I’m Jacqui McCallum. Director of Blue Budgie Communications. Curious creative. Incurable perfectionist. Lover of the arts, nature, food and family.

I’m Jacqui McCallum. Director of Blue Budgie Communications. Curious creative. Incurable perfectionist. Lover of the arts, nature, food and family.

I use words to help business owners and thought leaders build a purposeful, profitable and personality-packed brand.

Some people see sentences. I see possibilities. The possibility to make people think, feel, reflect and connect. The possibility to smash the status quo by sharing ideas and opinions that ignite change. The possibility to build a business that makes a meaningful contribution to the world.

Every sentence is a possibility. You get to choose whether to make the most of it. You can settle for mediocre. Or you can invest in words that showcase just how brilliant and distinct you are. If you choose the latter, I’ll be here for you from start to full stop.

blue budgie communications

What I bring to the table

Strategic
substance

Words without strategy are just waffle…and not the tasty kind. Together, we’ll tap into the psychology of your audience and your business objectives. Then I’ll expertly align your copy.

Technical and creative expertise

Creativity isn’t enough. You need a copywriter with skills in SEO and UX so your content can engage, inspire and convert. I’m not just a talented wordsmith, I know how to make Google your bestie and create a great user experience.

A fresh and distinctive voice

There’s enough beige copy polluting the interwebs. I put my heart and soul into ensuring your copy is packed with personality. You get words that resonate with your ideal client and feel exactly like you.

Credentials

My skin has been in the game so long it needs mono threads. I’ve written for leading agencies and ‘pinch me’ clients like the Senior Vice President of Disney. I’ve also completed a Master of Communication which means a big HECS debt for me and peace of mind for you.

Zero stress process

I know how to reach into your brain and extract the right info (no surgery required). And I never press ‘send’ on a first draft unless I’m 100 per cent happy with it. My high standards mean you spend less time tweaking my work and more time doing what you do best – running your business.

Strong values

I want to create a better, fairer world for my kids. I care about issues like gender equality, diversity and inclusion, health equity and environmental sustainability. If your brand aligns with these values, I’ll unashamedly prioritise your project.

We’re a collab made in copy heaven if:

  • You love bold, fresh and distinctive content that tells a story (and you’re open to injecting a bit of fun).
  • You’re up for a deep dive into your audience, business objectives and values so your copy has a clear purpose.
  • You value expertise and experience and have a healthy budget to invest in it.
  • You understand that a great result takes time, care and respectful collaboration.
  • You get that SEO is a long game and no copywriter can get you on page one of Google overnight.

I’m probably not the right choice for you if:

  • You want words whacked on a page that sound sorta like your competitors. And the deadline was yesterday.

  • You’re in a long term relationship with semi-colons and shudder at the sight of a sentence starting with ‘And’.

  • Your aunt’s neighbour’s pet sitter’s ironing lady writes blogs for $50 a pop which you think is totally fair.
  • You’re a #bossbabe who is all about #hustle until the world is #burnedout.
  • You’re a gender gap/climate change/science denier (I just don’t think we’ll get on).

My (highly paraphrased) story

Chapter 1: A privileged childhood in a troubled country

I grew up as a privileged white girl in apartheid South Africa who loved reading, dancing and singing. I still carry guilt about my heritage. Writing helps. My first article for Fairfax Media was a political essay about my childhood. And in 2019, I won the Highly Commended Award in the Ada Cambridge Prose Prize for a story about Jeanette, the Xhosa maid who helped raise me.

Chapter 2:
Finding my feet down under

At 21, I moved to Australia with a musical theatre degree and aspirations of a stage career. After years of soul-crushing rejection, I found my way back to my other great love – writing. Everything fell into place and I landed regular gigs writing for The Age, The Financial Review, The Sydney Morning Herald and Mamamia.

Chapter 3:
Climbing the corporate comms ladder

As my resume grew, opportunities opened up. I started a full-time gig in corporate communications working my way up to managing a team and providing advice to the CEO and board. While I enjoyed leading a team, I missed the ‘doing’ – the joy and creativity of writing.

Chapter 4:
Blue Budgie takes flight

A demanding corporate job, postgrad study and two kids under two proved to be a challenging combo. In pursuit of flexibility and work variety, I launched Blue Budgie Communications in 2016. Word spread quickly and clients kept coming back. I’ve now helped over 100 biz owners and CEOs build purposeful brands using words underpinned by strategy.

blue budgie jacqui mccallum

My (super official) bio

Jacqui McCallum is an accomplished communications consultant and copywriter, although she prefers the term ‘strategic storyteller’. Business owners and thought leaders trust Jacqui to deliver expert advice and personality-packed copy that helps them connect, gain respect and earn with ethics.

Over the last 15 years, Jacqui has excelled as a feature writer for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Financial Review, Mamamia and Kochie’s Business Builders. As Director of Blue Budgie, Jacqui has earned a reputation for producing imaginative content infused with intelligence, humour and heart.

​If there was ever evidence of Jacqui’s ability to multitask, it would be completing a Master of Communication with High Distinction while working and popping out two kids under two. Jacqui also holds a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing, SEO qualifications and a Diploma of Musical Theatre which means she can tap dance while typing.

Jacqui lives in Melbourne with her husband, two sons and two spoilt fluff babies. When she’s not at the laptop, you’ll find her running or cycling along Williamstown foreshore, hanging upside down at aerial yoga or proscratibaking.

Jacqui perfectly expresses my intent and personality

“Jacqui has an incredible way of capturing my voice. Over the last 6.5 years, I’ve called on Jacqui to contribute to organisational strategies and write a full range of content including speeches, presentations, video scripts, articles and reports. I’ve always found the experience to be seamless and rewarding thanks to Jacqui’s professionalism, creativity and ability to write in a way that perfectly expresses my intent and personality.

Jacqui challenges me to share stories that she knows will resonate with my audience and ensures everything I present is underpinned by a thoughtful strategy. I would recommend her to any senior executives looking to inspire hearts and minds and make a meaningful impact in their chosen field.”

Zoe WainerDr Zoe Wainer, Deputy Secretary – Public Health, Department of Health Victoria

Experience matters. Work with someone who gets it. Someone who will dig deep to curate words that make an impact.

If you’re ready to invest in strategic content that you’re proud to present to the world, I’ve got a blank page waiting just for you.