In this series, we’re taking a look at some of the most creative faces in Melbourne with some help from our friend Kathleen Gunther, who partners with independent agencies across Australia and New Zealand to scale their brand presence and drive sustainable growth. This week, we spoke with Carolyn Stebbing, the managing director of Little Village Creative.
1. How long have you been in Melbourne and if you weren’t born here, did you choose it or did it choose you?
Carolyn Stebbing: I’m an Aucklander who’s been in Melbourne for over a whole decade now. Before that, I did a five-year stint in Sydney.
Melbourne was a very deliberate move for me, so I’d say I chose it. I truly loved Sydney and had a blast living and working in advertising there. But I’d been through some big emotional life changes towards the end of my time in the Emerald City and was ready for a fresh start. As I edged closer to 30, I could no longer ignore my internal nagging around two things I knew I really wanted to do: start my own business, and live alone.
Truthfully, I couldn’t afford to do both in Sydney, so Melbourne became the next best option. I started Little Village Creative a month after arriving in Melbourne back in 2015, locked into a year-long apartment lease, no clients and no money coming in. I know myself well enough to know I work better when there’s no Plan B.
There’s a whole heap I miss about Auckland, especially my family. Also random things like cheese scones which you can’t find in cafes here for some reason. But Melbourne is home, for now at least. And truthfully, I don’t think I could’ve built LVC anywhere else.
2. What’s the most Melbourne thing about the way you or your team works?
CS: Our office. It’s hidden away above a cafe in an unassuming old building in Richmond and you actually have to go through the back of the cafe to get to it. Full speakeasy vibes. Also, the coffee downstairs is peak Melbourne standard, or so my team tells me (I’m more of a tea drinker these days).
3. Who in the local industry has shaped the way you think about leadership or doing business? Tell us about them.
CS: Honestly, my first thought was – my wonderful LVC team. They are the most incredible humans who inspire me every day with their brilliance, empathy and creativity.
I would say the same of our clients: the founders, leaders, marketers, and busy business owners doing amazing work here in Melbourne, and further afield. I’ll always be inspired by great people building great things.
And as a last point, I’ve loved watching agency leaders increasingly show up for each other in this market. When I started LVC 11 years ago, agency founders rarely spoke to each other, which made it a lonely time for me especially as a solo founder. These days, I see far more generosity and camaraderie between us, which feels like a very good thing for us all. Isabel Thomson-Officer is a shining example of this, and there are many more out there for sure.
4. Who in the Melbourne market is doing work that deserves more attention right now
CS: Garry Williams is always up to something cool and interesting, and he’s just launched a new venture with a mutual friend of ours (Kayla Medica) called DRIP DROP. It’s a ‘weekly place of worship for good merch.’ I’m excited to see where they take it. I always enjoy Eugene Healey’s takes on brand and culture, and am inspired by the work that SICKDOGWOLFMAN, Snack Drawer and Special Group are doing at the moment.
5. If you were a Melbourne landmark, what would you be?
CS: Stalactites. Randomly, it was the very first restaurant I ever ate at outside New Zealand. My first overseas trip was to Melbourne with my mum when I was a teenager, and after arriving in the city in the early hours, bleary-eyed and hungry, it was the only place we could find that was open for a feed. Plus it’s been around forever and pulls long hours. Just like me.
Kathleen Gunther is the founder of Gunther Consulting, partnering with independent agencies across Australia and New Zealand to scale their brand presence and drive sustainable growth. With expertise spanning digital marketing, brand strategy, PR and communications, she brings the pragmatism, specialist connections and industry know-how to help agencies market their most important client — themselves. Kathleen also serves as a Board Member of AWIA, actively shaping Australia’s digital landscape and championing inclusivity in the industry.
