tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17586380294483407902024-02-02T04:28:03.484-08:00Bizness BabesLiana Kabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06766124815196774724noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-74911537365756184642011-01-17T19:32:00.000-08:002011-01-17T19:32:07.879-08:00Your Business and The Floods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHTZNEHOVIj7yqIetKfLnau_mJ8kWAN0y_0psUpPqf5tv7QjbeppmpAkeeeaR9ibZHKkx_2_dXIcI0fsa7shilEDBXUWcoLhkNC1mp2-HrWiw0CZYcIKcQ6eynrmtjs4hMq5TIoVCz_nI/s1600/651038-shops-in-st-lucia-during-the-brisbane-floods-in-january-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHTZNEHOVIj7yqIetKfLnau_mJ8kWAN0y_0psUpPqf5tv7QjbeppmpAkeeeaR9ibZHKkx_2_dXIcI0fsa7shilEDBXUWcoLhkNC1mp2-HrWiw0CZYcIKcQ6eynrmtjs4hMq5TIoVCz_nI/s640/651038-shops-in-st-lucia-during-the-brisbane-floods-in-january-2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
During times of such massive flood devastation it can be hard for us to focus on our business. We can feel guilty if we want to concentrate on building and growing our business bottom line while people are cleaning up from the floods, or preparing themselves for impending doom.<br />
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If your business is directly impacted by the floods you may be focusing on cleaning up before making decisions about how to re-establish your business. <br />
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Global accounting body CPA Australia is assisting businesses in dealing with the impact of state-wide flooding and has developed a <a href="http://www.cciq.com.au/campaigns/Flood-Assistance/Getting-back-to-business">disaster recovery toolkit</a> offering guidance for businesses that have been affected by a natural disaster, both directly and indirectly. It includes checklists for re-opening your business and managing during times of financial difficulty, as well as tools to help reconstruct your financial records.<br />
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You might not have been flooded, but your business may be indirectly impacted as you rely on businesses affected by the floods for your business. If you operate a tourism based business, for example, your decline in business may have an impact on your cash flow for the next twelve months. <br />
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While it may all feel a little hard at the moment you do need to sit down and develop a specific plan for your approach to business recovery over the next 12-18 months.<br />
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For tourism based businesses, Adrian Caruso and Dr. David Beirman have put together a <a href="http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/113597/lets-rebuild-qld-floods-tourism-crisis-recovery-guide">Tourism Crisis Recover Guide</a>, to assist tourism businesses affected by the recent flood crisis in Queensland. <br />
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There is also a range of <a href="http://www.business.gov.au/Newsandfeatures/2011/Jan/Pages/Emergencyrelieffordisasteraffectedbusinesses.aspx">government assistance for small to medium businesses</a>.<br />
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If you want to help a business impacted by the floods you can offer donations, volunteer to clean up, or if you have specific expertise, offer them at a discounted or voluntary capacity. Bizness Babes is supporting the adidem group through <a href="http://www.thebodyshop.com.au/">The Body Shop</a> with fundraising and volunteer efforts.<br />
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In some way we are all indirectly affected by the floods across the country, and while it may be hard to think about your business during these terrible times, our economy needs business to be strong. <br />
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It is up to us to help lead the way to ensure the Australian economy remains strong while other businesses are recovering. We need to look at our business plans and see what, if anything, needs to change in response to the floods. <br />
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We can have empathy, but we cannot take our eye off the ball. If we are not directly impacted by the floods the best way to support the businesses that are, is to build your business as sustainable.<br />
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If you are a Bizness Babe and need to talk about your situation please contact your co-ordinator or me.<br />
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Vickie Burkinshaw<br />
GM <a href="http://www.biznessbabes.com.au/">Bizness Babes</a><br />
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<em>Picture above from the </em><a href="http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland-floods-interactive-photos-before-and-after-the-water-rose/story-e6freon6-1225987603983"><em>Courier Mail</em></a><em>.</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-55287640143608409232010-11-08T19:41:00.000-08:002010-11-08T19:43:56.217-08:00Spotlight On Melissa White - Elegant Cakes and Party Dates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<strong>Tells us a little about your business.</strong><br />
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Elegant Cakes and Party Dates helps people celebrate the happy events in their lives with sweet treats. Anything from Wedding Cakes to Decorated Cookies, Figurines, Cupcakes and Birthday Cakes. Everything is designed and created in my registered kitchen using the only the freshest ingredients and lots of love. <br />
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<strong>Why did you want to run your own business?</strong><br />
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I started taking cake decorating classes when my daughter Jessica was two.I spent hours practising when the children went to bed. I have always been independent and liked to do things my own way. Once I built up my skills, the idea of creating my own business seemed more and more the logical way to proceed. <br />
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The fantastic thing is, the children are now getting to the stage where they are old enough to enjoy decorating and cooking too. They love trying out new recipes and being involved in my blog. My husband is also fantastic. He has always helped, anything from making cake boards, to delivering cakes, he is happy to help anyway we can. So the whole family is involved and are very supportive.<br />
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<strong>What have been the challenges?</strong><br />
<br />
During the Bizness Babes course I had some lovely business cards designed and printed. I was only to be told later that it would be $2000 to use the images on my web site, so I had to rethink that. In the end, I think it was a good thing, because I have had to think really hard about how I want to represent my brand. Now I am really happy with my logo and own the rights. <br />
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My kitchen registration has also taken a long time. At first I was afraid to actually hand in the paperwork. It seemed like a big step. The actual approval hasn't been that difficult. I had already completed the food handling requirements and my food safety plan. I just had to get a sensor tap installed. The tap took ages to arrive from Singapore though. However, meantime it has given me a good opportunity to work on my business plan and clarify the direction I want to take with my business.<br />
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<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year?</strong><br />
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Developing a loyal customer base will be a priority for the next year. So I need to get the word out and let people know what I can do for them.<br />
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My focus will always be on design work, because that is what I love. That could be anything from helping a child design a cake, to making a masterpiece of my own!<br />
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<strong>The next five years?</strong><br />
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A lot will depend on the way the business shapes up over the next 12 months. I would like to do some work with children. So Children's Cake Decorating Classes and Parties is something I plan to offer. I also really want to publish a book. An extension of the kind of things I do on my blog<br />
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<strong>What have you achieved since finishing the BiB course?</strong><br />
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A brand new business with a vision and a future. A lot more confidence and belief in myself, thanks to all the support I have had, both from the BIB team and from my classmates. <br />
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<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong><br />
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If it is going to be, it's up too me!!! <br />
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<strong>What advice do you have for others setting up their own businesses?</strong><br />
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There is no set way of starting a business, you have got to do what feels right for you. <br />
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The Bizness Babes course is amazing!! Don't do it alone. Never stop believing in yourself and keep taking steps to reach your goals, not matter how small. Also don't forget to celebrate the little successes along the way....<br />
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Cake anyone!<br />
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Melissa White<br />
<a href="http://www.elegantcakesandpartydates.blogspot.com/">Elegant Cakes and Party Dates</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-90402202817255185602010-11-01T23:28:00.000-07:002010-11-01T23:40:44.908-07:00The Benefits of Networking – and Cookies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaymrFDPh18HWWtxZ9QeQqTHjmfl8JP08vOJI75fm9eK-M0Dspgbt8rmdE5R-vajjdjRNrsvchJ30yx-KVVjRFJ2M3NPZGAZ3QLtZaLc_lcBH-fRZA9X_N_U2O6MYi0w3gbZgdcy3hJ9dt/s1600/Byron+Bay+Cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaymrFDPh18HWWtxZ9QeQqTHjmfl8JP08vOJI75fm9eK-M0Dspgbt8rmdE5R-vajjdjRNrsvchJ30yx-KVVjRFJ2M3NPZGAZ3QLtZaLc_lcBH-fRZA9X_N_U2O6MYi0w3gbZgdcy3hJ9dt/s640/Byron+Bay+Cookies.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Just back from an entrepreneurs networking event with guest speaker Gordon Slater, the man behind <a href="http://www.cookie.com.au/">Byron Bay Cookie Company</a>. And yes, I was hopeful of some free samples. We weren’t disappointed with loads of cookies to munch on. The company is now international and along the way they’ve bought other ‘cookie’ companies, Luken and May and Falwasser. But it started at a kitchen table and a market stall. Here are some of his pearls of wisdom:<br />
