The View
yours
free
take me home EDITION TEN 2012
[real] people lives stories
NEW!
Drive and Money
Sections
Bambi Wixon
on the other side of the lens
Mind over Fashion how to always look fabulous in your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and beyond
Career Creation and extinction - trends to watch
Jody Allen
Win a Spring / Summer
Style Makeover ABSOLUT STREET FOXY LADY LA BELLA
how a Gympie stay at home mum found herself at the head of a social media empire
details INSIDE
Role Reversal
gympie womens health
Photos: Photography By Bambi
contents On The Cover Behind the Lens. We take you into the life and story of Bambi Wixon - the woman behind our great photography 22 Feature Stories Mind over Fashion - is it possible to look good with little time and little budget? 8
16
Career Creation and Extiction trends to watch 16 Was it worth a Gamble?
32
Challenges & Awards
40
Regulars Editors Note 4 I say, You Say 28 Health Life, Success & Happiness 36 Super Foods 36 Beautiful Smile 37 Fashion Zest up your style 26 GWIB Event Upcoming Guest Speakers 25 Business NEW: Money 30 NEW: Drive 33 NEW: Marketing 38 Lifestyle Invite Spring In 34 Aunty Pearl Says 35 Living Online - Profile v Page 35 Tech Talk - Managing IT 39 Local Events Calendar 41 Giveaways Make my Business Rock 6 Turn My Life Around a new you for 2013 23 Style Makeover 42
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I’m going to start this issue’s Ed note by saying the one constant in life is change, the problem is you can’t count on what type your going to get. Life may throw you a curve ball when you least expect it but you will be better for it or at least your resilliance will. Change moved into 8 Duke St sometime in July and it has made itself rather comfy for the last few months. As a result Gympie Women in Business has a new look and website, the Latte Lounge has opened and the magazine has a new name. ‘The View’ represents our entire region, every reader, every business, all people... and all the important and different ‘views’ and perspectives one can have to the many versions of life. From business to family, friends and fashion if you throw it all in a pot and stir, you somehow bake up some kind of wonderful every time - the recipe of ‘life’. So, it should make sense that the overall theme of this issue is change, reinvention, new beginnings. Perhaps sometimes it is as simple as seeing for the first time what has been in front of you all along. Sometimes you find this out for yourself, othertimes you need everything from a gentle nudge to a semi trailer to make you see it. From careers invention and re-invention to style makeovers to putting our photographer on the other side of the lense to Gympie Women and District Health role reversal to our name change. There has been nothing but change in all apects of my life, and once again I realise I am only human as hard as it may be, this is true for all of us. 3 weeks ago my parents completed rennovating an old schooner - it took 2.5 years and everything they had, the support of their Church community and the expectations of a nation to do it. At 62 and 59 respectively my Father and Mother have set sail for PNG. There they will build a school, a community centre and a bible
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college. Some may say they have given up life as they know it, yet they know they have gained life as they wish it. They are brave because they have faith and they choose to follow their hearts. To do what it takes, to achieve what they beleive they were put on this earth to do. How many of us have this conviction? Sometimes when you look back a hard road behind can mean only a smooth road ahead, then and only then you know it was all worth it. One thing remains true - if you persevere, it is always worth it. You will always look back, but then look forward - it is the direction you step at this time that is important. Now I realise that all this may seem a bit ‘zen’ but I guess that’s where I am at. I’m almost 40 and I think I may have mentioned this before, but it means you have less time to waste time. So today I look back, I look forward and I walk in the direction I choose. I firmly believe that as long as one walks with integrity then it doesn’t matter the direction. Many have asked and many more will ponder, how many of us will do?
Questions, Comments, Suggestions? send yours to editor@gympiewib.com
The Team at The View HQ Shannon McVey Editor / Advertising Carol Flikweert Art Director Gympie Women in Business 8 on Duke phone 5483 7018 theview@gympiewib.com
Photography Bambi Wixon Photography by Bambi Lifestyle Women’s Health Julie Austin Women’s Health
Life etc Heather Parsons Aunty Pearl Blogger Bruce Devereaux Big Family Little Income
Dental Health Mark Cull Channon and Lawrence
Lee Tompkins The Weekly Observer
Interiors Marylou Cartwright Your Sanctuary
Fashion Dee Keep Blush Instyle
Health Paula Cartwright Naturopath
Hair & Beauty Gina Drescher Your Serenity
Business Legal Selena Cartwright Baldwin Cartwright Lawyers Money Anthony McPhee Charter Partners Drive John Madill Toyota Technology Mark Goding Gold City Computers Online Audrey Plate Brightspark Websites Marketing Shannon McVey Born Creative
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Janet, Julie & Carol have been working their new looks all winter - now it’s your turn! SEE PG 42 FOR ENTRY DETAILS
50’s 40’s
From Left: Julie wears Foxy Lady, Janet wears La Bella, Carol wears Absolut Street.
30’s
Style Makeover: Mind over Fashion
Shannon McVey
Think it’s too hard? Think you can’t look like a superstar because of
No! It is all a myth! And we proved it. For a bit of fun and as a bit of a social experiment we took 3 women who were guilty of believing in some if not all of the above and turned their opinions and their wardrobes on their heads!
or maybe you think you can’t get the help you need right here in town?
Think of it like a recipe: it doesn’t have to be soufflé every day. Think 4 ingredients makeovers style 1) wardrobe staples, foundation pieces (ones that fit your body shape now) 2) good knickers and bra, 3) a snip here and there 4) a dash of lippy and vioala! Just look at the results!
Some people always look amazing – no matter what, how do they do it? Is it as hard as it seems and does it take the hours of preparation we all fear? Do we need to take out a small loan each season to fund our wardrobe update? Do we need to be size 10 and 10D and own a waist like barbie?
Our 3 brave ladies, in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s put themselves on style trial Viewstyle with a head to toe revamp from the inside out. We proved it doesn’t matter what your age you can wear fabulous fashion, hair and make-up and look great! These lucky ladies had an entire day of star treatment from our View team.
1) time 2) budget
It felt like the entire town was in on it! We had three of our fabulous fashion boutiques; Absolute Street, Foxy Lady Boutique and La Bella all on board plus Your Serenity Hair & Beauty, Madame Rouge Make-up and Photography by Bambi. Every one of them found the experience a positive one and most important of all it was a lot of fun! Everyone – men and women alike deserve to have an overhaul in all aspects of life. Think of it as a 100,000km service but perhaps we should book it in once a year instead of once a decade.
Wish this was you? It could be. We’re giving you the chance to enjoy the same experience. Turn to page 42 for all the competition details. 9
Fashion Disaster to Fashion Diva...
MYTH CONCEPTION “I just don’t have enough time”
Carol Flikweert
Mum, Busy Career woman Sports fiend, Volunteer – 30’s
HAIR CRIME: Same hairstyle different lengths for the last decade and thinking she had been changing her hair.
STYLE CRIME: Thinking she was a size 14 when she was a 10. MAKEUP CRIME: Using the same make-up for the past 3 years. PHOTO SHOOT VERDICT: page 13
STYLE - from hidden to hot! When we were asked to be involved in this amazing story I jumped at the chance! Like so many mums Carol had been putting herself last on the list and was dressing totally wrong for her body shape and size. A fabulous figure and a funky style was hidden behind all the wrong clothes. She was wearing things she’d had since her teenage years! We selected items to suit her body shape and skin tone and that could also be mixed and matched to create an affordable capsule wardrobe update. Carol is tall with a sporty physique, she actually thought she was a size 14 when she was in fact a size 10! We added basics and colour into her wardrobe with 8 foundation items that could be worn over 15 different ways. To finish and keep her on trend we added accessories such as handbags, a scarf, and a set of black heels that went with every piece and would take her from day to night. Carol was amazed at what she found in the store that she could wear, and look amazing in! 10
Any ladies out there who want to update their look can come and see us. We cater for any occasion and for any age group and at very affordable prices, we also offer a layby system to help with payment so you can extend your wardrobe at your own pace. Our staff have years of experience in the fashion industry and we are about working with you to create a look that works for you. Step outside your comfort zone and you will be amazed with the transformation. Just ask Carol.
It seems ridiculous that someone who’s livelihood centres on creativity has less than a clue when it comes to fashion, that was until I relinquished control and put my ‘look’ in the hands of the experts. When I was first asked to participate (or I could say when the magazine team dobbed me in ... only consolation is Julie was guilty as wel!) in the make-over I was excited about the possibilities. Would I love my new look, but more importantly would I be able to maintain it? I’m the girl who visits the hairdresser 3 times a year and dreads clothes shopping because it makes me giddy. Any fear I may have had was instantly dissipated when I met with my stylists. These women make you feel completely relaxed and comfortable in the ‘skin you’re in.’ They know what works for your body shape, skin tone, eye colour, and they know how to make your style achievable day in, day out. Even when you’re still yelling at the kids at 8.55 to hurry up and put their shoes on because you have 2 school drop-offs before you need to start work at 9! - Carol Flikweert
HAIR - Fun and funky. Carol needed a style and colour to reflect her creativity and busy role as mum of two. A style that was both funky and practical was the answer. Her hair colour was extremely flat and the length heavy and solid. Carol has the most beautiful brown/ green eyes, but with her old hair you would never have noticed them. We created a heavily textured, asymmetrical layered cut with loads of free movement. Carol can straighten, curl, flick, piece out, scrunch and generally just play with her new cut. The colour added depth to her skin tone and drew attention to those eyes. Copper red for a bold effect and blonde highlights to define and separate the layers with a cool dark base. The end result, her creative flair is in full swing.
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Hidden Beauty Emerges...
MYTH CONCEPTION “Too expensive and just not practical”
Julie Austin
Mum, Career Woman – 40’s
HAIR CRIME: Same hair cut since she was in highschool!
STYLE CRIME: Loose clothes that were too big for her and hid her amazing waist.
