Owner of marketing agency, Digital Wonder, & business coach, Sophie Durham shares that we shouldn’t have to compromise on our careers when we become mothers & we definitely shouldn’t have to compromise on the mother we want to be to have the career we want either. It’s hard work, but we can have both!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TWO BUSINESSES.
Digital Wonder was established in 2017 and was a natural progression from the consulting I had been doing since April 2015. Since then, Digital Wonder has grown to be the thriving boutique agency it is today. I offer a range of services including brand design & strategy, website design and development, creative direction for content creation, email marketing, multi-platform integration and so much more. The best part of what I do is working with my clients to help them achieve their goals and grow their businesses. I work with a wide range of clients both locally in the Central West NSW, across Australia and NZ. My unique coaching style, along with being able to look at the whole business, allows me to not only find the right solutions for them now but also anticipate future needs. By building strong partnerships with my clients, it allows them to focus on what they do best, and trust that I have the businesses marketing taken care of. I pride myself on treating my client’s business as if it was my own and guiding them and supporting them to achieve their business goals.
Sophie Durham Coaching was a natural extension of the work I was doing with Digital Wonder clients. I have a natural coaching style which combined with my own experience working with coaches and mentors drove me to want to help others in the same way. I work with a wide range of clients but am especially passionate about working with women who are looking to create a life without compromise, to help them elevate all areas of their lives. Where motherhood and a desire to build a business or career are not only achievable but something you can enjoy and do on your own terms. I work with my coaching clients one on one, either face-to-face or via Zoom. I am also a founding facilitator for Ultimate Contribution Uncovered, a program that takes you on a journey deep into the most significant moments of your life that have defined the ridges and grooves of your character. With the purpose of excavating and uncovering your core values and strongest skills before constructing a powerful vision for your life and a mission as to how you will bring about that vision.
WHAT DROVE YOU TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
In 2015, after welcoming my second child I was made redundant from my management role in a large digital advertising agency in Sydney. I began searching for my next opportunity and quickly found that in order to continue working in a role that utilised my skills and experience I had to compromise on the time I spent with my children and ultimately not be the mother I wanted to be. After turning down several opportunities, some of which I was overqualified for, and accepting less pay in exchange for more flexibility, it got me thinking I shouldn’t have to make all these sacrifices and compromise on either my career or the mother I wanted to be, so why not try working for myself. I literally had nothing to lose at this point but everything to gain.
As I embarked on this new journey, I felt a deep sense of connection and pride in my ability to create abusiness that truly aligned with my personal and professional goals. Rather than focusing on the negatives, I focused on the possibilities and opportunities that were available to me. I was able to build a business that allowed me to be the mother I wanted to be while still pursuing my passions and professional aspirations.
Looking back on this journey, I am filled with gratitude for the lessons learned, the connections made, and the strength and resilience that I discovered within myself. I am proud of what I have accomplished, and excited for the future that lies ahead.
AS A BUSINESS OWNER & COACH, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO WOMEN IN BUSINESS?
Number one, find your people! Having other like-minded people to bounce ideas off, share challenges, and celebrate wins, big and small will help you get through each day. That is why I started the Orange Supper Club. I’d moved from Sydney to Orange just before the pandemic and I didn’t know anyone and was working from home. As I did start to meet other’s I found I wasn’t the only one seeking connection and so started the group by inviting 10 women I had met for a drink and asking them all to invite someone. The group has now grown to 100 members, and we meet monthly.
Number two, you don’t and shouldn’t have to do this alone. It shouldn’t just be top tennis players who have a coach to guide them and work on areas to improve, we all should have this opportunity. Having a coach or mentor to work through things in your life and business with can not only help you reach your goals but work out what your goals actually are, and the best way to achieve them.
WHAT’S ONE THING EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEING SUCCESSFUL IN HER CAREER AND LIFE?
Don’t ever think you need to change who you are or how you behave to please others. Always stay true to who you are, leverage your strengths and don’t let anyone else’s opinions or behaviour influence the decisions you make. There will be times when you don’t get along with the people you have to work with and that is ok. But you do get to choose who to have in your life and who you share things with. Find people that lift you up, celebrate your wins and are there to support you when things are hard.
WHAT’S ON FOR BOTH BUSINESSES IN 2023?
2023 is shaping up to be a big year! I am on track to have my biggest year yet for Digital Wonder with a projected 30% growth, which is an indication of how much my business has grown since moving to Orange. A number of leadership opportunities in the community have also presented themselves, including being invited to be an Ambassador for the Regional Development Australia Central West Ten4Ten Mentoring program which I am very excited to be a part of.
Location; ORANGE | NSW
Website: digitalwonder.com.au | sophiedurham.com
Instagram: digitalwonder | sophiedurham_coaching Facebook: Digital Wonder Photography: Kirsten Cunningham