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• Segment your time and focus on the task at hand, then move on.<br />
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• Know that there’s a market for your business, do the research<br />
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• Keep a balance between the artisan/ creative side of your product but make sure it stacks up scientifically. They’ve managed to grow from handmade rough shaped cookies to a product that ticks all the nutrition and wholesaler requirements without losing their handmade look.<br />
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• Work with your market – don’t lose your branding and personality to suit other markets. Find solutions to recreate your USP no matter where in the world you’re manufacturing or selling.<br />
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• Make sure you have a high Adversity Quotient if you want to survive the tough times – you need to conquer your fears to be open to opportunities and survive the tough times because they do happen. But if you train your brain you have a good starting point for success.<br />
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And as I do at every opportunity, I used question time to ask his thoughts on the need for a business plan to the success of his business. He agreed that they are essential to success. Planning is essential and it allows you to put all the elements together that you believe you need to follow at that time – but he did qualify that with a quote “a plan is only good until you go into battle” – you still need to be aware and responsive to opportunities – stay entrepreneurial!<br />
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Chrissy<br />
Program Co ordinator NSWUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-25536053237983545822010-09-27T23:19:00.000-07:002010-11-02T23:46:36.513-07:00Spotlight on Pip Danrell - Corporate Mums<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<strong>Tell us a little about your business?</strong> <br />
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The inspiration for starting my own business Corporate Mums, came from juggling the ever changing demands of three energetic children with a busy schedule and asking myself ‘there must be an easier way’! And so, whilst attending to late night feeds, I began designing a stylish range of time and effort saving planners & organisers for busy parents like myself. With the fantastic support of the Bizness Babes program, I launched Corporate Mums online in March 2010. <br />
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<strong>Why did you want to run your own business?</strong> <br />
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The desire to have the best of both worlds! I wanted a balance between ‘being there and not missing the important stuff’ for my children and being able to continue working and learning about small business. Working from home gives me the flexibility to do both. I spend less time commuting, it’s inexpensive, and I am only 5 minutes away if one of my children falls ill at school. <br />
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<strong>What have been the challenges?</strong><br />
<br />
There have been lots of challenges along the way! Initially, finding out what was required and how to set up a small business was challenging. Researching local government and business websites was critical but very time consuming. I was really excited to learn about the Bizness Babes program and the support they offered business mums like myself.<br />
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Other challenges have included, finding enough time each week to achieve what I want to with the business. With two children under 5 at home 3 days a week and a grade one daughter, there are days which I dedicate to working, and days which I dedicate to childrens activities. I have to prioritise carefully and work a couple of late nights to keep on top of things. I’ve learnt to be patient and accept what I can achieve at the current time, and know that in a couple of years, when all children are at school, I will have more time to make the business a success. I call the current years, the foundation years! <br />
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<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year?</strong><br />
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I would love to sell enough products to cover all business expenses including my wages. I am aware it usually takes at least 3 years to become profitable, and so am focussing my efforts on brand awareness and developing networks with other online and retail businesses. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsodOshxOMRaqZoK3hGU_bUlwU0IyVtudYcYjHXtAWJM6NJZfFGtWwYzqSqLH1EhpW5Vn0aOeq6cGBRGUmgGTTOiUNkAESxRpMLlIkn31MnYXiHUfoQNfoNivMfp7ioBx1Pz7jAWE_hiZ/s1600/Daily+Planner+Sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwsodOshxOMRaqZoK3hGU_bUlwU0IyVtudYcYjHXtAWJM6NJZfFGtWwYzqSqLH1EhpW5Vn0aOeq6cGBRGUmgGTTOiUNkAESxRpMLlIkn31MnYXiHUfoQNfoNivMfp7ioBx1Pz7jAWE_hiZ/s400/Daily+Planner+Sample.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<strong>The next five years?</strong><br />
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I would love to own a profitable business, and have the Corporate Mums brand established in numerous interstate retail outlets. I am conscious of listening to my customers needs, and so hopefully the range of products will have expanded. Being conscious of technology users, I will also consider developing an application for iphone users. <br />
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<strong>What have you achieved since finishing the BiB course?</strong><br />
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I was cheeky and used the BiB graduation to launch my business online! Over the last 5 months, I have been setting up the legal and wholesale aspects of the business. I’ve sought affordable promotional opportunities where possible and started talking with a few major retailers. I’ve enjoyed a few online sales, but recognise that I need to promote the range further to achieve this year’s sales targets. I’ve also been invited to guest speak at a couple of events which has given me more confidence in selling my brand.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZpBptq-Zu0S6rWT8_pAaBnZAxEDnlGwUQnK3mSfPDA6z-oEDC0TK7JYEsvFM1NAozgKElr1OdzPI84Kzyx0NMhr-C0cYU5hIv56rPPO8bqQWNqfVuKkK4SzWy3fnMlfP1qa5CjffdUZL/s1600/Priority+Planner+Sample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCZpBptq-Zu0S6rWT8_pAaBnZAxEDnlGwUQnK3mSfPDA6z-oEDC0TK7JYEsvFM1NAozgKElr1OdzPI84Kzyx0NMhr-C0cYU5hIv56rPPO8bqQWNqfVuKkK4SzWy3fnMlfP1qa5CjffdUZL/s320/Priority+Planner+Sample.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong><br />
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Simply ‘Don’t lose sight of the end goal’! Running a small business is hard work. It takes discipline, high levels of motivation and the ability to believe in yourself. It’s critical to keep informed of who your competitors are, and find out what your customers really want. I take the approach that I must achieve at least one small task in the business each day. That way, I’m always moving forward. <br />
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<strong>What advice do you have to others setting up their own businesses?</strong> <br />
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Apply online to be accepted onto the Bizness Babes program! It is an incredible resource and offers fantastic support to those who want to make their business a dream a reality! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpfYH_0BxQ3G6QoHJw8WND-ZtC_lDX_sIqIJFHhdYG5zCd_PmHcOwPh1MHSekCb1tqhBsMNSgHKrTEjP9xbxQj9CkeNB_fB3PZqcvYKBTaB-AkYFSJS6Bn9J9MvW7czBQ_7nCyg3I9uVp/s1600/177+x+84+size+logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGpfYH_0BxQ3G6QoHJw8WND-ZtC_lDX_sIqIJFHhdYG5zCd_PmHcOwPh1MHSekCb1tqhBsMNSgHKrTEjP9xbxQj9CkeNB_fB3PZqcvYKBTaB-AkYFSJS6Bn9J9MvW7czBQ_7nCyg3I9uVp/s320/177+x+84+size+logo.gif" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.corporatemums.com.au/index.htm">Corporate Mums</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-14682231458514022532010-09-15T22:54:00.000-07:002010-09-15T22:55:09.895-07:00Advice From A Babe - The Value Of Networking (Part 3)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZr-I3NrnzJXfLHTXIaczmeir-GvZ4H062oogEEKdWECBKDNBlxFhu8HQC-W-xXTlXRImzXc5pOWlOcrJE_vtrLDEr7a_9prcvLvkWgpI0Cwen9KsTw-54ggOsA8n-6RQj7G_5Uux4W7-/s1600/organising_works.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZr-I3NrnzJXfLHTXIaczmeir-GvZ4H062oogEEKdWECBKDNBlxFhu8HQC-W-xXTlXRImzXc5pOWlOcrJE_vtrLDEr7a_9prcvLvkWgpI0Cwen9KsTw-54ggOsA8n-6RQj7G_5Uux4W7-/s400/organising_works.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Networking is about developing relationships. Sales are frequently developed through these relationships. Networking events provide the opportunity to expand your contact list and create and nurture quality relationships. Every networking event has the potential for new business leads, gaining business knowledge, gaining research, improving your business presentation, public speaking opportunities and valuable resources for yourself and your clients. <br />
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Think you don’t have time to network? Think again. By not consistently widening your circle of contacts and acquaintances, you may be limiting your chances for success. If, as it is said, that the average person knows 250 people, and each of these people know 250 other people and so on, this means for each person you meet, you gain access to a pool of thousands. So the odds are very slim that you would not find a person, who would be a source of information, <br />
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Try to focus on quality contacts versus quantity. My approach is to make between three to five new contacts at each event I attend. It takes time to build relationships with people. Meeting someone once is rarely enough to bring you business. On average people will need to connect with you 4-5 times before they see you as being trustworthy. <br />