MAKEUP CRIME: Thinking make-up was a mission. Too hard, takes too long. PHOTO SHOOT VERDICT: page 13
STYLE - vintage layering Julie Austin, the amazing lady behind Gympie Women’s Health (GWHC), is someone who was so deserving of this day! Julie works tirelessly for other women in our community and has been faced with the realities of government funding cuts, which have lead to less counselling hours being available to those women in need in our community. GWHC fills a very large gap in our service provision and every year Julie and her team are involved in many suicide interventions that would otherwise be missed by our health systems current services. We chose Julie as she was the prime candidate for a style make over. She’d been wearing the same hairstyle since highschool and dressed every day in pants or jeans with basic tops, cardigans or jackets. While this look can work well it was hiding Julie’s true beauty and distracting from her features. We actually discovered a body under all those layers of loose clothes! Julie just needed to try new shapes and a good bra! Her love of vintage came through
in the pieces she chose but she also looked stunning in the trench. The key was layers and showing off those great ankles. Photo shoot She was a natural in front of the camera! Julie you rock! Make-up Julie has beautiful skin that real peaches and cream a great base for make-up and those amazing blue eyes that were not being given the centre stage they deserved they were ready to pop!
Apprehension and dread were the first emotions I felt when invited to take part in the make over. By nature, I’m not what you would call a “girly-girl”, hence the default to long hair, minimal make up, jeans at home or dress pants for work. I feel really comfortable in my “uniform”, and it serves the purpose of getting me places on time, since I don’t have to do much to my hair or really think about what to wear. But I have to admit that I was getting tired of looking tired, and I was happy to let talented and skilled women take control. I really dread the whole shopping, hair, make up and photo experience, but Foxy Lady, Your Serenity, Madame Rouge and Photography by Bambi are places that any woman can feel comfortable. I did. They were supportive and encouraging, I felt reassured surrendering to their expertise. I am so happy to have a different look, and feel really uplifted and energised by the whole experience. I would recommend it to any woman looking to shake off the shroud of years of comfortable, especially in the hands of such talented women. Gympie really is full of such wonderful surprises! - Julie Austin
HAIR - A short cut and highlights brighten Julie’s look. After discussing Julie’s lifestyle and hair regime with her, we opted with cool blonde foils finely weaved and cool violet based foils to match Julie’s beautiful blue eyes. Because Julie has a cool complexion, any warmth would make her washed out and dreary looking. We opted for a sleek concave bob to match her smooth straight hair, to give her a lovely professional look. With Julie’s busy schedule at work, writing for the magazine and her two teenage children, she finds it hard to fit in hair appointments every six weeks, so we decided to keep her colour soft and subtle with less maintenance. 11
Faded Canvas to Classic Style...
MYTH CONCEPTION “Not worth all the Fuss”
Janet Munn Semi-retired Nana – 50’s
HAIR CRIME: Thought she couldn’t wear short hair and the grey was there to stay
STYLE CRIME: Jeans and long pants that hid those incredible legs!! MAKEUP CRIME: Not taking care of her skin and wearing all the wrong colours PHOTO SHOOT VERDICT: opposite
STYLE - legs that needed to be seen Janet in her 50’s was so guilty of the myth ‘it’s just not worht it’ translated as I’m just not worth it, it’s too hard! Well Karen at La Bella knew better and boy did she help Janet see what a wonderful canvas she really was. Hidden in those 3 sizes to big, ill fitting jeans were some seriously hot legs that needed showing off! “Janet had a great sense of style naturally in what she liked and was naturally drawn too, she really couldn’t beleive her legs could look so incredible” Janet is the classic case of not working your best assets. The jeans and short top cut Janet in two and made her look short in the body and frumpy. This was all just a bad illusion as Janet has got a great figure! A good well fitted bra solved alot of Janets upper body challenges. I find that so many ladies think that they just can’t be stylish beause they have a 4 or a 5 in their age. Style trancends age and you take it with you - like good cheese and wine our style should just get better with age. By coming in with an open mind Janet allowed herself to see new possibilities for herself in terms of style. Any ladies that want to try something new, that need a little style counsel we are here to help. 12
“We had such a great time helping Janet find her style again, we can’t wait to help the winner of this issues Spring/ Summer Makeover competition”
When I was first asked if I would like to be part of this project I was a bit excited and a bit scared. This is not something I would ever have done for myself, so I went into it, eyes open, with no idea what to expect. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. I had my hair done on Saturday by Gina at Your Serenity, a style nothing like I would have asked for but judging by the many comments from family and friends, and my own opinion, a great result! Monday was a very hectic day but so enjoyable to be caught up in the bustle and buzz that was there for me. Karen at La Bella Boutique was so helpful and just kept mixing and matching until we had some great outfits. It is nice to just let the experts do their job and wait for the end result, which was fabulous. I felt comfortable and special and a little bit glam. Having zero experience with anything like this Bambi was very supportive and skilled at setting the shots. I had a truly crazy but fantastic day with all the ladies and thoroughly recommend it to everyone. Every woman should go out and have a glamour day. - Janet Munn
Hair - Colour and cut to accentuate eyes Janet is a friendly, energetic individual who lives life to the fullest but her style does not reflect this. Her hair was long and shapeless and colour (well none). Grey or platinum blonde can be beautiful but in Janet’s case extremely ageing. Janet loves to have fun and is a familiar face at all the dances so I wanted her new style to reflect this. We chose a beautiful cropped layer cut with a swooping asymmetrical fringe. Janet was concerned about her ears, but as you can see with a soft feathered outline and creating a beautiful focal point of colour in the fringe, your eyes are drawn elsewhere. With the colour I also wanted to accentuate those blue eyes and bring out that great personality, so a blue based red with a few warm highlights to define the elongating fringe and create a focal point. Janet was also given a galvanic spa facial to make her skin glow and rejuvenate and this beautiful lady was ready to hit the dance floor.
Carol looked great on camera she rocked the red jeans and that smile was fantastic!
PHOTO SHOOT
VERDICT
Janet played the part perfectly. She looked stunning in this dress and leggings!
Julie oozed sophistication in the leopard print trench. Classic style and warm smile!
WIN A STYLE MAKEOVER Rock a new look like our ladies, in the next issue!
Janet, Julie and Carol having fun in front of the camera!
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fashion commandments to live by Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter ... 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s it doesn’t matter.
Alissa says good jeans are a must, invest time in 4 trying them on and money on a pair that look hot!
Jenny says invest in foundation pieces that are timeliess and good quality, buy one good piece to last.
Stay on trend with accessories Alissa’s top tip to always keep your look current
Buy simple items that you can mix and match to stay on trend, in season and on budget! Ask in store for advice on how to dress-up your look with accessories and shoes.
all ‘your’ years round
Alissa, Jenny and Karen share their Fashion Top Tips!
After style makeovers our ladies rocked their new looks all winter. With help from the best in town they uncovered their fashion mojo, and now its your turn! 3 readers will WIN Spring/Summer makeovers from Absolut Street, Foxy Lady and La Bella! With new hair by Your Serenity Hair & Beauty, Styling by Blush Insyle and a Photo Shoot with Photography By Bambi go to page 42 Layby for now, think ahead buy at end of season sales your wallet will thank you.
You’ll be surprised how much you can save when you get the right advice. Last season’s wardrobe can be given this season’s look by adding the right jacket, jewellery or belt.
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Karen says choose items you can mix and match for a variety of looks on a budget
Remember when...
you were growing up, before computers were in school, before apple and microsoft the internet, ipods, mobile phones?
Social media in particular has delivered an entire generation of new careers that are still evolving. Is Social Media here to stay? – yes, yes, yes. But are all careers destined to die at the hands of the internet? Thankfully no, but they are changing as we culturally and socially develop – women for example have careers now in industries that seemed like forever to remain ‘a man’s world’.
Shannon McVey
Younger folk like gen x and y might think this was centuries ago, truth is it’s just years - like 20 for computers in schools and 5 for ipods! The world has shrunk and is shrinking and it is being driven by arguably one of the most significant developments in history. The internet and the ensuing ‘online’ explosion. In particular the main culprit Social Media Miracle - Facebook … anyone remember what life was like pre-FB? If you’re almost 40 like me, chances are you will remember all of this. Back then (in the 90’s) when you hit grade 10 it was time to decide on one’s career and then the appropriate university course. This was followed by a job in an appropriate company as a junior followed by 5 years or so of hard graft before you possibly moved on still in the same chosen career. My grandfather was one of those people who started in the mail room at David Jones when he was 15 and retired a senior manager still at David Jones. He was the career dinosaur – now it’s me. Just 2 short decades ago we used to say when I grow up I am going to be a: lawyer, doctor, engineer and this is what you were – for life. Today, forget it! People change jobs like it’s the weekend and careers as often as we change season – this is the norm. Every day new careers are being created and driven by our rapidly changing world and everyone’s an entrepreneur. 16
Some most certainly are extinct – elevator operators, milkmen, photographic processors... remember when you used to have to take your film to be developed and wait a day or more to get photos back? Some however will always remain (we hope) so very much authentic and real, simply because they cannot be replaced by technology. As we reflect on the Olympics we can once every 4 years be inspired by the most pure of career choice – to use ones physical body. Yes, technology plays a role in refining this tool (speedo swim suits) but at the end of the day it’s the athlete and their arms or legs that are going to have to do the job. And importantly I can sit and watch this with my children and explain something to them for a change. Other industries like Agriculture will also remain. Let’s hope we continue to support this endangered species by feeding ourselves and our children food that originates from soil – preferably Australian. So what are some of the more unusual things people find themselves doing? How about packing and sending eyeballs, hearts and plucks by post around Australia? Or managing a fan base of over 60,000 people that follow your every post? Or, being responsible for over 500tonne (that’s half a million kilo’s) of truck? We met all of these women and found out exactly what it was like! Here are their stories...
Once Upon A Time... ... there was a Stay At Home Mum who found a pot of gold at the end of the social media rainbow. Eighteen months ago Jody Allen was a stay at home mum struggling to make ends meet. Fast-forward, today she owns one of Australia’s most popular blogs, ‘Stay at Home Mum’ (SAHM).
