I was born in the UK, the daughter of Royal Motorcycle Signalman turned 50s and 60s international motocross legend Brian Leask and a beautiful Romani mother, Irene. My father was a larger-than-life, charismatic character. A notoriously confident risk-taker revered by his peers, he raced under the pseudonym Luke Collins throughout Europe to avoid British Autocycle Union restrictions. In the 70s, having established a motorcycle showroom near Gatwick airport, he was appointed the sole UK concessionaire for both Husqvarna and Yamaha motorcycles, thus catapulting him to an affluent, party-loving globe-trotter, with his dream home in the Sussex countryside, his own race track and motorcycle race teams.
And he loved cars; he always had the latest Mercedes and a stream of sports cars. He stored a turquoise 1960S Mercedes-Benz Roadster convertible in bales of straw in our barn (to hide the fact that the barn was actually a workshop of which council disapproved). He sold that car to an eccentric artist with a Dali-style moustache, who bought scantily clad models to lay over the bonnet to help with his buying decision. I sure wish he’d kept that car!
In the early 80s, we flew to LA, where he purchased a Pontiac Trans Am Turbo and a Cadillac Seville, in which we drove the entire Baha Desert Race, then on to Vegas, back to San Diego to stay at Dad’s dear friend, legendary Edison Dye (to whom the local stadium was named after), before driving across the country to New York. Incidentally, my brother drove the entire way without a driving license and failed his test upon returning to the UK – “too confident” 🤪🙄. In the end, Dad added car sales to the business, so he could just keep swapping. My son Will has certainly followed in his footsteps.
Our fabulous home was on acreage in Hickstead, near the renowned Hickstead International Horse Show grounds. While my brother, Perry Leask, followed in my father’s footsteps to become an international motocross champion, I, having endured several motorcycle incidents, preferred actual horsepower, hacking, amateur working hunter events and show jumping.
Incidentally, Dad shipped those two cars back home from the USA and we certainly appalled fellow equestrians as he pulled my horse trailer to events with the Trans AM 😂.
The two sports did converge when Hickstead’s owner Douglas Bunn invited my father to put together a team of top motocross riders to compete against Britain’s best-known showjumpers in the main arena.
I possessed my father’s enthusiastic entrepreneurial streak from an early age, and I was motivated to have a successful career – I just needed to figure out what that looked like. I was handy, built things such as show jumps, even built a motorcycle, and spent hours drawing and painting. Dreams of attending Brighton Art College faded into a ‘real job’. I worked in the family business from 14, in every department. It was a popular hub for motorcycle enthusiasts of all ilks. Frank and Barry Sheene would pop in (Barry lived just down the road then, in Charlwood), and I would literally shake at the knees when Eddie Kidd swaggered in.
At 17 it was time to leave the nest and I accepted the role of front-of-house Supervisor of Gatwick Went Hotel, a manor on a vast country estate, owned by Mr Nael El-Farargy. At 18, I switched to the large purchasing department of an international flight simulation and military defence contractor. I transitioned into the accounts department and completed a City and Guilds Diploma of Accountancy and Bookkeeping. I would never have imagined that it would lead me to my career as a graphic designer on the other side of the world.
I use screen capture/shots frequently throughout the day using "Command Shift 4". The screen grab floats for 5 seconds, during which time you can drag and drop it into emails, messages, folders etc., before it saves to the desktop. Fabulous! For me, 5 seconds is just...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising numerous industries, and graphic design is no exception. Far from being a threat, AI presents graphic designers with many exciting opportunities. By embracing AI-powered tools and technologies, designers can enhance...
In today's dynamic business landscape, companies often find themselves needing to adapt and evolve to stay competitive. Embarking on a rebranding and brand repositioning journey requires careful consideration and strategic planning. Considerations when rebranding an...
A hard refresh clears your browser cache for a specific page, which forces it to load the most recent version of that page. This could include new scripts, styles or features. Clicking the "Refresh/Reload" arrow on your browser address bar is not a hard refresh....
Investing in an engaging, strategically developed website that reflects your core brand ethos, your "why", products, services and point of difference is imperative, but ENSURING YOUR WEBSITE IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISED (SEO) TO GIVE YOU THE BEST CHANCE OF BEING FOUND...
When Outlook mail receives emails sent from a Mac the images are usually embedded inline in the body of the email. To extract an embedded image from an Outlook email, follow these steps: Look for the embedded image within the email content. It may be displayed...