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Keep your mind open to any possibilities. You may not walk away from an event with a string of new clients but the power of networking lingers on. I have had people contact me that I met more than 6 months earlier that had kept my details. This may just mean that they have no need for your services or products at that time. Also importantly, look beyond that person being a potential client, a good referral source is equally if not possibly more valuable. A good referral source is someone who interacts with your target market on a regular basis<br />
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Enjoy your networking experiences and you will gain a wealth of knowledge and experience. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1C0DbJ6zJSAQAMP4eHegPfaI57RT1Gda47LgmxBmskZT9987hZ04XOQUsEw6hkiU6g8c3Kzl1d02uxvxiPNSh0c5H-RS_OJQnGALtsCMk5CoFNK8pjYKy-qlCi6oCTiy7viTvfcNVJuw/s1600/Wendy+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1C0DbJ6zJSAQAMP4eHegPfaI57RT1Gda47LgmxBmskZT9987hZ04XOQUsEw6hkiU6g8c3Kzl1d02uxvxiPNSh0c5H-RS_OJQnGALtsCMk5CoFNK8pjYKy-qlCi6oCTiy7viTvfcNVJuw/s320/Wendy+logo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wendy Tadokoro runs bi-monthly networking events on Brisbane’s north side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would like details, please go to </span><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Business-2-Business-Brisbane">www.meetup.com/Business-2-Business-Brisbane</a><br />
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Wendy Tadokoro <br />
<a href="http://www.organisingworks.com.au/main/">Organising Works!</a> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-278305815471016212010-09-02T22:36:00.000-07:002010-09-02T22:47:09.282-07:00Spotlight on Natasha Kelly - Piper + Lily<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLg6CgQV2GY3MdTdUTHn8qp5QZnWxjP5JgnAlR1CHjlKEEPf6mWElEWTnXyMmbgdb9NlIdCESSBZyxkq_yIhXMXlRAADOFGLUMrn5xcjKCOiwXtePA3F9KlwJVO_U2e1Jo8_5eFbpg3DD/s1600/me&_the_girls_Bib_Blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLg6CgQV2GY3MdTdUTHn8qp5QZnWxjP5JgnAlR1CHjlKEEPf6mWElEWTnXyMmbgdb9NlIdCESSBZyxkq_yIhXMXlRAADOFGLUMrn5xcjKCOiwXtePA3F9KlwJVO_U2e1Jo8_5eFbpg3DD/s400/me&_the_girls_Bib_Blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Tell us a little about your business?</strong> <br />
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Piper+Lily create handmade vintage-inspired children’s clothing jewellery & accessories. Each item is made in a limited run or is one of a kind & made using eclectic vintage, end of run or reclaimed fabrics – no matchy matchy stuff in the Piper+Lily range!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXmuDC9_oo2_E49aduyaKChkCQvXquhYHZ1huGBSC03ujnaUCo3BvF-8V_V7YA6OwxWul8Q1E4rnIrZjdWqWuubBOB6CpjmTd2aFcFw3Qrqmw7HjyJhNDffTweaWqf85Pwd4y16AUQSct/s1600/Flutterby_Top_-_Butterflies_for_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="361" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPXmuDC9_oo2_E49aduyaKChkCQvXquhYHZ1huGBSC03ujnaUCo3BvF-8V_V7YA6OwxWul8Q1E4rnIrZjdWqWuubBOB6CpjmTd2aFcFw3Qrqmw7HjyJhNDffTweaWqf85Pwd4y16AUQSct/s400/Flutterby_Top_-_Butterflies_for_blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Why did you want to run your own business?</strong> <br />
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I wanted to be able to do something creative that I could do while looking after my girls. I now realize that it’ not that easy to work from home! I think I’ve always wanted to have my own business but never really knew what I wanted to do. I figure if you have to work you may as well work for yourself! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9iH3RnzzTFb1v8qtySjudi6uOqodiRKShBTvdbg2LAse-QPUxwItcLjBCkoKfysHOHFu20dcWrHi4sR-qyPl2H0agDNbcV0que1fDNkYBdSqFlBWUAngGlKTAJEvbkoSRQQ64G_xJE18/s1600/Spring_Cotton_Dress_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9iH3RnzzTFb1v8qtySjudi6uOqodiRKShBTvdbg2LAse-QPUxwItcLjBCkoKfysHOHFu20dcWrHi4sR-qyPl2H0agDNbcV0que1fDNkYBdSqFlBWUAngGlKTAJEvbkoSRQQ64G_xJE18/s400/Spring_Cotton_Dress_blog.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What have been the challenges?</strong><br />
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Definitely finding the time to do everything (or anything for that matter!)! Between looking after my 2 girls, ‘home duties’ & working part-time there’s not that much time left for anything else! Sometimes it can be hard to find the motivation to do anything! And finance!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62EQcGGA9vUAyYB35gQPS435hNHkk0sAwmAqDMMBqHXaPAIX_YxsXHUOv6jqLPHbqbdiWyjfuSkyqZUiDKNx6plts4Kj4lUhrsOBYQ7OkRXFuL3FQDFfsw5GAUJhjWpznYoBz1DyVZIux/s1600/Reversible_Cotton_Slippersbib_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62EQcGGA9vUAyYB35gQPS435hNHkk0sAwmAqDMMBqHXaPAIX_YxsXHUOv6jqLPHbqbdiWyjfuSkyqZUiDKNx6plts4Kj4lUhrsOBYQ7OkRXFuL3FQDFfsw5GAUJhjWpznYoBz1DyVZIux/s400/Reversible_Cotton_Slippersbib_blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year? </strong><br />
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I would love to see Piper+Lily become a well known brand in the handmade market, with consistent sales & loyal customers!<br />
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<strong>The next five years?</strong><br />
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I’d love to see Piper+Lily stocked in some high end children’s boutiques across the globe!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUsTyoR_tLpRXzTREF_AXEUhswUDoVFE3bT_Mlut9oNmVGdoRxY1yu_XwTI_t1DhKt4Zc5S_UQhzU-nRSFyoKL4x4FUda8wLEJSLDQqgojXirehyUKM6UPzAb-P0VItb6ak6ivIwMdJiT/s1600/Lily_Vest_-_Blue_Grenadier_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUsTyoR_tLpRXzTREF_AXEUhswUDoVFE3bT_Mlut9oNmVGdoRxY1yu_XwTI_t1DhKt4Zc5S_UQhzU-nRSFyoKL4x4FUda8wLEJSLDQqgojXirehyUKM6UPzAb-P0VItb6ak6ivIwMdJiT/s400/Lily_Vest_-_Blue_Grenadier_blog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What have you achieved since finishing the BiB course?</strong> <br />
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Since finishing the course in May 2010 I have retailed at my very first market, started my <a href="http://www.piperandlily.com.au/">own website</a> & had Piper+Lily featured on some big kids fashion blogs such as Kid Independent, Kid Style File, Handmade Kids & Chic Mama & Baby. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVgyL8S1WatF6QcZ7VmW-SV1MggIdkkW_3if_8CMrWSOH6YhsMBVSOGT2Q8SvwicXqvHC2EPX972bXeCvdeCvm_RhY-gPXOYG7iS0m3NXykAauDFgbo97VZz5gQWXNDdOVbAeTqd5xH4i/s1600/Ruby_Tuesday_Fabric_Necklacebib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioVgyL8S1WatF6QcZ7VmW-SV1MggIdkkW_3if_8CMrWSOH6YhsMBVSOGT2Q8SvwicXqvHC2EPX972bXeCvdeCvm_RhY-gPXOYG7iS0m3NXykAauDFgbo97VZz5gQWXNDdOVbAeTqd5xH4i/s400/Ruby_Tuesday_Fabric_Necklacebib.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong><br />
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There’s not one piece of advice that stands out – but I got a hell of a lot out of the BiB course! I guess one piece was not to undervalue my time!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vl5WU-tnpuqP5I30PDEl2aIHVaH5v0ARojnbVPQbo0Qp7CP20tMSp2H1lnOcAK2g7MhP5LthDrb_W_axN3-PEEl-qKBdqsvboBb8B8sjgmBfUTNl-IlVL4fp5dsnPwDpJg9mbns6-KOf/s1600/Flutterby_Top_-_Cherry_Bomb_blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Vl5WU-tnpuqP5I30PDEl2aIHVaH5v0ARojnbVPQbo0Qp7CP20tMSp2H1lnOcAK2g7MhP5LthDrb_W_axN3-PEEl-qKBdqsvboBb8B8sjgmBfUTNl-IlVL4fp5dsnPwDpJg9mbns6-KOf/s400/Flutterby_Top_-_Cherry_Bomb_blog.jpg" width="371" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice do you have to others setting up their own businesses?</strong><br />
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Find others that will support you in your business venture. The other is stop procrastinating & just do it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdrqBJ7KdAUda6DKxRJYTtgJqs96kp9I5H84E0h00h1_cRQL2K00JdSVL5WO2XwKjhr6AIP-kvSWt3FFs-m5lzyF9BGl7ft_5VTuP8oOeKz2zklXUNAdSCqv_2xyhm_0dJ5k_iwG8wrs3/s1600/P&L_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdrqBJ7KdAUda6DKxRJYTtgJqs96kp9I5H84E0h00h1_cRQL2K00JdSVL5WO2XwKjhr6AIP-kvSWt3FFs-m5lzyF9BGl7ft_5VTuP8oOeKz2zklXUNAdSCqv_2xyhm_0dJ5k_iwG8wrs3/s320/P&L_logo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.piperandlily.com.au/">Piper+Lily</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-85278748897263818482010-08-11T17:02:00.000-07:002010-08-11T17:06:32.049-07:00Spotlight On Lisa Humphries - Joy and Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iXKOY3_hbgAGga4fas7boXBmyjMxCFKz7PXXMcNXn3BDejlbOKOXjPd22zOsp9iRWbHGAwPojErppBWb6RjKKwOgGJW3y-MZLd2TwlWqkhEqj2eJCv4HBfmnbnN1128znaa0Jle5fOgI/s1600/Joy+%26+me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1iXKOY3_hbgAGga4fas7boXBmyjMxCFKz7PXXMcNXn3BDejlbOKOXjPd22zOsp9iRWbHGAwPojErppBWb6RjKKwOgGJW3y-MZLd2TwlWqkhEqj2eJCv4HBfmnbnN1128znaa0Jle5fOgI/s400/Joy+%26+me.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Tell us a little about your business?</strong> <br />
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Joy and me is all about event inspiration! We have had almost 20 years experience conceptualizing, planning and implementing all types of events including corporate, charity, private and conference. Joy and me brings this knowledge together in one place, our special online portal is designed to inspire! We are also available for varying levels of 1:1 event inspiration including themeing, inspiration boards, planning and execution.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_UF4lgkLDZGp5TMUcGmK9fB2gY9XDiePiUSArmEMK6vhoD-_ZYuzD5GkrZJj0CsBeFoYeRJ2AsQr12ig8g-uiSraIVmUkpboWswqJD5sVF0_BHA50yiCVca79ZdkoPvO2Gk144bjmxIO/s1600/Lisa+4.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_UF4lgkLDZGp5TMUcGmK9fB2gY9XDiePiUSArmEMK6vhoD-_ZYuzD5GkrZJj0CsBeFoYeRJ2AsQr12ig8g-uiSraIVmUkpboWswqJD5sVF0_BHA50yiCVca79ZdkoPvO2Gk144bjmxIO/s320/Lisa+4.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Why did you want to run your own business?</strong> <br />
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I have always been a very self motivated and independent worker throughout my career, I consider myself highly organized and feel that all of my experience and skills come together nicely in my own business. I am also a new Mum, so the flexibility and time with my baby is essential.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWozcrkOx5HIsocv94LuPPh8CSRXazaNtACKuyWR2bjeUkNxXMDq0-QpHK-JjqiEBkzr7T4qr3wg3UGXFfUqw86VVEqjwAR6mVdxYIuH5JM5tkI3LI8sLcjxUKRz9pZEkpE1bEyF2-v2Tt/s1600/Lisa+11.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWozcrkOx5HIsocv94LuPPh8CSRXazaNtACKuyWR2bjeUkNxXMDq0-QpHK-JjqiEBkzr7T4qr3wg3UGXFfUqw86VVEqjwAR6mVdxYIuH5JM5tkI3LI8sLcjxUKRz9pZEkpE1bEyF2-v2Tt/s320/Lisa+11.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What have been the challenges?</strong><br />