Career Creation & Extinction
When I spokle to Jody she had over 75,000 followers on Facebook now its over 90,000 and heading to 100,000 fast! SAHM has corporate sponsorship from big brands like OMO, Sunbeam, Open Universities Australia and Sodastream and yes they come to her; and yes she is a Gympie woman in business. We first met Jody in March when she and Nicole Millard were guest speakers at a GWIB event, it was their first public presentation they had ever been asked to do. “I started the Facebook Page in January 2011, I had no idea what ‘blogging was’. I just ‘blurted out’ my day-to-day running of a household,
and how I managed to live ‘less and simply’. It hit a chord with other Mums. At one stage the Facebook Page was receiving 1500 likers a day! A website was next. Jody had people asking her to share her information, she needed somewhere to ‘store’ everything she posted and she needed to monetise the business. “I needed money. I had zero start up funds, it had to pay for itself from the first day. I didn’t think it would end up making money” SAHM the business had its first birthday on the 1st July 2012, it celebrated with
eight part time staff and the new Stay at Home Mum website will be launched in August as the original site struggles to cope with the enormous amount of traffic - 5 million hits a month. A ‘good problem’ Jody says. “I love how the business genuinely helps women. It is their place to go to for support, information and a sense of community. Being at home with the kids can be very isolating - and Stay at Home Mum changes that.’ So who is this woman behind this social media phenomenon? Is she really a SAHM? Read on to find out... 17
JODY ALLEN - FACEBOOK ENTREPRENEUR We got to know Jody and found out she is a self confessed dag, rather shy, a closet rockabilly diva, someone who hates public speaking but has great taste in wall paper and well she really is just like you and I. When I grow up I want to be... Mia Freedman or JK Rowling. I love what I do because... I get to work from home in my tracksuit pants! [and yes she does]. It’s funny because I’m on the phone to massive companies in Sydney and Melbourne, if only they could see what I was dressed in! But seriously, I genuinely get to help people and I get to use every creative bone in my body! I love writing - and blogging is so easy because you write as you speak! When people refer to you as an entrepreneur what do you say? I find it hilarious! I certainly don’t count myself as one just yet, I’m just getting used to the idea of maybe being an aspiring entrepreneur. But I’ll fake it until I make it. Do you look back and forward and wonder what has happened in the last 12 months? I can’t believe how fast this business has grown in a single year. It is a perfect example of finding something you love doing and turning it into a job. You are a SAHM but you run a business around the idea of a SAHM so aren’t you really a working mum? Well I suppose yes I am a working SAHM now, at the same time I’m still home with the kids, I still have to hang out the washing, pack lunches and fold mountains of laundry and then wash more. I still haven’t forgotten what it was like being a SAHM, and I like nothing better than donning an apron and baking a pie from scratch. How has social media changed the world – your world?
Social media has changed the world because it levels the playing field between small businesses - and multi million dollar companies. If a small town Mum like me can compete with the big boys - then anyone can. It’s an exciting time to be in business at any level. What is your ultimate goal? I want Stay at Home Mum to be the Google for Mums. A place they can go for reassurance, companionship or advice. Seeing the difference the website has made in some women’s lives already makes it all worthwhile. What are the top 5 on your bucket list? 1. To live in England for a year. 2. To write a historical novel on Anne Boleyn. 3. To learn to give a speech without getting sweaty palms and having my knees knock. 4. To have a Morris Major fully restored and painted green and cream. 5. To travel Route 66 in a Thunderbird. When you left school what did you want to do? My Year 12 yearbook had everyone’s photograph and what they wanted to be. Mine said ‘To start my own business’. Who do you most admire? Some of the women on my website are single Mums living on as little as $25 a week after their bills are paid. I find that simply incredible - and I admire that they can still be positive and make it work. What do you say to people who think it’s just not possible to find the success you have – ie does this really happen to people in the real world? Of course it does! I’m a normal everyday Mum, I’ve lived in Gympie forever, I’ve never considered myself especially good at anything until now. I think I’ve just found my niche, and I
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truly believe the saying that everything I have ever done to date has prepared me for this moment! Will you be a millionaire? I think I’ve got a long way to go before that happens. But it certainly isn’t outside the realms of possibility. I’ve never wished to be rich, just comfortable - so I hope that happens - soon! What is the best part about being a GWIB? Sharing business knowledge and ideas with my peers. Plus it’s great to have a break occasionally and just have a good giggle. Why do you love living in Gympie? I love that you can walk down the street and your guaranteed to run into people you know. People still smile and I love how the older gentlemen tip their hats. You just don’t get that in the big cities. Funniest SAHM moment? The first time someone asked how to make garlic bread - I wasn’t sure if they were serious or not. Turns out they were - and it is probably one of the most asked questions on the page! You didn’t have the pot of money to make it all happen - You’ve done it all on an oily rag – how? I had no choice - I had this amazing business opportunity fall in my lap - so I just worked hard and did everything I could possibly do myself. I had a great Web Techie that could see the potential and he gave me lots of leniency with paying him back for the website - thankfully I was able to do that very quickly. I also have two terrific business partners and a supportive husband that help me out! Best advice you can offer our readers? The harder you work, the luckier you get.
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5700 people applied, 55 got a job, I was one of them. I started 2 years ago in May 2010 at Clermont working for Rio Tinto – Clermont Coal. It is an open cut mine. I drive a Komatsu 930 - it’s 300tonne, and 500tonne fully loaded. I am part of the overburden crew and my job is to move the dirt from on top of the coal. I drive into the pit, reverse under a shovel or digger, they load me and then I drive up out of the pit onto the dumps. The pit is forever changing and there are a lot of different dig units so it never gets boring. I work 12 ½ hr shifts and the roster is one week on and one week off. The joke is ‘it’s my week off up at work and my week on when I’m at home!’ I am sure most mums could relate to that. We fly in and out of Sunshine Coast which makes it easy and quick to get home. Funny enough, Randal is still tree lopping and he is back to loving what he does. The opportunity has definitely strengthened me and I am grateful for the experience. I didn’t realise I hadn’t truly been out of my comfort zone until I started working in the mines. It is a different world and I’m not your typical truckie... not many truckies worry about matching their belt with their boots like I do! These things are important!
Rio Tinto
MELISSA BROWN - TRUCK DRIVER My husband Randal and I have Brown’s Professional Tree Service in town. A couple of years ago he wasn’t sure if it was what he wanted to do anymore.
I asked the question ‘What could I do that would bring in a similar level of income?’
giving him the chance to get out of the tree lopping industry and try something new. My sister has worked in the mining industry for about 10 years. At about that same time she came home one week and said that the mine she worked at was going to employ some ‘greenies’ (inexperienced operators) and I should apply.
My original thoughts were ... really ... a husband, three kids (Connor 14yrs, Jordan 13yrs and Ryleigh 10yrs) and a business to run, how is that going to work? However the idea grew on me. Driving dump trucks in the mines sounded like a great opportunity, so when they were advertised I sent off my resume. What a great job to get back into the workforce. I’d joke with my friends “Mrs Brown is off to the mines!”, secretly I thought I didn’t have a chance. Then one phone interview led to another. Then it was to Emerald for two face-to-face interviews, aptitude tests and a medical. That’s when I realised I might actually end up with this job! I remember saying to Randal ‘do I really want to do this?’ his response was ‘go for it, if you don’t like it you can always come home’.
However, I do take my job very seriously and my competitive nature has kept me in the top 3 truckies (on my crew) every month for the last 6 -8 months (girl power!) some of these months taking out number 1! We are assessed on our backing times under the dig units, changeovers, fuel and inspection times ... yes I have to refuel and check the oil on these big girls. As a family it works well. Randal can work the hours he needs to when I’m away - that includes washing, housework, lunches, teas and homework! We also have great support around us and we couldn’t do it without; our parents, both sets live here in Gympie, my three sisters are always on call (yay for big families!), our niece who I call my earth angel and our great network of real friends. When people ask are you enjoying it, my response is I love it! I know some people can’t get their head around it. How could I love it if I’m away from my family? The irony is I couldn’t do it and be away from my family if I didn’t! 19
review products, opportunities to attend PR events and offers of paid writing work. These offers dribble in when you first start but once I was receiving over 5000 unique views a month it started to get more constant. Replying to emails becomes something of a part time job in itself. But no matter what, writing quality content for my blog remains the first priority. To get to this point, my blog had developed a presence on a large portion of social media sites including Facebook {of course}, Twitter, Stumble Upon, Google+, Linked In, Flickr, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram. Look for Suger with an e on virtually any site and you will find me. Now I primarily focus on Facebook and Twitter because that’s where my readers are. If they move, I’ll follow them. My blog is now two and half years old and I derive up to 50% of my income from my blog. This occurs primarily through paid ad spaces and editorial insertions {sponsored posts and reviews}. I currently work with small businesses, national and multi-national companies as a brand representative or partner. I continue to seek out and partner with brands of interest to me and my readers, even educating some businesses on how best to utilise social media for their brand.
Suger Coat It
MELISSA WALKER HORNE - BLOGGER
I am pretty confident that when I was a child imagining my future career that I did not think I’d be a blogger and social media type geek. If you asked I would have told you I thought people who put stuff online were stupid and risky. I wanted to be an interior decorator or Prime Minister. It turns out I don’t have the drive or dedication required for the top job. When I left high school I went straight into a university course in business. A degree in Marketing was the initial plan or Advertising, maybe some Economics as well. Soon it was 2 years later and I was still deciding what it was that I wanted to do. So I did what I knew and put some years into real estate with my Mum. Over the years I have owned a café, gotten married, gone back into real estate and generally fiddled around for a while. Along the way I learnt some skills that would serve me well when it came to blogging; a bit about websites, a lot about marketing and a huge amount about doing what I said I would do.
A blog offers one heck of a learning curve when it comes to Social Media. To promote your posts you discover that you have to become an expert in all things social media across a number of platforms. We learn the platforms because that’s where our readers are. We work to develop our skills on how to grow a network, increase interaction and ultimately drive traffic to our primary website or blog. The realisation of this skill set lead to an uh huh moment. I was a social media consultant, of sorts. Late last year I co-hosted an event in Brisbane, workshopping blogs and branding with some of the most prominent bloggers in SouthEast Queensland. It really highlighted the market for this style of event and thirst for this type of knowledge. What I do is not a finite thing, Social Media is everchanging. As a blogger I must keep abreast of all these changes or I’ll get left behind. So now I talk with business owners about their online strategy, we work out a plan for them. We work on platforms to focus on, ways to reach out to potential customers and methods of delivery. Then I send them off for a month or two to do their thing. Last month some key Australian Bloggers {all women, some I consider friends} sat down with the Prime Minister for tea to discuss the developments online. Most of the bloggers invited, blogged about it providing pages and pages of web content about the PM. I’m not sure anymore if it was a fact finding mission or whether it was a government PR event.
After a few years of married life and a growing addiction to Google Apps my blog Suger Coat It was born. I joined blog groups and challenges, found blog directories and did a whole bunch of things to get my blog out there. And soon, it was.
But either way, one thing is clear bloggers and access to social media networks are the way forward for any brand or business. If the current Australian Government is interested enough to be asking, it really is time to get your business into the game. It’s an exciting industry to be in and one that is not so quietly finding its feet. I’m happy to have found my place in it and look forward to what comes next.
