Behind the Biz: Ella Rathbone
After a week off from the blogging world (totally unplanned, but hey – that’s business sometimes!) we bring to you a very special interview with the delightful Ella Rathbone, the owner and creative wordsmith behind You’re My Type. Ella has been a huge inspiration of ours for the last year or so, and is such a lovely presence on our Instagram feed. We hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did!
Who’s That Girl?
Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is Ella; I’m 26 years old, I have been married for 7 years, I run a small hand lettering business called You’re My Type which I started 4 years ago and I teach workshops around Australia to people who want to learn lettering. I grew up in a small coastal town, and before running my business I was a barista. I love op shopping for jackets and I love nature and adventures
How has 2018 been for you so far?
Such an amazing adventure! We started this year travelling Australia in a self converted camper van and decided for the rest of the year that we wanted to live differently. So for 7 months we have been house sitting people’s houses and pets. I have learnt so much about myself and my business and I’m really grateful that at the same time we could save for a house deposit without giving up our dreams.
What was it like visiting Japan recently (yes, we obsessively stalked your holiday on Insta!)?
Japan is an incredible country. I travelled there for 2.5 weeks and I was amazed by the incredible food and how safe we both felt. I loved that when we visited Hakone, in the mountains, we had an Onsen (a hot spring that comes from the volcano) in the place we were staying.
What is home to you?
Home to me is people who I can be completely myself with. Also where I can make good coffee.
Biz Stuff
What was your professional background prior to launching You’re My Type?
I just worked in hospitality for 6 years before I launched You’re My Type. The motivation to get out of the industry is what enabled me to think of a new path for my life.
Did you complete any formal studies or are you self taught?
I am completely self taught. I didn’t go to uni because I change my mind too easily and I wasn’t that great at school in general.
What inspired you to choose a path in hand lettering, and more recently, coaching?
Lettering: I was stuck in a job that was okay but I knew that the older I got the more I would lose shifts because younger people are cheaper to hire – that’s just the industry. Also, I was always super creative in high school and when I left I hadn’t done anything with it for years. My life felt like it was missing something so one day when I was doing the old scroll on Instagram I came across someone who inspired me to create pretty letters. I was hooked and I started an Instagram page for it and it just started to happen.
Coaching: I received coaching when I was stuck and didn’t know what to do. He brought life, clarity and healing into my life and I want to give that to others.
Where do you find inspiration for the beautiful words you share?
I don’t have a specific thing I do to get inspiration except that I make sure that everyday I am writing and creating regardless of how I feel. Words will come to my head and I’ll write them down and play around with them. Like a dance.
Do you have a favourite/most memorable project?
Before I started my business I would post occasionally on my personal Instagram page and one day someone asked “do you create these?” I had no idea what she meant but I said yes and we caught up for a coffee.
She wanted me to write all the headings in a book she was about to write and I was so excited I could hardly stop smiling. I had never known that people would pay you to be creative and she was the first person to invest into my dream and I started my business off that confidence.
What was it like launching your own podcast?
It was hard work.
I would record an amazing episode and then a lawn mower would go off in the distance and I’d have to stop my train of thought. Or I would accidentally laugh too loud and my breathing wrecked the whole recording. Then this one day I accidentally deleted a whole lot of episodes and cried about all the work I had dedicated to it. But I found my groove after a lot of mistakes and I am enjoying them a whole lot more.
What is your point of difference from other hand letterers and coaches in the biz?
I think my lettering style and the fact that I use a lot of my own words for quotes draws people into my business and has allowed me to stand out. With coaching I am really dedicated to seeing people’s lives changed and I care a lot about my clients. Their success is my win and their loss is my loss. I form friendships with people and we go about coaching in a teamwork sort of way.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out in the creative industries?
Read the book ‘Big Magic’ by Elizabeth Gilbert. It has been a life saver for me as a creative understanding that inspiration does not happen all the time and not to rely too heavily on your creative work to give you an income. It will put a lot of things into perspective and help you on your journey.
What is the best part about running your own biz?
I like that I get to be creative everyday. It’s so freeing and I feel connected with the world when I can write words, paint on a canvas or letter in my journal. It is sacred and I love it.
And the worst/most challenging?
The most challenging thing for me is having patience and not changing my mind too much. Patience is key to any creativity and business.
How do you use/interact with copywriting in your day to day business life?
I am continually using it for my website, social media platforms and marketing. It’s a huge part of my business.
Quick Questions
How do you take your tea (or coffee)?
Coconut flat white (sometimes a double shot)
Fave coffee shops/cafes at home
Barefoot Barista in Palm Beach, St Coco Daisy Hill, Glee Coffee Roasters South Bank
Go to outfit
Jeans, yellow jacket and a baggy shirt
Proudest Moment
When I finished our tour around Australia in our self converted camper van, teaching over 180 students along the way.
Ideal Sunday
Sitting in the sun, reading a book, going on an adventure
Fave podcasts/books
Podcasts: Gary Vee, Oprah and the Slow Living podcast
Books: Present over perfect, Shoe dog, Man’s search for meaning
Ultimate travel destination
Iceland!!! I cannot wait to travel there
Where can we find you online?
Instagram: @youremytype_
Facebook: @youremytypeaus
