About Business September 2015

ChARItAbLe busIness

DIGItAL eVoLutIon

FAMILY LAW

bLokes About toWn

laurie Clarke and debbie battaglini-Clarke on family, business and CHarity

otium sHows you wHy you sHould be blogging in business

PiPPa Colman introduCes rising star HannaH robinson

meet tHe grouP of migrants making tHeir mark on tHe Coast

the joY In busIness Simone Milasas is a one-woman marching band for business.

What’s her secret?

P lus

REAL ESTATE ADVICE, BUSINESS TIPS AND MORE!

Glenn Cooper A TASTE Of SUCCESS

The fifth generation of Coopers Brewery pops the cap on the Aussie family’s success

Brought to you By the coast’s leading lifestyle magazine www.profilemag.com.au

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BUSINESS

JACK AND CHris CHiLDs

DRUM ROLL PLEASE… here at About Business we have some exciting news, from next month we’re going to be producing a bigger and even better magazine, fulfilling all your business needs.

W

e’ve had such an incredible response to our business magazine to date, but you want more and I’m delighted to tell you we’re listening and we’re delivering.

From next month you will be able to catch up on the latest in all things business here on the Sunshine Coast as well as making sure you’re up to date with facts and figures from across Australia.

We have some exciting new columnists locked in and even meatier feature articles on leaders in business and real estate. But that’s enough for now, you’ll have to wait until next month to find out more.

This month we have Glenn Cooper from Coopers Brewery on the cover. We caught up with the fifth generation Cooper ahead of his guest speaking appearance with Think Speakers and Events.

While the Coopers brand is steeped in history and tradition, interestingly Glenn initially chose a different path, studying electronic engineering and later establishing a successful private business in computer sales and contract services.

But in 1990, Glenn joined the family brewery and is now the Chairman and Ambassador for Coopers Brewery. For more, don’t miss this special feature inside.

We also chat with Simone Milasas, who is a one-woman marching band for business. As the director of multiple companies and the worldwide coordinator of Access Consciousness, she also adds business mentor and accomplished author to her list of career highlights.

And as always, we bring you Blokes About Town, this time talking all things multiculturalism as Profile Magazine editor Ingrid Nelson catches up with some local migrants who now call Australia home and have some amazing skills to share with the Sunshine Coast community.

We hope you enjoy this issue of About Business.

WWW.CHRISCHILDS.COM.AU

2 | ABOUTBUSINESS

Gerry Morris

It’s respectable to have a tall glass of beer with breakfast right? On 4 September it will be, when Mr Glenn Cooper of Coopers Brewery comes to town for our Get Up and Get Motivated Breakfast, sharing some of his family secrets from the vault.

W

owsers what a month we had last month. Kicking it off we had our Legends at Lunch with John Connolly, Danny Morrison, Trevor Gillmeister and Simon Black who took to the stage to talk all things sport. The following week we had ironman champion Guy Leech over for breakfast and he gave us all a kick in the right direction when it came to creating a healthy business – inside and outside of the boardroom.

But that’s enough reminiscing, let’s take a look at who we have coming up on the calendar of events.

I’m excited to announce we have the queen of job creation, Sarina Russo locked in for a special dinner on 4 November. I’m sure you would have heard her beaming voice over the radio in the last few months and let me tell you, she’s even more impressive in person.

Her genuine passion for linking job seekers with prospective employers is inspiring and I’m sure she’ll have everyone on their toes.

Then later in November we have a special luncheon planned with Aussie cricket legend Matthew Hayden who is an inspiration on and off the cricket pitch. Along with taking on the gig of opening batsman for the Australian cricket team, throughout his career Matthew competed in 568 matches, clocked up 39,669 runs, a high score of 1014 and an impressive 119 centuries.

Since retiring, Matthew has been even busier, becoming a philanthropic businessman and motivational speaker, healthy eating advocate and quasi-chef, as well as an ambassador for a whole host of charitable organisations.

Then in December, ‘Mr Body Language’ himself, Allan Pease, will be hosting an inspirational breakfast which I’m sure will have us all thinking differently about how we carry ourselves in conversation.

Stay tuned for more announcements, they’re getting even bigger and better!

4 13 16 20

For a full list of events go to www.thinkspeakersandevents.com.au Like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date with all these great events.

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GLENN COOPER Glenn Cooper, a fifth generation of Coopers Brewery, pops the cap on the Aussie family’s success.

BLOKES ABOUT TOWN Meet the group of migrants making their mark on the Sunshine Coast at this month’s Blokes About Town.

SIMONE MILASAS Simone Milasas is a one-woman marching band for business. What’s her secret to finding the joy in business?

LAURIE CLARKE AND DEBBIE BATTAGLINI-CLARKE Laurie Clarke and Debbie Battaglini-Clarke talk all things family, business and local charity.

MUCH MORE! Otium shows you why you should be blogging in business and Pippa Colman introduces her rising star in family law.

BUSINESS

Glenn Cooper is a fifth generation Cooper, born into a family steeped in tradition; his forefathers boasting impressive facial hair and sipping on boutique craft beer before it was cool. When people argue Coopers has outgrown craft beer, Glenn quips, ‘We are the grandfather of craft,’ and nobody can dispute that.

TASTE OF

success WORDS NICOLE FUGE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

GLeNN CooPer

4 | ABOUTBUSINESS

“In the very old days it was really only a small brewery in South Australia, they had no interstate connection and it was virtually unknown around Australia and relatively unknown in South Australia, not like it is today.”

“The family was at a park in the Adelaide Hills and in those days to keep ice cream cold they’d have a pack of dry ice,” he says.

“The old man got one from the bottom, that had been sitting on the dry ice, and when I licked it my tongue stuck to the ice block and was burning because the dry ice burns you.

“He and his mates were sitting there drinking a tally of sparkling ale and I was screaming and all he did was put the bottle all over my mouth and on the ice block and it came off my tongue.

I was probably about five or six.”

Despite that early taste of success, it wasn’t until many years later that Glenn joined the family business, after first going out into business on his own.

“There was no choice because the brewery was struggling and it didn’t look like it was going to survive, and they said, ‘We think it’s going to go broke, we’ll stop making anything further than fourth generation, so better start looking at doing your own thing’.”

That’s when Glenn studied electrical engineering and went on to work for a few computer companies before establishing his own business.

In 1988, the same year Coopers changed its name from Cooper & Sons Ltd to Coopers Brewery Ltd, Glenn was appointed to the Board after the retirement of his father Ken. Glenn says he made the decision to join the family business when the fourth generation Coopers approached him and his cousin Tim, who he used to play with in the brewery as a child, to come on board.

5 | ABOUTBUSINESS

BUSINESS

“W

e lived just down the road from the old original brewery and I used to go there on weekends when Dad would check the brew,” Glenn Cooper shares, a smile creeping across his face.

“In those days we had those little roller conveyor lines and I would get inside the old beer boxes, they were wooden boxes in those days, and I would sit in them and have a ride down the roller line like a roller coaster.

It was a good place to grow up.”

Glenn refers to his childhood at the brewery as the “old days,” but in perspective to the family business’s considerable history, they weren’t old days at all.

The Coopers Beer story began in a newly established colony with a brilliant accident in 1862. After turning his hand to a number of trades, Thomas Cooper discovered his talent as a brewer by mischance; when he created his first batch of beer as a tonic for his ailing wife Ann. At that time, South Australia was only 26-years-old and although there were a number of well-established breweries, most settlers preferred to drink imported beer from the mother country rather than colonial beer.

And so Thomas Cooper saw the opportunity to create a beer free from the ‘peculiar flavour’ of colonial ales and introduced an all-natural beer from the “very best ingredients”.

“In the very old days it was really only a small brewery in South Australia, they had no interstate connection and it was virtually unknown around Australia and relatively unknown in South Australia, not like it is today,” says Glenn.

Growing up in the Cooper family, it would be fair to assume Glenn’s first taste of beer was much younger than yours or mine, but as he reveals, through reminiscent laughter – that’s quite a story.

BUSINESS

“We’ve had substantial growth since then, particularly after 1998 when we really started getting some interstate workings going on and the big momentum occurred when we made the decision in ‘98 to build a brand new brewery because it was struggling for room at the old site. The new brewery opened in 2000 and then it really took off.”

A decade ago, on 1 September, beverage company Lion Nathan launched a hostile takeover bid for the company.

“The two major reasons why Lion wanted us was they didn’t have any ales – we had sparkling and pale ale and at that time ale was really doing well all around Australia,” he says.

“The other reason was their brewery, here in Adelaide, is fairly close to the city and has little room for expansion – we had a brand new greenfield site brewery, environmentally friendly with plenty of room.”

But in December, 2005 Coopers’ shareholders voted to change constitution to effectively defeat the Lion Nathan takeover bid.

