Rural Entrepreneur Australia - Issue 5

Published June 2023 (Issue 5)

By The Rural Publishing Company.

Founders & Editors: Sarah Walkerden & Toby Billing

Design & Layout: Monique Kleidon

Wethankallourcontributorsandadvertiserswhohavesupportedthisissue.

For any contribution, advertising or publishing enquiries please contact: Email: hello@theruralpublishingcompany.com.au Website: https://theruralpublishingcompany.com.au

© The Rural Publishing Company 2023. All rights reserved. All material in Rural Entrepreneur Australia magazine is wholly copyright and reproduction without the written permission of the Publisher is strictly prohibited. Views and comments expressed by individuals do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher and no legal responsibility can be accepted from the use of the information or advice by readers. Readers are encouraged to seek individual and independent professional advice before implementing any advice contained within this publication.

Winter is quite often a time where a lot of us naturally want to slow down. To snuggle up by the fire, to immerse ourselves in quiet reading or another chosen inside pursuit and to eat hearty comfort food. But as a business owner, or farmer, taking the time to slow down, can be really quite tricky.

Because we still have mouths to feed, mortgages to pay, animals to attend to and clients or customers to serve.

Winter can also be a time where our mood really slumps. I don’t know about you, but we’ve faced a few struggles lately and it’s really easy to burnout, lose motivation and generally feel flat.

Combine that with a very rocky economic situation and it's likely that this winter could get a little rough for a lot of us.

Which is why, for this issue, we’ve compiled a special selection of articles and stories to help you feel good and keep moving forward. Even if it’s a little slower than you might like. Our Winter Wonderland feature, followed by our standard Real Stories section, should set you up with some inspiration and actionable tips to help you navigate the months ahead. We’ve also included an article of low-cost marketing ideas, to give you a little prompt on what you can take action on, to ensure your regional business continues to flourish.

Speaking of burnout…

In our neck of the woods, we’ve been reevaluating how we do absolutely everything. I recently hit a tricky spot where I mentally and physically hit a brick wall with business and work. Aka – the dreaded burnout had hit me, and unfortunately, it hit hard. But quite frankly, it was to be expected. I knew my workload was

crazy and that I could only keep up the 12hour(+) days for so long. Especially when I had kids and horses to look after too.

I literally felt like I had no choice though to put in the extra hours, to keep clients happy and the money flowing in the door. Because life right now is expensive!

Then, a couple of weeks ago, our oldest son ended up with Covid – throwing our household into temporary chaos. In the end, we were lucky as Oliver only got minor symptoms for 48 hours and the rest of us have been relatively okay, besides exhausted. However, when you suddenly have two kids home full time, as most parents would know, it sure adds to the time pressures and slows business right down.

As a result, hubby and I have been forced to look at how we can make some changes. Crazily for us, that means starting yet another business (because the current four clearly weren’t enough haha). But this time, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and it’s something that really doesn’t feel like work. In fact, it will force me to do something I love and be far more physically active, away from the computer screen.

The business is a little riding and pony training school for kids, based at home from our property and with our ponies. We’ve actually just acquired two more little ponies as rescues, from the RSPCA – who we’ll be putting some work into, to be able to use them to teach kids real horsemanship, safety and considerate riding skills. The kids are just as excited as we are to help out, so we’re looking forward to getting it off the ground in the coming weeks and months.

Anyway, the point is, that sometimes you really do hit a point where your body and mind force

you to re-evaluate your lifestyle and working habits, to make sure you’re headed in the right direction for you.

It’s really easy to get caught up in taking a whole heap of advice and opinions from everyone else around you and to end up on a path that you never wanted to head down. It’s also really easy to get stuck in a trap of perfectionism, trying to be everything to everyone, and to not look after yourself. But the only person who can truly look after you, is YOU! And the only person who knows the right path for you, is also you.

For myself, that means giving a crazy little dream a shot, and generating some income from something I love that will give me more balance, while still growing our current more ‘serious’ brands alongside – even though I’m sure many will think we’re somewhat mad!

But it’s important to always trust your instincts. Lean into advice – but always make sure you’re following your dream path, not someone else’s. If something isn’t working – don’t be afraid to look at changing it. While many may tell you, particularly the non-business types, that changing things is too risky (particularly if they work!) – we’re never actually really stuck doing anything we don’t want to be. And if you try something and fail, well who cares in the end? You just go out and try again.

So, sit down with your hot drink of choice, take half an hour to put your feet up, and enjoy Issue 5. We hope you let it inspire you to take a little time out to nourish yourself, so you can keep flying high in business and in life.

Sarah (& Toby)

Rural Entrepreneur Australia

A STORY OF RURAL SURVIVAL AND TRIUMPH

By Lyn French –Gilberton Outback Retreat

My Name is Lyn French and my husband Rob & I own the historic cattle station ‘Gilberton’ and the award-winning 5-star private luxury retreat ‘Gilberton Outback Retreat.’

My story is a bit like a book! Some chapters are sad, some are exciting. But if you never turn the page, you never know what the next chapter holds. So, I am going to take you on a very short journey of ‘never say never.’

Since I was a small child, I was never impressed by the looks, money, job titles, race or social statuses of others. I was impressed by the way you treat other human beings.

I suffer from a strange disorder where I speak the truth and that pisses people off.

I like messy people, people who don’t fit into a box or stay between the lines, I like those who have integrity that is greater than any rule book. I gravitate to people who have the guts to make their own track in the sand and not take no for an answer.

I guess this came from growing up the way I did, while some say it was a loving household who looked at faith in god to watch over you, I say differently. It was an abusive family environment where you always felt you had to fend for yourself and have eyes in the back of your head, wondering where and when the next flogging was.

I was born at a little place called Laidley. I am not going into any details about my younger years as there weren't too many good ones I can remember. Let’s fast forward a few years, I lived on the land most of my life on isolated cattle stations. I was a rebellious child; I’m guessing and truly believe that growing up in an abusive environment was the cause of that need to rebel.

From an early age I started planning how I was going to run away and become a rich millionaire. How! I had no bloody idea how, but it sounded good. I never wanted to get married because if all men were like my father they were assholes, and never wanted children because if all kids had a childhood like mine it wasn’t worth it. I didn’t see the sense.

From an early age, not sure how young, I was driving machinery. By the age of 10 I was driving trucks, dozers and everything else in between. I loved machinery and getting dirt and grease all over me. It was my happy place. I loved working cattle and riding motorbikes but was shit scared of horses. I had very little education. I went to school sometimes, but work was more important in my parents' eyes. Not sure of how many years of schooling I completed; I only did one month of high school so reading and writing was very limited. At the time I didn’t really care though, because anything was better than school right?

Fast forward through a lot of bits and pieces, I had a number of failed attempts to run away from home, each time getting caught and getting the flogging of my life. However, this little duck never gave up plans, I just had to get better and smarter and with a never say never attitude, I achieved that goal just before my 15th birthday. I didn’t just go a little way

though. I went hundreds of kilometres away to my uncle in western Queensland. He was a legend so getting work wasn’t a problem. I had 3-4 jobs going from mustering sheep to cutting wood and serving at the pub.

First thing I did was go by another name. I didn’t want to be associated with any family. What a culture shock I received. I was used to working in a man’s world and everyone was just a bloke, but I had to work with women and my goodness, what a mob of bitches they were. I became like a fighting bantam rooster not taking any shit from anyone. You see I had a massive chip on my shoulder. I didn’t trust a male, and women, well that was another story. I hated men with a passion. After working around Barcaldine for a while I went to Emerald working and was called the ice queen. That didn’t bother me, at least I didn’t have to deal with men.

I worked on sheep stations in the west to pouring beer, riding in rodeos to climbing windmills drunk and in ball gowns to win a bet, saleyards, an ice cream shop, you name it I was willing to do it. I was partying big time and life was sweet. Machinery was my love so I went to see a big mining company as a demo instructor selling dozers. I went for the interview and what a horrible arrogant person. I was used to working in a man’s world but many women did, you just had to be better and work harder to prove you were worthy of the job.

What would a woman know and a young one at that? I pestered this company but was given the cold shoulder, you’re a girl blah blah.

They couldn’t understand why a young lady would want a job like this or better still, how she could possibly have the experience. I was only 16 but had been driving machinery most

of my life. I told him I was a girl with a mind, a bitch with an attitude and a lady with class. Eventually I got a look in, showcasing new dozers and not just baby ones, the big stuff. This fellow was let down by his new employee, it had turned out. Revenge is sweet at times. Despite being just 16, I still had a chip on my shoulder and no one frigged around with me and got away with it, especially men.

So, I went out to this site, the dozer was about the size of a D9-10, a really big machine. This fellow was driving a brand new blue twin cab Hi-Lux with all the bling on it and he loved it I am sure more than his Mrs. This fellow was trying to sell this dozer to a mine near Dysart, so he took me out as I didn’t have my driving licence at this stage. I looked over the dozer and my heart sank. It was a brand new shift stick and I had never driven one of these. I had however driven a shift stick excavator so I was pretty confident it was all good and wouldn’t be a worry. This fellow wanted me to do this and that, dig a hole etc. Within two seconds I had it all worked out (thank goodness!). I was not going to let this dude win and say I told you so.

I got the nod to cut the engine but I had other thoughts, I slowly went up to the back of his brand new car with the dozer, lifted it up about six feet of the ground with the front of the blade, shut the dozer down told him to shove his dozer and his job up his bottom cause I didn’t need arrogant pricks in my life and there was plenty of other jobs around. I started to walk back to town about 1 km (by the way I didn’t scratch or dent his car).

Still to this day I have never seen a grown man cry, grovel and suck up in all my life. This fellow had no idea how to start the dozer so I had him where I wanted him.

So a deal was struck and a career as a dozer driver for Case was formed. I was flying all over the state test driving dozers for a big company. One day in Darwin, next in Sydney. A young woman in a man’s world was hard to crack, but it was worth it as this job took me anywhere and everywhere. This fellow and his family became wonderful friends and like a new family to me. It opened my eyes that there were actually normal people out there and kids did really have great times if they had someone to love them, nurture them and respect them. Many laughs were had over how I actually got the job. I only stayed in that job for a few months and then headed back to central Queensland to crazy sheep country. After a drunken weekend where I lost a job due to my drinking, I was shown a video of myself and I was actually ashamed of what I saw. I didn’t have to go looking for help, it was sitting right in front of me.

I met this wonderful older Aboriginal man, who ran shearing teams at the time and told me the money roustabouts were getting. One night in a drunken frenzy I told him about my childhood and my bitterness towards it all. He said if I stopped drinking he’d give me a job. My brain swung into overdrive. The next day he took me out to a shed, and using a blanket, taught me how to throw a fleece. I joined his team and he was a wonderful mentor for many years. He was a father figure to all the young people there and very kind. He taught me many things, and in his wisdom advised me…

‘that was your parents mistake the way they have made you feel, it is not your mistake. You need to place those stepping stones under your feet to rise above them.’

His words of wisdom advised me to take care of myself as you have so much more to offer the world when you’re not running on empty. Those words have stayed with me since that day.

We remained wonderful friends until his death and at times I am sure I feel him tap me on the shoulder and say ‘hey girl,’ wake up, remember those stepping stones.’ Many years later, completely out of the blue, a car turned up at Gilberton, a busted old Holden, and out popped this old man. It was a wonderful surprise and he got to meet my husband and kids.

As he left the last time I ever saw him, he put his hand on my arm and said ‘You did well girl. Don’t ever forget those stepping stones.’ The greatest compliment you can give someone is accepting them for who they are. But being surrounded by the wrong people is the loneliest thing in the world. Never forget, while you are busy doubting yourself, someone is out there admiring your strength and what you have achieved.

I had some awful jobs and met some arrogant people during my travels. But I always kept true to myself.

By this time my family cattle station had gone broke, was sold up and they went gold mining on Gilberton Station, while I was driving dump trucks in the mine. I had met the station owner's son a few years prior, thought he was pretty cute but a bit of a tosser as he wouldn’t even look at you when talking. Shy bush lad that he was. I decided to do night shift because there was no one to answer to. The station son kept turning up for little visits and the rest is history. I was married at 19 –not bad for someone who was going to sail the world as a loner.

We got married and resided at Gilberton Station even though Rob was the fifth generation it was still practically a virgin block of dirt. Rob had a 20-year plan but that quickly turned into a 50-year plan. We worked hard side by side fencing, yard building and mustering. Then kids came along. During that time I unfortunately got diagnosed with cervical cancer. The treatment was pretty severe but with the love and support of my husband and kids I got through it and luckily I’m still here today.

During that period of treatment I also had to start our two oldest kids schooling. There was no other option other than school of the air and Mum teaching them. My life was about to start a whole new journey, a journey I was incredibly scared of but ready to give my kids the best I could. How I was going to do it, I had no bloody idea. I mean what was I thinking? I could barely read or write let alone teach my kids. But teach them I did, having a few wonderful helpers along the way. A volunteer group called VISE entered my life and god help them.

I am sure if it wasn’t for them and the help I received I wouldn’t be here today, as I would have ended up in the looney bin. We learnt together in the school room, out in the paddock and anywhere else in between. I was extremely lucky Kerri-Ann was an outstanding student and at times she was teaching me instead of me teaching her. I had amazing support from my darling father in law. Many phone calls went out, especially with maths, and to the rescue he came.

We had some tough times. It wasn’t a walk in the park. But after school life ended and school room doors closed it was now my turn. The kids had set up a successful contract mustering business and had that much work they could pick and choose where they wanted to go. So I started studying myself as it was now my journey to give time back to myself. I loved learning and still do.

Robert French who became my amazing husband was like no one else I had ever seen. A gentle giant, who grew up in the most lovely family environment who supported him. He came from a place of confidence and taking action. He taught me it all starts with your thoughts and beliefs. Your thoughts and beliefs influence the reality that you see today and what you create for your future. You change your thoughts about your job and life, you’ll change your feelings, behaviour and outcomes.

I quickly learnt you either get bitter or you get better, it’s that simple. You either take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you a better person, or you allow it to tear you down. The choice does not belong to fate, it belongs to you.

That support gave me the encouragement to just get in and do it. I did a post graduate diploma in rangeland management and was

very proud to actually finish and get a pass. I then started volunteering to a group called VISE where they would send tutors out to stations to give mum respite help in the classroom. I helped with admin roles for 28 years before it was closed down and not being one to sit still, I set up another program for Aussie helpers. Then in 2021 I started my own charity in helping rural and remote kids educational needs called Bushed. And serving on other boards in helping with education for bush kids.

I have always been passionate about helping the grass fed beef industry as I felt it was an undervalued and under represented industry. We have a clean, green product but historically have not seen and valued it for what it is. People on the land are not honoured enough for the work they do. They are not just producers but are stewards of the land and smart business people with many talents. They are the people who feed you and the nation.

In 2014 I decided we need to diversify from beef cattle. We are custodians’ of some amazing country, with such diversity from one ridge to the next. Sick of drought and cattle prices being poor we needed to do something so when the next drought hit we had something that could help our business. Rob had never stopped working towards his goal of having a drought proof station. With low stocking rates and looking after country, a burning program in place, things were starting to move along in a good way. By declaring small areas between from 2005 for nature refuges, this was our start in helping fast forward our drought plans. In 2019 the whole of Gilberton Station was declared a nature refuge. With this came some great benefits in building big dams to get cattle off the Gilbert River, and fencing and other projects. We were already looking after country. We were

already caring for our country, because if you don’t look after country it won’t look after you. Maybe some of those points and ideas were handed down from the Jana people, the Gilberton tribal people who lived with the family for many years. After all, the family had 154 years of connection to country, an amazing feat for both European and tribal people to be living in harmony and working side by side.

But my dream…

I wanted to build a 5-star retreat. It had to be 5 stars if not 7!

It had to be like nothing ever seen before. It had to be a prestigious fit for any king or queen.

It had to be made out of local products of the land, and more so from Gilberton.

I wanted to build three retreats/huts but my darling Rob just about had heart failure so we decided would build just one, and when it paid for itself we would then build more.

The retreat paid for itself within two years but because of the uniqueness we have no desire to build any more. We quickly cemented a name of outback, luxury, and uniqueness, so why destroy that. Our guests become part of us while visiting. We had the privilege of hosting royals to film stars and everything else in between. We had a waiting list a mile long.

BUT DURING THIS PROCESS…

I quickly learnt bullies aren’t just teenagers, they are adults in offices with nice titles who think they have a right to break the spirit of others. Primarily so they can feel better about themselves and their own lives it seems. But I never let them break me. No was a dirty swear word, just ask my kids and grandkids. So I found ways around the ‘no’ too.

Because it hadn’t been done before the red tape we had to jump through was crazy. Every other industry was trying to bring you down, between native title trying to knock us, politicians & minister lies, land tenures – the tourist industry was not fitting into a tick and flick box. The story goes on, but I never let that dream of succeeding get lost.

I quickly learnt when you can’t necessarily control what is happening around us or to us, we must control the way we respond to what is happening as that is where your power is. One positive thought produces millions of positive vibes and developing a positive mindset is investment in your overall well being personally and for your business and work.

Along the way I learnt the more you know and respect yourself the less you fear rejection, setbacks and failures. So, never lose sight of who you are and never forget what’s truly important to you in life as we all have a purpose.

Never quit if you stumble, just do your best to get back up. What happened yesterday doesn’t matter. Today is another day to move and start over again.

