Alumni Q&A - Boe Eyking

Bachelor of Commerce 2018

Current role/company: Owner of Platter&Boe

Where in the world are you? Melbourne, Australia

Tell us about your experience since leaving university. How have you come to your current position? Is this the sort of role you always wanted to be in, or were there some twists and turns along the way?

Throughout my Commerce degree at UoM I always knew I didn’t really want to take the usual path of summer internships and grad programs. My original plan was to take a year off after graduating, but I ended up getting a full time marketing job. I’d majored in Marketing and Management and always said I wanted to get into marketing of some sort but I also struggle with working directly under someone and following their rules. Whilst working full time, I just decided to take the leap and start Platter&Boe. A year later I quit my job and took Platter&Boe full time!

How did you come to start your business? How have you adapted over the last few weeks, e.g. moving on-line, working from home, etc?

Throughout uni I loved hosting ‘pre's’ for uni events and balls and I’d always make a cheese board for my friends and I, and that’s where my love for cheese and aesthetically pleasing food started. In Jan 2019, I made my first big grazing table for my 21st and started Platter&Boe a few months later! Pre-COVID I was doing grazing tables for birthdays, weddings and celebrations, and once social distancing was put into place I lost all of my 2020 bookings within one week. So, I started pushing my cheese and dessert boxes and they were a massive hit! I’ve always worked from home and operated online so that wasn’t too much of a change, but my daily operations and booking system have changed quite a bit.

What method would you say is best for reaching out for connections and networking?

Oh gosh, one of the things I struggle with the most! I’ve never loved walking up to people and starting up conversations but it’s just something you’ve got to do over and over to feel more comfortable with it. Obviously now that’s a bit hard due to social distancing, so I’ve started emailing people and companies. I also advertise mainly on Instagram (follow me @platternboe), so I’ve been ‘DMing’ a lot of influencer's and companies. Networking is tedious but it really pays off, and I’ve learnt that quickly through starting my own business.

What do you think the most valuable skills for new graduates entering the workforce are?

Being bold, but also being able to take criticism and feedback. This is still something I grapple with and I think accepting criticism is one of the things our generation struggles with the most, we always think we are right! I also believe that being bold and courageous can really get you anywhere you want, you have to get out of your comfort zone to succeed.

If you’d like to ask Boe more about her experiences, connect with her on LinkedIn and mention you have read the Q&A.