“You’ve got to remember we’re fifth generation and the brewery was going really well, probably the most successful period of its time and we didn’t have any debt of great note; we were going well, had good plans,” says Glenn.

“The only reason you would sell was because of greed, but remember we didn’t start it, we didn’t get it through the tough times, so it was really a fact of why would you sell other than to put money in the fifth generation pockets.”

While the takeover bid was the biggest challenge in Coopers’ history, the company has faced other hurdles, but always prevailed.

“We made a conscious decision to market ourselves distinctively different, people were moving away from VB and XXXX and that sort of thing, they wanted beers with flavour and it was this younger generation that was coming through and saying, ‘I don’t want to drink the same as my father did, I want something different,’ and Coopers was already there being different.

“It’s been more competitive for us because we’ve had more people moving into what we call our arena, although it’s become more competitive with more people doing our style of beers, it’s moved more people into being more experimental with their drinking. That helped us because it moved people away from general lager beer.

“People say, ‘You’re too big to be craft now’, but I like to say we are the grandfather of craft beer.”

Coopers is also the world’s largest in home brew around the world and is now a substantial product exported around the world.

“When home brew came out in the late ‘70s it really did save the brewery, because beer was struggling,” Glenn reveals. “Now it contributes to the brewhouse operations and efficiencies and we are a world leader, we also own a home brew distributor in the USA called Mr Beer.”

During his time with the family business, Glenn has played a pivotal role in its growth and success and last year retired from executive duties, passing on the sales and marketing directorship.

“But I’m still very busy,” he admits. “I’m still a chairman of the company, I’m also their appointed ambassador and I look after USA export and Asian market export.

“On top of that I’ve got another couple of board positions, one of them is chairman of Australian Made Australian Grown, and two family company boards of Australia Bundaberg Ginger Beer and Haymes Paint, which is the fourth biggest paint supplier in Australia.”

So Glenn is quick to say he’s “not on gardening duties” in retirement, although he does enjoy the occasional round of golf when time permits.

The father-of-two also has a beach house in York Peninsular, where he spends much of his downtime with his wife Elspeth, “I love the fishing and I love mixing with the farming community in York Peninsular, where a lot of our barley comes from”.

Glenn also enjoys coming to the Sunshine Coast to visit his older brother, who lives in Buderim, and says they’ll be squeezing in a game of golf when he’s here on 4 September, for a Think Speakers and Events breakfast at the Maroochydore RSL. Cheers to that!

THE MAKING OF A NATIONAL ICON 1862: On 13 May, Thomas Cooper brewed his first recorded brew. Made from four bushels of English malt and eight pounds of Kent hops in 46 gallons of water, this brew was fermented as a pale ale and a heavier ale.

1870: Thomas moved his operations to High Street, Kensington. In 1870 and 1871, he brewed 16 brews a year of between 100 and 150 gallons a batch, to sell to regular customers.

1872: Thomas’ first wife, Ann, died in July, aged 44. Thomas was left with seven surviving children.

1880: In February, Thomas purchased land at Upper Kensington (Leabrook) to build a new brewery costing £550.

1881: The first brew of about 400 gallons of beer was produced at the Leabrook Brewery in July. Leabrook remained the home of Coopers for the next 120 years.

1897: Thomas Cooper died on 31 December, aged 71. The running of the brewery passed on to four sons.

1923: Coopers was incorporated in October.

1928: Coopers brewed one million gallons of beer for the first time (4.5 million litres).

1968: Coopers launched its first lager beer Gold Crown in September.

1975: Plant commissioned to fill 280 bottles per minute. Beer volume reached 3 million gallons (13.6 million litres).

1977: Coopers launched Brewer’s Own Pack (homebrew) in Melbourne.

1988: Coopers changed name from Cooper & Sons Ltd to Coopers Brewery Ltd. 1999: Single strain ale yeast was cultured to replace the mixed culture that had been in use since 1910. Beer volume reaches 20 million litres.

2011: Following the takeover of Fosters by SABMiller, Coopers became the last major Australian owned brewery.

2012: Coopers commemorated its 150th anniversary

6 | ABOUTBUSINESS

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PROMOTION

MEDIATION VERSUS LITIGATION WORDS NICOLE FUGE PHOTOS REBECCA SMITH

The tales of divorcing couples wasting their money and time in feuding court battles, leaving families broken and angry are all too familiar, but it doesn’t have to always be that way. By entrusting the mediation process, an amicable resolution can be reached, as Michael Gray explains.

H

aving seen the strengths and pitfalls of the Australian legal system, Michael Gray is well positioned to determine whether the mediation or litigation process will best serve the needs of his clients.

And while he has favoured mediation throughout his 35-year career, he is now focused on presenting it as a more structured discipline – packaged as the “new” way.

“I can say I know these things will help because I’ve seen it work,” he says confidently.

“One of the things I see in my general practice, with people you can usually tell after three to six months, and after they’ve spent $5000 to $10,000, whether this is going somewhere or whether it needs to go to court; and there are some cases that do.

“It’s a matter of where you choose to take the first steps – mediation or litigation.

“If you take your first steps in mediation, your chances of resolution in a short time frame are greatly enhanced, because if you take your first steps in litigation you will find yourselves in a place where you are entrenched and it’s extremely hard to move from that place to bargain a dignified outcome.”

That’s where Gray’s Family Law comes in, providing some of the tools needed to resolve or manage conflict through mediation.

While Michael says, ‘There’s nothing new about mediation,’ having done his first mediation training in 1992, he

says it’s more about how you approach the process and how you assess the relationship of the couple.

“Mediation is traditionally about getting people out of the trenches and onto some nice open field where they can talk sensibly like adults, about how they’re going to resolve this or how they’re going to manage it. I think it makes more sense to start talking before you get into the trenches. You have more chance of achieving what I call a dignified outcome.

“What I’m suggesting is people get ahead of the game and start involving themselves in the mediation process as a first step,” he says.

“The benefits of mediation come in two principal ways, the first and most obvious is the financial benefit – the costs associated with running an old fashioned (litigated) matter is anywhere from $20,000 and $50,000 each and that’s fairly typical.

There are a lot of cases where each party will spend $20,000 to $50,000 and having spent all that money, may well resolve it before trial anyway. To me that doesn’t make sense. If you’re going to settle anyway – more than 95 per cent of cases that are initiated do settle, why not do it early and avoid all that cost?

“By adopting what I call the new way, I would expect costs to be somewhere between $3000 and $5000 each, so an enormous difference and to be honest they’re probably going to finish with the same outcome.”

We will be conducting a workshop in late November/early December and will have a number of speakers on a range of topics relevant to separation and conflict resolution. To find out more email info@graysfamilylaw.com.au or call 07 5445 4214.

Michael says other benefits are the impact on people emotionally and psychologically, as well as their time.

“If you can’t avoid going to court then take a two year slab out of your life and put it to the side and let that run your life. At the end you’ll have an outcome over which you had no control. It makes no sense. It has its place but not invariably,” he says.

“By involving a mediative process, over which you have some measure of control, you will likely resolve, or manage your conflict within a three to six month time frame. In most cases at the end of that time frame you will still be able to respect each other, relationships won’t have been destroyed and more importantly the individual’s emotional and psychological outlook won’t have been devastated.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE? MICHAEL GRAY

Give us a call on 07 5445 4214 email info@graysfamilylaw.com.au or visit www.graysfamilylaw.com.au It won’t cost you a cent!

PROMOTION

MINDFULNESS in the Law

The practice of being mindful stems from centuries of religion and schools of thought and in today’s society, it can be an integral part of modern life, including the stressful aspects. Mark Wiggins from Griffiths Parry Lawyers & Notary, discusses how the laws of mindfulness play a part in your legal battles.

F

irstly, what is Mindfulness?

We all remember as children being told to “always be mindful of others” but were never taught or told to be mindful of ourselves as that was considered to be selfish.

According to the Collins English Dictionary (2nd Ed) mindful is an adjective meaning “keeping aware; heedful”.

Wikipedia however, elaborates a great deal further with “mindfulness is the intentional, accepting and non-judgemental focus of one’s attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment”.

It is believed to have Buddhist origins being derived from the Pali-term sati.

Taking this into consideration, there are clearly two schools of thought regarding mindfulness, with one group believing it is simply the latest fad and unless you take heed you will not be seen to be ‘cool’, and the other group believing that unless we embrace mindfulness in all of our lives we will continue to see a greater propensity for people unable to cope with their lives.

The ultimate cost for this inability to cope is unfortunately borne by immediate families and the wider community as they are left to pick up the pieces.

How then does this relate to the practice of law?