<br />
Finances are a challenge for me, especially as a single Mum. I do work part time as well, in order to meet my financial obligations. Otherwise I see the process of going into business as a positive challenge!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FVD8m5eHLkfNns7AhUS1ge3LfJInKfDRSsRiKDPxQl6T7HuHCcI4y5u4erXTAVyBRZ1rYuqSfG6HFqDMNdLbvtpUdnedXzKVS0VIHuty2h0ImRtnhcMbaZOb1et1d4uEqhsMjiRbDxvA/s1600/Lisa+3.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FVD8m5eHLkfNns7AhUS1ge3LfJInKfDRSsRiKDPxQl6T7HuHCcI4y5u4erXTAVyBRZ1rYuqSfG6HFqDMNdLbvtpUdnedXzKVS0VIHuty2h0ImRtnhcMbaZOb1et1d4uEqhsMjiRbDxvA/s320/Lisa+3.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year?</strong><br />
<br />
I would love to see my online space grow in terms of visitors and advertisers, I would love to see Joy and Me become one of the leading authorities on event inspiration.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5o9ByURyZ_lXCIemDirReL-C5CC3AXSgt6ouXwChlIFmKpGv3KF3siCYFNcUBPY1p58ufqZLUJdG2Wyi_7-uf_VuDpHxaMRX3ruu6KDOTTuZiMSxe6RbbZahVsTx0p-5GCW5C9RkLa-hV/s1600/lisa+5.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5o9ByURyZ_lXCIemDirReL-C5CC3AXSgt6ouXwChlIFmKpGv3KF3siCYFNcUBPY1p58ufqZLUJdG2Wyi_7-uf_VuDpHxaMRX3ruu6KDOTTuZiMSxe6RbbZahVsTx0p-5GCW5C9RkLa-hV/s320/lisa+5.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>The next five years?</strong><br />
<br />
I would love to employ a young and dynamic team of event assistants to execute the events that I continue to conceptualise.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdFpw-3Pj8DoCVlggkXZ9CrgxzQLgl-ft5aaOPMBwdjqrreX-afAO_AqQJ9BRQyizKrlZp5mlCBMbSLv5QaOGArKobOvb2fer84LR-71Cgdvxsvnk1g286J6XgpKgXtdnk6Y5FxhepSrc/s1600/lisa+12.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdFpw-3Pj8DoCVlggkXZ9CrgxzQLgl-ft5aaOPMBwdjqrreX-afAO_AqQJ9BRQyizKrlZp5mlCBMbSLv5QaOGArKobOvb2fer84LR-71Cgdvxsvnk1g286J6XgpKgXtdnk6Y5FxhepSrc/s320/lisa+12.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What have you achieved since finishing the BiB course?</strong><br />
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I have created my online space, gained much confidence, created a business plan and commenced active marketing of Joy and Me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4sqg-1646rFpnZOdTvCsrSCBf2x9Vl5RfLxUqhzRpsdTbASsaJMYXroulc5znAlsdjYXmUqNuKjPvgqUNJ6mfV9RRvrVPQx2VlSOwO9Tq2vyfYqoPbEYf6p2TjvkhIvGnaNF9CRDpkdn/s1600/Lisa+14.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4sqg-1646rFpnZOdTvCsrSCBf2x9Vl5RfLxUqhzRpsdTbASsaJMYXroulc5znAlsdjYXmUqNuKjPvgqUNJ6mfV9RRvrVPQx2VlSOwO9Tq2vyfYqoPbEYf6p2TjvkhIvGnaNF9CRDpkdn/s320/Lisa+14.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong><br />
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The personal support and building of my confidence has been the most valuable aspect of the course.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWDGEeUrogc-jVw2P3NqQ2kdHBQUSnrxM-MDiRIAlBeafdBK3Lo4LfQINEkEyCKK-Jmeakw76GufB2FYxb61LeTVHmZOM-EDSNKPpzwBvr1dOpNVAE4xdsjYyoUFbdSH3KZcVNAbaaA3L/s1600/Lisa+9.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitWDGEeUrogc-jVw2P3NqQ2kdHBQUSnrxM-MDiRIAlBeafdBK3Lo4LfQINEkEyCKK-Jmeakw76GufB2FYxb61LeTVHmZOM-EDSNKPpzwBvr1dOpNVAE4xdsjYyoUFbdSH3KZcVNAbaaA3L/s320/Lisa+9.bmp" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice do you have to others setting up their own businesses?</strong><br />
<br />
My most valuable and personal piece of advice would be to ‘be kind’ to others along the way, there is nothing more important to me as a business person and Mother than kindness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiAauivE2dlDB3Xvp2PDNs08949wVwJSuDhruXeO4aL3G5bkkVamJVNPB59EOnpR8_RVrzrrThxJ21t6JLvTxGWWWfZ5pYk6hQ5XlBoUywU0H7kUlghpTiRYifJuOG_P9NaJNs_ixIdwq/s1600/Lisa+10.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiAauivE2dlDB3Xvp2PDNs08949wVwJSuDhruXeO4aL3G5bkkVamJVNPB59EOnpR8_RVrzrrThxJ21t6JLvTxGWWWfZ5pYk6hQ5XlBoUywU0H7kUlghpTiRYifJuOG_P9NaJNs_ixIdwq/s320/Lisa+10.bmp" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-21787356492028956782010-07-19T22:52:00.000-07:002010-07-19T23:02:57.255-07:00Bizness Babes Fan Page<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFfCVvRjrE2yvkiusTFz9FK2q2wFQwDlRKI9PTH4Y09y-Oic9XArqPQNGeI-Ir7mbFc9kqzM2lha_xx_ROlRIyAjpZ-CJs6aXJz0RRg7Z9I5RqM3kbejLpJxceZFfQKDvQZUgDdJ4sL95/s1600/MixtapeZINE.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="610" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijFfCVvRjrE2yvkiusTFz9FK2q2wFQwDlRKI9PTH4Y09y-Oic9XArqPQNGeI-Ir7mbFc9kqzM2lha_xx_ROlRIyAjpZ-CJs6aXJz0RRg7Z9I5RqM3kbejLpJxceZFfQKDvQZUgDdJ4sL95/s640/MixtapeZINE.bmp" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We are taking our own advice, and now have our very own <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bizness-Babes/127426723956845?ref=sgm">Bizness Babes facebook fan page</a>.This will provide us with another way to share business ideas with you, and further promote your businesses worldwide. We are happy for you to ask questions and share your own business advice here. It will also provide another way for you to network with other Bizness Babes nationally.<br />
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As we are discovering there are many Bizness Babes graduates who have started their own business pages. Well done! We have managed to track down a few of you. If you don't find yourself already listed in our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bizness-Babes/127426723956845?ref=sgm">favourite pages</a> please add a link in the comments section below. Your business will be added asap.<br />
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Feel free to invite any other Bizness Babes to become a 'fan', or anyone else you think may be interested in what we are up to. This page is for ALL fans of Bizness Babes ! <br />
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image above, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bizness-Babes/127426723956845?ref=sgm#!/pages/mixtape-magaZINE/121299611248761?ref=ts">MixtapeZINE</a> - another terrific BiB graduate businessUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-78531025639271323792010-07-07T17:44:00.000-07:002010-07-07T17:55:29.223-07:00Biddy Bags is a Finalist!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsaShHH0wpHb2p2zFw6RFGumqHopFL1hz-LH8LYS8mhpQT1G3x9urCq20stJEM4Vko00THKJpbyqFc76RuFYoW6jPstpPX8XhCPt3h02csOc9Q22jTHxgYQ04xc0SsCAJQWo2gKLJQQwn/s1600/biddy-bags.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsaShHH0wpHb2p2zFw6RFGumqHopFL1hz-LH8LYS8mhpQT1G3x9urCq20stJEM4Vko00THKJpbyqFc76RuFYoW6jPstpPX8XhCPt3h02csOc9Q22jTHxgYQ04xc0SsCAJQWo2gKLJQQwn/s400/biddy-bags.png" width="400" /></a></div>Congratulations to our wonderful Brisbane trainer Samantha Jockel for being one of only three finalists for <a href="http://biznessbabesbib.blogspot.com/2010/06/sunrise-business-builder-award.html">The Sunrise Business Builder Award.</a> Go Sam! If you don't know Samantha's business go and check it out her website <a href="http://www.biddybags.com.au/">here</a>, and see why she has every chance of winning. <br />
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Samantha will be appearing on <a href="http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/">Sunrise</a> tomorrow morning, Friday 9 July.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-72012343776232947082010-07-06T22:57:00.000-07:002010-07-06T23:05:56.694-07:00Photographing People - It's Not That Hard!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0x4D8yuRi6lcyjN2NvWNsN1VZAfAWEdCIi8AG_AW0Yekh93G7L4nm4CsnCut3xTgZ9RwWBBaFfeKxjd8vx3nroCdTF77X-ih6G4n_WVGtsFjzg1JkiBeSVsnc2i9016tNQV-nSEBCXBm/s1600/Miss+Dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" rw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0x4D8yuRi6lcyjN2NvWNsN1VZAfAWEdCIi8AG_AW0Yekh93G7L4nm4CsnCut3xTgZ9RwWBBaFfeKxjd8vx3nroCdTF77X-ih6G4n_WVGtsFjzg1JkiBeSVsnc2i9016tNQV-nSEBCXBm/s640/Miss+Dish.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Last week I went along to a photo shoot with Natalie of <a href="http://missdish.com/?p=794#more-794">Miss Dish</a>. We were both asked by young photographers <a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000998103208">Kohii</a> to allow the use our product for a photo shoot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'd seen Kohii's work on Facebook and really liked their style (that's how they found <a href="http://www.facebook.com/LianaKabel.art.design.jewellery">me</a> too), so I agreed. I went along to the shoot because I thought I might learn a thing or two, which I did. Before this I found the idea of photographing my jewellery on real people completely daunting, but not any more!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Things I learnt (about photographing people/models outdoors):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Lighting </strong>- An overcast day is best. I knew this before, but it really sunk in during the shoot. There were no unflattering shadows, and the models (and products) were evenly lit as a result. You can't always predict the weather, so early morning or afternoon are best. Avoid the middle part of the day, and the resulting harsh light.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>2.</strong> <strong>Location </strong>- There are endless possibilities for outdoor locations. It is important to pick one that fits your style and product or service. A children's playground (perhaps early morning when children are unlikely to be there), a park, a garden, or even a car wreckers (like our photo shoot location)! There are lots of great locations, that will be free to use, all it takes is a little imagination, and sometimes asking permission.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Take lots of photos</strong> - Take many more photos that you think you will need. Try some several different angles too. Digital photography allows for this. You don't want to spend all that time and effort to find out that you 'nearly got it', when you look at your photographs afterwards.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>4. Models</strong> - For this photo shoot experienced models were used. Of course you may want to hire some, otherwise friends and family are often more than willing to help. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>5.</strong> <strong>Planning</strong> - You'll get a far better result on the day if you have planned ahead. Do some research before hand on your location, and through websites and magazines for good photography, for example. That also means trying on outfits beforehand with accessories and make-up, not just on the day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>6.