving using the CRM Basecamp with Kerrie to manage all our projects, so far it’s working fantastically.
I am reading “the art of happiness” by the Dalai Lama and it’s really helping to ground me and finding the little things of joy again which helps me be more confident in my business.
The Fusion Membership has been amazing this year. The connections, opportunities and support I’ve received from that group has been invaluable and I absolutely love what you have created. Reaching out to others and knowing you’re not alone is such a big thing. And this group has been that support for me so THANK YOU ALL!!
Learn more about Ivette 👇
Website: www.heycontrolfreak.com.au
Facebook: The Control Freak Co.
Instagram: @heycontrolfreak