It is necessary for legal practitioners to embrace mindfulness to assist with their ability to carry out their profession, it is also becoming increasingly vital as a tool to take the pressure out of very intense interactions.

What do I mean by this, I hear you ask?

I am sure we all know someone who has been involved in a legal dispute.

Be that a divorce that was not completed on amicable terms, a business dispute with a partner, or an issue with a client of your business.

All of these trigger our “fight or flight” response which begins in a tiny part of our brain called the amygdala and if we are going to be honest we all will have had times when we have known that feeling.

Imagine then that you are either feeling that all is lost and there is no hope in anything, or that you are going to destroy the so and so who has upset your world.

Either feeling does not lead to a lot of rational thought, however say you sit down for a meeting with your lawyer (the champion you have selected to be by your side in your battle), and you can immediately tell that: (a) they are busy, their office is strewn with files, hassled, not coping and can’t wait for you to leave; or (b) you walk into a tidy office where the lawyer makes you feel you are the only reason they turned up for work, they calmly talk you through your issue, they assist when you get angry or upset and you leave feeling as if you have been listened to.

Not a very hard decision at the end of the day is it?

Naturally you will want your legal representative to be very good at what they do, with a greater win to loss ratio than 50/50, but it would be a bonus if it was accomplished with a sense of calm, control and civility. Wouldn’t it?

If you take nothing more from this article than the fact it is ok to be mindful for yourself then I will be a very happy person.

It was said to me sometime in the recent past, that we are known as “human beings” and not “human doings” for a very good reason, yet we seldom take time to just… be.

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BUSINESS MArK WisCHNAT

HAMeD AsiL

JUAN ALTAMirANo

BL O K E S ABO U T TO W N WORDS INGRID NELSON PHOTOS WADE FUGE VENUE NOOK AND CRANNY

Since the First Fleet dropped anchor in 1788, close to 10 million settlers have moved from across the world to start a new life in Australia, helping to shape our multicultural society. Ingrid Nelson caught up with some recent migrants who shared their story and some of the challenges they face.

A

s an emigrant from my birth country of Ireland to Australia with my family in the late 1980s, I am all too familiar with some of the challenges faced by those who make the brave move to start a new life in a foreign country. A teenager at the time, it was only some years later I realised how difficult such a move halfway across the world with three young children in tow must have been for my parents.

There’s the friends and family you leave behind, language barriers, climate adjustments, cultural differences, employment … the list goes on. But for most, the rewards, including Australia’s enviable climate and laid-back lifestyle, are well worth the initial upheaval.

Australia is a multi-cultural melting pot, it’s what makes us so special. Migrants to our country bring with them a plethora of skills, many of them starting their own businesses and creating employment opportunities for others.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting two highly-skilled and educated migrants to Australia, Hamed Asil and Juan Altamirano, who have left their home countries of Iran and Chile respectively to start a new life in Australia. And despite finding it difficult to secure employment due to language and cultural barriers, both men are optimistic about the future and 100 per cent certain they have made the right decision. Joining us

was Nambour Community Centre coordinator Mark Wischnat who is involved in the migrant acceleration program which has been a great support to both men. Co hosting the lunch was my partner in crime and fellow Irish immigrant Mr Gerry Morris. Here are their stories.

HAMED’S STORY:

“Life is challenging, it’s up and down.

When you are at the bottom, the only way is up…”

I’m originally from Iran and moved to Australia in 2011. It was a big change. I had my own successful business with seven employees and things were good, but I had visited family in Australia and I was hooked by the lifestyle. I wanted a new challenge and I decided to take the plunge. It wasn’t easy but I’m glad I made the move. Every day I am 100 per cent sure I made the right decision. My previous background was in importing medical equipment. When I arrived in Australia I was looking at exporting medical equipment from Australia to Iran but I found it very difficult due to the rules and regulations and policies etc. It was the same when I looked into importing medical equipment from Europe.

Getting a licence is very hard. So despite 12 years experience in the industry and being able to fix and install the machinery, I was unable to continue in that field. I decided on a big change and opened a fish and chip shop but it wasn’t for me. I have to be creating something. I applied

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BUSINESS for many jobs, my fingers were automatically sending applications for different sales positions but I faced some of the same challenges as Juan.

When I arrived in Australia, I was applying for jobs 24 hours a day.

The problem is I have never received an interview due to language barriers. Selling means talking but I never had the chance to prove myself. It’s hard to get local experience without anyone giving you a break. I would be happy to work as a volunteer for a couple of months.

I just wanted employers to give me a chance to show them what I could do. But that is business. Life is challenging, it’s up and down. When you are at the bottom, the only way is up and that’s the time you rise and get to the top again. I am now looking at other opportunities in importing luxury items from Europe to Australia. I have no doubt I will find success, it just takes time.

JUAN’S STORY: I’m from Santiago, Chile. I moved to Australia in February this year but I was here from 2010 to 2012 to study for my masters degree in civil engineering thanks to a scholarship, having completed my bachelor degree in Chile. I was lucky enough to meet Mark and the team at the Nambour Community Centre and they have been such a great support to me. I have found it very difficult to find work due to cultural barriers and lack of local experience. But engineering is the same the world over. We work with concrete and steel and I have been working hard on my English, which is quite good now. Unfortunately, the reality is if your resume shows you are from another country and English is your second language, it’s tough to even get an interview. I have been looking for work 24 hours a day as well as working with a recruitment agency. I love the Sunshine Coast, it’s absolute paradise and I am still very happy with my decision to move to Australia. Now all I need to do is find work and it will be a dream come true.

MARK’S STORY: I work with the community centre in a co-ordinator role, which allows me the opportunity to meet interesting people such as these guys.

The community centre is a crisis type community organisation for homeless people, those in a domestic violence situation etc – we are at the prevention end. We want to build people’s confidence and make them feel good about themselves. We have a number of programs that are funded, including a settlement program and a migrant community development program. The community centre allows an affordable place for people to run their own programs and groups etc. We are just the facilitators. The migrant business acceleration program is part of what we do. We have a funded multicultural worker and settlement worker to help those who are new to the country to find work. We aim to raise the profile of these people who are often very skilful and have lots of qualifications. There is a lot of potential and creativity and ideas these people can offer that businesses can maximise and invest in. Migrants often start up new businesses and create employment in Australia. It’s all about integrating people who are new to Australia and making the transition into employment easier for them. We have a dinner once a month, where people from all corners of the globe cook their traditional dishes and just connect and support each other. It’s a great community.

The Venue...

NOOK AND CRANNY

T

here’s a buzz in Nambour. And it’s thanks to young entrepreneurs with a vision to see the once tired little town transformed into a hip and happening hub much like Melbourne’s eclectic town of St Kilda. Cameron Scott is one young visionary who is leading the pack. Originally from Melbourne, Cameron, also a qualified accountant, saw the potential in Nambour and predicts there will be huge growth over the next few years. If the figures are anything to go by, he is on the money too, with a 25 per cent population increase in the area in the last five years, due to young families taking advantage of the affordable housing.

The recent opening of Cameron’s trendy Nook and Cranny on Currie Street, and more recently his Downtown burger bar has further added to Nambour’s appeal, drawing the younger crowds to the Hinterland town.

The lads and I recently caught up over a selection of delicious pizzas at the Nook and Cranny and they were as good as I had been told. Selections included Salami, roasted eggplant and jam relish; Pumpkin, feta, nuts, rocket, balsamic with evoo; and marinated chicken, roast capsicum, chilli relish and feta with napoli base.

Yum! Don’t miss the dessert pizzas too. After a tip off from my sweet-toothed colleague, I sampled the caramelised pear and roasted almond pizza, which was to die for. The milk chocolate and marshmallow option was just as delicious. The best part is the fantastic value! At just $9.80 per pizza, it certainly makes for an affordable lunch or night out.

Next stop Downtown!

Nook and Cranny 113 Currie St, Nambour | Phone: 5476 1393

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BUSINESS HANNAH ROBINSON PIPPA COLMAN & ASSOCIATES SOLICITORS

WHY I CHOSE FAMILY LAW

as a career

I

This month, Pippa Colman would like to take the opportunity to introduce to you one of her “soon to be lawyers” – Hannah Robinson – and her story about why she chose to work in the area of Family Law.

commenced my Bachelor of Laws degree back in 2010, having worked in hospitality and real estate prior to commencing my studies. I grew up in regional Queensland and moved to Brisbane to study. I have always been a family orientated person. I love children and being around them makes me happy. I had a few friends that had separated families, but I never saw first-hand the difficult situation they faced growing up.

