About Business July 2016

IN FOCUS

FAMILY LAW

INSIDER SECRET

REAL ESTATE

CHRIS SALES AND STEVEN MICHAEL HILLEN INTRODUCE US TO THEIR BUSINESSES

ADVICE FOR WOMEN ON HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES FINANCIALLY

PAUL AND JULIE ANDERSON SHARE THEIR TOP SECRETS TO SELLING YOUR HOME

INTRODUCING THE LATEST INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY TO ADD TO YOUR PORTFOLIO

James Colquhoun � Laurentine ten Bosch

HUNGRY FOR CHANGE Ten years ago, the dynamic duo set out to improve one man’s health by approaching food as medicine.

Now, Food Matters is in a league of its own, helping millions of people around the world every day

BLOKES ABOUT TOWN What marketing strategies do you use to make your business stand out from the crowd?

PROPERTY ADVICE, BUSINESS TIPS, AND MORE!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COASTʼS LEADING LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE www.profilemag.com.au

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NEW FINANCIAL YEAR – BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND If you recognise this as ‘Habit 2’ from Steven Covey’s best selling 7 Habits of Highly Successful People you are correct.

The ability to create a vision in your own mind of what you want to achieve today, this week, this month, or this year means you are able to share this vision and empower yourself, your staff and your customers to help you get what you want.

It is so important to set a vision and goals and the great thing is there are many, many tools available to help you do this.

While I have chosen Steven Covey’s work to highlight this, it’s important to find the tools that work best for you.

My life changed a few years ago after reading a book called The Passion Test.

I worked out the passions in my life and realised I wasn’t finished yet with what I wanted for my business. So I described, in very specific detail what my ideal

business would look like. And WOW did it work! I recognised I didn’t have the right people in my business. So I employed the right people and worked tirelessly for 12 months on my website, branding and focus and transformed my business from ordinary to extraordinary. And now just four years later, we have many successful businesses. What’s amazing is when I look back at when I did the Passion Test and wrote my vision, I can say now that this is exactly what my businesses have become.

As a business owner, it is critical to clearly see what you want your business to be and having the right mindset is so important to help you stay focused when obstacles get put in your way.

How to have the right mindset to grow your business: LOOK AT YOUR CURRENT BELIEFS Examine your mindset by looking at your current belief-system. Are your beliefs about your business success supporting you? Or do you have self-limiting beliefs holding you back from what you want?

Identify those possible blocks and turn them around because they are working in your subconscious mind to prevent you from moving forward. They will work to negatively affect your decision-making.

result. Choose the right tool to help you.

For me it was The Passion Test. Take the time to find the right tool to help you with creating your vision. Then go on and break your vision into goals. It will shape your mindset to conform with your vision. And again there are many goal-setting tools such as Goal Mapping or Smart Goals.

PROTECT YOUR MINDSET Thirdly, you have to protect your mindset against the ‘naysayers’ and ‘dream stealers’, people who want to drag you down. There are plenty of people who are happy to tell you what you can’t do.

So keeping your confidence is a big thing. Stay on the right path with your vision, look to improve yourself at every opportunity and seek to help others along the way.

Find your passion, get these three steps right and there is every chance your business will achieve everything you want for it in 2016/17.

SHAPE YOUR MINDSET WITH VISION AND GOALS Seeing a vision and images describing your end result clearly in your mind’s eye, will create a strong pull towards this end 44

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WWW.CHRISCHILDS.COM.AU

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“You need to get involved, educate yourself, and don’t be a passenger in life.”

WHAT LAWYERS WISH WOMEN KNEW PIPPA COLMAN | PIPPA COLMAN & ASSOCIATES SOLICITORS

T

ypically women look after other people like their husband/partner and their children, before they look after themselves. They usually lead busy lives and have little time to devote to what is considered to be non-essential matters.

Depending on your situation, there are other aspects of life that are left to others to ‘take care of ’. Here are some of those areas that as lawyers, we believe all women (in fact everyone) should be informed about.

