Marketing Eye Magazine Issue 1 by Marketing Eye Pty Ltd

magazine Aug-Oct 2013 Issue 1

21 TRAITS OF AN ENTREPRENEUR FIND OUT WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS FOR SMALL BUSINESS EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW 6 WAYS TO PLAN YOUR EVENTS HOW TO ORGANISE AND CREATE THE PERFECT FUNCTION CHANGING THE GAME DARYL WRIGHT TALKS ON BUSINESS TURNAROUND AN EYE ON THE FUTURE ENTREPRENEUR, INNOVATOR AND MARKETING ENTHUSIAST, MELLISSAH SMITH SHARES HER FUTURE GOALS

HAS Y REPLACED X? THE GREAT DIVIDE BETWEEN GEN Y AND GEN X MARKETERS

ISSUE 1 AUG-OCT 2013 AUS: $9.95 US: $8.95

SCAN NOW!

to learn more about Marketing Eye!

ARTICLES

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ARTICLES

every business needs one

Every business needs a Marketing Eye but not every business has one. Is your sales pipeline dwindling? Are you not getting enough leads from your website? Is social media engagement beyond you? Are you achieving your business goals? Marketing Eye helps small to medium-sized businesses escalate their growth plans by delivering a complete outsourced marketing department including marketing, public relations, design, web, brand and film for just $500 per week. We work in synergy with your management team, or just you. Why not take advantage of our all-inclusive subscription-based model today? www.marketingeye.com twitter.com/marketingeyeaus twitter.com/marketingeyeus linkedin.com/company/marketing-eye fb.me/marketingeye pinterest.com/marketingeye

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

CONTENTS

ISSUE Editor in Chief: Mellissah Smith Chief Executive Officer: Julie Schoneveld Creative Director: Karen Lam

Only the Best

EB2BCOM’s Adam Neale only takes the best, refusing mediocrity.

The Entrepreneur - 21 Traits Defined

Find out what makes a successful entrepreneur.

Finance Director: Tina Vu Publisher: Insomnia Marketing and Communication Pty Ltd Editorial Feature Article Writer: Jonathan Jackson Staff Writers: Kathryn Kernohan, Eliza Sum

Graphic Designer Justin Lee Graphic Designer Sophia Banfield Online Magazine Manager Nirmal Gyanwali

Marketing and Advertising Marketing Director Sofia Margelis Communications Director Janani Jayasundar Sales Manager Erol Sevim Marketing Assistant Maxine Lee Advertising Inquiries 1300 300 080 (Australia) +1 404 626 8070 (USA) or erol@marketingeye.com.au Editorial inquiries info@marketingeye.com Stories can be found on: www.marketingeye.org Follow us on social media: twitter.com/marketingeyeus fb.me/marketingeye Linkedin.com/company/marketing-eye Pinterest.com/marketingeye Important Notice: Issue 1. Marketing Eye is published quarterly by Insomnia Marketing and Communication Pty Ltd., Level 14, 447 Kent Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Marketing Eye considers its sources reliable and verifies as much data as possible, although reporting inaccuracies can occur; consequently, readers using this information do so at their own risk. We do not endorse the views, statements, claims, strategies or ideas put forward by journalists or contributors to this magazine. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Insomnia Marketing and Communication Pty Ltd or any of its employees accept any responsibility whatsoever for their activities. No part of this magazine can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Several individuals associated with this edition of Marketing Eye magazine have also contributed to articles and/or provided financial contributions to the production of the magazine. These articles are not advertorials and have all been written by professional journalists.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

High-Tech Mariners

To Innovate or Not?

Australian-owned Foreshore Marine is striving to shape the future of marine construction.

We speak to senz° entrepreneur Philip Hess about his innovative design.

Marketing Beats Floods

Peter Doonan tells his story behind Steel Supplies Charters Towers.

Three brothers are the brains behind the colourful new fashion venture, Komiji.

A Clean Sweep

Coreserve offers clients more than the standard cleaning service.

The Culture 34 Club

i2C’s Brian Jende & Anthony Merlin talk about the understated importance of good company culture.

Work Life Balance

Struggling to find that equilibrium? Psychologist, Kylie McCullough offers words of wisdom.

Take Stock of Your Wealth

Michael Mansfield talks about his growing interest in finance.

Egomania

The great divide between Gen Y and Gen X marketers

Children of America

30 Use of Social Media in Small Business A growing trend in marketing.

We share tips and tricks on dealing with egomaniacs.

Has Y replaced X?

28 Everyday Shapewear

Champion Systems Australia founder, Chris Reynolds believes in having a go.

Getting anything, anywhere, anytime is entrepreneur Michael Reed’s mission this year.

Entrepreneur, innovator and marketing enthusiast, Mellissah Smith shares her future goals.

Graphic Designer Rin Phakkhieo

Heart of a Champion

Off The Bookshelf

Eye On The Future

Art Director Karen Lam

Melbourne’s trendy Prahran eatery Fog, is making a name for itself.

22 Dusting

Contributors: Tommy Mendes, Claire McGuinness, Sandie Ward, Kylie McCullough Art and Design

Fog

6 Ways to Plan your Events How to organise and plan the perfect function.

CONTENTS

Reinventing for Relationships

Go Beyond An MBA

B2B relationships can often be fleeting, even transient - not at VIPS International.

Go Beyond MBA is a program aimed to hand over insights that literally go beyond what is being taught in MBAs.

Energy & Matter

Ryan O’Hare, greener and brighter than ever before.

60 48

ARfuels is revolutionising the biodiesel world after turning around its business in 18 months.

Reading Between the Lines ‘Clients are king’ is the one rule entrepreneur Jason Reading lives by.

Becoming an architect was a childhood dreamcome-true for Melbourne designer Amnon Weber.

Considering investing in the American property market?

Changing the Game

Good leadership equates to business empowerment.

The Right IT

Nathan Krake is committed to service in the IT industry.

Arien Group offers an all-round retail experience for business owners and consumers alike.

The Food Stalker

Fashionista and foodie, The Food Stalker shares her inspiration and how far she will go to get what she wants.

Tommy Mendes

He’s shot for top agencies worldwide. Get up close with fashion photographer, Tommy Mendes.

Are You Too Deep In Your Comfort Zone?

Your computer could be a ticking time bomb. Mobile Computer Services Australia ensures your data is kept confidential.

Bringing Retail Concepts to Life

The American Dream

How to utilise yoga to relieve stress from daily life.

Don’t Stop Believing

Originally told he wasn’t cut out for sales, Ian Segail has gone on to build a successful career in sales, founding Sales Coach Academy.

Going green

Find Your Balance

From Paper to 78 Production

66 Change for the Better Grant Gurney of Yusen Logistics explains how an integrated business model was the way forward.

Follow Your Own Path Independence has allowed Principal Partners Victoria to get to know their clients‘ personal and financial goals.

NINNA

Italian designer Carlo Contin, introduces his new sleek and sophisticated design.

Where Function Drives Form

68 You Can’t Get Any Closer International freight company, VISA Global Logistics is building an empire at the rate of knots.

88 90

April Spadina

Marketing Eye - Portfolio

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

21 ENTREPRENEUR

The en∙tre∙pre∙neur -

Traits Defined

We led with conviction rather than rationale, because rationale said it was impossible.

All successful entrepreneurs innovate. They come up with ideas and see things that others don’t, making change before others even realise it needs to occur. They show the rest of their competitors how it is done.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

en∙tre∙pre∙neur Definition: A person who organises and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk. The term ‘entrepreneur’ has existed since the 1700s and was coined by Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Since then, thousands of people have started out on their own and turned their small start-up into a success story. While their backgrounds and types of businesses differ vastly, all successful entrepreneurs share a number of characteristics and commonalities. Every entrepreneurial initiative is born from an idea – turning the idea into a tangible product is set in motion when the wheels start rotating and goals are set. When a person has ambitious business goals to reach, going out to achieve them can be a consuming, 24/7 gig. With that much effort invested into something, they will seek a hefty payoff in return. Most entrepreneurs think about the end result and achieving their final goal. This is not beyond the norm, but is the X-factor that sets one successful person apart from run-of-the-mill entrepreneurs. This X-factor often comes down to a set of traits. So what makes a successful business builder?

1. Burning passion for what you do Successful entrepreneurs are extremely dedicated and devoted to their work. They love what they do, which is clear to everyone around them. When it comes to discussing their business, a successful entrepreneur will emanate an inner glow and is not afraid to tell everyone and anyone just how bespoke their business really is.

2. Set daring goals, even if they’re scary Having a goal to strive for is paramount; not setting one is akin to walking in a circle with no direction or destination. Successful entrepreneurs set goals that most people would never even dare to dream of. They are usually highly ambitious and motivate the businessperson to a whole new level.

3. Understanding and managing money Money is king – that’s a fact. Understanding financial positions and boundaries allows entrepreneurs to come up with creative solutions, ensuring that their cash helps deliver on their goals.

4. Love and serve the customer Being customer service oriented goes beyond paying lip service. Understanding clients is key – not loving a customer means you will never be a successful entrepreneur. Innovative business thinkers believe in the people who believe in them. They all know who their customers are, what makes them tick and how they make decisions. And most importantly, they talk to their customers one-on-one.

5. Mind your image It’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it. The late Steve Jobs was always associated with his trademark outfit – spectacles, black turtleneck, faded blue jeans and runners. To be successful, entrepreneurs must understand the image they are projecting to the world and manage it accordingly; their hair is combed a particular way, or they wear dry-cleaned trousers neatly pressed and never let their image slip. They think about what they say and how they say it. And the brand promise is always delivered via a tight control on their image and how that promotes their brand at every touch point.

6. Remember to invest in yourself For a business to evolve and grow, its owner has to self-improve and learn too. Being oneself will not lead to the upper echelons of success – a stagnant plateau is more likely to happen. Part of selfimprovement is investing in yourself and your talent. Whether it’s gaining leadership skills, learning to have better intuition or improving on public speaking ability, continuing a steep learning curve is part and parcel in becoming the most successful entrepreneur you can be.

ENTREPRENEUR

7. Wear less hats Work on the business, not in the business. By acting as an HR manager, accountant, salesperson, innovator and marketer rolled into one, an entrepreneur will never be able to give their business the focus it needs in order to grow and flourish. By wearing less hats, outsourcing areas of the business and trusting specialists to do it, you will be more productive and increasingly focused on achieving a stellar end result.

11. Willingness to fail

8. Open your mind

Spotify founder Daniel Ek risked losing millions of dollars as he poured funds into his music streaming service. According to an interview in Forbes magazine, Ek and business partner Martin Lorentzon poured $7 million of their personal funds into the business. “We bet our personal fortunes, and sometimes we bet the entire company,” he said. “We led with conviction rather than rationale, because rationale said it was impossible.”

A common trait in globally successful entrepreneurs is the curiosity and ability to open their mind to possibility and opportunity. Looking past the obvious and seeing opportunities that others have ignored can lead to the ability to capitalise on a situation and make decisions on the spot. Being open to possibility in every aspect of your life and adopting the capability to change and adapt when needed will put you leaps and bounds above other business people.

Risk is part and parcel of being a business owner. There is always an element of danger when it comes to taking initiative. Most entrepreneurs have upheaved their entire lives and businesses with a firm willingness to accept that failure is not a bad thing. Failure is not equal with defeat – at the very least, it will be a learning experience, which makes you a stronger, more experienced entrepreneur. Using the lessons you learn puts you on the way to reaching new heights in business.

9. People power packs a punch

12. Strong work ethic

Your support team will make or break you. If you don’t invest in your employees and make the hard decisions fast – like firing a staff member when they are not working out – you will be left with a half-hearted business and brand-killers on your payroll. Foster your employees and take time out every single day to inspire them and encourage them to be better. Then they’ll be on the same page in believing your brand and your business goal.

10. Resist temptation Heading a small business takes serious focus and self-regulation. Looking at Facebook can be entertaining, but wasting hours daily on it is a sign of weakness and poor self-control. Successful entrepreneurs possess self-discipline in every aspect of their lives, from what they eat to how they spend their leisure time. Being in the office and procrastinating does nothing but waste time and gets in the way of achieving something. You will rarely meet a truly successful entrepreneur who lacks self-discipline.

Start-up owners work long hours and that’s OK with them because they love their job. No one ever died having a strong work ethic, and countless people have become very successful by having one. Things don’t happen by themselves. People make their own luck and don’t become successful without putting in the hard yards.

13. Ability to lead and manage Think about a successful person you admire. Chances are they were a strong, substantial leader. This is usually contrary to the popular saying, leaders are made, not born. Make a start on improving your management skills by getting a business coach, reading up on traits of successful leaders and speaking to people whose attributes you admire. This way, you get handy hints on areas you can improve on.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

14. A competitive streak

18. Be a great salesperson

The tagline for Facebook film The Social Network is: “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.” While founding his multi-billion dollar social media empire, Mark Zuckerberg didn’t make many friends as he stormed his way to the top. Good entrepreneurs want to be the best and don’t want anyone else to be better than them. Simple.

What you have to offer is great – now you just have to convince others to agree too. Whether you are promoting a product, service or even yourself, you have to be able to sell. Mastering the art of negotiating means you can often orchestrate a win-win situation for yourself and your customer. For extra help, hire a sales coach to improve your capabilities.

15. Interact with everyone and anyone

19. See the forest through the trees

In 2013, there’s no time for you to be afraid of social media. Everyone from Barack Obama to your next-door neighbour is online. As a business person, it’s important that you are across what is happening in the world and how people are now interacting with each other. Whether it’s through a LinkedIn account, being on Twitter, writing a blog or Facebook, social awareness is highly important in the internet era. It truly is the door to the world.

16. Suck it up and sacrifice Behind every successful person is a string of things they sacrificed to get to where they are today. Forbes.com columnist and entrepreneur Alan E Hall juggled his job with raising a family of six children and said he missed numerous family occasions due to work. However, balancing work and life is also important. “The life of an entrepreneur is filled with many sacrifices,” Hall wrote in a column. “They are real – but with some care and practice, they are also manageable.”

17. Positive persistence and self-belief Failure rates in start-up businesses are high, but don’t let that stop you from knocking on the door. Ancient Japanese Samurai lived by a set of moral codes – the number one virtue was kennin, which translated to fortitude, resilience and the ability to confront any challenge. Never give up dreaming. In fact, never give up.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

Too often, we get bogged up in the minor details and fail to see the bigger picture. This is where flexibility and adaptability come in. Focusing on short-term goals is a positive thing, but they are a part of reaching one’s long-terms goals. Processing how the short-term goals help, will assist as you make errors along the way. Don’t lose sight of the big plan.

20. Think outside the square At age 24, LightSail Energy co-founder Danielle Fong is a successful entrepreneur after quitting her Princeton PhD program, which she entered at 17. She decided to shake up the status quo and set her sights on starting her own business. “I noticed that my professors, who were brilliant people, were spending most of their time applying for grants,” she told Forbes. “I thought it would be more efficient to make my fortune first and then invest it in energy research.” All successful entrepreneurs innovate. They come up with ideas and see things that others don’t, making change before others even realise it needs to occur, showing the rest of their competitors how it is done.

21. Sweat on it Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of letting pressure burden them, leading business builders embrace pressure and learn to use it to their advantage. They also manage their workloads and ensure that they put their health first.

Behi nd e ve suce ssfu ry l pe a st rs ri they ng of t on is hi sacr get ific ngs to w ed t he o are toda re they y.

one mber u n, n e Th kenni s a w e virtu ranslated t h c whi e, titud d r o to f an ience to l i s e r y bilit the a t any on confr ge. Never en ing. chall dream p u give ver t, ne top. c a f In lls up fu give

ENTREPRENEUR

High-yield

project and business performance

solutions

twitter.com/systemixmel linkedin.com/company/systemix-group

P 1300 551 835 W www.systemix.com.au

Strategy Leadership Culture Performance commercial transactions tenders risk IT lean safety communications change wellness capability knowledge

ENTREPRENEUR

Mellissah Smith is a well known entrepreneur, public speaker and author.

AN EYE ON THE FUTURE

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ENTREPRENEUR

Entrepreneur, innovator and marketing enthusiast Mellissah Smith has two goals: to improve small businesses and change lives.

We want to be the small business marketing equivalent of Apple. That’s what will set us apart.

In its eight years of operation, Marketing Eye has developed from one of Australia’s leading marketing companies into a business fast heading towards global expansion. Since Marketing Eye’s inception, founder Mellissah Smith, 39, has developed and grown along with the company; she still possesses the same initial high levels of enthusiasm, but that enthusiasm is now tempered with experience, maturity and a few hard lessons. “When I first came up with the idea of Marketing Eye, I had a business plan in place that was 70 per cent correct, with 30 per cent that needed a little tapering,” Mellissah says. “I knew that the business had the foundation to be a global company and that content marketing would drive my business to heights that others in the same space had not even thought of… But there were some areas that we had to get right first. “It took five years before I seriously implemented a strategy to become a global small business marketing firm that was ready to stamp its mark and take ownership of the small business marketing space. The time is nigh and the business has never been in a better position. “With the rise and rise of the Internet and social media platforms, Marketing Eye has accelerated its position to become a known brand in other countries, before even having a desk or employee on the ground. Earlier last year, we were named by one group as one of the top 100 marketing companies to follow on Twitter in the US – that was a real coup for a company that doesn’t believe in entering awards.” Despite building a strong business plan prior to Marketing Eye’s launch in 2004, Mellissah went on to correct and fine-tune her existing model to better suit the needs of small businesses. Even today, she does not underestimate the value of getting down and dirty with her client base to really understand their predicaments and the perceptions of their target audiences.

the same sales pitches from marketing, advertising and public relations firms, then receiving quotes for work and being charged something completely different. “Small businesses need to know that they are paying a specific amount of money each month and that there are no add-on charges to the bill,” Mellissah says. “Taking away that fear and working within a small business owner’s budget has been tremendous for Marketing Eye because our clients are now able to appreciate a subscription-based model and no longer worry about receiving their invoices in their mailboxes.” Strategically, Marketing Eye found that similar markets to Australia were best served as company-owned operations, with non-English speaking countries suited to a licensing model. “Having spent the past seven years learning about the business environment in the US and Europe, I have seen many companies succeed but more fail; I have learnt the most through the companies that have failed,” Mellissah says. While the seeds for expansion were sown early, Mellissah held off until she was confident she could provide a brand experience unmatched by any other marketing firm servicing small businesses. “It’s one thing to be professional and do a job well, but it’s another to take your client along the journey of how marketing impacts their business and to make their brand and their people come alive,” she says. “Too many small businesses owners have ‘small business mentality’, but I believe that they shouldn’t label themselves like that. While they might be a small business today, tomorrow may be a different story, especially through marketing.” The global financial crisis had little effect on Marketing Eye and its expansion plans. In fact, the recession formed the foundation for the company to secure market share ... fast.

“Over those five years when Marketing Eye was forming and growing, there were times where it wasn’t expanding at the rate that we anticipated – it became disheartening at times, knowing that there was something wrong with the model,” Mellissah says. “However, we got to the bottom of it by talking with hundreds of small businesses and the solution ended up being really simple.”

“The US market has endured some hard knocks in the past few years, with the financial crisis hitting regions like Atlanta very hard, but that is where Marketing Eye comes in,” Mellissah says. “In a downturn, marketing is the first place where budgets are cut. However, when businesses rebuild and realise the importance of marketing going forward, Marketing Eye is a sound alternative compared to hiring an in-house marketing manager with a six-figure salary.”

The Australian entrepreneur realised that small businesses were tired of hearing

Marketing Eye is set apart by its business model, which is both unique and

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

transportable. For a small weekly fee of $500, the consultancy provides small businesses with an experienced marketing manager who is responsible for the company’s marketing outcomes, including generating leads, improving brand awareness, expansion, leveraging existing client relationships, public relations and social network marketing. With Marketing Eye’s no-outsourcing policy, clients benefit from no additional mark-ups through third-party suppliers in areas such as consulting and services. “We are a good fit for companies who are ready to invest in marketing to create high growth in their businesses,” Mellissah says.

Eye on the future Marketing Eye was formed to provide a niche marketing service that no other marketing company could offer. According to Mellissah, small businesses had few options when it came to outsourced marketing before the business was founded in 2004. With the emergence of online marketing resources and the millions of content sources including books written by marketers such as Seth Godin, Jim Janz and Australian blogger Jeff Bullas, small business resources are now at an all-time high. The problems, Mellissah says, lay within the fact that many small businesses lack the time, resources or ability to market their companies themselves. “Many small business owners are good at coming up with marketing ideas but not brilliant at executing them,” she says. Today, Mellissah is the prime example of a small business owner who has transitioned from working in the business to working on the business, a practice listed in all entrepreneurial handbooks which can be difficult to adopt in real life. When she founded Marketing Eye, Mellissah found herself tempted to expand internationally on a whim, and would have done so immediately had it not been for her business advisors. That she didn’t is a credit to the restraint she showed after being advised of the pitfalls of early expansion. Instead, she adjusted her thinking from immediate expansion to focus on developing proprietary technology to drive communications, systems and processes that fast-tracked marketing service delivery and content.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“The business has gone through a number of changes since we started in 2004 – we have been able to improve the business tenfold and strengthen the model to the point that it has become what we call a no-brainer for small business owners who want to grow their companies,” Mellissah says. “The lessons we learnt came close to crippling the business at times, but we are a resilient bunch. The spirit of the team and their incredible support has ensured that we continue to move forward and stand out in the market.” A more personal lesson Mellissah learnt was to clearly communicate her vision and invest heavily in her team. “As an entrepreneur, you find that you have lots of enthusiasm – being surrounded by other entrepreneurs through business groups and friendships, it never occurred to me to share the company vision in detail with my team,” she says. “It was a huge mistake, because this works two ways – in order to be successful, you need their buy-in and they need to champion your vision as well. Entrepreneurs get so deeply entrenched in running their businesses that smart ones know that there isn’t a business without people. “At times, I forgot to invest in my people and it was singularly the biggest mistake that I could ever have made. It placed too much of the business’s growth and development on me personally, and not the entire team. “Today, we not only invest in our team but also ensure that they are motivated daily to be the best marketers in the business and do an outstanding job on our clients’ marketing efforts. They all share this dream, and if they don’t, they simply don’t last. “I also listen to their vision for the company, valuing their feedback and, at times, criticism. There is nothing that a person on the team could not say to me, which is unique. No one is stepping on eggshells or discussing what they think should be done behind managers’ backs. Open communication works well.” As an example of having faith in her staff, Mellissah stepped down as CEO in early 2012, handing the reigns to marketing industry veteran Julie Schoneveld. “Julie is extraordinary, she joined the business in its first year of operation and knows all the ropes,” Mellissah says. “She understands what works, what doesn’t, and has a better temperament for a CEO than myself. It’s important to understand what

your strengths are and when it’s time to step aside and let someone more suited to the role take over. “Marketing Eye has grown during Julie’s time as CEO even though she took six weeks off in the middle of the year, which is a credit to her business management skills and ability to empower others in the organisation to step up when required. “I started my first business at the age of 25 years – in hindsight, that was too young for someone to be running a consultancy firm. I didn’t see enough campaigns fail to really add the value that I do today, whereas Julie has been there and done that for more than 20 years in big corporations, headed teams of marketers and has been involved in the development of custom media, which is the future of Marketing Eye.” “Our visions are aligned, yet we are poles apart in our management style, which is what you want when you have an ambitious task of growing a global company.”

Many small business owners are good at coming up with marketing ideas but not brilliant at executing them.

