What inspired you to start Banish?
In 2018, I made a long list of new years resolutions but to my surprise and great delight one of them actually stuck. I made it so broad and so lax that it couldn't not work it was "to reduce my waste and be kinder to the planet." Simple right?
It was so much harder than I thought. Firstly I struggled to find credible information for people who like me were just getting started. Secondly when I did find what I thought was the right information it was hard to find. And finally when I decided to order six stainless steel straws online they came individually wrapped in plastic, sigh. So rather than be disheartened I saw an opportunity. The opportunity to help Australians reduce their waste with trusted products and even better information.
What does a typical day at Banish HQ look like for you?
No two days are ever the same but they all start with by the ocean! Whether I am surfing, swimming or walking, I start my day by the beach. I then normally get home, make a coffee and get started on the day’s tasks. I try and do my big tasks first thing when my brain is its most creative. Around lunchtime I check in on Instagram and Tik Tok and respond to any messages whilst sitting in the sun. Then I organise all my meetings and interviews for the afternoon. I love virtual meetings because it means less travelling (aka a lower carbon footprint) and means I can do more back to back with next to no time in between #efficiency. If I haven’t made it out of the house I finish the day with a walk or a session in the gym!
What do you absolutely love about the brand you’ve built up?
The community of people! I love how engaged people are with the brand, tagging us in new innovation, asking us recycling questions and learning from our info. My favourite part of the day is connecting with them.
What’s your top sustainability tip you’d love to share?
My biggest tip would be to look more closely at your next purchases. Try and be a more sustainable shopper, buy products in paper over plastic, buy only what you need and look at the ingredients list!
What book can you not put down at the moment?
My favourite book of this year so far is Honeybee by Craig Silvey. It was beautifully written and I really loved the two main characters.
How do you have your coffee and which P&P flavour is your go-to?
Okay so I am making my own coffee at home a lot more lately so it means that I have been able to make it a bit fancy! My fave P&P flavour is Bancroft! I make a shot of that add a sprinkle of cinnamon and some frothy macadamia milk.
