At MIMCO we are all about women celebrating their successes with other women, which is why we created the #creativescollide project - a chance for women in a variety of fields to come together and share learnings, experiences, laughter and fine food. Key to our launch earlier this year is the ‘entreprenuer for entrepreneurs’, Lisa Messenger and the team behind The Collective.

If ever there was a piece of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs that didn’t sound like it had already been repeated ad nauseum by every motivational speaker out there, it would be the mantra that Lisa Messenger lives by. Two words – “jump in”. Succinct, authentic and true to her personality, everything that Messenger has achieved has been because she dared to take a risk.

Publisher, author, founder and editor-in-chief of Renegade Collective, Messenger is a veritable unicorn. At a time when the general prognosis for the print media industry was dwindling readership and eventual shutdown, Messenger made her foray into book and magazine publishing. Today, she has published over 400 books, authored 14 of them, and launched a new print and digital magazine.

It all started in 2001 when Messenger, having tired of working for others, resolved to be her own boss. She established the Messenger Group, an integrated marketing and custom publishing house that creates engaging content (both print and digital) for individuals and corporations alike. Coming from a background in events management and public relations, Messenger had no prior knowledge of the publishing industry – in fact, the extent of her experience was a one-day workshop in publishing and another in self-publishing – but she still decided to give it a whirl. Messenger pre-sold the concept of Happiness is…, her first book – a coffee table book with beautiful imagery and words about things that make Australians happy – to Clinique as a premium incentive gift or award. It sold 36,000 copies in its first year and its success shaped the business model for the Messenger Group.

I wanted to do something which was all about inspiration and a celebration of the good in the world.”

Lisa and Cathryn Wills at our Creatives Collide dinner

After nine years of book publishing, Messenger sensed herself plateauing: "I wanted to do something which was all about inspiration and a celebration of the good in the world.” She was yearning for a new challenge but instead of finding one, she created the challenge – a 172-page monthly magazine on entrepreneurship and creativity called Renegade Collective.

Undeterred by the 5500 existing magazines in the Australian market, Renegade Collective sold 100,000 copies on its first print run and is today sold in 37 countries worldwide. Heavyweight celebrities like Martha Stewart, Ryan Gosling and George Clooney have already graced its covers.

Images via collectivehub.com

What sets Messenger up for success in a seemingly moribund industry? In her own words: "I'm nimble, flexible and willing to listen." Most entrepreneurs are too invested in exacting every detail of their business plan; Messenger’s strength lies in her ability to quickly pivot according to market fluctuations. She doesn’t place confidence in 100-page business plans and sticking to the rulebook. She believes in failing fast and disrupting the status quo.

“I’m the queen of ‘let’s just jump in’”, Messenger jests.

As far as we are concerned, that’s the best kind of queen there is.