With Sarah and Cass at the helm, international award-winning branding and design agency, Storyfolk, continues to grow. And it all started at The Gordon.
Sarah Gross, Creative Director and co-founder of Storyfolk, alongside her best friend and business partner, Cass Mackenzie, are living proof that the path to business success can begin in the most unexpected ways. For both women, their journey into the world of graphic design and entrepreneurship started at TAFE in Geelong, where they have recently been nominated, and won their category, for the region’s prestigious 2024 Business Excellence Awards.
View this post on Instagram
Gross, always a creative spirit, didn’t find her calling right away.“Before pursuing graphic design, I explored various creative paths – writing, photography, and even working for Forte Magazine. But it wasn’t until I found graphic design that everything clicked. It felt like a revelation,” she shared.
Graphic design offered Gross the perfect blend of creative thinking and strategy she had been seeking. That’s when she knew she had found her career path. Her journey to enrolling at The Gordon was a turning point, and it began with a dramatic shift. At the time, Gross was working in retail selling mattresses, when an unexpected event made her question her career direction.
“I attended to a customer who collapsed on a mattress and got them straight to hospital where they recovered. As I drove home, I thought, “What am I doing with my life?”. That weekend, I submitted my portfolio to The Gordon, and by Monday, I was in an interview with design coordinator, José Rodriguez. I handed in my notice and haven’t looked back since.”
View this post on Instagram
“The fact that José was reviewing applications over the weekend says so much about the care and dedication of the teachers at The Gordon. I’ve since studied at both The Gordon and Monash University, and I can honestly say that without that level of personal investment from The Gordon’s staff, I wouldn’t be where I am in my career today.”
Sarah notes that The Gordon’s hands-on learning style and smaller class sizes were the perfect environment for building industry and social connections.
“The people at The Gordon were amazing. I met Cass there, and without our teacher introducing us, Storyfolk wouldn’t exist.”
The two friends became inseparable, and their complementary skills – Sarah’s strategic mindset and Cass’ love of the craft of design– formed the foundation of their future business. Fast forward nearly five years, and Storyfolk is an award-winning design agency catering to global clients from Kenya to the Netherlands – even working on a space program.
With projects ranging from branding and digital strategy to working on national government non-profit initiatives, Sarah and Cass’ passion for impactful work and making a mark on their community continues to shine through.
View this post on Instagram
“Don’t be afraid to dive in and give things a go. The design industry is always evolving, and the more you step out of your comfort zone, the more you’ll grow. Stay curious – ask questions, try new things, and never stop learning,” she says.
Thinking about studying in 2025? Take the first step to building your lifelong career at TAFE. Find out more here.