</strong> <strong>Cross promotion</strong> - Why not get together with other businesses and do some cross promotion? You may make wonderful clothes, but you know someone (perhaps another Bizness Babe) who makes great bags that would be a terrific match, and would really enhance your product and photographs. Maybe then you can both use the photographs on websites, blogs and for magazine submissions, giving credit to each of you. That will increase your overall chance of exposure. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cameras are something I haven't mentioned (both Natalie and Kohii used quality <a href="http://www.cnet.com.au/best-digital-slrs-for-beginners-339273132.htm">SLRs</a>) , because at the end of the day good equipment will help, but what is most important is good ideas. A good camera won't help you with that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course this may all seem too hard, or you'd rather hire a photographer to do it for you. Perhaps you do need more professional shots. I do have a few thought about hiring a photographer (also learn't on the day), but I'll leave that for another blog post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you have any other thoughts, or tips please add them in the comments section below. I know I for one, have a lot more to learn! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>photo above, by Natalie Mayerhofer, photo set up by Kohii</em></div><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-77366443054026912012010-06-23T22:15:00.000-07:002010-06-23T22:18:26.327-07:00Sunrise Business Builder Award<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2NfOScjfRG_sItJiJO73tWOijjpnI5ZFrAzg-hkFlacJkIpdGWSGMFGwLiC1UXWT_JJalFqKut8p2SRpBvx5jTcXWOGZvc3-HZhtaMhgcOSxgyaba0Gf7belZGErCxWEEMEo-Fc3GA0s/s1600/business-award-4x3-1621d9u.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2NfOScjfRG_sItJiJO73tWOijjpnI5ZFrAzg-hkFlacJkIpdGWSGMFGwLiC1UXWT_JJalFqKut8p2SRpBvx5jTcXWOGZvc3-HZhtaMhgcOSxgyaba0Gf7belZGErCxWEEMEo-Fc3GA0s/s640/business-award-4x3-1621d9u.jpg" width="640" /></a><strong></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Let's all nominate a Bizness Babe for the Sunrise Business Builder Award! </strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><br />
There are so many wonderful businesses amongst our Bizness Babe graduates you may find it hard to pick just one, so feel free to nominate as many as you like.</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More info from the <a href="http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/factsheets/article/-/article/7443095/business-builder-of-the-year-award/">Sunrise website</a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>We're looking for the unsung heroes of small business. The businesses that offer excellent products and services, are exceptional employers, are an important part of their local community.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Basically, the businesses that epitomise all the elements that are great about small business but who may not have received the attention they deserve. This is your chance to tell us about them and why they are exceptional.</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>To nominate a business you think deserves the Sunrise Business Builder of the Year Award 2010 and to be featured on Sunrise on Friday 9th July from Brisbane, please complete the following information:</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/competitions/businessaward/">NOMINATE A BiB HERE</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">July 9 isn't far away so you best get those nominations in asap!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-14534084744339005292010-06-22T02:27:00.000-07:002010-06-22T23:24:33.479-07:00Advice From a Babe - Networking (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnCqcTQuxigCKDKHoWewOWwRBXAQ561Jzq8NK4W4CRxFdWTEOYA7wfV_vXNz5wW41ZwouofC7t9_myt4Ke-fIpkDcKcrOMAly_sEpVKYNmmsGVObRWKaInMIXzZlsvqUczTmRrA8YWxhB/s1600/twitter_logo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnCqcTQuxigCKDKHoWewOWwRBXAQ561Jzq8NK4W4CRxFdWTEOYA7wfV_vXNz5wW41ZwouofC7t9_myt4Ke-fIpkDcKcrOMAly_sEpVKYNmmsGVObRWKaInMIXzZlsvqUczTmRrA8YWxhB/s320/twitter_logo1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thanks again to Bizness Babe Wendy Tadokoro for writing part two of her ongoing series on networking. To recap, here is <a href="http://biznessbabesbib.blogspot.com/2010/05/advice-from-babe-networking-part-one.html">part one.</a></div><br />
<strong>Part 2: Types of Networking</strong><br />
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<strong><em>What type of networking is best for you?</em></strong><br />
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Before we can answer that question, firstly let’s take a look at the different types of networking opportunities available. Basically networking is done either in person or through social media on line. It pays to network in person for a number of reasons, it allows you to meet new people, re-connect with older relationships, practise your social and communication skills –especially good to practise your elevator pitch. Even if no relationship develops with a person, at least he or she will likely remember you as a nice person if asked about you at some future point. <br />
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If you spend some time researching networking groups in the web, you will find there is a vast number so best to define your search to your local area. Networking organisers usually hold events monthly and you can join their database to receive reminders of upcoming events. Most events follow the format of a workshop followed by casual networking or speed networking. Some events are held in the evening, breakfast or at morning tea. Cost will depend upon the type of speaker and whether a meal is included. There are some free networking events around, these are usually held to promote a business but can still be good value. The best networking results usually come from attending functions for your particular industry. These would include trade shows, conferences and industry association seminars and training courses. <br />
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The other type of networking is a referral based format. Referral networking groups usually meet weekly, require a membership, commitment and the focus is on referring business within the group. Depending on your business, target market and your stage of development, these groups can be a very effective form of referral business. <br />
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Social networking includes platforms such as <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a> and many other business forums. These can be very effective as part of your marketing if used correctly. Decide first if this type of networking/marketing will appeal to your target market before you invest your time. <br />
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At the start up phase of your business, the best strategy is to attend as many networking opportunities as you can manage. You will then be familiar with the different types of events, who attend, and importantly their relevance to your business. Attend events with an open mind and you will always gain something whether it is a new contact, a prospective client, some business advice, a new skill or valuable feedback.<br />
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Next time on the blog - Part 3, The Value of Networking.<br />
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Wendy Tadokoro <br />
<a href="http://www.organisingworks.com.au/main/">Organising Works!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-15536111610315986552010-06-15T18:54:00.000-07:002010-06-15T19:29:23.714-07:00Spotlight on Stephanie Robles - MooBear Designs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33G2Aw8bVN_qTo506J1OQPBxRv7SBSfzN-rQO5Jx9v5J05BvBYxstpi28vNk3QhiuJHTRYMDJn9jmbBYSuiSu9kCcb6WTZYfjICxGMWhAValuun5mABdy5akvZK9A40rh4ovLXPYQvEZq/s1600/Moobear+6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33G2Aw8bVN_qTo506J1OQPBxRv7SBSfzN-rQO5Jx9v5J05BvBYxstpi28vNk3QhiuJHTRYMDJn9jmbBYSuiSu9kCcb6WTZYfjICxGMWhAValuun5mABdy5akvZK9A40rh4ovLXPYQvEZq/s640/Moobear+6.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<strong>Tell us a little about your business?</strong> <br />
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My business is MooBear Designs. It is an extension of what my family does to help out our planet and the people who we share it with! We weren’t happy buying mass-produced clothing for our children because you never really know who is making them and what the working conditions are like where they are made. MooBear was my solution to the problem. <br />
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All five members of our family are involved in some part of our business. From T-shirts designs, photography and paper making for our business cards. If we can work from home then we should work together as a family and have fun during the process.<br />
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We now offer a range of children’s garments with are ethically made with absolutely no negative impact on the Earth. All our designs use recycled fabrics so each one is as unique as the original ones made for Moo and Bear. We like to say ‘Designed by children made by adults, not the other way around’. We are proud to offer the world kids clothing with a conscience.<br />
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<strong>Why did you want to run your own business? </strong><br />
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Running my own business is the perfect excuse for me to stay home, play dress ups all day with my children and enjoy being silly with them. We often start the day with all 5 of us snuggled in bed, which is something we could never do when we worked for other people.<br />
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I didn’t originally start out wanting to run my own business as such. I wanted to spend time with my daughter, Moo and have fun while it was still her and I before I gave birth to her little brother Bear back in 2005. After I made Moo and her friends at school their own MooBear’s I thought maybe this was something I could really do. My husband and friends were encouraging and assured me I had a viable business idea. It wasn’t until I attended Bizness Babes in 2008 where I learnt how to bridge the gap between hobby and business that I was truly excited about starting my own business!<br />
