blog

Scott Kilmartin from Haul

Wed, 18 May 2011 00:01:00 +1000

When you sold your first recycled number plate journal, did you think that haul would become what it is today?

Yes! I just didn't think it would take this long, I was thinking more like 3yrs.

I always envisioned the business becoming a design brand that would sell into a global marketplace.

haul now incorporates a large online store, two retail spaces, a wholesale business & a corporate arm where we make products for companies from their used materials. Think document satchels from billboards used for conferences. From a single recycled number plate journal haul now upcycles vinyl billboards, truck inner tubes, rubber print blankets into laptop messenger bags, macbook & ipad cases & luggage tags.

It's a long way from working in the family garage with my mum sewing bags and selling from a card table at Salamanca Market in Hobart - which we still have by the way, my dad Keith is still part of the team that works it every Saturday. I joke that we've recently become an overnight success story....10 years in the making.

How do you market haul?

I describe the business as being a design brand making unique product from industrial materials. One of the great things about our products is that no two are ever the same. The advertising artwork on the billboards that we cut up mean that if we make say a messenger bag from it that will be the only one exactly like it. That one-off-ness is our unique selling proposition and the strongest thing we market.

We've never advertised & nor will we anytime soon. Instead we give product to and sponsor things like graphic design competitions or festivals and work hard media whoring for editorial coverage in mags like MacWorld, Qantas inflight mag and Desktop. haul products have also shown up in TV shows from Offspring to Packed to the Rafters and music videos. Speaking at gigs has also helped to spread the haul gospel.

Over the past few years social media has really become a great platorm to get the brand known internationally. Bloggers, reviewers & marketing websites have all given the business and products great coverage. We were relatively early adopters to social media Twitter, Fbook, 4sqr & Instagram they have been great for communicating with our punters. My dog Gus has come to the workshop with me since he was a puppy and has become an (ugly) face for the haul brand, initially off line by laying in the front window and then online. Now he's our personal shopping assistant at the haul store in North Fitzroy.

Where do you pull your creative inspiration from?

I love factories and their workings and that's where I get lots of ideas from unusual materials for product.

I've got a bunch of friends that are doing interesting things from photographers and ginger beer makers to lighting designers and those guys help ideas percolate away. Driving with me used to be dangerous because I was either looking down at number plates or up at billboards. I"m fortunate enough to travel a fair bit and there's lots of crazy stuff going on out there that gives me a spark.

What is the biggest challenge you have had to face and overcome so far in your journey?

Like a lot of businesses haul has come close to going under a few times. A few years back I ran out of cash and even had to get a job delivering donuts in the early hours of the morning so I could keep the wheels greased enough for the doors to stay open. I spent awhile broke, sleeping in the factory living off a fuel card. Not fun but it makes you more determined.

Being a sole owner has been both good and bad, great that you can run with your own decisions but sometimes lonely. Manufactoring in Australia and with inconsistent materials have been difficult and probably the biggest hurdles to growth. Educating our customers about the materials we use, has been a real challenge. for example lots of people believe billboards are made of paper (they are actually vinyl) which is important because you probably wouldn't want a paper case for your macBook. It's been a long haul.

What advice would you give to someone else looking to start their own line of products?

Make shit punters want to buy, not what you think they're going to buy
There is a big difference between people telling you they'll buy something and actually handing over their hard earned for a product
Temperature test the waters - the web and markets are great for this
Get a wise ol owl to sit on your shoulder and bounce ideas off
No one knows or cares about your proudcts, so you need to be constantly finding ways to engage customers & stand out or they won't find you. Communicate stories about your business even things you may not think are that exceptional. Punters love to find out what's under the hood of your business. - Manufacturing is tricky. The transition from making small runs yourself to larger scale production is a difficult leap
Build your brand online - even before it exists off line.

Where do you see haul in 5 years time?

More physical retail: Bucking the trend of opening more retail stores, becuase of the unusual materials used in the haul products a good percentage of our customers want to touch and feel what a billlboard or rubber print blanket is.

Retail stores in Sydney, NYC, LA, London, Tokyo, Shanghai & Hong Kong -some of which will be pure retail (small & kiosk like) others will include boutique manufacturing and be art galleryesue - think:

Winery celar door.
Customised product service.
An international coporate business working with multinationals to make innovative products.
Manufacturing bases in areas closer to where we source the materials.
Design collaborations with artists from graffiti, to skateboarders to architects.

Mark Ross-Smith from SMSFun

Thu, 12 May 2011 15:18:58 +1000

Mark, What prompted you to move from web design and development into the social networking and mobile space?

When my partner Matt and I had web development biz (which is still running), it was a progression from our prior business which facilitated a sales channel from internet to virtual products and services. Small businesses in the area would come to us asking for web dev work which we didn’t want to do, but threw back ridiculously high quotes back at them – which they agreed to so we started that business.

Since then we diversified our online portfolio into new areas, and at the time there was sites like blueskyfrog and intazaar with free sms models which we thought ‘hey.. we can do better than them’. We gave it a crack, swiftly built up a database and realised we were onto something, but it needed some cross-pollination of key learnings from other industry we were involved with at the time. It was 2006 when this happened and social networking was only just becoming a fad with MySpace – given the massive valuations it had at the time we thought it was worth expanding on the user base we already had captured.

In the FreeSMS marketplace and social network world, what differentiates you from the likes of SMSPup and Yakedi amd allows you to stay ahead of the game?

Sites like SMSPup and Yakedi focus on free sms, which is great for consumers – but there’s very little money in the business model behind of advertising for free stuff. Also when you take into consideration that nearly every phone plan in Australia now comes with unlimited free text, the writing really is on the wall for traditional free sms sites. We realised this very early on and began crafting a new business model that would take traditionally low value customers and through their journey on the network, turn them into high yielding and very profitable members.

Basically the SMSFun business is not what most people think it is, and that lets us play in the blue oceans of high margins and cracking profitability. Through this we are able to offer faster, more reliable and overall better quality of service to our members. Most other free sms sites have limits, whereas we offer unlimited free sms to Australia and 60 other countries worldwide. Members can use our iPhone app or API to send if they wish too. It’s difficult to compete with free – and that’s what sets SMSFun apart from other sites.

Since the age of 21 you have been creating products and managing people. Throught your entrepreneurial journy and development have you had a constistant mentor? If so, tell us about them.

Having mentors and smart people around is one of the single most important things every entrepreneur should have. I’ve been lucky to have a few very successful and smart people around me over the years. The type of knowledge the right mentors can provide is so incredibly valuable – it’s the stuff no school or university will ever be able to teach you, the kind of smarts that only comes from years of painful lessons, lost fortunes and learning from hard mistakes.

I'm fortunate to have 3 Peters' in my life over the years, all with significant backgrounds in business, entrepreneurship and innovation. As much credit as I take for things to date, without them none of this would have been possible and this is why I rate getting the right people around you as the 2nd step in any new business you jump into (1st step being get a good idea!).

I also get a lot of new learning from constant reading of business literature, especially books. There’s literally thousands of years of business smarts, strategy and concepts which can be lifted from books and applied directly to your business instantly.

In the past 10 years of running your own businessess, what is the biggest mistake you have made and how did you rectify it (if you did)?

By far the biggest mistake I’ve made is attempting to do everything myself. They say if you think you can be good at everything, that’s another thing you’re not good at. In my first few years of business I tried doing everything myself to save a few bucks, from accounts to research, marketing, sales, development and admin duties. BIG MISTAKE!

Since I was whacked on the back of the head with a big wad of cash I was losing by operating this way, I’ve adopted a refined outlook on how to know which tasks to oursource. I put a nominal value on my time, let’s say $300/hour. If I can achieve the same result by outsourcing for less than this, it gets outsourced otherwise I do it myself. This simple technique means that almost everything of ‘low’ value is handled by someone who is more efficient and generally an expert in their field at this. Some experts spend years at university and on the job learning how to refine their trade to get it perfect everytime. Us entrepreneurs don’t have enough time in the day to do our tasks let alone learn how to specialise in something new.

Moral of the story is, if you need something done of low value – get an expert in that field to do it for less than you would have to pay yourself.

Where do you see Mark Ross-Smith the serial entrepreneur in 5 years time?

