1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Small businesses now. They are the backbone of our country 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: and I know firsthand how tough it is, long hours, 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: constant hurdles, and too often feeling like you're in it alone. 4 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: And what I keep hearing from you is that small 5 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: business owners don't feel heard. My team and I are 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: paying close attention to our small business community and the 7 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: feedback that comes to us through the Mental podcast. Now, 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: one thing is clear. You want to hear from more 9 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: businesses beyond Sydney, from across the country, and especially those 10 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: that are doing it tough. That's why my team and 11 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,520 Speaker 1: I are launching the Small Business call Out. The Small 12 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: Business call Out, which will be under the Mentor channel, 13 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: will talk to business owners all over the country every 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: single week, no matter where you are. We want to 15 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: hear from you. What's working, what's not working, What do 16 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: you need from the government to actually succeed? What are 17 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: the things can you enlighten us about what it's like 18 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: being in the small business community. This is yours to 19 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: make your voice count. We want to hear from all industries, 20 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: from those struggling, from those who feel overlooked, or those 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: who have something to say but haven't had the platform 22 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: to say it. I'm going to continue hosting the Mental podcast, 23 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 1: but the Small Business call Out will be uploaded between episodes. 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: So let's get into this week's edition of the new 25 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:30,960 Speaker 1: Small Business call Out. What is the name of your 26 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:34,560 Speaker 1: business and in simple terms, what does your business do? 27 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 2: To introduce myself, my name is Jason Graham. I've been 28 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 2: in business in Canberra and New South Wales for thirty 29 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: five years. Our current business involves a couple of different companies. 30 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 2: We own offshore Boat Sales, which is based in Canberra 31 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:02,919 Speaker 2: and we look after act New southde ailes and further 32 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: afield such as the coast. 33 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 3: And what offshore. 34 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 2: Boat Sails does is it sells new and news boats. 35 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 2: We specialize in custom design. We're a Yamaha outboard dealership. 36 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 2: We are a service agent for YMA and spare parts. 37 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:28,639 Speaker 2: We do retail electronics packages for the marine industry such 38 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 2: as Garmen, pretty much all things boating. We're specialize in 39 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 2: full rebuilds for boats for people that want to rebuild 40 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: an older boat or repower it with a new engine. 41 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: And we supply Australian made boat trailers to the local network. 42 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 3: The other business that. 43 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 2: Stemmed out of COVID due to the lack of supply 44 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: down into New South Wales and Canberra with Queensland being 45 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: shut off. I'd been designing boats since we started offshore, 46 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: which was in twenty eleven, so when our supply chain 47 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: cut off, I basically started design and manufacturing myself, using 48 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 2: some specialist boat builders that are based up the far 49 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 2: North New Southwest coast. 50 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 3: So we now build Australian. 51 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: Made played alloy boats under the Cutting Edge Design banner. 52 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:39,360 Speaker 2: They're all still fully backed by Yamaha and Garment, but 53 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: each customer has the advantage of having a custom design 54 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: boat and build done from start to finish by us, 55 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: and that's backed by, you know, forty years of boating 56 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 2: experience myself, even though all the other businesses weren't boating. 57 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: And then Cutting Edge Designers then diversified even further because 58 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 2: as we'll get to the marine industry has sort of 59 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 2: slowed down a fair bit with with with customer sentiment 60 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 2: and tightening the belts and government and whatnot. So we 61 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 2: actually sell golf carts as well. I'm a Caain golfer, 62 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 2: so we were diversified by doing that, and now we've 63 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 2: actually diversified a little bit further in that cutting edge 64 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 2: has now another arm which is Cutting Edge Business Solutions, 65 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 2: whereby we actually are helping other local businesses in and 66 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: around Canberra and New South Wales with things like post systems, ATMs. 67 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 3: Hospitality. 68 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 2: And yeah, and crypto solutions as well, which is out there. 69 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 3: But yeah, it's all sort of I guess. 70 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 2: Related, because it's all business related, bricks and mortar. I'm 71 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 2: at the offshore boat sales office, you know, meanwhile boats 72 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 2: servicing Yamaha sales. 