Proving that Plain Language Matters

How this RMIT alum found the right words to start her own business.

Jess Mathew never thought she would be the type of person to start a business. The risks seemed too uncomfortable compared to the security of working for a large organisation.

But six months into running her business, Plain Language Matters, Jess has defied her own expectations.

“It's been really, really joyful,” she said.

“This is what I want to be doing and my substantive work in this space of accessible communication. Working in your own business, there’s so much autonomy and that's where you really want to be.”

A love for words

An avid writer and reader, Jess has always been drawn to words. But it was while working at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, in a placement organised by RMIT during her Master of Communication studies, that she saw writing in a whole new light.

“My whole life I've been in love with words and I don't remember a time before that,” she said.

“But especially in the context of the business, learning about plain language as an international standard of writing made me fall in love with words all over again.”

Writing for large audiences in a clear and impactful manner equipped Jess with valuable skills, including breaking down complex ideas into digestible concepts and writing for a broad range of audiences.

“When I first learned about this particular way of writing, especially while I was firstly doing my placement at university and then eventually in my career in the public service, it felt like this kind of silver bullet for communication and this way of being able to engage with and reach the most amount of people,” she said.

“And that's really exciting for any communicator is always looking for that concept or that theory – that way to do things that will really help you engage the most amount of people. Obviously in the context of government communication, the stakes are often very high for that.”

A formative placement

In her second semester of the Master of Communication, Jess did a professional placement at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission. She credits it with kickstarting her career.

“I think it was the turning point because I could not have had my career in government that I've had for the last five years,” she said.

“I wouldn't have learned about accessible and inclusive information. I was learning from these communication career professionals who have all been doing communications in government for years and years, and here I was a newbie [who had] never done it at all.

“But I was able to really learn from their expertise and they had so much to offer me. They were used to communicating with a massive audience that is the entire state of Victoria and so I learned about these techniques of accessible communication. I learned about the importance of inclusive communication and even doing things like translation, and that was incredible.”

The 12-week placement led to a role at the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Today, Jess is a Senior Engagement Advisor at the Department of Families Fairness and Housing.

Spotting a niche business

Plain Language Matters was launched in October 2025, when Jess and co-founder Jamila Savoy saw a gap in the market to help others master clear communications. In Jamila, Jess found a business partner to help her overcome reservations about the risks involved in running a business.

“I never thought of myself as someone who would ever start a business,” she said.

“I always was like, oh, I appreciate the security of regular income benefits, super, all of that kind of stuff, and it really terrified me.

“But a business partner is someone who you can share the load with and importantly, it's someone who can be that person who is encouraging you, be the person who helps you eliminate the self-doubt, someone who's just as invested in you in the success of the business.”

Jess and Jamila spent 12 months planning and developing their business before the launch. They now run monthly training sessions helping individuals and organisations refine and clarify their messages and reach target audiences.

Taking the reins of a new business can be daunting, but for those considering it, Jess recommends diving into the research without hesitation.

“It's really scary and I've certainly found it intimidating to get started,” she said.

“My advice would be – and Jamila and I always say this to each other – do it before you're ready. So if that is something that you really want, you can start today. There's nothing stopping you.

“Often we wait for our degree to be done or to really hone in on a skill or to be perfect in one particular area, or to have full financial capacity to invest in the business full time from day one.

“But we've done none of that. We've kind of jumped in and started the process even before we had all the answers to everything. I think that's been the secret to our success - diving in and doing it anyway.”

Plain Language Matters can be found in the RMIT Alumni Business Directory.

Story: Kate Jones

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