The Idle Space journal serves as a source of inspiration for our community, providing insights into the people that inspire us, how they live, pause and find inspiration. We hope these features encourage you to explore unique ways of resetting through the shared experiences of others.
In our inaugural edition, we engage in a conversation with Jake Bulgin, a marketer and creative powerhouse who leads Authentik Agency & Hiatus Studio Space, alongside his wife Madeleine. Anticipating the imminent arrival of their third daughter, Jake shares his current reflections, his approach to living the best life he can and the transformative moments that have shaped him into the person he is today.
Tell us a little bit about who you are and defining moments in your life that led you to the person you are today ?
God it’s hard writing about yourself! Ha
My name is Jake Bulgin, I’m 32 years old and live in Sydney, Australia.
I like to think I'm a pretty relaxed person, at least I try to be, life is pretty chaotic at the moment! I recently got married to my dream girl, Madeleine, I have a beautiful step daughter Olive (7), my daughter Dot (3) and we just found out we’re having a third little girl in September!
Outside of being a husband and Father I do some contracting work in the fashion industry, run a small brand and marketing agency (The Authentik) with my wife and have just opened a photography studio and event space in Brookvale, on the Northern Beaches (Hiatus).
All chaos and stress aside, if I can get at least 1 surf in a week I'm a very happy man!
I have a few defining moments in my life that have led me to be the person I am today. The first one is a classic. When Instagram started back in 2010, I got the handle @2pacshakur and started the official fan page for the deceased rapper.
It got up to 300K followers in 2013 and was the stepping stone to the early stages of my career.
Meeting Mads and Olive was a huge moment for me. I was faced with the choice of staying a single, selfish bachelor or diving headfirst into the unknown with the woman I fell in love with (literally at first sight).
Lastly and very cliche, watching the birth of my daughter. It was an incredible moment, seeing her, watching Mads. I remember holding Dot after the birth crying in the hospital chair knowing that my family was and always will be my priority.
You now hold the ultimate title of husband, father and business owner, how do you manage to find balance and fluidity?
Honestly I don’t think there is a balance at all, at least it does not feel like it on my end. It’s something that I’m continually learning and trying to manage.
It’s really hard at times, my number one goal is to be the most present and hands on dad and husband I can be. I want my kids to remember me being around both physically and emotionally but at the same time I need to work and provide for our growing family.
Starting the business took a huge toll on us all. I took a massive (reckless) punt to quit my full time job to start Hiatus. It was so hectic, still is in lots of ways but we’re getting there slowly. The silver lining now is I have what I always wanted, I have flexibility to do the school drop offs, I don’t miss performances, if we have a quiet day I can work from home to be present for my family and support Mads.
It’s the most important thing to me in it all.
The biggest thing I’ve learnt is that I need to prioritise and find the balance for myself. It does not have to look like much, it could be an uninterrupted coffee or a surf but I’ve found that if i’m in a good place so is my family and business.
We strongly believe in the emotional impact that personal spaces can have on us and our sense of home. Can you describe your favourite space in your home and how it serves your family?
In my home, my favourite space is our living room. We live in this big beautiful mid century house, the living room is spacious, 80% of the walls are windows and we have this beautiful wood fire place in the centre.
We spend a lot of time here, whether I'm sitting solo in the dark of the morning, building a fire with the kids or watching the footy while the girls draw me abstract pictures of their favourite things, it’s just a really calming happy space for me.
At the Studio my favourite space is in the back of STUDIO 03. It’s full of Natural light and where we have our Idle bean bags. If no one is in the space I often work here with coffee in hand and some aggressive gangsta rap blaring all day.
It’s attached to our courtyard too so I can move around depending on where the sun is.
Most favoured coffee table book in your home and why?
My favourite coffee table book is by some good friends of mine! They recently did a trip to KAMCHATKA - Far East Russia to surf remote waves. Guy Willimet released a book full of images and stories of the trip. It's pretty incredible stuff.
Can you share your top three most inspiring and / or interesting people in Australia right now?
I’m going to go with three people that inspire/interest me, Tom Butterworth, Brodie Moss and Madeleine Bulgin, for the below reasons:
Tom is such a good dude, he is always kind and encouraging, he surfs better than most and has started a business creating vases and lamps out of recycled sandstone. The craftsmanship is incredible and he’s doing it full time now which makes me super stoked.
Brodie is this absolute aussie battler from WA. He has a huge youtube and social presence and he just goes fishing, hangs with animals and travels the coastlines and surrounding islands. The videos are so classic but I love it. He used to be a tradie, hustling after hours and on weekends creating content and pushing his brand and now he’s killing it.
Just cool to see that stuff and I love animals so I'm hooked.
Madeleine is just a weapon of a woman. She is such a good mum, works hard and has this creative free and incredible mind that I’ve never seen before.
She also just inspires me to be a better man, I'm really grateful for that.
A piece of writing (quote or resource) you keep returning to?
Quote: Progress not perfection.
How would you describe your approach to life?
Haha this is a hard one! I try to be consistent but it does not always happen. Everyday my approach is to be hard working, spontaneous, present, kind and fun. Easier said than done but I’m doing my best to live like this.
What rituals do you practise to reset?
I really like to wake up early, it’s the time of day that I get complete rest and silence. I love getting up and sitting in the house with a coffee or heading down to the beach early.
Surfing is my escape, I’m not very good at it but god I love it.
It’s probably the only time I’m not thinking about something or someone else.
I’ve recently stopped drinking alcohol and I feel like everyday is a reset at the moment. I just wake up fresh, my mind is clear, I'm energised. I was a party boy before kids and loved a bevvy but this has been the biggest reset.
Explore our range of bean bags, here.