ENTREPRENEUR

Eyes wide open A tilt at global expansion meant putting the Marketing Eye model on steroids. Mellissah is taking everything she has learnt in 15 years of business to accelerate the business’s growth plans and aggressive launch into the lucrative US market. “We need to operate like an American company,” she says. “As America is 27 times bigger than Australia in our market space, the laidback Aussie attitude will fail to work in that market – so we need to adopt an American mindset.” Investment in staff training is one of the company’s biggest strengths – its philosophy to ignore short holidays and encouragement of the marketing team to get out of the office is well received. “Our team in Atlanta is surprised by the fact that we think it is ludicrous to have only a few weeks of annual leave,” Mellissah said. “We want our marketers travelling the world and seeing how other companies market themselves. The value this brings to clients’ businesses is priceless. “We also encourage the team to take a morning off each month to sit in a Starbucks or at the library and watch people, soaking in what consumers do in order to understand them better. “It is a massive investment in people, along with their future, their dreams and where they want to go professionally. Our management team will work with every member of Marketing Eye to find out what their dreams are. After that, our job is to help them get there.” Mellissah’s vision is to turn Marketing Eye into the number one innovator in small business marketing. In Australia, the company has developed concepts, technology and products which are industry-leading. Raising capital is in the equation for the company’s expansion – however, while investment is easy to come by, Mellissah is taking her time. “I never realised how easy it would be but if you have a good business model and it is globally scalable and profitable – it makes for a compelling pitch,” she said. “We want to be the small business equivalent of Apple. That’s what will set us apart. Regardless of the size of their business, people will be experiencing a service that they cannot get elsewhere.”

I use that shared knowledge and make informed decisions with a reduced risk of making mistakes. This is power that only comes with knowing that you don’t have all the answers.

And that’s what makes Mellissah a great entrepreneur. She has been grounded by numerous powerful mentors but is also balanced by the lessons she was taught through her unbridled enthusiasm to build and innovate.

The eye inside Her mentors have taught her to be herself, the importance of good manners and how to always act with a safety net in place, but if the Mellissah of today could teach the Mellissah of eight years ago a lesson or two, what would they be? “I would tell myself to invest in people and to hire slowly,” she said. “I know everyone says this, but it is so true. The other lesson is not to grow too fast and to get things right from the start. Back when I was 20, I wanted to be where I am today. In hindsight, I am glad that that didn’t happen. Now, small businesses are attuned to what we are offering and the market is ripe for our type of business. The company blog gets thousands of visitors: people are interested in what we do and how we go about doing it.”

business nous through their thoughts and feedback. According to Mellissah, everyone has something different to add. “I use that shared knowledge and make informed decisions with a reduced risk of making mistakes,” she said. “This is power that only comes with knowing that you don’t have all the answers.” And now she feels like it’s time to take it all to the next level. “There will be tough days and it will be hard, but one thing is for certain: now is the time,” she said.

twitter.com/marketingeyeaus twitter.com/marketingeyeus linkedin.com/company/marketing-eye fb.me/marketingeye pinterest.com/marketingeye Read Mellissah’s blog on www.marketingeye.com/blog

www.marketingeye.com

She has also come to terms with being an entrepreneur. “As I have become older, I now appreciate that being different isn’t that bad,” Mellissah said. “I know that the passion I have inside me is no different to someone who wants to climb the corporate ladder. I have big dreams and I am empowered to follow them. There is nothing that is holding me back.” Today, Mellissah has a strong belief in listening to everyone from the receptionist to the CEO, gaining additional insight and

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

INNOVATE OR TO

NOT?

Have you ever experienced the frustration of an umbrella flipping inside-out, leaving you drenched and frustrated in a downpour?

Those moments are now a thing of the past, thanks to enterprising entrepreneurs, Gerwin Hoogendoorn and Philip Hess, who created the senz째 storm umbrella which slices through wind with its aerodynamic design. Marketing Eye speaks to Hess - here are his thoughts on entrepreneurship.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ENTREPRENEUR

What made you decide to be an entrepreneur?

What inspires you to grow your business?

What is your biggest strength as an entrepreneur?

The challenge to be a game changer, to start something from scratch and make a global impact.

I see business as a means to develop yourself as an entrepreneur and a human being. Each time you grow your business, new issues appear which force you to act on them. It’s so satisfying to experience an almost vertical learning curve as an entrepreneur and to continue to learn all the time.

To be able to make a difference in so many people’s lives.

To innovate or not… What was behind your decision to innovate umbrellas? It was a graduation project which started from pure frustration with traditional umbrellas. I wanted to develop the ultimate umbrella. What is the biggest obstacle that you had to overcome to take the umbrella’s to market? To change the perception of people that it’s much smarter to invest in a €50 (AU$71) senz° umbrella with a two year warranty period, instead of buying crappy umbrellas all the time. Where are senz° umbrellas sold?

What are the lessons you have learnt from being a co-founder in the business and working with another entrepreneur? That it’s crucial to collect the right people around you, who are different from yourself in skills and personality. Although this can be very confronting and annoying, once you’re able to see the added value of the differences, you can put your ego aside and take gigantic steps together.

Where would you like to take your business? To continue to be a game changer on a global level, grow further as a love brand and make the world a little bit of a better place.

twitter.com/senzumbrellas fb.me/senzumbrellas

www.senzumbrellas.com

In large parts of Europe, South America, and the Asia Pacific, and we’re working hard on a launch in the USA.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

MARKETING

BEATS THE

FLOOD

Peter Doonan tells Marketing Eye the story behind Steel Supplies Charters Towers and how the company stood tough during the Queensland floods.

t took me quite a few weeks to chase the super-busy man behind the Top End’s favourite steel supplies company. Yet, when I got on the phone with him, I was in for a sweet surprise: Peter Doonan is a down-to-earth person who has struck the right chord when it comes to starting and managing your own business.

It all started like this... Doonan had a nice, fatpaying corporate job in the steel industry. As any passionate careerist and forward thinker, he had ideas worth trying but the corporate structure didn’t quite allow that kind of flexibility. Frustrated with the rigid and adamant methodologies, Doonan went ahead to take a bold step which would become the number one choice of industries for steel products in Queensland.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“I managed the steel business for another company and I wasn’t happy about the way things were going. I tried but things didn’t change. That led me to found my own company.”

A smooth take-off For many small to mediumsized businesses, the main hiccups are in the initial three to five years, but with his strategic approach and industry hands-on knowhow, Doonan had the smoothest first three years. As the company has grown, however, some of Steel Supplies’ hindrances have been pricing, change of government and normal staffing levels. “A couple of clients have gone broke on us,” Doonan says. “Sometimes there are problems with cash flow, but our biggest hindrance has been a natural one: the Queensland floods three years ago were a blow for businesses everywhere.

The sales were down and we were stuck in a predicament where we had to re-evaluate our business. At that moment, however briefly, we didn’t know what to do.” Tough times require tough decisions and discipline. Doonan, as a leader of his company, is a real-life example of this. How did he cope with the slump? “We did everything we could do,” Doonan says. ”We marketed rigorously. Normally, when your business slows down, marketing is not the first thing on your mind. You think, ‘Well, marketing is an added cost for my business, let me just concentrate on other important areas and deal with marketing last’. But the truth is: marketing is an ongoing effort. When business was hurt, we didn’t forget that. We continued to service our customers the best we could and carried out target-based marketing.”

No looking back So did the Queensland floods lead Doonan to reconsider his choice? What if he was offered the same high-paying corporate job again? “Not at all,” he says. “There are highs and lows in the life of a business, but I never considered going back to a corporate job. I always had the entrepreneurial spark in me and once it was ignited, there was no looking back!” If allowed to go back in time, Doonan would only do a few things differently. Mainly, it has to do with employing key staff. “I’d staff differently,” he says. “Finding the right person for a job rather than grabbing anyone willing to work yields better results more often than not. I’d manage my sales team rather than being the sales team. Back when I started, I was doing my sales, marketing and business management. Given another chance, I would

ENTREPRENEUR

Steel Supplies Charters Towers: company fast facts and strengths • • • • •

delegate the right job to the right person rather than filling my platter to the brim.”

Breakthroughs Unquestionably, Steel Supplies Charters Towers has had heaps of breakthrough moments. Many of them have to do with over-delivering on a promise which comes with team-effort and taking the company to the forefront. “I’ve had a lot of them and most wouldn’t have happened without the people at Steel Supplies,” Doonan says. “I try to motivate my team every time we bag a new project—and when we don’t. People are our biggest assets.”

Where to? The next six months’ goals are clearly laid: spend more time enjoying life than working. But wait, his work is his hobby. That explains why he enjoys visiting his

cattle property four times a month. “Yeah, I am lucky I was able to choose what I love to do,” Doonan says. “Going forward, I don’t want to sit in sales, I want to manage the business and overlook it. The next six months I am focusing on that aspect. And on achieving a work/ life balance. Right now it’s not really where I’d want it to be,” Doonan jokes.

Lessons in the fields A true lover of the rural and rustic life, Peter spent three and a half years managing a cattle property to understand the needs of farmers as he supplies them steel. The experience was nothing short of profound. “Living in (farmers’) shoes was something very different,” he says. “I experienced it all — the rains, the floods, the droughts, the solo life. “When you’re on your own and you have no one

else to talk to, it gets . . . unexplainable. Your mind starts playing games with you. It’s even more stressful than city life or a corporate job, if you ask me, at least in the beginning. Then you start to become friends with it.” The period was so deeply intense for him that Doonan decided to buy the 10,000 acre property which he was managing for these years. To this day, he and his family visit the cattle property every weekend.

Advice to new entrepreneurs The biggest piece of advice is: start where you want to finish. Doonan asserts if you want to be in sales, try getting involved in your business’ sales department from the beginning. If you don’t want to finish in it, don’t start in it. Set your goals and align them with where you want to be in the long run. The transition is really difficult mid-way.

Founded in 2005 Quality steel, especially the fabricated products Solid industry knowledge Delivering the promise Customer service

Advertising is different: Anyone can pop an ad in the paper. Marketing is a continuous effort — a strategy. “Another thing I’ve definitely understood is this: a lot of people don’t understand marketing and its importance. Most mix up marketing and advertising. But advertising is different: anyone can pop an ad in the paper. Marketing is a continuous effort — a strategy.” Doonan continues to forge ahead. With a new location and a burgeoning business, he has established a reputation of quality steel supplies, cattle handling products and shed manufacturing.

www.steelsuppliescharterstowers.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

Everyday

uperwear

A new breed of men’s t-shirts has hit the Australian market. Fashion-forward brothers Kon, Michael and Jim are the brains behind the Komiji brand, which is a recently-launched range of shapewear for the style-conscious male. With the slim fitting range offering unforeseen material quality and great value for money, Komiji has it sewn up. In producing their exclusive fabric blend of 82 per cent cotton and 18 per cent spandex, the trio developed an original concept in men’s t-shirts and singlets that provides style, functionality and variety. Transcending international boundaries, Komiji clothing is available both online and in selected retail stores, offering universal pricing regardless of location. “Everyone’s thinking in how they shop has changed, so by providing an online store we can reach customers whether they are in Sydney, the UK or LA,” explains Kon. Komiji t-shirts and singlets are the perfect hybrid between undergarment and outer garment, making them a true wardrobe necessity. Thinking back on his experience in the launch of international clothing brands in the Australian market, Kon remembers the extensive colour ranges, very few of which were available to Australian consumers. “You look in the colour books from the US and you go ‘WOW!’, he says. “I decided that’s what I was going to get for Australia. I want guys to know they can have apple green, lilac or banana; they might start off with one Komiji colour but they have the choice to add to their collection as they see fit.” The brothers’ decision to produce the garments locally in Australia has direct benefits for shoppers. Access to local manufacturers means a rapid one-week turnaround on all garments, avoiding delivery delays or issues with stock levels. This ensures the peace of mind that garments will be available in the size and colour that consumers want, when they want it. “Through our Melbourne plant we can maintain flexibility and an always ‘in-stock’

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

certainty, without having a warehouse full of 50,000 t-shirts in one size or colour,” Kon says. In addition to their market leading, integrated supply-chain strategy, Komiji also utilises an in-depth research and development process. This analysis has guided the design of their unique fabric combination, in targeting this underdeveloped market segment. The combination of breathable cotton and spandex provides a soft texture with a medium compression, which holds its shape well over time. “The quality available in Europe is far superior to the standard fabrics available in Australian clothing. We wanted to bring real quality to the market, while keeping our range affordable for the average consumer,” Kon says. “Our fabric is designed with men’s acceptance levels and comfort in mind. The garments are designed as shape wear for day to day use… Men would not put up with high compression for long periods of time.” At Komiji, fashion and consumer trends remain a key driver to product development. “Times have changed… You look back a few years and t-shirts were big and baggy and now it’s completely the opposite,” Kon said. “Everyone’s perception has changed of how they want to wear their t-shirts…even jeans are more fitted.” The future certainly looks bright for the Komiji brothers, with plans to further extend the range well underway and a strong hold on this solid niche market firmly within their grasp.

ARTICLES

Amazing serenity away from the hustle and bustle.

There’s something about Thailand that can almost immediately have you feeling more calm, content, healthier and happier than you have in a very long time. There’s a sense of tranquillity and balance here that is so easy to tap into the second you arrive. Leave the stress and clatter behind at home and immerse yourself in indulgent bliss. Think massages and spa treatments like you’ve never had before. Think reading a book on a gorgeous beach by the aqua blue water. Think relaxing in a hammock. Think nothing. Take the opportunity to re-energise and revitalise your body and soul. You deserve it and you know you need it. Tourism Authority of Thailand, Level 20, 56 Pitt St Sydney, NSW 2000, +61 2 9247 7549

ENTREPRENEUR

A N A E L C

P E E W S 18

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ENTREPRENEUR

ET G O T VE HAVE A H U YO E WHO TO E L R P I O S E E P LAR D U O Y I T A M A SI UCE WH UCE. PROD T TO PROD WAN Hospitality is a tough industry: long hours, high stress levels and difficult customers. You have to love the industry to be involved in it, especially if you are running the back of house, which presents its own challenges. Keeping equipment in top working order can be expensive – if something breaks down, there may be a long wait for a technician. And cleaning is not an easy job. Unless you’re a professional cleaner, hidden grime can be hard to spot. So how can those in the hospitality industry take the stress out of back of house maintenance? They can call Coreserve. The company specialises in a multiple service stream dedicated to servicing the hospitality industry, as well as commercial and education sectors. The company is the result of two engineers combining their skills to produce a professionally delivered product with a personal service. Known for their attention to detail and need to deliver the best product on the market, Coreserve continues to grow, organically providing regular service programs to over 100 sites nationally along with new sites taking advantage of the Coreserve hospitality package. The two men behind Coreserve are Barry Carter and Steve Fowler. Both bring unique skill sets: Carter comes from an electrical engineering background, while Fowler has a professional cleaning background. They started the business because Fowler saw a lack of quality service in cleaning hospitality sites. According to Carter, this comes down to the fact that there aren’t too many people who will put their hands up to be professional cleaners. “It is a massive challenge to get a small hospitality site to the required level of cleanliness,” he says.

“So part of our challenge when we started the business was to find people who were willing and then provide the necessary training, management and an environment they want to work in.” Carter says building a successful team is tough. “You have to get people who have a similar desire to produce what you want to produce.” “We employ engineers and tradesmen and so it’s not that difficult to get good quality staff. We then look at how tradesmen approach the job and what remedies they put in place to fix a job.” Once the right staff were in place initially, it was a matter of systemising the business and creating a unique offering that includes not only cleaning, but equipment maintenance as well. “It was a goal to incorporate all services at the beginning: we have catering equipment technicians, there are specialist areas and we have refrigeration and air conditioning technicians,” Carter says. “Every hospitality site has these things. We put a lot of effort into drawing up a planned preventative maintenance. The idea being that we put time into the system and therefore reduce downtime and breakdowns. “The whole principle in putting those things into one business is that there aren’t many players in the catering equipment market. Although there are several players in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and we are not the market leader, what we can offer is a holistic service where we evaluate the site, conduct health checks and offer ongoing service.” Where the service differs is that most technicians rely on breakdowns to keep

their business going, but Coreserve is in the business of prevention. “Preventative maintenance builds customer loyalty and when they see it works, and they are not having their fingers burnt, they jump on board.” If it takes staff of a hospitality site six hours to clean, Coreserve’s systems can reduce this to three hours. They look at all elements of the business that would require attention. “Take a restaurant, for example. The chef knows how to run the back of house, keep his kitchen clean and prepare the food, while the management at the front of house understands the presentation of the business and how to attract clients.” “For them, spending hours chasing technicians to fix a broken refrigerator can be restrictive. We don’t just make their lives easier by offering all those services, but also provide a 24-hour help-desk.” Coreserve provides cleaning client service managers who carry out inspections throughout the week, so the venue doesn’t have to worry about the cleanliness of the site. Carter himself will go out at 4am if required to take care of any issues. This is typical of the service that is offered to business; owners love to see the managing director of their service provider willing to get his hands dirty. Coreserve’s goal is to deliver the best possible service. And it is paying off. They have reached their profit targets easily and are now expanding nationally. “The way we are developing, we now have the company reinvesting in itself,” Carter says. “We have our main office in Sydney and sub offices in Brisbane, Mackay and Melbourne is the next port of call. By the end of the year, we’ll also be developing in Perth and Darwin.” Coreserve has only been in operation for a couple of years; however it has made great ground by committing to good quality service that provides strong results for its clients.

www.coreserve.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

Only the best-no mediocrity accepted

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ENTREPRENEUR

We’re set apart by our level of service and knowledge, plus the products we take to market. As the chief operating officer of a small business, EB2BCOM’s Adam Neale is highly familiar with the challenges facing entrepreneurs in this day and age. The Melbourne-headquartered software master reseller works with innovative software vendors from around the world, meaning that they are also dealing with fellow business starters who are seeking to pave their way in the industry. “We’re best described as a value-added distributor of specialist IT products or software and are primarily focused on identity management and security solutions,” Neale says. “This means that we represent leadingedge solutions that are just emerging in their home market of the US or Europe. We also have a number of vendors we have represented for five or six years, and have become quite established in their fields. “So our model is to represent them here in the Asia Pacific, establish the local market for them, and build it up. Sometimes, they are acquired by larger companies; other times, they set up operations in the region, so we continue a transitional plan while they’re setting up.” The solutions offered by EB2BCOM include the current “hot” areas of the IT industry, such as identity and access management; entitlements management solutions; single sign-on and access and security technologies for the cloud; identity auditing and reporting, and directory solutions. One of the latest areas of focus has been on allowing organisations to leverage

social media identities, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, for access to external facing or Cloud-based applications. In particular, has extensive experience delivering specific identity and access management solutions to the industry. Products currently provided by EB2BCOM include Centrify, PingFederate, SecureAuth, Telos and ViewDS , which have been supplied to an established customer list of blue chip corporate, government and telecommunications organisations. According to Neale, the company is often approached by international suppliers seeking an Asia Pacific partner, but rejects the majority in order to maintain the company’s high standards in quality and ensure that only best-of-breed products are in use. “We’re set apart by our level of service and knowledge, plus the products we take to market – we take our role of representing our vendors in this part of the world very seriously,” he says. “In order to play that role well, you need to have very good skills in those areas. It’s a specialist area too, so it’s not just something that anyone can do. “We do have competitors; however, they offer different vendors’ products so there’s nobody else who does exactly the same thing as what we do. “We’re different to these companies by staying focused and basically bringing these single solutions to market, as opposed to being another reseller of a big suite like Oracle or IBM where you spend

hundreds of thousands of dollars and months of implementation – instead of doing that, we get a solution that just does what it does and can be in and out without within days or weeks.” EB2BCOM’s head office is based in Kew, Melbourne, with an Asia Pacific bureau in Singapore. Additional support staff members are also located in Sydney, Brisbane and Hong Kong. Despite the economic downturn over the past years, Neale said the key to success and continuing growth was good money management. “As a small business, it comes down to cash flow – whatever you spend has to be affordable, based on the income you’ve got coming in,” he says. “If you have to borrow heavily in order to expand, then you’re rolling the dice and gambling that the business will be there within a short time frame to cover the debts. “We have been very careful to grow responsibly and making sure that we do have work coming in before growing the business – we’re certainly more cautious than we were five years ago, when money was less tight.”

twitter.com/eb2bcom

www.eb2bcom.com

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

HEART Founder: Chris Reynolds

OF A

CHAMPION

There’s a freedom associated with riding a bike. Whether it is a push bike, race bike or motorbike, the open air and speed provides a thrill that exists from childhood to adult life. Chris Reynolds has intimate knowledge of that freedom and it is his inherent sense of freedom and adventure that led him to buy the Australian division of global powerhouse Champion System.

hris Reynolds is nothing if not opportunistic. When his wife was offered a trading position in Hong Kong, he contacted Champion System, which was supplying the wares for a bike wholesaler he was working with in Sydney.

Reynolds understood the industry, had the runs on the board and was clearly a go-getter. It meant the powerbrokers in Hong Kong had no hesitation in hiring him. “I started with Champion System as an employee in Hong Kong in 2008,” Reynolds recalled. “I was tasked with bringing the business into Australia.” The Australian arm of Champion System was officially opened in May 2009, after a year of development headed by Reynolds. As it turned out, he took over the business as his own at the start of 2009. “The opportunity to work as an employee initially gave me experience, but at the end of the day I was putting in a lot of hours and setting up some big things so I figured I may as well be doing the same thing but getting a bigger benefit out of it by being a business owner,” he says. Thus, Champion System Australia was born with the mantra to carry on the legacy of being one of the best sportswear producers in the world and make the company a dominant force in the domestic market.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

ENTREPRENEUR

If you’re dedicated to something, then you can just go out and do it. If you think you can achieve something, rather than thinking about it and passing on your idea to someone else, just go out and try it yourself. Chances are you’ll be a success. “Champion System produces a high quality technical garments at a competitive price,” Reynolds says. “We produce garments for cycling, triathlons, marathons, running, rowing, rugby and casual wear that are high-end and can be customised to your tastes. If you’re a club, team or corporate, you can get high quality technical sports garments designed how you would like them: you receive your own colours, logo and identity whilst wearing the best gear available.” The decision to sell into the Australian market was an important one and a game changer for Reynolds. “When I was doing my work from Hong Kong, I did a lot of business over the phone and visited Australia regularly,” he says. “I realised that if I wanted the business to be a success and grow, then I needed to make an investment in Australia. It was a big decision, but a necessary one.” Reynolds took a personal approach by concentrating on quality and service, rather than price. His directive was to look at ways of improving the product and seek new markets to infiltrate.

“We identified that the corporate market was in need of service and their suppliers for custom clothing were scattered: one supplier provided socks, another jerseys and others casual wear,” he says.

with any problems at any time. The whole technological advancement is really a first for this industry. Other companies have dabbled in it but none have got the whole kit and caboodle as we have.”

“We saw it as an opportunity to become one supplier with a high quality, competitive product.”

Reynolds’ free spirit has been important to the growth of Champion System Australia. He is not afraid to take a risk, make a mistake (of which he says he has made plenty), or go for broke on an idea. And he has been supported and mentored by Champion System’s global owner.

The move into the corporate space provided a dual benefit: volume of sales as well as brand exposure increased among the corporate sector. Corporate businesses took to Champion System Australia because of the quality on offer. “We have independent testing to make sure our fabrics do what they’re meant to do,” Reynolds says. “We have a research and development team that talk to different suppliers to create fabrics based on our needs, producing fabrics that are unique and industry relevant. Our customers know they are receiving quality products, which builds a quality brand. However, it’s not just the quality of the product that matters it is also the quality of service we offer. It’s not just the jersey; it’s the whole experience that is high quality.” That experience is backed up by a platform and system that goes above and beyond what competitors are offering. Reynolds has built a strong tech base to design an order portal that allows Champion System Australia to handle a large base of customers with a small amount of staff. He is also savvy to the power of online buying. “The fact that we have a purely online design, order and payment portal is pretty rare in this industry,” he says. “It is a fully integrated system that allows a customer to log on, do design work, order and pay online. We have a backup office in Sydney and Melbourne for customers to call up

“The owner of the business globally was a mentor to me when I started up and gave me a lot of advice of what worked, what didn’t and what to look out for,” Reynolds says. “It was really just drawing on his experience, my experience and getting in there and having a go.” The growth and success of Champion System Australia can be put down to drive and energy and Reynolds encourages anybody with those traits to give business a go. “If you’re dedicated to something, then you can just go out and do it,” he said. “If you think you can achieve something, rather than thinking about it and passing on your idea to someone else, just go out and try it yourself. Chances are you’ll be a success.” It all comes back to freedom and having confidence in your ability. Once you’ve embraced that, creating a business may be as easy as riding a bike.

twitter.com/Champsys fb.me/champsys

www.champ-sys.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENTREPRENEUR

etting anything, anywhere, anytime is entrepreneur Michael Reed’s mission this year.

