Amy Silver is the co-founder of The Dough Co., a company that makes ready to bake cookie dough that allows you to make fresh cookies on demand.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I am a 6th year Bachelor of Laws (Honours) & Bachelor of Arts student at Monash University. To complement my studies, I have worked as a paralegal across various commercial law firms for the past 5 years. 

In April this year I co-founded The Dough Co. with my dad, Mark. He has been in the food industry for over 30 years and currently owns a commercial catering company called Appetite Catering. We use the commercial kitchen to make our cookie dough. 

My specific role at The Dough Co. encompasses marketing, PR, social media, branding and lead generation. This is balanced well with my Dad who looks after production and logistics.

2) What does a day in your life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

My days get pretty busy trying to balance my studies with running The Dough Co. As I am part of the 2021 Monash University Generator Accelerator cohort, I have access to the co-working space on campus.

A usual workday is going into the co-working space and taking meetings, processing orders, using canva to make graphics for social media and liaising with publications for press releases.

I then try to go to the gym before squeezing in a few hours of study after dinner before bed. Some days require being in the road or in the kitchen instead of the office – making deliveries or packaging the cookie dough. 

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine? 

I am very lucky to be my own boss at 24. This means I can work from anywhere and at any time that suits. This helps make sure I can balance my studies with running the business.

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

Maintaining a work-life balance is incredibly important to me. I love sport and make sure to exercise at least once a day whether that’s playing soccer, taking tennis lessons or going to the gym. I also make time for myself to socialise and spend time with my friends and family. Usually this means working to tight deadlines to make sure I have enough time in the day to fit it all in.

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life? 

In the last 12 months I have taken up meditation and reading.  I undertook a 6 week meditation and mindfulness course at the start of the year which was life changing. This was furthered by my involvement in 3 Monash Generator Programs, where the head of the program, Megan Flamer, would start every session with 5/10minutes of meditation. This really helped to centre me for the sessions and to be present in the moment. 

I have also started to read non-fiction books voraciously, setting myself a goal of reading a book a fortnight for 2021 (which I’m on track to complete).

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

Books: Sapiens: A Brief History of Mankind (Yuval Noah Harrari), Grit: Why Passion and Resilience are the Secrets to Success (Angela Duckworth), Shoe Dog (Phil Knight), Thrive (Ariana Huffington) and How to Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie).

Podcasts: How I Built This (Guy Raz)

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

Definitely Canva! As someone with no prior experience in graphic design or digital marketing – Canva is an absolute lifesaver. It is so easy to use and has thousands of templates to give you a head start.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?   

Ariana Huffington. In her book Thrive she details the importance of work-life balance and that to truly get the best out of people – they need to have a life outside of work and be allowed to live it.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Being your own boss is very, very cool!

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