You mean apart from my private island in the caribbean? ;) Honestly I love starting new ‘entrepreneurial journeys’ – whether that’s a new project being designed from the ground up or an existing business that needs an injection of new life. Being able to see fast results is what drives me to get up each day and my passion for the strategic direction and execution is what drives me to succeed.

But in 5 years from now? Well, I see a combination of everything to date with a splash of new learning over the years. As with most entrepreneurs, I go to bed each night and 500000 new ideas jump into my head (hint: great to have pen/paper on bedside table). No shortage of new projects and businesses to develop so I’ll either choose one of these, or jump into something totally new like a bricks and mortar business. They say you’re only an entrepreneur so long as you’re creating businesses in new fields and industries. Don’t want to lose the entrepreneur title now do I?

You can catch SMSFun at http://www.smsfun.com.au

Matt Bennathan from WRM Media

Thu, 05 May 2011 15:07:43 +1000

What made you decide to pack your bags and move to Sydney, Australia?

The challenge of starting a business in a foreign territory and the learning I could take from this. It’s also a country and city I’ve always wanted to visit.

Are you enjoying drinking cold beer rather than room temperature beer?

The colder, the better when it comes to lager. Although the beers here are too small. I don’t want a pot, I want a pint.

What major challenges have you had to face?

I’ve always seen building trust as one of the biggest challenges. I’ve achieved this through an extremely open and transparent approach. Clients also have existing relationships. We need to complement these, and identify partners not competitors. Recognising and delivering the correct legal structure for a UK company in AU and how that feeds in effectively back home is also a new challenge for me.

What does WRM Media have that your key competitors don’t?

We use our behavioural data to very good effect. Our broadcast platform is second to none globally. We also have a comparatively high volume of AU data, including postal, which enables multi-channel campaigns and audience reach.

Where do you see the email marketing industry in Australia in the next 7 to 10 years?

Whilst you can persuasively argue it’s not beneficial for clients ultimately, performance commercial models will take precedence over CPM. Also, I sincerely hope the ESPs start structuring in-boxes more effectively. For example, preference-led Marketing Messages from approved advertisers rather than a Junk folder would be effective.

Where does WRM Media fit in to that?

We need to continue and increase our involvement with the IAB in all markets – we currently sit on the UK IAB Email Council – and maintain and build relationships with ESPs, ensuring we are lobbying for effective solutions that work for advertisers, service providers and consumers.

Do you have any advice for anyone else thinking of moving to and starting a business in Australia?

Go for it, it’s a brilliant place and currently offers a very compelling environment in global terms. The people are frank and easy to do business with. Make sure you get your planning and strategy right, stick to it and measure your progress along the way with effective KPIs and milestones. Be realistic about what you can achieve. Work extremely hard with sound objectives and you will succeed

You can find WRM Media at http://wrm-media.com/

Belinda Luby from Belinda Luby Fashion Design

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:28:39 +1000

What made you launch into the fashion industry?

I suppose the fashion industry is somewhat in my blood. I was taught to sew at 7 years old by my Cousin, Mother and Grandmother. From then on, I have always sewn my own clothes.

The Response from my friends and mainly members of the public on my own outfits was so soo good I deided to undertake market research to determine just how large the market is for my style of clothing an whether or not it was a viable business venture. The answer was very positive. So Belinda Luby Designs was Born!

In such a competitive industry, what have you been doing in order to get noticed and stand out?

The fashion industry is very competitive. All of my clothes are manufactured using all natural fabrics such as silk, cotton and bamboo threads to name a few. This adds to the comfort, quality and effect. Fashion shows are important too and of course celebrity endorsement. So exhibiting at fashion events and on celebrities is imporant to get your name out there.

I also like to have constant interaction with and to build relationships with my audience, for which social media has been a valuable avenue.

How do you balance your designer mind and creativity with the business side of running Belinda Luby Fashion Design?

I think I have done things backwards in comparison to most people. I have always had he creative side and ability to sew, patternmake, etc. I then studied a business degree for the other side.

But in the nurturing stage of the business, lets just say my sleep suffers, but my passion never dies.

What is your biggest achievement so far? And what did you do to get there?

My biggest achievement so far was winning a spot on the runway at the Audi/Face Fashion Show at Audi's 60Million dollar building in Sydney. Sponsors such as Microsoft, Peroni and Audi just to name a few. FACE Fashion hosted an amazing event with a huge audience of which I was honoured to have been a part of.

Where do you see Belinda Luby Fashion Design going in 5 years?

I see the company with a larger international coverage. At the moment the label is in three countries. I would love to see that increase to at least 8 with flagship stores in major fasion passionate cities such as New York, London, Tokyo and of course, Sydney.

From being included in well known stores to international coverage in Scandanavias largest bridal magazine, Belinda's label continues to grow with her most recent media coverage in GCMAG.

You can catch Belinda Luby Fashion Design at http://www.belindaluby.com and http://www.facebook.com/belindalubydesign

Garvin Wu from Rice Studios

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:47:08 +1000

Why do you think that podcasts have taken off?

Podcasts are a great way to add another dimension to the user experience. Podcasts are cost-effective and offer a richer, more engaging experience to your target audience. They can be designed to provide an on-going conversation where there is a sense of speaking one-on-one with the audience. When you introduce podcasts into your marketing mix, the audio element provides a softer, information-focused tool to market with. Listeners can get a sense of the company behind the product or service, or testimonials from customers first-hand when they speak with passion about your products and services. If your viewers are on the go, podcasts can often be stored onto their portable digital players and then played back at a convenient time, in easy-to-digest snippets.

Another area that has taken off is the use of video. This can also be delivered in the same manner as podcasts, which are primarily audio only. Videos are great in helping to demonstrate how a product or service works. It’s often quicker and far more informative than a web page with text and a few pictures. Examples of podcasts and videos can be found in our portfolio at www.ricestudios.com.au.

What other means of effective communication are being produced for the internet?

What’s currently growing by leaps and bounds, is the rise of one-to-many messaging through social sites like Facebook, or Twitter and blogging. There is growing communication of Gen X’ers and Gen Y’ers through these channels, and recently, research has shown that even Babyboomers are starting to communicate through Facebook and MySpace. When you join services like Facebook, you are subsequently invited to join social networks of the people you communicate with, thus building a much wider personal network of communication that keeps growing. This reach of thousands of people within such a short timeframe is unheard of before the existence of such technology. Twitter allows you to send short messages out to anyone, sort of a message in a bottle. You can sit back and watch a constant public stream of chatter. Follow someone you think might have something interesting to say or try to build your own list of followers. The internet is constantly growing with these sorts of social communication, whether via a particular site, or through another service, but increasingly people are joining a social network of some sort. On the work front, sites like LinkedIn helps professionals of all industries connect with past and current colleagues and allows you to network with a business or career focus.

How has email marketing evolved since you began the business?

Over the past few years, spam has grown to be a major problem and this has caused email to become a less trusted medium. However, email is still the primary tool in online communication for businesses around the world. Seeing an Inbox filled with 200 unread new messages no longer causes one to be excited. Many busy individuals find coping with emails a stressful exercise and want to get through them quickly while tossing away the fluff. As an email marketer you need to relate to that and be precise in your message. Keep it timely, and never overload it with too much information. Save the glitz and glam for the web site, but keep the email simple. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes – wouldn’t you rather see a targeted email with a short but focused subject line, and content that gets to the point quickly?

What are your passions in the industry?

I’m passionate about constantly learning and understanding how new technologies can be used to improve and enhance our professional and personal day-to-day lives and how these technologies help us communicate and come together globally. I spend a lot of time understanding current and new technology trends and figuring out how they can possibly enhance/improve my clients’ businesses or address specific project needs. This is so I can ‘connect the dots’ for my clients when recommending them appropriate web solutions for their businesses.

What are Rice Studios’ specialties?

We are here to listen and to understand your business’ online objectives. As your web consultants, we help you identify and address where technology can streamline/enhance/grow your business, while helping you interpret “geek speak” to everyday business language. We specialize in creating the right online strategy that works for you and your business. From building a website that can be easily self-managed, to helping you get your message across in various digital media formats, like audio, video, email messaging and marketing, to custom web development solutions meeting specific business needs.

How do you think online marketing differs in importance compared to traditional marketing methods?