I am proud to say I now have nine amazing men in my life, including an amazing father-inlaw who is the most beautiful wisest old soul,

my darling husband who is a clone of that and my son is another clone. I also have two sons-in-law and three amazing little legends of grandsons.

I have had so many goals in my life and achieved them all by walking the talk. At times I had no bloody idea how, when or where, I just knew I would get there somehow.

My whole life I dreamt and wished that I could own and operate my own helicopter and as of the other week, at 55 years old, I did just that. In my spare time I love being around my five

adorable grandkids, working on my charity called BushEd helping rural and remote kids educational needs, and helping other women to reach for the stars.

It doesn’t matter where you live or how old you are or how broke you are, if you act and invest in yourself the power of decision will reward you.

It’s not through the small failures and challenges that has made this journey a success, it was more the acceptance of those

challenges and a positive outlook, hard work and passionate drive that got us to where we are today.

The result being a historic cattle enterprise and eco luxury tourism destination that are both successful in their own right but working hand in hand with each other.

We’ve even won quite a number of awards with our tourism enterprise, with the most recent one being QLD Best Luxury Retreat. If you’re ever in the area or looking for an experience to remember in north Queensland – call on us at Gilberton Outback Retreat.

Too many awards now to mention just recently we won yet another amazing world class Luxury as QLD best outback retreat, so if you wish to visit a special part of NQ I can recommend a place called Gilberton Outback retreat

“Believe you can and you're already halfway there.”

Lyn French –Gilberton Outback Retreat

Gilberton Outback Retreat is a small family run business, welcoming guests to experience the outback way of life on an 88,000 acre 7th generation family working cattle station.

Rob and Lyn French are the current landholders and your hosts. We take time to understand our guests and love to tailor your stay to meet your needs.

We take the approach that you will ‘come as a guest and leave as a friend’.

THE STRUGGLES OF A RURAL BUSINESS-OWNING PARENT

AND 5 WAYS TO MAKE LIFE EASIER

By Kate Toon –Stay Tooned

They say it takes a village to raise a family, and I think it also takes a village to raise a business.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY LIVE IN A VILLAGE.

Us rural, outskirt, non-big-city types don’t have a plethora of networking events to go to. We don’t have access to amazing co-working hubs, or sometimes even fast internet. And when you have kids at home, oh the loneliness wraps around you like a soft, heavy taco of despair.

We’re desperate for a bit of adult connection but also too exhausted to actually commit to meeting up with anyone. We know we need to get out there, but we barely have time to brush our teeth.

So, how do you survive as a rural businessowning parent?

I moved to the Central Coast when my son was one and a half because I wanted a better work-life balance, a more affordable lifestyle and to escape the ridiculous house prices of Sydney.

Did I have to make compromises? Absolutely. I left friends and my network behind. But regardless it was the best decision I’ve ever made for my family. And now I run a successful business from my backyard shed.

Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two and I want to tell you a few ways I’ve managed the juggle of parenthood and running a rural business.

READY? LET’S GO.

1. Find your why

There’s no doubt that running a business as a parent is hard, but if you don’t get your noggin sorted, it’s going to be a whole lot harder.

Spend some deep time thinking about why you want to have your own business and if it’s the right fit for you at this stage in your life.

Most people choose to start their own business for one reason: flexibility. This comes in three forms:

1. Time: The ability to work when and how you want.

2. Money: The opportunity to dial the income flow up and down as required.

3. Creative: The autonomy to decide what you do each and every day.

But all these will be tested by parenthood.

1. TIME: Yes, you’re now free to work 27 hours a day, and will have to make tough choices about whether to take that Zoom call with a client or bake the cupcakes for the school fete.

2. MONEY: Yes, you can earn six figures, but what sacrifices are you willing to make to get there (and will you regret those sacrifices in the long term?)

3. CREATIVE: Yes, you can decide what to do every day, but oh the horror, now YOU have to decide what to do every day.

Be clear that your why is not in direct conflict with your parenting values.

If putting your kids to bed each night is a priority for you, then perhaps you won’t be able to reach that UK audience.

If being involved with your kid’s school is important, then maybe you won’t be having 10k days right now.

2. Manage your time

We all have the same number of hours in a day as Beyonce right? So why aren’t we all business mega-stars? Well, because Beyonce has an army of helpers to do her hair, wipe her bottom and stack the dishwasher.

You may long for a clear 38-hour week to work, but get real with yourself, this ain’t ever gonna happen.

One kid will always get sick.

The washing machine will suddenly crap itself just as your deadline approaches. Life isn’t perfect and you have far less time than you think.

The sooner you own this and map out your time the sooner you’ll start setting realistic goals and stop feeling like a failure.

MY TIPS:

1. Work out how many hours you have between drop off and pick up.

2. Reduce them to 60% (your actual billable time).

3. Map them out in your calendar in time chunks.

4. Ensure you allow time for lunch and weewees.

5 . Do not do ANY family chores during your sacred working time.

3. Tackle your finances

There is absolutely no point pulling a financial goal out of your bottom. Instead, you need to base your goals on facts. We’ve been sold the dream that we can earn millions in a few hours a week, but the reality is that most of us are still exchanging our time for money and we need to be honest about that.

Sit down and work out what you need each month to cover:

1. ESSENTIALS: Your basic food, comfort and survival needs (this may or may not include Netflix)

2. NICE TO HAVES: What do you need to take life beyond bearable; add up your little luxuries.

3. SAVINGS AND SECURITY: What do you need to add on top of the above to pay off debt and save for your future?

Your first income goal is to cover Number 1 comfortably, and then move to cover Number 3 (I know Number 2 feels like the priority but let’s be grownups).

Then divide this monthly figure by the billable time you have and you’ll have the hourly rate you need to hit. Is it realistic?

4. Learn to communicate

There’s a common phrase, ‘you don’t ask, you don’t get’ and I find this so important for business-owning parents.

So many of us suffer in silence, too embarrassed to ask for help, as if admitting we can’t ‘do it all’ makes us miserable failures. But here’s the thing, we can’t do it all (at least not alone).

It wasn’t until I started involving other people in my business that it really took off. I don’t mean hiring a Downton Abbey of staff, but rather starting small and testing the waters with one nervous toe.

Here are a few ideas:

1. DO A KID SWAP: Ask a local mum to take your kids one day a week or one school pick-up a week and you do the same in return. Those few hours of freedom will be so precious.

2. OFFER CONTRAS: If money is tight, offer to exchange services with another business owner. Treat it like a real job with a scope of work and a budget, so that you both manage expectations.

3. FIND A COMMUNITY: While there may not be local meet-ups, an online community can help you feel less alone (and be a great source of work, ideas and support). I literally started my memberships just to find other like-minded souls and they have saved me on many a dark day.

5. Start insourcing

If you’re nervous about outsourcing jobs in your home or business, then how about insourcing?

Insourcing involves getting your kids (and partner if you have one) involved in household chores as much as possible. Yes, they won’t do the jobs as perfectly as you do them, but it’s one less thing on your to-do list and over time, they will improve.

Here are my tips:

1. PICK AGE-APPROPRIATE TASKS: Don’t’ be asking your three-year-old to whip up an omelette. Rather start small and go from there. My son when six wrote out envelopes for my business, and now at 13 he manages my social media and edits my videos!

2. CREATE A SCHEDULE OF JOBS: Kids forget things? So, make it easier for them. My son has a list of morning chores – feed dog, empty dishwasher, sweep kitchen, pack lunch. This saves me about 20 minutes a day and that sure adds up over the weeks and months.

3. CREATE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES: You know how in cafes they have lists of how to clean up at the end of a day? Create some for your home. They’ll stop even the dopiest teen from losing track of what they’re doing.

Whether you choose to incentivise your insource team (kids) with pocket money or not, is entirely up to you. But remember, giving them $10 to wash the car is a) cheaper than you hiring a professional and b) way cheaper than you doing it yourself.

Also giving kids responsibilities in the home teaches them valuable life skills including organisation, diplomacy, communication and more. It also gives them a great sense of achievement and a feeling that they’re contributing to family life.

THE WORLD WILL WAIT

Running a rural business while also trying to raise a family is tough, there’s no denying that. And the biggest asset to my business has been my ability to be persistent, but above all, patient.

Can I have it all? Yes. But perhaps not today.

Will I have some weeks where I’m not doing a great job as a parent or business owner? Absolutely.

But I’m playing the long game. I’ve created a business that will grow with me as my son grows and still be there when he’s gone and living his own life.

And that for me is worth all the tough days.

SIX FIGURE SCHOOL H URS

How to run a successful business and still be a good parent

ATE TOON

Kate Toon – Stay Tooned

Kate Toon is an award-winning entrepreneur educator, author, podcaster, and parent to one human and one fur baby. From her humble backyard shed she masterminds an ambitious business universe, helping thousands of other humans to build their own version of success through digital marketing, copywriting, SEO and business know-how.

Her newest book, Six Figures in School Hours: How to run a successful business and still be a good parent, is available for pre-sale now and in stores around the country from 28 June 2023.

www.sixfiguresinschoolhours.com

7 EASY WAYS TO BRING A BIT OF JOY INTO YOUR LIFE THROUGH THE COOLER MONTHS

By Chelle Fisher –Lunamarga Holistic Healing

As we head into the cooler and darker months of the year, many of us are dreading the shorter days and colder times. True, it can be challenging for some – it can lead to more isolation and lack of connection, especially for those of us in rural areas, as we find ourselves hunkering down and going into hibernation mode.

Winter was traditionally a time of rest. We had done the planting in Spring, the tending through Summer and the harvesting come Autumn. Winter was a time of low production and few crops.

In this modern era, we are encouraged to be busy all year round – this has led to us feeling a bit guilty if we take time to just rest and recuperate. This need to be seen to be busy can also create stress in our lives, leading to us feeling down on ourselves for not living up to the standard. Especially through the darker months, we can find ourselves feeling a bit low and maybe not our normal selves.

However, we can still find joy in our days throughout the cool, and here are a few simple ways to keep feeling good every day:

1. TAKE TIME TO REST WHEN YOU

NEED IT. Kick the guilt to the curb and allow yourself to enjoy the opportunity to stay in when it’s chilly. It’s dark outside, the chores are done, and the workday is over – rest! Just sit for a bit and allow your mind to empty of any annoyances, stress, worry or troubles. Five minutes, ten minutes, whatever feels comfortable for you. Drop off the “stuff” you are carrying and let things slide for a little bit.

2. FIND A TEA OR HOT DRINK THAT YOU LOVE AND MAKE YOURSELF A LITTLE CUP OF JOY. Take the time to really taste it and enjoy it. Think about what it’s doing to you, the way it makes you feel and relax.

3. EAT WELL. This is so important to feeling good. When we eat good food, we feel good. When the darkness creeps in early, take this time to prepare a hearty winter meal – fresh veggies, proteins and love – bound to make you feel better.

4. FIND A PASTIME THAT YOU CAN DO INDOORS WHEN IT’S DISMAL OUTSIDE. It might be a hobby that you don’t have much time for in the seasons of longer days, revisit an old activity you loved doing, read, draw, do sit ups, cook, preserve, sewing – I could mention a few others, but I’ll leave it up to your imagination to find something worthwhile to do.

5. CRANK THE TUNES AND DANCE. Not only will it make you feel better, but you’ll have fun doing it. Music is so good for the soul, and even if you can’t cut the rug too well anymore, you can tap your feet to the beat and enjoy the melodies. Housework is always much more enjoyable when the music is urging you on.

6. JOIN A LOCAL GROUP OR START YOUR OWN. Find others with similar interests and get the conversations going. It can be as simple as meeting for coffee once a week, or joining the local men’s shed, or a craft group, photography, cards, games – the possibilities are endless. And if you can’t meet in person, get on an online platform and connect with others. Have some laughs, share stories or recipes – get that imagination firing.

7. GIVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM A BOOST – get some citrus into your water, make broth and drink it instead of tea/ coffee, get out in the sun when it peeks it’s head out from behind the clouds, walk when the weather permits – all beneficial to your health and assists in keeping the colds and flues at bay. And if you are struck with a bug, REST – it’s your body’s way of saying

“Hey you, let’s work together and kick this number”.

Winter can affect us in many ways; however, it doesn’t have to have you feeling down. If you want to hibernate, let yourself do it without issue – if you want to stay active, find ways that make you feel great.

Make this winter the year of feeling good – coming out the other side ready for the planting and tending of whatever it is that brings you peace and joy.

Chelle Fisher

Chelle is a Life Alignment Coach, Holistic Counsellor, Reiki Master, Accredited PuP Therapist and Intuitive Guide. With over a decade of experience in the energy healing field, delving into the mind, body and soul connection, using crystals and essential oils, life alignment coaching and expressive writing, Chelle has the unique ability to see the light in others and assist them to heal past wounds and trauma, align with their untapped potential and become their best.

CONTACT CHELLE

Sessions available face to face or online via zoom.

Web: chellefisher.com.au

chelle@chellefisher.com.au

0408 942 781

"As a wife, mother and now grandmother, I have walked the path of conditioning, selfdoubt and self-sabotage and understand the challenges and limitations this can manifest in your life. Through my own journey and growth, I have developed a holistically based and unique combination of healing and releasing techniques to guide you to recognise and reframe your thinking to overcome limiting behaviours and remove blockages that keep you stuck. My deepest passion is assisting all people to reconnect to their authentic power and realise their true worth and deep inner strengths, encouraging them to live a life of calm, courage, confidence, peace and joy."

LIFE ALIGNMENT COACHING

REIKI ENERGY HEALING

HOLISTIC COUNSELLING AND HEALING

ACCESS BARS THERAPY

PUP THERAPY (Parents under Pressure)

INTUITIVE GUIDANCE

• PERSONAL BRANDING

• HEADSHOTS

• PRODUCT & CONTENT

• LOGO & BRANDING DESIGN

Hello! My name is Monique Kleidon and I am a qualified Graphic Designer & Photographer, specialising in small businesses. I offer a range of packages targeted towards businesses, ranging from Personal Branding and content photography to logo and branding design.

A small business supporting small businesses.

Contact Monique to find out more: moniquekleidon@gmail.com or check her out online:

Creating an amazing brand identity for your business is the difference between showing up online and standing out online. Your brand is the visual representation of your business and it needs to shout from the roof tops. Are you ready to invest in your business? @mkdesignandphotography | www.moniquekleidon.com

Monique is based in Melbourne’s South East, but she is happy to travel across Victoria or work with you remotely to help you achieve your branding dreams!

HOW TO CREATE REALISTIC GOALS

By Steve Hanks –

In 2018 I was so burnt out I couldn't get out of bed. The thought of seeing patients would fill me with dread. My work, relationships and health suffered to the point of needing to make a major change.

I picked up the pieces and worked with a native Andean healer to find out what truly mattered and created goals that were true to my heart. I left my job, moved countries and started a business that was true to my values and I've been loving every minute of it, ever since.

It's no secret that goals are the key to success with anything. This can be applied to any dimension of life – business, careers, friends and meaningful pursuits.

Why is meaning important when setting goals?

When we look at the neuroscience, meaning is everything. The nervous system works by either excitation or inhibition of neurotransmitters. The saying goes that neurons who fire together, wire together which creates your life, habits and thoughts. On the flip side, inhibition of neurotransmitters is equally as important as without it, it would be impossible to focus and create meaning from the experiences of our senses (we'd be experiencing everything all at once). What our brain chooses to inhibit typically depends on what is most important to us for survival. This is rooted in what we value deep down which stems from past experiences, preconditioning and cultures.

So you might be wondering what this has to do with your goals? Although our brains are powerful and amazing, they're also flawed. The brain creates inhibitory patterns after injury. This injury can be physical or psychological trauma as well as anything else that threatens survival. If something is deemed as a 'threat' the brain will go into protection mode. This doesn’t just take place with physical injuries but also emotional insults. It’s the reason that it can feel like the loss of a loved one happened only yesterday or why that backpacking trip in your 20’s can feel like it was just last year. We carry our most meaningful experiences closest to our hearts and these will grow into the things you value.

How can we use meaningful values to make goals?

Firstly, ask yourself what you truly value in life. You need to be honest and look at yourself critically to really understand. Is it family,

survival, money, power, a sense of importance or a calling to help others?

Identify whether your values are internally or externally driven. You see, if your values are externally driven, you really don’t have any control over what happens in your life. This can be things like your colleagues, a weather event, opinions of you or COVID.

The fears and stressors linked with anything you value externally are often a waste of time and get in the way of your true path. On the other hand, internal values are things that you can control such as your honesty, compassion, well being and responsibility to your community. When you start to focus on these you can find purpose and meaning. Whether that’s the feeling of helping a customer or providing great service to your community it’s these meaningful experiences that will help your nervous system break those inhibitions and help you to do what you never thought was possible.

Why you should avoid negatively driven goals

When goals are based around your 'pain points' they are typically doing more harm than good. Saying things to yourself like “I want to be debt free” or “I just need to do this to get new customers” will strengthen the parts of your brain that gives awareness to that negative experience. This often will have the opposite effect of what we’re talking about, there will be more inhibitory pathways and a stronger perception of what you’re trying to get away from.

This can also prevent the feelings, the joy that normally comes with achievement of goals. When you actually reach your goals, your brain will be too focused on your pain points to actually savour the win.

Make a SMART goal

If you can measure your goal you can manage your goal. Ensure you find a way that you can track your goals. This means creating SMART goals.