KNOW YOUR OWN FINANCIAL POSITION Make a table of the assets and liabilities for you, your spouse and any associated company, trust, or business. List each asset, add a column for who owns what, and put in the value of each asset. Then list your liabilities and put in the value of each liability. Put in totals at the bottom. If you own more than you owe – great. If you owe more than you own, get some advice right now!

UPDATE YOUR LIST MONTHLY No, that’s not going over the top. Your assets should be growing and your liabilities should be decreasing. If it’s going the other way and your debt level is increasing, you need to take action.

Each month (or each week if you like) get a statement for each bank account/credit card, and check the transactions. Question any transactions which are not known to you.

INSURANCE If you have debt, or if your family cannot survive without your income, then consider taking out insurance. If you have insurance coverage, is it current and does it take into account the level of debt you have identified in your list of assets and liabilities?

Your insurance should include an up to date Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) and Will and Estate Administration Plan.

MAKE SURE YOUR LEGAL POSITION IS HEALTHY AND PROTECTED Depending on your situation, protecting your legal position could mean things like: if you are a landlord or tenant, do you have a lease?; if you are in a business, understand the structure – is it a partnership, a company or a trust?; if you are a director in a company, do you know the position of the company and is it solvent?; if you own property with another person, do you have a proprietors agreement about the holding of the property and its sale?; if you are an employer or an employee, do you have an employment agreement in place?; if you earn income, have you lodged all of your tax returns?

If you can safely give a tick to each of these suggestions, then congratulations and keep up the good work. If you can’t, then get some advice today. You need to get involved, educate yourself, and don’t be a passenger in life.

Sunshine Coast Family Law Solicitors DIVORCE & SEPARATION PROPERTY SETTLEMENT CHILDREN & PARENTING RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENTS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WILLS & ESTATES

working together P. 07 5458 9000 E. reception@pippacolman.com A. 12/64 Sugar Road, Maroochydore W. www.pippacolman.com

BUSINESS

hungry FOR

change

WORDS NICOLE FUGE PHOTOS RIKKI LANCASTER

I

take a sip of water and scan the open plan office. I’m in the boardroom of Food Matters, which is encased in glass walls to allow natural light to beam through, there is faux turf in lieu of carpet, and a blue table tennis table where you would expect a boardroom table to be.

Laurentine ten Bosch breezes past and tells me she’ll be just a minute. It’s been a busy morning of filming cooking segments for FMTV and I can still smell the delicious aromas of the day’s efforts.

What started as an attempt to improve the health of one man, has fermented over the last 10 years, to become an international

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JAMES COLQUHOUN AND LAURENTINE TEN BOSCH

Ten years ago, James Colquhoun and Laurentine ten Bosch set out to improve one person’s health through the simple philosophy of approaching food in a medical sense. Now, Food Matters is in an unprecedented league of its own, helping millions of people across the world every day.

success story, with Laurentine and her husband James Colquhoun at the helm.

“Before my dad’s illness we had quite a low level of consciousness around food and what to eat,” James says.

In 2003, Roy Colquhoun was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and prescribed a cocktail of drugs. But his condition worsened and his quality of life was nil.

Coincidentally, Roy’s diagnosis occurred just as James and Laurentine took a personal interest in nutrition and natural healing, and having attended a few seminars and events, their interest piqued.

“We went to (philanthropist) Tony Robbins’ seminar and realised there was an underground nutrition movement going on,” says Laurentine.

James adds, “What really surprised us was this was a really different skew on food and nutrition, totally different to what we thought was healthy.

“We also discovered that the healthcare, food, and agricultural industries were not particularly concerned about our health.

“They were primarily interested in profits.

For example, we learned that the processing of many of our basic foods was not for any health or nutritional benefit. Instead, it was profilemag.com.au

introduced as a way to increase the shelf life and marketability of the industries’ products.”

This revelation prompted James and Laurentine to formalise their knowledge with the completion of a nutritional consultancy course with the Global College in Natural Medicine.

