Coldplay kiss-cam: Chris Martin's ex Gwyneth Paltrow takes on role as Astronomer's spokesperson in promo video
Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron was caught sharing an intimate moment with Head of HR Kristin Cabot during a Coldplay concert on July 16, igniting a social media frenzy.
The couple's awkward on-screen reaction was quickly called out by Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, fuelling speculation of an affair.
Both Mr Byron and Ms Cabot have since resigned from the company amid the fallout.
In response to the crisis, Chris Martin's ex Gwyneth Paltrow appeared on Astronomer's LinkedIn page and X, wearing a blue shirt with corporate music playing softly in the background.
'Thank you for your interest in Astronomer. Hi, I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300 plus employees at Astronomer. Astronomer has got a lot of questions in the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones,' she said.
The short clip plays on the irony of the situation, showing text asking, 'OMG! What the actual f—,' before Paltrow returns with the lighthearted remark, 'Yes! Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow.'
She continues, 'We've been thrilled to see so many people suddenly interested in data workflow automation,' adding with a smile, 'As for the other questions we've received…'
She later responds to another on-screen question: How is your social media team holding...(up)? 'Yes! There is still space available at our Beyond Analytics event this September!'
She closed with with thanks, 'And now, we'll return to doing what we do best... delivering game-changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer.'
The campaign has received praise on social media, with users applauding Chief Marketing Officer Leo Zheng's bold strategy.
Comments included 'Absolutely brilliant' and 'Nailed it. No notes,' while others joked about Paltrow's connection to Martin.
Interim CEO Pete DeJoy has embraced the unexpected fame, stating, 'The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name. I'm stepping into this role with a wholehearted commitment to taking care of our people and delivering for our customers.'
He assured followers that the company 'won't let you down.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
17 hours ago
- SBS Australia
'Genius move': Everyone is raving about new Astronomer ad after Coldplay kiss cam scandal
Gwyneth Paltrow is starring in a new ad for Astronomer. Almost a fortnight after the tech company's married CEO, Andy Byron, was caught on a Coldplay concert kiss cam with his arms around his HR executive Kristin Cabot, Paltrow has been hired as a "temporary" spokesperson for Astronomer. The 52-year-old, who was married to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin from 2003 until 2016, appeared in a short video on Astronomer's social media speaking about the company's strengths. "I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer. Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common one," she says in the ad. The first question, "OMG! What the actual f***?", then appeared on the screen in writing. However, she dodged the question and plugged the company's products: "We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation." The next question to Astronomer was, "How is your social media team holding ..." However, Paltrow moved on before the whole question could be asked. "We will now be returning to what we do best, which is delivering game-changing results for our customers. Thank you for your interest in Astronomer," she said. The video was captioned: "Thank you for your interest in Astronomer." Social media users chimed in after the video was released, with tech journalist Neville Lahiru saying: "Getting Chris Martin's ex-wife was a genius move lol." PR and communications consultant Ronke Lawal lauded the move as an "engaging way to handle a PR crisis" and "socially relevant without being too corny and cringe." Another user, Matt Brian, commented: "Marketing genius. Owning the Coldplay kiss cam video *and* hiring Chris Martin's ex-wife? Splendid." At Coldplay's 15 July concert near Boston, a cameraman panned across the crowd and showed Byron and Cabot in an embrace. In a video shared to TikTok, as the couple frantically tried to dodge the camera, frontman Martin could be heard saying: "Oh, look at these two. All right, c'mon, you're okay. "Oh, what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." Both Byron and Cabot have since resigned from the company.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
HR exec on Coldplay cam resigns after viral embrace
