Rebekah Lambert is a content marketing freelancer at Unashamedly Creative. She’s also the founder of Hacking Happiness, a project designed to remind Australian businesses & professionals that stress has a productivity cost. As the founder of The Freelance Jungle, an online and offline social club designed to support Australian freelancers, she continues this message of community support and stress reduction through focusing on ending the isolation inherent in sole employment. We sat down with Rebekah to soak up and share her passionate for creativity and freelancing.

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What is your social enterprise elevator pitch?

I work to end the isolation inherent with freelance and solo business operations. And use events and content to remind people that stress has a productivity cost.

What are your biggest personal and/or professional challenges as a social entrepreneur in Australia?

Mental health still has a stigma attached to it. Meanwhile, ‘do what you love’ culture and working beyond what is reasonable has been glorified. So it can be hard to be the person that is reminding business owners that the mythology is dangerous and can lead to mental health impacts.

What’s the best piece of advice you have received so far since starting your own social enterprise?

Know what you stand for and put a bloody big fence around it to keep out the 5 minute experts.

If you were to start over, is there anything you would do differently?

Not falling for the “this is how you do business” line.

Where do you see the future of social enterprise in Australia?

If we don’t start addressing social issues, we’ll end up with nothing. The biggest challenges facing Australians come from the environment, mental health, the changing nature of work and end of life care. If we don’t start addressing these issues via social enterprise, we’re screwed.

What appeals most to you about Social Change Central?

You guys have super cool programs and grants in one place and are shining the light on the movement. Come here so I can kiss your forehead!

The Social Change Central changemaker community is growing at a fast rate. How can our members learn more about you and help support your organisation (e.g. are you looking for funding, PR, marketing support, volunteers, interns)?

I’d love PR and funding. I’d also like to shake it with cool cats in a room of similar ilk, virtually and in person.

And finally, what would you do if you found a lottery ticket that ended up winning $10 million?

Buy a house in Wollongong and spend the other 1 million on various social enterprises including the Freelance Jungle, Hacking Happiness and teaching Australians to have a good death (my latest passion and learning project).

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