During my studies I discovered an interest in family law and undertook work experience in a family law firm voluntarily. From then on my passion grew, where I enjoyed helping clients resolve their matter, in particular helping parents come to an agreement about the care of their children. I have a strong passion for guiding families to an outcome that is in the best interests of the children, and that is manageable for the parents, without affecting their own lives moving forward. I have continued my studies and am currently completing my Masters of Applied Family Law, where I am continuously improving and enhancing my knowledge and experience. I consider myself fortunate, being mentored and guided

by Pippa Colman herself, experiencing complex family law matters and reaching agreements for our clients.

Sometimes families are faced with challenges that are hard to

overcome by themselves. I feel privileged that my clients allow me to guide them through the legal challenges and help them move forward in their lives at a difficult time. Clients who are involved in family law matters can often be overwhelmed by the legal process and the emotional strain of their circumstances.

I hope that by working with them to achieve outcomes that allow them to move forward with their lives, I can help ease the burdens our clients face. I am passionate about my work in finding solutions and I thrive on the challenge of helping my clients overcome the difficult legal situations they face. I also find great satisfaction in getting a successful result for my client who might otherwise have thought there was no hope. These are the positives I get from what can often be a very negative and emotional situation.

Hannah has now completed all the necessary requirements to work as a solicitor, and is awaiting admission due in September/October.

“I am passionate about my work in finding solutions and I thrive on the challenge of helping my clients OVERCOME the difficult legal situations they face.”

For further details contact Pippa Colman & Associates Solicitors on 07 5458 9000 12/64 Sugar Road, Maroochydore Qld 4558 www.pippacolman.com

15 | ABOUTBUSINESS

BUSINESS

The joy of

BUSINESS WORDS KATE DAVIES PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

siMoNe MiLAsAs

Simone Milasas is a one-woman marching band for business. As the director of multiple companies and the worldwide coordinator of Access Consciousness, she also adds business mentor and accomplished author to her list of career highlights.

F

rom standing in the streets of Athens haggling passer-bys to dine in a restaurant for which she could not speak the language, to living a double life as a party-goer who was $187,000 in debt, to now running multiple companies – if there is one life story worth hearing about, it’s Simone Milasas’.

Firing answers to questions faster than a pen can draw ink, Simone is the energetic public speaker and mentor with a knack for getting businesses out of debt. She is the worldwide coordinator of Access Consciousness and is helping others find the ‘joy of business’ as mentor and public speaker.

Her debut book, The Joy of Business, is an international sensation, and has been translated into seven languages, with a loyal Turkish following that could rival the likes of Richard Branson. Yet, from her Peregian Beach home, where I had the pleasure of meeting this lively powerplayer, Simone toasts a simple watermelon juice to her success, and admits it hasn’t been without mistakes.

“I was always doing different things; one job for six months and then leave, or go from industry to industry. For me it wasn’t that I

couldn’t make a choice or settle down, I was just having so much fun learning about different business,” Simone says, reflectively.

“From working in a warehouse as a sales manager to working in restaurants and bars, to managing businesses, to owning them, to having investors to investing in other things – I have done all of it.

“I have chosen really bad business partners and I have chosen really good ones. But that’s the thing, it’s not about getting it right, it’s about choosing and then you have the awareness, it’s that choice that creates awareness.”

Simone reflects on her years of travelling the globe and an unwillingness to settle down for her innate sense of self, which inevitably led to her favourite word “create” – a motto she holds like a fortress around her businesses and herself.

“When I left school I worked as hard as I could so I could save enough money to go overseas, and I ended up leaving for three years.

I worked in so many different places and when I came back so many people were patting me on the back and saying well, now you have

16 | ABOUTBUSINESS

“MONEY is something that shows up as a result of what you have CREATED. Business is more about creation and people tend to forget that…”

“I was delusional for quite a long time. I thought that everybody loved what they did and that’s why they chose to do it, because my point of view was, why would you do something if you didn’t love it?” she says.

“I had a conversation with Gary one day about a choice someone was making that didn’t make sense to me because there was no joy with the choice they were making and he said, ‘people don’t do business in this reality for the joy of it’, and that’s when I was like, what! Why!” It was this realisation that started Simone on her own path, to bring about the The Joy Of Business.

“My point of view is, what if every business person in the entire world actually functioned from a place of the joy of business; the joy of business is not about laughing at jokes, it is about asking questions and the willingness to change everything and choose everything, and the willingness to follow what you know, what have you always dreamt of doing but didn’t think was possible because of how old you are or another reason – but anything is possible.”

She admits her tools for creating The Joy of Business was nothing

new or inventive, but an acceptance of things that business people tend to turn a blind eye to, or think of as taboo.

“Everyone has a definition of what business is supposed to be like rather than, what if it was just creation? What would you like to create today?,” says Simone.

“I often use the analogy of when I was a kid I used to make mud pies and I would sell them. I had no point of view that the mud pies were too small or too big, too soft or too tough, you just created.

“I don’t know what age it is but we tend to go to judgment of what we are creating and it just diminishes what we do, rather than think, no, it’s your creation, your ideas. You look at Richard Branson, he never takes no for an answer and he will create anything he desires, he doesn’t care what people think. But people start to diminish their business and their money flow by worrying what other people think, rather than asking the question, if you were creating a business today, what would you choose?”

Simone says one of the biggest mistakes people make is putting money before business.

“Money is something that shows up as a result of what you have created. Business is more about creation and people tend to forget that and instead think, well I have to maintain my lifestyle or, I have to keep the family and pay the bills. They have all these justifications as to why they are in business and why they have a job, which doesn’t sound like much fun, rather than, well what can I create?”

Simone says when she is home (which these days is only three months of the year) it’s like a holiday and she finds joy in the simple pleasures of cooking a meal in her own kitchen and spending an afternoon on the verandah with her husband and their son, Nash.

“I have an absolutely stunning house in Peregian Beach that my husband created. I came home the other day and thought, oh my goodness, it’s so nice to have so much luxury around us. Our house is probably our most luxurious place to get away, with the ocean and the trees,” she says.

“My husband travels with me 80 per cent of the time. It’s a different lifestyle, but I love it because I always wanted to travel. Right from the beginning I wanted to have my own business and I wanted to travel, and then I realised I wanted to make money and change the way people looked at the world, the way they looked at each other and how they dealt with it all.

“I figure at the moment I am incorporating all of that, and I am so incredibly grateful for my life.”

TOP TIPS one .

Don’t judge yourself.

two .

Choose – choice creates awareness, you have to keep choosing.

three .

Be aware of your financial reality, how much money you have and don’t have.

four .

Money follows JOY, Joy does not follow money, so are you doing something you love?

five .

Ask questions – questions will always empower, an answer disempowers … some questions to ask, what possibilities are available that you have not yet instituted? And, how does it get any better than this?

17 | ABOUTBUSINESS

BUSINESS

that out of your system you can settle down, get a job and you know, find ‘the one’,” she laughs. “I was like, oh my goodness, this is just the beginning!

“I was never one of those people to say, when is more money going to show up. I was just like, well, what do I need to create? I don’t know why that is, I must have different blood running through my veins. I knew I could create money, even when I was in debt.”

Described as a catalyst for change, Simone’s unique ability to get to the core of an issue and make a positive change is testimony to her devotion to her job. She fondly dedicates a lot of her success to Gary Douglas, the founder of Access Consciousness – a program to equip people with the tools to change things in their life they haven’t been able to change.

PROMOTION

Blogging for business WORDS MARIEL DAWSON

W

hen you have a problem or there is a question you urgently need to know the answer to, what’s the first thing you do? You Google it!

Good old Google. How did we live without it?

Google is bombarded with over three billion search queries a day.

That’s a mind-blowing, one trillion searches per year. Being a business owner, it’s safe to assume your target market and potential clients are online searching for answers, ideas, entertainment and solutions.

Why start a business blog?

Adding blogging to your marketing mix allows you to connect and convert on a worldwide scale. The best part is, it is easy and affordable to implement, no matter how small your organisation is.

Here are some interesting stats on the power of content marketing and blogging that business owners can’t afford to ignore.

Companies who blog receive 97 per cent more links to their website and links remain a key ranking factor when Google examines your site.

By 2020, customers will manage 85 per cent of their purchasing relationships without talking to a human.

92 per cent of companies who blog multiple times per day have acquired customers from their blog.

Website conversion rates are nearly six times higher for content marketing adopters.

Marketers who have prioritised blogging are 13 times more likely to enjoy a positive return on investment (ROI).

Blogging will achieve three things for you business. It will increase your website traffic, boost customer engagement and build trust and authority in your market.

Companies who blog receive 97 per cent more links to their website

18 | ABOUTBUSINESS

If you want to significantly expand the digital reach of your business then get blogging. Google and other search engines favour original, quality content. The more blogs you publish, the more chances search engines will pick up your content. Develop a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy with help from a SEO professional to boost your page rankings and acquire organic search traffic.