“We were developing this picture about nutrition and health and the evolution of chronic illness that was really unique,” says James.

“So many people are suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, adrenal burnout, depression, anxiety, or what I call BOMAP – burnout middle age professional syndrome, and the first port of call is take a drug, which then has side effects, so you take more drugs.”

For five years, Roy was on six different medications, had gained 25kgs and was forced to sell his successful accountancy practice, resulting in a loss of identity, which further fuelled his anxiety and depression.

“It was a dark spiral,” James says honestly.

“When we finished our study, we had all this knowledge and a really clear idea about how we could help my dad, but there was no getting through to him – it’s like talking about politics or religion; it polarises people, it’s a really difficult discussion.

“We were sending him books and articles, but it didn’t work, so we thought, ‘How can we make this accessible to him?’”

James and Laurentine pooled their life’s savings and made their own film, interviewing experts who had done years of research in the field who could translate the message of health and wellbeing.

Upon seeing the raw footage of the film, Laurentine says, “It all became clear to him and it was like this mental switch and it shifted his belief system.

TIP FOR CREATING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE Eat more healthy fats.

Foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, yoghurt and raw cheeses, fermented dairy products, coconut and olive oils, fish oils and butter and cream can be great for you (if you don’t have any specific allergies).

But it’s important that animals that produce dairy products still consume their natural diet otherwise the fats are out of whack.

Organic is also a must when eating healthy fats, because in the production of those foods, any pesticides or toxins used in that environment attach to fat – if you have high fat foods, they need to be super clean and good quality.

“He got off the drugs and we got him on high dose nutrient therapy and a detox diet, and he started feeling so much better, so quickly.”

“Research has proven just how important it is to focus on diet, because the body has an innate capacity to heal, to want to come back to homeostasis.

When you cut yourself, it heals – that’s what the body does,” James says.

Since James and Laurentine launched Food Matters in 2008, there has been a groundswell in public consciousness around food and health, but there is still so much to be done.

“The average kid born in America is coming out with over 200 man-made chemicals in the umbilical cord, and these are healthy mothers,” says James.

legAl proBleM solVers. fixed fee consult Our fixed fee consultation is not limited by time. We will answer all your questions and provide knowledge and options on what to do next, so you can make informed choices without the pressure of being locked in.

A weAlth of experience With almost 40 years experience in family-law you can be sure you are getting the best possible advice. As a results-driven practitioner, Warren is passionate about avoiding trial and has spent 30 years honing those skills.

no ‘legAlese’ We offer practical usable advice delivered in plain and simple terms so you understand your options at every stage.

Senior Solicitor – Bennett cArroll SolicitorS

“It’s all about EDUCATING ourselves about our health, about our nutrition, where our food comes from…”

july 2016

phone 1300 334 566 www.bcglaw.com.au

BrisBAne north • stAfford BrisBAne south • eight Mile plAins sunshine coAst • KAwAnA

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“We’re being born into a food culture and an environment that is toxic … we’re nearly approaching one-in-two for cancer, we’re at one-in-two for heart disease. Then you’ve got diabetes, obesity, ‘diabesity’.

from the world’s leading experts in nutrition, health and wellness.

“It’s all about educating ourselves about our health, about our nutrition, where our food comes from, what our farmers are really doing to our food and different approaches to different illnesses,” Laurentine says.

In March, Food Matters held their first total wellness seminar, which saw 168,000 people from around the world attend.

Then in June, they launched their highlyanticipated FMTV app – a portable one-stop shop for education around diet, health, nutrition, stress-reduction, mind body medicine, yoga, exercise and recipes.

Their latest project will see Food Matters produce a new documentary, seeking comment from the world’s top athletes and health professionals on the addiction to sports drinks and protein powders.

“Education shifts beliefs and beliefs impact the quality of the choices you make and the choices you make directly impact the quality of your life,” James says.

“So if you want any outcome in life, no matter where you are – where you want to be – start with education. Build up those new beliefs and associations and follow through on those actions. And the more you learn, the less you can ignore it.”