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Attainable

R = Realistic

T = Time frame

So to create realistic goals there are three things to remember:

1. Make sure it's rooted around a meaningful internal value (that you have control over)..

2. Make sure it's positively driven.

3. Make it a SMART goal.

Steve Hanks is a physiotherapist based in Cooma NSW. He works with people to understand the root of their problem for long term resolution. Rather than only treating symptoms, he coaches people to help them create goals based around whatever it is they love and creates individualised, holistic treatment plans to support their journey.

Steve Hanks

We are here because we love to quilt, but we also need to earn a living!

Sharing business skills & information to assist you to have a thriving machine quilting business is our goal. Join our Gold Membership Group to grow and be supported in your journey to success.

With a strong focus on business skills, combined with computer and quilting skills, you are sure to discover courses that will both inspire you and grow your business.

HOW TO STAY POSITIVE IN THESE "UNPRECEDENTED" TIMES

By Kerri-Ann Hooper –Carnelian Projects

Owning a small business is tough at the best of times, but throw in a post-pandemic world, a war, funny weather and a challenging economy… Well, that is a hell of a rollercoaster ride for a business.

So how do you stay positive, when there are no customers coming in your door, calling you or ordering online?

It is a challenging subject and one that has to be tackled in small steps. Positivity and being proactive are the major players.

I know we can’t be positive all the time, and sometimes you may end up sprawled out on the floor crying your eyes out thinking you can’t possibly go on. That’s ok! However, taking small baby steps every day, will start to change your attitude and will surprisingly start to bring in actual income, bit by bit.

My top tips for creating positive vibes every day in your business are:

Wake Up Happy

Start each day afresh. You may have been howling at the moon the night before, but begin each day with a smile and a positive mantra. Happy thoughts create a happy mind.

Read, Read & Read Some More

Reading positive, encouraging business and life books, gets your mind out of a negative state, and starts to open and shift your thinking to new possibilities. It also gives you insight into solving problems. I always like to read a few pages in the morning to get my head in the right frame of mind.

Listen

Podcasts are my absolute go to every morning. I need that encouragement going through my brain while I do my morning walk. There are so many great women podcasts out there giving tips and great advice to people in business… then on weekends you can switch to the fun ones or the history podcasts like I do.

Journal

Write down your goals, this will help you visualise what you want in your life and how you would like your business to take shape. The world is your oyster, there are no time limits or quotas on how many dreams you can have, put it all out to the universe.

Watch Your Expenses

Take control of your money situation. Know what exactly is going out and what is coming into your bank account. You may need to cut back on some things, so that your savings can last longer. But knowing where you stand financially gives you power and an understanding of how you will get through the tough times.

Take Action

There is no use having all these wonderful feelings of taking on life , if you are not physically doing things to bring in the money. Chat to people, go to free networking events, connect with people on social media, catch up for a coffee or lunch. Get out as much as you can and talk – because you never know, if they are not in a position to buy your product or service, someone they know might be… and that one sale could be all it takes to get you through to the good times.

Kerri-Ann Hooper –Carnelian Projects

Kerri-Ann Hooper is the founder of Carnelian Projects – servicing Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and the Central Coast. With over 30 years’ experience in the property, sales and customer service industries, Kerri-Ann is passionate about helping people build – from first home owners with house and land packages, to investors or those who are ready for their forever home.

Armed with a Real Estate Licence and a Certificate IV in Building & Construction

Kerri-Ann guides people through the building process from start to finish and can also check your building tender with an honest and impartial eye.

Web: www.carnelianprojects.com.au

CarnelianProjects @carnelianprojects kerriannhooper-carnelianprojects

SELF-CARE SKINCARE: TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SKIN

By Kim Guseli –Cosmetic Chemist and Founder of Botanical Skincare Lab

Living in a rural area can have its benefits. Clean and crisp air, a quieter pace of life, no congested roads. However, it can also pose some unique challenges when it comes to skincare. For those living in remote areas, a good skincare routine can be essential to maintaining healthy skin, and an excellent choice for a self-care practice.

The Importance of skincare

Skincare is an important part of overall physical health. Rural areas often have harsher environmental conditions, such as intense sun exposure, colder temperatures, and harsh winds. These conditions can wreak havoc on the skin, leading to dryness and irritation. By establishing a good skincare routine, we can protect our skin and prevent damage caused by the environment.

How Skincare Can Benefit Your Mental Health

Beyond the physical benefits, taking care of our skin can also have a positive impact on mental health. A skincare routine can be a form of self-care and a way to take a few moments out of a busy day to focus on ourselves. It can also provide a sense of confidence and pride in our appearance.

Skincare as a Form of Self-Care

Self-care is a term used to describe intentional actions taken by individuals to promote our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. While many people associate self-care with activities such as exercise or meditation, having a skincare routine can also be an essential form of self-care.

Taking the time to care for our skin can be a way to slow down and focus on yourself. It can be a way to establish a sense of routine and structure in our day.

Mindfulness and Control Through Skincare

Skincare can be a form of mindfulness, allowing us to be present in the moment and focus on the sensations and textures of the products we are using. It can also provide a sense of control over our appearance and selfimage, which can be particularly important when we may feel isolated or disconnected from the larger community.

Boosting SelfEsteem with Skincare Improvements

The act of caring for our skin can provide a sense of accomplishment and pride. Seeing improvements in the skin's appearance, such as reduced blemishes or increased hydration, can be a source of positive reinforcement and can help to boost our self-esteem.

Self-Compassion Through Skincare

Taking care of our skin can be a way to show ourselves compassion and kindness. For many, skincare may have been neglected or overlooked in the past. By prioritizing skincare as part of a self-care routine, we can show ourselves the same care and attention we would give to a loved one. This act of selfcompassion can help to increase feelings of self-worth and lead to greater overall wellbeing.

Nourishing Your Skin for a Flourishing Life

You have to Nourish in order to Flourish. Start your new skincare routine today. Your skin will thank you for it.

Kim Guseli is a Cosmetic Chemist and the Founder and Owner of Botanical Skincare Lab. The core of Botanical Skincare Lab’s philosophy is Kim’s belief that everyone deserves to feel confident and embrace their natural beauty. Kim lives in the beachside town of Hervey Bay, Queensland with her husband and two cheeky dachshunds, Dexter and Lucia.

Kim Guseli –Botanical Skincare Lab

You have to nourish in order to flourish " "

HOW A BUSINESS RETREAT COULD GIVE YOU THE SPACE & SUPPORT YOU NEED

By Sarah Walkerden –The Rural Marketing Company

Business retreats have become really popular in recent years, particularly for women in business. A retreat typically combines relaxation, learning, one-to-one coaching sessions and the chance to network and build relationships with other attendees. All, from a lovely location. Sounds great, right?

Attending a business retreat is not just a luxury, however. It's an investment in your personal and professional wellbeing. It's also a powerful declaration that you value your growth, your success and your overall happiness.

With the constant demands, challenges, and responsibilities that come with your business journey, it's essential to prioritise self-care,

growth and rejuvenation. Otherwise, it’s easy to get stuck in busy mode (where you’re working like crazy but not seeing any real traction or progression) or you risk completely burning out.

When we regularly schedule in some time to slow down, breathe and get really clear on what we’re wanting to achieve, our businesses tend to progress in the right direction, much faster.

It really is often a case of slowing down, to speed up.

Regional women particularly, often have so much going on in their lives in and around their businesses. Kids, partners, pets, family, friends, neighbours, housework, school commitments, farms, livestock, community events and general life admin – it can be really hard to create space for that crucial

strategic thinking we need to do, when we’re immersed (and often swamped) in our normal routines.

Physically removing yourself from the day-today is often what you need to give you the mental and emotional space to think and plan clearly.

Combine that with the power of being around other powerful businesswomen and there’s a great chance that attending a retreat could well change your entire business and life trajectory. Being ‘out in the sticks’ while running a business can be really isolating, so we do need to make a conscious effort to find real opportunities to connect with others, in person, who are going down a similar path. So, here is an overview of some of the invaluable benefits of attending a retreat specifically designed for women in business.

Unplug and Reconnect

Retreats offer a rare opportunity to step away from the daily grind, unplug from the digital world, and reconnect with yourself on a deeper level.

By creating distance from the noise and distractions, you can gain clarity, recharge your energy, and realign with your true aspirations.

Empowerment and Inspiration

Surrounding yourself with like-minded women in a supportive and nurturing environment can be incredibly empowering. Retreats bring together women from diverse backgrounds, industries, and experiences, creating a melting pot of inspiration, collaboration, and motivation.

Engaging with fellow trailblazers will reignite your passion, spark fresh ideas, and help you overcome challenges with renewed vigour.

Personal and Professional Growth

Retreats provide a conducive environment for personal and professional growth. Through insightful workshops, expert-led sessions, and immersive activities, you'll gain valuable knowledge, practical tools, and strategies to enhance your leadership skills, business acumen, and overall success.

The retreat experience acts as a catalyst for growth, enabling you to push boundaries, break through limitations, and unlock your full potential.

Networking and Collaboration

Building a strong network is crucial for professional success, and retreats offer exceptional networking opportunities. Connect with accomplished women entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and mentors who can become lifelong allies, collaborators, and sources of guidance.

The relationships forged during a retreat can open doors, spark collaborations, and serve as a support system throughout your career.

Work-Life Integration

Achieving a healthy work-life integration is a perpetual challenge for women in business. Retreats allow you to step back, reflect, and recalibrate your priorities.

By exploring topics like self-care, mindfulness, and achieving balance, you'll gain insights and tools to nurture your well-being, harmonize your personal and professional life, and create a sustainable path to success.

Personal Reflection and Renewal

Retreats create a space for self-reflection, introspection, and personal renewal. Take advantage of guided exercises, meditation, and quiet moments to gain clarity on your goals, values, and purpose.

By tapping into your inner wisdom, you can align your professional path with your authentic self, fostering greater fulfillment, meaning, and joy in your work.

Mentorship and Guidance

Retreats often feature accomplished mentors and industry experts who can provide valuable guidance, insights, and mentorship. Engage in one-onone sessions, participate in mentor-led discussions, and seek advice from those who have walked the path before you. Their wisdom and experience can accelerate your growth, help you navigate challenges, and provide invaluable guidance as you advance in your career.

My Experiences with Retreats

I attended a three-day business retreat a couple of years ago. It was literally a lastminute decision, made a couple of weeks beforehand when I saw the opportunity cross my Facebook feed. It was way outside my introverted comfort zone, but I pushed myself to invest and go for it.

I’m certainly glad I made that split-second decision to invest in myself and my business. It connected me with an influential business network (through which my business won two awards through the following year) and it allowed me to get to know an amazing group of women. It also set me up with some fantastic business contacts who presented (primarily a lawyer who has not only helped my business but also assisted my parents who were in a pickle with a tradie last year!) and I learnt stacks.

I wouldn’t have thought that those three little days could be so huge, but when you put yourself in the right environment to really focus on yourself and your business, you end up with a life-changing experience that you’ll remember forever.

And particularly, with the current precarious state of the Australian economy and the world around us, investing in support and expert guidance is the smartest move you can make.

Exclusive 4 Day Retreat for Women in Business

Now that we’ve looked at all the amazing reasons why attending a business retreat may well be a fantastic move for you – maybe you’re now looking for the perfect opportunity to give one a go?

So, here it is.

Angela Henderson is a business consultant/ coach, speaker and podcaster – and she has created a transformational business retreat in the captivating island paradise of Bali, October 19th – 22nd, 2023.

Angela is quite often my go to when it comes to all things business strategy and her downto-earth energy is infectious. She has run lots of great retreats in the past and has an extensive track record for helping women to create success.

This retreat is perfect for you if you:

• Want to run your business more effectively.

• Struggle with work & family life balance.

• Would like the chance to work ON your business vs IN your business.

• Want to reduce financial worry & feel secure in your business.

• Are on the brink of burning out & need to regroup.

• Want to learn business strategy/tools & powerful wisdom to help you succeed.

• Are excited to have ‘you time’, have fun and laugh out loud.

• Need uninterrupted sleep.

• Want to connect with other women and have deep conversations.

Sound good?

Secure your spot to the most luscious retreat for women in business.

There’s a payment plan available of just $75 per week, so it’s certainly cashflow friendly.

Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/angelaretreat

Please Note: This is an affiliate link, but also a genuine recommendation for a top-notch business coach and retreat – it’s perfect for any regional woman in business who feels the need for expert support and connection.

The retreat is a blend of strategy + wellness + relaxation = growth.

BUSINESS SURVIVAL AND GROWTH IN TIMES OF DISASTER

By Annemarie Ashton-Wyatt –Co-owner of Wedgetail Rise Alpacas

The fires that hit the Eastern seaboard of Australia in 2019-20 were devastating in their intensity and the level of destruction. Communities in disaster recovery were then smashed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020-21. It was an insane time to move an established business and grow new trade, but we did just that.

Back in late 2019, Wedgetail Rise Alpacas was located at a six hectare property in the Yass Valley of New South Wales. The farm was drought affected and we were overstocked, so the paddocks were bare.

We were constantly blanketed in thick toxic smoke as the fires raged all around us. We worried about how the smoke would affect our livestock, especially our pregnant girls and little crias (baby alpacas).

We spent days glued to the internet tracking fire fronts. We talked to friends on constant patrol as embers rained down from fires kilometres away, hoping or despairing with them at changes in wind direction. Across the alpaca community, news passed from person to person about people, animals, and properties lost to the flames.

Like so many, we stored every possible drop of water and prepared for the worst.

It was not a great time to be trying to sell and buy farms, but the plan was to move to a bigger farm in the Bega Valley, so we could grow our alpaca herd. I had spent months viewing properties and preparing our own for sale, but with the fires raging, we just had to wait.

In late January, another alpaca farmer and I headed into the disaster recovery zone on a supply run to help some farmers who had been burnt out. Our ute was packed with

animal feed, medicines, and equipment donated by local farmers and vets.

The scale of devastation witnessed on that five hour journey will stay with me forever. Endless kilometres of burnt bush. The tops of the mountains looked as though they had been nuked. Trees, insects, birds, and animals blasted from existence by the fire front.

Up a winding track with dangerous trees marked with a red X for removal by the army, we found a burnt piece of tin with the name of the farmers we sought. The only thing that was left on their property was a small shed. An electricity pole burnt almost through at the base hung by the wires above it. The wind was gale force and what was left of the mountain still had stumps smouldering.

Many animals had died here. Thankfully, the burnt corpses had been removed to a gully and the culling of the severely injured had been done. We were here to help treat the surviving alpacas who had burns.

The inability of the shearer to get there before the fires had saved many. Their thick fleece had borne the fury of the fire, but they had burns on faces, legs, and feet, or deeper burns where burning branches had landed on them. Alpacas are amazingly stoic animals. I remember one very special female. Her udder was half burnt but she was feeding her own cria and an orphaned one as well with the two teats that were okay.

Our day was long, but we did our best. When it was time to head home, we heard the Badja Forest Fire had closed the highway north, so we headed south through the Bega Valley. I spotted a tin roof high on a hill south of Cobargo. It was good to see that one of the houses I had been interested in had survived.

As I went back to the area on repeat visits, I fell in love with the region around Cobargo. I said to my husband, “This may sound crazy, but I want to live there more than ever, it’s the people, the community there that makes it perfect for us.”

August 2020 found us moving the entire farm to Verona, to that little house on the hill that had survived the fires. Moving a farm at the time of a pandemic was quite good. The roads were clear which is a relief when you have a van filled with chooks, goats, dogs, cats and farm gear.

As only the house had survived the fires, moving was a slow process with lots of cooperation from the sellers of our new farm and the buyers of our old farm. Most of the alpacas stayed in Yass and were moved down in groups as we built the internal fences. Cobargo is a place where people smile at strangers. That’s what made it a great place to expand our business. The local motto after the fires was to “Build Back Better,” and we adopted that motto to be at the heart of our own business philosophy.

We moved softly and slowly with our rebuilding and new business activity, mindful that we were new in the community and others rightfully had priority for scarce resources. This allowed us time to get to know the local market for our goods, to build relationships with local suppliers, and understand the micro-climate of the farm.

We excavated areas where trees had died to build new yards and sheds. We are still adding more shelters, yards, water tanks, pumps, and pipes. It has taken several years to get the farm operational, and we are still building back to our full production capacity.

Fire safety and environment protection is at the heart of all our planning. Areas have been set aside for wildlife recovery, and we have been delighted to watch birds, lizards, wallabies, kangaroos and wombats increasing in numbers.

We have learnt to be flexible and adaptable. The garage has been a stable, a hay shed, a shearing shed, a fleece processing area and a carpentry workshop. Tarpaulins and temporary sheep pens became our best friends for sheltering animals and completing husbandry tasks in pelting rain.

We had many setbacks, which have been hard to bear at times and made us wonder if we have taken on more than we are capable of. Connection with others in the alpaca and agriculture industries was vital. For information, for morale support, and to give and receive practical help when needed.

The La Nina weather pattern, which helped stem the fires, was a nightmare for rebuilding, but also impacted on everything we did needing patience and cooperation to get anything done. It also brought perfect conditions for explosions of weeds and intestinal parasites.

We banded together with other alpaca farmers in the first year for shearing. We achieved 190 alpacas shorn in two days across three properties, none of which had sufficient shedding to do it alone in the heavy rain. COVID masks hid the smiles, and sometimes there were tears alongside laughter, but it was good to be working together.