Online marketing is certainly more dynamic and ever-changing. Expect your strategy to evolve over time. What may be hot one day may start to die down in a few months time. That’s the nature of the internet, and the nature of the younger markets and as they grow older, understanding their online trend will become more important. It’s very important to know your audience, what they’re using to communicate, to research, to purchase, to share, etc. With online marketing, you may need to be an active participant, unlike traditional marketing in most cases. You may be required to comment back to your audience and enter into a dialogue online. The timeliness of your response may also be something to consider as well. Moving at internet speed is a must, as this is the expectation of an online audience. So you need to consider how much time you may need to put into your online efforts, such as maintaining a blog. Depending on the level you’re willing to commit to you may decide to only have a web site that you update from time to time, or get a Twitter account and make hourly updates.

Narelle Anderson from Envirobank

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:45:36 +1000

Can you explain to us a little about reverse vending technology?

Reverse vending machines look like a typical vending machine but instead of inserting money to receive a drink or snack the machine uses cutting edge technology to allow users to insert recyclable cans, bottles or drink containers in exchange for prizes or vouchers in a modern day twist on the much loved cash-for-cans initiatives.

Reverse vending machines were developed in Europe and have been is use in for the past three decades. There are currently 90,000 machines in use but Envirobank is the first to bring this technology to Australia.

Here are some of the machines capabilities:

Scan each item inserted rejecting non-recyclable material
Record items recycled to produce an accurate carbon audit
Crunch cans and bottles on site to reduce collection frequency
Alert staff when full
Hold up to 3000 cans, bottles or drink containers
Educate users about the environment and other community announcement through its LCD screen
Be used as a community fundraising tool using scanning and swipe card functions

With global awareness of environmental issues rapidly increasing, do you predict a change in the way business and media will be run in the future?

Yes. I believe that there is an expectation among consumers that the businesses they deal with take a proactive stance to sustainability.

The possible introduction of mandatory carbon reporting legislation for businesses will also have a significant impact on the way businesses manage their sustainability in the future.

Businesses will need to look for ways they can reduce their carbon foot print and overall sustainability in a manner that is cost efficient and most importantly measurable.

What are some motivating factors in your day-to-day work practices? For instance, does it help to feel you are working towards environmental causes that you genuinely care about?

I feel that it’s important for us to all care about the environment and do our best not only to minimize our impact, but to make sure we are not leaving a legacy for future generations to have to deal with.

Have you found that being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry has affected your experiences?

I have been working in the waste industry for nearly ten years now, and in that time have most certainly had many challenges.

At times my competitors have pigeon holed me due to my gender. This in itself can lead to different opportunities and gave me further motivation to go and out and prove myself.

I have never considered my gender to be a disadvantage and believe success is based on hard work.

Do you have any tips for those getting started in similarly competitive industries?

Setting your own goals is the real key to success when trying to break into a competitive industry. You should celebrate when you have success and use these mile stones to keep pushing the boundaries.

You can’t constantly be caught up in what your competition is doing. Your business needs to remain flexible so you can keep a look out for and act on opportunities when you see them.

Be passionate and work hard, keep believing in yourself.

Pamela Frost from Because

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:43:46 +1100

A ‘mind, body and spirit’ approach to employee engagement is certainly fresh and innovative. What has led you to this way of thinking about human resource management?

I have been working in the human resources field for almost 20 years and what I have encountered in developing and coaching people from all different levels of management is the need to have employees well integrated and congruent in the various parts of their life. I have also witnessed the consequence when managers have neglected some of these dimensions in their personal and professional life with underperformance, increasing levels of stress and anxiety in the workplace.

Our minds, body and spirit are very much inter-related and if you are out of sync in one aspect then it will affect your effectiveness and productivity in other areas. For example if someone is overwhelmed by the technical challenges of their work and cannot grasp the complexities (mind) that can cause them undue stress. Often that stress will manifest itself in higher blood pressure, hypertension, and shortness of breath (body) or in reduced levels of exercise and increased drinking / smoking which place even higher pressures on the body. This in turn causes further challenges for the mind to exercise the mental agility to solve the problems it needed to in the first place.

Often employees know at a deep level that they are not coping so well at work but due to shame or pride do not seek help. If situations like these are left unchecked and employees feel overwhelmed on a daily basis it is a guaranteed ingredient to lead to loss of self-esteem and depression (spirit).

Other influences in my thinking have been my own professional development in my Masters of Human Resources and work in the area of motivation and employee engagement.

Do you often recognise any untapped potential in organisations? In which case, do you think many employers overlook the signs that the intellectual stimulation of their employees could be improved?

I see untapped potential in people ALL OF THE TIME. It is an organisational hazard. One of the biggest challenges that managers face is to manage the levels of boredom and frustration experienced by their staff. Over time it is inevitable that if an employee has been in a role long enough; their confidence and competence in completing their tasks in the role will grow. They will feel challenged and stimulated and feel that they are growing and making a contributions. However there is a limit to how much you can grow in a role if the tasks do not vary.

Human beings by their very nature like to grow and develop; expand their minds so to speak. This is no different at work. The problem is that many of us are in roles which are rigid in the job descriptions and do not allow for the variety and stretch to keep people stimulated and engaged.

The signs are easy to recognise – over time people become lethargic, complacent, less eager to contribute new ideas, they lose their spark and zest which they once had. The problem is even more compounded when the very managers who should be looking for these signs are lethargic themselves and are working in a haze of apathy and cynicism themselves.

The key is to look for opportunities to enrich careers and workplaces by constantly redefining jobs and the way that work is done. In this current economic environment it is win-win for business to tap the creative and innovative talents of their employees to keep ahead of the game.

Have you always set out to achieve specific career goals, or have you grabbed the opportunities as they presented themselves?

I used to have specific career goals. When I first started working as a graduate fresh out of university I was keen to become CEO as soon as possible. However a strange thing happened in that the further I progressed along the corporate ladder and acquired more and more senior positions the more disillusioned I became with the “trimmings” that came with those roles i.e. corporate politics, unethical behaviours, ridiculous workloads and high stress levels. My values also changed and I valued much more highly independence and autonomy, flexibility and creativity.

So now I tend to manage my career much more spontaneously and be opportunistic rather than sticking to a rigid career plan. This works well for me particularly in business because as entrepreneurs you need to be constantly sensing what changes are occurring in the environment and adapting your services and product offerings to accommodate. You also need to be able to pick up new skills to fill gaps and therefore careers and constantly evolving.

Another way of looking at this is to create your opportunities by taking advantage of gaps in the marketplace or perhaps workplace. What isn’t happening that should be happening and if it was would make things better, faster, simpler in some way is how I like to approach my career and work.

The current economic climate has cast a cloud over many industries around the world. Do you think positive reinforcement and individual attention are just as important for employers to consider as profits and losses?

I think positive reinforcement and individual attention are more important than ever. In hard economic times where organisations are tightening their belts and doing more with less they really are going to depend on the discretionary effort and goodwill of their employees to stick by them and see them through these tough times.

Companies still want employees to perform and they expect them to do that when they are watching their colleagues and friends become retrenched. It is during tough economic times that we need employees to be more innovative than ever – to think about ways to save costs, streamline processes, invent revolutionary new products and so on.

We all have a psychological contract with our employers where we aim to strike a balance between what we put into an organisation (effort, long hours, a smile, expertise) with what we get out (money, perks, growth and development, career advancement, sense of belonging and so on). If this gets out of balance i.e. fewer perks and other benefits then we will attempt to rebalance this equation by withdrawing something. This could be effort, or it could be commitment or ultimately a resignation.

So if we lose sight of those individual needs of employees than those organisations doing so are going to be left behind.

Besides the economy moves in cycles – although we are in tough economic times now it will not always be the case. By the time the cycle shifts into a more buoyant market, if we have neglected these needs the damage will be done as corporate memories can be long and fierce.

How do you maintain your positive attitude towards work?

I have a strong vision for what I aspire to have in my work and personal life. That vision of the long term is what keeps me motivated and the knowledge that I am on the path to achieving it. It means that even if there are set-backs in my day or week than I see them as slight detours rather than earth-shattering events. So what if that prospect did not convert – there will be others and it means that I can spend my creative energy on a different aspect.