I started to find my feet on the blog and on various social media. My blog grew to the point where I received offers to
Now, who is going to break the news to 8 year old me that I’m not going to be Prime Minister?
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Dissection Connection
DEBRA COOK - DISSECTION SPECIMEN SUPPLIES
When I was little I wanted to be a lawyer, a doctor, a teacher, a hairdresser and an astronaut. Not necessarily in that order. When I grew up I became a school science lab technician - and I had to be a little bit of all those things in that job. One of the least pleasurable tasks for a school lab tech is going out to a butcher or an abattoir in your own car and picking up a bucket of blood and bits to bring back to school and sort through for dissection classes. Half the time the organs wouldn’t have been collected, or everything you ordered wasn’t there or had bits missing or were almost dissected in the abattoir before you got your hands on them. Things were better in places like Gympie
with ready access to an abattoir, but in the city, where butchers are an endangered species and they are negotiating with a wholesaler standing between them and the abattoir, it’s nearly impossible to get your pound of flesh.
where she came from but she arrived looking exactly as she does today and everything started to fall into place. People are drawn to her and she has made it so easy to market the business and have a bit of fun. In this business if you didn’t laugh you’d cry.
Dissection Connection sources and supplies dissection specimens for schools and educational institutions. The organs are inspected for dissection quality, vacuum packed, frozen and delivered to the door. The specimens are guaranteed to be suitable for dissection. No more hearts with the top cut off. No more cancelling eye dissections because they can’t get the stock. All the lab techs have to do is defrost them when they need them.
We do have a bit of trouble getting people around for barbecues now and I have some interesting conversations at parties. If I hadn’t moved to Gympie this business wouldn’t exist. We are perfectly placed for access to stock and freight carriers and everything I need is right here - from eyeballs to styrofoam boxes to printers and graphic artists. We outgrew a couple of chest freezers in the garage really quickly and I’m now full time in the business after a couple of years working part time at school.
My first delivery of specimens after I started work at Tin Can Bay school was so good that it got me thinking about making them available to other schools. The more we thought about it and looked into it the more it looked like we could really have a business here. Then, late one night and out of nowhere, Miss Vivi Section popped into my head. I don’t know
In the photo: Zombie Pinup necklace by Pussy’s Bowtique Day of the Dead handbag by Inspired Insanity Miss Vivi doll Made With Madness by Maiden Madness Dress by Bettie Page Shoes by Funtasma Mr Vivi - my best accessory and the one thing I wouldn’t be without!
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On the other side of the Lens … Meet our cover girl! Bambi Wixon
At the October GWIB event we all enjoyed an incredible afternoon with Bambi in her newly rennovated studio. We shared in her journey through business and life and how she has stayed ahead of her game by diversifying and keeping the passion in her work. If you missed it – here’s a glimpse... How did you get into photography? I am third generation photographer and as a left-handed creative, it was a natural progression for me to follow the art. Photography has always been a subject that I’ve always enjoyed and had a passion for. What was the first camera you owned? When I was 16 years old, Mum handed me her Pentax K1000 35mm film SLR that she was given from her Dad when she was 16. I still have it to this day, 35 years old and in working order! What was your first photography job? I did a Portrait session for a young family in Melbourne. I remembered I only charged them for the cost of the single roll of colour Fuji film and developing! How did Photography by Bambi come about? I was living in Darwin with my best friend, also a Photographer and we were dreaming about our futures. Nicole was the one who urged me to register my business name and get started. It wasn’t until nearly 5 years later when I had moved to Gympie, that I actually took the step and bit the bullet to open a studio. Coincidently, it was the same year that Murray Studios closed their doors. What was the main transition? I was working at The Gympie Times full time and taking bookings in the studio in Mary Street on the weekends. It came to a point where I was ready to make the transition to full time photographer. That was the scariest time for me going from a good secure wage to the 22
Bambi’s passion for capturing lifetime memories and creating family heirlooms has driven her to challenge her direction and deliver a product and service that keeps her clients coming back for more.
unknown of whether I was going to be eating canned baked beans for the next 6 months! Taking risks. What was your biggest risk? I was sharing the Mary Street office space with another business and as much as we complimented each other in the wedding genre, the shop space itself did not completely reflect my personality. The location also posed a few issues with limited parking and a narrow staircase for my mums with prams. I had been looking to buy a house and after 12 months of searching, I stumbled across this lovely little Queenslander in Laurie Lane. I did a drive-by and without even viewing inside, I put a contract on it. There was something about this house I loved. It had the right vibe about it. The risk was moving out of the main street and potentially out of the public eye. In fact, working from this house and styling it based on my personality and inspiration has been much more beneficial than I could have imagined. AIPP. How has being a part of an industry body helped you? I have gained incredible knowledge from being a part of this institute. I have been heavily involved since 2009 and in return have had the opportunity to meet and network with some amazing photographers, most of which I now call great friends. Simply having a network of talent that I am able to call on if I need assistance has in itself been by far the best value for my business. I am a true believer of ‘you get out of life, what you put in’. Networking as a whole, is one item ALWAYS at the top of my agenda! You just never know where life leads you just by meeting someone new! On weekends I like to... Photograph a wedding or take family
portraits on a Saturday. Sunday’s are ‘Date Day,’ spending time with my fiancé Andy on our Wolvi farm. Either working on the farm or watching a movie. Sometimes we’ll go out for a nice lunch. Relaxation! Sadly, there is usually a bit of housework involved too... Top 5 things on your Bucket List... 1. Travel around Australia in a Winnebago BEFORE I’m a Grey Nomad! 2. Get published on Polka Dot Bride 3. Do a cooking class at The Spirit House! 4. Meet my greatest inspiration Annie Leibowitz 5. Live in New Zealand for 12 months What do you get out of photography? What inspires you? I think I am a people pleaser because honestly I get the most satisfaction from my clients. Seeing their faces when they are presented with their portraits for the first time and the joy it brings them. That is my high. As a naturally creative mind, I am constantly pushing my boundaries and upping the anti for the next client session. I want to know what makes my clients tick and what they love so that I can create portraits for them that embrace them completely as a person or family unit and everything they love. Rarely do I look at other photographers work. I am more often inspired by the older generation photographers, the Purists. Too much emphasis is placed on the post-production of an image. I aim to do minimal post-production and capture the right image in camera. Mostly, I am inspired by Light and how it falls and wraps around a subject. I am in total awe of light. It’s truly fascinating!
Personal Training & Toddlers
Want Results?
37 year old Mother of one, Tammy has been training with Tessa and Tash for only 9 weeks and has already noticed big changes and great results - you can too. Weight loss to date: 12kg Cm’s loss to date: 15cm Why did you decide to make a lifestyle change in the first place? I have a 5 year old daughter who I was struggling to keep up with, plus I want to see her grow up. I made the change for her but also for myself, I need to lose the weight so I can be healthy and be able to live a happy and fulfilling life. What made you choose TnT to train with? Two of my friend’s Jodie and Nicky had started with TnT and really enjoyed it, Nicky told me about the group and really encouraged me to join and give it a go, so I did and love every minute of it. What is a typical meal plan for your day? Breakfast- Yoghurt with cereal (1/2 cup of special K) cup of coffee (1 sugar, skinny milk) Snack- Apple, 8 almonds Lunch- Ham/chicken/ salad or vegetables Snack- Protein shake (chocolate) Dinner- pork/chicken/fish/ sweet potato, broccoli, cabbage, beans, corn, capsicum, mushrooms What is the biggest physical change you have noticed since starting with TnT? The fact that I can walk up and down stairs with ease – before I would avoid stairs, or take forever to climb them What is the most Important personal change you have noticed? I am sleeping so much better at night and find that I am not so tired during the day. I want to be more active and get out into the world. I have gained confidence, Instead of staying at home now I want to go out with my friends and be able to meet new people. What is is that you love about TnT that motivates you to show up every week for training? Tess and Tash. They are so positive and encouraging, they really make you want to push yourself further every time you train. Tess pushes you without you really even knowing it, she is just so positive and happy and makes you want to go that little bit further. I love the fact that we also have Tash who looks after our children when needed, so we can still get our session in, without having to worry about what to do with them during the school holidays. What is your favourite exercise? My favourite exercise is the weights and boxing. I like feeling my arms shrinking and gaining muscle.
trainingandtoddlers@gmail.com
Taking care of your kids, while you take care of you. Personal training with child care! “We know the importance of a happy, healthy mummy!” TRAINING
Tessa Warry Personal Trainer Exercise Physiologist 0419 742 834
TODDLERS
Tash Lobegeier Toddler Tamer Qualified Teacher Aid 0439 314 444
Life around turn my
READER GIVEAWAY
Two lucky readers will be given the chance to turn their lives around for the better and get ‘Fit for 2013’. New GWIB members ‘TnT’ Personal Training and Toddlers are offering a Six Week challenge valued at over $500. For your chance to WIN this amazing prize tell us in 30 words or less “Why I need to Win the TnT six week challenge and how it will change my life” Please include your: NAME, PHONE, EMAIL, AGE of CHILDREN, and your MAIN HEALTH/FITNESS OBJECTIVE. Send your entry before 4 January to: email. theview@gympiewib.com post. ‘The View’ competitions 8 Duke Street, Gympie 4570. The Winners will participate in TnT personal training sessions for 6 weeks beginning in the new year. They will keep a diary of their progress which will be presented in a future edition of The View and will be special guests at that magazine launch event. Prize includes child minding for up to 3 children per winner.
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It is support that the Gympie and District Women’s Health Centre provide to over 3500 women in the last year. It can take the form of information, attending a workshop or health promotion event, one on one counselling, or Pap smear clinic and health information appointments. Primary, or preventative, health care is the focus of the Centre, with early intervention and action the aim. Counselling is one of the services in most demand. The centre is able to support and assist women to manage depression and other emotional and mental health conditions that can otherwise be as debilitating for the individual as many chronic physical health conditions.
What is it about 21 Alfred Street?
“Many a time we have been involved at the most critical of moments - life saving moments - suicide intervention is something we deal with every year. Depression often requires attention over the long term for women seeking recovery, and counselling can be one of the tools that women use to prevent and manage it” says Fiona Herrington one of the qualified counsellors. The need is here, it is obvious that the service means a great deal to the women of the Gympie community.