For example, Sunshine Coast based accounting and financial planning firm Otium Group started blogging in 2012 publishing a minimum of one blog per week. At first it was just the CEO Drew Grosskreutz, hurriedly writing something on a Friday night ‘just because he had to’. Today, the company works closely with an SEO ninja and its target is a minimum of three blog posts per week. As a result organic visits to the website have tripled.

Boost customer engagement

Build authority

Getting started

Blog promotion and measuring success

Customers will love you for creating content to solve their problems, educate, inform or entertain them. Blogging also gives your business the opportunity to engage and interact with the online community, especially if you use social media to promote your posts.

Have an understanding of what appeals to your target audience.

To grab their attention and rise above the noise of the digital world you must prove that your content is worthy of their time.

What to blog about This thought alone can stop new bloggers in their tracks. The secret is to just start. An SEO expert will be able to do the research on your market and give you some idea of the right keywords to incorporate into your blogs to drive organic search traffic and improve your rankings.

Get into the mindset of your target audience Brainstorm some ideas, pick a topic and start writing what comes to mind. Get all of your thoughts out, aiming for a minimum of 400 words per post and then go back over your draft and edit it.

Blogging shows clients and prospective customers that no one knows the industry like you do and gives your business a voice.

Posting relevant, useful content on a regular basis expands your following and builds trust. Never fear giving away free information or advice in your posts as this demonstrates you and your team’s expertise through your blog.

Your latest blog post is published and live on your website. Now to sit back and wait for the clicks and leads to start rolling in, right? To increase the reach of your blog you need to promote it. Share your posts across social media channels, link to them in your email marketing and reach out to influencers, others in your industry who you think will find your content interesting.

How do you know what’s working and what’s not? Shares, likes and positive comments are a great indicator of whether your target audience is finding value in what you have to say but using traffic analysis tools similar to Google Analytics allows you to gather data on your website’s performance and can reveal the success of your blogging efforts. For example, at Otium Group important metrics, including unique views, conversions, page bounce rates and average duration (how long our audience spends on each page) are analysed each week and used to improve future content marketing tactics and strategy.

if you’re a small business owner interested in finding out more about strategies to grow your business contact otium Group.

Phone: 1300 468 486 Website: www.otiumgroup.com.au email: info@otiumgroup.com.au 19 | ABOUTBUSINESS

Blogging and the bottom line

Get your content strategy right and blogging will draw in new leads, improving the bottom line of your business, but it’s vital to ensure this isn’t the sole reason behind why you do it. The key purpose behind every post you publish must be to add value for the audience.

If your reader feels you are just dressing up a sales pitch or constantly talking about how great your service/product is they will lose interest and click away. Modern marketing is about “telling not selling”.

Drew Grosskreutz AND GorDoN MCGreGor

PROMOTION

Increase website traffic

BUSINESS

priceless

I

BOND

LAUrie CLArKe AND DeBBie BATTAGLiNi-CLArKe WiTH THeir CHiLDreN JAMes, soFiA AND ADDisoN

Laurie Clarke and Debbie Battaglini-Clarke’s business is in banking. However, their heart lies in giving back, and together they have raised more than $200,000 for the local community. Here, they talk family, love, life after a serious diagnosis and their passion for philanthropy.

WORDS ANNA RAWLINGS PHOTOS CHESTERTON SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

f the wealth of a person is measured by the happiness in their life, then Laurie Clarke and Debbie Battaglini-Clarke have discovered life’s riches.

As we chat in their gorgeous Rosemount abode, the giggle and chatter of their three energetic children, Addison, eight, and four-year-old twins James and Sofia mix with the yips of their two cute dachshunds.

We sit on the deck overlooking tennis courts and lush acreage, a sleek black helicopter lifts off from their neighbour’s property and Laurie races off to a meeting, smartphone in hand; it’s a reminder that although home is clearly where the heart is for the couple, they’ve flourished in the business arena too.

As philanthropic believers of giving back, the couple is set on making a difference in the community in which they are doing business.

Laurie and Debbie have, to date, raised in excess of $250,000 through their annual CCGD and Corporate Sports Lunch, together with major stakeholders and supporters, for various local children’s charities.

And incidentally, it was charity work that initially brought the couple together while both were living in Melbourne in 2004.

Previously, Laurie had spent 30 years with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) in northern and western Melbourne, after migrating to Sydney from the United Kingdom as a young child.

Deb, who was raised in Queensland and Canberra, had a background in event management which saw her working for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation and was tasked with supporting the CBA General Manager to host a joint event.

She was offered two tickets to attend the evening, and upon advising

her contact she was single, he quickly organised one of CBA’s ‘eligible bachelors’ to accompany her – and that was Laurie.

The couple decided on the Sunshine Coast for their wedding, and after falling in love with the area, moved up in 2008 – interestingly, our photographer for this story, Tanya, was the couple’s wedding photographer!

It was a change of pace for the couple, who at that stage had baby Addison and while Debbie loved her job, Laurie was growing dissatisfied with the corporate structure of working for one of the ‘Big Four’ banks.

“Deb had owned a business before and my background is only in banking, so buying a bank was perfect,” says Laurie of their decision to move and buy into Bank of Queensland (BOQ) Maroochydore in August, 2007.

The couple admits their first foray into their award-winning business complete with 10 staff, was a “hard slog”, with the GFC hitting a month after they bought the bank; however they prevailed and 12 months and a growing business later, launched their first charity venture.

“The opportunity it gave us was going back to the grassroots level and doing stuff Laurie loved to do, and I ultimately loved to do which was helping people. I saw how we could bring some unique events to the Coast and at the same time give back to the local community and work with various charities,” smiles Debbie.

Debbie has just resigned from a SunnyKids ambassadorship, to focus on a new partnership with the Hear and Say Centre, and they hope to raise $40,000 for children with hearing loss, learning how to listen and speak with new cochlear implants.

“They’ve only had three ‘switch ons’ on the Coast and we were able to

“I saw how we could bring some UNIQUE events to the Coast and at the same time GIVE BACK to the local community and work with various charities.”

20 | ABOUTBUSINESS

BUSINESS invite our major stakeholders to one … we watched this little girl who was six-years-old have her implant switched on for the first time. There were grown men crying, the tissue box was definitely passed around!” remembers Debbie.

“I think while we own a business we will always find a charity to support. With the charities that are based on the Coast and the amount of fundraising events, it’s a tight arena and the fact people are attending those events, putting their hands in their pockets, or helping in a philanthropic voluntary way is just outstanding,” she adds.

Children’s charities and organisations are a cause close to Debbie and Laurie – the twins were born four weeks prematurely, and James was later diagnosed with Level Two cerebral palsy (CP), which causes potentially limited motor skills.

James and Sofia were conceived via IVF through highly regarded specialist Paul Stokes, and born in 2012.

After opting to have their last two viable eggs in for their fifth, and last, attempt, the couple were in “shock for the first few months” after learning they were expecting twins.

“Because of my age we had to go to Brisbane to have the amniocentesis test and that’s when we found out we were having a son as well. Laurie has two daughters to his first marriage, so we were delighted there was going to be another Clarke in the family,” smiles Debbie.

When James and Sofia were assessed after birth, James had severe blood sugar problems and had to be transported to Brisbane for intensive care. Later, when the twins reached their 10-month check, the paediatrician signed off Sofia but expressed concern over James.

“We went for an MRI scan just before the 12-month mark and I remember coming to get the result and all I heard is the word ‘cerebral palsy’. I just stopped listening, lucky Laurie was there,” says Debbie.

“We were lucky because we got support straight away. The turning point, and the paediatrician agreed, for us was James having a twin sister because wherever she was at with her growth, he would want to be. So if she was walking, he wanted to be walking, if she was crawling, he wanted to be crawling. He didn’t know he had cerebral palsy, he just wanted to be doing what she was doing and that’s what has pushed him as well as our regular physio.”

“I love to give back and MENTOR a number of other small business owners informally … to support others in their quest for GREATNESS and success.”

“It’s a bit ironic, twins have a greater chance of one of them having cerebral palsy, but at the same time having the able-bodied twin helps them through their therapy,” adds Laurie.

Today, after an eye correction operation, Debbie shares you wouldn’t know James’ disability if you saw him.

After two years off with the twins, Debbie returned to work, scooping a coveted Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year Award, which gave her an opportunity to reflect on her philanthropic efforts.

“We’d raised $200,000 for the Coast by then. When you start to put it all together and realise that in itself has made an incredible difference to the lives of the people we’ve helped, it puts together a bigger picture,” she says.

“It’s humbling and rewarding. I love to give back and mentor a number of other small business owners informally as well, to support others in their quest for greatness and success.”

Now, Debbie has this year made the commitment to split her time between home, family and time for herself.