The founder and director of EveryLogistic.com launched his website in February, using his extensive shipping experience to connect customers with transportation service providers to move anything from pets and vehicles to containers and house removals via road, sea or air. Reed aims to ensure that every customer is communicated to in a prompt manner, and has also introduced an innovative way of matching the customer and their needs with a logistics provider in real-time online. “You can connect with us on your laptop, tablet, smartphone, or any conceivable means of electronic media to request a quote,” he says. “We then connect with the supply chain industry straight away to organise for your freight to be moved on the same day if required. “The system works by matching a registered client to a certain supplier by their requirements through real-time matching, opposed to various other service providers that have a bidding-style site, similar to an auction. “EveryLogistic.com is about getting suppliers in contact with clients straight away, which means they get a response quickly and gain value for money. For me, it’s getting more suppliers on the table to clients and it gives smaller operators exposure as well. At EveryLogistic.com, we build business relationships with clients and suppliers based on trust, which is a strong foundation for any business.”

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

Utilising more than two decades of experience in the maritime industry, Reed plans to revamp the transportation and logistics industry by setting higher standards of service compared to his competitors. The concept of EveryLogistic.com returned to Reed by chance last year as he was shredding documents on his bookshelf. Stumbling across a notepad of business ideas that were jotted down in the early 2000s, he revisited a brainwave and brought it back to life. “More than six years ago, I was working in shipping and attempting to get some quotes on transporting freight from Melbourne to Tasmania,” he says. “After being on the phone to the shipping company for an hour and being transferred between six different departments, I thought to myself: ‘There’s got to be a better way of doing this.’ “I ended up writing my ideas on paper, then put them away on a bookshelf and forgot about them until I rediscovered them and realised that there was still a market for my idea.” EveryLogistic.com stands apart from its competitors by tailoring its service to each customer’s needs. Reed understands that each client is different and reflects that by customising his service to suit their requirements. “We are all about being a platform to meet every single one of your logistics needs with an excellent standard of customer service,” he said. “Other service providers are not connecting with their clients – their

customers log-in online to request a quote but their enquiries usually go unanswered. My philosophy is to make sure that clients are responded to promptly, and to offer the most competitive price. “Many of these sites also use a flawed percentage-based pricing structure, where they include the percentage of freight. This is an unnecessary cost inflicted on the customer and is also a cumbersome, long-winded process. Everylogistic.com’s pricing structure is very different to that and provides the best value available.” The entrepreneur has ambitious plans for his start-up, aiming to expand internationally in less than five years. Reed has his eye on the markets in New Zealand, the United States, Europe and Asia, saying he wanted to grow his business in leaps and bounds. “As every small business owner knows, business is hard work and definitely not for the faint-hearted,” Reed says. “I personally believe that a business owner will be very successful if they follow good principles, work hard and are very committed. “My background in running a small business goes back to when I owned a highlysuccessful coffee cart for three years, which was excellent in giving me small business experience and a background in managing finances. It was a great stepping stone to beginning and running something like EveryLogistic.com, which I am very excited about.”

www.everylogistic.com

ENTREPRENEUR

M High-Tech a r i n e r s At the frontier of bringing Australian mariners into the future is Queensland-based Foreshore Marine.

In an industry that experienced growth throughout the global financial crisis and is expected to continue to grow as demand climbs, Foreshore Marine founder, Yulio Spadina, stresses the importance of change. Established in 2000 and specialising in marine construction and equipment, Foreshore Marine’s service offering includes pile driving, wharf and jetty design and construction, equipment hire and much more. “With a background in building prior to marine construction, we understand that building practices change over time but tend to remain the same in marine construction,” he says.

While the construction industry in Australia is experiencing annualised growths of approximately eight per cent as a whole, the lack of improvement in building practices staggers the potential for growth in marine construction.

Operating in an industry that has remained relatively stagnant for the past 30 years, Foreshore Marine utilises high-tech proprietary technology to change the antiquated building practices of Australian marine construction. Concerned with the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of marine structures and outbuildings, the team at Foreshore Marine works tirelessly to ensure the structural integrity of piers, harbours and wharves. Spadina has 22 years’ experience in marine construction and heads a team of qualified experts who develop Foreshore Marine’s

proprietary technology and state-of-the-art equipment. As the marine construction industry continues to expand, the design teams at Foreshore Marine understand the need for high-tech marine piling equipment to ensure reliability and efficiency.

Foreshore Marine is an entirely Australian owned and operated company boasting zero outsourcing, with everything from design to construction done in-house and on-shore, ensuring the security of Australian jobs.

The business also strives to shape the future of marine construction in Australia, working with in-house specialists to provide extensive long-term solutions. Marine contractors continue to be an important contributor to the reconstruction associated with the 2011 Queensland floods, driving demand for all facets of the construction industry, particularly harbor and river bank repairs. With experience in both the public and private sector, Foreshore Marine’s notable projects include collaboration with Mobil Oil to build shipping dolphins and bank stabilisations for local bays and rivers including Raby Bay and St Lucia and the construction of Queens Wharf in Maryborough.

www.foreshoremarine.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

MARKETING

HAS y REPLACED x? Written by Mellissah Smith

There’s a popular video on YouTube at the moment called ‘A Pep Talk from Kid President to You.’ The video is the work of 10 year old motivational speaker Robby Novak (aka Kid President). At the time of writing, Novak’s three and a half minute, low budget video had been viewed more than 23.3 million times and ‘liked’ more than 161,000 times. For generation X marketers, it should serve as a warning signal. In the formative stages of our careers, we would invest great energy and resources into traditional advertising campaigns sometimes for little reward. If Kid President has taught us anything, it is the power of viral campaigns and social media. There’s never been a greater divide between marketing experts from generation X and generation Y. Many gen Xers are stuck in old ways, unwilling or unable to embrace the rapidly changing face of the industry. As for gen Yers, they’ve never experienced adulthood without the internet, Facebook or Twitter. I founded my first company at 25 and was lucky enough to work with some of Australia’s leading corporations before founding Marketing Eye at 30, targeting niche businesses across the country and later, the US.

But I was a rarity and in my experience, many corporations are reluctant to give gen Yers an opportunity, instead opting to stick with their tried and tested older counterparts making sometimes conservative decisions with a slower uptake of newer marketing technologies that are transforming businesses globally. They shouldn’t be. While the experience the older demographic can provide is vital, the media and digital-savvy nature of many 20-somethings is the future of marketing. Marketing Eye’s unique and customised strategic plans for clients have technology at their forefront. We’re across SMS campaigns, Search Engine Optimisation and social media marketing. If you search Google, Yahoo or MSN for “marketing consultant” or “marketing manager” in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Atlanta or New York, you’ll find us on the front page of search results. We’ve got more than 38,000 Twitter followers (Australia and US sites) and hundreds of thousands of readers of our in-house blog. My message to gen X marketing gurus – move with the times and the technology or risk getting overtaken by your smaller competitors who can’t afford the six figure salaries gen Xers command, and have to take risks that often end in bigger rewards.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

MARKETING

CHILDREN OF AMERICA Children of America is one of the most successful childcare centre chains in the United States, catapulting itself as a feeder for smart, inspired children that are surrounded by dedicated teaching personnel and a focus on good nutrition.

ith more than 70 centres in total and the organisation expanding rapidly, Children of America has a well-established brand name and a loyal following for parents looking for education from early childhood through to 10 years of age. Boasting an in-house nutritionist, qualified teaching personnel and stateof-the-art security, Children of America’s policy of excellence across every area of their business is filtrated all the way through from the first point of contact with a parent through to graduation day. THE CHALLENGE Children of America has invested heavily in marketing and in particular, in a website and Google AdWords campaigns. The company’s strong branding and signage on its buildings was a major reason why people chose to contact the company over its competitors and also resulted in a strong and consistent flow of parent referrals. What Children of America didn’t have was a social media strategy. They had successfully achieved impressive results in filling up childcare centres with children and creating connections with parents, and hadn’t seen the need to further focus on social media. This in itself was the first obstacle to overcome. THE APPROACH After researching Children of America’s presence online, it became apparent that their Alexa Ranking needed improvement and that their social media strategy was practically non-existent. The organisation had active but neglected Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Marketing Eye knew that ‘baby steps’ had to be made for the company to see the value in social media – after all, what they had been doing was working for them. Social media is not a quick fix, but part of a long-term integrated strategic marketing approach that will ultimately assist companies like Children of America build more meaningful, long-term connections, increase the number of enrolments and boost loyalty to the brand. Marketing Eye developed a campaign that was designed to create conversation

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

and a connection to the Children of America brand. Additionally, the marketing campaign needed to establish what the brand was really about. Developing the #bestyoucanbe campaign was well-thought through and focused on the underlying meaning of what is important in what we all do in life. As long as we are all doing the best we can do, then that is all that counts. The campaign included a YouTube clip which was the hero focus of the entire strategy, complemented by increasing followers on Twitter and creating better engagement on other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Vine. By sharing how parents and children are being the #bestyoucanbe, the campaign aims to inspire everyone to try their best and “don’t worry if you fall over… just get back up”. THE RESULT The video is inspiring, heart-warming and above all, left visitors that went to YouTube and the website with a warm, fuzzy feeling about Children of America. This differentiator is imperative as Children of America’s mandate, to continually improve what they do and how they communicate with parents, is important. New to social media, with Marketing Eye’s help, the company increased its following on Twitter by 1,456 per cent and Facebook reach by 632 per cent. Retweets and sharing became popular for the first time and a constant flow of inspirational messages led to the company’s brand being exposed to millions of online consumers throughout the US. There were high profile retweets and favourites from actor Rainn Wilson’s new media company SoulPancake (best known for its work with Kid President) and other key influencers, some of which led to more than 100 retweets of retweets. Mind blowing statistics, considering that Children of America hadn’t quite embraced social media in its full enormity and this was all in a matter of weeks. THE CAMPAIGN “You know, if you want to run, run as fast as you can. Don’t worry if you fall over. Just get back up and keep running, running, running.”

“Or, if you are at school, don’t worry if you can’t do something, just try harder, and practice – the easier it will be. Never give up, be the best you can be.” “Another thing, be nice, be the nicest person you can be. When someone is sad, be nice to them, hold their hand, give them a hug, be the best friend you can be.” “When your mom and dad goes mad at you, because you have done something wrong – think about it, say sorry and from that moment – be the best you can be.”

Here’s what the Twitterverse had to say about the video and campaign: Heather Thomas @NickysMommy1122 @COAChildcare This is awesome! Thank you for sharing~ I can’t wait to make the fruit bowl with my little friend! #familyfun

Wetpaint Moms @wetpaintmoms @COAChildcare Thanks for the tweet! That video is ADORABLE!

Boston Moms @Boston_Moms @COAChildcare Thanks for the inspiration. Happy Monday to you too. Adorable kids!

Glamorous Moms @glamorousmoms @COAChildcare Awww #thankyou What adorable #kids with such powerful messages!

Jasmin Rez @JasminRez “It’s How You Get Back Up That Counts” - @COAChildcare #value #bestyoucanbe #yt www.youtu.be/xiObbigm5RM

Roxana Jones @roxanamjones @COAChildcare Loved, Liked and Shared your video! :) Beautiful and #inspirational children!

Reiko @Reiko444 @COAChildcare Thank you for sharing this video! What inspiring & positive young children! Love them already! :)

AfterSchool.com @AfterSchool_com RT @COAChildcare: Run as fast as you can. Don’t worry if you fall over - just get back up and keep running, running, running.

Lisa Cash Hanson @Mompreneurmogul @COAChildcare That is really precious! Thanks for sharing!

ItsySparks @ItsySparks @COAChildcare Love the Saturday inspiration - the video is great!! Thank you for sharing!

Novick Brothers Corp @NovickBrothers @COAChildcare We love your #Positive attitude!! #Happy #Optimism

Parenting @Parenting @COAChildcare Retweeted! They are super cute! Thank you for sharing!

Catiouche @CatioucheLondon RT @zaibatsu: A Truly Heartwarming Video by Children of America (Kids inspring #Kids) www.youtu.be/xiObbigm5RM via @COAChildcare

BabyWiseWorld @BabyWiseWorld @COAChildcare aww how adorable and inspirational :)

MARKETING Playworks @Playworks @COAChildcare Thanks! And thanks for sharing your video. Those kids are SO cute! Love the inspiring message.

Storybook Theatre @StorybookTW Be the best you can be! A Truly Heartwarming Video by Children of America (Kids Inspiring #Kids) www.youtu.be/xiObbigm5RM via @COAChildcare

Diana Day @DianaDaydream @COAChildcare those kids are great messengers!

Reg Saddler @zaibatsu A Truly Heartwarming Video by Children of America (Kids inspiring #Kids) www.youtu.be/xiObbigm5RM via @COAChildcare #bestyoucanbe

Tanya Hutchins @TanyaHutchins @COAChildcare There are so many inspiring people out there. I have been inspired by these kids.

Kashi Sehgal @KashiSehgal These kids are ridiculously cute. And what a great message! Short and super sweet! #bestyoucanbe

ECM Corp @ECMCorp Latest Campaign inspires Children to be the #bestyoucanbe: “Be the best you can be” campaign by Children of America

Strong Single Moms @SingleMomSource Too cute! RT @COAChildcare: @SingleMomSource Happy Monday! Some wonderful inspiration for your week, #bestyoucanbe

Right: #bestyoucanbe campaign including a YouTube clip, poster and electronic direct mail to uprise awareness of Children of America and ultimately increase the number of enrolments and boost loyalty to the brand. www.youtu.be/xiObbigm5RM

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

MARKETING

Use of

ocial

edia

in Small Business

Not too long ago, there was a lot of jargon revolving around social media marketing, with most believing that it takes a social media expert to do the job. Today, social media is not a new fad, but an integral part of marketing which can best be termed as evolutionary. Social media is now part of everyday marketing and is on every marketer’s lips — and doesn’t have to be in the books or taught in order to be harnessed.

What really is social media?

What should small businesses use?

Tighten up your posting habits

Good question. Social media is a combination of a lot of things like blogs, online bookmarking sites, social networks, and social search. In other words, social media is anything that makes use of digital technology in order to create awareness, engagement, likeness, trust and hype. By no means is this a complete definition, as technology is evolving by the minute, but it is an overview of the various platforms that comprise social media.

According to a study conducted by Mashable, Twitter is one of the more interactive mediums even though small businesses have a reduced likelihood of having an account on this platform. Yet, studies show that it has a higher number of customers engaged in the community.

It’s also imperative to understand that the more frequently you show up at your social media account, the better engagement you achieve. For example, in another study by Mashable it was revealed that those 62 per cent of the businesses who posted 8+ times a week received 10.27 comments per day.

Engagement = Traffic?

In contrast, businesses posting one to seven times a week (24 per cent) got 0.33 comments per day. That’s a major drop!

Active social media users as of June 2013:

1.1 billion

500 million

225 million

130 million

48.7 million

13 million

Source: Expanding Ramblings

It’s easy to think engagement with your customers and potential customers on your social media will lead to more traffic on your landing page and therefore conclude Twitter as a clear winner — yet the real answer is a little startling. Even though Twitter does a better job at creating a buzz about your product or service, Facebook has proven to have the upper hand at getting the posted links clicked.

Twitter or Facebook? The conclusion for small businesses is to use both the major platforms in today’s social media scene: Twitter for engaging with your community and fans, Facebook for converting onlookers into visitors at your site. In short, tweet to engage, and post links on Facebook to drive traffic.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

So while you target your audience, don’t forget to shield it against the massive cloud of social media chatter—show up regularly and post tirelessly.

Do you want to thrive or survive? Although 76 per cent of small business owners with a social media presence in Australia said that corporate website was the preferred destination of their customers, the importance of such platforms remains pivotal. Social media is a fabulous tool which, if used properly, could lead to better productivity, increased interactivity and effective marketing instead of being a time sucking machine.

MARKETING

Source: Let’s Talk Social Media for Small Business Version Two by John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing

If your aim is just to survive, perhaps social media is an extra stretch. However, if you want to thrive in the market as a small business, give it a shot. So rather than asking if you should use it or not, a good question, perhaps, is “how to use it?”

So what are the perks? To create a presence, small businesses need to show consistent efforts into building a following. Yet, if all this doesn’t lead to any positive change, it’s much ado about nothing. The top reasons for small businesses utilising social media revealed in a recent study were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

More exposure Increased traffic or subscribers Better search rankings New business partnerships Generate leads Reduced marketing expenses Better sales

Facts • Social media lead conversion rates are 13 per cent higher than the average conversion rate. • 85 per cent of fans of brands on Facebook recommend brands to others.

Warning! Speed breaker ahead Being a small business owner means wearing many hats - from CEO to finance director, human resources manager to marketer. Social media experts advise that to see substantial results from your online activities, give it some time. This means the results are not going to be immediate — and sometimes not entirely measurable. Yet, have patience and tackle this as just another speed breaker on the road to success. At the same time, it is highly unlikely that you will spend most of your time tweeting away (if that’s happening, employ a social media coordinator or change your strategy —marketing has many aspects and social media is just one of them). Most business owners in the world successfully exploring the digital platform and reaping its benefits are spending as little as six hours a week. While it’s still an estimate, make sure to spend at least this much time per week to see rewards. Anything less than that means you will have to just wait and watch.

at the top. Keep a check list of these items and see where you stand in the pyramid.

“They don’t use social media in my industry!” Believe it or not, almost every industry can utilise the power of social media to communicate with its audience. That includes low-tech industries like lawyers and handymen. Just because your industry does not use digital technology on a day to day basis, it doesn’t mean your audience won’t either. In fact, the key lies in building a target audience online and engaging it in a method relevant and best for your business.

Get social! Are you a pro when it comes to social media? Are you too much into it? A business needs to do a lot of balancing when using social media because it can be a time-sucking black hole if done too much or be an opportunity lost for those not using it at all. So find that balance, make friends with social media and see results soar.

Social Media Armour The above figure sums up most of social media that is relevant to small business — from blogging forming the foundation to microblogging tools like Twitter sitting up

Source: Hubspot

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

DINING

FOG BAR & RESTAURANT

With clientele including Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Usher, Josh Hartnett, Justin Timberlake and Sir Bob Geldof, trendy Prahran eatery Fog has made a name for itself since opening in 2006 – not that owner Sam Frantzeskos would let on. Apart from establishing its star-studded list of patrons, the semi-formal dining restaurant is also responsible for pioneering the popularity of southwest American cuisine in Melbourne. Headed by executive chef and Alabama native Jeremy Sutphin, the Fog team has been serving up ribs, sliders and tacos to much success for the past six years. That said, it still took a significant amount of time for Melbourne to warm up to American cuisine. Despite having close to 40 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Frantzeskos said that branching out into the uncharted waters of southwest American cuisine was a risky move for him and his American chefs. “Our chefs are two brothers from the US who have been with us from the beginning – I worked with them at Sandia Casino in New Mexico and saw their talent, even though they were living and working in a small town that didn’t recognise their skills,” he said. “At the time, chain restaurants were dominant and no one was into fine dining. These brilliant chefs were just cooking steaks every night, so I invited them to Melbourne to show Australia southwest American cuisine. “I saw that Italian and Asian food was very well-covered in Melbourne, with fusion

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

food rising up the ranks as well. I wanted to have more of an authentic feel and stick my neck out with Fog, even though adopting this theme was a big risk then. “People didn’t take to the menu immediately and we had to modify our dishes from time to time – for example, no one would buy the fish taco when we put it on the menu. Then we decided to take it off and later reintroduced it as a special, so now it’s incredibly popular. It was the same when we introduced ribs poached in Coca Cola – people were just baffled. “When it comes to the menu, we’re always mindful of the market. If people don’t respond, we take it off and slowly reintroduce it so that they get to understand the range and depth of the cuisine.” The restaurant credits much of its flavour to Santa Fe influence, which is a combination of Tex Mex, Mexican and Native American culture. Frantzeskos and his chefs adapted the menu over time, making sure it suited tastebuds in Melbourne while retaining American authenticity. Their perseverance has been rewarded by the recent boom in Mexican and Southernstyle restaurants, which doesn’t look to be going away any time soon. “We adapted the menu when we came back to Australia and had a number of assorted dishes that took a while for Melburnians to get used to,” Frantzeskos said. “Even though Melbourne is such an adventurous place in terms of dining out, it still took time for people to understand our food. The city has been experiencing a

DINING

got to liking American food, I knew that others would as well. My tastebuds are no different to anyone else’s – I eat pizza, pasta and junk food.

Mexican explosion over the past 12 months, and people are finally going, ‘Oh yeah, Fog’s been doing that for a while’.” Today, the menu features mouth-watering offerings including jalapeno and cheddar croquette appetisers, southern fried chicken ribs, a hearty seafood stew and the everpopular bay lobster and prawn enchiladas. Steaks, burgers, tacos and quesadillas are also among Fog’s top sellers. When it came to putting the menu together, Frantzeskos said it was a nobrainer. There was no research involved, just common sense and a passion for melding the Australian palate to American food. “Our menu is just based on what Jeremy and I liked, plus what I thought was more relatable to the Australian palate,” he says. “Since I’m an average Joe Blow and

“American food is very different to Australian food, especially because of the number of Hispanics in America. Their tastebuds are certainly more geared up to spicier foods. There is so much chilli over there – there are thousands of varieties available. American cuisine is also very complicated; every region has its own specialties. On the other hand, Australia is very progressive, but we lean more towards Asian than we do to spice. We initially had to pull back and tone down some of the spice in our dishes.” Popular among young and old, part of Fog’s appeal lies in its polished bar area, where patrons imbibe in the restaurant’s famed cocktail menu, which offers refreshing tipples with a modern twist, including an interpretation of the classic Tom Collins infused with tangy passionfruit pulp. Using exotic ingredients like lychee and ginger, the bar’s extensive martini list is immensely popular – their espresso martinis continue to be a huge hit, according to Frantzeskos. “Our biggest sellers at the moment are the espresso martinis – there’s a secret ingredient in them and we sell up to 200 of those a night,” he says. “The best way to make an espresso martini is to take the coffee shot straight from the machine – it has to be hot when it hits the

ice. That’s how you get the coffee crema when you shake the cocktail. If you use cold coffee, the cocktail is inconsistent. We also make sure we use top quality vodkas and quality blends in our infusions.” Frantzeskos has seen plenty of change in Melbourne and the hospitality industry since he started out at the age of 21 as Victoria’s third-youngest Victorian licensee at the time. Over the years, he has honed his business skills along with his hospitality experience, saying that he lived by a dependable, unchanging philosophy. “Consistency is key: the secret to any successful business is putting out a good product that people like,” he says. “There’s always plenty of competition; people are always going to try new places . “The important part comes when they return – you have to make sure that their experience is as good as, or better than the last time. When you offer good service, a good time, good experience and good food, it builds loyalty, which is what attracts them back. “It’s not happy hour or discounts that are the secrets to our success; we just continue to provide customers with what they want. What do they want? It’s usually a bit of escapism, being able to dress, come out for dinner and have a great night. “We were in The Age Good Food Guide for seven years running because we haven’t just hung our hat on good food, we’re actually providing the total experience with the background, music and atmosphere. It’s all about the theatre of having a bar in the restaurant, where people can eat and watch others drinking and socialising.” twitter.com/fogonline fb.me/fogonline pinterest.com/fogrestaurant

www.fog.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

CULTURE

C The

ulture Club

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

CULTURE

Thrift Park, Mentone, VIC

Company culture is not only a philosophy; for Brian Jende and the team at architectural firm i2C, company culture is a lifestyle.

Company culture acts as the cement that holds an organisation together, but getting the mix right can be tricky. Just like you can’t buy happiness, you can’t buy great company culture. As Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, famously said, “the value of your company is driven by your company’s values.” While the traits associated with successful company culture differ from business to business, some traits are universal. Others set themselves apart, like Australian architectural firm i2C, which was ranked among Australia’s top 50 employers by BRW in 2012. Big W, Inverell, NSW

Managing directors, Brian Jende and Anthony Merlin, have worked hard to promote a strong company culture and pride themselves on providing a nurturing team environment. “Rising up the BRW list was a goal we set ourselves three years ago – in the first year, we were number 70 out of about 180 companies,” Merlin says. “Last year, we came 60th. This year we knew we had improved and hoped we had reached the top 50, but didn’t quite expect to make it into the thirties.