I arrived on the Gold Coast in 1988 on a working visa with my husband-to-be, who already had immigration approval and a job lined up as Pastry Chef at Conrad Jupiters. I’d planned to have a six-month working holiday, with dreams of backpacking around the east coast. However, an opportunity arose in Conrad Jupiter’s accounts department, and I started immediately.
It was an exciting era on the Gold Coast, and I met fascinating people from around the world, but the work felt monotonous and failed to engage my creative side. To alleviate my boredom, I began writing memos in calligraphy. Little did I know that this seemingly insignificant act would catch the attention of executives who requested that I craft certificates for them. This unexpected turn of events marked the beginning of an exciting career journey.
My wedding was on Burleigh Beach. Conrad Jupiters supported my immigration application, and I started a new role coordinating Conrad College, a revenue-making centre, to train their staff and the teams from other emerging hotels along the Gold Coast. I took the opportunity to cross-train with numerous departments and came upon ‘Marketing Services.’ Nestled ‘in the bowels’ of the Casino, adjacent to the Showroom, Marketing Services was a graphic design studio that serviced the entire complex, and the moment I walked through the door, I knew this was exactly what I’d been waiting for. It became my second office, where I created promotional materials for HR and Training whilst garnering every bit of knowledge I could drain from the Graphic Designer and Marketing Services Manager.
The excesses of the 1980s, along with the international recession of the early 1990s, saw Conrad International Hotel Corporation (a subsidiary of Hilton Hotels) roll out the “PEP” Profit Enhancement Program. It was brutal as we farewelled hundreds of colleagues, but all were convinced that my job was safe; we made money after all, but I was to become what colleagues referred to as “the best thing to ever come of PEP”…
Two days before a UK holiday, having spent a somewhat random day working in the Executive Office with the VP Grant Bowie, I was summoned to the Director of HR’s office; my job had been ‘pepped’. “The Executive Team would like you to stay. You can choose any available role in the company, and we will train you.”
I knew Marketing Services needed to introduce digital design, so here was my chance. The role of Junior Graphic Designer was created for me. I was tasked with investigating and implementing the Apple Mac system, and I spent the four weeks of my UK trip speed-reading manuals and design books. Upon my return, they sent me to Sydney for training with Adobe and Apple along with Senior Designer Nicole Philpot (now Williams).
When it came to learning the technical discipline of Graphic Design, Nicole was an extraordinarily generous mentor, as was her successor Carla Adezio. I learned fast and was soon promoted. I relished four years in the role. We created everything from in-room compendiums to casino promotions, menus, special event materials, signage, gaming machine graphics, stationery and thousands of brochures and flyers. We directed photography for elaborate Casino rewards loyalty campaigns, built and painted sets, had fun prop-shopping, conducted talent casting, and worked alongside the stage show cast to produce the theatre programs. It was incredibly diverse and immensely rewarding. We enjoyed premium access to high-roller events and hosted the Indy Corporate Box on pit lane Thursday each year. We received tickets to show premiers, ate masterfully created food, watched celebrities rehearse and attended their performances, the most memorable being Dame Shirley Bassey.
This role was the most profoundly life-changing experience, and I am forever grateful to John Yates, the Marketing Services Manager and Grant Bowie for proffering the opportunity.
In 1994, Grant Bowie appointed me to establish the Marketing Services Department for Conrad Treasury Casino Brisbane.
Our pre-opening operations were housed within the former police building between the Casino and the Hotel. Amidst the bustling chaos, the Management team and I were sharing desks, competing for phone access, and swapping hard hats. A relentless countdown timer in the foyer served as a constant reminder of the imminent launch. The atmosphere was electric, tempers were frayed, and pranks were played as we eagerly approached the grand opening. I moved into my custom-built design studio (the former men’s toilet block), featuring a magnificent arch window that spanned an entire wall. Located above Club Conrad, I shared the lift with the rich and famous, including Kiss, sans makeup, which was a shock.
Over the next three years, I managed all the in-house design requirements for the Hotel and Casino. I worked with the Heritage Society to oversee production of a coffee table book on the history of the building. I liaised with MOJO advertising agency to implement the loyalty program.
I was a member of the Executive Marketing Committee, alongside the impeccable David Hilton, Regional VP Grant Bowie and all front of house department heads.
It was a monumental undertaking but it was a role that granted me unique opportunities, travelling by limo, corporate box access, pre-game events with the esteemed Broncos team of the 90s (Sailor, Renouf, Langer, and O’Neill) and post-game drinks with the Brisbane Bullets, an entertainment account plus I was surrounded by an amazingly pro-active and fun bunch of colleagues.
