As Florence and Emily, characters from the British comedy series Little Britain would say, “We’re just two ladies, doing ladies things.”
And that’s exactly what two former radio ladies are currently up to.
Hayley Pearson, former SA FM breakfast announcer and her Executive Producer Lauren DeCesare have gone into business together launching Adelady. A website “ inspiring women and highlighting the best of Adelaide.”
“Adelady started in a coffee shop over a 3 hour catch up with my beautiful friend Lauren,” says Hayley. “We wanted to use our radio and media experience to create something amazing … it’s about sharing the best of Adelaide: fashion, food, art, events, fun, fitness and women.”
Hayley left the breakfast show on SAFM to have her second child.
“It scares me to say this but I don’t miss breakfast radio (yet),” she says. “I’m sure I will one day but anyone who has ever done breakfast radio knows how grueling it can be.”
Lauren is also enjoying the break from early mornings.
“Radio is such a hectic, crazy world … but being out of it I really don’t know how I got up at 3.30am for 4 years.”
And they couldn’t be happier with how Adelady has been received.
“Sometimes I tear up looking at how far we’ve come,” says Hayley.
“We’re getting about 15 emails a day with people or businesses wanting to congratulate us, be part of Adelady, or advertise their business with us…it really has blown us away at how fast it’s growing,” she says. “At SAFM, I was forever trying to keep up with who we were and what we stood for. Now, I’m 100% confident when talking about Adelady and our brand. It’s strong and clear, I think that’s why it’s growing quite quickly.”
Their success may also have something to do with the chemistry Hayley and Lauren share.
“Hayley really is bloody funny,” says Lauren. “Man what a catch she is – I actually couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else. Best friend and working buddy. It’s a win-win”.
“Nothing is ever too hard for Lauren and I also wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else,” says Hayley. “ Except maybe Oprah.”
While the ladies are busy working on Adelady, Lauren is also working fulltime at the Leukaemia Foundation and Hayley still has a presence in the media.
“I’ve been presenting on The Project and been a guest panelist on Studio Ten,” says Hayley. “I don’t miss breakfast radio at the moment, but would love to do a weekend radio show next year.”
But for the moment, “they’re just two ladies, doing ladies things.”