“We were pretty excited, although the award is one thing – it’s really the journey and building the team which means the most. Knowing we’re that high on the list because the team has voted themselves there is pretty satisfying.” The company also holds an annual team-building weekend, uniting team members from its three offices in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne in one location. The event is now in its fifth year and previously included a Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, cooking classes and white water rafting. Apart from the fun element, team members also get a chance to pick the brains of Merlin and Jende and have personal input in outlining i2C’s goals for the following year. “The team-building workshop is about discussing all the things that have happened at the company since we last met, what we’re doing now and also our future goals for the coming year,” Merlin says.

Despite the fun times on offer, Jende believes that honesty and commitment are the key elements to fostering a happy and healthy company culture. i2C’s culture and team values are communicated to all potential candidates from the beginning of the recruitment process, while all current members are encouraged to have two-way communication with their managers. “Open communication between everyone is important to us”, he says. “All of the team at i2C works hard and plays with the same level of enthusiasm, so we have created a real team environment where trust is implicit. “Going back 13 years when Anthony and I set up the business, we began with the philosophy to only work with people we could have a beer or a coffee with. This meant we could work with them to achieve outstanding results and develop a great long-term relationship.”

“After that, we have a few hours of dinner and drinks, then a recap the next day. This is when we have a Q&A with Brian and I, where the team can ask any question they like. We feel that this gives them ownership of the company – it’s easy for Brian and I to stand up the front, but it won’t mean anything to the team if they can’t add to those goals.

When i2C was founded in 1999, it was set up to be a company with a main goal to be well-respected and innovative in architecture through providing an outstanding service.

“Once the Q&A session concludes, we have a big team-building exercise run by an external company, which is based on having fun.”

“In the first couple of days, it was just Brian and I, but that grew to about four or five of us within a few weeks,” Merlin says.

Merlin and Jende were good friends before teaming up as business partners and say their relationship helped cement and build a strong culture.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

CULTURE

Five keys to a great team culture

Top: Murray St, Perth, WA. Left: Pakenham, VIC.

“Building the culture wasn’t a conscious thing back then and just evolved out of Brian and I being good mates. As the years went on, the culture instilled itself in people. “We’ve worked really hard on that over the past few years by coming up with the company vision and getting the leadership team to come up with seven points of culture, which are like guidelines at work. “The most important part is fun. We also put it to the team via a competition to display the points of culture and ended up getting some graffiti artists to decorate Munny dolls with designs for each single point. These are now displayed around the office.” According to American culture development expert and social entrepreneur Chelsea Brownridge, creating a team charter is key to maintaining workplace harmony. This is conducted by having a conversation with the team, outlining goals, objectives, team structure, codes of conduct, conflict management and communication. It can also include pet peeves, technology phobias and areas for growth. Today, i2C has fine-tuned a similar philosophy, growing its team to more than 40 members in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Jende says the foundation of their company values remains the same: open communication encourages teamwork, which creates honesty and commitment. “This isn’t a workplace where we just sit around a boardroom table – we each try to understand what our teammates are doing in their own environments.”

36 36

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1 Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Communication and listening. Strong leadership – talk the talk and walk the walk; do what you expect others to do. Integrity and passion. The ability to mix teamwork with fun. Balance work and play in the office. Accountability for what they are doing – which ties in with their passion and integrity.

“People are keen to talk about things outside of work and we work so much that it’s important to encourage that discussion: where they go on holiday, what their kids are doing, and so on. This gives us a better understanding of our team members as well.” While some companies’ mission statements are often just words on paper, i2C’s motto is simple: inspiring ideas to enhance human experience. This vision was created by the codirectors, based around the mantra of what they wanted the company to stand for and achieve. In order to enhance the vision, the firm also developed a substantial mentoring program in all three of its offices. “(The program) is designed to ensure our team has the skills and commitment to climb the ladder so that we are not trying to fill holes,” Jende says. “We like to promote from within where possible and from the bottom up, which helps drive the team to reach for further challenges. We also like to encourage team members to strive to be looking to do the job of the team member who they report to. “If they do that, they are exceeding expectation and pushing further up the food chain, which creates a stronger company on a whole range of levels.” At i2C, the fostering environment encourages excellence and demands the best, which is critical in the highlycompetitive architectural industry. According to Jende, their culture has resulted in little turnover within the organisation, with each team member keenly aware that they are working

towards something bigger – the commitment shown by the firm’s leaders lifts the team working under them. “I think there are a lot of people in our company who are happy to put their hand up and take responsibility,” he says. “What comes with that is doing the hard work and having the strength of being a leader.” Despite the positive message enforced through i2C’s nurturing environment, the firm’s founders still faced numerous challenges while developing its present-day message. Merlin said the most common obstacle was finding the right person for the company and tweaking i2C’s recruitment process to ensure they found the best team player possible. “There are always a couple of people who don’t want to play the game or by the rules – they push back, aren’t interested and think it’s all a lot of rubbish,” Merlin says. “They really deselect themselves from the working process just through the way they act and behave. “Now that we have a straightforward vision, we’re very clear in the interviews when recruiting for new positions – the process is very different to what you’re used to. Candidates have to leave a two-minute voicemail in answer to our advertised questions; we then choose 10 for a group interview and outline the company’s history and culture. So far, we’ve recruited eight people via that process. “In a way, what we want to do is become a workplace of choice. It’s not so much us choosing the candidates, but them choosing us. We believe we can teach team members everything relating to the industry but having the

right outlook is something that must already be instilled.” As architects work notoriously long hours, i2C is set on improving the industry’s culture by committing to improve itself and the lives of its team members. The company deals in the retail and commercial sectors of architecture, offering diversification and a point of difference to keep the team involved, honest, committed and searching for new innovative design outcomes. With an established string of retail giant clients including Colonial First State, Centro Properties, Charter Hall and other leading Australian developers, i2C is also working towards its aim of being Australia’s architectural and design firm of choice. “(Clients) can see we have a good understanding of our craft from an architectural, commercial and development perspective,” Jende said. “There is a danger that things can go awry if you only focus on one of those elements – architecture should be a holistic pursuit. “So what clients receive from us is knowledge, commitment and minimal ego. We’d rather get on and deliver an inspiring, innovative project and product for the client that exceeds their expectations – this is critically important in a service industry.”

haylan

ARCHITECTURE

As a team member of i2C, Shaylan Maharaj shares some insight on the BRW-rating company’s culture...

aharaj

Roxburgh Park Shopping Centre

Project architect What has been your favourite i2C project to work on to date? Roxburgh Park Shopping Centre, a $40 million retail development comprising a new large-format Coles tenancy, an Aldi tenancy, 25 specialty retailers and refurbishment to the existing shopping centre. What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced while working on a project? How did you tackle it? Recently, the greatest challenge was delivering a quality built outcome that will not just meet but exceed the client’s expectations, in the midst of a challenging economic environment but without compromising the architectural vision or the quality of the end product. A truly collaborative all-in approach involving all members of the project team is the only solution to achieve this. On the Roxburgh Park project, quite often an innovative, cost-effective and achievable solution to a difficult problem was achieved when the builders, engineers, tradesmen and ourselves worked collaboratively as a team. By drawing on our vast range of experience and expertise to resolve issues as they arose, the result was often a wellresolved solution that both the client and the project team were all happy to proceed with. How do you balance work with your personal life? Communication and organised planning is the key. If a project deadline clashes with an overseas family trip for example, it’s important to advise the team leader as

soon as possible, so the team workflows and time allocation can be adjusted accordingly. In this way, the company can ensure that the project deadline is met without the remaining team members having to put in a huge amount of overtime that can cause resentment, and also without compromising the quality of the work we produce that can result in issues during later phases. It works both ways because as project architect, you can enjoy your time away with your family with the assurance that the project is well and truly under control. What was the most fulfilling project you worked on at i2C? Getting the i2C environmentally sustainable design team up and running was a good feeling. Environmentally sustainable design is an area that I am really passionate about and the interest from other team members has been great. It was also a good feeling to see the team members having fun and playing with the i2C points of culture dolls. There was a fair bit of work in developing the concept, researching the best way forward to produce the dolls, working with the artists on the concepts and the final outcome, so it was a good feeling to see it all come together. It was a very proud moment when the Roxburgh Park Shopping Centre development was completed (unveiled November 2012). We’ve been working on various stages of the project over the last few years so it will be great to see it finished. I’m especially happy with the ESD elements that were incorporated into

the design and the collaborative approach we’ve experienced with the project team that has resulted in a great project that I’m sure we’ll be really proud of. How does the i2C company culture help with doing your job? Teamwork is very important. To know that I have the support of the entire team is great, especially when deadlines are looming. Communication is very important also. It’s great to know what’s happening around the office and on other projects, opportunities that have arisen, pitfalls to avoid, and so on. We can draw on this knowledge and experience on other projects. How do you translate i2C’s values into a client’s project? Basically, by walking the talk. Integrity and accountability: delivering on what we promise to clients, to consultants and to the project team. Balance: being realistic about deadlines to clients and mindful not to compromise our family time or health. Passion and fun: approaching each project with the attitude that you want to do your best work here. Getting the rest of the project and consultant team on board with that. What have you most enjoyed about working at the firm? The support I get for doing the stuff I am passionate about, like managing projects, environmentally sustainable design and doing my post-graduate study in business next year.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ARCHITECTURE

University Hill – Brand Junction

K G athy

rigoriu

Working at i2C with its company culture is vibrant and exciting. Here it is through Kathy Grigoriu’s eyes...

Project architect and design architect What has been your favourite i2C project to work on to date? My favourite project at i2C to date is University Hill Stages 1 and 1a which comprises of a factory outlet with associated retail, supermarket and a high street approach culminating at a Town Centre. It’s interesting to be able to see the project five years after its completion and have the design intent and architectural philosophy realised. Our approach for the retail precinct was to capture the spirit of the place and create a sense of identity for the community in the area. It has become something more than that as the residential zones are occupied and commercial precincts have evolved. It has become a successful retail precinct and we have been invited back to review the expansion to the factory outlet. Uni Hill has become a vibrant high street that has been universally embraced by the local and greater communities in the area. It’s wonderful to see the concept become a bustling retail strip and precinct. We have created a precinct where the community can meet and greet in a contemporary retail environment that has

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

dynamic open public spaces. Pedestrian and vehicle access, linkages and movement have been carefully considered to enhance convenience and amenity. Shoppers and residents are greeted by gateway elements to the high street creating a sense of entry upon approach. The focal point of the development centres on the location of the Town Square which activates the high street and signifies the interface with the surrounding precincts. The elliptical signature building adjacent to the town square creates a beacon for the square and is my proudest achievement yet. It’s a unique design concept that captures the essence of the surrounding context and unifies the site which suggested the elliptical form. The design approach began as a study of the surrounding native vegetation and the colours of the eucalypt trees in the area. We took the form and imagined we were peeling away the bark off the trees which gave the formation of a segmented structure. What are you currently working on? And what’s next? Currently, I’m working on Lansell Plaza in Bendigo where we are expanding and refurbishing an existing centre. It will be great to be able to provide a revived retail precinct for the community in the area. We approach our designs with the interest of the users in mind and have great consideration for the sense of place in all our design philosophies. How do you translate i2C’s values into a client’s project? My personal values are strongly in line with the values and culture of i2C. I believe that in order to create great spaces and buildings each project needs to be approached with passion and integrity. With those fundamental principles forming

the basis of the design intent each project is unique and innovative. i2C have been instrumental in harnessing strong values in the office that permeate from the founding directors and inspire fellow team members. How does the i2C company culture help with doing your job? The i2C culture provides a vibrant and exciting work environment inviting all team members to provide input and explore new and exciting concepts. Ideas are welcomed by everyone and everyone has a voice. Fun and flexibility are as important as meeting deadlines in the workplace. Social activities make up regular sessions during office time and out of hours. We are an office that enjoys each other’s company and have a great deal of respect for fellow team members. A healthy work/ life balance is encouraged and supported by providing a well-being scheme and flexible working hours. The friendly and supportive framework of the i2C culture has provided me with the opportunity to return to work after having my children and furthering my career and pursue what I love to do. What have you most enjoyed about working at i2C? I can’t say what I have enjoyed most about working at i2C. It has been an office that has provided me with great work opportunities in an environment that has been fun, relaxed and passionate about the work we do. Juggling the life of a young family and career isn’t easy, but we have been able to find a balance that can accommodate both and make home and work a happy place to be.

ARCHITECTURE

ick

artner

www.i2c.com.au

Rick Gartner values successful outcomes from a positive company culture...

Associate Director What has been your favourite i2C project to work on to date?

What are you currently working on? And what’s next?

Pakenham Market Place for Fabcot. It included a full line supermarket, Big W and approximately 30 specialty shops with on grade and basement carparking. The design philosophy of the proposed Pakenham Market Place is focused around capturing the underlying spirit and culture of the greater Pakenham area. This is paramount in creating a retail precinct that will be universally embraced by the local communities within the area.

Currently, I am working closely with the team in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth and mentoring them on all aspects of the end-to-end processes of a project. I am also involved in the operations side of the business, working closely with (managing director) Anthony Merlin on the customer experience and helping to develop systems to ensure the quality of our work is second to none. The continued growth of the Perth office is also a priority.

What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced while working on a project? How do you takcle it?

How does the i2C company culture help with doing your job?

As far as my biggest challenge at i2C, it would be the setting up of the Perth office which is still an ongoing but enjoyable challenge. How do you balance work with your personal life?

Pakenham Market Place

The key to work-life balance is being organised. Being passionate about my work makes it easy to get involved in all aspects of my day at i2C; however, family is the most important part of my life and the flexibility afforded by i2C allows me to make sure that I am able to maximise my time with them, including allowing time off to coach my son’s basketball team. What has been your proudest achievement at i2C? Getting into the top 50 best places to work in the BRW awards. Being part of the team that has worked hard to build a workplace where people want to work rather than feel they have to work is very rewarding.

I think the company culture has formed a very tight-knit team where everyone pulls their weight and is more than happy to help each other out as needed. How do you translate i2C’s values into a client’s project? i2C’s values translate into everything that we do, including projects. We always strive for excellence, we are passionate about our work, we have fun doing the work and most of all, we operate as a team. What have you most enjoyed about working at the firm? The team is what makes working at i2C the most enjoyable place that I have worked at, along with a great mix of client and projects. twitter.com/i2C_DesignMgmt linkedin.com/company/i2c-design-&-management

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

HEALTH

Work-Life

Balance As I type this article, attempting to balance my laptop on my knees while waiting for my next client, my mind wanders to one of those times in my life when I was happiest. I remember feeling that I had everything I needed and valued in my life. Could this be that often-elusive element, ‘balance’ that I recall? Balance: to hold each of the important things in your life in equilibrium. That sounds easy enough. So why do so many of us fall off the balance beam? What I have learned over the past 10 or so years of talking to people about their lives and goals, is that many people don’t know or haven’t articulated what is important to them. Instead, many of us seem to know exactly what we don’t want, and how ‘unbalanced’ our lives can become, especially if we put all of our energy into just one area: often our work. Successful people know that the key to success is what their thoughts create. One thought becomes a goal, plans form, excitement and momentum builds, opportunity arises, action takes place, and that original thought becomes a reality. Put simply, what you think is what you get. So it makes sense then, that if we worry about the mountain of work on the desk, our stress levels, or the three times this week we’ve cancelled personal dinner plans, not only will we feel dreadful, but we will create more unfinished work, stress and missed opportunities for spending time with loved ones. Like all good business plans, the best way I know to achieve a feeling of balance in life is to start out by knowing what is important, firstly by identifying your values, and then by making your priorities and goals reflect those values, in work and play. By doing this, you will be ensuring that your external world reflects your internal world, and you will live authentically. By living authentically, we avoid turmoil and stress, and create richer experiences in life. Some funny things happen when we prioritise this way - productivity actually increases, along with motivation and creativity. We become more confident, more consistent, and better leaders.

How to do this… Start by making a list of 15 things you value, such as freedom, honesty or respect – from this, select your top five values. The top five can be easily written on a card, to carry with you as a reminder of what is important to you.

The following tips will help us to maintain our integrity and authenticity, and to make sure that ourselves and our priorities come first above all else:

Schedule your non-business calendar first. If we compare our diary with our priorities, it often becomes clear that the t wo don’t match. Make them match. Business success doesn’t taste as sweet when everything else in life becomes the sacrifice for it.

If you must cancel a personal appointment, reschedule it immediately and explain the reason honestly to maintain a strong relationship.

3 4

Now, the fun part – start with your top three goals, and for each of them, visualise what your life will look like once you have achieved them. Go over the top and exaggerate here, you can have anything you want. A loving and supportive partner, regular playtime with your kids, that dream property, a deep sense of your faith… Now really feel what it is like with your life looking that way. The real connection comes with the feeling: “Visualise it, feel it, know you have it.” Once you have that feeling of achievement, make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed. For example, I want to spend one hour of playtime with my kids for three days of this week. Build strategies to help achieve your goals, and make them happen. For example, block out one hour in your diary on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday for playtime, and then turn up for playtime. That is the Action Step – live what is important to you, right now.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

Set firm priorities and boundaries – learn to say no, even to yourself at times.

Leave work at the office, or if working from home, stop at a set time and put unfinished tasks to tomorrow’s to-do list.

Have enough hours of good quality sleep each night, eat well and be physically active.

Maintain personal relationships based on truth – friends who let you get away with nothing are essential to authenticity.

Elvis Presley said: “Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same, but you leave them all over everything you do.” Let your values therefore guide your decisions day by day, and it will seem everything just falls into place. Next, reflect on your wants or goals for the many areas of your life, eg: career, ethics, family, health, home, love, recreational and spiritual pursuits, and write them down. Check these against your values list to make sure they are congruent.

Learn about the effects of stress and strategies to manage and minimise stress. Some are listed at the end of this article.

If you get it wrong despite your best intentions, forgive yourself, come back to your values and goals, and move on from there.

You are in control of your life as a whole. You create your circumstances with every decision you make. Balance is simply a matter of knowing what you want and making decisions in alignment with what is important to you. By deciding what you want, and actively going for it, you can create your life exactly as you visualise it to be. Be well. Kylie McCullough Psychologist (BPsych, AMAPS)

ky liemccu llough.wo rdp res s.com Em ail: Kyl ie@life afterl ove .com.au Pho ne: 0400 433 549

T$tock aking

Wealth

of Your

A holistic approach to financial management is the best way to wealth creation and it is that approach that has made financial firm RBS Morgans Brighton so successful. Jonathan Jackson speaks with senior investment advisor Michael Mansfield, about football, wealth strategy, asset allocation and surviving the GFC.

It was a family holiday that piqued Michael Mansfield’s interest in finance and broking. “My father took the whole family to the US for four weeks,” he says. “It was a significant moment for me, going to America and Disneyland, and I remember talking to dad about it and him saying the holiday was based on some investments he made in gold and the share market. So, that interest in finance was always there.” During his AFL career, with Geelong and Carlton Mansfield studied a Bachelor of Commence, with a view to move into business afterwards. Opportunistically, the Fremantle Dockers football club was launching at the same time he was looking for outside work, with the team looking to identify players they could secure and Mansfield was one of them. As an incentive to lure him, the fledgling club offered a position in a broking firm in Perth. When Geelong supporters caught wind, Andrew Bell of then-Bell Securities (now the Bell Group) rang Mansfield and offered him a position. The year 1995 turned out to be a good year for Mansfield as he started his career in broking and was nominated as an All-Australian defender. “When I first started broking, I was with Geelong and it was intense, but at that stage football hadn’t exploded into the professional organisation it is today, so I was able to get enough experience and traction that I had a foundation for when I finished playing,” he says. After he moved to Carlton, Mansfield gave broking away and concentrated on his MBA and football. When he finished playing, he did some consulting work and ventured overseas as part of an MBA exchange program. The destination was Italy and he fell in love with the place. “They have a different curriculum,” he said. “One of our lecturers in Italy had his own business, Ferreti Luxury Yachts and he needed some

FINANCE finance work done for the company. He tasked the class with the work and it became extremely interesting to see how things were done; we were able to get some high level experience on an important piece of work.” By the time he came back to Melbourne, Mansfield had the practical experience and the theory to begin his career in earnest.

People matter If there’s one thing you get a real sense of while playing football: you are not just playing for yourself and your team, you are playing for the supporters. The same can be said of business: you don’t necessarily start a business for yourself, you start one because you believe you have a product or service that can make a difference to people’s lives. In 2008, Mansfield started his broking career at ABN Amro, which later became RBS Morgans, and he began to build a career around service. That customer focus (and of course, teamwork) has been the basis of the company’s growth. “Testament to the business we’ve been building is that we’ve been able to grow during the global financial crisis (GFC),” he says. “Funds under management have doubled in that timeframe and we’ve been able to attract other advisors because our service offering stands out. We offer people a clear strategy, which I think has been lost in financial services, along with a holistic wealth management service. Our broking background is the basis and we actively manage the investment. We utilise the resources we have to manage the portfolio.”

Financial issues In the current economic climate, the most important piece of advice Mansfield can give to people who want to shore up their wealth is to seek financial advice and seek different alternatives. “It’s a bit like any profession, people specialise in different areas and you can learn a lot from each of them,” he says. “Also, in this market it’s important not to get caught up in the macro issues that we are facing and focus on what we can control. Have a clear strategy to know what you want to do, then do it in a disciplined way and you’ll find real wealth comes from asset allocation.” The GFC hurt a lot of people. Those who survived, or who are once again gaining traction, are those who were disciplined. It is important to understand your asset allocation, where the opportunities are and how you can create your wealth. For instance, the domestic market has underperformed, yet dividend yield is at high levels compared to GFC levels. In a negative interest rate trending market, as interest rates fall that gap will continue, so the risk reward of cash is greater than the market cap of the ASX. Mansfield says that in the current two-speed economy, Australians are vulnerable and that interest rate cuts should have occurred sooner, but there is a horizon ahead. “We are more vulnerable and the current pain didn’t need to be that bad. However, dividend yields are sustainable and Australian companies are offering good returns while the rest of the world is sorting itself out.

There are two other directors in the Brighton office; between them, they have skill sets that range from options advisory, to asset allocation and general financial services advice. They have also built a team that they know will work for their clients.

“Meanwhile, we have a sound banking system, but are vulnerable to the leverage we have to China and to global GDP and commodities in particular. The foundations are nice and strong but the vulnerability is there in company earnings which dominate our market and index.

“We are focused on getting the right people from a cultural perspective,” Mansfield said. “That goes back to football; you can get the right people but if you don’t have the work ethic and don’t want to work as a team it all falls apart,” he said.

“They generate huge profits, but their underperformance has a huge impact on our economy. So what we try to advise is to stick with key strategies and don’t vary too much. Better days will come, but now is the time to maximise your wealth.”

The directors at RBS Morgans believe they have built a team that is focused on how best to make their clients money, which means looking at an overall wealth strategy.

There is a great deal to think about when taking a holistic approach to wealth management, yet under the right guidance you can make informed choices. It is important then to find yourself a team, who will work in your best interests and kick goals for you financially. RBS Morgans, under the guidance of Mansfield and his fellow directors, is successful because they work as a team and they have a culture built upon client relationships and service.

“If you can’t look at a client’s holistic situation, then you can’t advise,” he says. “Wealth management is more about what the client wants to achieve long term rather than trying to make some quick dollars. That means a good advisor has to give the client the confidence and direction to do that. Buying and selling shares is a minor part of that. Asset allocation is a key thing to wealth creation.”

www.rbsmorgans.com/brighton

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

PSYCHOLOGY

gomaniacal thinking is being bred and encouraged these days, according to leading psychologist and counsellor Dr George Simon. Dr Simon is a popular writer on CounsellingResource.com and refers to egomaniacs as disturbed or disordered characters – and with the egomaniac colony on the rise, it’s almost guaranteed that we have all come across one at some stage in our lives, being sucked into their vortex of soul-destroying destruction.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

As much as egomaniacs are charming, charismatic, good at selling a story and often surrounded by people, they are also manipulative, obsessive bullies.

narcissistic personality disorder, there are egomaniacs in all walks of life; it’s important to be aware of the ones in your life and know the best way to deal with them.

