Small Business Doers

Country Flowers Yarrawonga

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:52:00 GMT

Small Business Doer

Penne Tregenza of Country Flowers,Yarrawonga Vic.

Name: Penne Tregenza

Business: Country Flowers (Florist and gift shop)

Location: 75 Belmore Street Yarrawonga Vic 3730

Length of time Country Flowers has been in operation: I've owned Country Flowers for10 years. It has been in operation for 18 years in total.

BEST business tip I've ever been given?:

I have had many, but the one that always stands out to me was not to compete with Safeway Supermarket when they bring their flowers to our small town. Keep to our standard, price and value. I’m glad I listened. I consider competition to be a very healthy thing. Funny that the Management of Safeway buy their flowers from me!!

If I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently [if anything]?:

I would have been tougher right from the beginning. I was too green starting in business and have lost a lot of profit over the years by being too generous to the detriment of my bottom line.

The biggest buzz about Country Flowers:

Meeting the challenging needs of our customers and, in doing so, being repaid with their repeat business. I have performed many miracles at Country Floers!! I just love the many challenges of always trying to improve the business.

The ‘silly’ question my customers ask me all the time:

I am asked often “Will these flowers last until tomorrow? “

How do I use ‘technology’ for the benefit of my business and customers?

The website has created an increase in business due to the ease of customers finding us and the ease of ordering. This has freed up telephone time with a more streamlined effect overall - especially during events such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. It has also helped create a database of clients for future marketing.

Biggest future trend in my industry?

Relay services (Interflora, Teleflora etc) who are using technology to compete within the industry. They really affect our bottomline. Whenever I have the opportunity, I aim to educate the consumer to deal directly with the florist, either via the internet or even to use the internet as a tool to find a florist to phone directly. I would like the consumer to receive more value for their money and to do that they need to deal directly with the florist. I would like to change the mentality that they have to rely on relay service companies to send flowers out of their own town.

Who has had the most impact on my life, to date, and why?

My children. I do what I do for them, not only in the hope that I will leave them a few dollars one day, but to inspire them to do the best they can or want to be. My Dad, because he is such a considerate gentleman, always told me I can be whatever I want to be and my gender has no consequence at all.

What or who makes me laugh?

My best friend, who is in my life not only because he is such a great sounding board and an inspiration to me, but more importantly, because he makes me laugh and we often laugh together. When we work hard, we have to remember to laugh as often as we can.

What am I currently reading?

I have a pile of books next to my bed – oh if only I could stay awake long enough to read them!

Favourite music?

Everything, especially music which brings back great memories and makes me want to get down and boogie. I think that’s why I like driving; I like listening to the radio.

Favourite quote: “If you obey all the rules, you’ll miss out on all the fun” Katherine Hepburn.

Final Thoughts:

I love what I do. After my experience dealing with small businesses as a bank officer in Alice Springs during the pilot strike in the late 80s, being a small business operator was never on my agenda. In a regional centre relying heavily on tourism, I saw a lot of businesses close and those that didn’t, held on by “the skin of their teeth”. For me it was not a pleasant experience seeing this happen. I fell into small business by default, perhaps you could say, but I am glad that I did. I continue to enjoy the experience.

www.countryflowers.com.au
(03) 5743 1076
info@countryflowers.com.au

Growing Free - O'Connor, WA

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:45:00 GMT

Small Business Doer

Ben Mitchell of Growing Free Gardens, O'Connor W.A.

Name: Ben Mitchell

Business: Growing Free Gardens

Location: O'Connor, WA

(design work and speaking: Australia-wide)

Length of time Growing Free has been in operation: 3 years

A little about Growing Free: Gardener (State Winner of 2010 WA Nursery & Garden Industry Award)

Everything we do is based on sustainable principles and a triple bottom line. We consult with our clients about the environmental, social and economic aspects of their garden so they can have the beautiful garden they have always wanted.

Here are some of the things we are good at;

Growing our clients an endless harvest of food so that they can eat the sweetest produce every day;
Making their garden look great so that their home always looks the best on the street;
Capturing their vision for their dream garden and turning it into the dream garden they've always wanted;
Fashioning to the highest standards a sustainable garden that suits their style
Giving them the best advice on their garden

Growing Free is the new way of gardening.