73 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 3: All that goes on. 74 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: But we're sort of supporting ourselves by doing a lot 75 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 2: of diverse, filed. 76 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 3: Stuff I think, which was something you had to do 77 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 3: coming out of COVID. 78 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 1: What was the most rewarding part of being a small 79 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:30,919 Speaker 1: business owner? 80 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 2: The most rewarding part of all of the businesses that 81 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:44,280 Speaker 2: I've been involved with has been having that idea and 82 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 2: bringing it to life. I guess unlike a lot of 83 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: other business owners, I've never actually purchased a business or 84 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: taken over someone else's business. 85 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 3: I've utilized franchise systems before. 86 00:05:57,360 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 2: But every one of my businesses has been a startup, 87 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 2: stemming back to when I was fourteen years old working 88 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: on the farm. 89 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 3: I came from a little town called Wombat Out me. 90 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:15,479 Speaker 2: Young and the first business I had was sending fresh 91 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: fruit to China out of our orchard because dad dad 92 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 2: didn't pay too well, so I convinced him to let 93 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 2: me have a crack at selling some fresh fruit through 94 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 2: a friend's dad knew that the possibility was there. Went 95 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: to the Sydney markets. Old Greek guy down there, he 96 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 2: probably related to Mark. 97 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 3: He backed me. 98 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 2: I think he thought that I was maybe a little 99 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 2: bit older than than fourteen, but he took that batch 100 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: of first sugar plums and sent them to China, and 101 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 2: about eight to ten weeks later, I got a big 102 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: fat check in the mail and it was pretty exciting 103 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,039 Speaker 2: stuff for it fourteen year old kid, and I guess 104 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:07,799 Speaker 2: that's what started at all. And to answer the question, 105 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 2: that's what gives me the most satisfaction about being able 106 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: to bring an idea to life, being able to meet 107 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 2: the demand. You know, I think one of the biggest 108 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 2: things with any business is making sure that you've done 109 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 2: your background and you've checked your demographics, and you make 110 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: sure that there is a demand for whatever you're going 111 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: to do. That doesn't always work one hundred percent, as 112 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: anyone in business will tell you, especially at the moment, 113 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 2: because things are so tough, everything's up and down, but 114 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: by being able to pull it all together and come 115 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: together with an idea, whether it be you know, selling boats, 116 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 2: building boats, having you know, I've had a couple of 117 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,040 Speaker 2: bar and restaurants. 118 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 3: I've had Jim's mowing and fencing. 119 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 2: I've had civil construction companies, a baby shop or tab. 120 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 3: You know, there's a fair bit that's gone on. 121 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 2: But I do feel that everyone's got the opportunity to 122 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 2: make anything what they want to make. 123 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 3: It's just damn hard work, but it's very very rewarding. 124 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 3: It can also be very. 125 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: Very draining and disappointing, especially when you know things are 126 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 2: not going your way. 127 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: What is one thing you wish you knew before you 128 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:32,599 Speaker 1: even started your business. 129 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 2: Look, I think that if I could go back to 130 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 2: the early nineties when I bought my first pub, I 131 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 2: think I was nineteen twenty years old right now, what 132 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 2: I wish I didn't know, which is the opposite of 133 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 2: what you're asking, is that I wish I didn't know 134 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 2: how much easier business was then. 135 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 3: Now. 136 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 2: I'm not saying that it was easier as in work 137 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 2: hard or you didn't have to do one hundred hours 138 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 2: a week or whatnot. But I think the return for 139 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 2: the hard work back then, even though from a monetary 140 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 2: point of view may not have been as much turnover 141 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: or as much revenue, I do feel that what you 142 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:27,480 Speaker 2: got back from business was more of a return on 143 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 2: your investment that you didn't feel like you were getting cheated. 144 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 2: And I think the longer that you've been in business, 145 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 2: and especially the current economy that we're in now, you know, 146 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 2: the ATO has got incredibly tough with everything. 147 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 3: People are very very tight with money. 