Meet Isabella, our content creation agent. An amazing addition to our team, working closely with us to bring our visions to life through content. Smashing her business goals on the Gold Coast with her agency, Thala Collective.
In one sentence, who are you?
Hey angels, I'm Bella, the owner of Thala Collective.
You have built an incredible content creation and marketing agency, what sparked your passion to start Thala Collective?
Aw thank you so much! After finishing school, like most people, I had no clue what I wanted to do next. I was modelling at the time which started to grow my Instagram following and opened the opportunity to start collaborating with different brands. That’s where my love for marketing began, so I decided to enrol in a Business and Marketing Degree to qualify myself and move up in the industry. Towards the end of my degree, my co-owner at the time had resigned from her photography role at a major fashion retailer, and I had just left my first marketing job. With two complimentary skillsets and a lot of free time, we decided to team up as a ‘model-photographer duo’ and advertise photoshoot packages. This is where Thala Collective began! From there, our service offerings grew with the demand to include an array of marketing packages. I eventually ended up taking on the business myself to expand and re-brand into a content and marketing agency.
What inspires you?
I feel so grateful that Thala has given me the opportunity to work with and be surrounded by so many young, incredible creatives and entrepreneurs every day… especially other women in business! That’s definitely what inspires me.
What has been you biggest challenge with your agency so far?
Running your own business naturally has its highs and lows, but I’m so lucky that I haven’t faced many issues! When starting Thala, I was still finishing my uni degree and working full time, and since graduating I’ve maintained my full-time job whilst also running the business. It began more as a side hustle, and I never expected it to grow so quickly! My biggest challenge has definitely been juggling basically two full-time jobs and also knowing when to take the next step into working for myself completely (not a massive risk taker!). I think this is the first time saying it publicly, but I’m so excited to have now handed in my notice at my 9-5 and be able to give my all to the agency and take it to the next level!
What has been your most memorable moment for Thala Collective?
The most memorable moment by far was the launch party for Thala Collective! It was such a huge and stressful lead up – from organising the venue, menu, styling and invite list. I was a nervous wreck on the day worrying about the weather (we had secured one of the Gold Coast’s best rooftop restaurants), trying on my last-minute outfit and wondering whether anyone would show haha, but it turned out perfectly! One of the greatest milestones of my career so far and worth all the long nights.
How did you start working for Malakai?
I pride myself on having the privilege to be selective onboarding clients, so we only work with businesses we absolutely love and align with our brand vision! An influencer/model we had previously worked with posted on Instagram shooting with Malakai, and I started following them for shoot inspo as I absolutely loved their content. The more I saw, the more I fell in love with every aspect of Malakai’s operations and unique branding. I saw so much growth potential, so I decided to reach out and see if the owner of Malakai, Bella, needed help with anything marketing related. The rest is history! We had a one-hour strategy meeting planning out campaigns for the rest of the year and are so excited for everything to come.
What do you look for when you are choosing girls to work with Malakai?
There’s so much that goes into selecting influencers to work with! Gone are the days of a ‘following’ being the be-all or end-all. Having a large following plays a role for sure, but it’s so much more important to have an engaged audience which aligns with the brand’s target consumers, as well as high-quality content which fits in with the brand aesthetic.
Tell us about a time you were proud of yourself
A standout moment for me was one of our first proper campaign shoots for a clothing brand. The client gave us a vision and we absolutely ran with it! Everything from the second model we hired, the location and styling/props was next level! Plus, we had the most fun on set. When I saw the final shots and got the film photos developed I was so proud of what our team had created. I was in awe that that was our work – something out of a magazine! It was definitely the ‘we’ve got this’ realisation people talk about, and the dream of running this agency was becoming reality.
What is your favourite Malakai piece?
It’s no word of a lie that I am in love with all the pieces Malakai releases! If I had to pick a favourite it would be the Nalu Isle necklace. Pearls, shells and gold jewellery… has me written all over it!
