Behind The Hustle :: Tracee Annetts, Handsome Citizens
Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game.
Do you ever dream of living by the ocean, morning yoga classes, endless travel, coffee on demand and working with clients who inspire you down to your bones? This week we chat with Handsome Citizens and Social Media Guru Tracee Annettes, who shares with us how she balances her busy schedule of online kick-assery and her Byron lifestyle that has us, well, a wee bit jealous!
OC: What’s the Instagram Story moment you are livin’ right now?
TA: Byron Bay, approaching mid-day. I’ve just finished a sweet Yoga class at Creature Yoga and have settled in at 100 Mile Table for some coffee and computer time.
OC: Million dollar question – what do you DO?
TA: I provide Social Media Content for small businesses. From liaising with the client about promotions, events or daily specials and sharing this information with their Social following. Managing their SM platforms and sometimes providing photography in their workplace of their product or business.
OC: Straight to the heart – what do you LOVE about your biz?
TA: After years of working for companies, with my life revolving around a roster; I love now being my own boss, choosing the hours I wish to work & having the freedom to create my ‘office’ for the day *insert local cafe, beach carpark, usually somewhere with a view, or a passing landscape of interesting humanity! This also allows the flexibility to work from anywhere in the World.
Where other people find social media a drag I love the creative outlet and pursuing my love for photography; visiting the businesses I look after, getting to know their staff & capturing moments in their day.
OC: You open your eyes, take a deep breath, what gets you movin’ to meet the sun?
TA: I go to bed in happy anticipation of breakfast & coffee, my favourite meal of the day! The feeling of the morning sun on my face & a juicy lengthening stretch in a yoga class.
OC: WE ARE STALKING YOU {in a loving, totes not creepy way} – what will we see?
TA: My body clock wakes me around 7 – 7:30am I reach for my phone & check social activity from overnight. A breakfast ritual of coconut chia porridge enjoyed with the hubby.
Then I get down to business posting across several media platforms for my clients. Working alone has the downside [although it can also be a plus!] of a lack of daily conversations to indulge in with workmates, so I find it a necessity to partake in a yoga class which gives me a sense of community. Whether I’m in Byron, Melbourne or travelling I take a break for morning Yoga.
As well as the human interaction I crave the physical movement. It gives me time to get out of my mind, be in my body, and be liberated from my devices.
If I’m travelling, with no option for a yoga class, I practice yoga solo or take a beach walk/jog.
After class I’m sooo ready for coffee & sunshine, and all the happier if I can indulge in them simultaneously. Here I procaffeinate, checking emails, clients social pages & looking after my own media platforms @handsomecitizens.
Lunch : Another day, another egg – I share my love around my fav neighbourhood cafes, partaking in the perfect poached egg.
A few hours later if I’m in Byron I’ll go to the beach for a swim, walk/jog, lighthouse walk, or in Melbourne, I jog Fitzroy Gardens; some photo editing, food shopping. If I’m working on an interview/story for the blog I’ll spend time emailing with the interviewees and writing/proofing for the website.
Dinner and a wind down in the evenings with an hour of Netflix, mixing it up between a bunch of favourites… currently we’re in anticipation of the next season of Vikings.
By Thursday or Friday we’re ready to eat out, either just the two of us or with friends, too often we partake in the kitchens of nearby restaurants. With so many options serving up healthy & locally sourced produce the food choices in both Byron & Melbourne are always tempting, and any excuse will do to head out!
OC: What kick ass daily habits do you have that would make Tim Ferris jealous?
TA: Yoga, walking and several times a week a jog, mixed in with a lighthouse climb. Salt h20, getting in the ocean fixes everything!
A healthy breakfast with all the superfoods of the moment. I make it the night before with a mix of: chia seeds, goji berries, walnuts, loads of cinnamon, blueberries, pawpaw, prunes, pepita & sunflower seeds, soaked in coconut quench overnight. A daily dose of Olive Leaf extract. I began taking this in the early days of working as a flight attendant, which for sure kept me from picking up every little germ in the recycled air, enclosed cabin. And lots of water.
Coffee, red wine, and dark chocolate; they have health benefits right? [wine and chocolate, not daily but whenever self-diagnosed necessary!]
OC: EPIC books + podcasts that have blown the matrix of your mind?
TA: “Let my people go surfing” – the autobiography of Patagonia’s founder/owner Yvon Chouinard. We have such huge admiration for this business. With products offering quality craftsmanship, supporting the environment and looking after their employees with the best work culture going; flexible hours and time to indulge in surf or other outdoor activities. Such inspirational business ethos.
“Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach [published in 1970]
“He was not bone and feather but a perfect idea of freedom and flight, limited by nothing at all” ― Richard Bach.
With themes of rebellion, following your heart, individuality and freedom seeking, Jonathan has it all.
A story that has stayed with me since the 80’s, introduced to me by my mum. At the time she had reinvented her life, recently uprooting from NZ to Australia. As a single mother with teenage children, in the 80’s this was a pretty gutsy move. She is a firm believer of being responsible for your own happiness. Whether by changing your mind-set, circumstances or location if they’re not serving you.
I can see a similar pattern in my own life of an approximate 10 year cycle of renewal. New job, new living arrangements; it’s like a spring clean for your life. I highly recommend it!
Also inspiring me are the podcasts by Pru Chapman, from Owners Collective e-course. Mind-opening and content rich. I got so much from Pru’s simple techniques to kick-start your own business.
OC: What’s your coffee religion and how do you worship?
TA: And worship I do! My life revolves around finding a satisfying dose. I take it strong – Double shot flat white, ¾’s full. [for a killer cup of coffee to grab on the fly in Byron, we live for Sparrow Coffee]
The second cup of the day I will linger over pre-lunch. Either a Piccolo or in summer I might switch it up to a cold drip on ice, with a dash of coconut milk.
OC: You’re a fictional character = who + why?
TA: Peter Pan! Or maybe Tinkerbell – to be able to tinker and make things + live in Never Land. Who doesn’t want to fly, never get old, nor grow up?!
OC: What’s on your plate comin’ up and how tasty will it be?
We have a holiday loosely planned for October; currently we have ideas of a surf trip to Sri Lanka. We’re very indecisive impulsive.. the location has changed constantly as well as the date, so who knows? Somewhere sundrenched and relaxing, preferably with waves. Work travel between clients locations. We have been experiencing our first ‘proper’ winter in many years, as we’ve been splitting time between Byron Bay and Melbourne.
Continuing to indulge in Melbourne’s urban cafe culture, taking road trips to the Great Ocean Rd & Mornington Peninsula and returning to our beloved Byron Bay.
Currently working toward an increase to our portfolio and offerings, and expanding our Social services.
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