As time flew by, we found ourselves longing for the Gold Coast. Lucrative offers finally convinced us to seize the opportunity and make our return. I accepted the role of Production Manager at Sexty Design. I considered owner Peter Sexty a creative genius, the best on the Gold Coast. Understandably, he set the bar exceptionally high, and as my role extended to include client management and graphic design, I realised I was well prepared to start my own business.
In 1994, Grant Bowie appointed me to establish the Marketing Services Department for Conrad Treasury Casino Brisbane.
Our pre-opening operations were housed within the former police building between the Casino and the Hotel. Amidst the bustling chaos, the Management team and I were sharing desks, competing for phone access, and swapping hard hats. A relentless countdown timer in the foyer served as a constant reminder of the imminent launch. The atmosphere was electric, tempers were frayed, and pranks were played as we eagerly approached the grand opening. I moved into my custom-built design studio (the former men’s toilet block), featuring a magnificent arch window that spanned an entire wall. Located above Club Conrad, I shared the lift with the rich and famous, including Kiss, sans makeup, which was a shock.
Over the next three years, I managed all the in-house design requirements for the Hotel and Casino. I worked with the Heritage Society to oversee production of a coffee table book on the history of the building. I liaised with MOJO advertising agency to implement the loyalty program. I was a member of the Executive Marketing Committee, alongside the impeccable David Hilton, Regional VP Grant Bowie and all front of house department heads. A huge undertaking but it was a role that granted me unique opportunities, travelling by limo, corporate box access, pre-game events with the esteemed Broncos team of the 90s (Sailor, Renouf, Langer, and O’Neill) and post-game drinks with the Brisbane Bullets, an entertainment account plus I was surrounded by an amazingly pro-active and fun bunch of colleagues.
As time flew by, we found ourselves longing for the Gold Coast. Lucrative offers finally convinced us to seize the opportunity and make our return. I accepted the role of Production Manager at Sexty Design. I considered owner Peter Sexty a creative genius, the best on the Gold Coast. Understandably, he set the bar exceptionally high, and as my role extended to include client management and graphic design, I realised I was well prepared to start my own business.
In 1998 I established Julie McCoy Graphic Designer trading as McCoy Design. One of my first clients was Maureen Gardner, whom I had worked with in her role as PR Manager at Conrad Jupiters. Together we created her new brand, Tatler Events. Her office was on her farm in Willowvale, and I still chuckle at memorable moments when we chased donkeys back into paddocks in heels and corporate attire.
Together we created the branding and all design needs for ‘The Edward De Bono Centre For Thinking‘, a Surfers Paradise-based international ‘thinking hub’ to bring brilliant minds together from around the world to brainstorm global issues using lateral thinking skills. I went on to train with Dr Edward De Bono in ‘Lateral Thinking’ and the ‘Six Thinking Hats’ method and attended his lectures with business leaders and schools.
Maureen and I worked with the Honda Magic Millions Racing Carnival for a few years, including pitching and creating their Magazine ‘GCForm’, and all their marketing brochures and event materials.
I created the marketing materials for her annual event, The Feast Of Broadbeach and we worked with the Royal National Agricultural Industrial Assoc. of Queensland for four years, producing all the graphic design materials for the Royal Queensland Show (EKKA), as well as IMG Honda Indy Grand Prix and IMG Mercedes Benz Cup Golf Tournament.
Maureen, and husband Chris, moved to the Southern Highlands of NSW where they now own and operate the superb Green Lane shopping and dining precint in Bowral, featuring Harry’s Wine Bar and Bistro, Plantation Cafe, The Orangery, The Potting Shed as well as The Green House in Mossvale; an absolute ‘must visit’ destination.
TATLER EVENTS
“Very rarely does one find a true professional that you can completely trust with your brand/brief – let alone a person that is fun to work with and able to deliver to deadline! to Julie’s expert eye for detail and dedicated approach to her work, I have always felt I can relax in the knowledge that everything will be perfectly executed and thoroughly checked and delivered on time, on budget. Her expertise in production ensures every job that goes to the printer has been carefully screened to ensure there are no delays or unexpected surprises and at all times she takes a very personal interest in your objectives as a client. I am naturally very happy to commend her work to anyone seeking a creative and professional designer, who also has a sound understanding of budget management.”