The executive who was caught on camera embracing the CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert in a moment that went viral has resigned. The company, Astronomer, confirmed that its executive in charge of human resources has left. "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer, she has resigned," spokesman Taylor Jones said in a brief statement. Her departure follows the resignation of CEO Andy Byron, who quit after the company said he was being put on leave pending an investigation. The episode resulted in endless memes, parody videos and screenshots of the pair's shocked faces filling social media feeds. Cabot and Byron were caught by surprise when singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his "Jumbotron Song" during the concert last week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They were shown cuddling and smiling, but when they saw themselves on the big screen, Cabot's jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera while Byron ducked out of the frame. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin joked in video that spread quickly around the internet. When the video first spread online it wasn't immediately clear who they were, but online sleuths rapidly figured out their identities. The company has previously confirmed the identities of the couple in a statement to the AP. Both of their profiles have now been removed from Astronomer's website, and a November press release announcing her hiring has also been deleted. Astronomer was a previously obscure tech company based in New York. It provides big companies with a platform that helps them organise their data. Online streams of Coldplay's songs jumped 20 per cent in the days after the video went viral, according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company. The executive who was caught on camera embracing the CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert in a moment that went viral has resigned. The company, Astronomer, confirmed that its executive in charge of human resources has left. "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer, she has resigned," spokesman Taylor Jones said in a brief statement. Her departure follows the resignation of CEO Andy Byron, who quit after the company said he was being put on leave pending an investigation. The episode resulted in endless memes, parody videos and screenshots of the pair's shocked faces filling social media feeds. Cabot and Byron were caught by surprise when singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his "Jumbotron Song" during the concert last week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They were shown cuddling and smiling, but when they saw themselves on the big screen, Cabot's jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera while Byron ducked out of the frame. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin joked in video that spread quickly around the internet. When the video first spread online it wasn't immediately clear who they were, but online sleuths rapidly figured out their identities. The company has previously confirmed the identities of the couple in a statement to the AP. Both of their profiles have now been removed from Astronomer's website, and a November press release announcing her hiring has also been deleted. Astronomer was a previously obscure tech company based in New York. It provides big companies with a platform that helps them organise their data. Online streams of Coldplay's songs jumped 20 per cent in the days after the video went viral, according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company. The executive who was caught on camera embracing the CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert in a moment that went viral has resigned. The company, Astronomer, confirmed that its executive in charge of human resources has left. "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer, she has resigned," spokesman Taylor Jones said in a brief statement. Her departure follows the resignation of CEO Andy Byron, who quit after the company said he was being put on leave pending an investigation. The episode resulted in endless memes, parody videos and screenshots of the pair's shocked faces filling social media feeds. Cabot and Byron were caught by surprise when singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his "Jumbotron Song" during the concert last week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They were shown cuddling and smiling, but when they saw themselves on the big screen, Cabot's jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera while Byron ducked out of the frame. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin joked in video that spread quickly around the internet. When the video first spread online it wasn't immediately clear who they were, but online sleuths rapidly figured out their identities. The company has previously confirmed the identities of the couple in a statement to the AP. Both of their profiles have now been removed from Astronomer's website, and a November press release announcing her hiring has also been deleted. Astronomer was a previously obscure tech company based in New York. It provides big companies with a platform that helps them organise their data. Online streams of Coldplay's songs jumped 20 per cent in the days after the video went viral, according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company. The executive who was caught on camera embracing the CEO of her company at a Coldplay concert in a moment that went viral has resigned. The company, Astronomer, confirmed that its executive in charge of human resources has left. "Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer, she has resigned," spokesman