“We’re being born into a food culture and an environment that is TOXIC … we’re nearly approaching one-in-two for cancer, we’re at one-in-two for heart disease.”

“We have a long way to go and most of the population thinks we’re already eating healthy.”

But Laurentine says there is a solution and the most important thing is to take responsibility for your own health.

“Education is the key. At the end of the day we’re super confused and most people are dealing with health issues and they’re looking for the quick fixes and they’re looking for the pill,” she says.

“It’s about figuring out what’s going on in my body, why have I got this illness or condition?”

On the back of the success of their first film Food Matters, and then Hungry for Change in 2012, James and Laurentine launched their online platform FMTV in 2014 — a curated network of over 700 films and documentaries, recipes and information

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Having based themselves out of the United States for the last few years, where they raised their two-year-old son Hugo, Sunshine Coast-born James and Hollandborn Laurentine, have relocated back to the Coast and they couldn’t be happier.

So what’s next for this impassioned couple?

“We’re challenged with having had a level of success in the particular industry we’re in, in that you get an unlimited amount of opportunities coming in,” James says.

“But I think that’s true of everybody, there’s always unlimited opportunities in life, it’s a matter of being open to them, so now it’s about how we focus our attention on having the biggest impact possible.”

Read the full story at www.profilemag.com.au and find out what James and Laurentine’s top five steps are to creating a healthy lifestyle.

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IN FOCUS WORDS TAYLA ARTHUR

CHRIS SALES Managing director, Maroochydore

A

fter starting Luxe Commercial, self-made businessman behind the enterprise, Chris Sales, has certainly become a force to be reckoned with.

Chris has forged a name for himself in the real estate industry within the space of six short years, launching his boutique business Luxe Commercial in January last year. But his journey to get to this point began much earlier.

“When I left school at the age of 18, I bought my first house and got into renovating,” says Chris.

“I also started my own business around the same time, and my idea for Luxe kind of grew from there after I combined the two to get into commercial real estate.”

Chris’s concept was to turn the commercial side of the industry on its head by offering clients premier service unlike anything they’d seen elsewhere.

“I noticed there was a gap in the market,” says Chris.

“I wanted to bring out the sophistication that is usually only offered in the residential real estate game – to get rid of the dingy, industrial feel and make it a more classy experience. And above all, I wanted to have a boutique firm that was service based.”

Having built his business from two people to a successful team of eight servicing the entire Coast from Caloundra to Noosa, Chris has plenty to be proud of, yet maintains it is their efforts that inspire him the most.

“I love that I have the ability to do what I love on a daily basis with an absolutely phenomenal team backing me. I wouldn’t be able to do what I have done without them,” he says.

“For me, getting Luxe to the point it is now as a full service agency, along with its continued growth each month, is my greatest achievement. That and the culture. Our team has been hired on attitude, and we pride ourselves on promoting that supportive and friendly culture.” july 2016

STEVEN michael HILLEN Head chef, Maroochydore

F

un, free and full of flavour. That’s how Ocean Ended’s head chef Steven Michael Hillen describes his kitchen.

Steven has been cooking up amazing creations at Ocean Ended since it opened its doors for service nearing the end of 2015, and it’s a role you can tell he loves from the excitement in his voice.

“We have a fun little kitchen here,” he says.

“I’m very lucky I get the freedom to play with different ideas. I have a sous chef who I’ve worked with for years and we get each other’s cooking style, and an apprentice who fits in with us really well, so it’s a nice environment to work and learn in. There’s no pressure either – I think too many chefs take themselves far too seriously.”

Steven got into cooking about 20 years ago after completing a degree in hotel management.

“I had loads of part time jobs in the industry, but I liked the cooking side of things better and I did a lot of travelling when I was younger, so it was good for that.

“It’s just something I’ve really always enjoyed.”

Ocean Ended in particular is an endeavour Steven feels happy to be involved with, as he loves that the restaurant opens diners’ eyes to different options.