We also lost more animals than we would usually expect in the first breeding seasons here. Prolonged smoke exposure while we were still in Yass was damaging to all our

animals. The crias who were in utero during that time were highly vulnerable, resulting in stillbirths and small crias who were highly prone to sudden death in the first months of life.

While these were hard days, it was cheering to see progress being made across the region as buildings started going up, paddocks turned green again and new herds of sheep and cattle appeared. Each year we have also built more fences and improved our breeding numbers. The cria are big, active and healthy. There is nothing better than watching them bounce around the paddocks.

After the fires, new community cooperative ventures were started, like the Cobargo Tool Library, where you can borrow anything from a hammer to a log-splitter. These ventures save us a heap of cash-flow and have contributed hugely to the recovery of local businesses. Online community groups also sprang up, giving people local points of connection and information-sharing during the lockdowns. The ‘Buy Nothing’ rehoming and recycling group is still a firm favourite of ours.

At the Yass farm we had a small weaving studio producing artisan alpaca products which were sold at Canberra markets and events. Despite the online shopping surge during COVID, we made the choice to put my weaving work on hold and work from home in my old career to give us much needed cash flow.

For two years, I worked from a desk in the corner of the lounge. I have never spent so much time with my immediate family, and I discovered it was much nicer than sitting in an office with work colleagues. My husband works from a bedroom converted into an office, and our son works on the farm and volunteers at the Tool Library.

Last year, we bought one of the neighbour’s portable cabins, as their new house was now finished. We moved the cabin to the farm, renovated it, and installed shop fittings. It’s now the world's smallest yarn shop, farm office and weaving studio.

Opening the farm shop to the public was a big change, as we had got so used to the COVID imposed quiet life. The idea was to do a slow launch to give us time to iron out any problems. It didn’t work, as day one I had buyers viewing alpacas for sale and people coming to the shop to buy yarn, while stud males were impatiently waiting to work in the breeding pens.

I have since found that splitting my week into four shop opening days and two intensive farm work days is more manageable. It also stops me tracking mud through the farm shop and I am less likely to greet visitors smelling of alpaca spit.

I do get Sundays off, if nobody gives birth or needs a vet! As some wise person said, do what you love, and it never feels like hard work. I love the challenge of breeding healthy, productive alpacas. On quiet wet days, I sit and weave or process fleece in the shed. Balance is important for long-term sustainability.

Marketing of the shop has been online through local community pages, word of mouth, and by participating in local community events, such as our twice yearly Quaama Fairs. Trade is growing slowly, but with lots of repeat customers. As alpaca is slow farming and weaving takes time, it is fitting that our shop grows slowly too.

We have lots of ideas for the future, but there is no rush. The ideas that you keep coming back to are usually the better ones in the long run, and it’s important to not overstretch your credit as you never know when the next disaster may occur.

The move to a disaster recovery area was not taken lightly, but it has brought us closer as a family, to our friends, and to our community than ever before. The biggest lessons we have learnt from this experience are:

1. You need to buy local first, regional second and import last, to help the whole community, but also buy in moderation, and see what works so you don’t waste funds.

2. Labour, goods and services will cost much more than you plan for due to shortages in supply.

3. Projects will also take a lot longer than you anticipate due to supply issues, exhaustion and impacts of trauma.

4. Environments change as a result of disasters, failure will be a regular learning opportunity, as what worked before may not work the same way now.

5. Use the resources you have to generate cash flow, have a “make do and re-use” approach, this will save both time and money.

6. Start small, be flexible, and be realistic in your expectations but plan for future growth (like Lego, everything needs to connect to work properly).

7. Community is everything, we need others and they need us, so take every opportunity to engage, connect and learn.

EMBRACING THE SWITCH TO ONLINE TEACHING

By Michelle O’Neill –Cherry Tree Equine

Cherry Tree Equine is all about helping people have a better relationship with their horses. The business has, until 2023, helped horses with their people problems in the traditional ways; through lessons and clinics.

The owner of Cherry Tree Equine, Michelle O’Neill grew up in the Snowy Mountains dreaming about being around horses every day. As a child, she wanted to be the Girl From Snowy River and recreated many mad dashes down steep descents on foot when she was meant to be doing farm chores.

Having grown up on the land, she was lucky enough to always be around horses; she has worked with them, bred them, competed on them and trained both horses and people. Horses that she has bred and trained have

competed at all levels and have also helped teach lots of people the joys of learning with a willing equine partner.

Michelle’s clinic schedule sees her teaching all over the country, helping people from all disciplines and all levels achieve their equine goals.

However the equestrian world is different in 2023 to what it was when Cherry Tree Equine started in 2010. People now find it difficult to commit to the time and expense of attending a traditional clinic (normally they are run over a couple of days at a location where people and horses come together to learn in a group).

Cherry Tree Equine, like so many other businesses battled with cashflow when the

perfect storm of drought, bushfires and COVID. “Greenhill’s”, the property on which Michelle and her family lives, was impacted four times during the bushfires, often burning paddocks at one end, while the horses stood at the other.

This was not the end of obstacles the small business was to face however. In August 2022 as Michelle stepped off one of her own horses, she snapped her ACL. Lying in the middle of the arena, with no mobile service and wondering how she was going to get home to call for help, was a sobering moment!

As Michelle pondered how she was going to still make a living whilst recuperating, she found the answer in technology, not always a place where horse people look for inspiration.

Michelle realised that Cherry Tree Equine had to find a new way to meet the needs of people who want to work with their horses at their own pace, in their own time, without leaving home.

And so Cherry Tree Virtual was born; an online training resource with information on every aspect of creating a better relationship between horse and human.

But the battles were not over; when you live in rural or regional areas it can be hard to find the people with the knowledge to put what you need together. For Michelle, it was how to create a website that could support the whole training package that posed a major problem. The answer came all the way from Western Australia when Jess of the House of Torro stepped up to create a website that many thought was too hard.

Michelle came to realise that being part of a small community and the local knowledge that comes with this can be handy. Michelle had previously worked at her local Tafe campus where she had met Paul McIver, a man with amazing knowledge of photography, video and editing. Paul and his partner, Judy Goggin, stepped in to become the team who puts the amazing training videos together.

Cherry Tree Virtual is a good example of how rural people, when faced with a problem, will overcome it by not only relying on the networks they have, but by being game to think outside the box and look beyond their own region. With a little technology, some good people and a hint of inspiration, rural people can create amazing things; often from the middle of nowhere!

Things to keep in mind on your business journey:

• Business plans help you focus your energy and keep your business moving forward. Rewrite them as often as you need to though.

• Always be prepared to alter the direction of your business; if you don’t keep up with market changes you will soon become a dinosaur.

• Ask questions; just because you don’t know something doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t.

• “If you keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you’re getting”.

• Be prepared to get comfortable being uncomfortable; it’s the only way you and your business will grow.

• Focus on core areas of your business; it’s easy to get spread too thin. Take an objective look at your business and cut the bits that aren’t working.

Michelle O’Neill –Cherry Tree Equine

Michelle has been involved with horses her whole life.

Michelle commenced her riding career doing stock work with her father, since then she has competed in nearly every aspect of the equine industry, all on horses she has trained herself.

An experienced educator; Michelle teaches clinics both across the country and at her home.

Michelle has a strong reputation for instilling confidence in all her students. Her clinics cover her three basic principles; Consistency, Control and Confidence. She does this using both ground and ridden work; the same principles that have enabled her to train many horses for herself and others.

FROM A DUSTY DRILL RIG IN THE WEST

AUSTRALIAN GOLDFIELDS TO THE LUSH CANE FIELDS OF NORTHERN NSW: HOW A RETIRED GEOLOGIST IS CHANGING THE TASTE OF AUSTRALIAN RUM

By Paul Messenger –CEO and Founder of Husk Rum and Ink Gin

The deepest caldera in the southern hemisphere straddles the QLD NSW border centred on Mt Warning/Woolumbin in the Tweed Valley. It’s part of the Caldera Coast that stretches from the Border Ranges and Gondwana Rainforest, down to the coast from Burleigh to Lennox Heads encompassing rural towns, coastal villages and some of the world’s most fabled surf breaks.

It’s also one of the oldest sugar cane growing regions in Australia dating back to the 1860s. The rich volcanic soils, pristine waterways, lush rainforests, and mild subtropical climate provide the perfect backdrop for a reimagination of Australian rum. Or so thought geologist Paul Messenger when in 2012, with his wife Mandaley and their three daughters settled on a cattle and cane farm at Tumbulgum with a dream of capturing the spirit of the Caldera Coast in a bottle.

By 2021 Husk Rum had become one of the fastest growing rums in Australia with Husk Bam Bam spiced rum the fastest growing Australian Rum according to the International Wine and Spirits Review in 2021.

We settled on our family farm in 2012 and established Husk Distillers the same year, but the seed of the idea was planted in 1998.

While flying over the Nullarbor Plain on my way to a drill rig in the West Australian goldfields I read an article about a surveyor in Tasmania who lobbied to change the excise law enabling small distilleries to operate legally. That was the start of Tasmanian Whisky and, being fond of the occasional dram, I thought to myself, what a bloody good idea!

I never forgot that story and even travelled to Tasmania where I tracked down the whisky which was every bit as good as I imagined. But a young family and busy career kept the idea at bay until a family cruise through the Caribbean in 2009.

There we discovered the vibrant, exciting and colourful world of rum. On the small island of Martinique, I was introduced to agricole rum in a Ti Punch, and then later a 20 yearold tropical aged sipping rum equal or better than the finest cognac or malt whisky. That long held idea now re-surfaced and would change our lives forever, but instead of whisky my thoughts turned to the vast fields of sugar cane in the valleys of the Caldera Coast.

Having grown up in Southport I knew the Tweed Valley well and as a geologist I was struck by similarities in the volcanic setting of the Caldera Coast and the volcanic island of Martinique dominated by Mount Pele which erupted violently in 1902 killing over 29,000 people. Thankfully, Mt Waring/Woolumbin has been extinct for 23 million years.

But what intrigued me most from my visit to Martinique was how the locals explained to me that, being made from fresh cane juice, their rum has “terroir” – that difficult to define character, the taste and soul of the place where it’s made.

In the years that followed I began experimenting by fermenting and distilling fresh cane juice, trialling different cane varieties and yeast strains both wild and cultured. I travelled and read widely and struck up a relationship with Mike Delavante aka “the Rum Doctor” who I was introduced to by family friends in a bar in Kingston while on a follow-up trip to Jamaica and Martinique.

As I learnt more about spirits and rum-making I began to better understand that notion of terroir and what it really means.

In simplest terms it refers to produce from a particular region that reflects provenance. Some things can be made anywhere in the world without limitation but products with terroir can only be made in certain places and often only at certain times of the year.

Unlike molasses, fresh juice can’t be stored and it can’t be transported. Rum made from fresh juice can only be made during the harvest months and only on or very near a cane farm.

In the paddock, wild yeast strains live on the cane stalk beneath the dried trash leaves. As soon as you cut the stalk that wild yeast starts to ferment the juice and can have unpredictable results so fermentation must be controlled within a few hours of harvest. Juice rum is seasonal.

On a broader level terroir encompasses the physical, social and historical aspects of a place and its people. The geology, soil, water, seasons and climate as well as infrastructure and commerce, the lifestyles of work and play all contribute to what, where and how things are grown, made and consumed.

Ultimately terroir is part of the culture and identity of a people and place.

A wise man once said to me “it’s the journey, not the destination” and it’s fair to say that at best, we had a vague idea of the destination back in 2011 when we started out. But as we progressed along our journey that destination has become clear.

In short, we want to help change the perception of rum. In developing a new style of Australian rum we want to broaden the appeal of this most versatile spirit and offer new flavour profiles and relevant consumer experiences.

We also want to promote the notion of sustainable, farm to bottle distilling and connect deeply with our community. Having travelled extensively through the Scottish highlands, Speyside and Islay and the Caribbean islands, experiencing first-hand the depth of cultural connection between people and centuries old distilleries I developed an understanding of the role that spirits and provenance can have in developing the culture and identity of people.

Rum is very much a part of the culture and identity of the people of Martinique, and in time this new style of juice rum that reflects our provenance may well become a part of ours. That to me is the ultimate destination.

A family holiday to the French Caribbean sparked Paul’s love of Agricole rum and prompted him to build Australia’s first and only Agricole distillery, starting out in a small farm shed on the family farm. Paul continues to oversee the distilling and every aspect of the distillery.

To find out more about Husk Rum and Ink Gin, head to https://www.huskdistillers.com/

Paul Messenger –

Husk Rum and Ink Gin

PERSEVERANCE PREVAILS IN SMALL BUSINESS

By Ashton McKenzie –Inspired By Ash

Perseverance. It is a word many people seem to use, especially in business. But I often wonder how many of those have had to persevere through tough times. Those of late that seem to be hit by those tough times, and usually have a “harder slog” are those in Regional and rural areas. Yes, this is my personal belief, and many may disagree with me; but there are no stronger willed, more determined people, then those who work in the regions, the rural areas of Australia and the Outback.

These people are the true meaning of perseverance and I commend every one of you! If something is broken, we fix it – most of the time from the tools and odd bits and pieces laying around. Or you wait, for days or weeks until your order can come in, you get the chance to drive to the nearest town, or if you're lucky, city! You make things work with

the resources you have around you. Which is the other thing I tend to find with fellow regional and rural people – we are resourceful and quick to think of alternative ways to get something done.

I come from a relatively regional city – Mildura, Victoria. We are 4 hours drive from Adelaide, 6 hours from Melbourne and 10 hours from Sydney. Although Mildura itself has a lot of amenities, it is still so far from the cities that it is often overlooked. We are an oasis in the desert, as marketed for tourism. We have the Murray River at our doorstep, as the border between Victoria and New South Wales; but we also have the “Gateway to the Outback” of Mungo National Park. We have cockies and blockies, Station owners, graziers, down to hospitality, tourism, and corporate offices. You could say we are able to have the best of both worlds here – regional, rural, and urban enough for businesses to flourish.

Living here during Covid however, was either good, or bad, depending on what side of the border you lived on. This is when my family business had to “persevere” harder than ever – and you could say, we had the “fight of our lives”. Before I get into that, let me set the scene, as to why I have the passion for my region, and how I learnt the value of perseverance, resourcefulness, and determination!

My grandparents moved here, from Whyalla, South Australia, in 1955 and bought a small tourism business, operating a small launch (boat) on the Murray River, whilst living on a houseboat. As the tourism industry here began to increase, my grandparents needed a bigger boat. They purchased a small Paddle Boat, called the Mayflower. However, she needed to be repaired. With no more money left to be able to put her up on a slipway, my Pa used his resourcefulness to use a block

and tackle in some trees near a sandbar and “shimmied” the boat onto the land. By hand, he then dug out sections of sand to repair the hull, before filling in that section, and digging out the next. Now that, is determination!

As tourism increased, and the competition, he needed another boat. In 1965 he purchased the Paddle Steamer Melbourne, from Echuca. Again, she was in a state of disrepair. Pa would spend the week operating cruises on the Mayflower, earning money, before driving to Echuca on the weekends (4 hours one way) to work on restoring the P.S Melbourne and using the money earnt during the week, to finance her repairs. The Paddle Steamer Melbourne ran her maiden voyage carrying passengers in Mildura on the 1st of January 1966.

Pa went on to restore the Paddle Vessel Rothbury from a wreck, which took him 8 years

to repair! Perseverance there at its finest! To finance this, they sold the Mayflower, which was now too small for their needs and the growing tourism industry. Then in 1999 they purchased the Paddle Boat Mundoo from Goolwa, South Australia and brought her to Mildura. They now had the Paddle Steamer Melbourne and the Paddle Vessel Rothbury for the daily tourism trade and the Paddle Boat Mundoo completed the business, as a function vessel, for Weddings, conferences, and functions. They had a business that covered them across the market!

Pa was the brawn; he was resourceful and had the ability to make something from nothing; but it was my Ma who had the business brains! Her tenacity, analytical mind and love for him and his passions, made them a force to behold. Nothing was more important to them than their family and providing for them, well into the future. A legacy that they instilled into me and with which I carry with me always! Then Covid hit.

The one thing I was thankful for, was that they had passed on by now and didn’t have to witness the hardships we endured during this time. It is a different hardship to what they had to endure in business, and I would not have gotten through it, if they hadn’t taught me how to be resourceful and determined, and how to persevere.

Lockdown occurred and the last day the Paddle Steamer Melbourne cruised was the 23rd of March 2020. After running consistently for 54 years! She still has not operated again. Initially this was because it was not viable to operate her when we had capacity restrictions, but now it is due to staffing.

We were locked between states. The Murray River is New South Wales, Mildura is Victoria.

Where we board our passengers from, was in Victoria. When Victoria locked down and NSW closed its border, we could no longer board passengers! Once you stepped onto our vessels, you were in New South Wales! So, we had to shut down our cruises. We technically could have operated, because NSW wasn’t in lockdown – but we couldn’t board passengers, as that was in Victoria and tourists were avoiding the border regions because of the closures.

Then they closed the Murray River! This was also to keep Victorians off the river (and any potential border crossing). So even when Victoria came out of lockdown and we could cruise again, because NSW wasn’t locked down, the river was closed and the border was closed, which meant we could not operate! Fast forward again, we had a breakthrough! They opened the river; we had permission to cruise – provided we did not disembark passengers into NSW! This was a massive relief.