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I now run MooBear Designs with my business partner, best friend and husband, Carlos. We wouldn’t have it any other way and you will not find either of us working a nine to five job for someone else ever again. I have so much freedom to be creative and our children are so happy to have us both at home with them. I am sure they will appreciate it when they are a little older and talk to friends about “when I was little…”<br />
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The most important thing about running my own business would have to be knowing that no matter what I am doing I can stop and be there for each of my 3 children… Oh and I can totally play what ever music I want in my studio because I don’t have to compete with work colleges over the stereo.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong>What have been the challenges?</strong><br />
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Some of the challenges we faced were starting in a market we were completely new too. We also wanted to source the best garments for our designs which turned out to be more time consuming than we first expected but we wouldn’t settle for anything less than what we wanted.<br />
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One of the biggest challenges we faced was advertising expenses. We never expected advertising to be so expensive especially for some of the free magazines aimed at our target market. <br />
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<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year?</strong> <br />
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A retail presence would be great. To walk into a store and see our designs on their shelves would be something. We will be stocking new garments and new designs throughout the year and are aligning ourselves with like-minded companies with the same ethical values as our own.<br />
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<strong>The next five years?</strong> <br />
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How about combining our ethical clothing company with a fair trade coffee label. I shall call it MooBear Café. I hear you laughing but it was one of those midnight thoughts and Carlos said… “Why not?!...” I got so excited about this random idea that I even have a logo ready to go. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><strong>What have you achieved since finishing the BiB course?</strong><br />
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For our business we have achieved quite a lot. We were commissioned by our friends over at Enviro Central to create a range of very special children's T-shirts. Moo’s ‘Earth design’ was featured in Earth Hour’s ‘Vote Earth Project Lantern’ promotion last year. <br />
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We have done promotional work with some of the baby markets in Sydney making banners and aprons. Plus our baby body suits were featured in the green fashion magazine Peppermint which I personally read. I laughed the first time a friend said she’ll see MooBear in there one day. I am lucky it wasn’t a bet or I would have owed her a few fair trade coffees. <br />
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We are also celebrating MooBear’s 1st birthday, which is a huge achievement alone. I have also been able to launch MooBear’s little sister label Over It! How exciting is that?! Who would have thought I would have launched 2 labels in one year??!! Sometimes it’s like have a one year old and a newborn. I get all excited about having a new label and concentrate on it. Then I remember MooBear and get excited all over again!! It’s great.<br />
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<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong><br />
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Always have business cards and know your spiel!! Chrissy’s words ring in the back of my mind, which reminds me I need to print off more business cards this week. I also remember Vicki telling me not to undersell my product. There is no way you will find a MooBear Design for $15 like I use to sell them for. That’s just ludicrous now. Learning the value of my products is so important and has brought me a long way too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0Uf_eRYZZHEeif7_fB7JO3SzhogkOAngDvD3RZ0FoiqqjcZEQGx6a9KBlGhqoBdOK9PlMvfipmrNRhJRZGUhRL_Uqrq3p1Wd3p1Ji080cFOntYm6dTX-orwBPIBukq70xd6dO0EVLVWD/s1600/Moobear+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0Uf_eRYZZHEeif7_fB7JO3SzhogkOAngDvD3RZ0FoiqqjcZEQGx6a9KBlGhqoBdOK9PlMvfipmrNRhJRZGUhRL_Uqrq3p1Wd3p1Ji080cFOntYm6dTX-orwBPIBukq70xd6dO0EVLVWD/s640/Moobear+5.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<strong>What advice do you have to others setting up their own businesses?</strong><br />
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Find out if you have a viable business idea first then I say go for it!! Do a course and learn the nitty gritty stuff. You need to be confident and understand your product or service. I think being a mum has made this easier because I am so passionate about providing the best for my children and it just flows over into our business.<br />
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<a href="http://www.moobeardesigns.com.au/">MooBear Designs</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-8837111163052364832010-06-14T20:28:00.000-07:002010-07-05T22:37:09.921-07:00Avoiding the Mumpreneur Pitfalls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcpsSPTqijhaPILyLqftAv0h6GPRlJRzLNBZbyCMb5jvNFzeHf5T0iYVRR_kbDJIai_PNIe1imua9xesrqOegdT5pLOkMQEW_MC4Lpsb7Q8nCc9WCmv0zPqaO5TWH4yETeTGWfoiG7TX2/s1600/IMGP1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkcpsSPTqijhaPILyLqftAv0h6GPRlJRzLNBZbyCMb5jvNFzeHf5T0iYVRR_kbDJIai_PNIe1imua9xesrqOegdT5pLOkMQEW_MC4Lpsb7Q8nCc9WCmv0zPqaO5TWH4yETeTGWfoiG7TX2/s320/IMGP1249.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Bizness Babe Claire from <a href="http://craftschmaft.com/">Craft Schmaft</a> mentioned this terrific article (thanks Claire!) on 'avoiding the mumpreneur pitfalls'. It really is an article worth mentioning, since many of us trying to balance family and business by working from home, have faced these issues.<br />
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<strong>Article written by Sara Howard via </strong><a href="http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/live-smarter/work-and-family/home-based-business-avoiding-the-mumpreneur-pitfalls"><strong>the Flying Solo website.</strong></a><br />
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Please feel free to share your own experiences of attemping to balance family and business in the comments section below. What works? What doesn't? <br />
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<em>image above, from <a href="http://piperandlily.blogspot.com/p/about.html">Piper + Lily</a></em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-66793955472778239862010-06-09T20:54:00.000-07:002010-06-09T20:54:52.963-07:00Advice From a Babe - Feeling Unmotivated<em>Feeling unmotivated in your business is common. You may indeed be feeling that way right now! If not (great, but) it will more than likely happen at some point. Feeling disheartened and unmotivated can occur for many reasons. Perhaps you are finding it difficult to see the results of all your hard work, or perhaps you are simply feeling overwhelmed by all you have to do. </em><br />
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<em>Luckily one of our Bizness Babes is a motivational writer and offers us this advice. Thanks Philippa.</em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Living the Dream</span></strong><br />
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<strong>by </strong><strong>Philippa Vette</strong><br />
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So you’ve started your own business and hit the wall. You don’t feel inspired, you don’t know what your next step is and your dream seems to be drifting further and further away. Welcome to the world of owning your own business! One of the most difficult aspects of keeping a new business going is staying motivated when things become difficult. However, it’s essential that you stay motivated and inspired to keep chipping away at all the aspects that are required to establish a solid foundation and set all your systems in place.<br />
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<strong>Staying Inspired</strong><br />
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Even as a writer, I’m not inspired all the time. I wear many ‘hats’ as we all do, so when I need inspiration, one of the techniques I use is a visual diary. On the Bizness Babes course I discovered how magical a visual diary can be. It had a significant impact on the direction of my business. Just by making up a poster with pictures of all your favourite things can jog new ideas. There’s nothing more exhilarating than unearthing a fresh, new idea and the spin off from that kind of vitality is enough motivation to deal with the less attractive aspects of the business (financials – ugh!) or dealing with yet another supplier who’s taking forever to get back to you. What inspires you? <br />
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<strong>Stay Connected</strong><br />
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It’s so inspiring to hear other people’s success stories especially if you’ve tracked their ups and downs. Stay in touch with other Bizness Babes and meet new people at every opportunity. You might be surprised where it may lead. Schedule a meeting with your course co-ordinator and draw from their expertise. Even if you turn up with no clue of what your next step should be, you’ll leave with a long To Do List and the motivation to dive right into it.<br />
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<strong>Have a Plan</strong><br />
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Without a plan it’s hard to navigate the direction of your business. To start, it can be as simple as a To Do List but at the end of the day you’ll feel satisfied because you were productive. From there, it can be expanded to include more details and more specific goals.<br />
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<strong>Be Patient</strong><br />
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Setting up a business seems to take longer than we foresee. Don’t assume just because something’s not happening quickly it’s a bad idea or you should quit. Keep working at it and watch your idea develop. At the end of the day, it’s far better to invest yourself in something worthwhile than to always wonder what might have been.<br />