We work on a proactive and consultative based system so that our customer’s needs are clearly communicated. Our practices are sustainably based.

I grew up in the nursery industry as my grandfather bought a garden nursery when I was 8 years old. I have worked with plants ever since. I try to look at each garden and find a balance. This is something that all great gardens have.

Aside from all of that I perform public education workshops and do public speaking on gardening, sustainability, and home food production. I also write my own newsletter, The Antidote and write for SPICE Magazine, Australian Horticulture, Grow - the state industry magazine

I won Young Leader of the Year award for WA, was shortlisted for Terra Madre by Slow Food in WA and have been asked to be part of a panel on food ethic for them later in the year. I am also a board member of NGIWA (Nursery & Garden Industry of WA).

The BEST business tip I've ever been given:

Your wife is probably right.

I hate to admit this one but a business coach I knew said it as a throw away statement and it stuck in my head. My wife now knows my content better than me sometimes and when I’m that tired I can’t move she reminds me what I’m on about.

If I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently?

Specialise earlier, seek professional help quicker, never trust a bookkeeper to look at my figures like I do, outsource wherever I could to create better systems, stay smaller smarter and quicker.

The biggest BUZZ about Growing Free?

I have talked to over 7000 people, done work for some of the most prominent, wealthy people and am now am advising top restaurants on how to grow their own food. When the phone rings and a customer asks, "Can you do that?" And it’s something I have always wanted to do, I punch the air!!! ... silently, then laugh and can’t stop smiling.

The ‘silly’ question my customers ask me all the time?

Are there any trees that don’t drop leaves? [!!!! ] One that’s good near a pool...

How do I use ‘technology’ for the benefit of my business and customers?

I have recently been targeting restaurants and real estate agents on Twitter, with good success. I now have a veggie garden to install in 1 of Perth’s top restaurants and have to go see the owner of Perth’s highest rated restaurant next week.

My admin is outsourced to the Phillipines and run completely online and via skype, Google docs and a number of other systems.

I have a 1300 number which goes straight through to a virtual office which emails straight to my VA (Virtual Assistant).

I have a newsletter on icontact with over 1000 subscribers which I think I can easily double if not triple numbers annually.

We have a Growing Free facebook page which is in the process of being updated and to be used as a marketing tool.

The website has a landing page and the site is in the process of being done, but I have a link on it to my newsletter, facebook and Twitter which works quite well.

I have a friend who moderates a home improvement site who regularly refers people through to my newsletter

My team onsite all have camera and video phones and images get sent to customers as do videos if we encounter problems so that they can see exactly what is going on. When a job is finished they use a service called mbox and follow a script to send all info to a mp3, leaving the admin VA to follow up on.

When my VA needs me fast she DMs me on Twitter. Instant contact!

Biggest future trend in my industry?

Localised Marketing

In the food industry you can buy Capel Vale butter, Ferguson Valley Milk etc. When you go to a garden nursery you get a Jervis Bay Gem Westringea but the label says nothing about where Jervis Bay is! Or the features and benefits of that plant. That will all change.

Who has had the most impact on my life, to date, and why?

My Family including Parents, Wife and Children. I was raised to be creative, to be able to write or express myself however I wanted. When my business is in trouble they help and when I succeed they are always proud of me. My mum taught me how to garden, my Dad to write, my wife to be "me" and my kids to do the right thing. They all allow me to be passionate about what I want to do.

What or who makes me laugh?

WC Fields, The Goons, Yoko Ono, The Mighty Boosh

What am I currently reading?

Irvine Welsh, Crime

A bunch of stuff on the history of market gardening in WA that I just researched for an article

Favourite music?

The Pogues, Rum Sodomy and the Lash was bought for me by my mum at 9 or 10 years old. My life was never the same again.

Too many other to mention- have more CD’s Cassettes and LP’s 45’s than I can count

My earliest music memories are my mum playing Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee and Leonard Cohen. I was obsessed with German marching bands and The Chieftans.