According to Wikipedia, egomania is an obsessive preoccupation with oneself and applies to someone who follows their own ungoverned impulses, is possessed by delusions of personal greatness and feels a lack of appreciation.

Why is raising the topic of egomania important? Dealing with these people is a commonly experienced obstacle – we have to deal with them and the fact of the matter is that they often are in roles of authority. Knowing how to deal with them will assist you by not being bullied by their antics or seduced by their charm.

While their personality traits are likened to clinical

It will make your life much happier – speaking from experience as marketers, we do need to understand our audiences. When dealing with an egomaniac, just remember the tips in this article and always keep your cool. If you can, try to avoid associating with them as much as possible and don’t forget that acknowledging the egomaniac’s effect on you validates their behaviour. Good luck!

PSYCHOLOGY

Do you have a feeling that you’re displaying egomanical tendencies? STOP. Here’s why:

Here are a few tips on learning to deal with egomaniacs:

1 2

Most people don’t like the drama associated with being around an egomaniac. While they may not say anything to your face, they are most certainly thinking it. To them, the person is plain weird – they mostly see through the passive aggression and feel sorry for them.

While others may let you think you have won, you have gone down in their estimation and lost respect big time. Don’t be fooled. You will never be in their top handful of friends or professional contacts.

Other egomaniacs won’t like you – many of the world’s top business people and superstars fall into this category. Your pool just gets smaller and smaller.

won’t learn, because you are not open to learning. You 4You will never be a better person, because you are not open to

being a better person – you already think you are.

Ultimately, people don’t want to be close to an egomaniac. When an egomaniac burns someone, people are smart and they see it. They may not say anything, but they know and it’s another strike against you.

will be scared of you and they will have seen your 6 People bullying and never-wrong attitude. They may appear to be

your friends on the surface just to pacify you but your friendship circle will shrink as years go by.

Leave your own ego at the door: We all have egos, but make sure yours is a healthy ego, not that of an egomaniac. When you come face-to-face with an egomaniac, it’s important to recognise first-up that they are not worth your time and energy. Think about how you can reduce your interaction with them. If they have a point of view, don’t challenge it. Instead, excuse yourself and go to the restroom. By challenging it, they will feel the need to win and you will lose and face the fate of their behaviours. Get perspective: Life is short and we will always come across people with quirky personality types. It’s important to understand elements of an egomaniac because they may go through stages of influence on how you view the world or certain people. Egomaniacs are self-serving, so their opinions don’t count. They are communicating only what they want for you to buy into.

are on the receiving end of an egomaniac’s tantrum 3 Ifoveryouneed of controlling a situation, be assertive. Don’t let

bullies win.

where they are coming from. Most egomaniacs 4Understand didn’t have enough love growing up, or their fathers left

their mothers early on. No one paid attention to them, so they just want to be loved and appreciated and liked. They don’t know how else to act because no one taught them right from wrong and that you don’t need to win a fight to win. They never learnt compassion and kindness, and are just big babies looking for approval.

Distance yourself. It’s a great psychological trick. If they are past 40 years of age, they won’t change. Keep them in small doses and when they get under your skin, just walk away... you don’t need to see them for another six months.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

EVENTS

6 Plan your Ways to

Events

Throwing a corporate function can often be fraught with danger – striking the balance between a casual and professional event while juggling budgets and priorities is never an easy task. Lincoln of Toorak manager Dimmy Alevizos has overseen hundreds of events and said that planning a corporate event is often overcomplicated when planners get bogged up in the tiny details, failing to see the overall big picture. “People often overthink things when they plan the event,” she says. “Quite often, planning a corporate event is down to several basics – once you’ve written up a plan and stick to it, the rest of the event will be a success.” twitter.com/lincolnoftoorak linkedin.com/company/lincoln-of-toorak fb.me/lincolnoftoorak pinterest.com/lincolnoftoorak

1. Create a budget Know your limits and beware of hidden costs when organising a corporate event, especially if it is a large-scale one. Don’t get carried away with decorations and centrepieces as costs often add up in the end. Your budget will also determine if spouses, significant others, children and clients will be invited to the event.

3. Determine the type of event

Work out if it is best for the event to be casual or cocktail. Factor in the seasons, the aim of the event and the guests who will be attending. If you are planning to have numerous presentations and speeches, it is best to provide plenty of seating and tables so people can sit and eat for the duration. On the other hand, stand-up cocktails and finger food is more appropriate for meet-and-greet networking events so that guests can move around and mingle.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“People often overthink things when they plan the event”

2. Lock in a date If you can, choose a weekday so that employees are not forced to forgo their personal commitments for a work function. Also, don’t worry if people are unable to make a day you choose – you will never be able to cater for everyone, especially if you have a lengthy guest list.

EVENTS

4. Pick the right

entertainment Select entertainment appropriate for the event and its guests, making sure you have activities to appeal to everyone attending. Hosting a fundraiser lunch? Source inspirational speakers to motivate and entertain your staff. Planning something a little more serious? A guest speaker on a relevant topic may be a better choice.

5. Spend on quality food and beverages

Be mindful of both quality and quantity – make sure that the food provided is seasonal and plentiful, as it will make or break the event. Don’t forget to check your guests’ dietary requirements ahead of time as well.

6. Make sure the right people attend

When the event begins to take shape, start promoting the function and send invitations out. Invitations should always be personalised. If you can, make a follow-up phone call to make sure your guests received their invitations. After drafting your RSVP list, make a second round of follow-up calls to ensure they are all attending. This will also ensure that the event won’t slip from people’s minds, potentially increasing the amount of guests as well.

“Once you’ve written up a plan, stick to it” ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ENERGY

ENERGY &

MATTER To run a great company requires vision and the strength to make the right decisions. Eutility CEO Ryan O’Hare speaks about profitability and teamwork. In July 2012, Ryan O’Hare took over the role of CEO of utility cost management company Eutility. With an impressive and successful background in telecommunications, O’Hare took on the role with a definite goal in mind: to turn this professional energy services company into a major player in the power supply and maintenance market. There is, of course a catch, no CEO can ever walk into a company and change the culture without facing one problematic factor. In O’Hare’s case, Eutility is the family business. O’Hare has a long history of turning companies’ profit statements around. It is, by his own admission, what he does. In the early 1990s, he travelled to the United States, took hold of the operations of a family-run global energy and telecoms service and consultancy business known as Cost Analysis and tripled its revenues. He then returned Down Under to head up the company’s Australian operation. In 1993, O’Hare founded a start-up telecommunications service provider in Sydney to capitalise on the deregulation of the industry. CorpTel became one of the largest privately owned telecommunication

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

service companies in Australia, recording revenues in 1998 of over $120 million. It was sold in that same year to AAPT for approximately $30 million. Following that project, he formed a venture capital firm that bought and sold technology companies. This led to his own start-up People Telecom, which was later acquired by M2 Communications. One of O’Hare’s strengths is to predict what will happen in markets; it is why whatever he has touched so far has turned to gold. Currently, while working as CEO of Eutility, he holds the same position at Next Telecom, of which he is major shareholder, CEO and executive chairman. Next Telecom was launched to deliver state-of-the-art B2B telecommunications IP services, mobile and data to small to medium business. O’Hare’s vision was to capitalise on the expanding experience in the new NBN world. And it is his vision to capitalise on new changes in the utilities market that will help him fulfill his goal with Eutility, the company his father began 33 years ago. O’Hare’s first priority however, was to get the right structures in place.

ENERGY

“My father was brought out here by an international company in the early 1970s to open up a business, similar to Eutility,” he says. “Some years on, in 1979, he decided to create his own business Professional Energy Services. I became involved five years ago when my brother was running it. It hadn’t grown. It was very small, with 10 staff and was run like a backyard operation. He asked me to come in and help him for a couple of days of the week. At the time, I was semiretired after I sold People Telecom, but after five years I’m still here. I’m now the CEO and we’ve gone from eight staff to 62 and we have big plans.” For O’Hare, those plans hinge on maximising opportunity. He says unless a business is dying, any entity can find opportunity. It’s a positive attitude and one that acts as a catalyst for change. Another element to change, one O’Hare holds with utmost importance, is putting the right people in place. “Having the right management team in place that has the vision to take the business where I wanted it to go was of paramount importance,” he says. “The first thing we had to do was clear out the old staff and bring in a new team of people who could implement my vision of what this team could potentially be.” The next thing on O’Hare’s agenda was to change the culture. “I had to filter down through the organisation a whole new culture with a whole new outlook on life,” he says. “Stringent policies and procedures and budgets were then implemented. This business runs more like a public company than most public companies because I believe you need that sophistication in the back end that allows you to avoid the pitfalls of growth.” Having the right people helps implement and reinforce the culture. It means people become the key ingredient of any successful business. “If you get the right people on board and understand them and gain loyalty, drive and enthusiasm, that automatically delivers a better business and a better business delivers profit,” O’Hare says. “Most managers are not willing to make the tough decisions and locate or attract the people they need to get the business to where it needs to go. “I won’t hire the wrong person, I’d rather have nobody.” One other tip O’Hare has with regard to staff is to pay them properly.

“You have to pay staff the right money,” he says. “As long as the business model is sound and you are profitable, you just have to pay people what they are worth, not what you think they are worth.” Once the right staff is in place, vision really comes into play. Part of O’Hare’s vision has been to lease 1000sqm of office space in North Point Tower in Sydney, where he is undertaking a half a million dollar fitout to bring staff together and incorporate the new culture. This will also allow Eutility to better capitalise on being in the right place at the right time as the carbon tax kicks in and electricity prices rise. “We couldn’t be in a better spot,” O’Hare says. “We have to ride the wave as fast and efficiently as possible otherwise we miss the boat.” This is a great time to be a B2B service provider in the utility market. And with the service Eutility offers, there is no doubt the company will go from strength to strength. In a nutshell, Eutility provides services to reduce energy expenditure. “Initially that could be through the procurement of price, meaning locking down price between contractors and the retailers,” O’Hare says. “We are one of the largest acquirers of energy contracts for business in Australia. The next thing we do is provide online capability. Customers can view their energy use through a portal called SmartView. Then we install smart metering which delivers data every 15 minutes from which we provide an instantaneous online experience for engineers or business managers to view how their energy is being consumed.” With that information they can make their own decisions about reducing consumption. It also allows us to conduct onsite assessments which allow our engineers to determine what pieces of equipment to install to reduce consumption long term. All equipment is funded through financiers, which is assisted by the Federal Government’s Low Carbon Australia initiative, which brings the interest rate down to six per cent which then makes payback logical.

the payback. We are the only company doing that.” The fact that clients can also claim carbon offsets and declare themselves a low emission business through Eutility is another advantage. “What we are saying is you don’t really know what you are doing with power consumption, but we know what everyone is doing, so we can negotiate the rate and put reduction practices into place,” O’Hare says. So successful has this change in culture been that Eutility now signs between 80 to 100 customers a month across each state of Australia. O’Hare believes that Eutility’s professionalism and drive is what sets it apart from its main competitor: that and keeping an eye on the future. “Implementation of smarter technologies will enhance the ability to reduce output in terms of energy usage,” he says. “As they come to light we need to be the ones to drive them into business environments.” By doing that, Eutility will remain the best at what they do. “We want to win awards like my telco businesses do for customer service and we want to be double the size and profit,” he says. Ryan is a driven man; the achievement of those goals will occur sooner rather than later and will keep his family happy. twitter.com/eutilityptyltd www.eutility.com.au

“Through technology we can provide an online experience for our customers to see what they would have consumed before and after equipment was installed which gives them a real-time interface to see the saving and then the calculations behind

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

RENEWABLE ENERGY

OING REEN

evolutionising the well-established fuels industry and turning around a company in 18 months is no small task, yet Australian Renewable Fuels (ARfuels) managing director Andrew White, has managed to do just that, and more. He heads Australia’s only publicly-listed biodiesel entity (ASX: ARW), with biodiesel plants in Barnawartha, Victoria; Adelaide, South Australia; and Picton, Western Australia. The business has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in 2005 – to cap off a successful year in 2012, ARfuels was named second on the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Australia list, a ranking of the nation’s top 50 technology companies based on percentage revenue growth over the past three years. In addition to that, ARfuels recently announced its proposed merger with listed investment company, Wentworth Holdings, which will see the company injected with $14 million in capital.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

RENEWABLE ENERGY

After moving to ARfuels from food product producer, Mars, White is now enjoying getting his hands dirty and having a bigger impact on the company and its direction.

Today, biodiesel is still a relatively new product in the fuel industry, with ARfuels continuing to promote the benefits of the environmentally-friendly product.

“Sustainable-type business practices are still developing and we’re dealing with new products that need to prove themselves and gain market acceptance,” he says.

“I thought it was time for a change after being at Mars for close to a decade and wanted to work in an environment where my actions were more directly relevant to a business’s outcomes,” he says.

Derived from a chemical reaction known as transesterification, ARfuels’s biodiesel is clear and odourless. Biodiesel is produced when waste vegetable oil, animal fat or tallow is mixed with methanol and potassium hydroxide, along with the byproducts glycerine and potassium sulphite.

“Globally, biodiesel products are relatively new in concept and ARfuels is attempting to break into a well-established market dominated by big companies which offer traditional products. It’s not very well-known in Australia yet, so our access market is very restricted.

“At the time, I was their business strategic plan director, but it was a very big business and a very large ship. I’m definitely enjoying working with a smaller business now – it’s a flat structure, with everyone very close to all the decision-making points. Many of the decisions we make are directly relevant to the business, which I find highly rewarding.”

The biodiesel producer has a combined potential annual fuel production capacity of 150 million litres, but when it comes to selling the product, White says that changing the public’s perception has been the most challenging part so far.

“Our direct customers are fuel suppliers who then on-sell our products to end users – the challenge here is convincing consumers that our products are good, and also gain distribution through the wholesaler. “Also, sustainable products are almost always more expensive by definition, so

that’s another challenge in getting people to shift from traditional, yet carbon-intensive products. Australia consumes so much fossil fuel that I don’t know if there will be a day where the country will run on biodiesel alone. I think biofuels could be part of that mix but will not replace fossil fuels entirely – instead, it will extend the fuels’ ability by supplementing it. “We’re currently aiming to make the mining sector a major target as biodiesel used in mining is exempt from carbon tax. The product is zero rated for carbon, so it has an excise differential advantage of six cents a litre for users.” The advantages of using biofuels are extensive, with numerous benefits for both the environment and human health. With the capability to directly replace conventional petroleum

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

BENEFITS OF USING

RENEWABLE ENERGY

“At ARfuels, we stand out from our competitors due to our large national footprint as Australia’s only national producer of biodiesel, with plants across three states.”

BIODIESEL Competitive advantage. Federal, state and local authorities are putting a higher weighting in tendering processes on sustainable business practices of bidders. Social and environmental factors are becoming standard selection criteria.

Environmental benefits. Cleaner and renewable, biodiesel cuts exhaust emissions, minimising black smoke, odour, greenhouse gas emissions, air toxins, particulates and does not contribute to sulphur dioxide emissions (acid rain). Pollution spill. Biodiesel is non-toxic and degrades approximately four times faster than diesel. Within 28 days, pure biodiesel (B100) degrades 85 to 88 per cent in water.

diesel, the use of biodiesel results in substantial reductions, with tailpipe emissions scaled down by 50 to 90 per cent. In addition to that, the reduction of black smoke minimises emission of carcinogens: agents which are directly involved in causing cancer. As biodiesel is made up of fatty acids, it also has high levels of lubricity, boosting engine performance and longevity. According to extensive research, the addition of just two per cent biodiesel can significantly improve the lubricant performance of a fuel blend. ARfuels currently supplies biodiesel to petroleum giant, Shell, along with transport companies including Border Express and Greenfreight. In a world first, Shell has produced a 20 per cent blend of biodiesel, which White is proud to be a part of. “At ARfuels, we stand out from our competitors due to our large national footprint as Australia’s only national producer of biodiesel, with plants across three states,” he says. “We also only use sustainable non-food feedstock – some imported products use food feedstock like soy, but we don’t compete with the food chain because there are alternatives to taking food off the table to put into cars. “The secret to our success is a strong emphasis on getting the right infrastructure in place. Currently, our biodiesel is sold as a five or 20 per cent blend with diesel, so we have established facilities at major diesel terminals where the biodiesel can be blended on-site there instead. “These facilities have been established in Sydney and Melbourne, and we’re looking to do the same in South Australia as well.”

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

The future is bright for ARfuels as White and his team aim to increase profits by more than threefold before 2015, following on a strong rate of growth from previous years. Initial sales increased from $6 million to $38 million in 2011-12, with the company looking to turnover more than $100 million in the next two to three years. According to White, it is a huge turnaround from the company’s position 18 months ago – he now plans to get all three Australian plants operating at full capacity before expanding in other states. “The business has come up in leaps and bounds over the past 12 months – it was definitely struggling 18 months ago. Today, it’s driving reasonable results, with sales increasing every week,” he says. “We also have a strong growth plan in place, with a goal to continue driving sales to all three biodiesel production plants over the next few years, with a product that is being widely distributed. Following that, ARfuels will begin building more plants; currently, we have our eye on Queensland and other states as well.”

www.arfuels.com.au

Competitive cost. Costs the same as regular low sulphur diesel. Easy to use. Biodiesel can be used with your current fuelling infrastructure and in all diesel vehicles with little or no engine modification. Biodiesel is totally miscible with diesel at any blending ratio – no fuel separation issues. Flexible. Biodiesel is easy to phase in and out, so you can maintain flexibility in technology deployment. Diesel one day, biodiesel the next and then back to diesel. Reliable engine performance. Biodiesel’s high Cetane number and flash point and increased lubricity mean excellent engine performance, safety, and service interval and life. Social benefits. ARfuels’ biodiesel replaces imported fuel with a locally produced product, leading to local employment, benefiting the domestic economy. Health benefits. Compared to diesel exhaust, biodiesel use emits less potential cancer causing compounds. All air toxic emissions from biodiesel are lower than equivalent diesel emissions except for acrolein and this increase is more than offset by a reduction in the levels of equally damaging aldehydes. Biodiesel has a similar skin irritation effect to soapy water, and therefore does not cause diesel dermatitis. Improved safety. Biodiesel offers marked safety benefits over petroleum diesel because it is much less combustible, with a flashpoint greater than 150°C, compared to 77°C for petroleum diesel. Biodiesel is not classified as dangerous goods. ARfuels warranty. ARfuels will produce biodiesel using the latest European technology to the highest international fuel standard. ARfuels warrants that the biodiesel it sells is certified to comply with the Australian Biodiesel Standard at the time of purchase.

HEALTH

Find Your

alance

Yoga as a practice serves to unite the mind, body and spirit leaving you feeling fitter, more energetic, balanced and peaceful.

Are you stressed out? Stress is the second most common cause of workplace compensation claims in Australia, after manual handling accidents. Do you crave more harmony in your daily life? Despite what you may think, your body knows if you are stressed, even though you may not realise it. Today, the options for balancing work and leisure are vast and widely available. Thinking holistically and particularly focusing on the activity’s ability to reduce both the causes and symptoms of stress, there is one solution that stands the test of time. Yoga is a science that has been practiced for centuries, with observations and principles of the mind and body connection now being proven by modern medicine. Over the past decade, yoga has become accepted as one of the most effective, convenient and safest tools for dealing with stress. As a practice, yoga serves to unite the mind, body and spirit leaving you feeling fitter, more energetic, balanced and peaceful. The practice is versatile, with classes or teachers focusing on a host of approaches. The variations of yoga range from dynamic, deep physical activity and postures, to gentle or restorative practices or techniques, predominantly converging on meditation and relaxation. Through utilising simple practices that include the use of the breath, body and mind, yoga addresses many of life’s common modern maladies. Regular yoga practice increases flexibility while decreasing stress levels, lowering blood pressure and alleviating cardiovascular health concerns. In turn, the sense of inner balance contributes to an improved immune response, healthier sleep patterns and enhanced recovery from physical activities.

find it difficult to commit to a regular class. A specialist yoga instructor will develop a personalised program based on your particular needs, with a series of positions taking only a few minutes to complete each day. A group class is an ideal way to take time out away from the daily grind, usually involving movements or comfortable stretches, designed to release physical tensions or energy blocks. These movements are combined with breathing practices that alleviate stress, improve energy and assist mental balance. The class then concludes with a period of relaxation and/or meditation, which provides immediate relief from physical and mental tension. In order to ensure that you get the most from your yoga practice, in a safe and relaxed environment, seek out a class under the instruction of an accredited Yoga Australia member. Yoga Australia fosters the development and advancement of yoga, through maintaining rigorous standards and codes of practice for yoga instructors. “We have set the bar high and work with our members to support the advancement of yoga, seeking to spread awareness of the benefits of regular yoga practice”, Yoga Australia president Leigh Blashki says. “By ensuring that your yoga teacher is a Yoga Australia member, you can be confident that your class will be based on industry best practice, which means that you will benefit and grow through your yoga practice.” A little effort and commitment to yoga is repaid almost instantly with greatly increased feelings of wellbeing and balance. Through regular practice, you will quickly notice your body feeling more alert, energetic and limber. Wipe out stress, balance your body, mind and soul by seeking out the yoga class that is right for you today.

twitter.com/yogaaustralia fb.me/yogaaustralia.org.au pinterest.com/yogaaustralia

www.yogaaustralia.org.au

Yoga is practiced either in group classes or on a one-on-one basis. An individual class may be most suitable if you travel often or

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

TECHNOLOGY

READING BETWEEN THE LINES

Jason Reading, a dynamic and understated entrepreneur who has catapulted his IT solutions company to win many of the IT industry’s most coveted awards, has built a company culture that plays by one rule: clients are king.

ason Reading relishes a challenge and works best under pressure, delivering deadlines and improving the status quo amongst an ever-changing IT services market. With more than 18 years’ experience in the industry, Reading likes the fact that no day is the same and that every business is different. The company that he started in 2000, Comcity, is known as much for its technology solutions as it is for hiring the best people in the industry. Following on from six years’ experience in the UK, Reading established the company in Melbourne to further his booming track record. With a team of 35 employees, Comcity is a diverse bunch with unparalleled combined IT knowledge.

commitment to clients by pioneering highquality IT maintenance and solutions. “I grew up in Sydney, so opening an office there after nearly a decade in Melbourne seemed like a natural progression. I’ve got two young kids who are four and three so this way they can spend time with their grandparents,” Reading explains. But with today’s society so heavily dependent on IT management services, what do companies really want? According to Reading, it’s clear: clients just want simple and flexible solutions. They want their data to be protected, secure and preferably in a location that’s close to them so they can focus on their core business, rather than the unknown world of IT.

“There are a lot of one-man and two-man bands out there, but when you engage with those people, you engage with one or two person knowledge. No one person knows everything,” Reading says.

“We don’t lock clients in for 50 years; we basically have a base and a cost per user. The base is small and the cost changes as each individual company expands or contracts, so our services are specific to each company.”

So far, Reading has aimed high: recognition by Microsoft in 2008, 2009 and 2011 is a major accomplishment for Comcity, as one of Microsoft’s leading partners. Three years ago, he expanded the company to Sydney, building upon a strong history of

However, for some companies, the commitment of a long-term partnership with a managed service can be daunting. What if they don’t do what they promised? What about the cost? What if an antivirus program and a simple hardware backup

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

We don’t lock clients in for 50 years; we basically have a cost per user.