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For more inspiration check out Philippa’s website and inspiring blog.<br />
<a href="http://www.philippavette.com/">http://www.philippavette.com/</a><br />
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<em>If you have any of your own advice regarding staying motivated we would all welcome your comments below. </em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-37253835226693153902010-06-01T15:36:00.000-07:002010-06-22T23:25:36.721-07:00Advice From a Babe - Networking (Part One)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTcMDTuCYXyBMC2AL_2FzTaZvdTfhor0MI12AcpclBB9UpNVRp67MNfyMO4KeALIVR30pGo4j5MEEnrXk9w1ks7C_Te6vtnLJELvlhfjYczACsWBYRIFjzqS0LfhUaspQKioZDpHAUHHY/s1600/dreamstimesmall_6603224%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTcMDTuCYXyBMC2AL_2FzTaZvdTfhor0MI12AcpclBB9UpNVRp67MNfyMO4KeALIVR30pGo4j5MEEnrXk9w1ks7C_Te6vtnLJELvlhfjYczACsWBYRIFjzqS0LfhUaspQKioZDpHAUHHY/s400/dreamstimesmall_6603224%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<em>Wendy Tadokoro rang the Brisbane Bizness Babes office last week to share her excitement over networking. She felt so enthused about the importance of networking that she wanted to share her experiences with other Bizness Babes. Well of course we couldn't let that knowledge and passion go to waste! So Wendy has kindly agreed to write a series of articles on the subject for us.</em> <em>Thanks Wendy.</em><br />
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<strong>Part One:</strong><br />
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If you have just started your business, one of the first challenges you will face is how to let people know you exist. Networking or word of mouth marketing gets a mention on the list of possible marketing activities, it may be one option that you haven’t been too eager to get involved in.<br />
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Networking has enormous benefits and should be at the top of your marketing To-Do lists. The results can be huge as long as you can make networking work for you. The marketplace is competitive and the choice for consumers is endless, people want to deal with people they know, like and trust. For me, networking has enabled me to build relationships, get to know and further define my target market, find clients and prospects, gain valuable business advice, learn about other networking opportunities and events, find other businesses to form alliances with, compile a list of reliable business for my own personal use and also to refer to my clients and socialise with like minded business people who are often prepared to be mentors. <br />
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Some people say that you should attend networking with a strategic plan in mind; I prefer to go with an open mind as you just never know what opportunities may come your way. You will gain something from every event you attend even it is just something new you have learnt from a guest speaker. <br />
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In Part Two of this blog article I will comment on the different types of networking groups and events that are available.<br />
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Wendy Tadokoro<br />
<a href="http://www.organisingworks.com.au/main/">Organising Works!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-15107763581020692352010-06-01T15:14:00.000-07:002010-06-09T20:15:58.311-07:00Photography - DIY Lightbox<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhyIacI4kADY7gKxI9smbpSjrBnVNNVQ4AA0ASg1eSYy2fCjylYFwY2VaMKKZBk53bCWrAaL1sekzIesWxNDkc5ticC_1kOeIRzWIhNWBqhoGt0J35nZhPbPhd7Dy_ce-13p5btQ8O_c/s1600/small_overit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhyIacI4kADY7gKxI9smbpSjrBnVNNVQ4AA0ASg1eSYy2fCjylYFwY2VaMKKZBk53bCWrAaL1sekzIesWxNDkc5ticC_1kOeIRzWIhNWBqhoGt0J35nZhPbPhd7Dy_ce-13p5btQ8O_c/s320/small_overit.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Good photography is essential. You'll need quality images for your website, media and general promotion.<br />
When you make products to sell, knowing how to photograph them well is one of your most important tools, and is a skill that you really need to develop. Even if your business is a service based one taking good photographs is also important. You may need an images for your website, or to document an event that you were a part of. Using stock images may be handy at times but there is a high chance that a competitor has felt the same, and is therefore using the same images. This can be confusing for a customer/client.<br />
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Paying for photography can be a wise choice. There may be times when you want the best photographs possible and getting someone else to do it is the better option. This can be at the start of your business, or when you are launching a new product. <br />
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Overall good photography doesn't need to be hard or expensive. With some practice and a few good tips I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. Lots more will be said on this topic over the coming months. Of course you are always welcome to ask some questions or let us know what has worked for you.<br />
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To start here is a quick and inexpensive way to <a href="http://studio6or7.blogspot.com/2010/01/diy-light-box-tutorial.html">build your own light box</a>. <br />
Of course you may choose to buy one if you're not much of a DIY person. There are plenty of cheap pop up ones available from photo stores, and on ebay. <br />
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Plus here are a few good tips via the<a href="http://reviews.ebay.com.au/The-Essential-Guide-for-Better-Product-Photography_W0QQugidZ10000000000919518"> ebay product photography guide.</a> If some of that is a little confusing don't worry some easier tips will follow shortly.<br />
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<i>pictured above, image via</i> <a href="http://www.moobeardesigns.com.au/shop.php"><i>Moobear Designs</i></a><br />
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This is a great example of the use of nature lighting. Wait for an overcast day to avoid harsh shadows. Early morning or late afternoon are best.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-65806423020753830682010-05-28T00:43:00.000-07:002010-05-28T00:43:23.004-07:00Guide To Wholesaling<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7L6xbo1CjJyv_8EgzSSlYsL651n7AZBwa-Kjcy4wGio7KecR0K2cFSd_iWq59-992x5W7mkoeIix4cPR51M_V_cuUnxnojhMshrZABBfXTWsKWcZzhSIINVW4AfWEPM-PrXMQ9RhNXjc/s1600/Blackbird+Corner.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474767598984513378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7L6xbo1CjJyv_8EgzSSlYsL651n7AZBwa-Kjcy4wGio7KecR0K2cFSd_iWq59-992x5W7mkoeIix4cPR51M_V_cuUnxnojhMshrZABBfXTWsKWcZzhSIINVW4AfWEPM-PrXMQ9RhNXjc/s400/Blackbird+Corner.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 291px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I came across this terrific guide to selling your products wholesale, and thought I would share it with you. It was created by the Australian Design Unit. <br />
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The guide provides a thorough checklist of all the important things you need to do before approaching retailers. Plus it gives you a few helpful tips on the best ways to go about approaching them, and how to maintain a lasting commercial relationship. <br />
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<strong>The ADU guide below, covers these six important steps:</strong> <br />
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<strong>1) Know your market</strong><br />
<strong>2) Know your product</strong><br />
<strong>3) Research target retailers</strong><br />
<strong>4) Marketing collateral – prepare price lists, a brand overview,</strong><br />
<strong>photographs and samples</strong><br />
<strong>5) Logistics – quantities, lead times, and shipping</strong><br />
<strong>6) Business matters - pricing , payment terms and invoicing</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.australiandesignunit.com/wp-content/uploads/ADU_guide_to_wholesaling.pdf">ADU Guide to Wholesaling</a><br />
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It would be terrific to hear about your own experiences of dealing with retailers. Also feel free to ask any questions on this topic. We will all do our best to offer some advice.<br />
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<a href="http://www.thefinderskeepers.com/blog/2009/05/featured-shop-blackbird-corner/">Blackbird Corner, pictured above</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-71418120588736890922010-05-16T21:14:00.000-07:002010-05-19T18:52:51.204-07:00Spotlight On Natalie Mayerhofer - Miss Dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxgTLQer1Gw_4Bj0AO1EhM3GkgTV9FIYrAhctHNAGjODtO5pmDF2AZkojDCAGsVZjmT9ia0OZy_Abaz4bxKHoeZVuzcKu4T1ZZ6YFS9V36IvUrWLqusV3q2JhUsYBmqA9irSR43wrLBqh/s1600/Miss+Dish+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSxgTLQer1Gw_4Bj0AO1EhM3GkgTV9FIYrAhctHNAGjODtO5pmDF2AZkojDCAGsVZjmT9ia0OZy_Abaz4bxKHoeZVuzcKu4T1ZZ6YFS9V36IvUrWLqusV3q2JhUsYBmqA9irSR43wrLBqh/s640/Miss+Dish+1.jpg" width="640" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<em>This is the first in an ongoing series of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bizness</span> Babes interviews. If you would like to interviewed please contact your State <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">BiB</span> coordinator directly.</em> <br />
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<strong>Tell us a little about your business? </strong><br />
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Miss Dish jewellery and accessories are designed with a fashion forward market in mind that value products that are unique and a little bit quirky. Each piece of jewellery and accessory are handcrafted using both new and vintage fabrics, beads, crystals and buttons. <br />
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Currently Miss Dish has two collections ‘The Secret Garden’ collection made up of fabric flower accessories and ‘Petite Cheri’ collection made up of charm and vintage inspired earrings and bracelets.<br />
