MEET OUR TEAM
MEET JESS
Chief Brandstoryteller, Digital Coach and Biz Ops wrangler
Felt was founded by wine marketer and hospitality industry professional Jessamyn McLachlan in 2015.
After a background that traversed family business, wine marketing, hospitality, artisan beverage and wellness; it became glaringly obvious to Jess that communications for small to medium business needed to centre around their own unique stories. Ultimately an engaging and wholehearted approach, and once set to a clear framework, much more inspiring for business or operators to consider running in house.
Jess’s drive was always to be high touch, a ‘brand counsellor’, if you will.
Having grown up in, and later run, artisanal family business, she was well aware of how the many small jobs pile up in a day - making it hard to find the time to action brand communications via channels like social media, newsletters or websites. Indeed that there were times within the framework of running a business that it was hard to ‘see the wood for the trees’.
Her experience as a Brand Manager and Marketing Manager across wine, craft beer and hospitality had taught her that authentic and consistent communication, including social media rollout, could be an absolute game changer for business.
But it was not about numbers…
It was about stories.
MEET JEN
Digital Community Manager, resident planning whiz and wing woman
Jens background shares some similarities to Jess - she cut her teeth in the hospo trade before moving into wine, undertaking a Bachelor of Wine Marketing at the University of Adelaide.
While studying she also worked in event management and international hotels, consolidating her service experience and giving those hospitality skills a firm place in her repertoire.
Heading overseas in 2006, she landed in the wine trade in London, with stints in administration and marketing at Wine Australia and wine business development in the UK and Europe with the South Australian Government
Back on home soil again and looking to settle down, Jen continued marketing wine in national and state marketing roles and hit the road in sales roles for national wine distributors.
For Jen, joining Felt was about her next stage; being flexible around the needs of her young family, indulging her passion for good food and interesting wines and learning a whole new skill set in the digital marketing world. For Jess it was about finding a wing woman who would approach our client relationships with the care, zest and warmth that Felt has become known for.
Her interest in, and knowledge of, the wine world has been a boon. Her learning of all the other worlds we also inhabit at Felt has kept her on her toes - but she can now confidently say she is not only a ‘Wine Marketer’ but a brandstoryteller for heartfelt clients across leadership, craft beer and cider, wellbeing, allied health and owner operated business.
Onwards and upwards.
MEET ROSIE
Digital Assistant and Reel Swagger Numero Uno
This lady came to Felt the usual word of mouth way - a conversation here, a recommendation there. Someone who knows someone who knows someone. We’ve been lucky to find all our people this way so far!
Rosie arrived at one of our busiest times of year and was thrown straight into the deep end of brand storytelling, social media management and content creation. With the constantly changing nature of a digital landscape, there’s honestly no better way to do it, and despite having little background in the field, she soon became accustomed to the ins and outs of social media land. Currently studying Graphic Design, she’s learnt a great deal relevant to her degree in her time at Felt. Storytelling and brand voice have been areas of crossover that she has revelled in learning more about at the coalface of the trade.
She’s become adept at certain skills that come quickly to her tech-filled, Gen Z brain – we do call our Juniors our ‘Reel Swaggers’ for a reason! Her design brain has meant many of her first jobs were to razzle dazzle some of the Felt documents, tasks she has loved and expanded upon throughout her time at Felt.
As she notes, ‘Felt has been a perfect, nurturing space for me to grow my skills as a Graphic Designer and Brand Storyteller’ alongside learning actual coalface application and the intricacies of an industry she looks forward to working in full time upon graduation.
MEET BRYN
Digital Assistant and Nepo Baby #1 (his words…)
Joining the Felt team in October 2023, you could say that Bryn has social media management in his blood being Jess’s no. 1 son.
Starting off by working 1 afternoon after school in Year 11, following the end of Year 12 Bryn has quickly transitioned into a fully-fledged Digital Assistant. Despite being thrown into the deep end at times, especially his first month on deck post school with both Jen and Rosie away, Bryn has proven himself to be more than capable at navigating social media land. A bright button, can-do employee and accomplished writer, he has picked up the content creation and organisational tasks with aplomb.
Currently planning to study Palaeontology at Flinders University he plans to continue to work with us, alongside his other casual role, throughout his degree.
As Bryn said 'Felt has been the perfect place for me to start my journey in the workforce, teaching him valuable teamwork and interoffice skills’ and he hopes (all going well with that Mum /Son working relationship…!) to be working here well into the future.