Local Chick – Helen Kang from Waverley

By James Hutton on September 11, 2018 in People

Waverley’s Helen Kang has lived in the Eastern Suburbs for 20 years and started her own business, Free State Accessories, which allows women to be hands-free but connected to their phones. She shares her local favourites with The Beast…

How long have you lived here? I’ve been in the Eastern Suburbs for 20 years, but grew up in the Inner West.

Why do you live here? Why would you live anywhere else? Best thing about the Eastern Suburbs? The beaches, Centennial Park, the cafes and shops, the short commute into the city – it’s got everything.

Where do you like to have a drink? Our local, the Charo.

What’s your favourite beach? Bronte Beach – a five-minute run from my house, or 20 minutes with the kids.

What’s your favourite eatery? Cafe Sorelle for its gorgeous and friendly service – they make you feel like family.

Worst thing about the Eastern Suburbs? Trying to get out – the traffic is pretty bad!

Do you have a favourite sporting team? No, I don’t really follow any sport.

What do you get up to on the weekends? We prioritise family. We have breakfast together on Saturday mornings, usually in Charing Cross, and take the girls to visit both sets of grandparents. We try to organise dinner with friends and their kids on the Saturday night, and there’s usually some sort of sports for the girls, parties and visits to the parks.

What music are you into at the moment? I love to jiggle to a bit of hip hop.

Who is your favourite person? My favourite people are my husband Sam and my two little girls, Gemma and Holly.

What do you do for work? I left the corporate world to start up my own business. I worked in telecommunications for 17 years and always wondered why phone cases were so ugly and daggy, as well as so easy to lose and damage (cracked screens anyone?). I wanted to design something that allowed women to be hands-free but connected to their phones, which are now an essential part of our daily lives. Free State Accessories was born: a phone wallet on a strap – beautiful tactile leathers and minimalist clean lines with adjustable and swappable straps and chains.

What’s your favourite thing about work? Not wearing heels! Seriously, though, I love being in complete control of my business, learning something new every single day, not having pointless meetings, getting to choose who I work with and getting to be more involved in my girls’ weekdays.

Do you have a favourite quote? “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.” – Amelia Earhart.

Any other words of wisdom for readers of The Beast? We’re so incredibly lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world. I love the sense of community that’s here if you seek it and make the local connections. We’re all very blessed!