I also see things that did not work according to expectation as opportunities to learn and grow. Some people will see these things as failures and allow themselves to be negatively impacted. I see them as opportunities to reflect and change my path of action if required. For it is the things that do not work out that provide the greatest insights and allow us to develop the wisdom we need to navigate our professional careers.

A final way is not to take myself nor my work too seriously. To be able tos tep back and keep work in perspective along with other important priorities in my life like my husband and family. I define my work rather than my work defining me allows me to stay grounded and happy in myself.

Fiona Anchal from Shirt Studio

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:40:14 +1100

What prompted you to enter the highly competitive fashion and retail industry, and how did you plan to differentiate your product in a highly saturated marketplace?

We recognized there was a gap in the market for a shirting specialist for men and women. Our intention was and still is to focus on a key area of fashion and excel in that. Our shirts are unique and we only make a limited number per design. We use high quality Italian fabrics and manufacture in Europe. Our product is superior - so much so that we are the only retailer that offers a lifetime guarantee.

Has your company been affected by the current economic crisis? Have you any advice for aspiring business owners regarding running a business during a time of economic instability?

We have seen a downturn in retail sales but not in our corporate division. During times of economic crisis you can’t look externally and blame the current instability, you can only look internally at what you can control and continue to grow. My advice to aspiring business owners is to plan for a downturn by implementing “crisis” scenarios with measures in place should turnover decrease. These measures include thing such as cost cutting, improving your GP, working on better efficiency and new marketing techniques. Remember business is a game, play full out and you will always achieve outstanding results.

Your husband joined Shirt Studio two and a half years ago. During that time how have you balanced your home vs. professional life; and how important do you believe the boundaries between the two to be?

Boundaries between home and business are important and the most difficult to achieve. This is an area we haven’t mastered yet. We are both passionate about business and love what we do so we are constantly in business mode. When you are building a company it is very consuming. Our golden rule is if we are having a bad day we resolve it at the office and make sure we don’t bring it home. We both have several interests outside of work and to achieve the work/life balance we schedule time to do things that excite us such as
sport, spending time with family and friends, and travel.

What, in your opinion are the key components to managing a successful business?

Treat you staff and customers with respect and as you would want to be treated. Business is not just about making money. It’s about making a difference in people’s lives whether that be by providing a customer with a product or service that has a positive impact on their life or giving a staff member an opportunity to learn and grow. The second element is to watch your expenses, GP and cashflow.

Given the commercial drive of todays society new charities seem to be few and far between, yet you have just established the charitable foundation ‘Over the Moon’. What was your reasoning behind this?

I have been very blessed with my life and always wanted to do something to give back. Over the Moon was created with the intention of bringing joy to someone’s life less fortunate then myself. The focus is on supporting Women’s Domestic Violence Refuges in Australia. The concept is simple and doesn’t rely on huge fundraising. It’s simply about giving someone a special gift which leaves them with that feeling of being “Over the Moon”. I have the ability to make a difference and that’s the motivation behind it.

Do you think it is important for potential customers to be able to read client testimonials? Has displaying testimonies upon your website notably impacted your business?

Absolutely. I can tell a client how great our product is, however people like to hear first hand from someone else’s experience. A testimonial gives the product and company credibility and the client confidence.

Robert H. Bloom from The Inside Advantage

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:37:45 +1100

What was it that first caused you to recognize the commercial need for growth consultation?

Growth is the most universal problem in business.

Throughout my 45 year in strategic marketing, i have been obsessed with business growth. I’ve grown my businesses and those of my domestic and international clients.

Do you believe all businesses can benefit for external growth counseling?

I believe that all businesses - every kind and size - must grow or die.

Some business leaders have the experience, vision and instinct to grow their business without external assistance. However, most business executives, managers and entrepreneurs lack this talent and require the perspective, systems and coaching that’s offered by business schools, business books and consultants.

There is an abundance of these resources. Almost all claim expertise in growing businesses, but precious few have actually created and sustained growth in the marketplace. I advise all growth-starved leaders to demand proof of success in the business trenches from any external source they consider.

In your book ‘The Inside Advantage‘ you have suggested that the growth process can be simplified into 4 easy steps: ‘who, what, how and own it’. Do you think that these steps can truly aid all businesses, regardless of size and diversity?

There are many growth methodolgies – most are highly complex because they have been created by theorists who want to justify and sell their theories. My approach is not theory and it is public domain - free to all who want to use it.

The growth discovery process is practical, logical and profoundly simple. Here’s why - I know from experience that business leaders are time-constrained and impatient.they want a system they can understand and apply to their business immediately, if not sooner.

Here’s the reality - only four steps are required to grow a business, regardless of its size, type or location. Steps could be added to the process, but they would be useless and add complexity.

You make statements such as ‘a flourishing business should double in size every five years’. Do you believe there are any exceptions to this rule?

This goal is ambitious. But it is also achieveable. Many well run businesses perform at this rate; many other businesses may never achieve this rate of growth.

The value of an ambitious, achievable growth goal is similar to goals set by athletes, generals and ordinary citizens who every day inspire themselves to meet or exceed the goals they have set.

Throughout your lifetime, you grew a local advertising agency into a well respected international agency. What do you believe has been the key to your success?

I prefer to measure my career, not by my successes or my equally numerous failures, but by my personal growth.

Several experiences were particularly valuable: my two years as a gunnery officer on a destroyer in the us navy tought me discipline; my early years in advertising tought me that retailers measure their sales every single day; my later years in advertising tought me to avoid the stifling bureauracy of global giants.

After my book was published in 2007, i have been exposed to an exceptionally wide variety of businesses and am thrilled to help them find solutions to their growth challenges. Today, i focus exclusivly on my enduring passion - growth.

Do you believe that the global recession should affect business growth? Is it possible to continue growing in a turbulent economic climate?

Growth in this global recessionary economy is more important than at in ay other time in my life.

Every business must find a way to grow top line without investing in infrastructure or advertising. This is the moment to capitalize on the firm’s undiscovered or under-utilized inside advantage and use the firm’s absolutly free internal resource - imagination.

Bob Bloom is speaking at the National Growth Summit ‘09 in Australia 24-26th February 2009.

Rand Fishkin from SEOmoz

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:35:40 +1100

What do you believe differentiated your company from others and allowed you to survive the Dot Com bust? What advice can you give to entrepreneurs about perseverance through times of instability?

That’s taking me back a ways, but honestly, I’d have to say that we didn’t succeed in the bust to nearly the extent that I’d want to be offering advice. We made it through because we dug ourselves deeply into debt, took on projects that earned us virtually no money but, rather, some decent amounts of experience, credibility and branding. Perseverance itself, as a character quality, is virtually all I can recommend from that timeframe. I’d also suggest that in good times, you find ways to diversify your business, so you’re not as open to risk as we were.

For example, in the downturn starting last year, SEOmoz has flourished - both in revenue from consulting projects and revenue from our PRO membership and Linkscape web index products. Being able to tweak several levers when others are failing to fire is a powerful tool.

You have over 100,000 registered subscribers to your website, where you give free advice and instruction on SEO, amongst other things. Does it worry you that this information could be used by competitors to improve their products and services, or do you think that the business world can truly benefit through a spirit of openness and sharing?

Looking right now, I see we’ve got ~120,000 registered members on the site, and that grows by a little over 200 each day. Those members have registered because we offer free content, free tools and an open, sharing environment for web professionals seeking to learn SEO. In my marketing experience, there’s nothing more powerful for building a brand on the web than offering this type of “free” access. I see companies like Google, Yelp, Twitter, Facebook, 37 Signals, Kayak and dozens more doing the same thing - offering something for free in exchange for participation & positive branding.

Personally, I never worry about competitors using our free tools or data to overtake us. I worry about us not executing and taking advantage of the massive opportunities. I’ve heard a lot of other entrepreneurs that I respect extoll the same virtue - concentrate on what you do, do it well and stop looking over your shoulder. In a startup environment, I don’t think of it as a race between many runners, with a finish line and three medal colors. It’s a sinking track and you need to run fast enough to avoid being swallowed - worrying about whether someone else can watch your technique will only slow you down.

In early 2007 you turned down a $10 million deal to push a gambling website to the top of Google’s results. What was your reasoning behind this?

