Anything that excites me I want to do. I was an ADHD child, so I was always full of energy, and easily distracted.
Over the years I’ve found creative ways to channel that energy, whether it’s through creating music and shows, collaborating on projects with other artists, designing my own jewellery range, or launching my own label.
Fueled by Passion
I have a massive drive. Not for money, but for pursuing passion. There’s real affirmation in creating beautiful things and making people happy.
I get the same buzz from watching an audience love a song I’m performing as I do when I see someone wearing a piece of jewellery I’ve designed. I think it’s a basic entrepreneurial trait.
Open to Opportunities
The trick is to be open to opportunities that come your way. For example, I started designing my own range of jewellery because I was approached by a no-name brand manufacturer to become an ambassador for some of their pieces. But they were all pieces I would never wear.
At the time I was signed to Sony in a very structured environment, and I was looking for a creative outlet.
It was the perfect opportunity. Instead of saying no outright, I proposed a collaboration. They had the contacts for rose gold, silver and pearls, and the skills to assemble the pieces. I could design a collection and brand it with my name. It’s been an amazing partnership.
Edgars has chosen 30 designs from my bridal range, and we plan to launch the range at six flagship stores this month. I have also collaborated with two other entrepreneurs and together we have launched the Carver Rush & Star events.
This is a collaboration between myself, Sam Star of Sam Star Shoes and Jacqui Corfield, the owner and co-founder of fashion boutique Hermanna Rush. Derek Kilpin from Great Domaines Wine is our resident wine expert and does international wine tastings.
We wanted to create an evening shopping experience with everything busy women need and love: A place to relax in the company of girlfriends, enjoying a glass of wine, and shop. Together we offer shoes, fashion, jewellery and wine – what more could you want?
Carver Rush & Star events create an experience around what we love, and give women the opportunity to network. There’s power in the right collaborations, where you align your products, skills and databases. Sam is great with numbers, Jacqui has an eye for detail, and I’m good with marketing.
Make Connections
I trust introductions. I believe that if you do good work, good things come back to you. Some of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in have started with the right introduction, like the head of Tsogo Sun Entertainment introducing me to Kate Emmerson, a life coach and author of the top-selling Clear Your Clutter. And while Kate has a lot to say about the state of my desktop, we’ve found real synergies between her three core focus areas and my music.
Together, we’ve created a corporate show that centres around Kate’s three key themes: De-cluttering your physical, bodily and emotional space.
While Kate isn’t my life coach, I do work with a life coach. I want to understand my patterns better. We all have patterns and I want mine to be conscious, so I can avoid negative patterns and strive for balance.
Part of this has been taking control of my music career. I’ll always be thankful for my time at Sony where I built my career, but I reached the point where I needed control over my music and business.
I’ve formed a JV between Next Music and my label, Evergreen Music, which means I can concentrate on albums while Next Music takes care of admin. My latest album, Say it to my face, is the product of this collaboration.
Risk vs. Reward
I was able to start my own business because of a 50/50 investor. Putting 50% of my own money into the venture was important. It’s easy to over-invest in an album.
I learnt this lesson at a young age, as I was signed to my first label at fifteen. The learning curve in the industry is long, so I was fortunate to start young. I now keep investments to the minimum, and match whatever comes in, rand for rand.
I’m also a bit of a hustler. I get as much sponsored as possible. Photo shoots, music videos and any promotional work is sponsored by brands such as Raymond Weil and Yamaha. I wear their products, and they sponsor the PR material. It’s win-win.