148 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 2: So you know when we talk about boat building and 149 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 2: selling outboard engines, and that's all discretionary spend, right, So 150 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 2: none of us knew that COVID was going to hit, right, 151 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 2: And during COVID, some areas of Australia thrived in the 152 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 2: boating industry because, say, for example, Queensland, it's a lot 153 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 2: warmer in Queensland and people didn't have anything else to 154 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 2: do except recreational boating, so whether they were fishing or 155 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,079 Speaker 2: their family or whatever, so things went off in certain 156 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: different areas. I guess if you knew what was going 157 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 2: to happen, in hindsight, we'd all be able to prepare 158 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: better for what tohead but you. 159 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 3: Never know that. 160 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,280 Speaker 2: And that's one thing about business is you never know 161 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 2: what's going to happen. You don't know what's going to 162 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 2: happen with government at the moment. You know, we're in Canberra. 163 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 2: Canber is so government are orientated as far as the 164 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 2: holding pattern. So there's like as soon as it comes 165 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 2: up to a federal election, the whole country stops. But 166 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: in Canberra it's even it's felt, you know, it's felt 167 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 2: greatly because because the city seems to have that stigma 168 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 2: of being advertised as the government is not the government, 169 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 2: the government is Canberra. 170 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 3: You know. 171 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:26,319 Speaker 2: So when people talk about Canberra all the time, especially 172 00:11:26,480 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 2: during you know, when there's media and there's you know, 173 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 2: the Great Debates and all of this stuff on TV, 174 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 2: it does take away from the overall view of Canberra 175 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 2: and people sometimes probably forget that Canberra is just another 176 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 2: city which is run by small business, you know, the 177 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: building trade and everything here. If we knew the building 178 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:50,920 Speaker 2: trade was going to be as effective as what it 179 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 2: has been in the last three years, you would also 180 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 2: look at different ways of as you said before, pivoting 181 00:11:58,679 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: your business. But yeah, it's a difficult one to try 182 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 2: to guess what would help. 183 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 3: All I know is that. 184 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 2: Things have gradually getting harder because the costs of running 185 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 2: business is growing and growing and growing. You know, the 186 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 2: cost of rents, the cost of outgoings on those buildings. 187 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: You know, obviously there's not as much spending in the economy, 188 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 2: especially discretional spending on recreational items such as boats. So 189 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 2: that's what has more or less forced that diversification back 190 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,199 Speaker 2: into a few other areas which are all related back 191 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 2: into business, but have given us the opportunity to at 192 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 2: least expand, but not only that, just survive. 193 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 3: I guess at the moment is it is a matter 194 00:12:58,679 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 3: of survival for a lot. 195 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 2: Of businesses, not just Camber, but everywhere all throughout Australia. 196 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 2: And the statistics say, you know, if there's startup businesses 197 00:13:09,880 --> 00:13:14,839 Speaker 2: within five years, fifty percent of those businesses don't continue. 198 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 3: That's a given. 199 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 2: There's a high percentage of directors and business owners that 200 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: are not even paying themselves a wage, which I'm one 201 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 2: of those business owners. You know, the other people you 202 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: work with, you and your business to business supporters, they 203 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:37,640 Speaker 2: have to get paid first. So you know, I'm very 204 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 2: very lucky that I've got a wife and family that 205 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 2: support me in the business. She has her own job, 206 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 2: and I would hate to think what it would be 207 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: like if you didn't have a partner that actually, you know, 208 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: pulls their own weight by being able to help in 209 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 2: a financial way and keep the household running because a 210 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 2: lot of the time in business, everything that comes from 211 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 2: the business goes back into the business, including every minute 212 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:07,000 Speaker 2: of the day, seven days a week. 213 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 3: To me, business has been my whole life. 214 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: And what inspire you to start your business, those. 