“We focus on seafood as it suits the beautiful ocean and river environment we’re in. But we try to use fish that you don’t usually tend to see on menus. We serve more local and whole fish, cook them simply, and let their natural flavours sing.

“There’s so much seafood that is caught, but not typically sold, because people have never really heard of it, and there’s some beautiful fish out there that people know nothing about. I love getting great feedback from people thanking us for introducing them to new fish. People seem to really love uncomplicated, yet bold food, and that’s what we pride ourselves on.”

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BUSINESS

BLOKEtS

Abou

TOWN

MARKETING

how do you stand out from the crowd?

WORDS INGRID NELSON PHOTOS CHESTERTON SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY VENUE SANDS TAVERN, MAROOCHYDORE

No matter how great your product or service is, the heart of your business’ success lies in its marketing.

I caught up with the Blokes About Town to discover the strategies they use to make their business stand out from the crowd. oining me for a delicious lunch at the Sands Tavern, Maroochydore was Sunshine Coast entrepreneur, author, publisher and investor Mark McRae; Director of Think Investment Realty and property specialist Jack Childs; talented chef and owner of The Canapé Project catering company, Matt Yurko; Profile’s May cover star and co-owner of Fertility Solutions, Ob/Gyn Doctor George Bogiatzis; and last but not least, Alex Rigby, successful developer and co-owner of Altum Constructions, a local company specialising in residential developments and construction.

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profile: How do you market your business to stand out from the crowd? george: By trying to provide a service that is personal. It’s such an emotive business, particularly the fertility side of what I do.

People want to know they are not just a number and that we genuinely care about them. We are a small business not owned by a bigger company, so we have that personalised feel. We try to make it as homely, friendly and welcoming as possible. mark: I like to use the analogy of opening a burger bar or restaurant, and thinking about where you would open it if you had unlimited resources. You need to find the starving crowd.

Not the other way around. You don’t open a restaurant based on the location and try and attract people to it; that’s why they fail.

Regardless of your business or where it is, you don’t try and reinvent the wheel – you try and find the starving crowd to sell your service. Then you look for the host / parasite relationship. Find someone who is 10 times bigger than you and offer them a service to leverage their database to help build your business. jack: Couldn’t agree more with that analogy Mark. We had a similar business in Rockhampton but it wasn’t until we moved to the Sunshine Coast for lifestyle reasons and profilemag.com.au

rebranded our business that we really took off. The people of the Sunshine Coast are so positive. They are always thinking about the future and striving to do better. alex: We rely a lot on word of mouth, we are a very personalised service. We also work on repeat business. When we sign the contract with a client, that’s not the end of the relationship – we still provide service to the buyer for years to come. We believe if we are doing it right, there will be a percentage of our customers who will be repeat buyers. profile: How important is testing and measuring as a marketing tool in your business? jack: It’s essential. You have to keep experimenting. I worked with a chap for more than 27 years who was a great mentor to me.

He taught me about the importance of testing and measuring. There was never a phone call that came in that he didn’t know where it came from. We didn’t have computers back then, but every phone call was recorded in a book and no one called in without being TASMANIAN SALMON

MATT YURKO

“People want to know they are not just a NUMBER and that we GENUINELY CARE about them.”

– DR GEORGE BOGIATZIS

trying new things too. Just because something didn’t work in the past doesn’t mean it won’t work next time. It might just need a slightly different approach. george: I simply ask my patients why they have chosen to come and see me. Mainly, I find it’s word of mouth or people have done their research online. Word spreads fast in my industry and the Sunshine Coast is particularly connected, so if you treat your patients well, it comes full circle. profile: How important is social media in your marketing strategy? mark: Ask yourself what was the last electronic good you bought. Did you look on the internet? Most people have. It doesn’t matter what you are selling, people will go DR GEORGE BOGIATZIS

prompted to say where they had heard about the business. The amount of people I have seen in business, big and small, who have no idea what their advertising dollar is doing for them, because they don’t ask the question, is incredible. mark: I agree. The father of testing and measuring was a guy called Claude Hopkins, who wrote a book called Scientific Advertising. It’s about 50 or 60 years old now, but it’s still one of the most-read books in advertising and a must-read for anyone in business. A good rule of thumb is if you can’t measure it, don’t do it. jack: You have to keep your mind open to july 2016