This was it; our boats were cruising again (albeit at ¼ of their capacity for social distancing). This lasted a couple of weeks. Then NSW locked down. The boats were tied up – even though Victoria was open, and we could still take passengers, but all NSW businesses had to shut, and this included us. Then Victoria closed the border to NSW. So again, we were locked between the states. Yes, there were grants available, but we were between the states, so none were applicable for us when Victoria shut down and NSW closed the river – because technically we were not “locked down” – but we couldn’t operate!

During all this time, over the whole Covid saga, is when I jumped into action. I wrote tirelessly to Cross Border Commissioners and Members of Parliament on their side of the border. Just for some leeway. I called newspapers, posted on social media, kicked up a fuss everywhere I could to get some answers. I became the face of the business and the region, bringing about our issues of

being caught between states. This is where my grandparent’s passion, their determination, perseverance, and tenacity welled inside of me. I made connections all along the river communities, and within our local community too, on both sides of the border.

Covid lockdowns gradually became a thing of the past, for now. Our business hasn’t recovered. In all honesty, that hurts. The blood, sweat and tears my grandparents put in to get the business to where it is today, is moving on. The family have made the decision to sell the business.

This has sent me on another journey. One other thing my Ma and Pa taught me, was to always keep learning and trying new things. If I wanted to come back to the boats, I can, but I also needed to go out and experience working elsewhere. I followed their wishes and became a classroom teacher, until my son was born, then I came back to the boats to help my Mum manage them. I essentially became the Marketing Manager. I could work from home, or my Mum would have my son if I was needed to work on board the boats. This led me to find a passion for marketing, writing, creating content, communicating with others, collaborating, and sharing experiences.

In 2022, I completed a course on Digital Marketing and created my own business. I now help other businesses with their marketing, while still assisting my Mum with the Paddle Boat business. Through the numerous connections made during the times of covid, collaborating with others and networking, I have a database of like-minded people to reach out and talk to.

Also, during 2022 and the start of 2023, the Murray River has one of its biggest floods. I was once again, in front of the media and all over

REAL BUSINESS LESSONS

the marketing to turn a Natural Disaster into a Marketing opportunity for our region. Even though our business was not able to operate during the floods, Mildura was high and dry and accessible for tourism. I was able to utilise my covid media and community connections and leverage my Digital Marketing business to assist with our Paddle Boat business and the whole Mildura/Wentworth Community. It even made it to A Current Affair!

What are the values I wish for people to gain by telling my story, and the story of my grandparents? It is essentially, start small, but

always dream big. Make note of the valuable connections you make in your life and your networks, they can become your leverage, and some of your most valuable supporters. You are always going to be faced with hardships and adversity, but through determination, perseverance, and resourcefulness you can and will overcome it. Learn when you also need to let go. You might be part of a family legacy, but the legacy will always remain with you if you hold to the values passed on. I learnt a lot of valuable lessons from my grandparents, their love and their memories are what I will pass on to my children.

Ashton McKenzie –Inspired By Ash

Inspired By Ash was founded by Ashton McKenzie in 2022, after many years of helping her family tourism businesses as a Marketing Manager, and providing assistance and guidance to other local businesses and their marketing efforts.

Our mission is to be a place of support and encouragement for small business owners, in regards to digital marketing and promotion, but also of personal growth and development.

With a diverse background in tourism & hospitality, event management, administration, customer service, education, psychology, mental health and disability support; Ashton deeply understands people, communication, meeting the needs of others and solving problems.

The marketing systems we put in place are powerful. These systems have helped multiple businesses to create millions of dollars in sales. We begin with targeted lead-generation strategies that are simple, yet effective.

LOW COST MARKETING STRATEGIES

By Sarah & Toby –The Rural Marketing Company

Right now, a lot of smaller businesses are in a bit of a pickle. Interest rates keep rising, which means mortgage repayments are going up. Utility bills, groceries and petrol are at an all time high. And the economy and the world around us is really quite scary.

All of this means that we, as business owners, need to generate more income so that we can maintain a reasonable standard of living for ourselves and our families. But because everyone is struggling, it’s getting harder and harder to get the sales we need.

Sadly, we are going to see plenty of businesses going under in these trying economic circumstances. However, it’s the clever ones among us who are going to be able to beat the odds and continue to thrive.

When things are tight financially, a business needs to find clever solutions to make the most of their budgets and their marketing.

Here’s a round up of some of our favourite and most effective low-cost marketing strategies you might like to use in your business.

Foundations First…

Firstly, we need to make sure our digital foundations are as strong as we can possibly make them. There’s no point trying to drive more traffic to a website if it’s not optimised to successfully convert that traffic into sales.

We also want to make sure we’re taking advantage of the FREE activities we can do to draw people into our world. Things like SEO, organic social media and having a lead magnet, to draw people on to our email database.

STEP 1: IMPROVE YOUR WEBSITE

Have you reviewed your website recently? No? It might be time to take a fresh look.

Here are a few tips:

• Is your navigation menu clear? Have you named your pages in a way that makes sense to your intended audience?

• Do you have a strong headline on the top of your home page? Does it clearly tell your buyers why they should be sticking around on your site? Can you do it in less words?

• Is your messaging customerfocused? Is it speaking to the outcomes they desire (rather than just saying what you do)?

• Is your messaging reflecting your brand in the right ways? Is it friendly? Is it engaging?

• Are your images professional, inviting and relevant? Do they help convey the right feel or emotion to encourage someone to buy?

• Is there enough information to encourage users to continue to the next step?

• It is CLEAR on what you want a user or customer to do next? Do you have a clear and strong call to action?

• Have you checked that all your links work?

• Have you checked that your contact page form works?

• Have you checked that your shopping cart works?

STEP 2: CREATE A LEAD MAGNET TO BUILD YOUR DATABASE

Most people, when they land on your website, won’t be quite ready to make an immediate decision to buy or invest in your products or services. They might be shopping around or gathering their options.

However, some of these people might well be interested in purchasing from you in future, whether that’s within the next week or month – or even 6 months or 12 months down the line.

Enticing them to join your email database allows you to keep in touch and nurture them over whatever time period they need, to make their purchasing decision.

Every business should have a lead magnet. This is something of value that you offer for free, to your target audience, in exchange for their email address. You should then have an automated email nurture sequence that gradually offers more value and introduces the value your services or products provide.

A lead magnet has traditionally been a checklist, a guide or ebook or in the case of eCommerce, a first-time buyer discount code.

These days, a lot of people are a little burnt out with the stock standard lead magnets, and the salesy emails that inevitably follow. So our expert tip is to go the extra mile with your lead magnet in terms of value. Go bigger! Often, two or three items in a little starter kit can work really well. Think an eBook AND a handy checklist or template. Or, an eBook AND a discount code.

STEP 3: IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE EMAIL NURTURE SEQUENCE AND OFFER

Once you have people signing up to get their free resource or code, you need to have an automated series of emails that get sent out to them at set intervals.

These should gradually step people through to an offer. This might be a direct sales offer leading them to a product or service, or, it might be to book a discovery call.

This in effect is a sales funnel, and it can be super duper simple, or incredibly complex. You might simply encourage people to purchase a low cost product – which then leads them to purchasing a larger product. You might just have them book a free call with you. Or, you might include upsells, downsells, cross sells etc.

If you’re just starting out, our advice is always to keep things simple at first, and then build a little more sophistication and complexity later.

Get Your Content Marketing Going

Once you know your website is in shape and you have a basic lead generation and sales funnel ready to go, you can start thinking about driving traffic to your website and your lead magnet.

Use your social media platforms and post content regularly and as consistently as you can manage.

Try to come up with a clear content marketing strategy, and stick to implementing it.

Even if you only have time to post something three times a week, do that consistently.

Also keep in mind that you should not be just posting sales content. Think 80% helpful and interesting content, perhaps relating to something your business does, and 20% where you directly promote your product or service.

For many businesses, this means you might use a combination of blog posts, shorter tip posts, testimonials, funny memes and little stories about you and your life and business.

Remember – if you’re trying to encourage people to download or access your lead magnet, make sure you feature and promote this regularly. For example, you might post a small tip relating to the content in your lead magnet, with a call to action to sign up for more detail.

Ultimately, the more people you have on your email database, the more successful your business will be at securing consistent sales.

Collaborate & Network

One of THE most powerful ways of growing your business and brand is by collaborating and networking with others.

This can be a little trickier for rural and regional businesses as we’re often located a fair distance away from in-person networking events. However, while in-person networking certainly works better, online networking is still pretty powerful.

Join relevant Facebook groups and get involved for free. Consider joining paid

mentoring or learning memberships that have engaged, supportive communities attached. You never know who might be looking for what you do. Reach out to other business owners who you admire – and see how you can help them with a mutually beneficial partnership.

And if you can get to any local in-person networking or business events, or occasionally travel out to a larger area with an event – do so. It’s well worth the effort to get out and about where you can, as connecting faceto-face often leads to quicker and deeper relationships.

When you collaborate, you may find that you’re able to get someone else to promote what you do to their audience – in exchange for you promoting them. Particularly, if you can find a business owner who offers a complimentary (but not competing) service, with a similar target audience.

Drive More Traffic

There’s lots of free or low-cost ways that you can drive more traffic to your website and lead magnet.

GUEST BLOG POSTS

Writing and supplying a blog post or article to another website is a great way of promoting what you do.

It’s usually free to do, you’re providing value that establishes your credibility and expertise and you’re hopefully enticing people back to your website. You’re also helping another business owner with their content – which builds goodwill and a relationship with them.

If you can get a backlink to your website, this also helps your SEO.

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES TO MAGAZINES

Similar to the above with blog posts, contributing an article to a magazine (such as this one!) can be a powerful strategy.

You can showcase your business in front of a larger existing audience, to grow your own.

FIND LOW COST ADVERTISING

There are lots of websites that offer low-cost promotional opportunities, such as business directories and industry associations etc.

Think directory listings, banner ads, affordable magazine ads (hint!), and other such opportunities.

FOCUS ON SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is making sure you rank well on Google organically. Most of us search on Google for the products and services we need, so it’s a powerful resource for small businesses.

It’s not always easy, and it is a longer term strategy, but it’s worthwhile trying to learn and do a little yourself as it’s a great source of free traffic.

GET GOOGLE ADS

Google ads can work well for many businesses, as it immediately bumps you to the top of the search results. You can also do it with a small budget and see results.

They are relatively simple to set up yourself, so they can be worthwhile playing around with to see if they help.

TRY FACEBOOK ADS

Facebook ads are probably trickier than Google ads, and more costly, but can be worthwhile to consider.

Make sure you do your research in advance though, as to how to get results, or you could be pouring money down the drain.

PROMOTE & PRESENT A WEBINAR TRAINING

If you’re trying to set yourself up as an expert, running a free training or information webinar can be highly effective.

Simply get people to sign up in advance (to use it as a lead magnet) – and then present your webinar, with a call to action at the end.

Just make sure that the emphasis is on SERVING your audience and giving them some really useful information, and that you’re not focusing too much on selling. You want to deliver on your promises as no one enjoys being let down with the same old, hard-sell webinars.

USE VIDEO CONTENT

As with webinars, video content can be really powerful, as people can actually see you, get a feel for your personality and style and feel that little bit more connected.

Post your video tips and content on social media, and consider setting up a YouTube channel as well.

Ideally, plan your video topics and content, but don’t read off a script. It’s much more authentic like this, even if you make mistakes. Humans like connecting with and buying from other real humans – not slick salespeople.

START A PODCAST

Podcasting is hugely popular, and has the advantage that you don’t need to get out of your pyjamas or worry about hair or makeup, as it’s just your voice. It also allows for a lot of connection, as people feel like they’re getting to know you more, than a written blog post for example.

It can take a little bit of time and patience, and consistency, to see real results, but it’s incredibly worthwhile.

APPEAR ON OTHER PODCASTS

If starting a podcast is too hard for you right now, it’s easy enough to apply or ask to be interviewed on other podcasts.

Find your peers, other local businesses, industry associations and complimentary business podcasts that have the audience you want to target.

It’s great exposure! Just remember to mention your lead magnet or where people can find you at the end.

Find the Low-Cost Opportunities That Suit You

While the economic conditions can seem a little daunting right now, there are opportunities for business growth. The trick is to not stick your head in the sand or ignore problems. If you’re finding things slowing down, or your cashflow dwindling, you need to take action.

There’s lots of different ways you can promote what you do, without spending a small fortune.

Sit down, take an objective look at what you’re currently doing, and work on implementing a few different tactics that suit your strengths. If you’re good at writing, write guest blog posts. If you enjoy speaking, apply to appear on podcasts.

But make sure you do things with a cool, calm and strategic head. A considered approach with confident execution will always win, both short and long term, over scattered, desperate tactics.

And if you need advice on what to do next, feel free to reach out to us. We’re always happy to take a look at what you’re doing and point you in the right direction.

Sarah Walkerden & Toby Billing –The Rural Marketing Company

Sarah is a multi-award-winning copywriter and marketer with over 19 years’ experience. She holds a Bachelor of Technology and is recognised as a CPM (Certified Practising Marketer) with the Australian Marketing Institute. Sarah is also a best-selling author of multiple books.

Toby is an experienced business founder, with multiple businesses and accolades under his belt. His current business, Billing Metals & Manufacturing, supplies specialty metals and element samples to schools, universities, and amateur scientists.

They love nothing more than combining their skills to empower like-minded rural business owners and regional authors to succeed.

More information, visit: theruralmarketingco.com.au

BIG CITY MARKETING DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK

By Edward Plant –The Business League

Are you sick of so-called-experts telling you how to get new business with off-the-shelf strategies that just don’t work?

Are you sick of everyone saying you need to be on Facebook or Twitter or TikTok or Snap Chat or all of them, all at once?

Do you find it hard to attract new, quality clients in your regional area?

Let me share the story of Dave. A typical small business owner in a regional town in Queensland (but it could be anywhere in Australia).

Dave wanted some more clients. He engaged a web developer because he was told he had to have a website. He spent $1000’s. It looked great.

But he didn’t get one extra client.

He then got told he had to be on social media. He paid a consultant money to set up profiles and some content but then stopped, because it wasn’t working either. Still no new clients.

Does this sound familiar?

I’d like to share with you three simple strategies that are designed for small communities to be able to consistently generate new clients.

Which begs the question – why don’t these strategies work?

To be honest it comes down to three things.

KNOW. LIKE. and TRUST.

Basically it’s building a relationship with someone. This is essential in all marketing, but even more important in regional communities.

If your prospects know, like and trust you –they will become clients.

Your know, like and trust credibility is your livelihood.

So any strategy to grow new clients needs to do it in a way that builds know, like and trust.

Makes sense right?

So how can you get new business in regional communities?

Here are three strategies that you can do without spending any money. You will need to create the specific details of them and implement them in your business.

STRATEGY #1: CONNECT WITH YOUR EXISTING COMMUNITY

Most businesses start off wanting to grow their business by looking for new leads. When in fact there is plenty of money still on the table in their current business. Here are some things to think about:

Your current clients may want more than what you’ve already done for them. Your wider network may be interested but are busy and have not taken action. Work out how to communicate with them from a place that builds the relationship. Ask for introductions from your current community.

STRATEGY #2: CREATE COLLABORATORS

There is a 90% chance that there are many people in your network that have your clients before you. These people could be great collaborators and you could help each other out. Create a collaboration process to generate opportunity for these people.

STRATEGY #3: C REATE YOUR LIST OF 100

We recommend you have a list of 100 people to build a relationship with. If you create valuable conversations with these you will definitely create more clients. The list of 100 should cover 4-key areas, we call these your “4 C’s”. They are:

• Clients (Potential Clients)

• Collaborators (people to work with to create opportunity)

• Community (people that are good to have in your world)

• Cutoffs (people who are toxic and should be removed from your world)

In a list of 100, we aim to have the following ratio: 60:20:15:5.

These strategies should start to build your know, like and trust factor far more quickly, than only posting online.

We live in an oversaturated online world. It might be time to get back to good old relationship building and have some real life conversations.

Edward Plant is the founder and co-director of The Business League. The Business League is a company driven to connect communities and support business owners to create profitable conversations to drive growth in their businesses. They do this by introducing practical easy to implement lead generation systems into businesses that deliver new clients every month.

Edward spent 17-years in the Australian Army in the Corp of Engineers. He deployed around the world, leading soldiers in Iraq, Malaysia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. Edward was also the lead trainer in the Army of Engineer Officer training for the ranks of Lieutenant, Captain and Major.

Since leaving the Army he has run a number of businesses and supported 100’s of business owners to grow their business and reduce their time working in the business. If you want to reach out and start a conversation with Edward please send an email to support@thebusinessleague.com.au

Edward Plant –

The Business League

HOW TO GAIN NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS

By Rachel Reva –Life on Her Terms Media

One of the biggest misconceptions about the media – especially national media – is that you need to live in a capital city to get attention for your business.

And now, more than ever, TV producers are happy to do zoom interviews and send out crew to regional areas to grab a story – if the pitch is right.

For regional business owners, there has never been a better time – or easier way – to get visible and attract new clients to your brand, without leaving your home.

In today's world, visibility is crucial for women in business who want to grow their brand and reach their target audience. Yes, it’s harder to stand out among the noise, but that is the brilliance of the media.