With a front yard full of shady, inviting trees, 21 Alfred Street has a warm, welcoming feel.
been assisting women to navigate their way through some of the most challenging times in their lives.
“We hear that quite often,” says Ruth Tidswell, manager of the Gympie and District Women’s Health Centre.
“There’s no typical day here” comments Ruth. “Women seek help for a wide range of issues, and even though there are common life events for most people – such as being a parent or carer, getting married, losing a loved one, becoming ill – how people experience those life events are unique for each of us. Some people are more resilient than others, and can seem to bounce back from tragedy and challenges, while others need more support.”
“I think it’s one of the main things that helps women to feel comfortable when coming into the Centre for the first time.” Since first opening their doors in small offices at the Town Hall in 1994, the Gympie and District Women’s Health Centre has
The service operated initially under the National Women’s Health Program after the release of the National Women’s Health Policy, through a grant from Queensland Health. A dedicated group of local women sits on their management committee, with staff responsible for the day to day operations.
How Can you Help?
Get involved with ‘Wisdoms Words’ a very special project being organised by Shannon McVey for all Women to be involved. ‘Wisdoms Words’ will be a stunning coffee table book full of beautiful images of women with their words of wisdom - a quote, a saying, something that has meaning to them that they can share with others seeking some snippet of wisdom. The book will be beautifully photographed by Bambi Wixon and styled and designed Shannon McVey. You can be a part of this book or ‘give this as a gift to someone else for Chirstmas’ Details visit gympiewib.com.au 24
Yet unfortunately the Centre struggles to maintain its service under increasing costs, and with funding not keeping pace. Primarily funded by Queensland Health, funding will soon transition to the Department of Communities. There is no indication of increased funding, especially in the current economic climate. With six staff, all who work part-time, how does the service’s budget accommodate the needs of the community? “Our current budget only extends to being open four days a week, from 9am to 4pm. If funding doesn’t keep pace, even being open for those hours is at risk,” commented business services manager Julie Austin. “That’s why we’re appealing to the community, to ask them to help us in supporting women at a time when they are vulnerable.” As a registered health promotion charity, the Centre welcomes donations, which are tax deductible. The Widsoms Words project is incredibly exciting for us and we hope all women across the entire region will get involved, it really will be such a lovely keep sake the wonderful wisdom we all as women carry within us. Often the women attending the Centre are not in a position to be able to contribute, particularly if they are unable to attend work, or are supporting families. During busy periods, waiting times for
appointments can blow out to as much as six weeks, at which point the service has to close its books to new clients. And with limited private counsellors available and the cost of such services we must stay open. With Christmas fast approaching we will see a significant increase in demand for our conselling, we expect this year will be one of the hardest years for many.
Debbie’s story... “I rang the Gympie Women’s Health Centre when I felt I couldn’t cope anymore. I’d been struggling since my partner and I split up, and then my Mum died. Getting up each day was a real struggle, let alone getting to work, looking after the house and the kids. I was spending a good part of the day either crying or close to tears. It was hard. I spoke with one of the counsellors, and she helped me to deal with my grief at the loss of my Mum and my relationship. I also went to one of their workshops on managing depression, and that helped a lot. Now I have a “tool kit” of things that help me to get through the days, and I know that one bad day doesn’t mean the next will be worse. It’s hard work, but I’m adjusting to the changes that have happened in my life, and I’m glad to have someone who supports me.”
GWIB event NOVEMBER 23 with Donna Meredith Power Hour ! Get on track and on target in all aspects of life.
Join life coach Donna Meredith from Live It Up Coaching for this special WIB Power Hour event and invest in your life and your life outcomes.
[RSVP] REGISTER ONLINE gympiewib.com.au DECEMBER 5 with Vickie Burkinshaw Shape your own future! Strategies to achieve your dreams
Meet Vickie Burkinshaw GM (General Motivator) of Bizness Babes and author of ‘The Bizness Book’ building a business that fits with your life (not the other way around)! 25
Fashion
Zest up your style this season!
Dee Keep Carkeet Fashion Editor, Stylist - blushinstyle.com.au
It’s all about keeping fresh with a touch of citrus tang... For all you ladies who lived it up in the 80’s this seasons colours will be no stranger to you! Zesty Orange is by far the hottest colour on trend - add it to your basic neutrals for a touch of now. This is your new accent colour!!
Combine to Create
Your own StYle
As the warmer weather kicks in keep cool and fresh with Mint Green - works fabulously with navy, white and tangerine, adds life to black and purple...even works with winter’s left over mustard. After a recent trip into the big smoke, I found BrisVegas was amass of colour from Bright Citrus to Funky.
TOP 5 TRENDS
NEON Not for the feint hearted, but can be a heap of fun..bright neon nail polish or accessories will keep it safe..for the adventurous go for a neon top, dress or shorts! BLOCK FLORAL PRINT A touch of retro - looks fabulous as a dress, shorts, leggings or even a light weight jacket.. BLUSH NEUTRALS Stunning, elegant, feminine and fresh. Team with pastel blue or green or glam up with black and bling. METAL STUD DETAILS From top to toe...studs are everywhere! embellished bags, shoes, peplum tops, cut out dresses. Team with a slick hair style and you will rock the town. CITRUS BURST throughout High Street Stores to the finest Boutiques, it was everywhere. Upon returning to our beautiful town, I made it my mission to find what Gympie had to offer and within a short amount of time I found a few items in some of our fabulous Mary Street Businesses. Here are some of my local finds...
With PANDORA you can choose jewels in the colours of the season, or pick your favourites shades and mix and match. The possibilities are endless…
Be inspired at pandora.net ABSOLUT STREET: Orange Tang Adorne - Tribal Spike Necklace, Adorne curved grid necklace, KÖ fashion - orange sandal, 2 tone striped clutch, lovely girl - red berry large necklace Floral Paper Heart - floral high waisted short, Paper Heart - block print floral dress, Adorne 2 tone striped clutch - mint green LA BELLA: Adriana Papell Structure Floral Dress with belt and cap sleeve, Topend Collection Pink Patent Leather shoes and assorted fascinators FOXY LADY & FOXY SHOES: Linen Dress and Jacket - Ping Pong, Shoes - leather with orange detail - Brazilo Made in Brazil, Necklace - Fabienne, Bangles - Stellar Rose, Gordon Smith Coloured Miracle Denim Jeans- assorted colours
Want More? email Dee fashion@gympiewib.com.au 26
When is a pear not a pear? When it’s got great Shapewear! Shannon McVey
We all know that it can be very helpful indeed to have some assistance in the ‘shapewear’ area – but what on earth does this mean? Let’s reference the mother of the undergarment revolution Miss Bridget Jones who went global on behalf of all of us in her largish ‘better chance of getting to the moment’ knickers and got the guy. Yes, it’s true women do wear largish tummy tucking, bottom sucking, skin
smoothing, everything uplifting - under garments. Ok I have said it, yes it’s out there on behalf of so many women I salute you as I do Miss Jones! And yes it’s true not all of us with a few more decades under out belt (literally) are happy with just string for knickers. So why do we wear shapewear and if we don’t why should we embrace it? Well, because why not! If you’ve got the realesate and you’re ready to build on it (clever metaphor for building an outfit!) - make sure you landscape the block to suit the house. If we require a bit of sculpturing along the way to get the most out of the assets we have, then so be it!
So one thing I did was let Dee Keep from Blush Instyle loose on my wardrobe and then parade me about at the May GWIB lunch – I went from wardrobe fair to wardrobe fabulous and Dee transformed an outfit from drab to fab with the use of a belt, shoes and some damn clever very long and very high – knickers! Result, I now have a range of shapewear for a range of outfits and I got through winter in style and am heading into Spring and Summer with everything in the right place! If you are in need of your own pair of magic must-haves, want advice on which ones are right for your realesate and like me, you don’t know what you’re doing, then the best advice you can get is ‘go see someone who does!’
I Say, You Say
When I grow up I want to be... I attended one of the finest all boy boarding schools on the east coast of Australia and emerged armed with the ability to eat just about anything (a godsend during my first marriage). In many ways, school can offer us glimpses into a wider world than we might ordinarily experience at home - the sciences, for example – and help spark an interest which might ignite a career. Unfortunately for me during my school years I discovered an inability to understand most of what the teachers were talking about in science, geography or history, or to draw anything more complicated than a stick figure. So I started writing my first blog. Of course, back then it was called a diary, and if I wanted people to read my ‘blog’ I had to leave the book in classrooms or dormitories where they could accidently stumble across it, like I did recently: pulling the battered diary from the bottom of a well hidden box. And here’s the thing - a quick flick through the pages gives a very clear picture of what I wanted to be when I grew up. One of the wonderful things about being a kid is imagining what life has installed for you. I think the young me would be both shocked and awed by what I’ve experienced. For a start, I obviously overcame my fear of talking to girls because I’m married to one. Suffice to say, my life hasn’t turned out like I’d hoped as a preteen. I assume, because I grew up primarily on the Gold Coast, I observed money really can make you happy and at some point decided I wanted to surround myself with lots of it. Unfortunately, I mistakenly took the service road and now work in a bank. My career, and if I used the term any more loosely an ‘e’ might fall out, has included gardener, console operator, stop-go sign holder, a cleaner of pubs and a door to door salesman, which ended abruptly when the last door was answered by a very scary woman with tremendously hairy legs. A quick ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ survey at our home shows things haven’t changed much over the years because so did I for a while there.
