Brenna Kleinig // Branding Designer & Owner of Summer Lands Studio
Brenna Kleinig – Branding Designer & Owner of Summer Lands Studio
Community and Background
Can you tell us a bit about your journey to the Berry community? How did you end up here and what attracted you to this community?
I moved to Kiama, my partner’s home town, from Melbourne after one of those classic weird Covid era situations – a short visit turned into closed borders turned into not ever leaving. When the sea change calls you have to answer haha.
I grew up rurally so even though I loved the energy of living in the city, the cultural scene and just the buzz of it all, I always knew I’d find my way back to some place a bit quieter. The South Coast felt like the perfect resting place… Not too big, not too small and too beautiful to ignore.
Business and Entrepreneurship
Tell us about your work. How and when did you decide to start it, and what motivated you to take the plunge into entrepreneurship or remote work?
I launched Summer Lands Studio, my boutique branding studio about 3 and a bit years ago now. Covid had put a weird vibe on my previous job doing design work in the music industry and I craved a bit more creative freedom and the ability to interact directly with clients and build my own systems.
Starting my own business has been the wildest ride and the process has looked nothing like I expected, but I fall in love with it more and more every day. It’s pretty cool getting to watch your own business and yourself grow and find your feet.
What does work-life balance look like for you? How do you manage the demands of work while ensuring time for family and personal life?
Work-life balance looks like trying to keep up a good morning routine of yoga/meditation/breathework before my eyes hit a screen.
Getting in to WorkLife regularly enough to charge up my ‘passive social batteries’ (I’m an extravert so the working from home thing has always been a challenge) is always really important and I’ll know by the weekend if I’ve let that battery drain too low.
I also like to make sure that by 5pm-ish my brain has clocked out of work and if any ideas come to me I try to sketch/jot them down rather than crack open my computer again.
In your industry, what recent disruptions or transitions have had the most significant impact on your business?
The elephant in the room of the creative industry (and the world tbh) is the rise of AI. So far *optimistically crossing fingers for the future* I’ve actually only seen a benefit to my practice using AI. With updates to technology and image generation I’ve been able to use it to show my clients realistic mockups of how the world of their brand can come together which has been a wildly valuable tool.
It’s also been a beautiful reminder of how important organic creativity is. While it generates a lot of sameness, it’s shining a light on the importance of craftsmanship, unique perspectives and authenticity.
Personal Life
Outside of work, what are your hobbies and passions? How do you like to spend your time when you’re not focused on business or family?
I think the WL crew chuckle a bit sometimes at the wide array of my hobbies and interests outside of work haha. I love to crochet and craft, play social soccer every Monday, follow professional road cycling, catch live music gigs and am obsessed with my veggie patch.
Are there any books or podcasts you’ve found particularly inspiring or informative recently? Any recommendations for the WorkLife community?
Yes! I read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer last year and found it wildly hopeful, informative and inspiring. It’s a poetic blend of science, Indigenous wisdom and storytelling that explores our reciprocal relationship with the natural world.
How do you maintain boundaries between work and personal life? Any top tips?
Honestly, I don’t always. Creativity is such a large part of my work as well as my life so they often bleed into each other, but for the most part in a really productive way.
Home and Lifestyle
What is your taste like? Do you have a favourite item of furniture or object in your home? Anything that has special significance or tells a story about you?
My partner, his mum and I are actually in the middle of working with a lovely team of architects to design and renovate a multi-generational living situation so I’m spending A LOT of time exploring my taste at the moment. It’s been a pretty cool process since I spend my days building brands and designing worlds for my clients, and now I’m in the client seat!
So far we’ve settled on going for a Queenslander/Japandi/Mid Century vibe haha.
My favourite item of furniture in our current place is our impossibly large, comfy and modular couch. We love having our friends around and it’s just the best to rearrange and shape shift to whatever the gathering requires of it.
What do you like/appreciate about the design at WorkLife? Any favourite touches or things that make you feel at home when you are at work?
Haha well this feels like a tough question since I also work as the Brand Manager here at WorkLife… Can I say everything 😉
Last year I went through and curated seasonal playlists for each of our locations and I loved the different vibe it has brought to the space. This is a great reminder that I need to create some more for the upcoming season change!
If you were to showcase the best of the local lifestyle to visiting friends, where would you take them and why?
My current fav spot is down by the Minnamurra River at North St Reserve. We’ve recently been packing a picnic and drinks and lazing down there for hours watching the tide roll in and out, reading books, going for swims and hanging with friends
Productivity and Time Management
What’s your go-to productivity hack? How do you stay organised and efficient, especially with multiple responsibilities?
I have a unicorn of a partner who is an expert at building systems and helps me out with running the backend of my business. He’s unfortunately not for hire, but my oh my does he help the Summer Lands ship sail smoothly!
Benefits of WorkLife Membership
Lastly, what’s been the most valuable aspect of being a member at WorkLife for you and your work?
The community here is so lovely! Having a space to get out of the house and charge up my ‘passive social batteries’ whilst also helping me to zone in and get work done is just a game changer for me. I can really tell by the end of the week if I haven’t been in to cowork enough.
To connect with Brenna you can find her on Instagram or contact her via her website
