Women in Business

from TW Magazine July/August

by townsvillewomen

Alligator Creek by Melissa Littlejohn

Women inBusiness

We talk with North Queensland women who started a new phase in their lives as Business

Find out about the businesses they've launch lessons they've learnt and what helps them to path to success...

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Amber Henderson Verde Lifeware Ingham

Alison Rogers Connected Words Townsville

Rebecca Baker Play It Beck Townsville

have recently owners.

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Tracey Bannerman Creations A Plenty Townsville

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Introducing Amber Henderson

This Ingham resident has created an eco-friendly business that she works around a day job and her family. We get to know Amber and how Verde Lifeware was born...

Hi Amber! Congratulations on the launch of Verde Lifeware, your new business! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Thank you. I’m an ex-pat kiwi and have called Ingham home for the past 5 years, along with my partner who is a local, and our 2 young boys. We live just out of Ingham and spend our time at home hanging out with our kids, working in the yard and the vege garden, and looking after our pet mini pigs and chooks. I also work part time as an oral health therapist at 1300 Smiles Ingham. What led to your decision to start up your own business? Since becoming a parent I have become more aware and concerned about plastic use around my family. I felt I wanted to share the message with others and encourage small, easy changes to reduce plastic use, for both health and environmental reasons. Because it is a personal interest it is also very fulfilling and gives me time to think and achieve goals outside of work and family commitments. Is this your first business venture? Yes. I’ve had some valuable help from my sister who knows more about the intricacies of business accounting and marketing, and am able to bounce general ideas off her and my circle of friends who are all

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very supportive. What lessons have you learnt so far in your start-up phase? I’ve learnt to allocate time for different areas of my life. There was a patch where I became quite consumed by it all and wasn’t taking the time out to look after myself properly, but I’ve worked through that by making a conscious effort to switch off at a reasonable time at night. Verde Lifeware has launched at a time where focus on reusable and eco-friendly items is increasing. What product excites you the most? Being an oral health therapist I see a lot of plastic waste through plastic toothbrushes. I remember a poignant moment looking at a pile of plastic toothbrushes ready to give to my patients, feeling like it was wrong, and wanting to do something about it. Our bamboo toothbrushes feel nice in your hand, and have lovely soft bristles which is what we recommend as dental professionals. What advice do you have for those of us wanting to adapt to a more eco friendly lifestyle but aren’t sure where to start? Small changes can be easy and free. Try to reuse before throwing out or recycling. Glass jars are perfect for storing dry foods in the pantry, or leftovers in the fridge or freezer.

TW Readers: receive 15% off your Verde Lifeware order when you enter TW15 at the checkout

Recycle soft plastics which can be done through most supermarkets. Buy second hand when you can. Choose products packaged in paper rather than plastic. Once your thinking starts to shift you naturally start to make more environmentally friendly choices. Do you have any words of wisdom for other women considering opening up their own business, particularly in the e-commerce sector? Get in touch with like-minded people and build your support network, as things are a lot easier and enjoyable when you have people who you can talk to about your ideas and are encouraging. If you feel like you don’t have the time, make a list and just chip away at it slowly. There are a lot of resources and DIY information on the internet about setting up a small business, help with designing a professional logo, website building, etc. And finally, how can our readers get in touch or find more info about Verde Lifeware? Please see our Instagram and Facebook @verdelifeware for eco tips and relevant environmental news, and our website for our newly launched products www. verdelifeware.com Our products are also in store at Green Jelly Kitchen and Homewares in Ingham. We will be adding items as we find ones enabling easy and meaningful changes.☺

Introducing Rebecca Baker

After starting out as a volunteer group fitness facilitor, Rebecca is now dancing her way to success as a Zumba®️ Instructor and new business owner.

Hi Rebecca and congratulations on launching your business, Play It Beck! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Thanks! My husband and I moved from the Sunshine Coast to Townsville (via Tasmania, then Cardwell) in 2007, before the birth our first son. Now that it’s 2018, my eldest is turning 11, my second son is 8, followed by my daughters, 5 & 3. As with a lot of ‘Townsvillians’ I know, our extended family is not local; we miss them dearly, and sometimes it can seem a tough gig. For me, having hobbies is certainly a big part of retaining ‘me’ in the midst of parenthood, as such I pursue sewing, gardening, & ‘homesteading’ in the pockets of free time I find. What led you to the decision to open up your business? Small business is in my genes! My father continues (at 75 years of age) to run his own business and has done

for longer than I have known him. I wanted the freedom to work, without having to relinquish the precious few years my children are at home with me before starting school. After a ‘false start’ for Play It Beck back in 2012, I am now in a better space to work on my business and commit to it long-term.