The deal may have sounded good, but it really was not. We were offered $10 million upon receipt of a website that ranked in the #1 organic position in Google.co.uk results for “texas hold ‘em” and “online poker,” with the absurdly challenging caveat that the positions had to be achieved solely through “white hat” (aka search engine approved) SEO tactics. I still have my doubts as to whether such a thing is even achievable, and even if it were, the years of toil for a single payoff are most certainly not the best use of time. Our current business model gives us thousands of customers, each paying a monthly or annual subscription to access a product they love - to my mind, it’s not only many times more scalable than building a gambling website for hire, it’s a much more enjoyable pursuit.

Do you believe it important to maintain a sense of professional integrity when working in a potentially controversial industry such as SEO?

I believe that it is actually far more important in an industry like SEO. The general perception is that SEOs are going to be scammers, spammers and deviants, so successful SEOs must go above and beyond to counter that image. It’s actually been one of my biggest personal goals to elevate SEO in the minds of web professionals to the level of serious marketing & development work. Sadly, very few people are open-minded on this issue, meaning SEOs need compelling experience, data points and an exceptionally positive brand image to help make their case.

When did you first recognise the need for external funding, and why was this a more preferable option than gathering funds from the company’s income stream, particularly given the lucrative nature of the SEO market?

SEO consulting as an income stream would require SEOmoz to scale in a direction counter to the growth opportunity we wanted to pursue. A large, profitable consulting business is, as I’m sure most entreprenuers and investors are aware, requires a huge staff and is typically valued at 1-1.5X revenue by buyers. A product-based company, on the other hand, particularly one with a stable, subscription-based revenue model, can be worth 6-8X revenue, possibly more if the technology, patents & data behind it has inherent value as well.

The project I wanted to build, Linkscape, required massive development effort - a crawl of the World Wide Web and the algorithms to power effective, search-engine-like metrics are very challenging projects. Without the injection of capital, I don’t believe this would have been possible in less than 3-4 years, but with it, we built out in just over 10 months.

Venture capital also helped us to become a more serious company. By serious, I don’t mean we were fooling around or wasting time before, I just mean it gave us access to people who had built companies successful before and pushed us to make SEOmoz the best it could be. In retrospect, I think that this aspect of outside funding was at least as valuable and important as the funds themselves.

You have worked with a number of high profile clients, including Microsoft. Have you found that the the quality of your service increases with the renown of a client, even if only on a subconscious level?

Not neccessarily, actually. I’d say the companies I have the most passion for are other startups - particularly when the engineering team, the executive team and the marketing team are all 100% behind SEO. That’s hard to find in big organizations, and although I don’t think we deliver lower quality consulting or value, we do frequently find that our recommendations can take months or years to implement, rather than days and weeks.

Leona Watson from Cheeky Food Group

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:30:40 +1100

What led you to recognise the interactive potential of cooking; and what inspired you to couple food preparation with hosting corporate events?

Firstly no one else was really doing it. I researched here and OS and only a couple of companies were doing this in the US, but really there were just cooking classes, that a company went to.

With my corporate and cooking background I was able to see the potential of combining both, but
knew that if it was going to be a marketable and profitable business venture, then it had to deliver on what corporates want - not what the chefs wanted to do! Also with my background, I knew that professionalism and over-delivery was key to repeat and referral business in the sometimes fickle corporate market. And to put on a fun event, not a cooking class. It’s about creating memories that get talked about… for all the right reasons!

Having doubled your turnover almost every year, what insight can you provide in regard to sustaining growth within a business?

We doubled for the first four years, then dropped to about 35% for the next 2.The key thing is to ensure your service continues to receive rave reviews. Then, and only then, can you diversify, otherwise you end up setting up new ventures based on average (to good if you’re lucky) procedures. We focused on team building and now we’re able to bring in new income streams.

What were the challenges you faced when leaving the relative stability of the corporate world, in favour of establishing your own business, and how do you suggest others might overcome similar obstacles?

Firstly, I did Cheeky part time and continued to do some marketing contracting, so I had the security of money. Also I genuinely love marketing and it kept me in contact with my prime target market for Cheeky and I could run ideas past them.

Many people underestimate how long it can take to get a new business up and running, so be prepared to have a secondary income source whilst you get the new one started.

Personally it wasn’t really a risk for me, as I knew I always had marketing to fall back on. I also had a cash kitty, and I kept Cheeky’s overheads very, very low during the first two years. During that time we basically wanted to see if the business model could make money. After the third year (which nearly killed me!), I gave up all other marketing and focused on Cheeky.

The key is to minimise risk and start stashing money before you take the leap. Yes you need to be excited and passionate, but nothing will kill a great business idea quicker than an owner who’s stressed about money….nothing!

How did your background in marketing aid you in establishing and promoting Cheeky Food Group?

100% I’d say. I could do all the marketing, copywriting, newsletters, research myself which was a MASSIVE saving. It also meant I had access to run business ideas past people in my target market. Maybe more than anything else I wasn’t a chef with a focus on restaurant or cooking class customers, trying to take a business idea to the corporate market. I already was a corporate marketer, so I just ‘got’ it. Then my Le Cordon Bleu training gave me the background I needed for the events itself. And of course, as any marketer knows, you dig until you find out what’s going to get a sale, then you deliver on that, rather than what a chef might want to cook or do. Each event is tailored to the clients’ business objectives, mission statement, focus for the year ahead, their job functions etc…so it’s about them, not the chef. Big difference.

I also spent considerable time developing the brand and now feel like we’ve really nailed it. The staff live and breathe it. Our clients expect it. And it’s so easy to set a delivery expectation for everyone. I don’t think a non-marketer would truly understand the value in this, especially as brand building/development is not a one-off marketing activity… it’s a year long, year on year, commitment.

Do you believe there is a definite way to ascertain the success of an idea prior to the commencement of a business venture, or does one just have to ‘jump in’ and hope for the best?

Jumping in is fun, but it can cost you a lot of money! Research doesn’t have to be expensive, long and tedious. Simply go and have coffee with people in your target market and ask! Also set goals on when to bail if you haven’t had the success you expect by a certain time.

Is there a definite way to pre-ascertain success?

No, otherwise someone would be very rich on that process alone! At the end of the day, you have to do your figures, your research and your competitive analysis. And if you’re in IT or the digital world, assume that someone will come up with a better product very soon so you better be damn quick about it! There are so many great ideas out there, but if they’re too costly to launch and sustain and don’t have growth potential after the initial yee-hah period, then they should stay as a great back-of-a-beer-coaster idea…

Where do you see yourself; and Cheeky Food Group in 2015?

Love this question! We’ll have Cheeky established in the UK, US, NZ at a minimum. The Cheeky brand will be well known, well loved and able to launch many other great food/fun/people/connection business ideas. I’ll scoot around the world, helping out where I can and driving the ongoing strategy… but most of all it will be fun, all about people and obviously profitable, so my other Cheeky Charity Cook-Up ideas can be launched. I have one motto in life “If it’s not fun, I’m just not interested”! Helps keep me on track in my personal and business life. And when it comes to business it’s “But if it’s all FUN, but bordering on frivolous, then it’s just not professional, so walk away or change it”.

Lara Solomon from Mocks

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:20:57 +1100

You gained your inspiration for Mocks whilst holidaying in Thailand, what was it about the product which initially caused you to think it would be such a success?

The fact that one size fits all mobiles because they are stretchy. At the time I was really frustrated that I couldn’t get a case/cover for my phone. I also liked the idea that I could start a brand with one product and a few designs then expand the range.

Your business went through an extreme period of growth during the first nine months (averaging 46% monthly growth). Had you planned for your product to become so successful that quickly? How did you sustain this impressive growth rate?

I don’t have much patience, so I always wanted to achieve more and more in a short space of time. I hadn’t planned for the growth rate, but I had no doubt that the product would succeed. Sustaining the growth rate was just a case of me being impatient!

Having had such extensive experience with a number of high profile companies, did you find yourself well prepared for starting your own business?

Definitely. My background in marketing and experience with setting budgets, working with agencies and knowing people in different business areas helped me in that I had a wide network of people to talk to when I got stuck. I also think that working in a corporate structured environment meant I ran the business more like a big company than a small business from the start.

Did everything go to plan during the start-up phase of your business, or were there any unexpected difficulties?