In the early days, laptop in hand, I would spend a few hours a week working at Zarraffa’s Coffee Harbour Town, where I met the hyper-enthusiastic founder Kenton Campbell who, upon hearing that I was a graphic designer, exclaimed with glee that our meeting ‘was meant to be’. We collaborated for nine years, incredibly ‘in sync’ in our vision for the brand and all it entailed, through expansion from 2 stores up to 35. I created product logos, slogans, all the marketing materials for Franchisees, merchandising for resale, packaging design, shop fit-out concepts, uniforms, all sorts of vehicle graphics, signage, training materials, advertising, and loyalty campaign elements. I supported the Zarraffa’s Franchise Conference for three years and developed their inaugural website.
An absolute highlight was becoming graphic designer to Pat and Penelope McCarthy, working on their numerous businesses including Pharmacy Fragrance Distributors, Prestige Brands Australia, Acoustic Image, Tommy Hilfiger Australia and The Perfume Connection.
As graphic designer for The Perfume Connection chain spanning seven years I experienced their rapid growth from 8 stores to 36, and I sub-leased space in their head office to meet their needs. In 2002 I developed their inaugural website. Penel and I had a remarkable rapport, working effortlessly together to create all the marketing campaigns, point of sale, photography, uniforms, signage, new location concepts, merchandising displays, merchandise for resale, sales tools, team support, award submissions and corporate brochures for the international fragrance houses.
Penel and I continued to work together on her brands PJ’s Island, Carney McCarthy Jewellery, PMD Penel McCarthy Designs and Romeo Penelope Jewellery and we partnered on a product, the Underpillow Tooth Fairy Tool Kit. Many of my subsequent clients were via recommendation from Penel, of which I am most grateful.
My client base grew exponentially through word of mouth and I have gone on to work with hundreds of business owners in almost every industry. Many clients have grown their businesses, sold then returned with a new venture for us to work on. Some have become my dearest friends.
THE PERFUME CONNECTION
“Julie’s capabilities and talents surpassed those of most agencies or graphic design houses, and her ability to out source printing for the right price was an integral part of our business needs. Julie posses an amazing talent for her field, once briefed, her creative ideas were succinct and imaginative. Deadlines are always met, and a high level of professionalism is exhibited both within our company structure, and externally on our company’s behalf. Julie is clearly capable of taking any graphic design initiative from planning stage to complete execution, including liaising between photographers, printers, publishers, media and shop fitting. Personally, Julie is an effective communicator who holds herself to very high standards.”
Community support has always played an integral and most rewarding role in my business. I have provided design services for numerous non-profit groups, local and international. I was also a committee member for The Gold Coast Children’s Society for three years, providing graphic design support and website development. I’ve worked on many individual projects for Red Cross, STAAR Fitness, Cambodian Kids, and local community youth programs.
In March 2013, I was introduced to a local domestic violence support group Assist A Sista and became a Leadership team member alongside Nicolle Edwards (co-founder), Manuela Whitford (co-founder) and later, Sonia Deakin. I provided business advice, brand development, graphic design and web development services, re-positioning the brand to grow awareness and garner corporate financial support. We featured on The Project TV, with Rove McManus joining the team as a patron, with Shelley Craft and Mia Freedman, rapidly expanding our following on a national level. The co-founders retired Assist A Sista later that year going their separate ways, but both remained committed to the cause.
In October 2015, Nicolle Edwards (CEO), Gareth Edwards (Director), Sonia Deakin (Media Relations) and I established RizeUp Australia, with broader goals (and more male inclusivity) to provide life-changing practical support for families fleeing domestic and family violence. I provided leadership team services, logo design, brand development, graphic design and web development services for two years. We quickly garnered support by key influencers, partnered with Queensland Rail and male dominated sporting associations.
At the end of 2016, with the brand well established, I handed over to another designer. At the time of writing, Nicole and her community-driven team have since assisted around 13,000 families, created 2,240 homes and supported over 25,000 children, and RizeUp Australia continues to expand Nationally.
I am the graphic designer for Gold Coast-based Friday Warriors. Founded by Kiwi league legend Sam Stewart, Friday Warriors is a men’s social fitness group that aims to ‘inspire blokes from all walks of life to get out of their comfort zones and live fuller lives’. Recently, I had the privilege of attending their Sportsman’s Lunch, a hysterically unapologetically politically incorrect event hosted by Spida Everitt and Mat Rogers, featuring guests Paul Briggs and Michael Crocker. Witnessing the incredible generosity of the Friday Warriors community, I was moved as they raised over $25,000 to support the 18-year-old daughter of one of my clients, who battles a rare genetic disorder and requires round-the-clock care without any government assistance.
In 2014 I developed the Crohn’s MAP Vaccine brand and inaugural website for Professor John Hermon-Taylor of Kings College London to grow awareness and public funding to develop a vaccine and take it to clinical trials. This subject is close to my heart as I have lived with the disease since I was 13. The Professor sadly passed away in 2021, but he lived to witness the start of phase three of the trial, which is now complete, and we await results.
