‘...displaying good work ethics is teaching good work ethics.’
‘We eat, sleep, and breathe at work. I devote myself to achieve the goals I set down for myself. It requires drive and discipline.’
Awoman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future. The Coco Chanel line is one of the few that Nadi-based fashion designer, Tracey Ann Farrington, lives by.
Getting to her level of success – and maintain the momentum – requires decades of building upon simple steps to being comfortable with one’s self.
“How I live my life is important to me,” she said.
“Personal happiness is very important, happiness which makes me shine from within.”
Her boutique along Nadi Back Road, is the result of years of finding a niche in the market that she could relate to, and design for.
What are some circumstances that HAVE DEfiNED THE WAY YOU DO BUSIness?
I have been an entrepreneur from an early age.
I started my first Australian business in 1983, because I wanted to be my own boss, and wanted to use my passion to design and create products that I could sell.
I firstly set my sights on wholesale; supplying to other businesses.
I have always maintained this as the core focus of my business strategy.
It’s always been about my passion for my creative job, the money followed; this is how I learnt to design for sales.
Not everything I design is a winner. I’ve always tried to learn from my mistakes.
Sometimes, it’s difficult to take the hard knocks, but I taught myself many years ago to own up to a failure.
I’ve taught myself to find the positive information from the negative, and this made me wiser.
WHAT ARE SOME HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS LEADERS? PLEASE INCLUDE YOURS.
Running a business is a full time job, there’s no such thing as 9am to 5pm.
We work around the clock, always looking for new opportunities, keeping an open mind, making sacrifices to get the job done to meet the time schedules, and pushing barriers to get the job done. We eat, sleep, and breathe at work. I devote myself to achieve the goals I set down for myself.
It requires drive and discipline.
When you get knocked down, get back up, “tell yourself, you can do this”.
How have you overcome some career challenges?
I try not to dwell on it. I assess the problem, and find a positive solution. And perservere with care.
WHAT IS YOUR DEfiNITION OF SUCcess?
I love it when I see a customer on the street wearing one of my garments, or hats.
It fills me with pride, but a sense of humility at the same time.
When customers come to my boutique to ask me to dress them for their special occasion, I feel honoured that they trust me.
Seeing the smile, when they look at themselves in the mirror, is the ultimate feeling of satisfaction for me.
WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS A TRUE MEASURE OF QUALITY LEADERSHIP?
Leading by example is motivation for my team, displaying good work ethics is teaching good work ethics.
My leadership style is equal playing field.
Give respect, and you will receive respect.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT fiVE YEARS?
Travelling the world, achieving my
SUN
bucket list, discovering places I have never been.
It will also involve planning for my retirement, which means more travel, and giving myself time to learn about things that I denied myself only because I’ve been so devoted to my work.
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
Following my passion, designing and creating new collections, and new products.
Discovering new business opportunities, and striving to make it work.
WHAT WERE YOUR CHILDHOOD ASPIRATIONS, CAREER-WISE?
At school, I was never the brightest in the class.
But three things I enjoyed most at school were sport, needle work and geography.
Hence the things I love - fashion designing and travelling, and always trying to keep fit.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER TO ASPIRING EXECUTIVES, FOLLOWING ON FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF COVID-19, AND THE THREAT OF ANOTHER POSSIBLE PANDEMIC?
Follow your passion, forget the dramas of yesterday, and focus on tomorrow.
Don’t live in the past, focus your energy on creating a bigger and brighter future for yourself, and others.