….on a personal note

Hello, it’s me; Isy, the originator of this little project, the in.cube8r gallery.

I held onto this dream, sat on it for close to 12 whole years. To be honest, it was fear that held me back.

When I stood in that disheartening dole queue in early 2007 I saw the flyer for NEIS.  I stood there and listened to how the desensitized social workers spoke to everyone with grouchy disdain and I thought to myself, “OK. So I’m lying on my death bed, what’s my biggest regret?” The answer came immediately, “Not having done anything about the in.cube8r gallery dream”.

At that point I knew it was now or never. That was the turning point of my life.

So, I clenched my teeth and jumped.

I opened an empty shop with only 9 cubes filled to the general Melbourne public on July 7, 2007.

I told my friends, ‘You know what? Even if the whole thing fails; even if it’s the biggest ever flop in Melbourne’s retail history; at least I tried!’

Here we are 3 years later with over 100,000 Google mentions and 2 in.cube8rs!! I often pinch myself. It still doesn’t feel real.

14 months ago I looked into franchising. I couldn’t open anymore outlets, but there was so much interest. I put it off for another 8 months as I was again; just plain scared. 100 ‘What if’s’ and ‘Where were the right people?’ and ‘Would they represent it with, and feel as much fervor and passion about it all as I do?’

And then I met Vicki Sinclair. Vicki came in, grabbed it and made it her own in Brisbane (before the franchises were even ready!). She runs it, loves it and has already told me that she’ll be there till she’s 80.

There is something about representing handmade that can only be described as magical.

I see it on my customer’s faces when they walk in here or when I tell them the concept.  There’s also something supremely magical about taking 100% of all the sales for the month and placing all of it into 90 bank accounts.

What we are doing is creating a sustainable future for handmade in the form of a platform for creators of handmade goodness.

We offer choice in a retail sector that was stagnant with its huge commissions and ‘power-over’ attitude.

This is my vision and my future and I will stop at nothing to grow this here as well as off shore.

I started with nothing, just one tiny seed of a dream. I encourage everyone to draw, see and grow their dreams!!

I can also guarantee there will never be commission taken on sales.

I created this because I know there are 100’s of you out there who make.

There are those of you housebound with tiny tots with wonderful desks full of the most extraordinary creations, journals crammed full of the most exquisite ideas just waiting to be formed.

Some of you are at home due to a disability and some of you create in the last hour before you go to bed because you have other obligations and important jobs.

in.cube8r offers you the exposure, the opportunity to trial ideas, ANY ideas.

A space where you make all the decisions over your creations, how they are placed.

We give you back the power, the funds you generate and show you off to whoever walks into our space.

I recently bought the new Australia and New Zealand wide franchise magazine.  There is NOTHING even remotely close to what we offer.

We were the first to offer 100% commission free sales!

I’m super proud of this, this is an ethical business and through franchising I share the love and know-how of over a decade of in.cube8-ing the dream.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Isy lives in the Dandenong Ranges with her partner Michael (without whom she’d never had the courage to start in.cube8r) and their 7 pets. Her other passion is glass blowing.