Oranje Creative

01/01/2026

Before platforms, there was a question.

Standing on a national stage in my early twenties, I was asked what Australia meant to me.

I spoke about women needing more than visibility - we needed to be heard, having already learned the difference between being seen and being taken seriously.

I didn’t know then that this question would define the work that followed.

And I’ve been fortunate to do that work alongside some of the most brilliant women I’ve ever known.

As 2026 begins, I’m still interested in the same question - and the work it demands.

From our Founder, Melinda Parent.

Runner-up, Miss Universe Australia.

Dress by George Gross 🧡

25/09/2025

The Business of Meaning.
Two founders. Two brands. One system reimagined.
They built what was missing - and made it work.

This week on AdChat: The Creative Woman’s Perspective, we’re joined by Kelly Jamieson, founder of Edible Blooms, and Anna Dimond, founder of Palas Jewellery.

Kelly and Anna did not just build standout brands - they built platforms with purpose.

From product to infrastructure, this episode uncovers what it takes to grow with clarity, scale with care and lead with conviction - especially when you are building it for women and for the long game.

As the women who turned lunch-table conversations into a movement - the Fearless Females Network - Anna and Kelly played a founding role in the Fearless Innovator Grant Program - a bold collaboration with Women in Innovation, co-led by Melinda Parent and Cassandra Zaina.

Together, Women in Innovation and the Fearless Females Network did not just launch a grant - they built a platform that gives early-stage female founders real traction.

Something that didn’t exist - so they built it.

Because when women-led startups receive less than 0.5% of VC funding in Australia - waiting was never an option.

Tune in now via:
Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-business-of-meaning-how-women-build-what/id1767990999?i=1000728190802

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/05Mv4Y32A9VMIs6G59IcPb?si=b9ff749dc992460c&nd=1&dlsi=64c24938164c4ffd

Oranje: https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat

08/09/2025

Oranje Creative is a State Finalist in the Accelerating Women category at the 2025 Telstra Best of Business Awards.

Led by our founder and Creative Director, Melinda Parent, Oranje is built on the belief that equity isn’t optional, it’s essential. This recognition reflects the creative action we live every day - building brands, telling stories, and amplifying the voices of exceptional women.

🧡 Thank you to everyone who’s been part of this journey.

02/09/2025

One heart touches many - this Women’s Health Week, let’s not overlook women’s heart health. With Nightingale, I’m proud to help bring visibility to this truth - a partnership close to my heart.

One Heart. One You.

It’s Women’s Health Week - the perfect time to shine a light on a truth too often overlooked: heart disease is the leading cause of death for Australian women, taking more lives each day than breast cancer. Yet awareness remains low, and symptoms are often missed.

And it’s not only older women at risk. From pregnancy to menopause, every stage of life brings unique challenges - preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, early menopause, and even everyday stress can all raise cardiovascular risk. Younger women, too, can experience heart conditions such as SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection), which is a leading cause of heart attack under 50.

At Nightingale Cardiology, we believe women’s heart health deserves visibility, urgency, and care at every age. This Women’s Health Week is a reminder that when we listen, understand, and act on women’s unique health stories, we can support stronger outcomes - not just for individuals, but for communities.

So, we’re urging you to:
• Know your heart numbers - blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI, and calcium score.
• Talk to your GP about a Heart Health Check and ask for a referral to Nightingale Cardiology.
• Book in with Nightingale Cardiology: 7444 4219
• Visit nightingalecardiology.com for information and specialist support.

Because there’s only one you - and your heart means everything.

25/08/2025

Rigour and Imagination:
A Conversation with Anna Goldsworthy

She holds the stage. And her own story.

This week on AdChat: The Creative Woman’s Perspective, we sit down with Anna Goldsworthy - acclaimed pianist, author, educator and one of Australia’s most quietly powerful cultural voices.

From concert halls to literary festivals, conservatoriums to conversations with her sons, Anna moves between forms with warmth, clarity and care. She’s Director of the Elder Conservatorium - and incoming Artistic Director of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) - where she’ll define a new generation of artists with rigour, empathy and just the right amount of resistance.

We talk about memory, motherhood, musical identity - and why the best leadership doesn’t have to be loud.

Tune in now via:
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/rigour-and-imagination-a-conversation/id1767990999?i=1000723395353
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u8cuKbxfXfalrza5HffzV?si=v1NnDVSLQPyA82ZCgOnugw
🎧 Oranje: https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat

📷 Alex Frayne

01/08/2025

Proud to be part of something that backs women with more than words.
20 finalists. $120K in grants.
A big night for bold ventures — part awards night, part next move.

Hope to see you there.

18/07/2025

The Stillness that Speaks: A Conversation with Deborah Paauwe
What she leaves out says everything. And pulls you closer.