Favourite quote:

Every time I open up my mouth these days I throw up all of the clean living. Shane Mcgowan, The Pogues

If you’re looking for the Latest, Greatest, Sexiest weekly gardening tips, so that you can become a great Sustainable Gardener in your home, subscribe to the Antidote www.growingfree.com.au

Facebook: Growing Free Gardens

Twitter: @Growing Free

Gardenjot.com Bens garden

www.growingfree.com.au

Tranquil Hills - Cobram, Vic

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:47:00 GMT

Small Business Doers

Bev & Nev Fisher of TRANQUIL HILLS in Cobram.

Name: Bev & Nev Fisher

Business: Tranquil Hills

Location: 70 Wyatt Road, Cobram East, Victoria

Length of time Tranquil Hills has been in operation: 9 years

A little about Tranquil Hills:

Tranquil Hills is an 80 acre citrus orchard, passed down from generation to generation. We grow all types of citrus including weird and wonderful Buddha’s Hands ( Citron Digitalis – Citrus with fingers). We make our own marmalades and other citrus products which we sell in our little shop called the House of Marmalade and Memories. We named it that because our jam reminds people of the jam their mum or grandma used to make.

We also have two pet pigs by the name of Precious and Harry who delight our visitors with their antics.

The BEST business tip I've ever been given:

Justin Herald said : "When you meet an idiot you cant be rude to them because you’re “in Business” - just give them a mental head butt and keep smiling."

If I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently?

Yes! I would not have hired some of the people that I have and I would not try to be a friend to my employees.

The biggest BUZZ about Tranquil Hills is when a bus drives in the driveway.

The ‘silly’ question my customers ask me all the time is: Are your oranges sweet?

How do I use ‘technology’ for the benefit of my business and customers? I use the internet all the time for cutting edge recipes.

Biggest future trend in my industry is Internet purchasing.

The person who has had the most impact on my business life, to date: A bad business associate because I learned a lot and lost a lot of money.

What or who makes me laugh? Precious the pig

What am I currently reading? Sizzle, Seduce & Simmer collected by Marion Lennox

My Favourite music? Belly Dance Music

Favourite quote: What does not kill you makes you stronger.

The Humpy is coming! We have purchased a huge old hay shed from up the mountains which has tree trunks instead of posts to support it. We are about to reassemble it out the back of our orchard so that buses can enjoy billy tea and damper around a campfire under cover of the old hay shed set within acres of trees.

And...

We had a huge easter and almost all of our stock sold so we are currently cooking like mad trying to get stocks up again. Its a good problem to have.

Bev and Nev Fisher - Tranquil Hills - 70 Wyatt Road, Cobram East, Vic.

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Tel: 0429179 639
Website: www.tranquilhills.com.au
Email: info@tranquilhills.com.au

Global Copywriting - Perth WA

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:46:00 GMT

Small Business Doer

Sarah Mitchell, GLOBAL COPYWRITING, Fremantle W.A

Name: Sarah Mitchell

Business: Global Copywriting

Location: Fremantle, Western Australia

Length of time Global Copywriting has been in operation: 18 months

A little about Global Copywriting:

I’m a sole proprietor specialising in Content Marketing. I focus on three areas –original content, social media and SEO. By design, Content Marketing persuades and educates consumers without “selling” to them. My goal is to help business generate leads, establish their authority and gain competitive advantage. When you have a great story to tell, it’s easy to start a conversation and prospective customers naturally want to visit the website where the content resides. When I speak about content, I’m referring to things like blogs, case studies, white papers and websites.

The BEST business tip I've ever been given:

I had a manager once say to me, “We can’t worry about delivery until we’ve made a sale.” That just clicked with me and I’ve never looked back. It’s so easy to get sidetracked on all the reasons why you can’t be successful. I see so many small business owners worry about building a perfect company they actually never get around to launching it. If you’re constantly working your marketing and sales strategy, the rest falls into place. And, yes, I have had instances where I’m over extended but that’s the best problem any business can have.

If I knew then, what I know now, what would I do differently?

I worked in a corporate environment for 18 years with no desire to run my own company or be self-employed. I spent another 10 years fiddling around with freelance writing but with no real strategy or goal. I had no idea how gratifying it is to run your own business and how much fun it is. I would have gone out on my own a long time ago.