215 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 2: Are straight out supply supply boat sails, become a Yamaha 216 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 2: outboard dealership, create that service side of the business, be 217 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 2: able to just provide everything boating for camera because there 218 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: was no one and there still is no one else 219 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,920 Speaker 2: in the act that provides that service. Then having the 220 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: supply issues force that pivot to cutting edge design, whereby 221 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,880 Speaker 2: we're now able to actually build our own boats for 222 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: customers based on what they want. More importantly, Australian made, 223 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 2: so all the money's staying here and I don't need 224 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 2: to probably put as much pressure on myself to sell 225 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 2: as many boats as what we used to when we 226 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 2: were buying factory built boats. Out of Queens because we're 227 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 2: cutting out that middleman. You know, if I can spend 228 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 2: more time and bring a higher quality product, that's what 229 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,960 Speaker 2: you want. That's what gives you that satisfaction in your business. 230 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 2: And most importantly, you know, we're in business to make money. 231 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 2: If you're not making money, you're not going to stay 232 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 2: in business. So if you can do something yourself using 233 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: the best contractors and boat builders that you can, you're 234 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 2: still spreading the love by employing them and spending money 235 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 2: with them. And we're buying Australian you know, it's aluminium, 236 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 2: it's freight, it's every touch you know on these building 237 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:54,600 Speaker 2: these boats creates more work and more jobs for people 238 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 2: in our business community and that small community. Every single 239 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 2: person touches one of these jobs. If you took all 240 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 2: that away, a lot of people would suffer, you know. 241 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 2: So you know, been able to go and have a 242 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 2: game of golf every Wednesday morning at the local golf club, 243 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,280 Speaker 2: which I've been a member at for thirty years. 244 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 3: People see me. 245 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 2: In my golf cart. If they want to buy a 246 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 2: golf cut, they can see it. They can order one. 247 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 2: That creates more sales. It's another business solution and we're 248 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 2: providing that service to the local economy. 249 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 3: In Canberra whereby previous. 250 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 2: There was none, And I guess that's why then we've 251 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 2: even diversified further back to that business solution side where. 252 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 3: And I'm not having a crack at the big four 253 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 3: banks but everyone does. 254 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 2: What we're trying to do is touch base with all 255 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 2: those thirty five years of business contacts that I've got, 256 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 2: which I think I've got twenty seven thousand in my phone. 257 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 2: So out of all those people that I've touched base 258 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,200 Speaker 2: through all the different types of businesses, if I can 259 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 2: go to them and help them save money on their 260 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: f poss or positive system or business solutions, whatever it is, 261 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 2: if I can help them save money and keep the 262 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 2: money in the local community, that's my main goal, I guess. 263 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:31,680 Speaker 2: And that's where Offshore Boatsals cutting Edge has all stemmed 264 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 2: from thirty five years of business experience and seeing that 265 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 2: a lot of money gets drained out of the local 266 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 2: community in the industry, so the building industry here in 267 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 2: Canberra at the moment. And I listened to one of 268 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 2: the guys did one of the shout outs a few 269 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 2: weeks ago, and he was a camera based guy and 270 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 2: I understood every single thing that you've saying was so true. 271 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 2: And theiggest problems at the moment we're seeing Canberra is 272 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 2: that these big developers are bringing in staff from outside. 273 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 2: So whether they are overseas workers or they're from Sydney 274 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 2: or Melbourne, they're big crews. It doesn't matter where they're from, 275 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter. But what happens is they come in, 276 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 2: they take all of those jobs on those big, big, 277 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,359 Speaker 2: you know, apartment buildings and whatnot, whether they're commercial or private, 278 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 2: and they don't physically live in Canberra, so they're earning 279 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 2: the money from those jobs and all of that revenue 280 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 2: goes back to wherever they're from. So if they're from 281 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 2: Sydney or Melbourne, or they're from overseas, and that's all great, 282 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 2: we need people to be able to do these jobs, 283 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:54,440 Speaker 2: but that's where your local community, which Canberra is not 284 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,200 Speaker 2: a very big place. Our population is, you know, probably 285 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 2: smaller than Liverpool. So it's the money gets drained out 286 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 2: of Canberra and back into the other areas and we 287 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 2: don't get we can't get that funnel back. 288 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 3: So if that money goes out of the circle, that. 289 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 2: Affects all businesses because your tradees are not getting paid 290 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 2: as much, they won't spend on discretionary products like going 291 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 2: out for dinners and going to the pub for a 292 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:26,719 Speaker 2: beer and a coffee and whatnot. 