“A hopeful monster is a term from evolutionary biology, coined by geneticist Richard Goldschmidt in the 1940s. It refers to an organism born with a significant mutation that, while initially appearing drastic or unusual, leads to evolutionary advantages and new species.

“In a broader sense, the term has been adopted in creative and cultural spaces to represent bold, unconventional ideas or individuals who challenge norms and drive change - even when they seem unlikely to succeed at first.”

And as Hopeful Monsters celebrates our second anniversary, this definition couldn’t feel more apt.

From day one, we set out to shake up the creative industry, and looking back, it’s pretty exciting to see how far we’ve come.

Our team is stronger than ever, we’re doing global work with brilliant partners like Converse, Resmed and Adobe, and winning awards both here in Australia and across the world. Plus we’ve beaten some of the big dogs (aka creative networks) to win clients including End Food Waste Australia, Club Med, National Football League (NFL)  and Proximo (Kraken and Jose Cuervo).

But the journey to this point has been anything but conventional. And fresh off the back of International Women’s Day, it’s a fitting time to consider what it means to be one of the only solely female-owned creative agencies in Australia.

Unlike many other (mostly male) founders who’ve launched their own independent agencies in recent years, I didn’t come from one of the major networks, nor did I have a ready-made list of industry contacts to tap into. I arrived in Australia back in 2009 as an Account Manager and worked my way up, learning every aspect of the business along the way.

In 2021, I took a leap of faith and bought the agency, determined to shape it into something unique - a creative agency driven by bold ideas, diverse perspectives, and a commitment to taking the path ‘more unexpected’.

And since then? It’s been a wild and rewarding ride.

Today, Hopeful Monsters is more than just a business; it’s a testament to what’s possible with perseverance, resilience and a diverse team full of brilliant brains.

From day one, my vision was clear: to build an agency where people could grow and do their best work - with clients that believed in our mission. I believe the best creative work comes from different perspectives, lived experiences, and ways of thinking - not just across gender, but cultural background and age too. If your team looks and sounds the same, your work will, too.

So I’ve worked hard to embed real equality into our culture - not just through policies, but through action. Equal pay? Our gender pay gap is just 2% in favour of women. Flexibility? It’s built in, for working parents and the entire team. Parental leave? It supports the primary carer, regardless of gender. But this isn’t about ticking boxes - it’s about building an environment that champions curiosity and empowers people to ‘make their own luck’, whatever their background.

As we celebrate this milestone, I couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead. Here’s to another year of creating, innovating, and proving that independent agencies like ours don’t just belong in this industry - we help shape it.

Be more Hopeful Monster. The world needs it.