Meet Lydia from Aye Studios
Lydia Campbell-Robinson is our newest Manzana member and the co-founder of Aye Studios, a marketing agency for social and environmental impact organisations. With her brother, she partners with “social and environmental impact companies that are using business as a force for good”. Get to know more about her!
Tell us a little bit about your background and what led you to create Aye Studios.
When I went into my marketing degree, I didn’t really know what I was in for. All I knew was that the poor person tasked with providing guidance to hundreds of lost 17 and 18-year-olds (shoutout to all the careers advisors), said I was ‘creative’ and that I might enjoy it.
While I really enjoyed the storytelling aspect of marketing, as I got into my study I had a lot of conflicting thoughts. Is marketing really a useful contribution to society when the planet is literally being destroyed?? Why should I be trying to overcome people’s “buying obstacles”? Why does advertising perpetuate so many whacked stereotypes?
Despite my questions and hesitations, I completed my degree and began dipping my toes into any experience I could – start-ups established organisations, and agencies. It was through this work that I realised the power of marketing. Good marketing can change minds, shape behaviour and communicate new ideas. I knew that if I was working in this industry, I needed to be using those skills for good.
My older brother (and co-founder) Dan, who has a background in design and marketing, had also been grappling with the same feelings. So in 2020 (a strange year to start a business), we put our heads together and created Aye Studios with a clear vision of using our skills for organisations and the causes we believed in.
What is Aye Studios in one sentence?
A creative agency for social and environmental impact organisations.
Why did you choose to focus on working with ethical/impact-led brands only?
It felt like common-sense to us! Working with purpose and values-driven businesses is so much more rewarding, and the people behind them are generally lovely human beings too.
We know that starting a business is hard, and finding the right balance of work and life is ever elusive! What is your daily routine like?
It’s totally a challenge, but we try to remind ourselves that we have the privilege of shaping our business in the way we want to. We can build a business that’s hierarchical and high-stress or we can build a business where we can pop out for a swim or a surf when the sun is out.
My daily routine changes all the time depending on what projects and clients we’re working with, but I balance my time between the Manzana office, WFH, and popping down to Nelson where our parents live so that Dan and I can work together in person (he’s based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara).
What advice would you give to women wanting to start their own projects, ventures, businesses, or side hustle?
Don’t let the fear of not knowing everything about starting a business put you off – in fact, use it to your advantage. Going in with a fresh perspective (what some would call naivety) can help you create something that’s interesting and innovative. Don’t try to squeeze yourself and your ideas into the traditional compartments of business that have historically been built by men. Take risks, don’t neglect all other areas of your life, and enjoy/trust the process.
How can folks follow your work or get in touch?