293 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 3: So what happens is then. 294 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 2: The public servant sector, because they're finding it tight or 295 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,200 Speaker 2: there's not as many jobs, they're not going to spend 296 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 2: as much with tradees. So it's a big circle whereby 297 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 2: all the businesses need to be in that circle to 298 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 2: keep the money going around. And if the money gets 299 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 2: funneled out of our local community and which is our state, 300 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 2: which is you know the Australian Capital Territory with capital 301 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: of Australia, you know what we're seeing at the moment, 302 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 2: and that was evidenced by the guy the other day 303 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 2: from Canberra talking is that the money is just going 304 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 2: straight out of the state and it's not coming back, 305 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 2: so it cuts. 306 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 3: That supply, you know. Yeah. 307 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 2: So yeah, in short, what we're always trying to do 308 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 2: is developed that local business and try and keep the 309 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 2: money going around within our economy so that all the 310 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 2: businesses can be successful, because we don't want people to fail. 311 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: How is your business doing right now. 312 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 2: In the current economy, The business at the moment is 313 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 2: generating the least amount of turnover that I've ever seen. 314 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 2: Our business is directly affected by the discretionary spend from 315 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:04,479 Speaker 2: local Right. In Canberra, a lot of people don't really 316 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 2: understand a lot about Camera. Most people would say, this 317 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 2: guy's crazy. He's got a boat shop in Camera and 318 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 2: there's no water. 319 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 3: Right. 320 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 2: That's a fairly good assumption because there is no water 321 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,200 Speaker 2: and Lake Burley Griffin you can't even run an engine 322 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 2: in it, you know. So so I understand when people 323 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 2: say that to me, because I do get a lot 324 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 2: of backlash on that. 325 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 3: I'll say, why are you? You know? But obviously. 326 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 2: A company like Yamaha wouldn't back us to open a 327 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 2: dealership in Canberra if they didn't think that it was required. 328 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 3: Right. So there's a lot of statistics. 329 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 2: Most Canbarans spend a lot of time at the coast. 330 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 2: So the whole South coast, so anywhere from you know, 331 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,280 Speaker 2: south of Woollongong, Coyama all the way to Eden gives 332 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 2: me a massive blanketed area and a big demographic of 333 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 2: people that fish, water, ski whatnot. 334 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:05,160 Speaker 3: And then we're. 335 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 2: Surrounded by a lot of dams as well. Another question 336 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 2: people would ask is well. Are you affected greatly by 337 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: summer and winter? People think that a boat shop will 338 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 2: be busier in spring and summer than during winter. 339 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,119 Speaker 3: Traditionally that's the opposite. 340 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 2: A lot of the boat shows and a lot of 341 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: the promotion goes on during winter. So even though I'm 342 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 2: coming to work at four point thirty five in the morning, 343 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 2: it's minus six, we're still up until now seeing a 344 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 2: lot of. 345 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 3: A lot of support across the whole year. 346 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 2: Coming into Christmas is always busier because you've got deadlines 347 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 2: and you've got to have boats finish for people going. 348 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 3: Holidays and whatnot. 349 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 2: But traditionally it was always pretty much across the board 350 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,199 Speaker 2: all year was the same sort of you know, the 351 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 2: month is not a massive difference. In the present economy 352 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 2: where we sit, we're coming into winter in Canberra, we've 353 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 2: got a federal election. 354 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,680 Speaker 3: Interest rates are high. 355 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 2: Even though they keep squawking about interest rate cuts, that 356 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 2: doesn't change the fact that most people are struggling with 357 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 2: costs of living, which includes paying their mortgages. 358 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 3: And unfortunately we're the first ones that are hit. 359 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,119 Speaker 2: So if people are not spending money with traders, and 360 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 2: trades are not spending money with us, and similar type businesses. 