meet: MATILDA BROWN

I’M SO HAPPY TO INTRODUCE YOUR TO OUR NEWEST CONTRIBUTOR, MATILDA BROWN. Actress, writer, director, kick-arse business woman, wife and mumma – she is truly inspiring. I can’t wait to share her raw, real and relatable posts. She truly talks from the heart. Scroll down to see what I’m talking about …

q&a with Matilda

We asked Matilda the bellamumma get-to-know-you questions to find out a little more about her, and what she has going on. Enjoy…

You, in three words? Silly, Curious, Creative

What inspires you? This is a big question so Im going to assume you mean in a career and personal growth sense so I don’t write an essay. People who are open and who share stories not just of triumph but of failure. I find people who are relatable inspiring because it feels real and real means achievable. I look to people who are normal to inspire me. Like for example, The Lady Start Up podcast. I find that super motivational because they are real stories about real women who have given something a go, worked hard and achieved success. I LOVE those stories and Im so grateful to people who share their ups and downs, mistakes and lessons. It’s not always easy to do that but I really am inspired by someones “realness” and “frankness” and “relatability”. Imperfection in other people’s journeys inspires me because it allows me to start or try without needing to be perfect or polished. I think I need that to feel motivated. To feel like I can start and that it’s okay to fail.

What’s your work title? By trade I’m an actress, writer and director. But I also have 3 small businesses (with my husband). And since they are our businesses, my title is Boss Lady.

What was your first ever job? I got my first job at Simmone Logue in Balmain when I was 14 years old. I stood behind the counter and served people delicious gourmet food.

What did you want to be ‘when you were little’? A palaeontologist – because I thought the name was cool. Then later, a lawyer. I would have been a terrible lawyer but probably a pretty good palaeontologist.

How did ’TIL’ come about? Ha. Typical me. I start something small and then get totally carried away with it and it becomes something much bigger. Basically I bought a cute little apartment at the beginning of 2021 and made it into a little airbnb in the heart of Avalon. Then I thought, righto, my airbnb needs a gift shop. So I started an online gift shop as part of it. It was only supposed to be a few products which soon became over 80 products. And now here I am with a fully fledged online gift shop which is basically just all things I like. Hence the name Things I Like by Matilda Brown. It’s got a strong sustainable/ eco/ ethical / self-love philosophy behind it.

Explain your usual day? Woken up by my one year old. Drink a bullet proof coffee while being demanded upon by my 2.5 year old. Pilates class. Tag team with my hubby so he can do some work, while I’m with the kids. Chaos ensues. Try and get some work done between food shopping, posting orders, managing my Airbnb, changing nappies, and cleaning the house for the umpteenth-time. Attempt to sit down for five minutes with a cup of tea (unsuccessfully). Try to have a conversation with my hubby (unsuccessfully). Feed the chickens and water the veggie patch which I’ve probably been meaning to do since the morning. Pay bills and send emails between making the kids dinner. Bath time. Put my 1 year old to bed. Try and get my son to wind down (unsuccessfully). Pass out from exhaustion. Rinse and repeat. (We’re in ten thick of it at the moment – can you tell?)

What ‘makes your day’? Someone saying they love our products. Whether it’s the good Farm shop or TIL. And definitely my kids. Watching Zan be tender to Anouk and vice-versa. Their laughter. Their hugs. That takes the cake for sure. And when my step son is here, the three of them together and Scott and I on the balcony watching the sky over the ocean at dusk. That’s really the best.

Three things in your life you can’t live without?
My kids
My husband’s cooking (and by default my husband)
My bulletproof coffee

4 fave songs you’re listening to?
Sade “you think I’d leave your side baby”
Leonard Cohen “dance me til the end of love”
Neil Young “Harvest”
Villagers “nothing arrived”

Fave place to escape to? Our family farm. Five hours north. In land of a beach called Scott’s head. It’s been in the family since before I was born and we go there every chance we get. It’s heaven. I often post photos of it and people can never believe how beautiful it is. It’s just an old farm house, never had renovations, but it’s all you need. Reminds you what life is about I reckon. When we go there we just slow down, switch off and forget that life exists outside of it.

What’s you favourite time of the day? It used to be 5 o’clock in the evening because that was wine time. But since quitting alcohol this year (for that very reason) I’d have to say the middle of the day when the kids are napping and I finally get some peace. Not that I don’t worship them, but you know, 2 kids under 3 is a lot!

How do you relax? Relax? What’s that again? In all seriousness, I have no time to relax at the moment. Ask me again when Anouk turns two and starts preschool.

What’s the best piece of life advice you’ve received? “You can’t please everyone”. My dad said it as a throw away comment when I first started making films and got some horrible comments from random people on YouTube. “You can’t please everyone Til. So don’t even try”. I think it’s pretty helpful in lots of situations.

What will you be doing 5 years time? Hopefully relaxing.

connect & contact

Things I Like by Matilda Brown website is bymatildabrown.com
Airbnb is Sunkissed Casa: https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/50197117
The Good Farm Shop: www.thegoodfarm.shop

Instagram:
@thegoodfarm.shop
@thingsilikebymatildabrown/
@matilda.m.brown/