Taylor Jones said in a brief statement. Her departure follows the resignation of CEO Andy Byron, who quit after the company said he was being put on leave pending an investigation. The episode resulted in endless memes, parody videos and screenshots of the pair's shocked faces filling social media feeds. Cabot and Byron were caught by surprise when singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his "Jumbotron Song" during the concert last week at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. They were shown cuddling and smiling, but when they saw themselves on the big screen, Cabot's jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera while Byron ducked out of the frame. "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy," Martin joked in video that spread quickly around the internet. When the video first spread online it wasn't immediately clear who they were, but online sleuths rapidly figured out their identities. The company has previously confirmed the identities of the couple in a statement to the AP. Both of their profiles have now been removed from Astronomer's website, and a November press release announcing her hiring has also been deleted. Astronomer was a previously obscure tech company based in New York. It provides big companies with a platform that helps them organise their data. Online streams of Coldplay's songs jumped 20 per cent in the days after the video went viral, according to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Employers think over-50 is 'old': these entrepreneurs prove otherwise
Age is just a number when it comes to work as proven by these three entrepreneurs, who prove you can start a profitable business at any age. Sue Parker, Rodney Ashton, and Sarah Jane Susac have all switched careers later in life, and turned their passions into profit. It comes as 24 per cent of HR professionals classify workers aged 51 to 55 as "older" (despite still having another 20-30 years left up their sleeves), according to research by the Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Resources Institute. The research also found half of employers (55 per cent) reporting hard-to-fill vacancies, just 56 per cent stated they are open to hiring workers aged 50-64 "to a large extent" - but that doesn't matter for this lot, who have taken control of their destiny. Read more in The Senior Ms Parker, 65, of Melbourne, is at the helm of Doggo Apparel & Readywear Ensembles, where she custom makes outfits for canine friends. People can choose a colour, design and size, then she uses her sewing talents to create the order. It's not limited to dogs; she also makes matching hoodies for their humans, too. After running several businesses in recruitment and marketing, Ms Parker said she became "soul-exhausted". "I'd had enough of fixing problems and trying to solve wicked issues that couldn't be solved. It was demoralising, I was tired, I was miserable, and I knew in my soul, I needed to get back to happiness via my hands." A keen sewer since she was 10, Ms Parker made outfits for her cavaliers for fun and posted pictures of her creations on LinkedIn. The positive reaction from them made her realise it could become a business opportunity. "It just hit me like a Samboy chip," she said. Ms Parker then started making dog outfits for her friends, who shared pictures of them on their own social media, plus she kept posting her own handiwork on sites including LinkedIn. She shut down her previous businesses, rebranded her existing website, registered the business name, and "it just went off", formally launching in May. "It flowed because it was coming from a place of joy, rather than desperation," she said. While she doesn't do it for the money, she said it was a part-time "hobby business". Ms Parker said making the outfits made her smile. "I feel as though I'm creating something and not solving wicked problems," she said. Ms Parker said while she hadn't experienced it herself, many of her clients in later stages of their careers had faced ageism - a problem that hand not changed in decades. Her message to all was "see the person, not the stereotype". The artist and decorative painter, 63, of Mornington Peninsula, runs Poster A Go Go, using his skills to restore vintage film, travel, and advertising posters. Working from his home studio, he restores each poster by hand, washing and then mounting them on canvas, before touching them up with pencils and watercolour paint. He's turned it into a full-time business, with customers seeking his services and work locally and overseas. As a decorative painter, Mr Ashton had painted murals, reproduced existing works and created tortoiseshell effects for decades. About six years ago, he started restoring posters for fun, beginning with a ripped-up original of the Statue of Liberty for United Airlines by Stan Galli - of which good ones can sell for US$2000. "There was about a quarter of it missing, but I managed to copy the colouring and get the right type of style of artwork that was being done in, and it came up really well," he said. Mr Ashton had toyed with the idea of turning it into a business as he bought and traded more posters. He finally made the decision