Here’s a roadmap if you are ready to get visible, land media coverage, and grow your business.

STEP 1: DEFINE YOUR BRAND AND TARGET AUDIENCE

Define your brand and identify your target audience. Who am I here for? You need a clear message, a mission, a pitch: this is who I am, this is who I serve, this is the outcome you will get from engaging with us, signing up or buying our service. This can start with: developing a brand story, creating a brand message, and identifying your ideal customer's pain points and needs. Once you have a clear understanding of your brand and target audience, you can start developing content that speaks directly to them.

STEP 2: CREATE A CONTENT STRATEGY

Once you have a clear brand message and target audience, it's time to develop a content strategy. Don’t overthink this - It’s about being consistent, not being perfect! Create valuable content that speaks to your audience's pain points and needs. Such as: blog posts, Instagram reels, social

(without leaving your home)

media posts and other types of content that showcase your expertise and provide value to your audience.Not sure where to start? Google ‘the biggest challenges for (insert your ideal client)’. Make sure to use keywords that align with your target audience, which will help improve your SEO (meaning Google becomes your new marketing best friend!).

STEP 3: CREATE A PRESS KIT

A press kit is a collection of materials that journalists and media outlets can use to learn more about your brand and business. A press kit includes your bio, headshots, product photos, previous interviews and other relevant materials. Having a press kit readily available can help streamline the media outreach process and increase your chances of getting media coverage - and keeps you from having to resend the same documents and files over email!

STEP 4: PITCH TO THE MEDIA

It may sound scary, but this is where the awesome happens. Start by building relationships with the media: reach out to journalists who cover topics related to your industry or niche and offer your expertise as a source for their stories. Start with twitter and look up the TV shows that would make sense for your brand and your audience. You can also pitch story ideas that align with your brand message and target audience. Building relationships with journalists takes time, but it can pay off with increased visibility and media coverage. Download a copy of our free media list that has over 100 media outlets to get you started. Once you master the pitch, you can do it in 10 minutes a day (seriously!) - which continues to grow your brand online – no ad spend required!

STEP 5: KEEP PITCHING

Building visibility and getting media coverage takes time and persistence. You gotta stay consistent – with your own content and your pitching. This includes regularly publishing high-quality content, reaching out to journalists, and networking with other entrepreneurs and influencers. While it may take time to see results, staying persistent can pay off with increased visibility, media coverage, and business growth.

The best news is, you don’t need to leave your home to gain national attention for your business, it’s just one pitch away.

Life on Her Terms Media

Rachel Reva is a publicity strategist, founder of Life On Her Terms Media, author and radio host. She lives in Newcastle with her young family. You can follow her on

@lifeonhertermsmedia

Rachel Reva –

(AI) SOFTWARE RUN MY BUSINESS? WILL AI REPLACE COPYWRITERS?

CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

By Sarah Walkerden –The Rural Copywriter

Right now, there’s a lot of talk about the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT software, that can basically write and spit out content for you, based on your instructions.

You can tell the program to instantly write your blog posts, your social media content, your website copy. Or you can ask it for advice or to answer your questions. It’s really quite something.

As a copywriter, you might imagine that it could be a bit of a threat to our profession and livelihoods. I mean, why pay an ‘expensive’ copywriter with 19 years’ experience, when ChatGPT can spit out automatically generated content in mere minutes, at the click of a button, completely free?

Have a scroll through any business-related Facebook group at the moment, and you’ll see plenty of people recommending that you DO use AI programs to create your content and marketing material. Particularly, when people are finding the output to be quite decent.

The question becomes – should you? Can you? Could you? Would you?

The short answer is possibly, AI can assist you in running your business and crafting content. The real answer isn’t quite as simple.

How good is AI really?

Surprisingly, even a lot of my copywriting peers are finding that AI is producing some really good content. Which is awesome. Yet, can AI really replace the creativity and uniqueness of humans? I don’t really believe so.

AI software may well be able to pull together some research and ideas and spin that into a decently written piece. But it’s really unlikely to be able to replicate the uniqueness of YOU. I know the times I’ve tried, it comes out sounding pretty formal and not at all like I write.

And some of the AI attempts my peers have been posting as examples are really quite ludicrous. Generally, when the instructions are given to the software to use a specific tone of voice. You’re just not always going to get quality content and quite frankly, a computer program is never really going to be able to create the brilliance that a complex, intelligent and clever human can.

The true beauty of a good copywriter is that they can match the tone of your brand and incorporate your unique tone and style into the words they write (not to mention optimise for SEO). Much of the content I write is really quite casual and can be a little ‘left of field’ –because that’s the type of copy that people connect with emotionally. Can a computer write emotive, engaging copy? I’m not so sure.

But, to test my thoughts and theories, I figured I had to test and use AI for myself. In fact, I even asked ChatGPT what it thought about this question.

Here’s

what I asked…

“Write a blog post on the topic - Can AI run my business for me? - in a casual tone.”

And here was the output…

“Have you ever wondered if you could just sit back and let an AI run your business for you? It sounds like a dream come true, right? But is it really possible? Let's dig in and see.

Firstly, let's define what we mean by "running a business". There are a lot of things that go into running a successful business, from managing finances to marketing to customer service. So, can AI handle all of these tasks?

Well, the short answer is no, not completely. While AI has made incredible strides in recent years, it's important to remember that it's still limited by the data it's given and the algorithms it's programmed with. This means that it can't make truly creative decisions or come up with innovative solutions on its own. However, that's not to say that AI can't play a valuable role in running a business. In fact, there are several ways in which AI can help streamline processes and free up time for you to focus on the bigger picture.

For example, AI can help with tasks like data analysis, automating repetitive tasks, and even predicting trends and customer behavior. This can save you time and resources, allowing you to make more informed decisions about the direction of your business.”

Wow. That’s quite a smart answer to get from a machine.

I also tried this…

“Write an article on whether AI will replace professional copywriters - in a fun, casual tone.”

And got this…

“Hey there! The topic of AI replacing professional copywriters is certainly a hot one. As a friendly AI assistant, I'd love to share my thoughts on the matter in a fun and casual way. Let's dive in!

First things first, let's talk about what AI is and what it can do. Artificial Intelligence is the development of computer systems that are capable of performing tasks that would usually require human intelligence. It involves the creation of algorithms and computer programs that can simulate human thought processes such as learning, problem-solving, decision-making, and language processing.

Now, when it comes to writing, AI has made some significant strides in recent years. There are now several advanced AI-powered writing tools available that can generate articles, blog posts, social media content, and even product descriptions in a matter of seconds. These tools use natural language processing, machine learning algorithms, and deep learning techniques to create human-like content.

But the question remains, can AI replace professional copywriters? Well, the short answer is no. While AI can generate content at a lightning-fast pace, the writing that it produces is often quite formulaic and lacks the nuances and creativity that professional copywriters bring to the table. AI is excellent at generating standardized content that's informative and concise but isn't necessarily suitable to use as is.”

While I’m not too sure that it’s really managing the ‘fun and casual tone’ instruction in a sophisticated way(!) – at least, ChatGPT agrees with my line of thinking!

And while it’s nice that the software agrees with me that it can’t replace professional copywriters entirely, it does amaze me at just how smart and well written these responses were.

or look for high-paying job opportunities. Remember, it's important to be patient and persistent in your efforts to build wealth.”

Damn!

How Can Business Owners Take Advantage of AI?

So, we’ve established that AI can’t run your entire business, nor can it entirely replace you or a copywriter for writing content. But it can certainly help to make your content production quicker and easier.

USE AI TO FIGHT THE BLANK PAGE

Many business owners, and indeed many copywriters from what I hear, are actually now using AI to combat the issue of tackling the dreaded blank page. Often, the hardest part of writing anything is getting started. When you sit there staring at an empty Word document with that blinking cursor mocking you – starting with something could be quite helpful.

So yes, if you’re sitting down to write a blog post, and ChatGPT or similar can help you with the basis of that piece of content – go for it.

Which is why I just HAD to ask it this one… “How can

I make a million dollars quickly?”

But sadly, it actually gave me a sensible answer, and no magical secrets to success…

“I'm sorry, but there is no guaranteed way to make a million dollars quickly. However, I can suggest some ways to potentially increase your income over time. You could invest in stocks or real estate, start your own business,

Just make sure you check it in its entirety, very thoroughly, and do your best to edit and inject your own personality, unique style and your own knowledge into it.

A computer is only ever going to generate content from the research it can find, or pure facts and figures. It’s not going to be able to share your unique stories or experiences in the same way that you can.

And bland, computer-generated content is just not going to have the same impact in connecting with your audience.

Plus, you might want to fact check and make sure that all the information it generates is actually accurate and reflects your own personal beliefs and knowledge. There’s a lot of conflicting information out there on the internet – so you’ll want to make sure it’s picking up the right stuff.

USE AI TO SAVE TIME

Rather than writing from scratch, using AI to produce something to work from, could well be a huge time saver for you. Again, you can then just tweak and edit, which can be a quicker process. This is a very valid use of AI.

That said, be careful. There’s also a very good chance that you’ll waste a fair bit of time figuring out what instructions to give it and to continuously get ridiculous content spat at you. That could get a little frustrating.

USE AI TO GENERATE CONTENT IDEAS

If you’re completely stuck on what topic to tackle in your next blog post or social media post, you may well be able to come up with ideas using AI.

As a prompt or inspiration tool, it can be quite handy.

USE AI TO GIVE YOU AN ARTICLE OUTLINE

If you’re not entirely comfortable with using straight AI generated content, and actually enjoy writing, you might consider using AI to give you an article outline of talking points. This can be very useful, to give you something to work to, with the end product still being your own creative work.

USE AI TO REDUCE EXPENSE

Often, engaging a professional copywriter is that little bit cheaper if they are simply editing or expanding existing content – rather than writing from scratch.

By producing an article outline, some basic dot points of information or even a rough draft, a copywriter can turn that into a finished and effective work of art in an hour – rather than three, for example.

And yes, I’m more than willing to do this if you need help.

There is a bit of a disclaimer here though – if the content you give your copywriter is really poor, or just not going to represent your brand in the best possible way, you could still be up for a full figure fee if they deem it necessary to start from scratch.

Will AI replace copywriters (or designers, or any other role)?

I think not. I think it can be a helpful tool for a lot of busy business owners if it makes regular content generation easier. But copywriting, particularly SEO copywriting and conversion copywriting for websites and sales pages, are a very complex beast.

When you’re attempting to connect emotionally with your audience

(because emotion is what sells what you do!) – only a real human can produce something that is really effective. A real-life person is always going to connect better with another real-life person.

AI can be a helpful tool in your business to streamline certain activities, but it’s not capable of everything.

And remember, that the success of most small businesses relies on your individual uniqueness. A computer program can’t replicate that. You want to be talking directly to your customers in your own words.

I believe that real human connection can only be forged through real human connection. Your words. The way you construct your sentences. Those crazy little slang words you use. The unique tone and structure of your speech. That’s what connects with your audience on a really real level. I don’t believe that computer programs and AI can really go to that level at this stage.

The same applies to any other profession. Humans are complex, creative, emotive creatures and we all crave true connection and value real artistic expression. Not robot or machine-generated output.

Sarah Walkerden –The Rural Copywriter

Sarah Walkerden, The Rural Copywriter, is a digital marketing messaging and strategy ace. She helps rural and regional businesses win scores of adoring customers and boost their Google rankings.

Her ‘no fluff, no bull-dust’ approach creates straight-shooting SEO Website Copy that cultivates real results, helping ‘agri’ and other rural businesses to flourish.

A country girl at heart, Sarah spent years managing websites for large corporate companies in Melbourne. Now she’s settled on her rural property in regional Victoria with her young family, her horses and her thriving business.

Sarah’s credentials:

• 19 Years’ experience as a Website Specialist & Marketer (city-based AND rural industries).

• A multi award-winning Copywriter.

• Recognised Certified Practising Marketer (CPM) with the Australian Marketing Institute.

• Best Selling Author of ‘Rural Business Women’.

• Bachelor of Technology (Interactive Multimedia & Communications).

WHY FORMATTING YOUR CONTENT IS UNDERRATED AND HOW TO DO IT BETTER

By Lauren Carter –The Plain English School

I don’t know about you, but have you ever read a text and loved what it was saying, but something felt… off? You couldn’t really put your finger on it, but it seemed a little bit difficult to read even though the words and sentences were simple enough. Sound familiar?

Well, the problem was most likely something to do with its formatting. In my experience, this is something that often gets missed when we create content. You may not realise it, but appropriate formatting is absolutely crucial in getting your messaging across to your clients and customers in a way that actually makes sense to them.

What is formatting and what does it include?

When I talk about formatting, I mean the way we organise or present our content to our audience. We can think of formatting as three things:

• The medium

• The physical properties

• The other aids

The medium means the way we express our meaning. This could be a letter, SMS, email, podcast, video, social media post, infographic, physical sign, or insert a million other mediums. If it’s something you can consume as content, then it’s a medium.

The physical properties mean the actual attributes of the content. This could be its physical size if it’s a poster, a certain number of minutes if it’s a video, a certain number of words if it’s text-based, a certain file size if it’s a podcast, or a certain file type if it’s a digital document.

Lastly, the highly technical “other aids” mean the extra parts of the content that aren’t the main text or words. These extra parts help the content get its meaning across and achieve its intended outcome. Depending on the content type, this could be headings, lists, tables, graphics, music, silence, or hyperlinks. Even blank space is a formatting tool we can use.

What function does formatting have?

As writers, speakers, creators, and entrepreneurs, formatting our content helps us immensely. It makes the creation process so much easier. Why? There are two reasons:

• We get an opportunity to plan our content

• We get to decide how our audience consumes our information

When we stop and think about the content’s formatting first, we get a chance to plan it out before diving into creation mode. This helps us organise our ideas into some logical sense, which makes our content flow better. This also gives our audience a better experience because our ideas naturally flow on from each other, so our audience don’t feel like they’re jumping all over the place trying to piece together what we’re trying to say.

Considering our content’s formatting also gives us the opportunity to decide how we want our audience to consume or interact with it. Do we want them to read it or watch it? Will our audience have a better outcome

if they read it or watch it? This step is often overlooked because it’s easy for us to default to what’s easiest or quickest for us as creators (and what’s in our budget, too!). But we can get higher engagement from and better results for our audience when we consider their needs too.

I’m a massive believer in stepping out of your comfort zone, shaking things up a bit, and continuing to be innovative with the way we deliver information. When we stop to think about the medium, properties, and other aids for our content, we get an opportunity to say “Hang on – we’ve always done it like this, but is that actually working or is there a better way to do this?”.

Why is appropriate formatting necessary?

Appropriate formatting is SO important in every piece of content we create. We don’t realise how important this is, so we often skip it or don’t even give it a second thought. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve written your text in the plainest of plain English. If it’s not in a format that resonates with your audience or is appropriate for them, then all that hard work has gone out the window.

There are 4 main reasons why appropriate formatting is necessary. When your formatting is appropriate, your audience:

1. Can understand your content

2. Are engaged with your content

3. Want to interact with you and your business more

4. Can interact with your content in the way you want or need them to

Having appropriate formatting is a win-win situation for everyone. It really makes life easier and makes sure that all the hard work

you’ve done in writing, creating, or recording your content doesn’t go to waste. Could you imagine spending hours upon hours creating an amazing blog post, video, or worksheet for your audience only to have them not able to use it? Appropriate formatting is often the missing piece when it comes to creating content that your clients and customers actually use, so don’t forget about it.

How do I format my texts effectively?

There are three things you need to do so you can format your texts well. You need to:

1. Identify your audience and their needs

2. Identify and plan which formatting strategies are most appropriate for your audience

3. Format your content accordingly

Let’s look at these in more detail.

IDENTIFYING YOUR AUDIENCE

The first and definitely the most important thing you need to do is to identify your audience and their needs. Your audience will have different needs according to who they are, so it’s important to really understand them. You might consider their language level, previous education, background knowledge about a specific topic, and techsavviness to name a few. If your clients and customers are non-native English speakers with low English literacy levels, you wouldn’t use the same formatting as you would for native English speakers who are universityeducated. Likewise, if your audience isn't tech savvy, creating a printed survey for them to complete is better than getting them to scan a QR code to complete one online. You need to really get to know your audience before

planning or creating content for them so you understand their needs and abilities.

PLANNING YOUR FORMATTING STRATEGIES

The next step is to identify and plan which formatting strategies you can use to help address your audience’s needs. Some questions to answer are:

• What medium would best suit my audience?

• Are there any physical properties I need to consider so I can meet my audience’s needs and address any barriers they have?

• What other aids can I use to help get my meaning across and make my content easy to consume?

When choosing a medium, think about whether it should be physical or digital first. You can usually decide this based on your audience’s technology skills and how you usually interact with them. Next, think about the actions your audience will do when interacting with your content – do you want them to read it, watch it, hear it, touch it, smell it, or taste it?

And then put those two together. Here are some ideas:

• Physical + reading = letters, posters, signs, and brochures

• Digital + reading = blogs, social media posts, website copy, and SMS

• Physical + hearing = radio ads, announcements, live music, and in-person talks

• Digital + hearing = podcasts, audio books, audio recordings, and recorded music

Now, you may be thinking “how can you smell or taste content?”. Well, we can think of content more than being a blog post, SMS, video, or letter. It’s also in-person events, too.

