An injection of craft has made its way into Geelong. The Kilgour Street intersection and it’s locals have welcomed vibrant little hub ‘A Good Place To Start’ to the area neighbouring the GMHBA stadium. A Good Place To Start is managed by former Melbourne resident Bindi Carson who has a passion for hosting craft workshops in her quirky and crafty cafe space.
“It can be a bit intimidating in regards to knowing what materials you need and what wool you should use. I’m all about demystifying it and making it accessible to people.”
Not only are the ever popular Butterbing biscuits and craft workshops available, but inside this space you will find a strong support for small local businesses, with products such as beeswax wraps, soy candles, and keep cups.
Bindi holds regular workshop classes with the intention to make craft accessible to the public again. Guests are able to choose from a variety of craft workshops (macrame, crochet and kokedama, to name a few) over a cup of loose leaf tea or a peanut butter pretzel bar. A mums craft club session is held regularly for Geelong mothers searching for some crafty ‘me-time.’
Bindi’s love of craft was discovered during a stressful period at work when she was employed in a hectic office job. A colleague sat her down every Tuesday and taught her how to crochet, this then became her sanity, and she “found the wellness aspect of it really amazing.” It was after this that Bindi begun to teach her friends and “found a lot of pleasure in watching them go from stressed to happy.” So naturally Bindi’s next move was to reach out to others that wanted to take time out of today’s busy, technology driven world to learn the ins and outs of craft, “I just found a lot of pride in making something that people don’t get to experience much in today’s world. Watching people return to pride and joy in making that really drove the business.”
Beginning a business plan started as a daydreaming activity and with no intention of following through with it, Bindi followed her curiosity of “what if? What if it works?” She decided to take the opportunity to put the business plan into action.
“I get to do what I really love. When I’m in a class and when I’m teaching, and someone in my class that I’m teaching has a light-bulb moment and goes from ‘I’m too stupid to be able to do this to oh my goodness I’m actually doing it- it’s just my favourite thing.” This may be Bindi’s favourite thing about being the manager, but what is the best part of having the cafe in Geelong? “Because my business is crafty and so me, I’m meeting my tribe very easily.”
However owning a business does have its challenges. “Lots of pressure comes along with having a small business that can overwhelm you sometimes.” Yet the words from author Sir Ken Robinson about doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing in life inspire her to learn more in her business venture.
Bindi hopes that after visiting her creative cafe space that “people feel like they are visiting an old friend, I don’t want to be intimidating or overwhelming in any way.” With her favourable customer feedback of being a teacher of patience, Bindi’s classes are suited to anyone, particularly those who hesitate in their abilities, ““it’s just the loveliest moment when you see someone go from certainty that they can’t do it to shock that they can do it, it’s just the loveliest thing.”