TECHNOLOGY is sufficient? According to Reading, it’s not. This is where Comcity comes to the forefront. They manage all of the IT components and have dedicated account managers send daily status reports to clients, so they know the status of their own data too. “What we find is that there are a lot of companies out there who do maintenance once a month. They look at the network once a month and that’s all they do. But we don’t; we’re constant.” For Reading, Comcity’s focus on clients with 10 to 100 users is increased productivity and reducing risk through a hybrid mix of cloud and on-premise solutions. He sees great

benefit in Cloud computing but admits that it’s not for every company. According to Comcity’s blog, Reading expresses the importance of IT services and businesses working together to fully optimise the multiple benefits that the cloud can offer a company. There is concern from businesses regarding the implementation of this new development, but Reading ensures it is as much an IT decision as a business decision. Most small companies require secure email access from anywhere and secure access and version control of documents, which Reading believes will help empower sales people to work out on the field by utilising technologies

such as tablets. To assist with meeting customer requirements and revolutionising ways in which they can improve, Comcity also developed a core package called Simplified IT, where clients are given a 90-day cooling off period and benefit from an easy entry and exit, if they choose to move on. A recent survey showed that more than half of Comcity’s clients found that their services delivered real business value and a competitive edge. In comparison to their competitors, Reading believes Comcity does what they say. With a manageable-sized team, their breadth of knowledge is unparalleled, yet still offers personalised, focused and thoughtful service. By accepting the risk and burden of clients’ operating environments, the company offers a total package complete with antivirus and filtering services, which Reading believes gives them that extra oomph and makes Comcity stand out from the crowd. Operating within the competitive IT environment, many organisations offer similar services; however, it is the personal touch that adds to an overall premium service.

There are a lot of one-man and two-man bands out there, but when you engage with those people, you engage with one or two person knowledge. No one person knows everything

“Even if we don’t do it, we can advise our clients on the sort of path to head on that we believe would work for them. In essence, I feel that the quality of what we do is everything. We care about our clients and deliver high-quality solutions,” he says.

So what’s in store for Comcity through 2013? The future definitely looks bright for Reading and his team, with three new employees, the development of Cloud and constant improvements in technology and IT. The road ahead is busy and fast paced; luckily for Reading, he’s an avid, quick learner. “I try to educate myself more and more,” he says. “I love to learn, that’s for sure. I can pick things up really easily and I like going to new seminars. I got into Tony Robbins recently which is funny. He’s actually an amazing guy.”

twitter.com/Comcity linkedin.com/company/comcity-technology

www.comcity.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

TECHNOLOGY

IT threats galore: As a business, how secure are YOU?

Your computer system could be a ticking bomb in disguise. Mobile Computer Services Australia (MCSA) has been a mobile IT expert for more than 20 years, bringing IT services to small and medium-sized business’ doorsteps. Australian-owned and operated, MCSA is located in the convenient Sydney suburb of Gladesville. It’s the geographical centre of Sydney’s major business districts. A quick chat with MCSA director Rick Macri reveals the idea behind the business. “Our aim is to help clients achieve their business objectives through intelligent use of technology,” he says. “For an enterprise, the computer system and data is pivotal. We make sure your internal data remains confidential, and maintain your network by checking its health from time to time.” Indeed, for any SMB, one of the most valuable assets is its network and system reliability. It is far too easy for anyone with a modem to hop on to your personal or business network if there are no security measures in place. The consequential loss incurred in the form of information compromised is costing businesses thousands of dollars every year. Imagine your office catching fire and all the confidential data getting lost. “That’s unthinkable!” some business owners might say. Other may argue, “That’s never going to happen to me, thank you very much.”

Atoo

Yet, data losses and security breaches in enterprises are very common. In 2009, Forbes writer Andy Greenberg even declared it “the year of the mega data breach.” Innumerable details like phone numbers, credit and debit card information and other personal data is at risk every time you log on to a network. If it’s the internet, your risk doubles. That funny video link that you receive in your email, the strange website, that alluring app — it could all be just a trap. Countless viruses, malware and other malicious programs are waiting. Macri suggests: “It’s important to install a reliable and secured computer system, efficient firewalls, and robust networks in your enterprise. All the communication that takes place or that gets stored should be encrypted — especially sensitive information. “If a lot of remote employees dial in to your network, make sure there is a firewall in place on laptops and PCs.” Another important step that’s often overlooked by businesses is a security test or an audit. An audit is a collection of serial and logical steps that are carried out on a network. Experts assert that if a SMB has not carried out any audits in a long time, it should make audits a priority: you never know when a breach might hurt your business.

that 52 per cent of small businesses did not have an IT security policy. Business Insider advises SMBs to implement one which includes an initial assessment of who accesses what and how, a security measure for your physical devices along with the digital assets, rigorous testing and training. A Ponemon Research Institute and Jupiter Networks research report suggested that 90 per cent of the companies in the US suffered a hack in the past 12 months alone. And, an alarming 77 per cent of the attacks were successful. For a seamless and efficient network audit, MCSA provides SMBs with experienced administrators who can provide support both onsite and remotely. Having partnered with leading vendors in the industry such as Microsoft, CISCO, Hitachi, Hewlett Packard, and Intel among others, they make outsourcing easy and affordable. 2011 saw many high-profile attacks like that of Google, US government agencies, The Wall Street Journal and CNN, among others. If the ‘big fish’ can be targeted, there is a high probability it can happen to SMBs too. Question is: why would you take the risk? twitter.com/mobilecompaus

www.mobilecomputers.com.au

Most SMBs will not have an in-house IT department in place simply because it is ridiculously expensive for the business to sustain its other activities. Add to this the pressing need to optimise expenses in the current economical environment, and outsourcing IT needs becomes an indispensible part of business strategy. A recent study by AVG Technologies found

re You

Deep Your ComfortZone

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

THINK HIGHEST QUALITY. THINK CHAMPION SYSTEM.

Jaan Kirsipuu Multiple Tdf Stage Winner

ARTICLES

At Champion System, we know our custom clothing is of the highest quality because we source and develop fabrics exclusive to Champion System, use the best inks and printers, and independently test our garments for quality and performance. Australian owned and operated, we are proud to provide quality for champions, whether you’re a large professional team, a small local group or an individual – you’ll receive the same high quality and exceptional service.

Visit our website or contact us NOW on the details below. w: www.champ-sys.com.au e: sales@champ-sys.com.au p: (02) 9525 2533

TECHNOLOGY n

t bu e y, h a d ft en y hig all er o r e p b b ar re nt ded ftw em e o am ne oun IT s r ur as r d f o l u n elb be s nt a mse ry. M t e y hi a us pm see ind m i u t eq esnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; logy do hno c te r eu

t Na

te h-

E H T HT T G I I R

TECHNOLOGY

he director of The Right IT provides technology solutions for small to medium-sized businesses and has trained his staff into recognising that the customer is always number one. Nathan Krake has experience working for corporate companies and government departments, using his knowledge to apply big business thinking to smaller start-ups without inflicting hefty costs. “There is a lot of competition with our business but it’s our experience that sets us apart,” he says. “We’re not a small shop that’s growing up – essentially, our people have worked in a larger organisation and taken that knowledge over to provide experience to smaller-scale customers. “We add a personal touch to our relationship with our clients – I always say to our staff: ‘We’re not in the technology business; we’re in the people business.' Technology is just what we use to deliver that service. “If you’re not making that connection with clients, then it doesn’t matter what technology you throw at it, because you just won’t understand your customer. Once you gain that trust, it’s also much easier to come up with solutions that meet their technology and budget requirements.” Founded in 2009, the company was born out of a passion for serving customers and the challenge of bringing cost-effective solutions to smaller businesses.

Krake spent more than 15 years managing large customers from private enterprises, such as Shell, across a range of varying roles, but was seeking a different sort of fulfilment from his job. This set the wheels in motion and an entrepreneur was born. “I decided to go out and do this work on my own instead of working for organisations, where I was spending a lot of time and effort trying to make solutions work, and they’d typically never end up seeing the light of day,” he says. “The idea behind The Right IT is to take that knowledge and experience from my work with the larger enterprises and bring that understanding to smaller businesses.

We make things simple to do, easy to understand, and effective with results to show for it.

Services offered by The Right IT include: Managed IT services

“From a personal perspective, I wanted to seek a better fulfilment and achievement, because now I get to see the direct results of the work actually coming about and the real benefits of it.

Providing traditional IT support for businesses or groups, The Right IT assists with setting up computers, networks and access, with a proactive slant which picks up on problems before they impact a client.

“Getting this sort of satisfaction in a corporate environment can be difficult to come across when you’re part of a larger team, buried between layers of management.”

The service comes with different levels of engagement, and can be engaged ad hoc or on a prepaid basis with fixed-cost plans. The service scales up to having The Right IT staff permanently onsite with customers, should the client require an in-house specialist.

To Krake, having quality technology installed correctly should be of extreme importance and makes the difference between good and bad service for customers. Despite that, IT is usually the first and last thing on his customers’ minds. “IT is the first thing people worry about and the last thing they understand – it’s so important, but everyone is so worried about their business that they don’t really focus as much on IT as they should,” he said. “So we make things simple to do, easy to understand, and effective with results to show for it. “The last thing we want is for our clients to look less than professional to their customers, so we provide products that we know will work every time – this way, they have fewer services to worry about, don’t have to go out and buy expensive systems.”

Data and internet connections Web connections from ADSL up to enterprise-grade high-speed connections can be installed, along with the ability to connect multiple offices to one network. An IP telephony service is also available, engaging similar technology to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), but with superior results. Hosting The Right IT has a relationship with the Melbourne Datacentre’s premium hosting facilities, with a connection in this space. This allows the company to run and maintain applications for clients in a secure, facilitated environment which has 99.999 per cent up time, giving clients peace of mind. Other services

twitter.com/therightit linkedin.com/company/the-right-it fb.me/therightit

The company offers additional second-tier services, including personalised project management, where Krake and his staff discuss a client’s requirements, conduct technology consultations and roadmap the business’s future, technology-wise.

www.tri.net.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

TECHNOLOGY

Reinventing for Relationships B2B relationships can often be fleeting, even transient. But not at VIPS International – the business is continuing to go from strength to strength, with an impressive history of client retention.

IPS International boasts big-name clients including retail household names Estee Lauder, Nestle, Sportsgirl and Sussan, which have all been partnering with the business for at least a decade. Since taking over the company in the 1990s, executive director Douglas Dick has turned the business around, expanding to South Africa and New Zealand in recent years. He purchased the business after spending time working in the company, saying it gave him a better understanding of the business model and its inside workings. “I worked within the business from when I was about 28 years old, then bought it about 20 years ago in the mid-1990s,” Dick says. “When the opportunity came up, I decided I could probably do a good job with it, which is why I went for it. “Despite it being quite a big decision at the time, I wasn’t apprehensive because I’d worked in the business and knew it back-to-front, as opposed to someone from the outside buying it without knowing what was underneath the covers. “At the time, the business was erratic and lacked direction. It’s going well today, as we’re in a good

position with new technology. We’ve definitely got a lot more focus now.” Since its foundation, VIPS International has provided centralised hosting of business applications for small to large organisations, specifically collecting data in the field from 12 years ago. The company also provides online and offline access to various Android and Apple devices, implementing a mobile strategy to connect and conduct business transactions from convenient locations. By creating customised business mobile applications tailored to each client’s needs, VIPS International improves in collaboration and productivity of mobile employees. Between the 1990s to present-day, technology has changed in leaps and bounds as the mobility market transforms, with the internet, social media and smart devices revolutionising the industry at a rapid pace. For VIPS International, that means adapting to the latest device and network innovations as they are created, ensuring the future growth paths are established for their clients and eliminating the hassle of regular re-investments. The company’s focus on

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

rapid implementation leads to dramatically decreased start-up costs compared to its competitors, with rapid increases in speed as well. “Technology has changed immensely when you compare what we were doing then to where we’re going now,” Dick says. “The internet and smart devices that have come into the market have changed everything incredibly. All this has happened at a very rapid pace, so we need to be able to read a lot more as there are so many different things around these days.” Today, VIPS International provides a customised subscriptions-based solution, which is available for clients on smart phones and tablets. The outsourced service provided gives businesses a chance to focus on core business activities, according to Dick. “We do a number of different applications; one of the main apps collects information from field forces,” he says. “For example, one of our clients is one of the largest food companies in the world – we collect information on payroll and compliance from different stores on their behalf. “All software is created and written in-house as

TECHNOLOGY

My number one business philosophy is to always treat my staff well as we can’t do anything without them. it gives us greater control and the ability to add extra enhancements and solutions. We’ve found that out-of-the-box solutions do not work for clients, as they’re all so different and varied – we’d rather develop and customise solutions for them. “Currently, we are looking at expanding the business, but more through providing customers with additional tools so they can automate their experience and do a few things themselves.” When it comes to working with clients, VIPS International goes back to the basics of customer service, doing the groundwork to establish a strong base for every single professional relationship. This is evidenced by the company’s stable of long-term clients; Dick is especially proud of their relationship with Estee Lauder, which has spanned more than 17 years. “We set ourselves apart by developing good relationships with clients early on and going the extra yard to give them exactly what they want,” Dick says. “Having a sound foundation early on leads to strong business relationships. There also has to be a bit of give and take from both ends as well. “Many of our clients have

been with us for more than 10 years – the secret to retaining clientele is making sure you look after them. In our situation, that means bringing new things that we’ve developed and showing the clients that we have a constant path forward for them. Constantly reinventing yourself gives them the opportunity to stay with you long-term.”

He also credits his team of 14 staff members for maintaining the company’s enduring success with its client relationships and mobile solutions, and aims to keep them as content as possible. “My number one business philosophy is to always treat my staff well as we can’t do anything without them,” Dick says. “I also treat them the way that I would like to be treated myself, which is evidenced by the fact that we’ve had staff members who have been here for 20 years – some of the younger programmers have also been here for seven to eight years, which I’m quite proud of, as the younger generation tends to move on from a job more rapidly.

While VIPS International is constantly challenged to reconceive and envision new, innovative solutions, keeping up with the changes in the small business sector is another hurdle that the company constantly faces. Running a small business is not without its challenges, especially in the current economic climate, according to Dick. “One of the big changes in our small business itself is the sales system – the way you sell today is completely different,” he says. “In the old days, you would ring a company up, secure an appointment with them, go into a presentation and that would be it. Today, customers are more educated and have more knowledge thanks to the internet – putting ourselves out there against our competitors in a new enlightened age has been the biggest challenge.”

“We’re providing a good environment for them to work in and making sure that everyone is accountable.” twitter.com/VIPSInt fb.me/VIPSInt

www.vips.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

SALES

on’t

top elieving

Midday closing hours on a Saturday hark back to a time long forgotten. Around the world, the retail sector was regulated: shops would close at 12pm and not reopen until 9am Monday morning. Those were simpler times. Of course, for a teenage boy nothing is simpler than turning up for work on a Saturday morning at a men’s and boys’ outfitter, asking customers if they can be helped in some way. However, one morning, in this much simpler time, Ian Segail turned up for work at 8.30am and was out of a job by 9.30am. It was that simple. “The owner handed me an envelope and told me I wasn’t cut out for sales,” Segail says. “He said I was better off as a waiter.” Segail said he may have felt better if he had the courage to say, “screw you,” but had esteem issues that were exacerbated by his mother telling him that everything was okay, because she wasn’t any good at sales either. It seemed a career in sales was out of the question.

Having belief in oneself is the first step to building a successful career. Jonathan Jackson speaks with founder of the Sales Coach Academy, Ian Segail, about belief, management coaching and the science of selling.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“What did I know? Nothing about selling,” Segail says. “I was 16 and nobody ever advised me. I didn’t even know the product I was selling. The lesson I learnt then was that people pick up beliefs about selling that are not necessarily true, but they become reinforced.” So how does a kid with a reinforced notion that he can’t sell become one of the world’s leading sales and management coaches?

Changing beliefs In spite of his inability to sell, or more to the point the ingrained belief that he was ineffective at sales, Segail was lured into the industry by money. “I only had a high school background at that stage and was attracted to the money salespeople were making,” he says. “Consequently, I got myself a job selling life insurance.” In eight months, Segail sold just one policy and starved. His belief system prevented him from doing any better. Even after the visit of a sales trainer, who taught him the difference between tangible and intangible products, he struggled. “I managed to get my job selling cleaning chemicals and I failed at that too. I then stayed away from sales.” Life was full of upheaval at that time. Segail’s family moved from South Africa to the United States in 1986, where he was living illegally for a time and the only job available was as a trainer for the army catering corp. “I knew I needed to do something because working for $5 an hour wasn’t cutting it,” he says. As often happens when you need a break, it presents itself in the most obvious of ways. Ian was driving to work in Texas at 3am in the freezing cold, when the only radio station his beaten old Mazda 323 could muster, was one that just happened to be featuring sales legend, Earle Nightingale.

SALES

“He said if you read for 20 minutes a day in your chosen field, you will be recognised as an expert in that field after 10 years,” Segail says. “That was my ‘a ha’ moment. I went to the library that afternoon and the day was full of synchronicity. I read a book by Tom Hopkins, How to Master the Art of Selling. In the foreword it said salespeople were not born, they are trained. I realised I could become a salesperson, I just had to learn how. You don’t get rid of the belief system overnight, but I started voraciously reading. Six months later, I got a job working for Tom Hopkins. Towards the end of my sojourn, we were customising his materials and it was more consultancy than selling.”

To manage the managers In 1991, Segail’s family moved once again, this time to Australia. He found a job working for AMP teaching salespeople how to sell. He did that for a year before landing his big break at what was then-retail minnow Rebel Sports. “They were planning to go public and they needed someone to help increase their sales and motivate their people,” Segail says. By this time, it was clear that Segail’s belief in himself had reversed and it wasn’t long before he was holding down the position of general manager of HR. He was in charge of engaging and managing the training and development of over 3,000 employees, with two thirds of them being part-time and casual. “In that role, I discovered the importance of management,” he says. “Even though you are trying to create a culture, the culture in a store stems from the store manager. If they are autocratic, you have a culture of fear; if the manager is laissez-faire, then you will find a wishy-washy culture of anything goes. The moment you change the manager, the culture changes.” Problems stem from trying to alter the behaviours of management. Segail says 80 to 90 per cent of all salespeople have never been formally trained in sales management, which is often the case when companies promote good salespeople into management positions without training them as leaders or managers. This creates dysfunction within the company. Despite going out on his own with an impressive personal track record – by the age of 26, Segail had purchased and sold his first business, taking sales revenue from only $5,000 to over $22,000 per month in just five and a half years – he was struggling to transfer that culture of success to the businesses he was training. This is when he learnt one of his biggest lessons.

“I had gone back into sales training and was running a two-day workshop to rave reviews, but I wasn’t changing results for clients. It was only when I lost a huge contract that I stopped and took a look at what I was doing that I began to research what it took to get sales people to change. Basic sales training doesn’t do that job.” There has to be a behavioural shift. Not only do salespeople need to learn empathy and how to listen, but they have to take opportunity out of the equation and make the sale about the customer, not the bottom line. Managers must teach their salespeople how to effectively implement the abovementioned strategies. They must become coaches. In fact, there is a parallel between how managers operate and how salespeople operate. “A good coach is like a good salesperson,” Segail said. “It’s about finding out where people are at. It’s about their agenda. Leadership is all about the ‘how’ and the ‘why’. When you can get a sales manager to shift thinking from managing to coaching, the process becomes about how to achieve a goal and what needs to be done to reach that goal. That takes time to train; some people get it and some don’t.”

Believe and achieve Motivating the individual is one of the more important topics in Ian’s bestselling strategic sales management book Bullet Proof Your Sales Team - The 5 Strategies Guaranteed to Turbo Boost Your Sales Team Results. “As a sales manager or coach, you need to understand the motivational footprint of the salespeople you work with. Invest the time to understand who you deal with. If you ask most managers about the personal lives of their staff, they know little about the people who do all the hard work. That’s where cultural and behavioural shifts start – with an interest in others. If you are not interested in others but only the numbers then you are not a people manager, you’re just a manager.” Since 2009, Segail has personally conducted in-depth consultancies with dozens of local and international authorities in sales, management and coaching. In fact, most of his work today is conducted with businessto-business entities either face-to-face or online. “Every second week Sales Coach Academy coaches have a 90-minute face-to-face meeting with clients,” Segail says. “They focus on real core issues. However, we have also developed training programs that are

video based and can be accessed remotely. Really, with the technology available there is no excuse for any company to not conduct management training. It can be done inexpensively and very well.” Successful training boils down to the motivation of the company. Segail says that a company that really wants proper change will take a holistic approach to their systems and strip bare the processes by which they have been operating. “A lot of businesses come to us and say ‘train our people’, but they are looking for band aid solutions and not looking at the systemic issues,” he says. “If they are running obsolete systems, what is the point? They need to be willing to change their systems. Instead of having 18 salespeople, have three top gun salespeople who call in to three sales administrators. Good management should be about productivity, not just activity, but the company must want to change for this cultural shift to occur.” Throughout his career, Segail’s philosophies have evolved. He has developed from a sales trainer, to working with managers, to drilling down to the core aspect of a business that will help them achieve the best results. He understands that the biggest thing holding companies back is the belief systems of its managers and he is working with those companies to see how to shift what they believe in. He is working to help them understand that while there is an art to selling, they must first learn the science. “There is science and art; most try the art, but you have to learn the science,” Segail says. Once you have the processes, then you work out the art. There is a strong science behind management and selling and it takes time to learn, however, if you get a good coach, who knows what they are doing, it will cut years off your progress.” Segail would like to have found his own coach earlier, someone who could have changed his belief system and the doubts in his ability that were ingrained early. Perhaps if this happened, that Tom Hopkins International Sales Person of Year Award and the AHRI (Australian HR Institute) Internet Training Strategy Award may have come a little earlier.

twitter.com/SalesCoachAcade

www.salescoachacademy.com

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

INVESTMENT

Live the

American Dream

wning an overseas property has been made easier thanks to one-of-a-kind Melbourne lending firm Loans USA.

The Sandringham-based company was founded by entrepreneur Stephen McClatchie in 2008, supplementing multi-property investment firm Loans Australia. Loans USA provides finance options for the purchase of American properties, which are now increasingly affordable after a dramatic drop in the US market. A former mortgage broker, McClatchie said he was frustrated by the Australian market’s limited options, which inspired him to look at property investments on another continent. “Loans USA was created in 2009 after I decided to try and diversify my own investments,” he says. “I’d bought a lot of negative gear properties, which means you’re losing money through them – if you have a lot of these properties, you’re losing a lot of money, so you have to pay a lot of money out before you can break even. “I wanted to try and even out my negative gearing and buy something positive. After having a look at the mining sector and rural property, I decided that I didn’t like either and looked at the US market instead, because there was a bit of talk about it at the time. “I started by researching the US and saw there were lots of opportunities there. The figures looked good, and I didn’t know what could go wrong.” After initial hiccups in the first 18 months, McClatchie purchased an American property through a buyer’s advocate in Melbourne. He soon learnt that securing a loan from US banks was close to impossible and set

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

out on sourcing a solution for future buyers like himself. “When I wanted to finance the property, (the advocate) told me that banks in the US aren’t lending, even though my property was only worth about $31,000,” McClatchie says. “I started researching the market to understand how their system works and went back to my background to speak to a few mortgage brokers. “Soon, I learnt that I had to find a lender, as most banks over there don’t use mortgage brokers. Now, Loans USA has about 30 or 40 lenders we can use.” Having grown to include four organisations, McClatchie’s stablemate of companies has now expanded to take property buyers through the entire process from start to finish. As interest in the US market increased, he founded American Property Partners to source sustainable properties for interested clients. “We’ve never advertised Loans USA but people started to go on forums, found out about us, and asked if we could finance their clients,” he says. “The sorts of properties they were looking to buy weren’t financeable, which is a problem as there’s no exit strategy and you don’t know the true value of the place. “American Property Partners was started earlier this year and sources properties in specific areas which are financeable – we only present properties that we can get a loan against.” Completing the end-to-end service is McClatchie’s first American-founded company, International Portfolio Group, which opens bank accounts and provides an accountant and attorney for new property owners. Completely sourced in America, the in-house process cuts costs by half and streamlines the process for clients.

“It is really important to work quickly because you have to settle a property no later than 30 days in America, which is difficult when paperwork is flying all around the world,” he says. “Having everything sorted in America certainly gives us a worldwide capability with this service. “Generally, you have to be in the US in person to set up a bank account, but we’ve got some very good relationships with the banks so a client doesn’t have to be there in person as we sign off on their behalf. “It’s not just property, there’s massive potential for people who want to set up bank accounts and companies in the US.” With years of experience under its belt, the Loans USA team sets itself apart from competitors through its risk management record and also works closely with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). McClatchie believes the company has no serious competitors, saying that his imitators were of low calibre. “One of our frustrations is the number of companies in Australia which are dispersing a lot of incorrect information,” he said. “Loans USA basically has almost no competition in that sense – there are a few around, but most of them are oneman shows and are pretty crude. “We are licensed in Australia and work closely with ASIC, who have been a great help to us as we’re the only ones who got a license with them. “We also put together a risk matrix for people so they know the sort of risk that they’re buying into.”

fb.me/loansusa

www.loansusa.com.au

INVESTMENT

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

CONSULTING

hanging

G the

ame

Business empowerment goes hand-in-hand with good management. Bond Street 180 managing director, Daryl Wright, shares his thoughts on business renewal and leadership.