“Dad, I can’t see the TV!” came Master7’s answer. “I’m too young to think about that stuff,” Miss8 chastised me, not even looking up from her book. But when pressed it seems they’re both keen on making rock videos or movies and having legions of fans. Like I said, things haven’t changed much. Miss5 was more forthcoming. In fact, getting her to stop giving me her answer was the real difficulty. Going by Miss5’s response, if people decided their careers when they were kids there would be an oversupply of hairdressers, ballerinas and Smurfs, with not so many politicians and bankers. Part of me is actually fine with that. So what did the young twelve-year-old me want to be when I grew up? According to the cut out magazine pictures glued into my diary, what I wanted to be, more than anything else in the world, was Paul Hogan’s mate, Strop - because that lucky sod was married to Delvine Delaney. Let me see. …slim, wealthy, healthy, gorgeous, joyful, grateful, surrounded by my friends and family in my villa in Tuscany or my chalet in Aspen, my penthouse in London, my beach shack in the Maldives, my mansion in the Hamptons, my yacht in the Mediterranean and… of course... my 200 acre property in Gympie... with a very large cellar. Work? Yes…I would love to be a writer. I would love to write all day. Which is what I do now of course…but to write from my light, airy, incredibly clean, environmentally friendly, self sufficient home overlooking my property…my manicured lawns…and…my cellar. I would like more than anything when I grow up to be successful, which has many different meanings. to me, at 50, it means to be contented with my world, to be healthy enough to be energetic, to have achieved enough to feel satisfied that I have tried hard enough, to have raised healthy happy striving children, to be respected by my peers, to be loved by my friends, to have enough money to not be concerned about going to a nice restaurant or on a nice holiday...…..and of course to have enough good wine in my cellar.
making plans for the party season? include My Driver - that’s one less thing to worry about 28
advertorial
Money
Federal Budget Anthony McPhee charterpartners.com.au
T
he 2012/13 Federal Budget, although now a distant memory to some, lived up to its reputation as the toughest budget in decades. For business, the Budget was an itemisation of what you are not getting: $4.8bn in company tax savings apparently. There were a number of spending cuts, designed to bring the Budget back into surplus. Many of these changes have repercussions for you and your business. While it is not possible in this article, to elaborate on all impacts of the 2012/13 Federal Budget, the following highlights are of particular interest. Company Tax Rate Reduction The originally proposed reduction from the current 30% rate to 29% in 2013-14 and a final 28% in 2014-15 was designed to move Australia towards a more internationally competitive tax rate. This previously proposed company tax cut will not proceed, with the Government stating that it is “not able to progress a cut in the company tax rate through the Parliament”. The small business sector has also lost out. The originally proposed corporate tax rate of 28% for small business would have seen an effective 6.67% reduction in tax paid. This will now not be achieved.
Company Loss Carry Back For the year ended 30 June 2013, a company will be entitled to claw back tax paid in the prior year. In the following year, any revenue loss incurred will be able to be carried back against any taxes paid in the two prior years. This measure will be: • Subject to integrity measures • Limited to $1million of losses for each year • Limited to the company’s franking account. This measure is not available for any other form of business structure. Small Business From 1 July 2012, small businesses will be able to immediately write off each eligible business asset they buy costing less than $6,500 per asset. • Assets costing $6,500 or more will be depreciated in a single pool at 30 per cent (15 per cent in the first year); • Small businesses will be able to claim up to $5,000 as an immediate deduction for new or used motor vehicles acquired from 1 July. Tripling the Tax-Free Threshold From 2012-13 the Government will more than treble the tax free threshold from $6,000 to $18,200 and from 2015-16 the tax free threshold will increase further to $19,400 (funded by the Carbon Tax). Contributions Tax Increase From 1 July 2012 all taxpayers with an income above $300,000 will pay 30% contributions tax on concessional super contributions. Those concessional contributions will be included in the calculation of the $300,000 income limit. For this purpose, income will mean taxable income plus fringe benefits, net investment losses, target foreign income, tax
free government pensions and benefits, less child support. Where adding the concessional contribution to the calculated income places the taxpayer above the $300,000 threshold, only the part of the contribution above $300,000 will attract the extra tax. Consideration will need to be given to alternative strategies and an analysis done to determine if the contributions still are the most tax effective savings strategy. For more detailed information or assistance contact your accountant or taxation advisor. Budget Highlights • Scrapping of planned company tax rate reduction • Introduction of a loss carry-back for companies • Impact on Small Business • Further restrictions to Living Away From Home Allowances • Tightening of employment termination payment tax offset • Deferral of higher concessional contribution caps for super • Doubling of tax on super contributions for very high income earners • Non-residents locked out of Capital Gains Tax discount • Tripling of the tax free threshold • Scrapping of planned 50% discount on interest income • First stage of a national disability insurance scheme • Increase to the rate of Family Tax Benefit A (including changes to age of eligibility) • Scrapping of standard deduction for work related expenses • Tightening of Net Medical Expenses Tax Offset
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Was it Worth a Gamble? If you have never experienced the Optus Gympie Music Muster you need to seriously think about why … so I did. I mean it is only one of the biggest music festivals in Australia and it’s in our own back yard. Right? Now I know many of you will be flabberghast at the fact I am even asking this question rightly so - but I am for a reason...
Why is it that since returning to Gympie in 2007 I have still not gone? Did I carry with me a very misguided impression of the event? I wasn’t sure, one thing I did know was that before I researched for this article I knew I didn’t own any country music nor did I intend to change this. And now even after attending the event as I write this, these two things remain true. However I am a fan. A loud and proud one, but not for the reasons many others are. So what is it about this event that gets under your skin, because it does - those that go are true devotees, they love it and remain loyal for life. I decided to find out why this is an event I needed to fall in love with (not convinced) and yes I may not be popular when I say this – I really just couldn’t see it, what it was that people loved, I just don’t ‘do’ Country Music. My addiction to X Factor, Australia’s Got Talent and The Voice has done much to soften the edges – I did tap along to the music The Wolf Brothers belted out during the AGT series, Keith Urban impressed me, and this years X Factor contestant Jason (the guy who’s so naf he’s cool) has endeared me, however I still don’t know a single song Keith Urban sings. Well that was my problem right there – I have this outdated thing in my head that it is all old school twang. Whilst I have swung arm in arm to the Gambler over many beers during my university days, beyond this I had no idea! If you’re misguided like me and think you need to fit a certain image - RM Williams, Bundy Rum and Akubra’s – I was told on recent good advice that this was not the case. Like Australia the muster is a multicultural-multi-dress, mulit-taste affair. Whether you wear your Driza Bone or your Dolce and Gabbana’s apparently you will be arm in arm with the next guy as everyone has one thing in 32
common – the desire for the outdoors, good clean country air, friendship and an experience to remember. I needed to hear it for myself. One person I know has been 28 years out of her 33 years – and I had no idea! Yes she was going when it was on the Webb brother’s farm and she was 2years old. She goes every year only bowing out when she was living 2000km away. Every year she is volunteering her time to help make the event the memory it is for thousands while building her own for herself and her kids. When asked why? What is it? How would you explain it? “The best way to put it is like this: When you are mixing with the campers - serving breakfast lunch and dinner – whether its people who have been going all their lives or new comers from the city who have never heard of it before and they have been dragged along by ‘who knows who’ and promised a good time. They get it - a good time. The comments regardless are always positive and the smiling faces say it all.” Take last year she said, “rain, rain, rain we were flooded and in knee high water and nobody was complaining”
The muster is in her veins and has been since she was a tot. Her reason for going is different to those of the music lovers who come in droves just for the song. Her’s is about community, the sense of spirit and culture that is all embracing – what it means to give back through volunteering for your community and being the ‘smiling face’ of the muster army that work to make the event memorable for all those who come. James Dein, CEO of the muster put it this way,”I think for many its the freedom of escape from everyday life- the Muster delivers no matter who you are, and the goodwill in the camp ground has never been lost on me - for some I suspect the music is a bonus - its all about the camping experience with mates and why not- this is our unique position in the landscape of growing festivals around the country- this year was my 13th Muster experience over 4 decades - it still delivers a feeling of
escape - its hard to explain and the location is stunning by comparison to any other frstival in the country probably the world.” With the Optus Gympie Music Muster still fresh in the minds and hums of thousands, the muster really is a part of our regions DNA and I guess this means it is a part of all of us. So I am led to conclude it’s about finding your muster genetic makeup – your gene that can make the muster part of your soul. What is it for me? When I think about the Muster what do I get passionate about? Is it the music – no, the volunteering - no (when it comes to charity work my heart is with children). For me – it is all about economics.It is the opportunity this event offers our region from an economic and branding perspective. I may not be popular when I say this but long gone is the ‘city that saved Queensland’ I am a believer that hanging onto a past that is literally dead and buried like ‘gold’ is not the answer to changing the perception our dear town has or the answer to keeping or putting Gympie on the map. What is alive and well and growing and current is the Optus Gympie Music Muster and well music - look at the AICM and the work that this amazing orgnisation lead by Geoff Waldon is doing for our talent – this event is national, it’s global for goodness sake. I mean The Gambler himself was here this year – this event could be an opportunity staring us in the face. It was conceived by people from our own region and continues to be nurtured by so many of you in so many different ways. Should we be looking at this as a region from a strategic tourism perspective and all embrace it and sing it’s praises? The event brings thousands and thousands of people here. How do we make sure our little city can have a bigger piece of the pie for the greater good of all?
Drive
Explaining the New $5,000 Depreciation for Motor Vehicles johnmadilltoyota.com.au
So the new financial year has come and gone, along with a whole lot of changes to the Small Business depreciation rules which were launched on the 1st of July. For the 2012-2013 financial year, businesses with sales revenues under $2 million per annum will now be able to bring forward a depreciation of $5,000 for any vehicles purchased on or after July 1. The new rule applies to both new and used vehicle, so long as you paid
more than $6,500. It’s meant to work in conjunction with the new ‘instant write-off threshold’ that has been increased from $1,000 to $6,500 to ensure small business can maximise their depreciation schedules. The $5,000 depreciation is on top of the 15% depreciation you can claim as part of the ‘small business depreciation pool’ of items you have, which might also include office refrigerators, computers, furniture and more. Basically, if you pay $20,000 for your
new car, $5,000 can be depreciated this financial year, and the remaining $15,000 is added to your company ‘pool’ and depreciated as per the normal 15%. Every year following, you can claim 30% of this pool. It’s important to note that this isn’t an extra $5,000 in depreciation, it’s simply bringing forward $5,000 worth of tax benefits to assist small businesses in covering the costs of their day to day operations. Importantly for you, this means annual costs of running a company vehicle (even if it’s just your daily drive!) is going to be lower. Taking an example directly from the ATO, if you purchase a new vehicle for $33 960 in 2012–13, the net tax benefit will be $1,275 in 2013–14. Not bad! As always, be sure you talk to your accountant, as they’re the ones who know your complete financial situation the best.