ALEX RIGBY

to another tab to learn about you. If you are in business now, you need to be able to put yourself out there. Previously, there was a wall between the customer and client; now, people want to know all about you. However, 99 per cent of it is wasted because people are not measuring engagement. When it’s done well it can be phenomenal. We have one client we work with who we got to 77,000 likes on Facebook in 30 days with the right campaign.

It’s great to have a good following, but you have to get them to take action. matt: Facebook is a big one for us. Every event we do we take photos of the food, the location, etc and we put them on The Canapé Project Facebook page. We always get a few hundred likes and some referrals. We are starting to use Instagram more too. mark: Research tells us it’s harder to sell to someone now than it ever has been, but once they have committed to the first sale, they are more loyal than they have ever been, because they have done the research. Australia has the highest number of Instagram users.

“A good rule of thumb is if you can’t MEASURE it, don’t do it.”

– MARK MCRAE

profile: What has been your biggest challenge when it comes to marketing your business? matt: I don’t have a shop front or foot traffic, so I rely 100 per cent on word of mouth and digital leads. I did a tally recently and about 95 out of 100 of our jobs come from word of mouth. george: As medical practitioners we are terrible

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BUSINESS

MARK MCRAE

“The amount of people I have seen in business, big and small, who have NO IDEA what their advertising dollar is doing for them because they don’t ask the QUESTION is incredible.”

– JACK CHILDS

marketers! We go to medical school, not business school. I don’t think of it as a business – it’s my passion, my profession. I like to think if I look after my patients, the business will sell itself. profile: How much time do you spend on marketing your business? mark: I spend about 80 per cent of my time on marketing.

Studies have shown the average is around 10 per cent. I think of a business like a car engine, if it runs well, it’s a beautiful thing. jack: At least one full day a week. I spend that day at home. It’s amazing how much you can achieve without the distractions of the office. mark: It’s all about recognising opportunities to grow your business too. Remember the 30 per cent rule. McDonald’s coined the marketing phrase after they recognised that their profits went up 30 per cent overnight when they asked their customers if they would like fries with their burger. Once a customer has made a commitment to buy something from you, if you offer them an add-on, around 30 per cent will take it.

JACK CHILDS

SANDS TAVERN The good old Aussie pub has long been part of our laid back culture. Sometimes there is nothing better than a great steak, a cold beer and some friendly banter at the local, and that is exactly what you will get at the Sands Tavern.

Located right in the heart of Maroochydore, it’s the perfect place to pop into during the week for lunch or dinner. Kids are also well catered for at the family-friendly venue, with its affordable kiddies menu sure to keep little diners happy.

The Sands Tavern first opened its doors in 1981, but underwent a full renovation late last year to include the new Roadhouse Grill, offering delicious hearty food and friendly service.

During the day of our visit, the Blokes About Town and I were more than impressed at the diverse four-page selection on offer; from steaks and seafood to pizzas, burgers and salads, there is something to suit all tastes.

Not surprisingly, the majority of the lads couldn’t resist a good old fashioned steak. Cooked to their liking, just about every cut is available including eye fillet, fillet mignon, rib fillet, t-bone, the list goes on. Using only the highest quality Australian meat, all steaks are char-grilled and served with the tavern’s famous Caesar salad, coleslaw, and your choice of sauce and jacket potato or straight cut chips – delicious.

My grilled fish of the day (hoki), served with a fresh delicious garden salad and chunky chips, really hit the spot and the grilled Tasmanian salmon, served with garden salad, chips, béarnaise sauce and lemon got the big thumbs up.

Pop in for a counter meal or treat the family. You won’t be disappointed.

