For years, Shelley Kurtz had a dream she simply called "one day." One day she'd leave full-time employment. One day she'd build a business around her creativity. One day she'd finally back herself.
Today, that dream has become an award-winning reality.
For more than 16 years, Shelley built a successful career in graphic design, communications and the printing industry. Creativity had always been part of who she was, but the business she really wanted was something she squeezed into evenings, weekends and any spare moment she could find.
In 2025, she finally took the leap, resigning from her job to focus full-time on Creative Shell, offering branding, graphic design, photography and website services, alongside Paint with Shell, where she delivers art workshops, paint and sip events, and creative experiences for adults and children.
Turning that creativity into a sustainable business was the real challenge.
"I'd never really stopped to create a proper business plan or think about things like profitability, pricing or where I actually wanted the business to go," Shelley said.
"I had the ideas, but I didn't have a clear direction."
Shelley first met VERTO Self-Employment Assistance Business Coach Kahrina Richardson through the Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber after a client suggested she seek business coaching.
"I'll be honest, I was a little hesitant at first," Shelley said. "I knew I needed guidance, but paying for a business coach wasn't something I could justify at the time."
When Shelley discovered that the coaching and support offered through VERTO's Self-Employment Assistance program came at no cost, everything changed.
"It came at exactly the right time," she said. "I'd already made the decision to resign from my job, so there was no turning back. What I needed was someone to help me work out whether I could actually turn Creative Shell and Paint with Shell into a sustainable full-time business."
Shelley completed VERTO's accredited Small Business Training before progressing into the program's 12-month Small Business Coaching, where she continues to work one-on-one with Kahrina.
Together, they developed Shelley's first formal business plan and created a clear roadmap for growing both sides of her business.
For Shelley, however, the greatest value wasn't just the business planning. It was knowing she had someone to challenge her thinking and support her along the way.
"As a creative person, it's easy to get excited about an idea and want to run with it," she said. "Kahrina has helped me step back and ask the bigger questions. Is it profitable? Who is it for? Having someone in my corner has given me so much more confidence in the decisions I make."
Kahrina says Shelley was always passionate about her work, but coaching helped give that passion direction.
"Shelley already had the creativity and talent," Kahrina said. "My role was simply to help her put the right business foundations in place so she could back herself with confidence."
Shelley's journey soon reached another exciting milestone.
Earlier this month, Shelley was named the winner of the People's Choice (Services) Award at the 2026 MidCoast Business Awards and was also recognised as a finalist across four additional categories.
While being named a finalist across multiple categories was an incredible achievement, Shelley says the People's Choice Award holds a special place because it came directly from the community.
"As a sole trader, my business exists because people choose to support it," she said. "Whether they know me through Creative Shell or they've sat at an easel during one of my Paint with Shell workshops, the fact they took the time to vote for me makes this award incredibly personal."
Yet when asked what she's most proud of, Shelley doesn't mention the awards.
She talks about taking the leap.
"I always hoped Creative Shell would become my full-time career one day," she said. "Seeing the business thrive has shown me that backing myself was the right decision."
Looking ahead, Shelley hopes to continue growing both Creative Shell and Paint with Shell while staying true to the reason she started in the first place.
"I don't want to become a huge agency," she said. "I want to build a profitable, resilient business that gives me the freedom and flexibility to spend my days doing the creative work I love."
For anyone thinking about starting their own business, Shelley's advice is simple.
"Do it. Take advantage of every opportunity the program offers, be open about where you're struggling and ask questions. Self-employment can feel isolating because every decision ultimately falls back on you. Having someone knowledgeable in your corner who genuinely wants to see your business succeed makes all the difference."
For more information about the Self-Employment Assistance program, contact VERTO on 1300 483 786 or visit: www.verto.org.au/our-services/self-employment-assistance.
To discover more of Shelley’s creative work, visit Creative Shell at www.creativeshell.com.au, or explore Paint with Shell’s art workshops and creative experiences at www.paintwithshell.com.au.
