Balancing the Grind with Sandra Borello, Founder & Director at Fizz Agency

Sandra Borello is the Founder & Director at Fizz Agency, a full-service creative communications and social media agency.

Let’s start with your background! Can you share with us your career journey and what you’re currently up to?

I have always had a curious mind, inspired by things that spark my creativity. Marketing felt like the right fit for me as it allowed me to turn my out-of-the-box way of thinking into a career.

For many years, I worked in in-house marketing roles across the property and design space, honing my skills and building my network along the way. I then moved over to agency-side and absolutely thrived in the fast-paced, high-pressure environment – a little too much if I’m being honest. Enter self-inflicted burn-out, but more on that later!

With a fervent desire to build something of my own and a need to recalibrate my approach to work-life balance, in early-2022 I started my own PR and creative communications agency called Fizz Agency (fizzagency.com.au) and have been busy building the business ever since.

We’d love to know what a typical day is like for you. Could you describe a recent workday?

I’ve always been a night owl and I try to work my schedule around the times that I feel most productive.

My day starts with a morning cuddle from my two dogs (Sunny and Roy) before getting myself up and ready to head to our Richmond office. Once I’m sufficiently caffeinated, I run through the priorities of the day with my team taking on any work overflow, making sure the to-do lists are achievable and everyone feels supported. I then work on client strategies, new business proposals, proofing content and analysing campaign results.

The workday is always punctuated with coffee runs, lots of laughs and curated playlists – usually ambient vibes, a bit of hip hop or classic throwbacks, depending on the mood. I wrap up before 6pm and head to the gym to destress before unwinding at home.

Can you define work-life balance for yourself and share with us your approach in maintaining it?

Work-life balance has always been important to me, but knowing how to achieve it has been an ongoing challenge.

As a person who has struggled with my mental health for most of my life, I have always put most of my energy into my career as a way of masking my chronic overwhelm. Even when my home life was suffering, if I was achieving and succeeding at work, I felt in control of things. The traditional nine to five routine never seemed to work for me and I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to fit within that mould.

Even with the challenges of building a business, starting Fizz Agency has given me the freedom to achieve my own version of work-life balance by working when it suits me best, and switching off when I feel like I need to.

Change is constant, and it’s essential for growth. Have you made any lifestyle changes in the past year to improve your work-life balance?

Over the past year, I’ve been on a journey to discover not only what self-care means, but what it means to me personally. It’s a lot more than face masks and bubble baths, that’s for sure.

Addressing my mental health concerns by regularly seeing a psychologist and doing things that make a noticeable difference – such as working out at the gym and taking regular breaks throughout the day – has helped tremendously.

I don’t think there’s a formula to achieving work-life balance, but instead it’s about getting the balance right for you. I’ve taken a step back to really define my personal values and to put more of my energy into the things I care most about.

We’re always on the lookout for new resources! Can you recommend any books, podcasts, or newsletters that have helped you in your journey towards balance?

Since starting my business, I’ve caught up with a mentor once a month over breakfast and it’s been super helpful. I share the day-to-day challenges of building an agency and as someone who has been in the same position, they offer me valuable words of wisdom that help me gain perspective on things. It’s really something I wish I did earlier in my career.

I also have found switching off from social media as much as possible incredibly important in achieving a stronger sense of balance. As someone who works in space, it can often be difficult to separate work life from home life when you use the same apps for both, and it’s definitely a skill I’m still trying to master!

Before we wrap up, do you have any final words of wisdom or insights on work, life, or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

I have found honesty and vulnerability to be so important in the workplace, especially as a leader. Showing that you struggle sometimes and that you’re still figuring things out can encourage younger minds to be open and honest too.

I think as a society we need to be more accommodating of people and their unique needs, as a one-size-fits-all approach can often be isolating when you feel like you don’t fit that mould and can’t voice those struggles.

As a final thought, remember to always be kind to yourself and others, and know that it’s ok to not always be ok.

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