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Miss Dish is also currently creating a Bridal collection which includes a new range of vintage inspired birdcage veils and <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">fascinators</span>. Brides will have the choice of traditional whites and ivorys as well as bolder colours like red, black, gold and silver. Miss Dish is also offering Brides a new service where they have the choice to use their own bridal fabrics to incorporate into a one of a kind Miss Dish piece.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxadQ3T5QLVf0lHLNQXF-9qFPtlHFoqwOgqQ97C8Wy0-TsTb9_Pgti3NdiJluQ4r1ST98Qy0G9y-8mss5CK8n5WYNTIPFOGqyRyoUWI-IfmnvcHLYZlUO3MZorDktuGTlbcGnXxZcodeX/s1600/Miss+Dish+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuxadQ3T5QLVf0lHLNQXF-9qFPtlHFoqwOgqQ97C8Wy0-TsTb9_Pgti3NdiJluQ4r1ST98Qy0G9y-8mss5CK8n5WYNTIPFOGqyRyoUWI-IfmnvcHLYZlUO3MZorDktuGTlbcGnXxZcodeX/s320/Miss+Dish+2.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<strong>Why did you want to run your own business?</strong> <br />
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For many years I have worked in an office and felt that my heart was not really in it. I have so much passion for creating and I felt stifled by the office environment. The last straw came last October and after much deliberation I decided to resign from my job and 'follow my heart'. Another huge influence on my decision was the fact that my parents have ran a successful business for most of my life and I think that they have also played an important part in why I finally made the decision to go for it.<br />
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<strong>What have been the challenges?</strong> <br />
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For me its about organising my time efficiently. I find it ironic that when I worked in an office I was good at time management but put me out of that environment and I floundered. <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bizness</span> Babes helped me think outside of my usual ways of organising my time and experiment with new ways that worked for me. As the owner of a micro business I find it a challenge to manage the many facets. For Miss Dish that means, creating the product, writing content for my website, taking photos of the products and models, accounts etc.... it's challenging and can be overwhelming if you think about all of those things at once. My advice is to take one step at a time and it will all come together.<br />
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<strong>Where would you like to see your business go in the next year?</strong><br />
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I'd like to see retailers actively seeking me out to purchase Miss Dish for their boutiques. I am currently developing a wholesale catalogue for interested customers. Also I am having a brand new website developed for Miss Dish. It should be ready to 'unveil' in the next 3 months.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfveq0pAxFwoXYX5kI9ndnNQxlHvx5Dcvw0hpv3JyS3oyb63VNrz86CQEaWCq018GI44N6N11WMNsbLU2M_3aoejUc-R7pCppKvrNAWMRhHrnF0CvL5WBZ3Kxdkawm3VW_WynyY9dykaB/s1600/Miss+Dish+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfveq0pAxFwoXYX5kI9ndnNQxlHvx5Dcvw0hpv3JyS3oyb63VNrz86CQEaWCq018GI44N6N11WMNsbLU2M_3aoejUc-R7pCppKvrNAWMRhHrnF0CvL5WBZ3Kxdkawm3VW_WynyY9dykaB/s320/Miss+Dish+5.jpg" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<strong>The next five years?</strong> <br />
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Ideally I would like to have my own Miss Dish boutique. As well as being stocked in boutiques both in Australia and internationally. That would probably mean that in the future I will have employees to assist me in my goals.<br />
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<strong>What have you achieved since finishing the <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">BiB</span> course? </strong><br />
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I have been so busy with Miss Dish since graduating from Business Babes and I love it. I have done a professional photo shoot with models to help create an image for Miss Dish. These photos will be used for my new website which is currently being developed to replace my current website. I have created hair accessories for a fashion show the 'Religion of Fashion' for up and coming designer 'Lady Phuncle'. I am now stocked at the <a href="http://www.bleedingheart.com.au/?page_id=6">Bleeding Heart Gallery</a> and at <a href="http://www.incube8r.com.au/2010/04/07/in-cube8r-brisbane/">in.cube8r</a> on <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Wickham</span> Street in the valley. I am still working on my Business Plan, which is almost complete. The biggest challenge for me is the financials. But I'm getting there. I'm proud of what I have achieved so far and I certainly include writing most! of a Business Plan as one of those achievements.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Nx_RtGaECX2UtkcB5hnu1afAz9Y65IOVjy3MCEmlsQ3rjJ_1ASSAUHDIvJ9piqmBhK334q9dL4MOp-JqY6vMZGadn3GsEqActYaz-iVpEKkE1WQEefSc9LAU0MdMrHY05VzSNFFgsjU/s1600/Miss+Dish+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_Nx_RtGaECX2UtkcB5hnu1afAz9Y65IOVjy3MCEmlsQ3rjJ_1ASSAUHDIvJ9piqmBhK334q9dL4MOp-JqY6vMZGadn3GsEqActYaz-iVpEKkE1WQEefSc9LAU0MdMrHY05VzSNFFgsjU/s640/Miss+Dish+3.jpg" width="640" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice has helped you most?</strong> <br />
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Trust in your instincts. Your life experience is more valuable than you may give yourself credit for. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZRq2AcavrOYibj_TvvLYstn1c5EtzNNvWJS7kgTGNCBH1nkUUw3mcZH1uU_D7J7Ogo46bJKOJuoaV-IGShdAX4_xYAslfwxrZXXEh4k9Pd6_CUKRqbrryhJ3UqCrxJw1Pe3mFR_w15Bk/s1600/Miss+Dish+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZRq2AcavrOYibj_TvvLYstn1c5EtzNNvWJS7kgTGNCBH1nkUUw3mcZH1uU_D7J7Ogo46bJKOJuoaV-IGShdAX4_xYAslfwxrZXXEh4k9Pd6_CUKRqbrryhJ3UqCrxJw1Pe3mFR_w15Bk/s640/Miss+Dish+4.jpg" width="640" wt="true" /></a></div><br />
<strong>What advice do you have to others setting up their own businesses?</strong> <br />
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Seek out like minded people. Its great to start networking with people in the same industry as you or who are starting out with their own micro business. People and their knowledge are empowering. Also look for a course that introduces you to the world of running your own micro business. For me <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bizness</span> Babes was ideal. They are warm, welcoming, and extremely knowledgeable people who are approachable and speak in plain English. I like that a lot.<br />
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<a href="http://missdish.com/">Visit the Miss Dish website</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-23580523122291490772010-04-19T15:20:00.000-07:002010-05-17T21:48:45.064-07:00Bizness Babes Directory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSo72GyTGXjx9Xlz5E38VtrLZuYXe1fz2bosR2pMufmNfdQjPO-odLGgjfjKTcKbgRNEFM6rYq6pDFfUOLBRosvd1cxWi3MEqxZq-QOSWgMYxe27Jwnz9i13EBIbYnqnUSh_Y9b1S02xGm/s1600/Kylie+Bowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSo72GyTGXjx9Xlz5E38VtrLZuYXe1fz2bosR2pMufmNfdQjPO-odLGgjfjKTcKbgRNEFM6rYq6pDFfUOLBRosvd1cxWi3MEqxZq-QOSWgMYxe27Jwnz9i13EBIbYnqnUSh_Y9b1S02xGm/s400/Kylie+Bowers.jpg" width="400" wt="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you are a <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bizness</span> Babe and your website/blog isn't listed in the directory here, simply add your business name and link in the comments section below. If the link for your business changes, simply add the updated link in the comments section also. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">More detailed listings of <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">Bizness</span> Babes businesses are available via the <a href="http://www.biznessbabes.com.au/BiBDirectory.aspx">website. </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/kylieB"><em>Kylie Bowers</em></a><em> cell phone cover, pictured above.</em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-88017994209843726182010-04-14T21:02:00.000-07:002010-05-17T15:00:43.713-07:00Facebook Business Pages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1x46tv4j1_HqNe1KGahh28O4RPbNVLHIzYDvEYC4dqYjNLMptYM2gUZdTEEHaLH_h4KdGByicbgWyDuLu4creTHsH7rdQhlF12f-4w-DjqY9VjiJDyx2AMI2Pdlk4e0kMBCAXJ6e-422s/s400/25905_379660911810_48053761810_4148643_1138024_n.jpg" width="300" wt="true" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
More and more in business it is expected that you will interact with your customers/clients beyond just having a web presence. That's where social networking comes in. I'll mention all the ways you can easily do this over the coming weeks, and which ones may be right for you and your business.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A Facebook Fan page is one method you can try to promote your business and access new customers. Once you have a personal facebook page all it takes is a few easy steps to create a business page. Information on how to get set up your page and make it engaging is available <a href="http://www.facebook.com/advertising/?pages">via facebook</a>.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php">Create a fan page here</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you already have a Facebook fan page set up you are welcome to add a link to it in the comments section below. A few more fans are guaranteed. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Peppermint magazine, pictured above.</em> Visit Peppermint's Fan page <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/peppermintmag?ref=ts">here</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1758638029448340790.post-72813196567471169052010-04-05T22:12:00.000-07:002010-04-19T22:30:56.033-07:00Watching Trends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTXBPbapH4FT4aaG4z7i91PaNKQtVcUDmVr5sX7XEr2NYWAC6MYiJerGBGORmvyAuo9Q_CplOmv6EZTiDFcOJTjOVEndLKuzsF78mDI7qlZXcfBY9Jj6iJ4drq6u0FYuLadHal08xEczh/s1600/2246956618_408014ced9.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456906915128804146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTXBPbapH4FT4aaG4z7i91PaNKQtVcUDmVr5sX7XEr2NYWAC6MYiJerGBGORmvyAuo9Q_CplOmv6EZTiDFcOJTjOVEndLKuzsF78mDI7qlZXcfBY9Jj6iJ4drq6u0FYuLadHal08xEczh/s400/2246956618_408014ced9.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 338px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">It is important to know what is happening in the world as trends can affect your business. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://trendwatching.com/briefing/">Trendwatching.com</a> is one of the world's leading trend firms. They constantly scan the globe for emerging consumer trends,which they provide free, monthly Trend Briefings on.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0