The difficulties I had were once the orders started coming in - managing the Mock manufacturer in China was a huge challenge, I ended up taking a trip to China with 3 days notice as I hadn’t been able to contact my supplier for 8 days. I’d tried email, phone, sms and fax, so I decided the only thing for it was to get on a plane.

It must have taken a lot of courage to leave the relative security of your high profile job, in order to start your own business. Were you confident at that time that Mocks would be a success, or was it a leap of faith on your behalf?

I was confident that it would work, it sounds naïve, but I never thought it wouldn’t work. I was also lucky in that at the time I was married, and my husband earnt enough to support both of us for a short time. Plus I had a part-time temp role for the first six months.

If you could go back to 2004 and have a conversation with the younger you, what is the one piece of advice you would give yourself before beginning your journey as an entrepreneur?

Take time to think through decisions and don’t rush into things, in other words curb your impatience. Take some courses in managing people before starting to hire staff! Stop from time to time and enjoy the wins…

Find out more about Lara’s book at the Brand New Day website.

Or you can buy it from Amazon.

Luke Goodwin from GripSox

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:18:31 +1100

Your background is in physiotherapy, yet you have become an international business success. Do you believe that people require formal business education to become successful?

Absolutely not! Mine is the perfect example as I’ve never studied any type of business course or degree. I simply had an idea and decided to jump straight into the deep end and have a go. Having completed my physiotherapy degree I had been running my own physiotherapy business for several years so I guess I learnt many of my business skills by running that business. The GripSox™ project was great because it was totally unrelated to my health background and therefore required me to do a lot more research into an area in which I was totally foreign.

What do you think the single most influential contributor to the success of GripSox™, both within Australia and internationally has been?

It would have to be my passion and determination to see my product succeed. If you don’t believe in your idea then you are doomed to fail. Even though you may hit hurdles along the way, you simply need to see them as challenges and think of a way to overcome the situation and turn it into a positive.

You are now available as a start up motivator and mentor for entrepreneurs; what is some of your most frequently given advice?

My first piece of advice is don’t start a new business venture unless you are totally committed to it. Some people have a “brain wave” and decide to start a new business, only to see it fail soon afterwards because they were never really committed and passionate in the first place. So whatever you do in life, give it 100%.

Secondly, I tell people not to over complicate things. I’m not saying you shouldn’t plan things, but I find that in some instances, people get so caught up in the minor detail that they miss the big picture. This often leads to procrastination and the likelihood that your new business venture never gets out of first gear.

Finally, I tell people to read, read and read some more. I am always on the lookout for new markets to tap into or new ideas on how to improve my business. Even reading things totally unrelated to your particular product or industry can often throw up fresh new ideas.

Was there ever a time when you doubted the viability of any of your business ideas? If so how did you get beyond that stage?

Whilst I’ve never doubted the viability of my ideas, you do often ask yourself “how long before my ideas come to fruition?” Again it comes back to believing in your ideas and your reasoning as to why you decided to go with your “gut instinct” in the first place.

A number of clinical trials are currently being conducted upon GripSox™, do you feel this is an important step business owners can take to enhance the credibility of a product?

Most definitely. Many of my GripSox™ buyers ask questions about the product before they purchase them so by undertaking clinical trials, you can then say “look here, the results speak for themselves”. It also gives you an advantage over competitors who may not see the importance of justifying their product’s benefits.

You have achieved recognition with GripSox™ on an international scale.
Do you believe businesses ever reach a stage where they can be allowed to coast, or do you feel the need for constant expansion and development?

I think any business that decides to coast along is asking for trouble. There is always someone out there trying to overtake you and claim some of your market. This is why we continue with things such as clinical trials and venturing into new markets for GripSox™. Occasionally you may find that new markets may pop up in front of you, but more commonly it is you who needs to do the seeking and find new clients, markets, ideas etc.

Emma Isaacs from Business Chicks

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:15:26 +1100

You have previously emphasized the importance of community in many aspects of daily life in general. Can community be just as important for a new business as a support foundation, as well as simply a target market?

All business is community. You’ve got your community of staff, your community of customers and your community of other stakeholders. There’s nothing more important than finding out who your community is in the early stages of establishing a new business and nurturing those relationships.

Concepts such as openness, sharing and networking are refreshing in such a competitive corporate world. Have you seen these values enrich the relationships within your networking groups?

es of course and I think when you set up a network like that, actively encouraging everyone to act that way, that’s the result you’ll get. We’ve seen amazing relationships and friendships born through Business Chicks and Last Thursday Club because that’s the culture we’ve created. You need to be open to share knowledge, ideas and contacts and you’ll find that your behaviour and actions are reciprocated.

Would you describe yourself as a risk-taker, someone who carefully measures risk before acting or both?

I act a lot on intuition and I’m very comfortable with risk. I’m fortunate that I have teams around me that are much more interested in facts than I am so the due diligence is always completed.

In this current marketplace it seems increasingly important to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. Is this something that can be learnt from experience or do you think it is largely instinctive?

I think the confidence comes from experience but I believe entrepreneurship is largely instinctive. If I had to choose if entrepreneurs were born or made, I’d strongly lean toward born. I think savvy businesspeople can be made but I think you’ve either got the entrepreneurial streak or you don’t. I get approached a lot by people who say “I really want to be an entrepreneur, how do I do it?”. I think if someone is asking that question, then they’re most likely not built with entrepreneurial traits. Most entrepreneurs just get on with it and don’t spend much time indulging in procrastination. They realise that they may have to make mistakes along the way, but at least they’re in action.

After running a number of companies, are you finding it easier than in previous times to start-up and build your new business Studio Bodyfit? Are you more aware of what needs to be done?

Sure, it definitely gets easier as you learn the lessons and master skills that you may have once found hard. I’m also really blessed to have talented people around me who can help with the process - they’ve been with me to set up the other businesses, so it’s a team effort and I’m not on my own.

Do you find yourself looking at your personal experiences as a customer when devising ways to give your own customers that little bit extra?

Incessantly. It never leaves you. When you’re an entrepreneur you never stop seeking new ways of doing things and you’re constantly asking yourself the question “would I have done it that way?”. Between my husband and I we run eight businesses and there’ll never be a dinner that we don’t go to when we’re analysing the design of the menu, or their promotions, or the customer service. Even on our honeymoon we were looking at businesses and analysing them - like I said, it never leaves you!

How important is it for you to have a genuine love for your work? Could you do what you do if you were simply going through the motions?

It’s everything! I wouldn’t be involved in any business unless I had a genuine interest and passion for that business. It’s more important to me than making a lot of money. I want my work to count for something and I want to leave a legacy.

Jan van Poortvliet from Chocogram

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:11:54 +1100

What makes Chocogram such a successful twist on traditional gift giving, even at an international level?

The concept of Chocogram is built around the personal message. Every chocogram is unique and the receiver is thrilled to be given a message that is just for them… it also helps that they can eat it when they have read it! As we say, it is the gift that won’t last! As consumers are running out of ideas in choosing gifts for loved ones, a Chocogram can always stand out and be different every time. Giving customers the chance to add their own personal touch is, I think, how the concept has been so successful.

Do you expect Australia to receive Chocogram with as much enthusiasm as the USA and Europe?

Yes, absolutely. Australians are fun, happy and giving and they like to please others. From our experience so far we see a lot of love being spread. But also happy birthdays and wishes being sent Australia wide. This is from a consumer point of view.

The business world is also reacting very positive to this new way of communicating. They can make a statement to their clients, use it to get past the gate keeper to secure a meeting or in continuing their customer relations, saying thank you for your business or support, introducing new products or services or, last but not least, acknowledging their staff.

How important is it to recognise gaps in niche markets? Is instinct and observation as important as experience and training?

It’s always better to be the first-mover in a market, then to try and catch up. You are the original brand and the one customers associate with a product. It’s being the first one to recognise a niche in the market that gives you this advantage. Though difficult it helps to always be observant. It might be that overhearing a conversation about an issue someone has or watching someone struggling with equipment gives you an idea that can become very successful. Being switched on while going about every day tasks is the key. Recognising that this is a product that can be feasibly developed is initially instinct. Some people can see there is an answer and some only see the problem.