On a more personal note, I’m the proud mum to four remarkable boys. In 2002 I welcomed my son Will into the world and became a single mum a week later; I learned to juggle fast. Like most career mums, I often pondered if I was spending enough time with our boys, but I did, at least, instil a strong work ethic. I recall when Will was about six, he sat next to me in the office after school and quietly designed a logo for his future business, Hot Will’s Designs (in the style of Hot Wheels). Now he rebuilds custom HSV cars for fun, is the sales rep for RAM trucks and JEEP and is an automotive photographer/videographer with his own business Shady Creative Media. My name in his phone book: Mumma McCoy. Title: “Rebranding the Gold Coast”.
In 2005 I met my life and business partner Iain McCombe and became step-mum to his three sons (coincidentally, Iain, a chef formerly of The Savoy, Grosvenor House Hotel and Sheraton Park Towers in London, had been sponsored to emigrate to Australia by Conrad Jupiters pre-opening, though we hadn’t previously met). Our home was a lively testosterone madhouse, made even louder because Iain is a drummer.
Our sons are all in their twenties now. Eldest Angus followed in his father’s footsteps to become a Chef, is manager of Lost Palms Brewery and also now a father. Our second eldest, Jack, became a popular Barber and Manager at Lost Boys before joining the infantry. Third son Fynn replaced Jack and is currently a Barber at Lost Boys. All good, strong men with kind hearts, and we are immensely proud of them; I guess we juggled okay.
In 2007 Iain and I started our second business, 2 Stubborn Mules, now known as Stubborn Group, providing restaurant and catering consultancy, menu development, training and event production to many of the Gold Coast’s most well-known venues.
In 2019 Iain and I finally married in Vanuatu, changing my surname from McCoy to McCombe. I subsequently rebranded my business, transitioning from McCoy Design to Stubborn Creative.
Stubborn brands are outstanding. They are strong, bold, consistent and memorable. They stand out in a crowded marketplace.
The “Stubborn” brand encompassing Stubborn Group and Stubborn Creative evolved from “2 Stubborn Mules”, created in 2007. Approaching all endeavours in earnest, we chose “Stubborn” to reflect our determination in our pursuit of raising standards. Resolute about creating quality, regardless of the budget, steadfast in our mission to make our clients stand out.
Why 2 Stubborn Mules? Because we are notoriously reliable, determined and strong.
We have a purpose that others cannot fulfil, and we can size up a situation fast.
We go the distance and stay the course.
So here I am, 25 years in business, still excited to be working with incredible clients who entrust me with their brands including Karen and Andrew Baildon of Baildon Group and Superfish Swim Schools, Lisa Carrick of Enjoy Living, Ray Dib of Switch Finance, Rod and Kate MacLeod of AHC Limited, Vanessa Wood Interiors, Janelle Watson Evans Interior Design | Art Curation and many more – and a shout out to my long-serving suppliers, most notably Dave McLaughlin of Thinking Cap Studios, my digital tech mentor for close to two decades.
What an amazing journey it has been, and how thankful I am for all the amazing people I have connected with along the way on our spectacular Gold Coast.
I use screen capture/shots frequently throughout the day using "Command Shift 4". The screen grab floats for 5 seconds, during which time you can drag and drop it into emails, messages, folders etc., before it saves to the desktop. Fabulous! For me, 5 seconds is just...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising numerous industries, and graphic design is no exception. Far from being a threat, AI presents graphic designers with many exciting opportunities. By embracing AI-powered tools and technologies, designers can enhance...
In today's dynamic business landscape, companies often find themselves needing to adapt and evolve to stay competitive. Embarking on a rebranding and brand repositioning journey requires careful consideration and strategic planning. Considerations when rebranding an...
A hard refresh clears your browser cache for a specific page, which forces it to load the most recent version of that page. This could include new scripts, styles or features. Clicking the "Refresh/Reload" arrow on your browser address bar is not a hard refresh....
Investing in an engaging, strategically developed website that reflects your core brand ethos, your "why", products, services and point of difference is imperative, but ENSURING YOUR WEBSITE IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISED (SEO) TO GIVE YOU THE BEST CHANCE OF BEING FOUND...
When Outlook mail receives emails sent from a Mac the images are usually embedded inline in the body of the email. To extract an embedded image from an Outlook email, follow these steps: Look for the embedded image within the email content. It may be displayed...
