INTERVIEW with Jo Ellice-Flint || Founder of Madam Republic
SD: Hi, Jo. For my readers who don’t know you yet, can you please introduce yourself?
JE: I’m Jo Ellice-Flint, wife to my soul-mate Dan, mum to Grace and Gretel and Founder of Madam Republic.
SD: What’s most important for you right now?
JE: Helping businesses and individuals navigate a changing world, with strategy, marketing and brand development that grow the bottom line, and transformative events and retreats that inspire a purpose-fuelled life.
SD: What’s in your handbag?
JE: I love rotating my bags, which means I’m constantly emptying one and restocking whichever I’m in the mood for. The essentials are my Mimco purse, car keys, lipstick, lipliner, perfume (usually a freebie from my Mecca box), business cards, a pen and a drink bottle.
SD: What does success mean to you?
JE: Success has nothing to do with money. It’s being fully present in the moments that shape you, the people you share them with and the person you’re becoming. Set boundaries and non-negotiables, like weekends with friends. Say yes to more retreats, and aim to exercise four times a week, because health is everything.
SD: What would you say to your younger self?
JE: Don’t spend your best years climbing a ladder someone else built. The corporate ladder is designed to keep you busy, not fulfilled. Your purpose is always calling, do the deep work to listen to it sooner.
SD: What has been your most memorable and favourite project, and why?
JE: My most memorable and favourite project would have to be my first for Madam Republic, working with the Shearer Smith family from Smithfield Cattle Company, a third-generation Queensland cattle-producing business. I still remember the moment they approved my quote. I cried with joy! It gave me permission to exist, and to believe in what I’d started and why. Not long after, I was in Proston with a crew, filming at their feedlot and interviewing the family about their story. Just before the trip, I’d found out I was pregnant with our second daughter, Gretel. It was early days, so I hadn’t told anyone, but those early morning starts with morning sickness made it very hard! The family and project will always hold a special place in my heart.
SD: Can you tell my readers more about “Elevate Long Lunch” coming up in October this year?
JE: Elevate is one of the many experiences I host throughout the year, each with a different theme and venue. The last time I teamed up with Shayne, we hosted it in the Penthouse Suite at The Star Brisbane. I love creating immersive private dining experiences that honour paddock-to-plate storytelling and feel truly once in a lifetime. For this one, I’ve teamed up again with one of my favourite chefs, Shayne Mansfield, Executive Chef at Aloria. Together we’re bringing guests a menu built on family recipes, what’s in season and the magic of woodfire, showcasing the very best Queensland has to offer.
Madam Republic:
Website: https://madamrepublic.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadamRepublic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madamrepublic_official/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madam-republic/