ROADHOUSE GRILL, SANDS TAVERN PLAZA PARADE, MAROOCHYDORE PH: 5443 7944

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MILESTONES

PHOTOS CHESTERTON SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

A VET

IN B US I N E SS Doctor Brett Stone developed his love for animals at an early age and fought hard to achieve his dream of becoming a vet. So it should come as no surprise, 24 years later, that he has managed to build a name for himself in the industry. Offering his veterinary expertise at Palmwoods Vet, Dr Brett also works with a number of local initiatives – from animal shelters to schools and universities – to aid and educate others on the furriest members of our society. Dr Brett and his team at Palmwoods Vet will celebrate the clinic’s 18th birthday this November – a massive milestone in any industry, but one made even more impressive by the countless little lives they have saved.

LIFE CHANGING MILESTONES

1

LEAVING THE FAMILY FARM AND GOING TO UNIVERSITY, 1987

Having grown up on a cattle station outside a very small country town where the population was just 600, moving into King’s College in Brisbane had a huge impact on my life. I met so many great people and it opened up my world. I received great support from friends and mentors within the King’s community and went on to give back in that capacity as senior tutor and vice master in my later years.

2

GAINING ENTRY INTO VETERINARY SCIENCE AT UNIVERSITY, 1988

After I missed out on my degree of choice by just a few points, I gained entry into a degree in Agricultural Science at the University of Queensland in 1987.

Although I always believed that one day I would get into a Veterinary Science degree, I was thrilled to finally gain entry the following year, after upgrading my entrance score. Graduating in 1992 was a significant milestone in my life – to achieve my childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian was the most amazing feeling.

3

WORKING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, 1997

I’m grateful for my time overseas, as it allowed me to see another part of the world and experience a different way of life. I spent the majority of 1997 working in the UK, and it was fascinating to see the different way people related to their pets.

As a registered vet in the UK, I was able to practice in the south of England and see many different animals not commonly seen in Australia. Practicing in a foreign country certainly opened up my world further.

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DOCTOR BRETT STONE

4

PURCHASING PALMWOODS VETERINARY, 1998

5

THE BIRTH OF MY SONS, 2000-2006

Becoming self-employed was a huge step for me. It meant I was responsible for the culture and direction of my own practice, which was something I’d always dreamt of. I felt the weight of responsibility not only for my clients and their pets, but for the success of the business and having staff relying on my leadership. I took over the Palmwoods Vet clinic from a retiring vet with just one vet and one nurse. We’ve since grown and now have two vets and at least three nurses at all times.

Welcoming my three beautiful boys into the world sure put everything into perspective for me. Watching your children grow and develop from birth to young adults is an absolute blessing. You do everything to put the best into their lives, yet often they teach us so much more along the way, and for that I’m grateful. profilemag.com.au

PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS Do you know what your most valuable asset is? Is it your house, your car, your boat?

It’s none of these things, it’s actually you!

A

s the breadwinner, your family depends on you to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. No doubt you have insurance on your house, car and boat, but what about on yourself.

How would your family financially provide for themselves if you became unemployed, had a long term disability or illness or died unexpectedly?

Believe it or not, you can insure yourself against all of these nasty life issues and make sure your family is protected financially.

Obtaining cover is easier than you think, you just need to contact a licenced Financial Planner who can not only arrange this cover for you, they can also look into your superannuation and assist with retirement planning and wealth creation.

CHRIS HOLME FROM SPC FINANCIAL PLANNING HAS THE FOLLOWING TIPS TO HELP GET YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER:

you don’t have any cover, you need to talk to a planner 1 IfASAP. If you do have cover, make sure you review your

policy annually with your planner. Life changes and your policy may need adjustment to cover additional children or changes to super contribution as you get closer to retirement.

2

Don’t buy cheap cover over the phone or from the TV. These policies are cheap but offer poor levels of cover when you need it most – at claim time.

3

With recent proposed changes to superannuation laws, now is the time to look at alternative investment strategies.

PROFILE

If you’re serious about selling, get some serious help.

“For the last 3 years I have averaged a sale every 8 days*...