in January 2025 following a sore back that wouldn't heal and other health issues, and knew he could look after himself while still using his talents. "I just threw down the gauntlet and said 'alright, it's time'," he said. Mr Ashton changed the setup of his existing studio to accommodate big posters, sometimes measuring more than three metres wide. He'd already built a network of collectors and dealers through his hobby, went overseas to meet others, announced to his painting contacts what his new venture was, plus used Instagram to advertise. Leaving the security and familiarity of his previous business wasn't easy, but he knows it was the right decision and has become a full-time job. Mr Ashton said restoring posters is a tranquil experience and he loves the sense of achievement. "When you look at it finished, I just go, 'wow', and then you take it back to the person and they go, ' looks great now'," he said. The former IT worker left office life to start a new career in life coaching and that lead her to creating SJ Energy Candles, whose specially formulated range is designed to help change how people feel. Mrs Susac, 56, of Sydney, is an Energy Expander who fuses ancestral wisdom with energy work to "fast-track transformation" for high achievers, and helps them "lead from clarity and flow, not exhaustion". Mrs Susac gave up IT to become a life coach years ago, wanting to help others. But it was when her father had open heart surgery and bowel cancer about five years ago that she found her calling. Normally a busy person, he wouldn't get out of bed, so she tapped into her energy skills to lift his spirits. She used sandalwood candles as part of her work with him, but when her favourite brand was no longer available, a candlemaker friend of hers suggested she make them herself, and the candle business was born. Mrs Susac learned the skills from her friend and started to make the candles from home. She created a website to create a digital shopfront and would travel to different expos and events, then moved into a retail store with fellow female creatives, and recently moved into a showroom in a shared workspace. Ms Susac said making the candles is her "happy place". "Selling them shares the good vibes and allows me the funds to make more and it's a fabulous cycle," she said. "[There is] nothing like spending time doing what you love to do while helping change the world of others." Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Age is just a number when it comes to work as proven by these three entrepreneurs, who prove you can start a profitable business at any age. Sue Parker, Rodney Ashton, and Sarah Jane Susac have all switched careers later in life, and turned their passions into profit. It comes as 24 per cent of HR professionals classify workers aged 51 to 55 as "older" (despite still having another 20-30 years left up their sleeves), according to research by the Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Resources Institute. The research also found half of employers (55 per cent) reporting hard-to-fill vacancies, just 56 per cent stated they are open to hiring workers aged 50-64 "to a large extent" - but that doesn't matter for this lot, who have taken control of their destiny. Read more in The Senior Ms Parker, 65, of Melbourne, is at the helm of Doggo Apparel & Readywear Ensembles, where she custom makes outfits for canine friends. People can choose a colour, design and size, then she uses her sewing talents to create the order. It's not limited to dogs; she also makes matching hoodies for their humans, too. After running several businesses in recruitment and marketing, Ms Parker said she became "soul-exhausted". "I'd had enough of fixing problems and trying to solve wicked issues that couldn't be solved. It was demoralising, I was tired, I was miserable, and I knew in my soul, I needed to get back to happiness via my hands." A keen sewer since she was 10, Ms Parker made outfits for her cavaliers for fun and posted pictures of her creations on LinkedIn. The positive reaction from them made her realise it could become a business opportunity. "It just hit me like a Samboy chip," she said. Ms Parker then started making dog outfits for her friends, who shared pictures of them on their own social media, plus she kept posting her own handiwork on sites including LinkedIn. She shut down her previous businesses, rebranded her existing website, registered the business name, and "it just went off", formally launching in May. "It flowed because it was coming from a place of joy, rather than desperation," she said. While she doesn't do it for the money, she said it was a part-time "hobby business". Ms Parker said making the outfits made her smile. "I feel as though I'm creating something and not solving wicked problems," she said. Ms Parker said while she hadn't experienced it herself, many of her clients in later stages of their careers had faced ageism - a problem that hand not changed in decades. Her message to all was "see the person, not the stereotype". The artist and decorative painter, 63, of Mornington Peninsula, runs Poster A Go Go, using his skills to restore vintage film, travel, and advertising posters. Working