“I’ve decided the time I do have is now spent with the kids. It hit home I’m not going to have any more babies so I want to spend time with them while they’re still little. I think we’ve given a lot in terms of community involvement, and I’ll definitely be back hitting some of the voluntary positions again – but now it’s about giving more time to my family,” she says.

And that’s something money can’t buy.

21 | ABOUTBUSINESS

BUSINESS

WORDS ANNA RAWLINGS

Karey Galea

Rebecca Gill

Hairy Pepper Noosa

Maroochydore Homemaker Centre Maroochydore

F

rom trading a banking career in Balmain to chasing a literal sea change, Noosa-based hair product entrepreneur Karey Galea’s success lies in testing the waters.

Karey grew up in Balmain, Sydney, and after leaving a 15-year career in the banking industry to start a family and welcoming two daughters, Karey and her former husband bought a 26-foot boat before being tempted by new horizons.

“We sold the little boat, the house, cars and furniture and bought a 42-foot yacht and off we went,” Karey smiles.

“I get an enormous amount of satisfaction when someone uses my product and I see the diff erence it makes to their confidence.”

What was initially planned as a 12-month journey turned into a four-year coastal passage up and down the east coast of Australia.

Although Karey was schooling the girls via distance education, when her eldest daughter reached senior school years the family settled in Mooloolaba.

After moving off the boat in 2008, Karey bought into a bakery business and went on to work within the jewellery industry as a certified diamontologist.

“I had been thinking about going out on my own,” she shares.

“I have always had a passion for hair and beauty, however never had the opportunity to make it a career choice.”

Then, during a trip to the hairdresser Karey’s attention was drawn to a small patch of her own thinning hair, which gradually worsened.

With her hair follicles too damaged to grow back, Karey began her research and after 12 months of tests and trials, surrounded by the support of special people in her life, Hairy Pepper was created.

“I get an enormous amount of satisfaction when someone uses my product and I see the difference it makes to their confidence, especially women,” she shares.

Karey is now focused on marketing Hairy Pepper, which naturally restores the appearance of thinning hair within seconds, with a vision to see it stocked in at least one hairdressing salon in every city in Australia.

R

ebecca Gill has had to shop around for a career for the past 18 years – but not for the reason many might think.

As marketing manager for the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre, Rebecca has worked with a number of regional and neighbourhood shopping centres during her 18-year career, since graduating from Griffith University with a degree in marketing and commerce.

“In my last semester of uni I had to do some work experience ... I met with the national marketing director of a company and did two weeks work experience and they offered me a job,” Rebecca says.

“I was one of the lucky graduates who walked out, straight into a job.”

Joining the Maroochydore Homemaker Centre just over 12 months ago, Rebecca’s role as marketing manager entails looking after the centre’s marketing, campaigns and promotions, working with the individual retailers and the national agency team in Sydney.

“I’m confident I can say I have struck a good work/life balance.”

“I’ve experienced a few different styles of shopping centres. Here, there’s a great centre management team, the retailers are fantastic, quite savvy and love what they do,” she smiles.

“I love it. I think I’m confident I can say I have struck a good work/ life balance.”

Rebecca works three days per week, spending her days off with her husband and two children, aged eight and four.

“I’d just had two years off, so coming back into the workforce, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do and I was lucky enough to find the perfect job for me,” she says.

Over the past almost two decades, Rebecca has seen the change in retail and customer service, particularly with the advancements of technology and online shopping.

“Shopping centres were the hub of the community and now with the internet, online shopping and strip centres, the competition in the marketplace is much higher!” she says.

Now, Rebecca is motivated by a vision for the Homemaker Centre to stand out on the Coast as a superior destination, with the enclosed centre unique to the region and Queensland.

22 | ABOUTBUSINESS

REAL ESTATE

inside

24

industry

Jeanette Singline proves why she’s an all-round role model for women

23 | ABOUTBUSINESS

33 34

PROPERTY

When it comes to buying a home, weight up the pros and cons to buying new versus established

REAL FACTS

How does affordability and lifestyle concerns shape your buying habits?

REAL ESTATE

Woman ON

TOP WORDS JESSICA CROFTS PHOTOS REBECCA SMITH

Lucrative Business Manager and all-round role model for women, Jeanette Singline has experienced what it's like to be a part of a minority group. Here, she shares her life's influences and how it impacted her to be a voice for women in building today.

JeANeTTe siNGLiNe

24 | ABOUTBUSINESS

eanette Singline is on a pursuit to change the ethos of the building industry with its stereotypical male-dominated trend.

Boasting a genuine personality and hardworking ethic, Jeanette certainly knows what it’s like to be a minority in a specific field, which sparked her passion to help other women break into the construction industry.

“I spent two years growing up in Arnhem Land which is an Indigenous-based area in the middle of nowhere, so I learnt to adapt quickly as we were very much a minority within a minority,” says Jeanette. “I’d never change these experiences though as I feel it’s made me who I am today.”

Despite her unusual upbringing, Jeanette’s life experiences have led her to where she is today, an award-winning business manager for Buildmore and Project Manager of Industry Women Central, an online education hub that supports and links women in the building and construction industry.

“Industry Women Central is what we proposed needed to happen after the Women into Building project, which saw 80 women from around Queensland construct and design a small-lot home,” she says.

“After this project was completed, we sent a comprehensive report to the Industry Skills Council to start Industry Women Central, which would give women and businesses a place to go for information in all areas of construction and building.

“I am also part of the Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training committee, which rolls out trade day programs for young women thinking of doing a trade. It’s important to get this information out there because industry support is definitely out there, but it is scattered.”

Jeanette’s successful career stems back to when she started out as a personal assistant to one of South Australia’s top real estate agents, where she was unaware that her professional profile was already being marketed around the state.

“I landed a job managing a few real estate offices around South Australia, but then I wanted to take my job further and wanted to know more about how to build a house. I moved up to Queensland and secured this job with Buildmore and have been with them for seven years now,” says Jeanette.

As a diligent worker Jeanette has remained a positive role model in the industry and her ability to involve women in a male-dominated world has been nothing but admirable. Jeanette receives contact from women from all over Queensland on a daily basis seeking advice on building-related issues.

“I never put my hand up to be a mentor, but I started getting phone calls from women who wanted to be pointed in the right direction,” she says. “I want to aid women into building and show that young girls or women already in the industry can put their stories out there and realise there is no stereotype.

“I’m definitely a people’s person, I don’t like to be shoved in the corner. I’m meeting different individuals every single day and because I’m not a government representative I can say things others can’t. I’ve got a voice that some others don’t have the courage to use.”

“Women are generally role models in everyday life.

There is NO REASON women can’t do the same job men do, and what makes a project any different if it has women standing in front of it?”

25 | ABOUTBUSINESS

REAL ESTATE Along with Jeanette’s lucrative background, she continues to push for a stronger female presence in the building industry by working with other networks such as the National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) and Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen (SALT) who supply women with monthly workshops and other educational events.

“The key is to become more visible and accessible, the more women recognise they are role models and have something to give, the more the younger generation can see that,” she says.

“Women are generally role models in everyday life. There is no reason women can’t do the same job men do, and what makes a project any different if it has women standing in front of it?

“Sure there are a lot of males in the industry, but there are also a lot of females. The numbers are low but we are making ripples, and ripples turn into waves.”

Jeanette is immensely pleased that major corporate companies have already jumped on the bandwagon to incorporate women into the industry, with some CEOs endorsing a Champions of Change Initiative, which calls for equal rights and pay for women in the workforce.

“Having a diverse workforce with women in board positions gives businesses profitability. There are things that need to change in order to accommodate equality, such as being more flexible and stop stereotyping women, but it all starts from the top. It’s about supporting your co-workers whether you’re male or female,” she says.

Last year Jeanette’s success continued to flourish with the addition of her being added to the board of Master Builders, a major Australian building and construction industry association.

“They called me and asked if I was entering the Women into Building Award because they’d heard of my involvement on the project we did, and the fact I was on the Sunshine Coast Technical Trade Training

committee,” she says. “I was astounded they knew all about me but I entered at the last minute and amazingly I won the award. I wear this award as a badge of honour and have since been asked to sit on the Master Builder Board.”

An achievement as enormous as this would likely top anyone’s work aspirations, but Jeanette remains grounded and strives to promote women in the building industry while she actively manages Buildmore and their growing business goals.

“People say all the time that I’ve been really lucky, but I believe you make your own fortune and it all comes back to the choices you’ve made. As a young girl I didn’t have the greatest family environment and was always going around to different places. I didn’t have an appreciation for the experiences I was going through. Adapting to different environments and talking to different people was the norm for me,” she says.

“I’ve always been a personal assistant, promoting and supporting other people and trying to get them on the pedestal, so for me this was a great personal achievement.”

