Mornington Peninsula Magazine February 2020

Partners in life, partners in business

GERARD AND CYNTHIA WALSH Owner-operators of Sorrento Furniture 10 Bennetts Rd, Mornington First, Cynthia, let’s get the stats: when did your relationship begin and how long have you been in business together? We met through a mutual friend and work colleague in 1981 and married in 1983. We started a small furniture business from our garage shortly afterwards and have been working together continuously — excluding a fiveyear period when I was employed as a client relations officer for a fabric wholesaler — for over 30 years. Who’s behind the ideas and who puts the ideas into practice? New ideas flow thick and fast between us and there’s barely a day that we don’t have a lightbulb moment. After many informal discussions our ideas get narrowed down, and I will then manage the planning, scheduling, marketing and advertising while Gerard is busy designing, costing, overseeing production and networking. Do you take work home with you or is there a leave-it-atthe-door policy? If I’m annoyed with Gerry at work, you can bet your bottom dollar that’s coming home! Often ideas that were presented at work will be nutted out at home when there are no interruptions. We also make sure to have our time together socialising, including romantic dinners, which are very important when you live and work as cohesive unit — well, most of the time.

RICHARD AND GEORGIE HAWKES Owner-operators of Hawkes Farm 661 Boneo Rd, Boneo First, let’s get the stats: when did your relationship begin and how long have you been in business together? Richard: We’ve been together since October 2003, so that’s nearly 17 years. Georgie: We’ve been together since we were both at university in Melbourne. Richard slowly and sneakily moved me closer to the farm without me realising he had plans for me to work with him. Who’s behind the ideas and who puts the ideas into practice? Richard: We have a great team including my dad and sister, and between us we’re always throwing ideas around. Georgie’s my spreadsheet lady so after we’ve come up with something she tells us if it’s going to work financially. Georgie: I leave the big ideas to the real farmers but whatever they come up with there’ll be paperwork and spreadsheets required to get things done. Every business needs a nerd. Do you take work home with you or is there a leave-it-atthe-door policy? Richard: My brain never stops thinking about the business and I don’t do much else, so it definitely comes home with me. Georgie: I juggle the kids, dog and household while Richard works seven days a week, so I work wherever and whenever I can and try to keep the balance for all of us.

VINCE AND ANDREA LA ROCCA Owner-operators of Vince La Rocca Professional Eyecare 34 Wells St, Frankston First, let’s get the stats: when did your relationship begin and how long have you been in business together? We met in 1981, got married the following year and have been working in the business together for 28 years. Who’s behind the ideas and who puts the ideas into practice? Vince: Andrea has the marketing ideas and strategies to put them into place. She is definitely the driving force behind the business. Do you take work home with you or is there a leave-it-at-the-door policy? Andrea: Yes, absolutely. We don’t often get time to chat during the day. In the evenings we sometimes discuss the happenings of the day and bounce ideas off each other on how we can constantly improve our customer service.

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WARREN AND CARLY SMITH Owner-operators of KeKe Wellness 2385 Point Nepean Rd, Rye First, Warren, let’s get the stats: when did your relationship begin and how long have you been in business together? We will have been married 10 years this June and been together for about 14 years. We have four children and began KeKe Wellness around January last year. Our shop launched in October 2019. Who’s behind the ideas and who puts the ideas into practice? I have a lot of the broader-scale ideas and put most of them into place. Carly had a day spa with her sister for eight years before we had our kids, so her experience of how a day spa should be run and her qualifications in and experience around skin therapy are hands-on. Do you take work home with you or is there a leave-it-atthe-door policy? I can’t help but take my work home with me and even dream about it. Carly likes to leave business at the shop and is good at it, but I am unable to do so. We are a perfect yin and yang couple.