If you’re a baker who holds in-person training about making sourdough bread, then that’s a medium too. Get creative and find ways to get your message across in a way that resonates with your audience.

Make sure you consider the physical properties of your content and any other aids you can offer, too. Physical properties could include font size, file size, physical size, word count, and colours. Other aids could include graphics, hyperlinks, blank space, captions, headings, and even physical items.

FORMATTING YOUR CONTENT

The last step is to actually format the text according to your plan. Try to put as much effort into this as possible. If you decide to use graphics, don’t pick the first one you find – pick the one that best suits your audience and their needs. Now, obviously you’ve created a plan for a reason, but don’t be afraid to change it as you go. Sometimes you may realise that what you thought would work in your head doesn’t work in reality. And that’s completely okay. We don’t want to follow a plan for the sake of following a plan – do what’s best for you and your audience.

THE TAKEAWAY

If there’s one thing to take away from this article, it’s this: the way you format your content can make your clients and customers better engage with your content and take the desired action you want. Well-formatted content can bring in more dollars for you because your audience can better focus on your messaging. It can also save you time and money through limiting miscommunications with customers and clients because you’ve put their needs first by appropriately formatting your content.

So, follow the three steps above to help you format your content better. Remember to be creative and don’t be afraid to push the

Lauren Carter –The Plain English School

Lauren Carter is a plain English writer and trainer who helps small businesses in regional and rural Australia communicate more effectively with their clients and customers. After working in the education, technology, and creative industries for the past 10 years, she now specialises in working with small business owners and sole traders in these areas.

She’s a self-proclaimed Plain English Nerd who graduated in the top 1% of her graduating year for her Bachelor of Chinese and Linguistics (#HumbleBrag). Her friends joke that she can speak seven languages, but in reality, it’s only two – English and Mandarin.

boundaries in the way you communicate. Has something always been a written document? Maybe a video or audio recording might work better for your audience.

Remember that just because you’ve always done something a certain way, it doesn’t mean it’s the best way to do it. Be creative and innovative in the way you format your texts, and you’ll be well on your way to making content that resonates with your audience and is easy for them to understand.

She lives in Ballarat, Victoria with her lovely husband, son, and cattle dog. When not running her own business at The Plain English School or looking after her son, you can find her doing Crossfit, eating crunchy peanut butter, and solving Rubik’s cubes.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LAUREN

Web: theplainenglishschool.com

lauren@theplainenglishschool.com

Lauren Carter The Plain English School

COLLABORATE YOUR WAY TO BECOMING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR, FASTER

By Sarah & Toby –The Rural Publishing Company

In today’s economic climate, we need to do things smarter. And one of the smartest things you can place a solid emphasis on, when it comes to building your regional business, is collaboration.

It’s very well known that joining forces with others allows you to each go much further, much faster, than if you go it alone. And that’s also true when it comes to publishing books.

Many of us as business owners need to find innovative ways to stand out and get ourselves and our brands noticed and known. Books may not seem innovative, when we have so much existing and rapidly emerging technology at our fingertips – but they are something that others perceive highly and are highly effective in elevating your brand.

When you get a book published and can call yourself a ‘published author’ you earn instant credibility in the eyes of others. Which also gives you trust. This makes potential clients or customers far more likely to invest in you, at higher rates.

Yet, writing a book is hard work. It can take some serious time, motivation and commitment to get it done. For many business owners, writing 60,000 words can take months, if not years, to achieve.

And if you don’t have a huge audience, or a literary agent, or a traditional publishing house knocking on your door to offer you an instant paid contract (most of us don’t!) – it can also be quite an expensive process. You either self-publish alone – and have to fork out for an editor, a cover designer, an internal layout specialist, etc. and spend hours trying to figure out the publishing process yourself. Or you pay a hybrid publisher to do all of this for you. Either way, it costs money.

But all of this can be solved when you collaborate. When you join forces to write and publish a book with others, you split the work, the writing and the costs. You can also leverage other businesses' audiences – to expand your own.

Let’s take a more detailed look at why you might join forces with another business owner or several, to write and publish a book – and how you might approach it.

Why Collaborate When Publishing a Book

WRITE LESS CONTENT

Most business positioning books require a bare minimum of 40,000 words – but ideally, are around 60,000 words. That’s a fair amount of writing to get done. If you like writing it might happen easily enough. If you don’t though, there’s a good chance you might give up or not start at all.

If you team up with one other person, you clearly halve the amount of writing. If you team up with four, you’re only doing a quarter. Writing 15,000 words is much more achievable and far less daunting.

SPLIT THE PUBLISHING COSTS

A freelance editor can cost anywhere between $2000 - $10000 for a 60,000-word book. If your writing isn’t strong, it will require more work and therefore be on the more expensive end. Yikes! That’s a lot of money to invest by yourself, and then you need a cover designer and internal designer as well, at a bare minimum.

Hiring a hybrid publisher can get expensive, depending on who you choose. We charge $6,000 to publish a business book of 60,000 words in a wholistic and comprehensive manner. This includes full editing, professional cover design, internal design, publishing, distribution and more. It often works out to be far more affordable than attempting to hire separate experts for all the different moving parts (not to mention it’s easier to coordinate), but still, it’s a decent chunk of money to invest on your own.

Split that by 2, 3 or 4 and it’s clearly not such a headache. Paying $1500 for publishing, for example, can be a lot more achievable.

SHARE THE MARKETING EFFORT, LEVERAGE EACH OTHER’S AUDIENCES

This is where things get even smarter. When there’s more than one of you to write and publish a single book, there’s more than one of you to tackle the marketing of the finished book. Hooray!

With more of you to market and promote the book – you’ll inevitably sell more copies, as you’ll each have different audiences to promote to.

This also has the advantage of putting your name in front of someone else’s audience –and enticing them into yours, to help your business grow.

ENHANCE YOUR BOOKS’ POWER

Collaborating with other complimentary business owners to write a book, ultimately makes that book far more powerful. Instead of it just being written from one perspective, you can offer the expertise of several specialists at once. Thereby increasing its value in the marketplace and setting it apart from others.

I don’t know about you, but I would pay more attention to a book on horse training, if it had several professionals contributing to it, as you know you’re far more likely to get more detailed information and a more balanced perspective.

YOU CAN INSPIRE, HELP AND MOTIVATE EACH OTHER

As with any type of collaborative effort, when there’s a group of you, you’re all far more likely to achieve an objective.

If you’re all supporting and encouraging each other, and holding each other accountable, you’re all far more likely to write your part of the book and get the job done.

Sometimes, we all need a bit of a gentle shove in the right direction!

How Do I Collaborate on a Book?

So, when a task seems too massive to tackle by yourself, it makes sense to team up with others to help make it happen more easily. But how might you make this happen?

The first thing to think about is how many people ideally, would you like to team up with. What budget do you have available? How much do you feel comfortable writing? Next, consider whether you have a ‘business bestie’ – or a friend who runs a complimentary business, that might be able to talk about the same topic of expertise as you, but from a different perspective or angle? Or do you have a few business contacts who might be interested?

A horse trainer might team up with an equine body specialist, a farrier, a vet and a saddle fitter to write a book on how to start and produce a young horse nicely under saddle, while keeping them physically sound and healthy.

Your book needs to solve a specific problem for a specific audience. Or inspire them and teach them how to achieve a specific goal they might have.

When it’s a business thought-leadership or credibility and positioning book – it needs to focus on helping your audience in an area that you want them to see you as an expert in.

The Pitfalls of Collaboration

Of course, when you join forces with anyone in business or in life, there are hazards. Mostly, it’s a little bit like those dreadful school group assignments. You might be more committed to doing the work in a timely manner, than the others you’ve chosen to partner with. You’ll also want to make sure you get the financial commitment upfront, to make sure you’re not left with the total bill.

If you’re going to take advantage of this book writing strategy, you need to be sure that you’re going into partnership with the right people.

They should be:

For example, a remedial massage therapist, an osteo, a physio and a naturopath might team up to write a book on relieving back pain. They can all tackle the same problem from different perspectives to give the reader a holistic view and understanding of how they can relieve and manage their pain.

• At least somewhat known to you as being trustworthy and reliable – either through a personal or professional relationship or network.

• Enthusiastic about the concept of the book.

• Committed to doing the writing by a set date.

• Willing to put their money where their mouth is, upfront.

• Happy to contribute ideas and opinions throughout the editing, design and publishing process.

• Dedicated to promoting the finished book.

Make sure you figure out a set timeline for when everyone’s first drafts are due, and clear expectations on responding in a timely manner to feedback etc.

What to do if you don’t know anyone to collaborate with?

The easy answer to that, is to get in touch with us at The Rural Publishing Company. We’re constantly talking to business owners about publishing, we’re involved in lots of different business networks, and we’ve always got our ears open.

Chances are, we might know someone who’s looking for you, to collaborate with too. Alternatively, we also coordinate our own collaborative books, which offers you the chance to get published at a very low cost to you. Feel free to ask us if this interests you.

Ready to Write?

If you’ve ever thought about writing a book to position yourself and skyrocket your business to new heights, collaborating with your peers might well be the quickest and easiest way to do it – let alone, produce the best book possible.

It’s a powerful strategy to get real credibility, and set yourself apart from your competitors, real fast.

Sarah is a multi-award-winning copywriter and marketer with over 19 years’ experience. She holds a Bachelor of Technology and is recognised as a CPM (Certified Practising Marketer) with the Australian Marketing Institute. Sarah is also a best-selling author of multiple books.

Toby is an experienced business founder, with multiple businesses and accolades under his belt. His current business, Billing Metals & Manufacturing, supplies specialty metals and element samples to schools, universities, and amateur scientists.

They love nothing more than combining their skills to empower like-minded rural business owners and regional authors to succeed. They do this with their professional, affordable publishing packages, their easy writing and publishing courses and their incredible book coaching services.

More information, visit: theruralmarketingco.com.au

Sarah Walkerden & Toby Billing –The Rural Publishing Company

AN ARRAY OF OPPORTUNITIES AWAIT YOU IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

By Bek Bishop –Elite Building Services

I’m the co-founder and self-proclaimed ‘Office Goddess’ at Elite Building Services and have been involved in the construction industry now for over 17 years.

I originally came from the legal sector, however I had an accident that stopped me from working and then eventually I returned to work flexibly in our home business.

The building industry has been very kind to me. I have established myself as a leader in our industry, particularly through the pandemic. I have won many state and national awards for my roles within the business in the last four years and our business has won some incredible housing awards through both the HIA and Master Builders Association.

Most importantly, I have made wonderful friendships and relationships that I am truly grateful for, both within our business with our fabulous team of trades and suppliers and industry bodies and also within the external networks that I am a part of.

In 2021 I was elected into the Master Builders Housing Sector Committee, where I still sit with other like-minded individuals who are all committed to creating solutions in our industry.

We are future focused and aim to improve our industry to welcome people such as yourselves to give you the best opportunity to thrive in this space. You are in fact the future of our industry.

Why should people consider entering the construction industry?

Firstly, the construction industry is a wonderful industry to be involved in. We work hard, play hard, we achieve and we celebrate our people. Probably my favourite thing about being involved in the building industry is what we are able to do for people. I consider it an absolute honour and privilege to be entrusted by our customers to build their homes.

Building someone's home is not something to take lightly. You are being trusted to take care of the biggest asset that these people will ever have and it should be built with a sense of pride and with a commitment to excellence. This is not just a house to them. It is their home. It is a place where they will create memories, potentially build a family and happily live out their lives. That is something I am truly grateful for and it brings me joy every single day.

And we don't just build homes for our customers. We build homes with our customers and provide them with a human experience rather than a process. We make sure that our customers are involved in all the excitement that building a home should be about. When they are enjoying their building experience rather than just going through a building process, we are improving customer experience and thereby elevating the reputation of the building industry, making it a better place for everyone to work and enjoy.

In construction, you have the opportunity to be part of something really special and do something you are truly passionate about, enjoy doing, you get to call it work and get paid well for it. And you get to do it every day with your mates. You get to see the end result of all the work you have done and proudly say, “I helped build that!”. There is also the opportunity to have your work showcased in industry awards programs and be recognised for your contribution to our industry. How cool is it to be a part of something so special?

You can gain exposure to all types of projects, whether that’s building homes, schools, hospitals, high-rises or roads. You will see the positive impact that your work has on your local community. Plus the skills that you will develop in construction can be taken with you anywhere around the world!

We also work continuously to ensure that the construction industry is also a safe place to work. Our industry is heavily regulated with safety as a priority and compliance has never been more top of mind than in the last three years in ensuring compliance with all relevant government guidelines and restrictions during the pandemic. This is an evolving space and we are continuously improving safety on site.

The construction industry is truly an amazing employer. It is the largest employer in Victoria and has provided tens of thousands of people with employment throughout the pandemic. The construction industry has proven resilience to all kinds of challenges in the past three years and was one of very few industries to actually remain open.

By operating safely and remaining compliant, our industry was able to stay open and enable the wider economy to continue ticking over until other industries were able return to work. The construction industry is the backbone of Victoria’s economy.

What sort of jobs are there in construction?

With construction, you are not bound to the one job for the rest of your life. There are plenty of opportunities to develop extra skills and undertake extra training to specialise in new areas or work your way up the ladder. In your career, you will certainly get out what you put in.

The construction industry offers an abundance of opportunity and career paths. There are so many trades to choose from as well as many different office roles, compliance roles or even executive level roles to pursue.

Many people start as an apprentice or tradie and go on to own and operate their own business, with some going full circle and becoming managers, supervisors or builders who then look after their own trades.

There are also a lot of opportunities for ongoing education and training in our industry and with mandatory trades registration and licensing coming into effect in 2022, there’s never been a better time to commit to study

and be the best you can be in your chosen career path. Undertaking your Domestic Builder Registration will not only ensure that you are compliant with the new requirements, but will also provide you with more options for advancement in your career.

Construction employment is projected to rise by 80,700 (or 6.8%) over the five years to November 2025. There is strong projected employment growth in Residential Construction (16,300 or 10.6%), initially supported by government stimulus measures and reflected in the surge in dwelling approvals since mid-2020.

Victoria is currently experiencing a shortage in construction trades across the industry. Carpenters and Joiners, Bricklayers and Plumbers are most heavily affected. There is also a significant shortage in Building surveyors.

Jobs available

APPRENTICESHIPS – offer a world of opportunity to gain real-life skills that can be used across many sectors and there are programs with both the HIA and Master Builders Association.

The HIA offers an apprenticeship program that guarantees that you will learn every aspect of your chosen career from the most experienced and skilled HIA members. This program offers on the job training and mentoring with a mix of training courses to make sure you become a fully qualified tradesperson. You can then decide if you want to continue working for someone else or whether you want to become your own boss.

There are also scholarships available through the Master Builders Victoria Foundation which provide financial assistance towards course

fees and can help with the development of a toolkit or resources for your career. Scholarships start at $2,200 for an early career scholarship and go up to $10,000 for a leadership scholarship.

I would highly recommend taking advantage of an apprenticeship program and any scholarships available to you.

JOBS-

• Some Trade jobs are:

o Bricklayers

o Carpenters

o Concreters

o Cabinetmakers

o Civil Construction Workers

o Demolition Workers

o Electricians

o Glaziers

o Joiners

o Landscapers

o Painters

o Plasterers

o Plumbers

o Roofers

o Stonemasons

o Tilers

o Waterproofers

• Contract Administration

• Supervisors

• Project Managers (residential)

• Construction Managers (commercial)

• Designers

• Engineers

• Estimators

• Suppliers & Manufacturers

• Building Inspectors & Surveyors.

Every trade and component of construction is important as one cannot be done without the other.

Are there any specific qualifications/ certificates needed?

Yes there are. Construction induction training – or a White Card – is required for the purpose of undertaking any construction work. I am currently working closely with regulatory bodies to implement a mental health & wellbeing component to ensure all aspects of safety on site.

There are also traineeships or certificates required to be completed for most trades. It is the goal of our industry to support you so that you can have a long and successful career in construction.

More and more women are entering the construction industry

Finally, the construction industry is an inclusive environment for everyone. I encourage all men and women to consider a career in construction. Currently, women only make up 13% of the construction workforce with only 3% of trades being made up by women. This is a figure that we would like to see increase and we should soon see an improvement as the government introduces a new policy mandate for government projects to satisfy a quota for women on these projects.

There is a lot of support for women in construction too, both through the HIA and Master Builders Association and also a support network for women in trades: The Tradie Lady Club, which has over 1,500 members in Australia and NZ alone, not to mention EWIT, an organisation inspiring women to pick up the tools and providing engaging and hands on experiences in the trade.

More information

Please see below for links to the HIA, Master Builders Association, the Tradie Lady Club and my own platforms below.

Become an HIA apprentice

MBAV apprentices and careers

@tlcbymcc

MANAGEMENT

COWORKING SPACES – THE IDEAL SOLUTION FOR RURAL AND REGIONAL ENTREPRENEURS

By Noelene Brown

As a rural or regional based entrepreneur, you’re no stranger to juggling multiple responsibilities. From managing your own small business, to juggling children and family life, to making sure the family farm stays on track each season, you’ve expertly balanced all aspects of your busy life. Keeping all the balls in the air can be challenging.

When it comes to your own business, perhaps you have outgrown your kitchen table, or you’ve hired your first employees, or you’re just tired of the dog barking during important calls. Maybe it’s time to separate your home and business life, so that you can give your business the dedicated attention it deserves, and finally get a healthier work-life balance.

