Radio host, journalist, media trainer and communications consultant, Kellie Connolly is a busy mum of three - Thomas (5), Lachlan (3) and William (3 months). She lives with husband, Adam, on Sydney's north shore.
Kellie Connolly
C4K: You have a lot on your plate – particularly with the recent arrival of William and your new business venture.
KC: Yes, life is one big juggling act right now, with newborn Will needing constant attention and night feeds, Thomas having just started school, Lachie having just started pre-school, my husband starting a new business and developing my own media consultancy, Connolly Communications. I also do a weekly radio spot on 2GB called "Damage Control" with Ben Fordham to commentate on the week's big news and the lessons people can learn from it.
C4K: So what prompted you to start Connolly Communications and what does your new career involve?
KC: I have been in the media for 20 years as a journalist and news host. I've worked on lifestyle TV, news and current affairs and co-hosted the Today Show for a while. My most recent job was as host of Channel Nine's "Nightline". When that was axed, I opted to take a redundancy and set up my own business – something I'd wanted to try for a while.
At Connolly Communications I mostly do media training – helping company executives, sports stars and public figures face the media (Kind of like Lionel Logue in the King's Speech!!). Basically I'm giving away the tricks of the trade! I teach them the importance of selling the company message, how to perform better in an interview and how to protect themselves in a crisis. Most people find it's a valuable lesson is how to communicate more effectively within their own teams at work, or with clients and stakeholders. I also do some PR work. I'm having so much fun being on the other side of the camera and get such a thrill watching the stars I've trained truly shine.
C4K: Did you take maternity leave when you had the first two children?
KC: I went back to my job as a newsreader within 6 months of each child being born. They were set hours which made it easy to plan childcare and, of course, I didn't have to worry about getting ready for work as I had a hair and make-up department to take care of that!
This time round, working for myself, it's a different story! I've continued my radio spot since the baby was 2 weeks old because I love it, it doesn't take much time and they were happy for me to bring the baby into the studio. I've just begun to take bookings for media training and am doing a little PR. I'm excited about launching my business properly in a few months.
C4K: What made you go back to work so quickly?
KC: I wanted to return to work relatively quickly after my kids were born because I absolutely loved my jobs and felt grateful my time-slot always enabled me to spend at least half the day with my children. I have a very active mind and find that I'm a happier person and more dedicated mother when I spend at least part of the week working. My new business is exciting and fun and as my own boss I can manage my hours around school pick-ups important occasions.
C4K: What sort of child care do you have at the moment – with three children at quite different stages it must be quite hard to manage?
KC: We have had a mix of childcare over the past 5 years, from nannies to day-care, to live in au pairs. Each suited a different circumstance. At the moment I have a nanny come in for one day a week to help me with the baby when I'm working. She pops him up to my home office for a breast-feed, then takes him away so I can focus on work and meetings. We also have an au pair who helps before and after school during "rush hour". This gives me the sanity to devote time to school homework, check in on the computer and keep across the news, so I'm up to date with my clients' needs and my commentary spots.
C4K: How does having an au pair work for you?
KC: Having a live-in au pair has its upsides and downsides. You lose some privacy, but also gain an extra set of hands at a subsidised rate, because they live with you and are provided with room, board, internet, mobile phone etc. This was essential when I was doing early morning shifts and had to leave home at 3.30am. We have had girls who became like family and will stay in touch with forever. We also had one church-going, well-referenced girl that we discovered we couldn't trust.
C4K: And what are the advantages and disadvantages of long day care?
KC: Day-care is a fantastic solution because they are qualified carers in a regulated environment and there's always an extra set of eyes. From my point of view though, the biggest downside is that it's not a 100-percent reliable option, because when the kids are sick, you can't send them in and therefore can't work.
C4K: So what would be your ideal scenario? KC: If I could afford it, I'd have a nanny full-time who would take the kids to school and help out with all their activities. I'd also like a housekeeper and PA, an ironing lady, cook and a butler… ahh wouldn't that be nice?!!
To learn more about Kellie and her media training services go to Connolly Communications
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