Even when you have found a gap in a market, the hard part is still to come. You have to then develop the idea into a profitable product. When you are new in a country finding the right support and people that believe in your product is quite difficult, and takes a lot of energy. I think that perseverance and believing in your concept and your own strength is, like instinct and observation, critical to success.

Has your advertising, marketing and business experience in Holland carried through to your work in Australia?

Definitely. My experience with setting up strategies and developing ideas has been critical to the success of Chocogram in Australia. Having an experienced marketing career has helped me to create an effective business plan and develop a communication strategy. Strangely enough internet in Australia compared to Europe is relatively underdeveloped. It seems that businesses here underestimate the power of the web in relation to customer relation management and one to one marketing. It’s been interesting showing Australian businesses our product and helping them to catch a glimpse of this power.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt from your years of experience?

There are two lessons that I think are important. Firstly, after building my marketing and advertising company, an event decoration company, and now this brand new beginning in Australia I discovered that time is your friend as well as your enemy. Time moves slowly in the development stage as you always look to the future and see the potential of your business and so want to push ahead faster than is possible. On the other hand, time can also be your friend in growth stages as it allows you room to improve your business. It’s important not to move too fast and get carried away, always get as much done as you can, but don’t leave anything out in the development stage in trying to get ahead, or think you have plenty of time to plan later in the growth stage.

The second lesson is in customer services. This has always been my number one priority, so I try to keep customers in mind whenever I make decisions in the business. Customer service can build or break your business. A well run business leaves room for their clients, they stay in contact and recognise their wishes. Customers appreciate this and not only do they return to your business, but they also refer you to others. This is the key to keeping a business alive.

Chocogram™ sell a chocolate message you can personalise and send to anyone.

See: www.chocogram.com.au for more.

Tristan White from The Physio Co

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:08:53 +1100

The Physio Co is certainly a unique approach to physiotherapy and aged care. What prompted your realisation that there was an industry gap that needed filling?

I realised there was a niche that could be pursued while working as a physiotherapist for a small, private clinic. As part of my role, I visited and treated clients at a number of local aged care facilities. The service being provided at these facilities was very basic and irregular - I knew it could be done much better. There were, and still are, hundreds of thousands of senior and elderly people in Australia that could benefit from better physiotherapy and health services. The Physio Co specializes in making every consultation a memorable and enjoyable experience that improves quality of life. We are making a real difference to thousands of clients every week and growing at a rapid rate

Has retaining your personal values and vision been an important foundation for the Physio Co?

Absolutely. I value people - young and old. The Physio Co is built upon respect for our elderly clients and our dedicated team members. Being dependable, on time, communicating clearly and having some fun are all part of the service we provide. There is so much that our elderly clients can teach us in terms of their life experiences. If our team can contribute to making life just a little bit easier or more enjoyable for each of our clients, it will be worth it. Having a chat and sharing a laugh while undertaking some therapy and enjoying each others company is what The Physio Co is about.

Getting such a massive idea off the ground must have come with many challenges. How did you overcome these?

In 2004, I was a 23 year old recently graduated physiotherapist with little money, no history as an employer and working from a spare bedroom. Getting the runs on the board quickly and creating a good impression as both an employer and service provider were the real challenges. I overcame these by providing the best, most dependable and most refreshing service possible. I personally worked at more than 10 different locations each week and was as accommodating and helpful as I possibly could. I applied this same approach to recruiting and working with staff. If I found the right person to join the team, I would be as open and flexible as possible – we still are. If someone is the right fit for The Physio Co, we’ll find them the right role. Working in aged care has often been an ‘ugly duckling’ of the healthcare world – The Physio Co embraces elderly people and provides a remarkable service that is in strong demand.

Have you had any mentors or guides throughout the process?

When I started the business I was very green. I had a vision to create a business that improved the quality of life of our elderly clients and those who joined our team. In order to formalise the vision and seek assistance I did two things: I undertook a small business course at the Kangan Batman TAFE in Richmond, and I entered a business planning competition – Shell Livewire.

Both of these programs were very helpful and connected me with some great people. I was a finalist in the Livewire competition and my mentor assigned to me from that competition works in the business today as our consultant accountant - Ben has become a trusted part of our team along with a great personal mentor and friend.

Creating a supportive team environment must be a rewarding process. What qualities do you look for in your team members?

The most important qualities that I look for in our prospective team members are great communication skills, enthusiasm and a genuine interest in working with the elderly. We have a great training program and support system in place that means we can teach our staff what is required to create great outcomes for their clients – the right attitude however, is a must. I believe that if every team member knows what’s expected of them and they’re supported to achieve those goals, then work will be much more enjoyable. We do everything possible to ensure that our physios have as much time as possible to do what they love doing: helping people.

A challenge for our physios involves working at various locations with different people every week – this can be isolating for some physios. We do our best to overcome this by encouraging our staff to become a part of the care team at each and every location. Our staff become good friends with the nurses, carers, clients and family members – they are sorely missed if they ever move on to a new location!

The Physio Co has regular team meetings where we keep in touch, review recent physiotherapy research, have guest presenters and share our successes. A great sense of achievement and worth is created within our team by working together and also having a few laughs - the likeable oldies (our clients) often amuse us and it’s great to share some of these sayings with each other!

What is the most valuable piece of business advice you have received?

The most valuable advice that I have been given and that I try to empower our team members to embrace is to ‘be remarkable’. The term remarkable quite simply means for someone to remark about you. By providing a refreshing and high quality service The Physio Co aims to be the most talked about people in our industry. If we can achieve this, we will avoid complacency and can continue to grow into one of the most trusted and recognizable brands for all seniors.

The Physio Co is a specialist physiotherapy provider to the aged care industry.

See: www.thephysioco.com.au for more.

Llew Jury from Reload Consulting

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:03:31 +1100

You have had extensive experience in your career – how did you get started? Did you know the direction you wanted to head in?

I actually didn’t study IT or web design at university, but when I graduated in the mid 1990’s, it seemed like a growing industry to be part of. I started in IT product development and marketing, working for a small ISP that needed to build up their video conferencing software and dial up subscribers.

This was a great way to cut my teeth in the industry and then in the late nineties, my brother Al and I set up Alfresco Design, as we thought the Queensland and Australian markets needed more business focused and customer driven web solutions.

Were your experiences at Alfresco Design beneficial to where you are now?

Definitely. I believe in the 7 years of running Alfresco Design, and growing from nothing into Queensland’s leading web design company, I did the equivalent of a MBA but with more practical real world problem solving.

You tend to quickly learn on the job in the web game as you need to be reviewing and changing the business both operationally and strategically on a daily basis.

My time at Alfresco Design definitely helped with this.

You survived the dotcom bust of 2000/2001 – how did this affect you and what did it teach you?

We were fairly lucky to be small enough to ride it out when it hit, although we did see many larger competitors fall over during this time.

We figured that if we had patience, we could move into the vacuum left over and then grow quickly post 2001. This is what happened in all areas of the business.

From the dot com burst we also learnt that in any business macro forces can really impact on cash flow and sales generation. So we diversified the services offered and leveraged new markets that then assisted the original business model of web design.

One of these was our online survey tool called eSurveys.com.au that went really well Australia wide and opened up contacts at the CEO level.

What mistakes do you commonly see being made by beginners in the industry?

As a business strategist assisting many web company’s, I often see many business owners not realising how much time and effort it takes to build a successful web or IT business. Most people don’t realise that many web design business owners don’t earn the same as their own senior staff might earn, as IT salaries are so high and retention rates so important.

Many also get caught out with GST payments too and the process of managing cash flow. They often forget that at the end of the day they are running a business first and foremost. The creative work is really the output, rather than the first priority.

Where do you go for ideas and creative inspiration?

Normally the Internet trough blogs, newsletters and industry groups like AIMIA. Also through my networks of creative industry people and BRW magazine for business related news.

Overseas travelling helps too, especially seeing what the UK and US markets are doing within the industry.

Do you see Reload Consulting undergoing many big changes in the next five years?

Definitely. We are a track to become one of Australia’s leading search engine optimisation, internet marketing and web strategy companies through our Reload Media brand.

We also have some exciting opportunities for the business strategy and business coaching side of the business under the Reload Consulting brand too.

Reload Consulting is focused on complete customer service by producing the very best and innovative business planning and digital marketing solutions for their clients.

