BUSINESS

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Georges River Business spotlight

Live Well is always finding ways to better support our community.

Owner Matthew Mazzafero said, Each month the Live Well team invite a health and fitness expert to our team meeting to educate us on how to better support our community to provide that support.

During December 2020 we were lucky to have Mindfulness Coach Adrian Spears come in and discuss mental health issues and advanced goal setting.

Adrian treats people face to face and virtually and specialises in depression, addictions, relationships, anger/stress management, anxiety loss and grief.

Want to know more about Live Well Fitness? Contact Matthew Mazzafero and his team at livewellfitness.com.au and see how they are actively dedicated to supporting the community, through providing trustworthy health services and advice.

Aleksandar Arnautovic, Director of Sydney Air & Solar

Local expertise offers Qantas staff second chance of employment amid pandemic

While adapting to the “new normal” post COVID-19 environment and anticipating more uncertainty, a local trades business realised there was an opportunity to offer positions to former Qantas engineers who were seeking temporary employment.

Local business Sydney Air & Solar had first-hand experience that running a small business is not as romantic as “being your own boss” and was instead a life changing challenge especially for a COVID-proof business model.

They have been forced to make consistent adjustments to their products and services in response to public health orders and shifting consumer behaviour.

Aleksandar Arnautovic, Director of Sydney Air & Solar explained that, “Pre COVID-19 we operated as a training school known as Trayn who focused on teaching handson trade skills including air conditioning installation, work safety in confined spaces and work safety from heights. "Once COVID-19 hit, it became increasingly difficult to continue training so we decided to adjust our core business to the installation of solar systems and air conditioning units.

"As we adapted our business model from Trayn to an installation service, it became crucial we rebrand our business to Sydney Air & Solar.”

With customers spending longer hours working from home, Aleksandar recognised the growing need to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of the home office. He seized the opportunity, made the snap decision to pivot the focus of his business to the installation of air conditioning and solar panels. The team were able to upskill staff, compensate assets for new equipment to keep up with demands, design a new brand and logo, relaunch their website and develop an advertising campaign.

For Sydney Air & Solar, it is all about being able to keep clients engaged, whether that is through a new business model, community support or online presence.

Work-life balance for women in business

Katherine Blizard established and built a highly profitable café and bookstore from scratch, then turned her focus to help other small business owners succeed as a business advisor.

“I lived in Georges River all my life. What has made this area a success for businesswomen is the sense of community. I am never short of helping hands from the neighbourhood to balance my work and family life. My business tends to and always seems to attract people who want to work close to home. Creating job opportunities is something that enables me to give back to the community, later building a team that take inspiration to do bigger and better things for Georges River.”

Philippa Aslanis left the corporate world to indulge herself in what she called a side hustle with ‘Intimo’ lifestyle brand. Philippa managed to turn her side hustle into a multi-million-dollar business.

“I moved to the Georges River area 25 years ago with 2 toddlers. My husband and I loved this area as it offered us the opportunity to raise our children in a gorgeous part of Sydney, it’s very family orientated and community based. My business would not be its scale today without the support of local women. I am grateful every day for those women who believed in me and my business vision. 22 years on, it is still going strong and continues to grow.”

Sarah Cummings is juggling many balls, including running Sarah Cummings Consulting, as well as building her start-up business ‘Teach Ted’ with her business partner. “The strong and welcoming neighbourhood in this area has been the key to me to keep the leap into building my own businesses. By getting involved in local playgroups and volunteering, I met my Teach Ted co-founder, found work colleagues and business referrers, later developed an amazing network that helped my family juggle all of our commitments as well as retain my sanity through a sometimes-chaotic work and home life.”

Council reflects our community

Women make up more than 40% of Georges River Council’s workforce, occupying the majority of the Executive and Management positions. This includes several roles in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as Depot Operators, Rangers and Bushcare Managers.

Georges River Council provides inclusive work place practices to support professional women.

Images (clockwise from the top): Philippa Aslanis, Sarah Cummings and Katherine Blizard