With a driven work ethic and the ability to sway others, Jeanette maintains her stance on bringing women into the workforce and growing Buildmore’s already highly regarded reputation.

I asked the successful business woman what her most prized advice would be to women wanting to get into the building industry, she says, “explore your options, there is a vast array of exciting and rewarding career options in the building industry and get in touch with your local support groups like Master Builders and NAWIC. The Buildmore Group and I have always been very passionate about women and changing our “traditional” roles and I think that is why this cause has struck a chord with me, because during my life’s experiences I’ve always been in a minority situation”.

“Sure there are a lot of males in the industry, but there are also a lot of females. The numbers are low but we are MAKING RIPPLES, and ripples turn into WAVES.”

26 | ABOUTBUSINESS

Playing the Property Game

Investing in property can be an expensive gamble so it is imperative you develop a low risk investment strategy and diversify your property portfolio to achieve the maximum benefits.

O

ne of the most effective ways to reap great returns is to invest in location and lifestyle.

Identify what attracts people to the area. Does it have great beaches and coastal views? How close are the local shopping centres and universities? Is there public transport within walking distance?

It certainly pays to conduct your own research and find areas undergoing new developments, such as new hospitals and health precincts.

Investing in a location before it booms is one of the keys to future rewards.

It is also important to spread your investments across different suburbs to avoid holding all your eggs in one basket. Investing in different suburbs can help to reduce risk if one suburb undergoes an infrastructure change which goes against your favour –

for example, a new refuse tip or a change to the flight path.

When investing interstate, education, knowledge and expertise are very important. There are many companies that specifically cater to the needs of interstate investing.

Do your research and try to engage somebody with local knowledge and an understanding of where the current and future hot spots are likely to be.

Achieving stable and long term returns is not just dependant on where you invest, but also what you are investing in. Purchasing a fourbedroom home in an area where most of the population can only afford a unit will not necessarily work in your favour. As with anything, education is key. Research the properties available for rent, how much they are achieving and how long they sit vacant for.

Tracey Rossow Investment Manager

49 Bulcock St, Caloundra 0448 616 055 trossow@henzells.com.au

When building your property portfolio, it is important to think long term and about diversification. For instance, have you considered rural investing?

With increasing population rates a few acres of low maintenance land could be your gateway to housing developments down the track, ideal if you’re considering the investment to be your retirement fund.

Remember to choose quality over quantity. Better quality = better returns. A newer home with modern features will cost you less in maintenance and provide a better tax return when it comes to depreciation as opposed to a golden oldie that you’ve purchased and renovated. If you are in a position to buy multiple properties, consider choosing a select few that are high quality instead of lots of cheap ones. n

REAL ESTATE

l o r t n o C e k a T

WHEN SELLING YOUR HOME

BE PRESENTABLE When selling, you should present your home like you don’t live there. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration.

Looking like you live in your home is fine; just get some expert advice on presenting it properly.

Most of the time owners aren’t stylists so it makes sense to source the best advice on this one. Buyers are looking for a home that they instantly connect with and feel like they want to live in. Establishing this connection comes from style and creating a WOW factor.

Often owners think that having a clean house is presenting it for sale when this is only part of it. Styling is about maximising the space for appeal and flow. How a home flows is just as important as how it looks.

You only get one chance to make a first impression so speak to the people who specialise in first impressions. Most agents will be able to point you in the right direction for good stylists.

BE REAL Not everyone is going to love your home.

The fact is, a lot of buyers won’t like your home at all. Don’t get discouraged when you get feedback about your home, see it for what it is, they just don’t like it.

The most important feedback is what the marketplace thinks your home is worth. This way you can adjust early if the feedback isn’t in alignment with your expectation.

Following are some examples of the kinds of people you should (and shouldn’t) pay attention to when it comes price feedback.

Neighbours and friends: don’t listen to them about what they think your home is worth, they are always too high.

Buyers that are ready to buy, have inspected your property but don’t like it: These buyers are usually quite educated and fairly accurate with price feedback because they see it for what it is and have no emotional connection to your home.

Buyers who are interested in your home: They will usually give slightly lower price feedback initially because they are interested.

BE QUICK TO ADJUST One of the biggest mistakes owners make when the market is slow in responding is assuming it is only “early days” in the sales process and there is no need to adjust. This can cost you dearly.

Market momentum is everything and if in the first two weeks the market feedback is lower than where your price point is, that is a strong indication that your price is too high.

Buyers are looking for a home that they instantly connect with and feel like they want to live in.

28 | ABOUTBUSINESS

WORDS JASON JAEGER, HENZELLS AGENCY

Often owners will say “we haven’t had any offers” and therefore cannot gauge whether to lower their price or not. Listen closely.

You aren’t getting any offers because the buyers feel your house is too dear and they are voting with their feet and walking away.

Work closely with your agent in these early stages and feel the rhythm of the market and you will be able to read what is going on.

If everything is lined up right from day one you should have interest and offers in the very early stages. If you aren’t getting interest in those early stages, adjust and you’ll be on your way!

BE RELAXED All you can do is your best and make sure you have done everything you possibly can to position your home right, market your home correctly and select the best agent.

Once you have ticked all the boxes sit back and relax and work closely with your agent in partnership.

Allow the agent to do their job and be open to understanding the market and everything should work out just fine.

Follow these tips and the chances of selling your home within 30 days will be very strong.

WIDE OPEN SPACES CLOSE TO THE ACTION ONLY 15 MINUTES FROM MAROOCHYDORE

NOW SELLING 19 ARCHITECTURALLY DESIGNED HOUSE & LAND PACKAGES

INVEST OR LIVE

artist impressions only

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WIDE OPEN SPACES AND LARGE LEVEL BLOCKS CLOSE TO THE ACTION

Leafy hinterland Woombye is only minutes from it all ...

Plantation Park Woombye is a peaceful hinterland setting only 15 minutes from the vibrant and dynamic urban hub of Maroochydore – the Sunshine Coast’s commercial heart. Along with access to world-class beaches less than 20 minutes away, Plantation Park is the perfect blend of beach, hinterland and urban lifestyles.

• Woombye is well-positioned for both car and rail connectivity to Brisbane and other destinations.

• Brisbane is 80 minutes drive with access to the Bruce Highway only minutes from the Woombye Town Centre.

• The Woombye Train Station has daily trains to south to Brisbane or north to the rural centre of Gympie.

The Woombye lifestyle, sense of community and familyfriendly location make Woombye an ideal place to live.

Locals love the immediate bushland surroundings that include impressive children’s playground areas. The area’s convenient proximity to other parts of the coast or outside the region are also a key feature.

“I like how close we are to everything. We live in an area that is more country-like, but it’s only a 15 minute drive to the beach.”

FOR YOUR FREE INFORMATION PACK CALL 07 5451 1080 WWW.THINKINVESTMENTREALTY.COM.AU

WOOMBYE IS THE AFFORDABLE HILLS ALTERNATIVE TO THE COASTAL STRIP

BY TERRY RYDER, DIRECTOR, HOTSPOTTING.COM.AU

Choose from a mix of 3, 4 or 5 bedroom homes with nature on your doorstep • Plantation Park is a new release of nineteen exclusive House & Land turnkey packages ready to buy off the plan.

• Choose from a mix of 3, 4 or 5 architecturallydesigned homes – some with media rooms.

• Large, level yet elevated blocks master planned within a natural bushland setting.

• Perfectly located in the idyllic, semi-rural hinterland setting in the sought-after growth area of Woombye on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

For more information visit plantationparkwoombye.com.au

Woombye is part of the Sunshine Coast, which we rate as one of the strongest up-and-coming markets in Australia. And, in numerous different ways, Woombye has better statistics than Sunshine Coast averages. It is more affordable, its houses sell faster, its discounting levels are (slightly) lower and its long-term growth rate is (slightly) better.

Woombye is a hinterland town of about 3,000 people west of the Bruce Highway, inland from the coastal strip. This means it’s about hills and acreage living rather than beaches and apartments. It also means it has an advantage the coastal suburbs lack – it has a train station with rail links to Brisbane.

Woombye’s history is as a hub for pineapple and citrus farmers. It’s now making a gradual transition to urbanization in an area where the acreage lifestyle is popular. Gradually it is merging with neighbours Nambour to the north and Palmwoods to the south.

Woombye is a comfortable drive to Sunshine Coast shops, beaches, restaurants and nightlife. The key centres of Maroochydore and Mooloolaba, as well as the Sunshine Coast Airport, are all within 20 minutes by road, while Noosa Heads is a 40-minute drive.

Shopping in Woombye includes an IGA supermarket, a post office, a newsagent and a hardware and rural supplies store. Nearby Nambour has two shopping centres: the long-established Nambour Plaza is anchored

by Woolworths, while Coles built a new store in 2013, creating 300 construction jobs and 100 operational jobs.