I can sell your property and I can sell it well! ”

Vicki Cooper

0418 231 955 *Details on website www.starnoosa.com

FOR STAR SERVICE & STAR RESULTS CALL ME TODAY. WWW.SPCFINANCE.COM • 07 5443 1644 profilemagazine

57

In ProPerty Investment… research matters Why is Think Investment Realty different? Before presenting any property to a potential investor we look at why to invest. And it starts with research.

Property Research is like a Jigsaw puzzle, you only have to be missing one piece and the puzzle is incomplete. At Think Investment Realty we pride ourselves on doing the most comprehensive research available.

We have developed a unique Property Scoring System to identify the best properties for you to choose from and to get the market timing right All markets go through periods of growth, periods of flat, time to buy and time to wait.

In assessing every development, we look at: • • • • • • •

Location Population Movements Employment & Economic Growth Demographic Changes Infrastructure Spending Rentability Timing

We have a dedicated team of research experts who utilize these cutting edge research systems. They analyse relevant data from all of these sources to locate the next hot spots and stay ahead of the market.

Armed with this research, we then source properties in areas with high rental yields and future demand as well as high capital growth. All of our properties are purpose built to suit the specific demand of renters in the area making your investment stand out from the others.

JACK CHILDS ExPERIEnCED PRoPERTy InvESToR & PRInCIPAL of THInK InvESTMEnT REALTy

To find out more about the best investment property hotspots call Jack on 07 5451 1080 or visit www.thinkinvestmentrealty.com.au

SenSaTional opporTuniTieS on ouR BeAuTIful SunShIne CoAST

The obServaTory Buderim Take in the vista of coastal views from your luxury residence in The observatory.

Situated in the heart of Buderim, The observatory is just a short walk to shops, restaurants, parklands and Buderim State School. Enjoy a relaxed and luxurious atmosphere with breathtaking ocean views from your own private terrace or balcony.

• Priced from $569,000 • Ducted air-conditioning throughout • P rivate terraces, decks and balconies for entertaining • Highset ceilings and open living areas • Q uality stainless appliances and high quality finishes

Buderim ranks as the most popular suburb on the Sunshine Coast – a self-contained community with ample services and amenities on its doorstep. for investors it boasts solid rental yields – the median yields are 5% for houses and 5.5% for units – and low vacancy rates, currently 1.4% (according to SQM Research).

be quick only 8 exclusive apartments available.

SellinG noW

For a free information pack contact Jack, troy or Dan on 07 5451 1080

Property Investment Made Easy

8 excluSive reSidenceS WiTh an enviouS ouTlook

fRom mounTAIn To The BeACh

Sea breeze mooloolaba 24 bouTique aparTmenTS 2 minuTeS from The beach

The perfect blend of picturesque beachside location and affordable quality residences.

Designed for modern living, these 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartments are ideally located in the heart of Mooloolaba, only 200 metres to the beach and shopping. Discover the retail and dining precinct along The Esplanade, enjoy the iconic Surf Club and just a short stroll away is the world class beach that makes Mooloolaba such a popular destination.

• Low Body Corporates charges

Complete with contemporary fittings and fixtures, air-conditioned master bedrooms, security access, and with just 24 apartments over 8 levels, SeaBreeze Mooloolaba offers a fantastic lifestyle opportunity.

• H igh quality internal and external finishes

SeaBreeze Mooloolaba offers a superior location and lifestyle that combines easy access to all amenities.

• Unique and sophisticated architecture • B outique development of 24 apartments all 2 bedroom and 2 bathroom

• A ffordable purchase prices with a great return on investment • A ll apartments have split system airconditioning units • R esidents’ entertainment area with BBQ facilities • 2 minute walk to beachfront

• C onstruction forecast to start mid 2016, completion mid 2017

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartments from $439,000.

SellinG noW

For a free information pack contact Jack, troy or Dan on 07 5451 1080

Call us on 07 5451 1080 or visit thinkinvestmentrealty.com.au