When did you start your journey with Zumba®️? I am actually quite new to Zumba®. At the encouragement of a close friend together we began attending lessons with the talented Anastasia at Latin Vibrations (LV) in the latter half of 2016. I was volunteering for MEGA (Mums Exercise Group Australia) and the opportunity came to have formal training. I applied for a Zumba® Instructor Course and was approved! In May 2017 I became an Instructor and with the encouragement and support from Jodie, Sandra & Anastasia at LV I began my first classes later that year. I am completing additional training in August to complement my Basic Training and offer diversity in my business. In your opinion, what is it about Zumba®️ that makes it so popular? It’s the original dance party! I don’t see so many people smiling and laughing at those Tyre-flipping, battle-roping sessions. For me, Zumba® is not so much about being technically correct, and I believe a lot of people find it refreshing, that a dance class can be so enjoyable, without pressure to perform, without complicated choreography, (and a sneaky lot of fitness thrown in). Each class is as individual as the Instructor themselves. Also, there are different specialities available designed for kids, people with disabilities, fitness fanatics and the general public making Zumba® a world-wide & respected brand. What are some of the health benefits of Zumba®️? A total workout, combining all elements of fitness – cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility, boosted energy and a serious dose of

awesome each time you leave class. I personally have experienced all of the above plus reduced anxiety and depression. And a little ‘me’ time as a bonus. When not shaking your tail feather with Zumba®️, is there another form of exercise that you enjoy? To be frank, I am so grateful to be able to do pretty much what I want, as my Mum and brother have both been affected by a disease which limits their ability to do certain forms of exercise. More can be found about this disease at https://www.debra. org.au. I use this as motivation and inspiration to keep active. I enjoy Pilates and walking slightly less than Zumba®. Do you have any words of wisdom for other women considering opening up their own business? I’m so new to this, and I am learning as I go, but my advice is this: Find something that you truly believe in. Be kind. Seek to make connections and work WITH people (yes, even your competitors!) as best you can. And finally, how can our readers get in touch or find more info about your Zumba® classes? For the online people, PLEASE ‘like’ my business page www.facebook.com/playitbeck where class times are, or a message can be sent to me. Or if you like the good old fashioned phone call, call me on 0409250085.☺

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Introducing Tracey Bannerman

Tracey Bannerman was looking for a creative outlet and this has led to her launching Creations A Plenty, a homewares and gift business...

Hi Tracey! Congratulations of the successful start to your new business Creations A Plenty. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I’ve lived in Townsville for almost 30 years now, having moved up here while I was in my early years at high school. My partner and four children; ranging in age from 6 to 24, keep me very busy at times. I love spending time with my family, photography, watching movies, reading, playing Monopoly with my children, crafts, catching up with friends over a

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cuppa, etc. The list could go on forever. Describe your business for us? Creations A Plenty is a combination of handmade, personalised items, home decor, decals, signs, etc. Perfect for gift ideas, and any occasion. What led to your decision to start up your own business? I’ve always loved drawing, scrapbooking, crafts, etc, so I thought I would take that one step further and turn it into a business. All of my children are either in school or

working, so it was time to return to work myself, but I wanted something that would fit around my family so that I could be there for them and not have to continually miss things such as sports training, school activities, and so on. So in early November last year, Creations A Plenty officially became a registered business. What lessons have you learnt so far in your start-up phase? The biggest lesson I have learnt so far would have to be actually getting started. It is so easy to have self doubts as to whether you have made the right choice, if you’ve really thought it through as to what’s involved. Whether you have the time to dedicate to get it up and running, and when you throw a family and house into the mix…yes you do start to doubt yourself at times. I know I have. There have been times where I have just thought its not going to work out. You just have to push through that initial stage and move onto the next stage, which is getting yourself out there. Letting people know about your new and exciting business that you’ve just started up. Most importantly, you have to stay positive. If

you continually doubt yourself, then you are holding yourself back. I have spoken to many lovely people over the last few months and it has really helped me realise that this business is my dream, and in order for that dream to have a chance I needed to start believing in myself. In your opinion, what is the best part about running your own business? For those that don’t know me, family is everything to me. Being able to go to my children’s sports days at school, or going to their sports games on the weekends is something I don’t want to miss out

on. I don’t want to be a parent who is absent from a lot of things in their lives, as I don’t think it is fair on them, and its probably a little bit selfish on my part, but they grow up so quickly. For those reasons alone, I would have to say that the best part about running my own business means I can set my own hours, and for the most part, work around family obligations and commitments. I know I am lucky in some ways because I know there are so many parents out there who don’t have that opportunity. I felt I had to create an opportunity that would hopefully work for me and in the longrun, work for my family as well. Where would you like to see your business expanding to over the next few years? Eventually I would like to grow the business so that I can have workshop classes for people to come along and have a go at making things themselves. It’s a great feeling

of accomplishment when you have made and completed a project, and that is something that I would like to pass onto others. Do you have any words of wisdom for other women considering opening up their own business? Make sure it is something you will enjoy doing. Something you are passionate about. There is nothing worse than doing something every day if you hate it. And finally, how can our readers get in touch or find more info about Creations A Plenty? Creations A Plenty can be found on: Facebook and Instagram. In the very near future, I hope to have a website up and running.☺

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Introducing Alison Rogers

An overwhelming love of reading and writing has led Townsville local, Alison Rogers, to enter the business world with her first business, Connected Words.