This week on AdChat, we speak with Deborah Paauwe - one of Australia’s most quietly powerful visual artists.

Her photographs are soft, cinematic, and emotionally precise - exploring identity, adolescence, memory and the female gaze. Faces are rarely shown. Instead, the story is told through fabric, gesture, and light.

We talk about ambiguity, authorship, and why stillness - when done with clarity - can be louder than volume.

Listen now:

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-stillness-that-speaks-a-conversation/id1767990999?i=1000717847885
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XNkKuOS5FlSrz162a0MR7?si=GvU9DbDnRMWkpduIm-wAZg
Oranje: https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat

27/06/2025

The tech fix fashion didn’t see coming.
B2B. UX. ROI. FYI: She rewired it.

This week on AdChat: The Creative Woman’s Perspective, we sit down with Alice Fitch - founder of Whola, a platform transforming how independent retailers across Australia buy, plan, and manage stock.

After a decade running a fashion agency, Alice saw firsthand how outdated the wholesale model was - from manual workflows to showroom bottlenecks. So she built Whola: a smart, scalable B2B solution, designed from the inside out.

We talk about product–market fit, user-first design, leadership in male-dominated verticals - and why emotional intelligence might just be the most underrated tool in tech.

🎧 Tune in for a sharp conversation with a founder reshaping the retail stack - with clarity, conviction, and code that actually works.

🎧 Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-woman-who-rewired-fashion-wholesale-a/id1767990999?i=1000714746971
🎧 Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1ZudungSMFXtoU7LWUgxoV?si=w4octoiQQOuqzCBlRESaAg
🎧 Oranje:
https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat

18/06/2025

We're thrilled to share that our Founder and Creative Director, Melinda Parent, has been nominated for a
2025 SA Woman of Impact Award.

For over 25 years, Melinda has quietly led powerful creative, cultural, and social impact - always spotlighting others, amplifying purpose, and building platforms where people, especially women, can thrive.

The SA Women of Impact Awards are presented by the Office for Women, celebrating those who create lasting positive change.

She rarely stops to acknowledge her own role - so we'll do it for her. This recognition is so deserved.

17/06/2025

From Broadcast to Boardroom: Nicky Downer AM on Culture, Strategy, and the Creative Sector

In a world that often placed her beside power, she held her own - and rewrote the story. We love this candid photo of Nicky, where even the dynamic says it all.

This week on AdChat: The Creative Woman’s Perspective, we’re joined by Nicky Downer AM - journalist, arts advocate, cultural strategist, and mother of four.

Married to Alexander Downer, Australia’s longest-serving Foreign Minister, Nicky spent years in the public eye - but forged a powerful and distinct legacy of her own across media, multicultural arts, regional programs, and the creative industries.

From opening barn exhibitions on hay bales to shaping arts policy in boardrooms and embassies, her work is defined by sharp thinking, inclusive action, and a deep belief in creative possibility.

In this episode, she shares what it means to navigate public life with purpose and independence - and why the arts must always make room for risk, originality, and strong voices.

Tune in for a conversation that’s witty, grounded, and full of insight - from one of the creative sector’s most enduring contributors.

🎧 Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/from-broadcast-to-boardroom-nicky-downer-am-on-culture/id1767990999?i=1000713204866
🎧 Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4a1Cl8kUAdj08K9erSxlHU?si=MLUHFAZ0QAWi8DjT39NQwQ
🎧 Oranje:
https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat

17/06/2025

From Broadcast to Boardroom: Nicky Downer AM on Culture, Strategy, and the Creative Sector

In a world that often placed her beside power, she held her own - and rewrote the story. We love this candid photo of Nicky, where even the dynamic says it all.

This week on AdChat: The Creative Woman’s Perspective, we’re joined by Nicky Downer AM - journalist, arts advocate, cultural strategist, and mother of four.

Married to Alexander Downer, Australia’s longest-serving Foreign Minister, Nicky spent years in the public eye - but forged a powerful and distinct legacy of her own across media, multicultural arts, regional programs, and the creative industries.

From opening barn exhibitions on hay bales to shaping arts policy in boardrooms and embassies, her work is defined by sharp thinking, inclusive action, and a deep belief in creative possibility.
In this episode, she shares what it means to navigate public life with purpose and independence - and why the arts must always make room for risk, originality, and strong voices.

Tune in for a conversation that’s witty, grounded, and full of insight - from one of the creative industries most enduring contributors.

🎧 Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/from-broadcast-to-boardroom-nicky-downer-am-on-culture/id1767990999?i=1000713204866
🎧 Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4a1Cl8kUAdj08K9erSxlHU?si=MLUHFAZ0QAWi8DjT39NQwQ
🎧 Oranje:
https://www.oranjecreative.com/adchat