Good leadership equates to empowerment, which is what Daryl Wright seeks to achieve each time he goes into a business to effect change. As managing director of Bond Street 180, he runs a corporate renewal and performance improvement practice, looking at where businesses are going and giving them the building blocks to turn things around. Corporate renewal is the process of completely changing a company, boosting success by enhancing leadership, strategy and the utilisation of human resources.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“Bond Street 180 is a dedicated corporate renewal and performance improvement advisory firm which helps companies grow, transform and renew through improvement performance around the model of leadership, strategy, people and equity,” Wright says. “Through Bond Street Corporate Advisory, we also facilitate capital raising, mergers and acquisitions.” With years of experience under his belt, Wright has learnt a great deal about leadership, management and business

improvement, counting former CEOs and CFOs among his business colleagues. Throughout his career, boosting business performance has been a strong motivating force. “While we all know that business is driven by numbers, real results come through a variety of management factors,” the entrepreneur says. “When I first began in business, what motivated me was a concern that the value people brought to an organisation was not appreciated; that, together with the

CONSULTING

leadership ability to develop a business’s strategic plans and communicate those plans to be more effective.

companies due to fear or scepticism, despite the benefits of improving the company’s brand positioning.

“What also motivated me was a passion to develop leadership ability, enabling the communication of strategic plans.”

He has much empathy for senior managers, saying they hold the loneliest of positions while either being answerable to board members or lacking the support of a board – all while leading staff on the ground, implementing change and facing challenges that come through.

In his first major role, Wright learnt that the key to running a successful business was hiring the best people, creating an environment to retain them and then letting them do their jobs. However, he laments the fact that this vision and mindset are lacking in most businesses today. “Here in Australia, central control still exists in the workplace and it’s not such a productive thing,” he says. In order to aid the problem, Bond Street 180 goes into businesses and changes their top down, iron fist culture. Wright begins the review by speaking directly to staff and examining company culture. “I think the best way to assess leadership is by results; the next is by looking at the culture,” he said. “We have an interview process where we go through and talk to all the staff – what they think can be done better, whether they know where the company is going.

In Wright’s experience, the strongest leaders are people who take responsibility for their actions, which is enhanced if the company is led well, has a wellcommunicated strategy and strong culture. “That’s why you see companies like Virgin and GE maintain success – they stand up and take responsibility,” Wright says. “At Qantas, Alan Joyce has come under severe attack, but he is invoking change because he sees a problem.” Losing the fear of failure is also important to ensure success in a company, as he advises leaders to change their company culture and serve their organisations. According to Wright, managers should be urged to encourage and empower their people to bring greater value to the whole. “You have to break the ego down before you can change the culture.”

“Normally, where there is a good culture, there is also good communication and empowerment.

“You have to sit down and listen to them and have empathy and you have to get them to understand that it’s okay to fail.

“When you have those two things, you have a reasonable chance of pulling through.”

“In the US, if you haven’t failed, you are not regarded as being really successful. You have to win trust and transparency.

According to Wright, everybody from the managing director has to be on the same page for the process to succeed, which means extensive management of the decision-making process. “One client we were engaged with left all financial decisions to the MD,” he says.

“Generally, most people are willing to open up and share their inner thoughts. MDs reporting to boards say opening up is difficult to do, so you give them strategies that are non-confrontational and allows them to put their cases forward.”

“However, if the MD eased up, you could empower other staff members to make those decisions and that would bring them to a whole new level.”

This method assists Bond Street 180 to work on the key issues of leadership, strategy and people, giving staff a chance to open up and share what they truly want.

In Wright’s experience, some managers are just afraid to let go or embrace change, while others are keen to protect their position.

One of Wright’s clients was interested in promoting an employee who had no interest in managing people.

However, loosening the reins often needs to be done for the good of the company.

“We worked on one case where they took a great sales guy and wanted to make him a sales manager,” he says.

Wright cites social media as a powerful medium which is embraced by too few

“I said: ‘Don’t do that, just see what he wants.’

“He didn’t want to manage people; he wanted prestige, so we lifted his pay significantly and made him a territorial manager, where he continued to add significant value to the business.” Through initial research, Wright found that the salesman did not possess essential leadership traits, including the ability to manage, train, advise, interact and listen to staff. With these responsibilities laid out, stronger leaders will step up, while weaker leaders will realise they are not cut out for that type of responsibility. According to Wright, listening is the most important trait to possess. “Listening can enhance so much change. The receptionist knows what works and what doesn’t in her space, so a good leader will listen to the receptionist and find out what is working and what is not working, then manage that to make things right.” A firm believer in leadership, Wright has now honed his leadership skills in a bid to lead by example – today, his abilities are widely accepted as among the country’s strongest. While he does embrace change, Wright is aware that many people are resistant and believes that the key is listening to their needs – junior staff would have different requirements to an ageing board member. Wright’s greatest motivator is the learning experience and is adamant that he is not in business for the wealth creation. Instead, he enjoys the pure satisfaction of seeing Australian business thrive and prosper, making a direct positive impact on the wider community. Wright’s tips on what SMEs should consider for the next 12 months: 1. What were the strategic lessons from 2012? What worked, what failed? What should you do differently? 2. Do you have a clear plan for 2013 and have you shared this plan with your employees? Do you have their buy-in? Are your employees adequately trained? 3. With an election due and a slow economic recovery, how have you de-stressed your business as customers hold back on placing orders? Is your leadership prepared for this change? twitter.com/bondstr180 linkedin.com/company/bondstreet180

www.bondstreet180.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

FINANCE

ollow Your Own

ath

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

FINANCE

When Principal Partners decided to become a standalone business, it was to enable them to follow their own charter of independence. Matthew Morley explains how this independence allows the company to really get to know their clients’ personal and financial needs.

Approximately 18 months ago, BDO Wealth Management made the decision to separate itself from its parent company, BDO. The Victorian-based business was moving in a different direction, with a more holistic range of services and a rounded way of looking at client management. “Over time, we developed more external relationships than the BDO accounting practice,” associate director Matthew Morley says. “We had fostered some relationships with independent banks, and we had more of a natural fit with them, than with the direction that BDO was going.” According to Morley, the main advantage of the breakaway was to create autonomy; they could part from the 51 per cent ownership that BDO held and forge their own path. Their service offering wouldn’t change, but it would grow and they wouldn’t be beholden to big financial institutions, which could play havoc with an independent charter. So the firm’s major shareholder John Brady and key executive staff, of which Morley is a member of, created Principal Partners from the ashes of BDO Wealth Management Victoria. The idea: to expand client services and further develop relationships with new accounting, banking and professional services firms. “We were involved with an accounting practice, they were a passive shareholder and we wanted to get more clients through,” Morley says. “BDO and Grant Thornton merged, so it became a crowded space and we wanted to jump out of that noise and create our own piece of history.” The stance has allowed Principal Partners to look into acquisitions.

“We have been able to look at purchasing other smaller financial planning practices, which we felt precluded from doing under BDO,” Morley says. “We have also commenced some capital raising for a land development and formed relationships we were otherwise unable to do. We like the freedom of making our decisions, however we do have an investment review committee that passes its eye over all decisions.” Independence allows Principal Partners to make a unique stance in a saturated market. Morley said that while larger institutions swallow up smaller financial planner firms, it brings into question their ability to remain independent – something that is of paramount importance. The ability to remain independent creates the freedom to be open with their services.

Matthew Morley Associate Director

“We offer a fee-for-service model and deliver a clearly enunciated value proposition around strategic advice.” “The financial planning market has wrapped asset management and advice under one solution, but we have a clear line under strategy and solutions, a clear service line under core asset management and then an enhanced wealth product. The delineation of the three parts really lets us say this is the cost and this is the quantifiable benefit.” It means clients know the dollar cost and can understand the benefit of each strategy. This open and honest approach creates client trust, which is particularly important in such a fragile and volatile market. Although Morley says few people are jumping out of the market, what they are looking for is a management company who understands their needs. “You need to take a client perspective,” Morley says. “People invest with their gut more than their head. So as a client manager, we need to win trust – it is the first thing we need to do. How we win trust is in our fee model. Fee for service gives people an opt-in chance. We set fees for 12 months and then reset. Clients are not locked in for the long term.” Morley admits it is a tougher market to win clients, but Principal Partners has the strategies in place to do so. “People are looking for asset return and performance, but it is strategy structure as well,” he says. “Have we got proper insurances, superannuation or self-managed super, are we directing cash flow the right way?

We are not market linked, so if we do those things and do those things well, then we are on the right path.” The last few months have been a busy time for Principal Partners - not only have they ceded from BDO and bought back the business John Brady began 32 years ago, they have conducted the due diligence on buying another firm, built the new website, found new premises, conducted a capital raise, and rebranded, while continuing client management and recruitment. “It’s more rewarding when there’s a clear means to an end,” Morley says. As for the future, the key to success is to understand client needs. “Unless you are embracing a fee for service model, taking heed of all the regulatory changes and engaging with clients you won’t survive,” he says. “You need to find out the non-financial things that make your clients tick; keep engaging clients on financial and non-financial matters and you will win clients. Many businesses only talk about asset management, but if all you have is performance and performance disappears you won’t keep clients.” Principal Partners is dedicated to the client and understanding clients’ needs. It’s what sets them apart and what makes their independence so tangible.

www.principalpartnersvic.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

LOGISTICS

hange for the

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

etter

Logistics can be a tricky market to master, but Yusen Logistics general manager of business development Grant Gurney explains that an integrated business model is the way forward.

LOGISTICS

Yusen Logistics was born on October 1, 2010, from a merger between NYK Group’s freight forwarder Yusen Air & Sea Service and its domestic logistics company NYK Logistics. The merger occurred as a direct result of the global financial crisis. The GFC hit many of the world’s largest shipping companies and NYK wasn’t exempt. However, it was strong enough to survive, despite the challenging times. According to Yusen Logistics general manager (business development) Grant Gurney, the GFC meant that NYK Group recognised that it was impractical to have two main logistics providers as subsidiaries that were competing with each other. “They recognised it was time to take advantage of the synergies and integrate the two companies,” he says. To do this in Australia proved simple and was conducted in good spirit. “In actual fact, the two businesses complemented each other very well,” Gurney says. “Yusen Air and Sea was very strong on the freight forwarding side and did very little contracting logistics work. NYK Logistics, on the other hand, was very strong in contract logistics and domestic transportation, but did little in the way of freight forwarding.” Since April 1, 2011, the company has been integrating its overseas logistics operations, growing into what is now a global comprehensive logistics network boasting operational bases in 36 countries throughout the world. It is this integration that makes the company so attractive to clients. “It makes it easier for our customer base,” Gurney said. “If you look at our point of difference compared to the supersized logistics providers such as DHL or Toll Holdings and compare what they offer, they cannot offer a total logistics solution for any one of their entities. “Toll has 53 different business units, so if they talk to you about different services, they bring a separate salesperson for each service. Yusen Logistics can offer a fully integrated solution.” Yusen itself sees the industry in transition from ‘Specific-Optimal’ to ‘Total-Optimal’ when it comes to client needs. In the past, logistics companies were expected to offer services that were seen as separate and distinct, such as freight forwarding and warehouse storage; today’s

client demands an approach that takes a holistic view of the supply chain by integrating a variety of logistical functions to provide optimised logistical solutions. To meet the evolving demands of clients, the Yusen Logistics Group offers a true one-stop service through a service lineup that enables rapid response to their international logistics needs. Gurney also believes that the traditional founding philosophy of Yusen’s Japanese parent is also what makes the business a success. “We are very aware of the NYK Group’s core values, particularly these three: innovation, intensity and integrity,” he says. “Intensity means always striving to be the best and to produce the best outcome for yourself and your customer; integrity is being honest with yourself and giving it your best effort and innovation is always looking to do things better.

good hands. In fact, Gurney has experience both as a client and provider. “I have been in our clients’ shoes,” he says. “I’ve worked as a group purchasing and supply manager in New Zealand for a large manufacturer and importer, worked in shipping lines and freight forwarding companies.” It means he brings an empathy which may be lacking in other companies, along with the know-how to reach his targets. “When I came in to the company, it was known as Yusen Air and Sea Service,” Gurney says. “I joined in 1999 and the main objective was to grow our ocean freight service, which we did successfully, moving away from predominantly Japanese customers to grow our non-Japanese business globally.” The next global target is to reach one million TEU (20 foot equivalent units), which will be forwarded around the world.

“We have a strong commitment to Kaizen (change for good, or continuous improvement). We have a strong adherence to this principle and are audited several times a year in terms of our Kaizen.”

“We currently move around half a million per year. So the year on year target is around the 30 per cent mark. The bulk of our focus is business development in that area.”

The Japanese are well-known for their high standards of quality and degree of integrity and innovation, so getting the message across the organisation was not that difficult. It is embedded and runs through every other business practice.

Yusen Logistics’ main focus is to expand the business through new custom. To do this, they will take a vertical, industry-centric approach.

For Yusen, part of their integrity is to offer their clients an ocean freight import service, or customs brokerage as a plus-one option. For Gurney, the ability to offer this fullyintegrated service means that Yusen will no doubt meet its goal to be a top five freight forwarder globally by the 2015 financial year. To do this, they must expand their ocean freight forwarding. “To expand our ocean freight forwarding business is the main area of focus and we can expand other areas through that,” he says. “We are on the cusp of being a top five air freight forwarders, but nowhere near that with ocean freight.”

“We can’t be all things to all people,” he said. “We are good at handling some verticals and have the infrastructure to support those industries. In order to grow it is important to play on our strengths and not waste time on bids we can’t win.” It is this practical approach, the knowledge of what can be done and what can’t, the commitment to company philosophy and the ability to offer a fully integrated service that sets the company apart. In short, these company traits are the quintessence of Kaizen.

www.au.yusen-logistics.com

Today, Yusen Logistics boasts 1600 employers, 427 locations and a total of two million square metres of warehousing under management. Suffice to say, this is a large operation which Gurney believes can only get bigger. His own experience in freight forwarding and shipping means the company is in

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

LOGISTICS

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

LOGISTICS

You can’t get any

CLOSER A business that stays true to itself is on the path to success, according to - VISA Global Logistics co-director George Schirato tells us how the shipping company reached greater and higher heights in just three decades.

ith 30 years in the industry, freight forwarding company VISA Global Logistics Group has gone from strength to strength. Founded in 1982 with a primary focus of shipping containers from Italy to Australia, the company has since become one of Australia’s largest privately-owned international freight forwarding firms. Today, it delivers fully-integrated solutions in global freight forwarding, customs brokerage, smart parcels, warehousing, and transport and distribution services, spanning a worldwide market in Australia, Europe, Asia and the US. Services include sea and air freight services, customs clearance, and transport and distribution, tailoring their logistics product offering to move:

ü Mining and raw materials ü Adult entertainment products ü Fashion, clothing and textiles ü Jewellery and valuable cargo ü Food and beverages ü Furniture and homewares ü Technological products ü Toys ü Pharmaceuticals ü Vehicles ü Whitegoods “We’re still considered number one in the trade rank from Italy to Australia today, although 55 per cent of our work is from China to Australia and New Zealand now,” co-director George Schirato says. “One of our major founders is still active in the business and has been very focused on opening offices in countries such as China, New Zealand and Italy over the past 10 to 15 years. “Now, we have four offices in Italy and more in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo and Qingdao. We also have a number of ports

within China and employ close to 200 officials there.” Over the past three decades, the company and industry has seen significant change as China evolved into one of the world’s biggest players in the export and import trade. Despite the global shift and transition, VISA Global Logistics credits its ongoing success and longevity to staying true to itself, according to Schirato. “Our business is very heavy but we try to keep everything in-house instead of subcontracting – we have a very big fleet of our own trucks and also own facilities where we do our third-party logistics,” he says. “On top of that, we have warehouse capabilities in all Australian states, which are also owned and operated by ourselves.” The company’s strong management and extensive industry experience has also played a role in its prosperity, with all four directors setting high standards of service and continuing to be heavily involved in day-to-day operations as Schirato and his fellow partners involve themselves in decision-making processes throughout their global operations. Apart from the company’s strong in-house customer service focus, forward-thinking innovation is also responsible for VISA Global Logistics’ ongoing success. The company’s IT design capabilities have catapulted VISA Global Logistics ahead of its strongest competitors, providing a visible web-based freight management platform for customers. VGL offers customers unique, cutting edge technology with OneTrack, a tailored and polished software that traces shipments from purchase order placement to door delivery, giving clients a chance to follow progress in real time.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

LOGISTICS “We are strongly supported by our IT system after starting to build our own system in 2004. Now, we want to be the market leader as far as our software industry is concerned,” says Schirato. “The web-based system that our customers use is unique as well, as we developed this platform within the business and have a dedicated team of 10 people working in our IT department. “This is all part of our commitment to customer service, which continues in all the four partners, including myself. Decisionmaking is done locally and quickly all across Australia. We also have a partner who spends half his time in New Zealand as well.” While the Australian-owned company continues to expand throughout its home turf and New Zealand, Schirato and his codirectors have set their sights on continuing their international expansion. They recently launched the company’s freight import and export leg and expect to extend its reach further across the globe. “What sets us apart from the big companies is the fact that we run globally but continue to control the business from door-to-door, from the trucking division to our 17 licensed customs brokers,” Schirato says. “Customers have access to all the directors, so even though we’re running overseas offices, our clients can still deal with us directly if they have any queries or problems. “Our consultancy services are very successful and we’ve also handled a number of major brands. In addition to that, since our air freight import and export started about 18 months ago – it’s doing extremely well and has been approved by the International Air Transport Association as well.” With sky rocketing success and growth, what does the future hold for VISA Global Logistics? According to Schirato, the company is now planning to expand into ecommerce, which is part and parcel of moving with the times. “We’re expanding to China because that’s where the pulse is, and we want to have our finger firmly on it,” he says. “At VISA, we’re about evolving with the demand of the world and being proactive instead of reactive – we first expanded to China because of the trade and will now be moving into the ecommerce sector too.” twitter.com/visagloballog linkedin.com/company/visa-global-logistics-pty-ltd fb.me/visagloballogistics

www.visaglobal.com.au

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

“WHAT SETS US APART FROM THE BIG COMPANIES IS THE FACT THAT WE RUN GLOBALLY BUT CONTINUE TO CONTROL THE BUSINESS FROM DOOR-TO-DOOR, FROM THE TRUCKING DIVISION TO OUR 17 LICENSED CUSTOMS BROKERS”

LOGISTICS

VISA Global Logistics company background: ü Operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Fremantle and from offices in Hong Kong, China, Italy and New Zealand. ü Owner of AFS-VISA, which operates in China and Hong Kong. Its managing director, an Australian, has been living in Hong Kong and operating the regional office for the past 11 years. AFS VISA International (HK) Ltd offers a full range of sea freight and air freight services including regular container links to and from all the world’s major business and trading centres. ü VISA’s extensive global network spans many countries, delivering a comprehensive logistics system for all worldwide trade lanes. ü Customers are provided with a seamless logistics solution, incorporating a range of integrated services including international freight forwarding, customs brokerage, wharf transport, warehousing and distribution services. ü All integrated solutions are delivered via the company’s own resources, with zero reliance on third parties. This ensures the shipping process is visible to customers through VISA’s real time web-based IT platforms at all times.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

LEADERSHIP

* GO BEYOND MBA 74

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

LEADERSHIP

Companies exist to solve problems in the world, not to make money…

The Go Beyond MBA event started as an idea: to inspire people to think differently. To become aware of what’s going on in the world (economy, poverty, climate and energy) and to challenge them to not only work for themselves but also for a higher purpose. We help create speakers from regular people. One of them, for instance, is the Fair Food initiator, another one set up a training company in Argentina to develop leadership and entrepreneurship in rural areas of Argentina so that they have a chance to work within the labour market, and yet another one is a monk helping us to practice spirituality in daily life. Go Beyond MBA aims to provide insights that literally go beyond what’s being taught in MBAs. Having an MBA is fine as you need some of that knowledge in order to run a company (processes, systems, structures, strategy), but it’s no longer enough as companies won’t be about making as much money as possible in the future. Or at least, that’s my belief. Instead of remaining as a solo event, Go Beyond MBA is developing into a series of seminars and workshops where like-minded people are being inspired, challenged and assisted to think through their own ambitions in life.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

LEADERSHIP

I believe that businesses that wil remain successful in the future wil have to find a better balance between profit and purpose. Go Beyond MBA owner Huib Broekhuis discusses leadership styles, philosophy and what drives him.

What are the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make in their leadership styles?

There are many leadership styles that people talk about, but how should an entrepreneur decide what is best for them?

This may not specifically be true to entrepreneurs only. Generally speaking, a lot of leaders become leaders because they were promoted. The best sales person becomes sales manager, the best professional becomes a team leader. And that’s where it all goes wrong.

There are a million books that would tell you how you should behave as a leader. I think that’s nonsense and believe that a leader should first and foremost be true to him/herself. That means that every leader (and in fact, everyone is a leader) should primarily know his purpose in life, know what their passions and talents are, search for the higher good or meaning that justifies being a leader, handle with integrity, care for others, be emotionally intelligent and leverage upon their talents as much as possible so that they can contribute to their purpose in life.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

Our ‘up or out’ system forces people to move up in the hierarchy because that’s supposed to be cool and more rewarded than being the best professional. Entrepreneurs are passionate about their business and about growing the business, and they suddenly are confronted that they can’t do all the work themselves anymore. And being the owner, they believe they have to be the CEO as well. An EO taught many of us that we’d better be working ON the company than IN it. That could very well mean that the entrepreneur is not the best manager or CEO, in which case they should be true to themselves as well. I made the same mistake - I became a manager for too long and totally burned out my energy, passion and drive for growing the company. It took me a couple of years to understand that I had gone ‘off track’ with myself. For more than one year now, I have hired a CEO and got back to what I wanted to do most; visioning, presenting, writing and creating.

There are many leadership styles that people talk about, but how should an entrepreneur decide what is best for them? Don’t send sales people into training. That’s one of the mistakes most companies make. Instead, go and sit together as a team (including the manager) and work out the common goals and objectives and make sure everyone agrees with them. Next, start identifying everyone’s unique talents and passions and connect those to the objectives and work that has to be done by the team. This could very well mean that some people move into cold calling, networking or lead generation whereas others are more into working out solutions, presenting and negotiating the contents. Others would be best in monitoring projects and serving clients 24/7. Sales is never one size fits all. Also, make sure you create a culture of openness, trust, respect for each other’s qualities (instead of shortcomings), celebrate together and have fun!

LEADERSHIP

We help people to be the best ‘themselves’. Is there any such thing as an ideal sales person? I don’t think so. Every sales person brings in himself; that makes it unique and authentic. If there are any common characteristics from a client’s perspective it would be authenticity, caring for the client, really trying to understand what it is that the client really needs, and being genuine in what the sales person can contribute to the client’s needs. Sales is about helping the client to buy. No one wants to be sold to.

What are five tips on how an entrepreneur can develop their sales team?  Spend an awful lot of time to really understand each others’ dreams, ambitions, values and drives. That will build a true connection.  Be very clear on what you expect to be the output of everyone’s work and then empower them to find their own way of achieving it.  Spend time sharing experiences, learning from each other, share worst and best practices in a culture of openness.  Find each person’s unique talents and leverage upon those as much as you can (instead of trying to overcome weaknesses).  Reward, recognise, celebrate individual and group progress in the moment that they are realised (not at the end of the year).

