Dynamic Duos: ‘One of the most important people in my life’

In Dynamic Duos, Mumbrella each week asks two colleagues with a professional and personal affiliation to share with readers the importance of workplace relationships in an increasingly hybridised world of work.

Erin Fraser:

Nate and I have been working together at Bench Media for three years. We first met when he joined the strategy team, then the accounts team, as an account manager, and I was tasked with onboarding him. As anyone who has worked in an agency knows, relationships are forged in the fire of complex briefs, impossible deadlines, and the ever-shifting nature of our industry. Ours was no different.

What began as shared thinking around how we approach work quickly evolved into deeper conversations — about the state of the industry, how we might do things differently, and what better could look like. Before long, we were talking about our lives beyond work: our interests, our values, and the experiences that shaped who we are.

One of those conversations led us to the wild realisation that Nate had worked with my brother years before. That serendipitous connection only deepened the sense that Nate wasn’t just a workmate, he was part of my world.

When I went on parental leave, Nate, along with our colleague Seb, became my lifeline to the adult world. He’d check in regularly, share what was happening at work, and more importantly, hold space for conversations that didn’t revolve around sleep schedules and feeding routines. I’m not sure he’ll ever fully understand how much that meant to me in a time when my identity felt like it was being rewritten. Nate reminded me of who I was beyond the baby.

Our relationship is rooted in friendship, and I think that’s what makes it strong. We understand what drives each other, and for me, I deeply value the way Nate challenges me to think bigger and to push beyond what I think I’m capable of. I trust him implicitly, and I’d like to think that trust is mutual. It means a lot to know that if Nate backs something, I can trust it – and even more to know that he backs me.

Nate Vella:

I met Erin’s family long before I met her. About eight years before I joined Bench, I worked with her younger brother at General Pants — small world, right? So, when I eventually started at Bench, I already knew the surname but somehow failed to make the connection. On my first day, I turned up far too early and was aimlessly hanging around the café downstairs when I spotted someone grabbing Vegemite toast. I had no idea at the time that was Erin — and was completely unaware she’d soon become one of the most important people in both my professional and personal life.

Since then, Erin and I have worked side by side in Bench’s strategy team, building campaigns and driving outcomes that truly move the needle for our clients. We found our groove quickly — Erin brought structure, pragmatism and consistency, while I brought a more creative, left-of-centre approach. It works because we trust each other to push, challenge and back one another. Our brains are wired differently, but together they click.

That said, what makes our relationship special isn’t just what we’ve achieved at work. It’s the honesty and openness that underpin everything we do. I know it sounds obvious, but we can speak freely with one another — no tiptoeing, no sugar-coating — without ever worrying it’ll impact our friendship. That kind of trust means we can operate at a high level without second-guessing or holding back. It’s rare, and it’s the reason we’ve stayed such a strong team, even as our roles and lives have evolved.

Outside of work, Erin’s become one of my closest friends — and her daughter has made sure I’m part of the family. I’ve somehow ended up a pseudo-uncle, regularly fielding surprise calls whenever her daughter manages to pinch her phone and even nabbing a ‘Happy Father’s Day’ mug on the coveted day. It’s hilarious, heartwarming, and totally Erin — to bring people in, make them feel part of something, and do it all with kindness and zero fuss.

In any setting — whether it’s wrangling a strategic response, navigating a tricky brief, or just having a laugh, Erin shows up with compassion, drive and courage. I feel incredibly lucky to work alongside her, and even luckier to call her a friend.

Erin on Nate:

Most memorable moment with Nate: Completely unrelated to work, but at my daughter’s second birthday party, she cornered “Uncle Nate” for a private DJ set on her toy decks. While I was running around making sure everyone was fed and watered, I walked into the lounge to find her absolutely thriving, showing off her moves while Nate hyped her up like it was a headline festival set. It was such a sweet (and slightly surreal) moment that really captured his ability to make people, big or small, feel seen and celebrated.

Best word to describe him: Wholehearted. Nate always brings 100% (and often more) to the table every day. Whether it’s brand strategy, reporting, or throwing himself into an imaginary Coachella for a two-year-old, he’s fully present and fully committed. As someone who’s often juggling five things at once, I really admire his ability to focus on the moment – and give it his all.

Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: Nate’s inability to say “no” definitely falls into both categories. It means he often ends up with a frankly terrifying number of projects on the go, but somehow, he always delivers. It’s genuinely impressive (and slightly infuriating). His belief that he can take on anything has led to some incredible creative solutions and big thinking. He makes the impossible seem doable, and sometimes even fun.

Nate on Erin:

Most memorable moment with Erin: One of my most memorable moments with Erin was a business trip to Melbourne. The two of us couldn’t live further from the airport, so after an early morning wakeup and the inevitable flight delay, we packed ourselves into an Uber and headed straight for the Yarra Valley where we were meeting a client for lunch – suitcases in tow! There are some hilarious images of us wheeling our bags up a grassy hill at the winery while trying not to end up in a lake. The trip also culminated in me sitting across the aisle from Missy Higgins on the flight home – which left both Erin and I a little starstruck.

Best word to describe her: Tenacious.

Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: All of the Dynamic Duo articles I have read seem to lean towards including an endearing behaviour, so to be a little different, I’m going to go with an annoying habit. Erin’s most annoying habit is her tendency to wake up on the morning of a work day and choose to dress in the exact same colours or patterns that I am also wearing. We spend the day wandering around the office looking like twins – it’s something we’ve really got to work on.

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