from his home studio, he restores each poster by hand, washing and then mounting them on canvas, before touching them up with pencils and watercolour paint. He's turned it into a full-time business, with customers seeking his services and work locally and overseas. As a decorative painter, Mr Ashton had painted murals, reproduced existing works and created tortoiseshell effects for decades. About six years ago, he started restoring posters for fun, beginning with a ripped-up original of the Statue of Liberty for United Airlines by Stan Galli - of which good ones can sell for US$2000. "There was about a quarter of it missing, but I managed to copy the colouring and get the right type of style of artwork that was being done in, and it came up really well," he said. Mr Ashton had toyed with the idea of turning it into a business as he bought and traded more posters. He finally made the decision in January 2025 following a sore back that wouldn't heal and other health issues, and knew he could look after himself while still using his talents. "I just threw down the gauntlet and said 'alright, it's time'," he said. Mr Ashton changed the setup of his existing studio to accommodate big posters, sometimes measuring more than three metres wide. He'd already built a network of collectors and dealers through his hobby, went overseas to meet others, announced to his painting contacts what his new venture was, plus used Instagram to advertise. Leaving the security and familiarity of his previous business wasn't easy, but he knows it was the right decision and has become a full-time job. Mr Ashton said restoring posters is a tranquil experience and he loves the sense of achievement. "When you look at it finished, I just go, 'wow', and then you take it back to the person and they go, ' looks great now'," he said. The former IT worker left office life to start a new career in life coaching and that lead her to creating SJ Energy Candles, whose specially formulated range is designed to help change how people feel. Mrs Susac, 56, of Sydney, is an Energy Expander who fuses ancestral wisdom with energy work to "fast-track transformation" for high achievers, and helps them "lead from clarity and flow, not exhaustion". Mrs Susac gave up IT to become a life coach years ago, wanting to help others. But it was when her father had open heart surgery and bowel cancer about five years ago that she found her calling. Normally a busy person, he wouldn't get out of bed, so she tapped into her energy skills to lift his spirits. She used sandalwood candles as part of her work with him, but when her favourite brand was no longer available, a candlemaker friend of hers suggested she make them herself, and the candle business was born. Mrs Susac learned the skills from her friend and started to make the candles from home. She created a website to create a digital shopfront and would travel to different expos and events, then moved into a retail store with fellow female creatives, and recently moved into a showroom in a shared workspace. Ms Susac said making the candles is her "happy place". "Selling them shares the good vibes and allows me the funds to make more and it's a fabulous cycle," she said. "[There is] nothing like spending time doing what you love to do while helping change the world of others." Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Age is just a number when it comes to work as proven by these three entrepreneurs, who prove you can start a profitable business at any age. Sue Parker, Rodney Ashton, and Sarah Jane Susac have all switched careers later in life, and turned their passions into profit. It comes as 24 per cent of HR professionals classify workers aged 51 to 55 as "older" (despite still having another 20-30 years left up their sleeves), according to research by the Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Resources Institute. The research also found half of employers (55 per cent) reporting hard-to-fill vacancies, just 56 per cent stated they are open to hiring workers aged 50-64 "to a large extent" - but that doesn't matter for this lot, who have taken control of their destiny. Read more in The Senior Ms Parker, 65, of Melbourne, is at the helm of Doggo Apparel & Readywear Ensembles, where she custom makes outfits for canine friends. People can choose a colour, design and size, then she uses her sewing talents to create the order. It's not limited to dogs; she also makes matching hoodies for their humans, too. After running several businesses in recruitment and marketing, Ms Parker said she became "soul-exhausted". "I'd had enough of fixing problems and trying to solve wicked issues that couldn't be solved. It was demoralising, I was tired, I was miserable, and I knew in my soul, I needed to get back to happiness via my hands." A keen sewer since she was 10, Ms Parker made outfits for her cavaliers for fun and posted pictures of her creations on LinkedIn. The positive reaction from them made her realise it could become a business opportunity. "It just hit me like a Samboy chip," she said. Ms Parker then started making dog outfits for her friends, who shared pictures of them on their own social media, plus she kept posting her own