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Lifestyle
Invite Spring In Brighten your home Marylouise Cartwright
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inter can be a gloomy time in the home this is why it’s so nice to really welcome the warmer weather into your world when it finally arrives! Bring life and the colour of the garden indoors to keep spring smiling everywhere you are. Here are some ways you can bring the elements of the outside into your home and office. Plant succulents into some funky pots and bring them inside. They are really tolerant little plants you just need to put them in the sun one day a week and don’t overwater. Another fabulous way to make your home springful and this is a great tip for all year round is go artificial. Artifical flowers these days are often hard to tell apart from their real cousins, so don’t be afraid
to use them. I do recommend using good quality flowers and silk flowers and greenery are perfect as opposed to the plastic variety. Karinya Florist have a beautiful collection, used in the vase on the right. Treat them as an investment you can enjoy this is a great option If you can’t afford to purchase fresh every week or don’t have a blooming garden of your own. They really are beautiful and there are so many ways to display them, they are great for creating unusual displays that fresh flowers won’t cope with for example you can push these flowers down into a vase for something different. Candles are another way to make the home feel vibrant and alive. You can use a receptacle available from Gympie Partyworld. Safe for use around children to avoid any mishaps with open flames or there are a variety of battery operated options on the market that work just as well. Lastly take advantage of this time of year. Enjoy the daylight longer. Leave the TV off one night a week for ‘game night’. Bring out those old board games and puzzles and create a ‘game nook’ one the entrie family can use.
If you have got an interior design or decorating challenge then just ask Marylouise admin@ yoursanctuary.net.au 34
Aunty Pearl’s...
Living Online
Pearls of Wisdom
Profile v Page?
Heather Parsons
Audrey Plate
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he way to a man’s heart is through his stomach…that may or may not be true. (Come to think of it, this could explain in part why Aunty Pearl and I are both single. Oh, but I digress!) What certainly is true though is that it’s a fairly major highway to a young child’s! Everyday sees a whirl and twirl of gastronomic delights housed in brightly decorated lunchboxes (whose brand design naturally depends on our wee darlings’ current fav). Are these Disney vessels of nourishment like a book, in that we can not judge them by their advertising covers? Do their exteriors belie what lies within? Well, that depends, because sometimes even the contents of the packaging WITHIN the packaging demands deeper investigation. I am of course thinking of the many pre-packaged lunch box fillers that are blitzing our supermarket shelves. On the surface they are a godsend to busy time poor families. While I’m sure that nutritious variants of said products are out there, it sometimes can be difficult to detect some basic fresh food groups in a child’s lunch box that would make for a healthy repast.
and truly and now have gone to the other extreme. Let’s explore some middle ground which need not necessarily be costly or time consuming. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald draws reference to the Qld Government Sustainable Schools website, where it states that the average school child generates 30 kilos of litter every year with pre-package waste. In the same article dietician Liz Beavis says that sometimes parents provide so many packaged goods that fresh foods go uneaten. She further states that some parents fear that their children will not have enough to eat so they provide them with as many packaged choices as possible. Dr. Beavis goes on to suggest that a child can still have choices by letting them decide on one snack (or treat?) per day for their lunch box. Implementing just this one change alone brings so many benefits – just for starters, it can reduce the fat, sugar and salt in your child’s diet, not to mention the favourable outcomes for the family budget and our environment. Forgive the pun, but it is food for thought!
Speaking of food, Aunty Pearl Aunty Pearl says that when she is asking for recipes just in case went to school (yes, back in the there is a touch of truth in that days of slates, plasticine and old adage about men and their state provided luke-warm milk in stomachs. little bottles!) that children were given vegemite sandwiches and Feel free to send them through an apple in their lunch box and to me, I promise to pass them that was that! I reckon we have on! moved on from those times well
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without losing all your friends. A profile terms and conditions state “You will not provide any false personal information on There is a difference; profiles are Facebook, or create an account designed to be used by people for anyone other than yourself not businesses. The benefits of without permission.” Let’s face it, you do have to bend things to using a page for your business complete the profile information. far outweigh the familiarity of Facebook support gives you using a profile. instructions on how to transfer over to a page and I would A business page is a public encourage you to take this step. place, everything on there is available to anyone on the Using Facebook for your internet whether they are business can be a powerful way Facebook users or not. This is to interact with your existing what you want as a business when you are building an online clients and reach potential customers. The best advice I presence. can give you is that if you are on there, please use it often A business page allows you and use it well. It is called to add tabs making your social media for a reason, be page more interactive. Happy customers can write on your wall social – converse, share and and tell the world how wonderful communicate. But please your business is and share your remember who are when you are doing so. Some things page with their friends. A page belong on your personal page allows anyone to like it and make comments straight away; and others on your business it even allows other pages to like page, remember that everything them. None of these options are on your page is public and for anyone to see. available to profiles. f you have a business on Facebook do you know if you have a profile or a page?
Having a page allows you to support your favorite charities or spread the word about local events. Whose name would you rather appear? Yours or your businesses, having a page allows you to choose. Every page needs at least one administrator, this person must have a personal profile. If you are currently using a profile for your business it is possible to convert it over to a page
&
BOOK ONLINE
Feedback:
After participating in the GWIB C&C Facebook 101 professional development series my Facebook page grew from a couple of hundred likers to over 1000 and continues to grow daily! -Maria, Natives R Us for more information, or to book for the next series visit gympiewib.com.au 35
Health
Life, Success & Happiness
Super Foods
Strategies to Success
Feel Good for Summer
Donna Meredith liveitupcoaching.com.au
Paula Cartwright bodycurenaturopathica.com
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o you know the real reason why you aren’t happy or creating the success you want in every area of your life? Here’s why... It’s because of that beautiful head of yours or more so what’s in it, your mind and how you use it!
part of the path. Remember the acronym for F.E.A.R. = future events appearing real. Fear lives in the mind, so make sure that your mind is focused on the reality and the present. Own your thoughts and change them if you need. Align your choices with your true values in life and how you want to live. Then, get out of your comfort zone and change.
If you want things to be different you need to change. Create new beliefs and behaviours that will turn your potential happiness and 3. Create Your Own Success success into a reality. These three and Happiness Only you can determine how you strategies show you how. think and feel. No matter what is happening to you or around 1. Believe in Yourself you it is the one thing that you It is our emotions that drive us and transform us in life, one way can always be in control of. But or the other. And these emotions many people forget this and instead emotions take over and are generated by the thoughts trigger them into reactions that that we have. You must learn to they would prefer not to have. be your own best friend. Give Get composed and choose your yourself the encouragement feelings then you will be operating and support that you would from a greater power and energy to a friend. You would not put state. your friend down and squash their dreams. So stop doing it to Blaming someone or something yourself. else for your mood or emotional state will only have you continually Self-doubt is the enemy here. It giving your power away. will have you quitting on yourself before you even begin! Back yourself, give yourself permission Don’t project or blame, take responsibility, step up and be the to succeed and be happy. Don’t leader in your life. Learn to let go wait for anyone else to say now it’s okay. Set your goals and your of the hurts and the past events, vision, create a plan, action it and learn from them, and grow. don’t stop until it’s achieved. The greatest investment you can make is into yourself. Never 2. Do What’s Right for You stop learning. Practice these This is your life, no-one else’s. three strategies and create your Now that doesn’t mean that success and happiness. For you go around acting selfish more, go to the free resources and all high-and-mighty towards section liveitupcoaching.com.au others and forgetting your responsibilities. It means, stop worrying about what other people Donna Meredith is GWIB event speaker for November. think of you and focus on what Power Hour! Join us for this special you think and feel about yourself. event and invest in your life and your life outcomes. register online Fear and uncertainty are the www.gympiewib.com.au obstacles we often face on this 36
S
uperfoods are foods that are particularly high in antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals; all the things we need to make our bodies really strong. Here are my top five choices for superfoods. Kale is a cruciferous vegetable and is one vegetable you should eat on a regular basis. Its ability to reduce the risk of getting several types of cancer is well established. Kale is loaded with flavonoids which have antiinflammatory properties as well as being excellent at mopping up free radicals - that is why kale is one of the best detoxifiers there is. Kale is also praised for its high levels of vitamins A and C, lutein, zeaxanthin, iron, and calcium. Enjoy raw in a salad, lightly steamed, sautéed with garlic and olive oil or make kale chips by tossing with olive oil and salt and baking until crisp. Kale has more nutritional value for fewer calories than most other foods. Nuts and Seeds are loaded with protein, healthy fats, fibre, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A diet rich in nuts and seeds helps to lower cholesterol, reduce pain and inflammation and keep blood vessels strong. Eating nuts and seeds daily may also delay age-related muscle nerve degeneration, prevent weight gain, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Choose raw or activated nuts (this is a process similar to sprouting which you can also do at home) For seeds choose organic raw seeds and aim for three tablespoons a day, ground, soaked or raw, sprinkled over fruit, yoghurt, salads or stir fry’s.
Miso has been a staple in Chinese and Japanese diets dating back approximately 2,500 years. Miso is a complete protein source, a probiotic aiding digestion, and it is high in antioxidants and B vitamins (including B12). Scientifically researched benefits of eating Miso include a reduced risk of certain cancers, protection from radiation, heavy metal removal, stronger immunity, lower cholesterol and improved quality of blood and lymph. When purchasing Miso, avoid the pasteurized version and spend your money on the live enzyme-rich product, which is loaded with beneficial microorganisms. Making a soup is as simple as gently heating a small amount of the paste in water. Berries really are one of nature’s most delicious superfoods. Just 100g of blueberries contain as many disease-preventing antioxidants as 5-6 servings of other fruits and vegetables. Berries also contain vitamin C and magnesium; two nutrients that are essential in maintaining the strength and function of your immune system, and many compounds in berries are antiinflammatory and can reduce your risk of arthritis. Mushrooms are neither a plant nor an animal, but these tasty little fungi have all the attributes of a superfood – nutrientrich, low in kilojoules, high in bioactive compounds, anticancer compounds, vitamins and minerals and they are easy-to-buy and affordable. Mushrooms have a powerful antioxidant capacity. Cook them with garlic for an extra boost of immunity and yumminess.