See: www.reloadconsulting.com and www.reloadmedia.com.au for more.

Jamie Ling from Inspired Adventures

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:00:58 +1100

What is an Inspired Adventure and where did the idea come from?

Inspired Adventures is a way to get you fit for a great cause, give you an incredible overseas adventure you’ve always dreamed of and raise funds for Australia’s leading charities. The concept is simple; take the challenge of fundraising a minimum amount (it’s different for each adventure), train for your challenge whether it be a trek, cycle or marathon, then be rewarded with the sense of achievement that comes from helping others and the adventure of a lifetime.

After a chance meeting with a Tibetan Monk while on a trip to India, Justine decided to leave the corporate world and get involved in the charity sector. In 2004 she set up a charity adventure business. Remembering the monk, she approached the Australia Tibet Council and created ‘Trek for Tibet’. The trek was a great success, 20 wonderful trekkers and $50,000 for the ATC. ‘Inspired Adventures’ was born!

What has been your biggest challenge so far in running the company?

Our biggest challenge has been marketing the adventures, getting the message out there in a tough, saturated travel market

These adventures aren’t something you just do overnight. What do people get out of them? Do they come back a different person?

The word that encapsulates the Inspired Adventures experience is “empowerment”, both for the individual who takes the journey from registration to return and the charity that has vital funds raised for them.

It requires something special to take a stand for a charity and be prepared to fundraise for them, it requires commitment and drive to train for months on end to climb Kilimanjaro or run the New York Marathon or trek the Kokoda Track and it takes determination and inner-strength to complete the challenge.

People come away from an Inspired Adventure empowered by a sense of achievement, they know themselves as people of action, motivated and altruistic.

“One of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life. Travelling with a fabulous group of people, all of us working towards a common goal, raising money for a wonderful charity (Save the Children Australia). Encouragement and support amongst the group got us to the finish line”
Rachael Dove, Save the Children Australia Vietnam Cycle Challenge 2008

If you could go back a few years and tell yourself something when you were just starting the business, what would it be?

You know more than you think you do, you are an expert in your field and there is no reason why the business you run cannot be as successful as the companies that have inspired you.

What will Inspired Adventures look like in 2010?

It will be the organisation that people turn to if they decide to do something more than “just go on holiday this year”.

We will expand to have 30 Charity Partners, 50+ adventures including ultra-marathons, marathons, corporate challenges and school challenges. Offices in Sydney & Auckland.

..and everyone in Australia and New Zealand knowing someone who has done an Inspired Adventure.

Jamie Ling is a Co-Founder and Director of Inspired Adventures.

Tim Bishop from Man With A Van

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:58:50 +1000

Man With A Van is a very simple concept that uses branding for elegant execution. How did you come up with the idea?

It occurred to me when I was student and needing to move myself that there were no removal
services specifically targeted at my demographic. All the business around were marketed in a style that would appeal to your grandparents. There were lots of dinosaurs in the industry.
It helped that I had a 12 year old bongo van which was “too old” for me to get work as a courier and I needed a flexible job around study.

Since starting it I’ve become aware that I’m not as original as I thought - there are already MWAV’s in England and the USA.

How did you develop the idea and turn it into a reality? Did you find investors or bootstrap it?

The first van was purchased for $1500 from money earned working as a bus boy in a nightclub. There are no investors thus far, we grow at a pace we can afford. The Man With A Van logo was done by a housemate in return for going down the street and getting him a slurpee and sausage roll.

I guess that’s the power of using your networks!

It seems one of the reasons the business has been successful is because it is such a simple value proposition. How do you deal with others who think they could easily do what you are doing? Is it already happening?

The two most similar competitors are an ex-housemate of mine and an ex-employee. They both saw it in it’s infancy, before we’d implemented the systems which enable it to grow. We hope that the innovations in our booking system, for example, will keep us ahead. Competition forces you to find different ways to differentiate yourself in the market which is not a bad thing.

How are you expanding the business - will it turn into Men with Vans? Man With A Plan (business solutions)? Man With A Can (sanitation)? Man With A Flan (bakery)?

People always ask this, an old girlfriend used to do the occasional move in her panel van, she was going to call her business “Fanny with a Panny”. Part of what enables us to grow is maintaining the KISS principle throughout the entire business, this way every time we add another van it’s a simple and painless process. We believe there’s still plenty of scope to expand through innovative marketing without seeking new revenue streams that would complicate the business system. Man With A Plan is good though. Might check if anyones trademarked it!

What do you wish you had been told before you went into the business?

Secure your intellectual property early (it’s taken us four years of wrangling to register our trademark). It’s money well spent early on because it will help you avoid spending a lot later one when your business is worth the big bucks.

Also where you can hire people smarter than yourself. Again on the intellectual property side we represented ourselves initially but after a time we got the lawyers involved which was something we should have done earlier.

Man With A Van currently operates 8 delivery vans in and around Melbourne with plans to expand statewide later in the year and nationally soon after that.

Phillip Kingston from Flogd

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:48:06 +1000

Which websites do you visit every day?

I visit all the usuals: Google, Facebook, and Wikipedia but I try to keep up with the Australian internet community. I like to see what everyone is doing, especially people I know. Since there are only a handful of Australian start-ups, I get around to most of them at least once a week. Generally though I keep pretty distant from what’s going on. It gives me more perspective and keeps me in touch with the “normal” internet user. It’s hard enough to market to normal people when you spend more than 12 hours a day on the internet.

Lots of people have business ideas but few move forward with them - how would you suggest they evaluate them? How should a person who is new to business get started?

As regards real businesses, I can’t really offer much advice - good luck. But, internet businesses are an entirely different story. My advice to anyone with an internet idea is to do it, then think about it later. First mover advantage is important, the long tail is proven. Even if there are mega competitors, there are always niches and local markets. The larger a competitor is the less in touch with their users there are, and this will always be your edge.

So, find a tech savvy person if you aren’t one and convince them of the idea. Then go from there. I recommend living from home, or finding a patron like a wealthy girlfriend or something. Either way you can always work outside a real job. Get the website up as quick as possible and listen to your users. Let them inform your service and you will have a market before long. Start small, provide good service. Focus on one area and do it well (ideally better than anyone).

Your tech savvy person should know exactly what I mean by go from there. Just build the website, upload it somewhere and market it. Remember, execution is important, but also that bad executions are often very popular - the key is satisfy consumers! Consumers opinions are all that matter. Don’t worry about professional critics unless they are the ones using your product. Always be conscious of the large tech divide between experts and normal people on the internet. Experts rarely have big wallets!

What common mistakes do you see startups make? How would you avoid them?

Don’t assume anything of your target market. It’s a very easy trap to fall into to assume that you somehow know what the market wants. Do market research where possible - but don’t get put off if you don’t like what you see. It isn’t necessarily bad if there are lots of established competitors. Consumers mature with competition. If you have a nice interesting angle on an idea, a mature market will appreciate it better than a young market.

Try not to change your business direction every day - it is very tempting.

Sustainability is increasingly on our minds these days, how is that going to affect business in the next 5 years?

Companies are finding there is labour market, government, lobby group and consumer pressure to be sustainable. This is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to innovate and differentiate themselves. Every threat is an opportunity. Business culture, product, service and image has and will continue to change as sustainability becomes more and more ingrained into the balance sheets and is more effectively priced by the stock market.

In terms of internet businesses - the tangible effect is probably going to be pretty small but I think there is a massive green washing opportunity. By and large, the internet is an environmentally friendly way to spend your Saturday nights. We are already seeing and definitely going to see more internet businesses carbon offsetting their own server networks, and their users power consumption to view their site. I wouldn’t be suprised to see people also off-setting portions of ISP power, hardware production and other inputs.

There are going to be businesses making all sorts of claims and it will be very difficult for consumers to obtain accurate information so I think we’ll see some kind of reporting standard before long.

Your startup Flogd allows people to sell products through widgets on their Myspace and Facebook profiles, blogs, and websites - do you think widgets are going to become more prolific in the online space?

I think so – the Internet is seemingly booming on smaller modular businesses coming together to deliver longer value chains. The days are numbered in many ways for large corporate domination online. Phenomena like the long tail are changing the role of smaller businesses. These business often develop a widget like product and so it is very likely that widget growth will continue to skyrocket.