361 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 3: Our revenue is cut to the hilt, so we have to. 362 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 2: Concentrate a lot more on providing a better level of 363 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:03,159 Speaker 2: service to the customers that we do have, and that 364 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 2: what we've spoken about with diversifying into different areas, we're 365 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:14,360 Speaker 2: hoping that that will create more revenue to get us 366 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 2: through the tough times where you know, offshore boat sails, 367 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 2: cutting edge design with the marine industry been a bit 368 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: on the dead side, which is Australia wide, by the way, 369 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 2: Like when I talk to all the other dealers, everyone's 370 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 2: in the same position, so and there's no point crying about. 371 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 3: It, you know, even though I'm sure that we all 372 00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:40,639 Speaker 3: do it some stage. 373 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: It's the reality is that people who are only going 374 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,439 Speaker 2: to buy something when they're ready to buy it, you 375 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 2: can't make them go and spend money because at the 376 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:57,639 Speaker 2: moment the wife says no to the boat, no to 377 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:02,399 Speaker 2: the motorbike, no to you know, a weekend away with 378 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 2: the boys or whatever it is, and it'll be people 379 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 2: have just been a lot more careful with what they're 380 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 2: doing so that they can, just as I said before, survive. 381 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 3: I guess so at. 382 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: The moment I would say that our businesses and our 383 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 2: business and a lot of other businesses are all in 384 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 2: survival mode. 385 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: What challenges have you faced as a small business owner 386 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 1: and how do they impact your business and how did 387 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: you overcome them? Did they affect your family members, did 388 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,679 Speaker 1: they affect your relationships? How did you solve them? 389 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think there's the list of items that are 390 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 2: impacting everyone's business, including ours at the moment, will be 391 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,879 Speaker 2: very very similar. I just find at the moment that, 392 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 2: especially with the reduction of revenue and sales due to 393 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 2: discretionary spending and people been careful and people been over 394 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:07,960 Speaker 2: committed the government themselves, I don't think, especially if we 395 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 2: talk state government, small businesses definitely not on top of 396 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 2: their list. 397 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 3: You know. I've been a member of the. 398 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:22,960 Speaker 2: Chamber of Commerce here for a number of years because 399 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 2: it gives you the opportunity to be able to talk 400 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 2: about these things with other people and find out what 401 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 2: they're doing to try and help themselves. Their escalation of rent, 402 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:38,440 Speaker 2: the outgoings like things like rates in Canberra, the cost 403 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 2: of doing businesses exponentially more expensive than just over the 404 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 2: border in New South Wales and Queenbea. I've got plenty 405 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 2: of friends that have picked their businesses up from inside 406 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 2: the Act and taken it to New South Wales because 407 00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 2: there's massive differences in pricing when you look at vehicle registrations, 408 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 2: stamp duties and taxes, workers compensation costs, insurance costs, which 409 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 2: are major major parts of our business, you know, I 410 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 2: mean we pay massive insurance. I think the outgoings on 411 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:27,400 Speaker 2: a rental commercial building these days, I mean in twenty 412 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 2: eleven outgoings on our property, we're a couple of grand 413 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 2: a year. In twenty twenty five our outgoings is twenty 414 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 2: five thousand dollars a year plus rent, So that is 415 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 2: just that that's a massive increase, the increases of rent 416 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 2: as well coming out of COVID. 417 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 3: I guess in the Act we weren't protected. 418 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 2: No business was protected from rent in the Act, unlike 419 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 2: New South Wales, where you know, the New South Wales 420 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 2: government implemented certain criteria that people got rent assistance. You know, 421 00:28:12,840 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 2: they might have only had to pay half or eighty percent, 422 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 2: depending on their situation and how much revenue they are losing. 423 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,359 Speaker 2: So again that sort of really reiterates to me that 424 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 2: you know, the Act government in power has not really 425 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 2: implemented anything that's a small business. 426 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 3: Support network. You know. 427 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 2: In New South Wales, you know there is the New 428 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: South Wales Small Business Party. Basically you've got a seat, 429 00:28:50,160 --> 00:28:55,520 Speaker 2: you've got a representative in Parliament. Act has nothing, so 430 00:28:55,960 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 2: you rely heavily on you know, business chambers and the 431 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 2: like to stand up for what's happening. 