“My journey started in 1991with a Mac computer, glue, scissors, paper and a bunch of friends,” says Matthew Wright-Simon, 37, founder of Ecocreative.
“Living in a 24-hour party share house at the time was fun – that’s my ethos – it’s got to be fun and for a purpose.
My first job was producing a couple of books about global education for my mate’s mum. I just made it up as I went along and it’s still used as a resource for teachers today.”
Education has always been a strong motivation for Matthew’s creative output. “I’ve also been interested in the environment since I was a kid. When I was 8-years-old I saw a story on the news about people clubbing baby seals to death. It was strictly an animal rights issue but I remember feeling so outraged that I started a Greenpeace group at school. I wanted to share with my friends about what I’d seen and try to do something to help.”
After his success with the teachers’ resource, Matthew knew his skills were in communicating powerful and positive messages in a way that got people’s attention. “I saw the way important government messages were losing their impact because they contained techno-language and boring images. A video about water conservation that just tells instead of showing and inviting participation gets no-one excited.”
So after returning from a working holiday overseas in 1997, Matthew rattled the tin again and work rolled in. “In 2000 I realized I needed to work with others who could complement my skills, so I engaged Robin Green as an illustrator and he’s still with me. Then I employed an administrator, writer, designer and researcher. We had fun working from an old mail-sorting building that we rented in Stirling, South Australia.
By 2007 the Ecocreative team had grown to seven and Matthew was ready to move into a shop-front studio nearby. “It’s where we walk-the-talk. We gutted the place and retro-fitted it using recycled material. The studio runs on green power, natural light, sustainable materials, and nearly everything is recycled – it’s a showcase of how a business can be run on ecologically sustainable principles. And it’s a healthy, fun place to work.”
“My business has grown organically and I believe that’s because we are meeting a demand in the marketplace rather than creating an artificial one. People are looking for authenticity in their lives and they want to be part of making positive change in some way. Government and business are realizing there’s a significant market for goods and services that promise sustainability.”
The Ecocreative team has produced books ranging from water conservation to attracting butterflies to suburban gardens, websites, and interactive multimedia like a CD that helps users to navigate and learn about the South Australian coastline.
“We’re having fun, making a profit and a positive difference. You’ve got to believe in what you’re doing, enjoy it and it will grow. I like the Dali Lama’s concept of selfish compassion – if you’re compassionate you’ll ultimately derive benefit from it.
Now’s a great opportunity to be running a business that’s positive, ethical and environmentally sustainable.”