Proximity to the services and infrastructure in Nambour is one of the core elements of Woombye’s appeal. Nambour General Hospital, a major regional hospital, recently had a $24 million expansion and employs around 2,500 people. It is currently the major hospital for the Sunshine Coast region, but will be supplanted by the $2 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital now under construction at Kawana. Selangor Private Hospital is also at Nambour. The Sunshine Coast Regional Council has its HQ in Nambour. State Government agencies in Nambour include Primary Industries, Natural Resources and Transport. The Nambour Civic Centre offers a 900-seat concert hall and a 200-seat theatre.

Parmalat, a subsidiary of dairy giant Pauls, has a milk processing plant in Nambour, while the Department of Primary Industries Maroochy Research Station is about 3km from Woombye.

There are numerous schools and colleges within easy reach of Woombye residents. Woombye township has the Woombye Primary School and Suncoast Christian College, while Nambour Christian College and St Johns Catholic College are on the southern fringe of Nambour, within 2km of Woombye township. Nambour has numerous other primary and secondary schools, plus the Sunshine Coast TAFE Nambour Centre.

Affordability, solid rental yields and low vacancies are key characteristics of the Woombye property market. The median house price is $435,000, compared with the Sunshine Coast average of $500,000. Its long-term capital growth average is 3% per year, compared to the Sunshine Coast average of 2.4%. Typical Woombye houses sell within about 90 days (Sunshine Coast average 125 days) and discounting is typically around 6%, slightly better than the area average. The median rental yield is a little over 5% and the vacancy rate is low around 1%.

Woombye’s future appears to be as an acreage lifestyle suburb on the fringe of the Sunshine Coast, with good proximity to the Maroochydore CBD, the Sunshine Coast Airport and the services and amenities of Nambour.

The airport, where a $450 million upgrade is planned, is a 20-minute drive from Woombye.

FOR YOUR FREE INFORMATION PACK CALL 07 5451 1080 WWW.THINKINVESTMENTREALTY.COM.AU

artist impressions only

SELLING FAST

INVEST OR LIVE

LARGE ELEVATED LOTS IN A LEAFY HINTERLAND SETTING ONLY MINUTES FROM THE URBAN HEART OF THE SUNSHINE COAST

The homes at Plantation Park Each Plantation Park home has been designed by award-winning architects to capitalise on generously proportioned large land lots – some with elevated views across the rolling hills of Woombye, and others

• Large level, elevated blocks overlooking a landscaped green belt of parkland • Architecturally-designed and quality construction by an award-winning builder

overlooking designated parkland. They are designed for

• Higher than standard ceilings

comfortable living, with generous rooms and outdoor

• Quality finishes including stone bench tops

areas filled sunlight and easy, flowing layouts.

This development delivers exceptional value without compromising on style, finish, or functionality.

• Close to major infrastructure such as hospitals, railway station and the Bruce Highway • Close to one of the Coast’s best primary schools

For more information visit plantationparkwoombye.com.au

FOR YOUR FREE INFORMATION PACK CALL 07 5451 1080 WWW.THINKINVESTMENTREALTY.COM.AU

REAL ESTATE

tanya mungomery Integrity. Knowledge. Results.

Tanya Mungomery brings 20 years of client service experience to her role with McGrath and prides herself on exceeding clients’ expectations through her friendly and professional manner.

Dedicated to delivering exceptional results in a stress free manner with proven results, Tanya makes an excellent choice for the sale of your property offering six star service and advice delivered with integrity.

Tanya Mungomery Sales Agent M 0414 260 711 T 5450 8000 E tanyamungomery@mcgrath.com.au W mcgrath.com.au

NEW HOMES vs ESTABLISHED HOMES –

which should I buy?

POSITIVES OF BUYING A NEW HOME A new home is up-to-date. A new home will most likely have modern technology like wi-fi, USB plug-ins, surround sound, smart gadget capabilities and more. They could be built with green initiatives in mind, such as energy-saving wall insulation and windows, along with the installation of energy star appliances which could help save thousands.

THE POSITIVES OF BUYING AN ESTABLISHED HOME includes appliances. Moving into an older home definitely has its perks. Not only will a buyer get a place with charm and character, but most sellers include their appliances. Many sellers will offer to sell the buyers pieces of furniture they don’t want to move to their new place.

This furniture is usually sold for much less since it is used and a burden for the seller to move.

Customise a new home. The many benefits of a new home are that the owner can choose customised items, for example, the carpet, countertops, flooring and colour of the walls. Buyers can also be more particular and pick things out like sinks, shower heads and door handles.

uually in established neighbourhoods. Homes in a neighbourhood that has been established can be a huge lift to property values and buyer confidence. A buyer may enjoy a home that is already in an established neighbourhood, close to necessities and have a neighbourhood culture.

Worry-free and clean. New homes are clean, no one else has lived in them and all the appliances are brand new with warranties. Buyers have less worry about appliances failing from too much use.

NEGATIVES OF BUYING AN ESTABLISHED HOME upgrading to modern technology. If a buyer wants to make a change to energy-efficient appliances or more “smart” technology in an established home, it could cost them a lot of money. This means more holes in walls, more remodelling and even more money for the buyer.

NEGATIVES OF BUYING A NEW HOME new homes cost more. A new home costs approximately 20 per cent more than an established home. Those upgraded features that are customised by the buyer or modern inclusions can significantly increase the price.

Often in less established neighbourhoods. New homes are usually created in brand new subdivisions that have houses built at the same time. Buyers could be stuck in a construction zone for a few months or years after purchasing the new home. Most necessities may not have been built close by, forcing buyers to drive longer to schools, grocery stores and work.

Hiding huge money traps. Although a home may look fine, it could be hiding major issues beneath the surface. What if the roof leaks in winter? What if there are major problems with the heating or air conditioning? These are all questions buyers face when purchasing an established home. Unfortunately, some of them come true! The buyer has to foot the bill.

Appliances and systems have been used. The buyer also knows the appliances and systems in the home have been used. Previous wear and tear can be hard on a buyer’s wallet.

33 | ABOUTBUSINESS

REAL ESTATE

Whether you’re looking to enter the real estate market or are already a seasoned home-buyer, it pays to know the trends and predictions within this often-fickle industry. Profile keeps you in the know for all things real estate.

REAL FACTS AFFORDABILITY AND LIFESTYLE CONCERNS SHAPE BUYING HABITS OF YOUNG AUSTRALIANS Younger Australians have significantly changed their buying habits because of affordability pressures and lifestyle concerns.

The LJ Hooker Youth White Paper found under-30s have embraced “new and innovative buying habits” to enter the property market. This has seen first home buyers “fly under the radar”, according to the report, and led to an under-reporting of their numbers and changing habits.

The report says the most common new buying habit is that of the ‘rentvester’, who invests in a cheaper suburb while continuing to rent in a more expensive and desirable location.

Another approach is to partner with family or friends to buy a larger property to co-inhabit or as an investment, it says, “The major decision here is how to structure the ownership arrangement. The two most common are as tenants-incommon or joint tenancy”.

Some young families who can’t afford to buy a larger home in their preferred area are choosing to purchase an older and smaller home, then add rooms and levels.

Other young families are abandoning their local area in favour of a newly built suburb, “This has seen demand for houseand-land packages in new estates rise considerably over the past few years,” the report says. “For those not willing to compromise on location, purchasing a vacant lot and building from the ground up has also been a way to remain within their preferred area.”

Another trend is for younger Australians to buy an off-the-plan

apartment, so they can postpone their mortgage repayments until it’s been built.

“This has been popular with the under-30s as it allows them to keep saving or maintain their lifestyle in the short term until they move into their new property,” the report says. “This has also been popular for the younger generation of investors who want to lock in today’s price and capture the capital growth over the construction period.”

STAMP DUTY SKYROCKETS Property buyers have suffered colossal increases in stamp duty over the past two decades.

According to new research from the Property Council of Australia, Brisbane is up 532 per cent, from $1329 to $8400.

Property Council of Australia chief executive Ken Morrison says stamp duty has become a “runaway cash grab” that is locking out potential home buyers.

“The community should be outraged that they are being slugged with such excessive charges, especially at a time when housing affordability is an acute challenge,” he says.

BRISBANE INVESTMENT ON THE RISE Investors who are speculating on big capital gains in Sydney and Melbourne look set to be cruelly disappointed – but Brisbane looks a safe bet. In Brisbane, house prices are tipped to rise 13.5 per cent to $590,000 and unit prices are tipped to rise 5.7 per cent to $460,000.

Sourced from www.rebonline.com.au

34 | ABOUTBUSINESS

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