handiwork on sites including LinkedIn. She shut down her previous businesses, rebranded her existing website, registered the business name, and "it just went off", formally launching in May. "It flowed because it was coming from a place of joy, rather than desperation," she said. While she doesn't do it for the money, she said it was a part-time "hobby business". Ms Parker said making the outfits made her smile. "I feel as though I'm creating something and not solving wicked problems," she said. Ms Parker said while she hadn't experienced it herself, many of her clients in later stages of their careers had faced ageism - a problem that hand not changed in decades. Her message to all was "see the person, not the stereotype". The artist and decorative painter, 63, of Mornington Peninsula, runs Poster A Go Go, using his skills to restore vintage film, travel, and advertising posters. Working from his home studio, he restores each poster by hand, washing and then mounting them on canvas, before touching them up with pencils and watercolour paint. He's turned it into a full-time business, with customers seeking his services and work locally and overseas. As a decorative painter, Mr Ashton had painted murals, reproduced existing works and created tortoiseshell effects for decades. About six years ago, he started restoring posters for fun, beginning with a ripped-up original of the Statue of Liberty for United Airlines by Stan Galli - of which good ones can sell for US$2000. "There was about a quarter of it missing, but I managed to copy the colouring and get the right type of style of artwork that was being done in, and it came up really well," he said. Mr Ashton had toyed with the idea of turning it into a business as he bought and traded more posters. He finally made the decision in January 2025 following a sore back that wouldn't heal and other health issues, and knew he could look after himself while still using his talents. "I just threw down the gauntlet and said 'alright, it's time'," he said. Mr Ashton changed the setup of his existing studio to accommodate big posters, sometimes measuring more than three metres wide. He'd already built a network of collectors and dealers through his hobby, went overseas to meet others, announced to his painting contacts what his new venture was, plus used Instagram to advertise. Leaving the security and familiarity of his previous business wasn't easy, but he knows it was the right decision and has become a full-time job. Mr Ashton said restoring posters is a tranquil experience and he loves the sense of achievement. "When you look at it finished, I just go, 'wow', and then you take it back to the person and they go, ' looks great now'," he said. The former IT worker left office life to start a new career in life coaching and that lead her to creating SJ Energy Candles, whose specially formulated range is designed to help change how people feel. Mrs Susac, 56, of Sydney, is an Energy Expander who fuses ancestral wisdom with energy work to "fast-track transformation" for high achievers, and helps them "lead from clarity and flow, not exhaustion". Mrs Susac gave up IT to become a life coach years ago, wanting to help others. But it was when her father had open heart surgery and bowel cancer about five years ago that she found her calling. Normally a busy person, he wouldn't get out of bed, so she tapped into her energy skills to lift his spirits. She used sandalwood candles as part of her work with him, but when her favourite brand was no longer available, a candlemaker friend of hers suggested she make them herself, and the candle business was born. Mrs Susac learned the skills from her friend and started to make the candles from home. She created a website to create a digital shopfront and would travel to different expos and events, then moved into a retail store with fellow female creatives, and recently moved into a showroom in a shared workspace. Ms Susac said making the candles is her "happy place". "Selling them shares the good vibes and allows me the funds to make more and it's a fabulous cycle," she said. "[There is] nothing like spending time doing what you love to do while helping change the world of others." Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE. Age is just a number when it comes to work as proven by these three entrepreneurs, who prove you can start a profitable business at any age. Sue Parker, Rodney Ashton, and Sarah Jane Susac have all switched careers later in life, and turned their passions into profit. It comes as 24 per cent of HR professionals classify workers aged 51 to 55 as "older" (despite still having another 20-30 years left up their sleeves), according to research by the Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Resources Institute. The research also found half of employers (55 per cent) reporting hard-to-fill vacancies, just 56 per cent stated they are open to hiring workers aged 50-64 "to a large extent" - but that doesn't matter for this lot, who have taken control of their destiny. Read more in The Senior Ms Parker, 65, of Melbourne, is at the helm of Doggo Apparel & Readywear Ensembles, where she custom makes outfits for canine friends. People