While the thought of leasing a traditional office in town full-time might seem daunting, there is another solution. Particularly if you’re not sure you can commit to a long term lease, or can’t justify the cost of the rent until you

find out if working outside your home will actually work for you and fit around your other commitments.

Coworking spaces give you the freedom and flexibility to grow your business without the overheads and commitment of a more conventional office arrangement. It’s also a great option when you need to be in town for a few hours or even a full day and need some quiet space to work.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using a coworking space, versus the traditional office.

Pros of Coworking Spaces:

1. AFFORDABILITY: One of the biggest advantages of coworking spaces is the cost effectiveness compared to traditional offices. As the rental costs are shared among

multiple businesses, this can be a huge benefit if you are still small, or just starting out with a tight budget. Coworking spaces usually include all the amenities you will need and expect, with many offering extras such as printing, and conference rooms at a small additional cost when you need it.

2. FLEXIBILITY: Coworking spaces provide a range of workspace options, from openplan areas to private offices, so you get to choose the best environment for you and your business. And, with short-term rental options available (even by the day), you can adapt your workspace requirements as your business changes and grows.

3. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES: In a co-working space, you’re surrounded by likeminded professionals from various industries. Of course, there is no obligation, but you have the option to connect face-to-face with other people, expanding your network, keeping you motivated and energised throughout the day. You can also share

ideas and knowledge, fostering collaboration and innovation. And having a diverse mix of perspectives and expertise can inspire creative problem-solving and solutions for your business.

4. AMENITIES: Coworking spaces come equipped with essential amenities such as highspeed internet, printers, meeting rooms or zoom rooms, and a central business address. Many provide virtual offices, eliminating the need to have your home address shown on Google.

5. THE STRUCTURE AND ROUTINE offered by coworking spaces can help you stay focussed and motivated. With a dedicated workspace, you can avoid common distractions found at home and create a more efficient work environment.

6. ENHANCED WELLBEING: The supportive atmosphere and sense of community in coworking spaces can significantly impact your well-being. Feeling connected to others can improve your mental health, reduce stress and contribute to your overall sense of happiness.

7. ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE: Coworking spaces often provide access to valuable resources such as workshops, seminars and mentorship programs. These opportunities can help you expand your skill set and stay up to date with industry trends.

Cons of Coworking Spaces:

1. LIMITED PRIVACY: Shared open-plan spaces may not offer you the level of privacy you need if you handle sensitive information, so look for private meeting rooms or zoom rooms where you can talk privately.

2. LIMITED CONTROL: While coworking spaces come with set rules and guidelines, they may not offer complete control over the workspace or its amenities, like temperature control and access hours.

Pros of Traditional Offices:

1. PRIVACY: Traditional offices generally provide more privacy than coworking spaces, with dedicated spaces for your exclusive use.

2. CONTROL: Be in total control of your own space, customize it to suit your specific needs and preferences, allowing for greater control over the environment and amenities.

3. BRANDING: Traditional offices can boost your business’s physical presence with signage options and dedicated street frontage.

Cons of Traditional Offices:

1. COST: High leasing costs, along with the purchase and ongoing maintenance of equipment, can be a real barrier for small businesses or if you are just starting out.

2. LIMITED FLEXIBILITY: If you decide that you no longer need an office away from home, or if your circumstances change, it can be difficult and sometimes very costly to get out of a long long-term lease.

3. ISOLATION: Traditional offices may limit your exposure to diverse perspectives and networking opportunities.

So, which is better for your business?

Both coworking spaces and traditional offices have their advantages and drawbacks. Ultimately the choice depends on your specific business needs and priorities.

If you’re a small business owner looking for affordability, flexibility, networking opportunities and a supportive community, a coworking space might be the ideal solution for you.

To make an informed decision, carefully consider the pros and cons of each option and how they align with your business goals and personal preferences. By choosing a workspace that meets your unique needs you can create an environment that nurtures your business’s growth and success.

If you’re ready to explore the world of coworking, we invite you to book a tour at Platypus Coworking. And if you are not in or near Ballarat, you can find various flexible office space operators through the Flexible Australia Association workspace directory.

Embrace the welcoming, supportive and community driven environment of coworking spaces, and discover how they can help you thrive as a rural or regional entrepreneur.

WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH, INVEST IN YOUR TEAM

By Vincent Nair –Executive Chairman and CEO of SMARTECH Business Systems

In times of economic uncertainty, it’s common for regional and rural businesses to cut costs in order to weather the storm. However, as the threat of a post-COVID recession looms overhead and companies batten down the hatches in preparation, one area that businesses cannot afford to divest from is their own employees.

Regional businesses have all the pressures that those in the big smoke are facing, such as political changes, cyber breaches, public health risks and global warming, but less attention is focused outside metropolitan areas – a great shame when you consider twothirds of Australia’s exports come from regional areas, according to the federal government.

With all eyes on maximising profits, it’s all too easy for leaders to mistake investing in organisational culture as an unnecessary cost. In reality, maintaining a workplace culture that values and supports employees through hard times can mean the difference between sinking or swimming during a recession.

Here are some tips to swim laps ahead of your competitors.

Creating a committed and loyal team

All effective leaders know that their employees are their most valuable asset –and this is especially true when times get tough. From a financial perspective, it’s far more economically viable to invest in a knowledgeable and productive team than it is to manage a high rate of staff turnover.

Research has indicated that the cost of replacing an employee can be as much as 33% of their annual salary, while taking measures to invest and care for your team can be done for a fraction of the cost.

When employees feel valued, supported, and engaged, they are more likely to stay with your company. I’ve seen the power of this approach firsthand at SMARTECH, where we’ve made a conscious effort to support the financial and personal wellbeing of our employees as the cost of living rises, ensuring they feel happy to continue investing their skills and expertise with us.

Through simple measures such as offering grocery store vouchers, fuel allowances, and trips to dedicated and hard-working employees, we’ve created a culture that thrives on employee satisfaction and loyalty. By investing in your team, you can build a strong sense of loyalty and commitment, even during difficult times.

Don’t undervalue employee trust and respect

In times of global economic crisis, your business isn’t the only one suffering – your employees are too. Creating a workplace where employees feel their own economic fears are acknowledged and respected is essential to creating a healthy culture that continues to thrive amidst uncertainty.

Internal communication is an essential part of building this trust and respect amongst your team. By creating a culture of open and honest communication, you can foster an environment where employees feel valued and supported.

Regular employee well-being checks, transparent communication about the position of the business, and the setting of realistic expectations for the future are all relatively simple ways to build respect in your workplace.

During a recession, when uncertainty and stress can lead to tension in the workplace, clear and effective communication can be especially important for maintaining a positive company culture.

The power of highly engaged employees

A positive company culture can also lead to better productivity and commitment from your team. When employees feel happy and fulfilled at work, they are more likely to be engaged and productive, with research showing that highly engaged employees can lead to a 202% increase in performance.

It’s never more important for a business to have productive, committed employees than during economic uncertainty. Not only does higher productivity lower the overall cost of running your business but it can make room for the changing priorities that tough times can inevitably bring.

For example, if you lose an employee, a highly productive and committed team would be better equipped to take on the additional workload and save you the expense of rehiring. By investing in your team's well-being and growth, you can create a work environment that supports their success and encourages them to perform at their best.

At the end of the day, people are your most valuable asset. When you invest in your team, you are investing in the future success of your business. By creating a culture that supports employees through hard times and gives them what they need, both at work and outside of work, you can build a team that is dedicated and committed to your company's success.

Business Systems

Vincent Nair is the CEO of SMARTECH Business Systems, a global industry-leading channel partner for a range of businesses in the print, mailing, communications and ecommerce industry.

The business spans print, visual communications, mailing solutions, and eCommerce businesses including parcel lockers, along with digital solutions, eServices, and print mail direct-to-customer solutions.

Vincent Nair – SMARTECH

Nair has led the growth and turnaround of the business from a loss-making enterprise in 2016 to 988% earnings growth in 2022. Under his leadership, the company has had a significant compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 61% over the last six years. During this period, SMARTECH quadrupled its workforce, doubled its customer base, and delivered substantial value to its shareholders and customers.

Nair has over 26 years of experience in global senior executive roles with Fortune 500 companies. He served as managing partner of WIPRO Technologies Australia/ New Zealand, divisional managing director for Lucent Technologies Australia/NZ and COO of Fuji Xerox ANZ Hub Centre. He was also formerly the senior vice president for the Asia Pacific, Africa, and Middle East Regions at Pitney Bowes Inc.

Nair has a passion for improving workplace culture and diversity as well as business strategy. He strongly believes that Australian businesses have boundless opportunities but must take bigger perceived risks and change the way they operate.

Nair’s educational background includes a Master of Laws (LL.M Enterprise Governance) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Bond University as well as an undergraduate degree in Computer and Information Sciences from Herzing College Toronto Canada.

THE RESILIENT LEADER: NAVIGATING CHALLENGES AND DRIVING SUCCESS IN REMOTE AND RURAL ENVIRONMENTS

By Barbara Clifford –Hinwood Institute

For any business owner or leader that works in a rural, regional, remote, or isolated area, there is something that is intrinsically common with all these people. For those who live and work in these areas, you understand, just through the nature of the environment you live in, how challenging living in these areas can be. A common driver for all these people is the capacity to survive, to be resilient, and to be able to roll with punches.

The Challenges of Living and Working in Rural and Isolated Areas

Nowadays, resilience has become a dirty word when we face struggles or challenges. There will always be someone telling us to toughen up, whether it's a board member, a stakeholder, a client, or a senior manager. Juggling your problems is like knowing which ones are glass and will shatter when dropped, and which one’s are rubber and will bounce. The key is knowing the difference. Typically, a leader is faced with the challenge of feeling overwhelmed, not knowing which direction to take, what to juggle, what to drop and what to prioritize. They may feel overworked at times, as if they're on a

hamster wheel with no capacity to get off. It's relentless and never-ending. They may also feel emotionally drained, experiencing a roller coaster of emotions without a break.

Conquering Doubt and Uncertainty as a Leader

This leads to a feeling of being disingenuous, like an impostor. The leader may feel that they're letting someone down in their personal and professional spaces, be it their family, team, clients or stakeholders. This is commonly referred to as impostor syndrome. They know they have the capacity to be more professional or emotionally intelligent, but the environment is letting them down, testing their resilience, and making them feel negligent.

This feeling of being off course can create doubt and uncertainty. A leader often asks themselves why they're here, why they get up in the morning, and why anyone cares.

Key Elements for Resilient Leadership

A leader will know they are on track when they know their opinions, work and contributions are valued. When a leader can bring things into balance and have strategic direction, they become more solution focused. They’re

able to courageously make decisions in pressure situations for the long-term benefit of themselves, for their team, and for their personal well-being.

When leaders are aligned with their own personal purpose, vision, and mission, they inspire others and create a level of motivation that fuels progress.

When all these elements are aligned, leaders gain certainty and confidence to make strategic and sometimes tough choices. They envision their future, where they want to be, how they want to feel, and what they want to be doing. Their mission is to determine how

they'll get there and who they want to be along the way. They seek tools and vehicles to reach their destination.

They become trailblazers, the people that we look to for direction.

However, there are six key elements that impact a leader's resilience, and none can stand alone: leadership time management, stress management, personal wellbeing, communication and adaptability. When one of these falters, it impacts on all the others.

Here are what you might consider to be five key principles of success for a resilient leader.

CLARITY

A leader must identify their true north, their driving force and direction. They also need to determine what will take them off course. This is why they need clarity on their purpose and where they want to be in the future. It requires periodically reevaluating their course and adjusting priorities, weighing what is truly important. Just like a business needs a strategic plan, so too does the leader; it is their blueprint to keep on track and attune to what they set out to achieve.

Sometimes that requires pulling back and taking a bird's eye view of where things are sitting and how things are tracking, because when you're down amongst the reeds, you can't always see where you're meant to be going.

And like a good machine, a leader needs to be able to recalibrate their priorities, and that involves weighing up what is more important over something else, not necessarily what is more urgent in the day-to-day operation of a business.

They must focus on creating the greatest impact with the least effort and understand their unique style of communication; while also recognising stress triggers, signs and symptoms. How does the leader know when they are stressed, because it is experienced differently for everybody.

ESSENCE

A resilient leader needs to have essence, their own ‘flavour’. That is, knowing what their personal, unique value proposition is, their point of difference. For example, a resilient leader will know their unique style of communication, working style and process for organisation. They’ll know when they can work in their genius zone or when they’ll be

uncomfortable. It also means they’ll know when they are going to be triggered if things don’t present to their personal ‘taste’.

Workplace mediators are often faced with conflicts that arise through a difference of opinion on what is deemed to be effective communication. Those in mediation often lack the skill to have healthy conflicts. They will avoid difficult conversations. A sign of a resilient leader is one who can dive into a difficult conversation, regardless of the outcome, whether it's successful or not, because each experience is a learning one, it's never perfect and it's never the same.

A resilient leader can align to their own truth and personal values. We’re not talking about values that we aspire to, such as honesty, integrity, or authenticity, we’re talking about the things we place value on.

For example, some people will place an enormous amount of value on things like punctuality or accuracy. A rural or regional leader will place value on people and services that recognise their unique needs. Each personality will have something that they personally highly value and will be triggered if those things are challenged or not present. This can be a real challenge for a leader to be able to adapt to the changing needs of their team or unique environment. A resilient leader will be familiar with the theory of “Above and Below the Line”. In a nutshell, this is a principle used by many leaders to consider where you or your team place your energy. Those who place themselves ‘above the line’ are victorious, creating a productive, solution orientated and positive environment. This is a common trait for those that work rurally, regionally and in isolation. It is a skill that should be nurtured, encouraged and built upon.

Whereas those that operate ‘below the line’ are in a victim state. This is a less productive, energy consuming state. Those ‘below the line’ will be focused on problems, excuses, and finding reasons for why things do not work. Those operating below the line will give up on the first lap or allow their mistakes to defeat them.

Being able to communicate ‘above the line’ and bring your team ‘above the line’ is essential to productivity and success for any business. For a resilient leader, this means being able to use assertive communication techniques. That means, communicating your wants and needs in a manner that is not too aggressive or resorting to being passive, instead focused on emotional intelligence. For business to succeed, it requires a team with effective communication skills that include negotiation and conflict resolution, and a solution focused.

AGILITY

A resilient leader is agile. This means that at any time they can check their personal perspective or bias while also keeping alert to potential unconscious bias. They’re able to adapt and flex to the changing environment as needed.

A resilient leader can manage distractions, clearly identifying when and where they will procrastinate. By being agile, a resilient leader can influence change both within the business but also outside, influencing their industry or sector. Being agile also means a leader can provide leadership in the moment, while also keeping their eye on the long game. For example, providing valuable feedback to the team, customers or stakeholders in a way that allows for progressive development rather than waiting to do a review or report when it's too late.

An agile leader can communicate in the moment with courage (not necessarily confidence) knowing that regardless of the outcome, they will have the communication skills and resilience skills to deal with unpredictable results.

UNWAVERING

A resilient leader is unwavering. They are inspired by their destiny, where their dreams become goals and their goals then turn into reality. Too often, we see entrepreneurs who have a dream that's never actuated because there is the inability to transfer their goals into an operational plan.

A resilient leader is unwavering in their integrity and has unstoppable conviction. They hold true to their vision and purpose, to why they are doing their business. It is only with effective tools and systems that they can stay aligned to success, however those tools and systems will need to constantly evolve. Nothing stays the same forever, in a changing world, these tools and systems will need to be innovative also in order for the unwavering vision to still stay intact yet relevant.

WELLBEING

Without wellbeing a leader cannot be resilient. It's the metrics that matter. The health of your business will be directly related to your own personal health and that of your team. For example, if you're chronically ill and you can't be at your business when your business needs you, then your business will fail.

Investing time and resources into your own health (and that of our team) is also an investment in the health of your business.

BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

This also means considering all elements of wellbeing including physical health, mental health, spiritual health, and emotional health. They all feed into each other. A resilient leader will be able to identify and address where the energy leaks are and where there is the toxicity, both physical, emotional and mental. A culture of wellbeing will be embedded into the business, and it won't be tokenistic. An effective wellbeing program is consistently reviewed and connected to business success. For example, smart businesses will attribute mental wellbeing to job satisfaction. KPI’s will not include those of the business, but those of the wellbeing and health of their team. There is so much research that now shows positive mental and physical wellbeing of employees will directly relate to profitability, whereas a lack in this area can be directly contributed to significant cost to the business.

IN CONCLUSION

A resilient leader recognises the correlation between a healthy head, a healthy heart and a healthy hip pocket.

Barbara Clifford is a partner in the Hinwood Institute. She is the lead trainer and coach in time management and a recognised leader in stress management. She has been a featured columnist for a local regional paper, and is in demand as a speaker & facilitator. She has been featured in the Australian Woman's Weekly, The Sydney Morning Herald, ABC National, Westpac Wire and as an Enrichment speaker for P & O Cruises.

Barbara is passionate about being a resource for regional, rural and isolated business owners or leaders; to unclutter mess, make order from chaos, escape the shackles of overwhelm, to take control of their business and life.

She lives and works from Alice Springs, Northern Territory with her husband, two children and dingo/ cross dog.

Barbara Clifford –Hinwood Institute

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