Hi Alison! Congratulations on the new business! Can you tell us a little about yourself? Hi! I was born in Townsville, and I’ve been back living here for nine years. I have a full house of young people; my son is still in school, my two daughters are studying, and my daughter’s boyfriend is living with us too. We’re also a proud dog and cat family. I have worked in public, school, and uni libraries where I have heavily promoted reading, including hosting a pop-up library at the beach. I enjoy exploring digital technology, and figuring out how to use the different platforms to engage with everyone from friends to colleagues and clients. I started with a successful non-profit website in 2006, then branched into blogs and social media and now I’m running my online business. Two words I live by are kindness and equality. Equality was the first tattoo I got last year, but as a symbol not a word. I went back to University to study editing and publishing and I loved it so much I set up as a freelancer. What have you learnt so far through the start-up journey? There are so many women running small businesses in Townsville. Everyone is approachable and generous with sharing information. I received great advice on building a website from a friend who has an online consultancy business in New Zealand. I also found the Queensland Government small business website useful. We have a friendly community of writers and editors in Townsville, and networking with these groups has helped me plan a direction for

my business. I’ve learned more about the graphic design process from Allison Lambert (AlLa Designs), who designed my branding. My eldest daughter helps me build my digital media content to promote the business. I was happy when I realised that the skills and knowledge I’ve developed in libraries, in management, and as a parent, are all useful on this new journey. What led to you starting up Connected Words? I had an inspirational lecturer at Uni who runs a publishing collective, and I have always enjoyed the voices coming from indie publishers. I discovered a few Australian freelance editors had done the same Uni course as I had, which gave me confidence to set up my own business. It’s my first business venture, that was a motivator; I like to try new things. I want to work with writers; whether that’s for their business reports, articles, news mailouts, or manuscripts from our talented local writers. I enjoy all aspects of editing, from the basics like checking spelling and grammar, to the more in depth work on the style, language and format. What is it about writing that excites you? Everything. Words have the power to heal, and to connect people. As long as there are people around, there will be stories and many ways to share them. I love the short, sharp, emotional power of fast fiction. When a storyteller can make you cry, or laugh uproariously, or think deeply, with a story of 100 words, that’s impressive. Novelists have so many more words and pages to work with, and

I certainly have my favourites there too. In the early days, I discovered I could write book reviews for organisations and get paid in books. How cool is that? When not writing for your business, do you enjoy writing for pleasure? Yes! I grew up writing stories. My parents read us stories, bought us books, encouraged us to use the library, and took us to plays. I’m now writing my own playscripts. I have written an online training module, and journal articles on library management. I wrote stories for my kids when they were small, and I’m researching family history to write a historical fiction novel about my great grandmother. I made a few zines before I moved to Townsville, so I was excited to visit Sticky Institute in Melbourne in February to pick up other people’s handmade zines. I enjoy writing in many forms because it’s all about expressing yourself, connecting with other people, and sharing a story. As an editor I hope to help others find that same spark. Can you tell us a little about being a member of Townsville Writers and Publishers Centre? I joined TWPC in its early days, and I participated in some junior writers’ workshops and poetry festival events. I joined again this year after completing my editing course because

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I wanted creativity back in my life. Everyone at the Centre is so energising, we’re all there because we love writing. We explore different writing forms at Verb Writers’ group, and we focus on our own work-in-progress at Shut Up and Write sessions at the Centenary Hotel. TWPC will be publishing an anthology of local writers’ short stories so I’m going to put my editor’s hat on to help with that. What advice can you share for other business owners when writing their own copy? It is important to focus on your audience first and last. How does your product help them? What can your business do for them? You should engage

with your audience, and follow up with them. I advocate being concise and consistent, because people don’t have time to waste. If you want to check you’re on track, or want to share your story more effectively, I’m happy to work through your copy or help you develop it. I love working with words and people with a vision. Where can we find out more about your business Connected Words? Join me online: Website connectedwords.com.au Email connectedwords.alison@ gmail.com Instagram @connectedwords Facebook connectedwords.alison☺

Have you just added 'Kickass Businesswoman' to your resume?