Beautiful Smile It won’t stay that way without preventative care Dr. Mark Cull lifetimedentalcare.com.au
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n our modern lives things are busy, diets have changed, and the habits of looking after our mouths have changed. Only a very small proportion of the population brush twice per day and even less floss at least once per day. This leaves a large proportion (80%) of the community exposed to the likely onset of oral disease which can lead to time away from our busy lives to require complex dental procedures to “fix” the problem. The most common diseases affecting the mouth (dental decay and gum diseases) are preventable and yet their prevalence in the community is extremely high. Gingivitis (an early form of gum disease) affects up to 80% of the general population and a recent Australian report demonstratedover 50% of children aged 2-8 years old have at least one hole in a tooth. To avoid this happening to you, at Channon & Lawrence Dental Centre we encourage you to be aware of your own risk of oral disease and take responsibility for your own situation to ensure your health remains optimal . Like a car needs a service every six months so to do our mouths. We can guarantee your mouth is used far more frequently than your car. Are any of the following your oral habits? • Brushing less than two minutes twice per day • Never or only occasionally floss • Experience bleeding gums when brushing • Consume more than one sugary food or drink per day • Snack frequently • Consume soft drinks (including diet varieties), flavoured milks,
iced teas, energy drinks or juices daily • Do you smoke? • Do you have any pain or swelling in the mouth? • Do you experience bad breath? • Do you only visit your dental professional when you have a problem? If you answer yes to any of the above than you are at high risk of having oral health disease, and your risk is increased if you suffer with diabetes or a heart condition or are pregnant. More individuals are taking responsibility for their own health and realizing good oral health plays a large part. As with all good things it requires maintenance to ensure our health is optimal and doesn’t impact on our lives in a negative way. Oral health is an often overlooked part of our general health but its impact is far reaching. As continued research into the link between poor oral health and systemic disease strengthen it is proving far more important than ever to ensure our oral health remains at its best. Our bodies give us hints when things are going wrong and it’s important to listen. The risks associated with poor oral health are far reaching. With the right treatment poor oral health can be reversed so we encourage you to rethink the importance of your oral health. Prevention works better the sooner you start. So don’t delay.
Call our helpful reception team to make an appointment to review your oral health.
Marketing Engagement
A Stirling Scavenger Shannon McVey borncreativeagency.com.au
One thing I enjoy is to watch with interest what businesses big and small, local and global are up to. The only way you can ever improve is to keep on learning, read, watch, test, try, absorb – R&D. Research and Development or ‘Research and Do Better’. A business I do always take notice of is Stirling Homes QLD, one thing Karen Bazzan does is market her business well and in new and unexpected ways. She always engages her audience and is very in touch with the aspirational side of branding – take the Tiffany promotion run last year, a diamond ring has nothing to do with building a home, but everything to do with ‘making a home’ very clever. So, recently Stirling Homes QLD opened a new display home and now have
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two fabulous display homes one in Echelon Estate and the Second in at 8 Carnoustie Court, in the picturesque St Andrew’s Estate, located in Curra. So was it just another opening, and is it just another display home? Well I think not. It was the way the launch was executed the interactive promotional strategy that went with this opening that was impressive. As we have come to expect it was done in style with every last detail spot on in terms of branding, but it was the integration of old and new that I was impressed with.
Bang on 8am they started queuing at the Stirling Designs stand at the Gympie Regional Realty Expo. So you made it to the first check point – then what? The hunt required you check in at Gympie Regional Realty – great added benefit to this business, and then you got your clue. But as an added bonus if you took your pic at the stand in front of the new Stirling Designs banner and posted this – you received additional opportunity to win prizes. Again engaging participants with the brand.
The hunt finished at the new home where there were loads of activities on offer for all the family, so the kids were In the lead up to the event a teaser taken care of while mum and dad campaign driven via Facebook started, could enjoy a stroll around the new designed to spark peoples interest … home. it did. So I followed. If you missed out you did miss a A family inclusive scavenger hunt fantastic day but all is not lost, the drive run over Facebook to launch Stirling to visit the new display home is well Designs the new division of Stirling worth it – especially if you are looking Homes QLD run off the back of the for new design ideas for your own new display home opening – brilliant, home or to looking to build. a great mix of old faithful driven via Over 200 people went through the new technology that would reach far home on the first day “it was incredible” beyond the actual participants! Karen said. The innovative, interactive scavenger hunt had people frantically watching for posts on clues for the first check point in readiness for the next day!
So remember always watch what everyone is doing you can learn from not only your competitors but other businesses in other industries as well.
Managing IT
from the cost) is the complexity and disruption of setting up and re-loading your system, then ‘customising’ it again, so that it is working the way you want it to.
Mark Goding goldcitycomputers.com.au
We all know that computers can be a hassle, and we really don’t want to think about the nightmare equipment failure causes, especially to a business relying on computers, and most do these days. Consider your options... Q Should I keep my computers operating for as long as I can. That is, while they are working, leave them alone? A. Well, - yes and no! Murphy’s Law has it ‘that ‘when it fails, it will give no warning, there will be no current backup of work, and it will happen at the worst possible time!’ … So? Q Should I replace computers every 12 months or maybe two years? A. It depends on your needs. if speed is imperative, time is money and your industry demands that you be ‘state of the art’, then every 12 months it is. Two years is the industry-planned life-cycle of a computer. The advantages are that the hardware is always covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and you are always utilising the latest technology. The disadvantage to regular upgrade (apart
Q. Alright, then I’ll replace components only on a ‘worn out’ / failed basis, keeping the system operating! A. This is a ‘constant upgrade cycle’ – monitors, keyboards, printers are the most likely candidates for frequent change. The advantage is that this method ‘spreads’ the operating capital costs. This tactic is fairly common, and works, BUT! system planning must be in place. ie. replacement of the computer itself every 3 years. Q. When I buy a computer, should I buy the most powerful system I can afford then ‘move’ the replacement ‘down the line’, retiring the oldest machine? A. Always aim for the best and latest technology you can afford. As far as ‘moving machines along the daisy chain’ this has some advantages, but can be time consuming and costly, requiring formatting, reloading, and moving data. Q. So what do I do? A. There is no ideal answer. Ideally, upgrading every two years provides the best possible cover. If the equipment isn’t leased, then careful thought needs to be given to putting in place an equipment maintenance strategy that minimises your risk of equipment failure. Discuss your needs with your IT technician.
Tech Talk Some practical points to consider… Cheapest is not best! You may have a short term financial gain, but a long term headache! An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), and surge protection is a top priority. This equipment isn’t a blanket guarantee but it is far better than having no protection! Back up data! Have a backup plan which protects your valuable data as much as possible (external hard disk drive, DVD copies stored OFF the premises, ‘memory sticks’, automated backup systems). Power’s out! Every business should have a plan to ‘keep operating without a computer’! Breakdowns! Have a laptop/computer set up and capable of taking over in the event of failure of the main system. Unless you have the skills, call a professional to keep complex systems running in tip-top order. A machine that is critical to business operation should be used for just that. Children / young adults ‘exploring nature’ could bring your smooth running system to its knees in moments. Never load file sharing programs (Torrent Downloads, Limewire, Bearshare or any other music download program) onto a machine that you rely on for business! Keep safe your vital operating system disks, and application disks. Make certain they are correctly labelled, and stored in one place. When you need them, you will need them ALL in a hurry!
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Challenges and Awards Everybody needs a challenge. How else do you learn if you’re not faced with challenges that push you creatively? This year GWIB platinum partner Bambi Wixon from Photography by Bambi challenged herself in the Australian Professional Print Awards, held in May in Melbourne. She had spent the past few years travelling to the live judging, meeting fellow photographers, seeing the entered prints up-close and
listening to the judging. “I found the whole experience such a massive learning curve in my own business and inspiration for my own creativity.” So, she made the conscious effort to challenge herself this year. Bambi picked up 5 Silver Awards, including her new Couture Fine Art Wedding Album launched early this year, at the AIPP State Awards first and then entered this Album again into the National Awards, along with prints in the Family and Landscape categories. She won strong Silvers for all 3 entries. “I am incredibly thrilled. I am now
Let me create a piece of Art for Your wall
Exclusive Summer Offer:
Your photographic session with Bambi, one 11x14inch portrait, two 5x7inch prints & three digital files $390
(Offer ends 19th January 2013 | Surcharge for Public Holidays & Weekends)
Studio 07 5483 9898 Mobile 0417 811 932 www.photographybybambi.com.au 40
only 2 points away from earning my Associate title. Ultimately I am aiming for my Masters.” There is a lot of effort involved in preparing a print for Awards points. The concepts are extensively researched, styled and composed well before starting the shoot. Endless hours are then spent on post-production to create the vision originally intened for the final print. Above are the winning prints for both State and National Awards.
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GWIB VIP Shopping Night Red Hill Design Co 5.00pm - 7.00pm RSVP 07 5483 7018 A Christmas Affair - Cocktails @ 7pm High Heels and High Art 07 5482 9091 www.achristmasaffair.com.au
Local Markets Southside Markets Gympie South School Every 2nd & 4th Sunday
Tin Can Bay Markets RSL Community Hall 3rd Saturday
Mining Museum Markets Gympie Mining Museum 1st, 3rd & 5th Sunday
Imbil Markets Memorial Park Every Sunday 9am-2pm
Goomborian Markets Goomborian Hall 1st Sunday
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December
November
Gympie Women in Business Power Hour with Life Coach Donna Meredith Create your Succesful Mindset and learn time tested principles to achieve incredible results in your life Book online www.gympiewib.com.au
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19-22 24-31 31 11
DONT MISS ..... A Christmas Affair Fine Arts, Craft, Collectables and Gourment Civic Centre www.achristmasaffair.com.au Gympie Women in Business Vickie Burkinshaw ‘Be inspired to shape your life’. Book online www.gympiewib.com.au Akki Optimal Wellbing How to Heal Yourself 9am-5.30pm Evening Fire Ceremony 3pm-5.30pm Contact Mo Skett mois@moskett.com Apex Santa Fair / Kilkivan Lions Christmas Carnival UX11 Skate/BMX/Wheel Competition Nelson Reserve, Live performance by Kymira. pro workshop at 1pm, Live music from 6pm Carols in the Park (Nelson Reserve) Program guide in Gympie Times 16 Nov - alternate venue Civic Centre if rain. Santa Shuttle in the Silverbullet to the North Pole 6.30pm, 7pm, 7.30pm, 8pm $4pp book 5482 2750 Tin Can Bay Foreshore Carnival. Live miusic from 5-9pm, fireworks at midnight 07 5486 2056 Gympie Family Fun Night New Years Eve at Nelson Reserve
Gympie Women in Business Christmas Party Cocktails and Canapes ... details on www.gympiewib.com.au
The Inaugural
Race Day was all it was expected to be!
Think Ascot, think Flemington, think chandeliers, bling, goodie bags, fashion prizes, entertainment, pampering, fashion + more. All our guests enjoyed star treatment!
[With thanks to] GYMPIE
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women in business
bentley otoole commercial artist
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GYMPIE
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in!yle MAKE UP & FASHION
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STUDIO
women in business
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