What is your business philosophy? I believe that businesses that remain successful in the future will have to find a better balance between profit and purpose. It is not profit, but purpose that energises people in the company. So what we basically do is help to get people and companies to get in sync. That means we encourage people to find out their passions, dreams and goals in life. We help the organsation to identify theirs as well. Next, we connect people to the organisation in such a way that their work has a direct contribution to their goals in life, whereas at the same time their performance increases. This, in the end, leads to a win-win for both individual and the company (and society).

How do you motivate your team? We help them to find out what they are really good at and connect that to our purpose as a company.

same time complaining that progress is so slow? A good book in this respect is First, break all the rules from Marcus Buckingham. And obviously everyone should read The 5 Frustrations of Teamwork by Patrick Lencioni. Besides that, I would suggest that people read more about the non-mechanical, ‘step 1-2-3’ books and learn more about themselves, how the universe works and how to get more in peace with yourself and the life you are living. Read books like Deepak Chopra’s The Soul of Leadership Robin Sharma’s The Leader who had no title and Joseph Jarworski’s Synchronicity. Furthermore, Eckart Tolle would really help people to take more responsibility for themselves and to live in the present. And to get a grasp of how the universe may work, I loved the series of books that Neale Donald Walsch wrote.

What do VDS Training Consultants do? How is this different from other similar businesses? We help people to be the best at being themselves. That gives them energy from within, brings positivity, drive and flow leading to more happiness, more fun and better performance. We always do this in the context of work and company objectives in such a way that both individual and company improve. What we bring to the table is more consciousness and the focus on personal leadership so that people take responsibility for their own lives, behaviour and are better able with all the ups and downs that simply come across everyone’s path from time to time.

What books help entrepreneurs better understand leadership and building teams (based on your experience)?

What drives you?

There are a million books about this. Besides the Coveys and Ken Blanchards of this world, I would recommend people get in-depth about their own process and find out all about themselves. We call this ‘personal leadership development’ which is the common thread in all the work we do. Many people are not too conscious about themselves, leading them to be a victim of their boss, company, clients, whoever. This results in negative energy, gossip, intransparency and, in the end, sort of sabotaging themselves and the work they are doing. Can you believe that only about 25 per cent of employees are engaged with their work? Imagine the potential many companies leave untouched while at the

Dr Yunus stated it briefly: “Companies exist to solve problems in the world, not to make money.”

Personally, I believe it to be my mission to help people to become more aware of who they are, and bring consciousness in such a way that people and companies strive to make a difference in the lives they are touching. More purpose and profit in the end. More contribution to something above themselves.

twitter.com/gobeyondmba fb.me/gobeyondmba

www.gobeyondmba.nl

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ARCHITECTURE

www.amnonweberarchitects.com.au

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

RETAIL

Bringing

Retail and Display concepts to Life Shopping experiences are brought to life through Arien Group, which offers an allround retail experience for business owners and consumers alike. The Australian-owned joinery company offers an array of innovative and comprehensive merchandise point-of-sale display solutions for shopping centres and exhibitions, including kiosks, counters, stands and signage. Headed by founder and managing director Noel Wellauer, Arien Group was founded in 1988 and has a strong reputation for its impeccable workmanship and exceptional customer service, working with clients including Gold Buyers Australia, Gold Buyers International, Lend Lease and Westfield to name a few. Other big projects include Vodafone’s 3G launch and the roll-out of kiosks for Gold Buyers Australia. “Working with Vodafone was a massive project because they wanted to launch their new product on the same day Australia-wide,” Wellauer says. “It took a lot of coordination but went off without a hitch. With Gold Buyers Australia, we did about 120 kiosks over an eightmonth period for all of New South Wales and Queensland, plus internationally in Germany, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Spain.” Arien Group’s team of 15 staff members mainly work on shopping centre equipment, supplying kiosks, experiential

and point-of-sale displays. They also provide displays for exhibitions and provide a joinery service as well. Diversity is the key to fighting an uncertain economy, according to Wellauer. “You have to be diverse these days – so many companies end up going down if they just specialise in just one thing,” he says. “We’re a joinery company but discovered that we have to expand our knowledge to all aspects in displays and retail – our specialist knowledge in joinery is required in order to successfully carry out all the services we offer.” Quality control is also a large aspect of Arien Group’s key to success. Wellauer said he would much rather maintain the high quality of the group’s products and services than slash his prices in order to match those of his competitors. He also places a heavy emphasis on trust and honesty with his clients. “We’ve been through recessions and seen other businesses start cutting prices – in our industry, the undercutting market dies,” he said. “This is how Arien survived: we supply clients with quality products by never reducing our prices to match cheap offshore competitors. Today, our business is largely repeat and through referrals because of our calibre, which people are willing to pay for.

“We have great expertise, impeccable after-sales service, full warranty on everything and have no problems with clients. When buying from China, payment is required prior to shipping. If any problems arise there is little or no after-sales service or warranty, whereas we build, install, look after and warrant our products and also offer after-sales service.” Arien Group has also been lauded for its impeccable service, with each product checked and double-checked before going out to a client. According to Wellauer, his team’s job is to take the stress away from the client. “Our key to success is customer service while working with our clients – we don’t send things out before they’re checked and look at all the nitty gritty things.” “We also work out what can go wrong and fix any problems before they can go wrong. “Gold Buyers Australia founder Tim Oldfield actually said to me: ‘I’d pay you even more for the service you’re giving us’ – we were pleased with that feedback.”

twitter.com/ariengroup fb.me/ariengroup1

www.arien.com.au

Imagination is the limit. Arien Group is the trusted and innovative merchandising and display business with smart solutions for all your display needs. With over 20 years industry experience, the Arien Group has earned their reputation for impeccable workmanship with outstanding customer service and creating the best cost effective solutions for their clients. Australian owned and operated, Arien Group consistently keeps your distinctive needs in mind when designing and creating your retail and display solutions. For more information, please visit www.arien.com.au or contact Arien Group on info@arien.com.au or +61 2 8539 7260.

SHOPPING CENTRE EQUIPMENT

P O S D I S P L AY S

JOINERY

R E TA I L F I T O U T

EXHIBITION

EXPERIENTIAL

BLOGGER

Food r e k l a t S the

Fashion loving and food crazed, Sandie Ward AKA The Food Stalker goes to huge lengths to get the stories behind the experiences that she loves. She shares her passion, tales of childhood and brushes with fame.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

What inspired you to write a blog? I want to go to Oz like Dorothy and share my passion for food and fashion. All of my time spent traveling the world relates directly to finding a human face to associate with my destination, the food I eat and the memories I make. In a time of fast-growing technology, I think we are all seeking ways to connect, encouraging us to find a genuine human connection through the universal language of food. Documenting my experiences with pictures and videos by creating a blog seemed like a natural way to connect with the world. My most memorable experience was meeting Wolfgang Puck for the Oscars.

What obstacles have you had to overcome to get where you are today? Technology has been a challenge for me. I am not a techy-person and learning new programs and how they work has driven me to have a cocktail before 5pm! It has been important to align myself with people who have a shared vision without ego (which stands for â&#x20AC;&#x153;eliminates growth opportunityâ&#x20AC;?). In the beginning, it takes time to find your voice. Things must grow organically and it takes time.

BLOGGER

“I had those remarkable experiences in the kitchen that were priceless, learning old school secrets from grandmothers who were eager to share.”

Who inspires you the most? My husband, Joe. He’s the one I am always ditching to chase that next adventure but behind the scenes, he is my rock. He is a great son, father, friend and brother. When we met he shared his “Rocking Chair Theory” with me and once I was sold on the idea, we’ve been on a hell-of-a-ride ever since. (Yes, that theory was that we would be in those proverbial rocking chairs, on the same porch, proud of the family legacy we created together.) A selfmade man, he has utilised the most important masculine qualities of hard work, perseverance and most of all personal responsibility to become the captain of his own destiny. Not content with lounging on the shore waiting for his ship to come in, he has reached deep inside, pulling himself up by the bootstraps to become a successful businessman. He’s a fighter and has the emotional tools in his toolbox to repair the cracks and dents life brings (let alone deal with this crazy blog-a-holic). His true gift is his Midas touch and I have learnt so much from him over the last 20 years. He continues to put his family first, always, and rises each day making himself available to help others, living his life in a way that makes me proud.

What should every person who visits Laguna Beach, California, experience? Laguna Beach offers miles of soft sand and surf and has a small-town feeling and, as far as I’m concerned, is simply paradise here on earth (just don’t tell anyone). It’s halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego and offers year-round activities for art lovers, nature enthusiasts and beach lovers. In summer, the town is flooded with visitors to see the world-renowned production “The Pageant of The Masters” which has been combining theater and art by creating “living pictures” of some of the world’s most well known works of art. You sit in the outdoor amphitheatre under a starry sky watching this extraordinary production. Nearly 100 galleries are sprinkled around the town and The Sawdust Festival in the Canyon is another great event each summer. There are art museums, Patriot Day parades on Main St, Music in the Park events, The Playhouse for live theater, hiking, biking, boating and surfing. Laguna has something to offer for everyone, with a more laidback feeling than Los Angeles and it’s been a great place to raise our son. He has fallen in love with the ocean and loves to skimboard which was started here in the 1920s. There are many wonderful restaurants and cafes to enjoy and The Montage Resort offers delightful views, a full spa and incredible cuisine. The Laguna Beach Farmer’s Market every Saturday is a great spot for us foodies.

Where does your passion for food and fashion come from? Early childhood memories of playing dress up, modelling and being a creative person have fuelled my passion. My mamie and mother always had great style. I still have a picture on my desk at age six in front of my mamie’s fridge wearing black and white checkered pants with a matching cap and the sassy red jacket she purchased for me. Growing up part Italian and marrying a man who was 100 per cent Italian for my first marriage, I had those remarkable experiences in the kitchen that were priceless, learning old school secrets from grandmothers who were eager to share.

Tell us about your blog: It’s where food and fashion collide. Half of the stories are how I get there, gaining access and making something happen. It’s not easy and if everyone could be doing it, they would. The other half is the reward: getting to meet the chef, restaurant owner, top designer, attending a red-carpet event and so on; placing a normal person in abnormal situations and watching the fireworks explode.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

BLOGGER

How far would you go to get what you want? When it comes to food, I’m willing to ditch my husband and wade through the ocean in my Louboutins to join a band of local fishermen in search of the best catch of the day. I’ll chase trains, planes and automobiles to get to that next food story. Sometimes you just have to take a chance! There is always a story behind the story, after all, and even the most unlikely kitchens can be filled with them. Whether it is a five-star chef with a penchant for bone sucking sauce or an aged olive farmer in the groves of Tuscany; each has an imprint on the foods we love and long to learn about. Once the scent strikes there’s no telling where it’ll take me.

If you were to be someone else for a day, who would it be and why? Although I am comfortable in my own skin, I would say Oprah Winfrey. She rose from a childhood so poor, yet through it all she has risen to become one of the most powerful women in the world.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

Her philanthropy in founding a school in Africa, Oprah’s Angel Network which gives educational grants, and personally donating $10 million to rebuild homes after Hurricane Katrina is nothing short of remarkable. Her endorsements have the power to make careers and change lives. That must feel pretty incredible and oh, over all the years of interviews, the rich stories she must have.

Who is your role model? Kathy Ireland. At 48, she is still as stunning as she was when she appeared in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. With three children and two dogs, she fronts the Kathy Ireland brand with credibility and manages to balance a career and a family effortlessly with class and style. “Please” and “thank you” are part of her every day vocabulary. She was an entrepreneur long before she was a model. As a child, she painted stones, peddled them door-to-door and sold crafts at art fairs. At age 11, she applied for a position advertised and budding newspaper deliverers, stating: “Are you the boy for the job”?

She wrote a note to the editor stating she was the girl for the job, and got it. My kinda gal. Considering she barely graduated from high school, her success is staggering. Her business is about investing in people and ending up on the cover of Forbes Magazine in February 2012 is an inspiration for all women to follow your dreams and reach for the stars.

What makes you successful? Hard work and no fear.

twitter.com/thefoodstalker fb.me/thefoodstalker pinterest.com/thefoodstalker

www.thefoodstalker.com

1 8 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR SMALL BUSINESS Are you a small start-up looking to achieve more sales on a low budget? Marketing entrepreneur Mellissah Smith shares 108 ways in which you can market your business with little or no money. The easy-to-follow ideas include designs from other small businesses in Australia and USA who have followed these steps to success. This is the ultimate book to achieving marketing success! Flick through pages of graphic design, branding and great marketing ideas to catapult your business to greater brand recognition and financial success today.

Order it at www.marketingeye.com

PEOPLE

TOMMY MENDES An early foundation working in a bootery from a young age certainly got this entrepreneur’s boots walking. From men’s fashion to backstage catwalks, Tommy Mendes has seen many things from many perspectives. Walk with him in this Marketing Eye tell-all. How did you get started in business? I worked as 12-year-old in my family business, a family shoe store called Plaza Bootery. At a very young age, I was exposed to business and cash - as a teenager, that made a great impact on me. I was groomed to take over the family business but left it to pursue my own venture, opening my first shop next to the family business. It was called Plaza Too and sold only women’s shoes and accessories. Why women’s fashion? Firstly, selling a pair of kid’s shoes for $20 versus selling a handbag for $150 was easy math for me. The fashion part grew on me as the business evolved. Being at such a young age and not having a true business plan and proper funding made things harder, but was also more beneficial because I was always working from an “it’s all or nothing” point of view failure was not a word I took to kindly.

What inspired you to start photography? Plaza Too was a home run. Selling women’s shoes and accessories on an affluent suburban main street was a instant hit, because your typical high street only had drug stores, local variety stores and so on. We were selling brands like Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch - seeing brands like that at a local street level was highly unusual at the time. Mind you, there was no internet or ecommerce around then.

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

The business grew to make about $23 million in gross sales in 2008, but was closed in 2010 for many reasons, mostly personal ones. Both my parents got sick and needed our attention, plus I wanted to do something on my own. At age 21, most people don’t really know what they want to do in their lives.

You are a smart investor in property… Has that helped through your startup phase as a photographer? As an entrepreneur, my hands were in everything, but I was most passionate about the creative side of our business and wanted to get more seriously involved in every aspect of that. After leaving Plaza Too, I knew I didn’t want to work at alI for at least a year. I also felt very, very accomplished with what I achieved and decided to start a new venture instead of taking a logical step. So I took a road less travelled, which has been quite uniquely different to anything I have ever done. Starting this new path has had many challenges and tested my resolve - it has not been easy by any means. I have often been knocked, kicked, and rejected but that is where the personal growth and professional challenge comes from for me. When it came to photography, I always had a camera and took photos personally, but didn’t have the foundation. Because of that, I decided to go back to school at ICP and knew what I wanted to do from there: tell my story through the lens.

PEOPLE

What kind of camera do you shoot with? Tell us about a day in the life of Tommy Mendes. I have always been a Canon guy, though I own a Leica, shoot with Hassleblad for work and also shoot with a 4X5 film camera. By day, I work as a fashion photographer with a lot of modeling agencies and work backstage at many fashion shows. By night, I work on long term art projects and am working on some photo books as well. The best thing for me as a photographer/artist is the chance to tell my story in a unique way through a lens. I also truly enjoy capturing special, rare moments - it especially bring joy to me if it makes you smile.

What style of photography do you tend to lean towards? My favourite photographers have always been Martin Parr, Guy Bourdin and Paolo Roversi. Women and shoes are my favourite subjects to photograph, along with American life, like Art Basel in Miami and the Maine Lobster festival. I did a cross country road trip this past fall and documented fashion boutiques and the clerks in them. One of my future trips includes a visit to Tennessee to document Dollywood. twitter.com/tommymphotos pinterest.com/tommymendes

www.tommendes.com

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

DESIGNER a. NINNA armchair from an angle b. NINNA armchair seen from the back c. Close-up shot of the craft-made wood furniture d. NINNA armchair seen from the side e.Close-up shot of the handcrafted woodframe f. Close-up shot of the leather material

NINNA - Designed by Carlo Contin 2013

Italian designer Carlo Contin has a CV many of his contemporaries would lust over. Getting his start in the family business where he honed his interior design and architecture expertise before opening his own design studio in 1998, Contin has gone on to work for internationally renowned companies including Cappellini, I Guzzini, Le Fablier and MoMA New York. His latest creation, the NINNA armchair for French furniture company adentro, is named after the Italian word Ninnare which means to cradle. That’s exactly what the sleek, sophisticated armchair does. Its wide and generously-sized wooden frame is hand-crafted by ashwood, and its structure is highlighted by an inviting suspended leather seat with ergonomic benefits. Available in red, brown, black or white leather, the frame is naturally varnished and lacquered in black or grey. The NINNA marks Contin’s first collaboration with adentro – seemingly a match made in heaven given the designer’s background in craft-made wood furniture. www.adentro.fr

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

DESIGNER

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

GADGETS

Black Enigma Flexi-folding folio case for iPad Mini Enigma features a clever folding cover design to reveal flexible viewing positions. Featuring a secure, snap on case, a soft, rubberised cover and microfiber inner to protect the screen from scratches, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll enjoy easy access to all functions. RRP $39.95

Where

Function

Drives

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

FORM

GADGETS

WorkMate Evolution

About Cygnett Cygnett designs, develops and manufactures innovative digital accessories for the world’s most popular gadgets and technology. From cases and accessories for smartphones and tablets to portable speakers, earphones, power products and laptop bags. Cygnett is celebrated as one of the world’s major digital accessories designers and manufacturers.

Extra protective case for Samsung Galaxy S4 WorkMate Evolution features an integrated tri-material PC/TPU/silicone design for superior shock absorbency. It’s constructed with rubberised impact absorbing corners, antislip stability pads and textured panels for advanced grip.

Our digital accessories and products shield and connect your digital world, letting you explore it with more peace of mind, shape it with more variety and choice, and share your moments, both big and small. Cygnett packaging is recyclable and partially biodegradable, because we believe the digital world should care for the physical one. We love what we do. It shows in the quality materials we choose, the extensive range we offer and the extra effort we put into making products that you look forward to using every day. Modern, fresh and dedicated to inventive design, Cygnett goes the extra mile to make your digital experience enjoyable. With offices in four continents, products sold in over 45,000 worldwide retail outlets across 40 countries, Cygnett’s success is built largely on its ability to design and deliver quality digital accessories and products that tap into what you want – protection, fashion and function.

RRP $34.95

TubeMap Official Licensed Transport for London cases for iPhone 5 Snap on London’s iconic TubeMap. The glossy, pocket-friendly case features London’s most famous central stations to plot your journey. Includes a screen protector. RRP $22.65

Lincoln Folio case with pocket for Kindle Fire Beautifully crafted and designed to protect your Kindle Fire, the Lincoln features a practical inside pocket. An integrated hard shell plus soft microfibre lining provides an extra layer of protection. Enjoy easy access to the touchscreen and all functions. RRP $50.20

twitter.com/cygnett fb.me/cygnett

www.cygnett.com All prices were correct at time of print.

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

PEOPLE

Art with April Spadina

pril Spadina, wife and mother of two sons, is currently planning her latest exhibition. “It’s a display of charcoal imagery that stirs emotions lying dormant within,” she said. Spadina describes her images as sentimental, happy and playful, with an inner source of energy that tugs at the viewer’s heartstrings. This is an apt description of her previous sold-out exhibition “Loved Bears” which featured wonderfully emotive charcoal drawings of pre-loved teddies whose patched fur and missing button eyes tell a tale of years of love and devotion from countless children. Spadina’s life as an artist is a tale in itself, one that has been heavily influenced by the history of her grandmother’s migration to Australia in 1930. As one of the first stolen orphans transported to the colony as part of the Crown’s child migration scheme, Spadina’s grandmother, Joyce, experienced cruelty and hardship as a source of labour on a farm in Western Australia at

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

the hand of her carers. Despite a difficult upbringing and life as a single mother, Joyce maintained a passion for creativity that sparked the artistic flair that runs through the family’s veins. With a mother who managed a successful career as an a la carte restaurant owner, gallery curator and papier-mâché tutor, Spadina has been surrounded by sparkling examples of how to combine art with business. She raised her sons while working the family business, asserting that art has always taken a second place to life’s responsibilities. Lately however, with a Degree in Visual Arts from James Cook University under her belt, Spadina has felt more capable of devoting herself fully to her medium. Recent collaborations with her mother, Kate, and fellow artist, Nicole McBride, saw them tell the tale of Joyce’s life through papier-mâché, broken china and charcoal, representing Joyce’s ability to see beauty in imperfection. “As a struggling mother, she had no money for fine things; if something became broken she would glue it back

“As a struggling mother, she (my mum) had no money for fine things; if something became broken she would glue it back together, with care and love for each piece.”

together, with care and love for each piece,” she said. Even though something was imperfect, it was still beautiful in her eyes.” With an aptitude for business, Spadina has harnessed the power of social media to garner awareness for April Spadina Art. With Facebook, Made-it, Bubble-Page and Pinterest accounts, she has gained commissions and sold numerous works, expanding her business to include April Spadina Cards. Spadina is now considered a recognised artist who has sold works, exhibited and influenced people’s lives with her drawings. In a recent editorial in That’s Life!, her passion for business and art encourages her to continually evolve. “I can see how my work affects people’s lives, this is reason for me to continue my journey and add another chapter to my life,” she said. fb.me/aprilspadinaart

ARTICLES

THERE IS MORE THAN ONE SIDE TO QUBE At Qube, we specialise in mine-tomarket bulk handling needs. Utilising proprietary Rotaboxâ&#x201E;˘ technology, infrastructure and people - there is more than one side to Qube. Phone 08 6141 1900 qube.com.au

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

PORTFOLIO

1 Client: Modconn Living Solutions 2 Client: Eutility 3 Client: Refresh Retail 4 Client: Lincoln of Toorak 5 Client: Adore Estate Coffee 6 Client: Nude Beans 7 Client: Paparazzi Plus 8 Client: Crocadaddle 9 Client: My Departure Lounge 10 Client: ViewDS 11 Client: MMI 12 Client: Mint Money 13 Client: Decorations Direct 14 Client: Saber Chartered Accountants

THE BRANDS

WEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;VE DESIGNED

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

PORTFOLIO

2 3

TURNING IDEAS INTO

GREAT MARKETING PIECES 4

1 Client: ARfuels 2 Client: TCQ Construction 3 Client: Qube Bulk 4 Client: Next Telecom 5 Client: Dragon Group Events

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

PORTFOLIO 1

1 Client: Jarrett Jewellery www.jarrettjewellery.com.au 2 Client: NSS www. nsspl.com.au 3 Client: Thompson Clarke www.thompsonclarke.com.au 4 Client: Refresh Retail Pty Ltd www.refreshretail.com.au 5 Client: Iris Medical www.irismedical.com.au

SHOWCASE OF OUR

GOOD WEBSITES FOR OUR CLIENTS

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

6 Client: Sales Coach Academy www.salescoachacademy.com 7 Client: AVT Services www.avtservices.com.au 8 Client: Arien Group www.arien.com.au

PORTFOLIO 9

9 Client: Tiger Containers www.tigercontainers.com 10 Client: ViewDS www.viewds.com 11 Client: Junk www.junkclothing.com.au

12 Client: Magma Capital Advisory www.magmacapital.com.au 13 Client: VicSolar www.vicsolar.com.au 14 Client: Amercian Property Partners www.americanpropertypartners.com.au 15 Client: Four Olives www.fourolives.com.au 16 Client: Lincoln of Toorak www.lincolnoftoorak.com.au

17 Client: Backyard Bloke www.backyardbloke.com.au 18 Client: Oceanbiz www.oceanbiz.com.au 19 Client: Cloud Coders www.cloudcoders.com.au 20 Client: SeeGee www.seegee.com

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

PORTFOLIO

MARKETING 1

1 Client: Sales Coach Academy 2 Client: Arien Group 3 Client: Marketing Eye 4 Client: The Right IT 5 Client: Lincoln of Toorak 6 Client: Thailand Grand Festival 2013 7 Client: Junk

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1

PORTFOLIO

SHOWCASE OF

BUSINESS CARDS

1&2 Client: Bond Street 180 3 Client: Eutility 4&5 Client: VISA Global Logistics 6 Client: Nude Beans

7&8 Client: Principal Partners 9 Client: AVT Services

ISSUE 1 | Marketing Eye

ARTICLES

e nj oy the we a the r

Marketing Eye | ISSUE 1