432 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 3: But you know, there's only so much you can do. 433 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 3: So yeah, I've lost a little bit of track there, 434 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 3: I suppose, but it is just. 435 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 2: Astronomical how much the expenses have increased, you know what 436 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:20,959 Speaker 2: I mean for people that I don't employ a lot 437 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: of staff, but you know a lot of my people 438 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 2: are contractors. But you know, the extra superinnuation businesses have 439 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 2: got to pay obviously, they've got to keep up with 440 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: wage increases. And if the revenue is on the way 441 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 2: down and the costs are on the way up, obviously 442 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 2: that's leaving next to no profits for a lot of businesses. 443 00:29:45,080 --> 00:29:48,320 Speaker 2: And as we discussed earlier, perhaps they're not even paying 444 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,560 Speaker 2: themselves a wage or whatnot, which I'm sure is fairly 445 00:29:52,600 --> 00:30:00,080 Speaker 2: prevalent across the whole industry everywhere, you know, So yeah, 446 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,440 Speaker 2: I think that sort of gets most of it out there. 447 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 3: One of the big things I feel is that. 448 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 2: A lot of people are not They're not very positive 449 00:30:14,360 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 2: at the moment. They might they might have come into 450 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 2: a business with a positive attitude and a happy end. 451 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 3: They want to win and they want to do this 452 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 3: and they want. 453 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 2: To build it, and then all of a sudden, perhaps 454 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 2: the amount of effort people put in is not giving 455 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 2: them that revenue and that financial gain. So people start 456 00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 2: to think, are they better off being in business or 457 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 2: should they go back to being an employee for a company? 458 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 3: I guess which then at least you're secure. 459 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: You might not have all the the perks have been 460 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 2: in business where you are free to. 461 00:30:56,360 --> 00:30:58,480 Speaker 3: Do what you want to do. Even though you might 462 00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 3: do one hundred hours week more than the next person, 463 00:31:01,560 --> 00:31:06,880 Speaker 3: you still feel free because you're running your own business. Yeah. 464 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 2: So, I guess there's so many angles and parts of 465 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 2: that that are making things difficult, But you know, it's. 466 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 3: Across every level of every. 467 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 2: Part of your business. At the moment, I think there's 468 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 2: a lot of pressure from everywhere. 469 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,080 Speaker 1: How confident are you in the Australian Government's ability to 470 00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: support small businesses effectively? If you advise Australian Government on 471 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: one action to take to better support small businesses. What 472 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: would it. 473 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 3: Be Definitely. 474 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 2: My confidence level in the government to support small business 475 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 2: on a state level on a scale of one to ten, 476 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 2: they're minus ten. I after thirty five years in business 477 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 2: in Canberra, I could honestly say to you that the 478 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 2: government has never once provided anything of value to help 479 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 2: me in business ever. And in saying that, there are 480 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 2: some federal government bodies now in place, such as there 481 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: I think they called so the Australian Small Business and 482 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:32,960 Speaker 2: Family Enterprise OMBARDSMAN, which when you ring them, they're normally 483 00:32:32,960 --> 00:32:35,200 Speaker 2: in Victoria. They normally answer in Victoria. But it is 484 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 2: a federal funded places. Now. I've coming out of COVID, 485 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 2: you know, and we've had we've had some really close 486 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 2: people to us, like a very close friend. 487 00:32:53,080 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 3: Committed suicide around eighteen months ago, and. 488 00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:00,880 Speaker 2: He was from the private sector. The amount of pressures 489 00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: that were put on him from all angles of life. 490 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 2: Flick that switch right now, That's that's something that I 491 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 2: would never begrudge. I have no comments on on on 492 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 2: that side of it, but it just shows the amount 493 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 2: of pressure and what's sort. 494 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 3: Of happening in the economy and within. 495 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 2: Australian business that that there you can allow people to 496 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:37,200 Speaker 2: get to that stage that that that becomes an overlying 497 00:33:37,240 --> 00:33:40,320 Speaker 2: pressure that you think that you know there's no way out. 498 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 2: Those guys from the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise amberdsmen, 499 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 2: I must say. 500 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 3: Even though they're not really a government. 