The biggest BUZZ about Global Copywriting:

Nothing beats giving someone the tools to be successful. I work with so many smart business people that struggle to capture the essence of their company in words. I get such a charge out of putting together a document that promotes their business and improves their revenue.

The ‘silly’ question customers ask:

It’s not a question but the statement, “I know what I want to say but I can’t seem to find the right words” always makes me smile. I’m not sure why people are so hard on themselves when it comes to writing. It’s a talent and a discipline; I wouldn’t expect a non-writer to know how to do that, let alone do it well. I’ve spent years and years learning how to write effective business communications.

I use ‘technology’ for the benefit of my business and customers:

My background is in IT so it’s natural for me to incorporate technology into my writing. Social media has had a remarkable impact on business and especially small business. While corporate websites have been around for a long time, the recent widespread acceptance of social media has seen business extend their reach in ways we never dreamed of before. I’ve got clients all over the world because my company has an online presence driven by social media activity. My clients are experiencing the same exponential growth.

Biggest future trend:

Content Marketing is fairly new but every year we’re getting more and more data points that tell us it’s going to overtake traditional marketing methods. Consumers are educating themselves and they’re doing it online. The old techniques of broadcasting your message to customers are over. Consumers want a dialogue and education and they buy from people that provide those things to them.

Who has had the most impact on my life, to date?

I’d have to say my little boy. Absolutely every decision I make is informed by his presence. As someone who spent nearly 41 years doing whatever I wanted - whenever I wanted - the discipline of parenthood has been a huge shift in my life. Why women don’t rule the world is beyond me. A working mom is one of the most productive, creative, organised, sleep-deprived creatures on the planet.

What or who makes me laugh?

My mom had a fantastic sense of humour and I still laugh out loud when I recount some of her stories. From a writing perspective, Dave Sedaris makes me laugh. The Big Bang Theory cracks me up. The writing is excellent and I’m married to one of those big-brained engineers so the jokes hit close to home. Watching my little boy dance always gives me a giggle. He’s a ham.

What am I currently reading?

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks is a fantastic story spanning multiple centuries about a rare book and all the people who were affected by it. It’s a fascinating read for a bookworm like me.

I discovered Geraldine Brooks through her husband, another favourite author of mine, Tony Horowitz. He’s American, she’s Australian and they’ve lived in both countries. That reflects my own history of being born and raised in America but choosing to live in Australia. My family is a blend of multiple nationalities so maybe their writing speaks to me on some level that’s not apparent. (We have a passport draw in our house!)

I’ve always got the current issue of Vanity Fair and The Sun open somewhere around the house.

Favourite music:

I like singer/songwriters because they often tell a story with their music. Lyle Lovett is an all-time favourite even though I’m not much of a country-western fan. I really like the tradition of American folk/rock and he fits that along with Bonnie Raitt and Bruce Springsteen. Paul Kelly affects me the same way. The Police, Sting, Crowded House and George Gershwin tunes round out my favourites.

Favourite quote:

“It’s easier to get forgiveness than permission.” I’ve taken some heat about this attitude from the Australians but I think it really speaks to the American “can do” spirit. Sometimes it’s just more productive to forge ahead and accept the risk on your own shoulders than to wait for collective agreement. My experience has been when you come back with a good result, people usually don’t care about anything else.

I’ve been doing a lot of speaking on content marketing and have some diverse gigs coming up:

Breakout at the Breakwater photography seminar, Perth – 18 May http://www.fitzgeraldphoto.com.au/newsletters/fitz-e-news7.html

Big Fat Marketing Day for Small Business, Perth – 15 June

http://www.thewoo.com.au/marketing_day_Perth

Online Retailer Expo and Conference workshop, Sydney – 6 July

http://www.onlineretailer.net/events/or10/agenda/online-retailer-workshops/retailers-essential-guide#overview

And:

Professional copywriting services are a fantastic investment helping to improve your brand and position your company. It’s a small cost for a big payout.

Sarah Mitchell

Copywriter/Consultant

office: (08)9336-2439

mobile: 0410 024 405

email: sarah@globalcopywriting.com

website: www.globalcopywriting.com

Twitter: twitter.com/globalcopywrite

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcmitchell

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