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I’ve been watching the startup community here in Australia a lot recently. This is because of my own interest having a startup and because things are heating up in Australia in general when it comes to tech startups getting media coverage and investment funding.
One of the standout startups I keep hearing about is WikiFashion.com, a wiki for fashion started by a young lady named Madeline Veenstra, who happens to live in the same city as me, Brisbane.
Madeline started the site with her then boyfriend now fiancee as the technical founder, beginning with just your basic Wiki installation and the desire to fill it with all things fashion. It took off and she quickly found herself in charge of a site with traffic and an income stream from advertising large enough to live off.
Now Madeline has begun taking the next step, seeking funding to help grow her project and move to New York, one of the best cities if you work in the fashion industry.
I called up Madeline and asked to do an interview so we could learn how she started her website, grew it and what advice she would have for other entrepreneurs.
I do have to apologise that we sort of geeked out a bit on the “Brisbane startup” aspect since we are both from Brisbane and have startups, but despite this I know you will get a lot of inspiration from hearing Madeline’s story so far.
Enjoy the podcast and please take a look at WikiFashion to see what Madeline and her community have created.
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I have looked on her sites, It come with simple theme ,easy to read and great articles.
Thank you for the podcast, this is so much inspiring.
Thank you for the podcast. I always love hearing about other people who have taken their passion and turned it into a profitable business online. It gives me hope that my business will make, and it gives me the determination to make sure it does.
I think finding something you love and then turning it into what you do for a living is not only smart business (because work will never feel like work) but is also great for the soul.
This really got my interest mostly because I really like Wiki site, just learning about them now! I am considering possibly starting my own, but alas I am a little snowed in with my directory and doing work for local businesses! Pays the bills though! I wonder if there is a way I could incorporate a Wiki with my directory for terms such as Auto Electrician Tweed Heads Coolangatta! I may be pushing it! Anyone got any ideas?
Thanks guys and YARO
BIG THUMBS UP
Marty
No shame in “geeking out” Yaro!
Thank you for giving me and everyone else one more real world example of the story of someone getting started and their own defining moment that told them this interwebz marketing thing was the real deal.
I love using stories like this with people I work with to help them see examples of people from all walks of life going from nothing to something significant on the net to help chip away at the idea that this isn’t possible for them.
Great to see another Aussie start up – good looking site too
Great site. It’s refreshing to see simple, useful content finding a place in the space.
I like the naturalness of her voice and expressions – not only does she deliver good content but it is believable and not so slick sounding that it sounds fake. I find this to be more generally true of you Aussies than the people who sound like used car salesmen here in the States. Fashion tends to be a “Slick” business – I think it’s her believability that makes her such a great purveyor of her true passion! Please, let’s hear more like her!
Great interview… The main takeaway for me was getting out and meeting people. As a blogger I found myself isolating myself more and more, something I’ll be changing.
Keep these interviews coming Yaro, they are very inspirational.
Cheers
Ian McConnell
Western Australia
Thanks for sharing these wonderful stories. It expires me to keep working hard at my site and have my breaking moment in the internet marketing world. Is very inspiring to listen to stories especially when they sound very sincere.
Sincerely, Nancy
Thank you for sharing such great content. I have been working on my site for the past year and have had a lot of failures. Is nice to hear inspiring stories.
Ivette