can choose a colour, design and size, then she uses her sewing talents to create the order. It's not limited to dogs; she also makes matching hoodies for their humans, too. After running several businesses in recruitment and marketing, Ms Parker said she became "soul-exhausted". "I'd had enough of fixing problems and trying to solve wicked issues that couldn't be solved. It was demoralising, I was tired, I was miserable, and I knew in my soul, I needed to get back to happiness via my hands." A keen sewer since she was 10, Ms Parker made outfits for her cavaliers for fun and posted pictures of her creations on LinkedIn. The positive reaction from them made her realise it could become a business opportunity. "It just hit me like a Samboy chip," she said. Ms Parker then started making dog outfits for her friends, who shared pictures of them on their own social media, plus she kept posting her own handiwork on sites including LinkedIn. She shut down her previous businesses, rebranded her existing website, registered the business name, and "it just went off", formally launching in May. "It flowed because it was coming from a place of joy, rather than desperation," she said. While she doesn't do it for the money, she said it was a part-time "hobby business". Ms Parker said making the outfits made her smile. "I feel as though I'm creating something and not solving wicked problems," she said. Ms Parker said while she hadn't experienced it herself, many of her clients in later stages of their careers had faced ageism - a problem that hand not changed in decades. Her message to all was "see the person, not the stereotype". The artist and decorative painter, 63, of Mornington Peninsula, runs Poster A Go Go, using his skills to restore vintage film, travel, and advertising posters. Working from his home studio, he restores each poster by hand, washing and then mounting them on canvas, before touching them up with pencils and watercolour paint. He's turned it into a full-time business, with customers seeking his services and work locally and overseas. As a decorative painter, Mr Ashton had painted murals, reproduced existing works and created tortoiseshell effects for decades. About six years ago, he started restoring posters for fun, beginning with a ripped-up original of the Statue of Liberty for United Airlines by Stan Galli - of which good ones can sell for US$2000. "There was about a quarter of it missing, but I managed to copy the colouring and get the right type of style of artwork that was being done in, and it came up really well," he said. Mr Ashton had toyed with the idea of turning it into a business as he bought and traded more posters. He finally made the decision in January 2025 following a sore back that wouldn't heal and other health issues, and knew he could look after himself while still using his talents. "I just threw down the gauntlet and said 'alright, it's time'," he said. Mr Ashton changed the setup of his existing studio to accommodate big posters, sometimes measuring more than three metres wide. He'd already built a network of collectors and dealers through his hobby, went overseas to meet others, announced to his painting contacts what his new venture was, plus used Instagram to advertise. Leaving the security and familiarity of his previous business wasn't easy, but he knows it was the right decision and has become a full-time job. Mr Ashton said restoring posters is a tranquil experience and he loves the sense of achievement. "When you look at it finished, I just go, 'wow', and then you take it back to the person and they go, ' looks great now'," he said. The former IT worker left office life to start a new career in life coaching and that lead her to creating SJ Energy Candles, whose specially formulated range is designed to help change how people feel. Mrs Susac, 56, of Sydney, is an Energy Expander who fuses ancestral wisdom with energy work to "fast-track transformation" for high achievers, and helps them "lead from clarity and flow, not exhaustion". Mrs Susac gave up IT to become a life coach years ago, wanting to help others. But it was when her father had open heart surgery and bowel cancer about five years ago that she found her calling. Normally a busy person, he wouldn't get out of bed, so she tapped into her energy skills to lift his spirits. She used sandalwood candles as part of her work with him, but when her favourite brand was no longer available, a candlemaker friend of hers suggested she make them herself, and the candle business was born. Mrs Susac learned the skills from her friend and started to make the candles from home. She created a website to create a digital shopfront and would travel to different expos and events, then moved into a retail store with fellow female creatives, and recently moved into a showroom in a shared workspace. Ms Susac said making the candles is her "happy place". "Selling them shares the good vibes and allows me the funds to make more and it's a fabulous cycle," she said. "[There is] nothing like spending time doing what you love to do while helping change the world of others." Share your thoughts in the comments below, or send a Letter to the Editor by CLICKING HERE.
