Our Kin: Kayla Malss | Melbourne, Australia
Our Kin, Kayla Malss, shares her story about balancing full time work with a side business. The allure of being a box ticker while also building a business that is sustainable.
Tell us a little bit about Align Studio - how did you start out?
I was working in marketing and was at a point where I felt my job had plateaued. I was bored and not passionate about the work I was creating. If you work in marketing, you understand the struggle of standing out amongst 150 applicants, so I started a blog called align to act as a digital portfolio.
My blog was an opportunity for me to use my skills in digital to create something for myself, and serve as a creative outlet to write about and photograph things I care about. It was a passion project! From there my writing and photography gained interest and suddenly I had a freelance business. Itās funny to reflect on now, as I would joke about align becoming a business, not having any idea how that would happen or that it would actually come to fruition one day.
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You currently balance Align Studio with full time work, whatās that like?
Look, itās a lot haha. Iām a morning person (ex barista, you canāt unlearn the 5am wake up times) so I have a little bit of time in the morning to write, or do admin stuff. As a matter of fact, Iām writing this now before I head to work!
Iām really lucky to have one day a week where I work from home, which gives me extra time to shoot photos on my lunch break, and of course weekends. It often feels like Iām working two full time jobs, but I try to be as efficient as possible and plan ahead so I donāt get overwhelmed.
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How do you balance the different aspects of your life?
This is only something Iām now realising the importance of. Iām such a āyesā person and a box tickerā¦ I reach one milestone and then Iām hungry for the next. At the beginning, the excitement of building a business was quite addictive and I was taking on as much work as I could.Ā
I had piles of products to shoot in my bedroom and to-do lists miles long, it got really overwhelming and my creativity plummeted. From there, I made the decision that Align Studio was going to last the long game, therefore I had to think that way too.Ā
Now, I only take on as much work as I can realistically handle with a full time job and have systems in place to keep my mind clear and creative. I also have non-negotiables like Pilates and yoga twice a week, which has made the BIGGEST difference. No matter how much I have to do, I always go to yoga/Pilates because my mind, body and everyone who has to deal with me on a daily basis need it.
Do you have any practices or rituals that allow you to be more creative in your photography?
Music is a big one. Whenever I shoot I put my airpods in and play my Align Studio playlist which is just the best collection of āsometimes chill, sometimes upbeatā groovy songs which get me in a creative flow.Ā
I find it relaxes me and stops me from overthinking concepts. I can experiment freely and have a dance as well which is always good for the soul.Ā
Youāre a big believer in sustainability. What does that look like in your business?Ā
I look at everything in my business through a lens of sustainability and ethics. Call me stubborn, but I want to prove that almost anything can be done ethically and with minimal waste. Majority of my gear is second hand, and I try to support small businesses when sourcing my backdrops and props.
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While it takes me a little longer to get things done sometimes, I feel itās worth it and thereās a story behind every component of my images which I love. My clients appreciate this as well and I feel really lucky to work with brands who appreciate and support this approach in business.Ā
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My prints are also something Iām really proud of in terms of sustainability. Theyāre printed on cotton rag paper which is made as a by-product of the textile industry, and delivered in recycled cardboard with a 100% carbon neutral carrier. Like I said, Iām out to prove anything can be done ethically and sustainably!
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Whatās inspiring you lately?
Creators: Jasmine Dowling is a constant inspiration for me, everything she does is magic and you can probably see a lot of her aesthetic in my work.Ā
Books: Eggshell Skull (Bri Lee), Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely (Gail Honeyman) and Iām about 10 pages into The Body Keeps the Score (Bessel Van Der Kolk). Itās good so far!
Podcasts: After Work Drinks, StartUp Creative, Where Should We Begin? With Esther Perel (editors note: this podcast is incredible, but then so is anything Esther does)
What are your favourite daily rituals?
It sounds odd, but cleansing my face in the morning. I canāt reach for my phone, or do anything other than cleanse my face! I love the smell of the products I use and itās just a really pleasant way to start my morning.Ā
When I work from home, I start my workday with a coffee and lighting some incense which grounds me and makes me feel ready to get shit done (mindfully and intentionally of course!).