501 00:33:56,360 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 2: Agency, they are excellent and if if anyone wants to 502 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 2: ring them and talk to them about business or about 503 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 2: they might be getting pressure from in a franchise agreement, 504 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:16,680 Speaker 2: all they need help with legal questions or whatever, I 505 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 2: would say that they're about the only company I've found 506 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:24,600 Speaker 2: that is worth a phone call to so and that's 507 00:34:24,640 --> 00:34:28,000 Speaker 2: only through research of my own. There is an office 508 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 2: here in Canberra, but I've rang them before and I've 509 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:39,919 Speaker 2: seen that that that's they're federal anyway. So I really 510 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:50,200 Speaker 2: think that offering government grants and free loans, and I 511 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,800 Speaker 2: know all these items have been discussed by other people 512 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 2: on the podcast over the last six weeks, I don't 513 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:03,560 Speaker 2: think that they're going to help anyone. I think that 514 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 2: that type of help is nothing but a band aid. 515 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:14,479 Speaker 2: If your business is in a situation where you owe 516 00:35:14,520 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 2: money and you think that by borrowing money from the 517 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 2: government's going to get you out of that hole. 518 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 3: That's not going to change it. 519 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:27,520 Speaker 2: What people need is the support, someone to ring, someone 520 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:31,359 Speaker 2: to talk to. I know that Mark's touched on it 521 00:35:31,400 --> 00:35:34,680 Speaker 2: many times about mental health and all that, and that's 522 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,720 Speaker 2: that just goes along with the whole pressure of running business. 523 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:45,520 Speaker 3: It's a tough game. There's no you know, there's no 524 00:35:46,880 --> 00:35:47,399 Speaker 3: there's no. 525 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 2: Ifs or butts. It's just hard, you know. And at 526 00:35:49,880 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 2: the moment it's the hardest it's been. And if people 527 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 2: you just got to hang in there. I mean, my 528 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 2: level of confidence in business and the government is the 529 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:01,960 Speaker 2: lowest it's ever been. 530 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,200 Speaker 3: In thirty five years. 531 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,200 Speaker 2: On a federal level, we're now waiting for a election. 532 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:17,279 Speaker 2: My confidence in the current federal Parliament that's pretty much zero. 533 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 2: I'd love to see a change intact from any government, 534 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter if it's. 535 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:26,560 Speaker 3: Labor, Liberal or whoever. 536 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 2: Whoever's in power needs to provide more support to all 537 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 2: business because business is the crux of the Australian community. 538 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,920 Speaker 2: Without business and without all the people that we employ, 539 00:36:42,440 --> 00:36:47,600 Speaker 2: the country can't sort of it can't work, you know, 540 00:36:47,719 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 2: like it just it's not going to work. We don't 541 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:56,080 Speaker 2: rely And I'm based in Canberra and Camera still it 542 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,600 Speaker 2: doesn't operate on public servants. Yes, there's a lot of 543 00:36:59,640 --> 00:37:02,680 Speaker 2: government here, there's a lot of defense, there's a lot 544 00:37:02,719 --> 00:37:08,799 Speaker 2: of all of those public service sectors. But without the 545 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:13,319 Speaker 2: building industry and small business and your local mechanics and 546 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:17,680 Speaker 2: your service stations and your coffee shops and your hospitality 547 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 2: and your pubs and your clubs and all that, well, 548 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 2: a town doesn't exist. 549 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:28,719 Speaker 3: So you know, yeah, we just need more. 550 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:36,640 Speaker 2: More support as far as by being able to generate spending. 551 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,600 Speaker 3: To save people money. And I'm not running for parliament 552 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 3: were but you. 553 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,399 Speaker 2: Know, at the end of the day, people are only 554 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: going to be able to spend money if some of 555 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 2: the pressures of course of living. 556 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 3: Are reduced, you know. 557 00:37:54,920 --> 00:37:58,640 Speaker 2: And you know we can't we can't make interest rates 558 00:37:58,640 --> 00:37:59,040 Speaker 2: go down. 559 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:02,640 Speaker 3: We can't we can't make inflation go down. 560 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 2: But you know, whoever's in power is going to have 561 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:10,760 Speaker 2: to seriously look at how we get people spending money 562 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,560 Speaker 2: in small businesses again so that everyone can be profitable. 563 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:17,840 Speaker 1: Where can people find you and your business? 564 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,320 Speaker 3: Let us know to find us. 565 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 2: As soon as you type in anything about boats, we're 566 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:26,320 Speaker 2: going to come up in Canberra. 567 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 3: Whether it be Instagram. 568 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 2: Or Facebook or the sites if people want to find us, 569 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 2: will pop up under Offshore Boat Sales, will pop up 570 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:43,879 Speaker 2: under Cutting Edge Marine, will pop up under Cutting Edge 571 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:48,800 Speaker 2: Designed by Jason very soon, or pop up under Cutting 572 00:38:48,880 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 2: Edge Business Solutions, which will be another company name that 573 00:38:52,440 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 2: we'll run with so that people can see what we do. 574 00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 2: People jump online and they jump on the Yamaha out 575 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:03,719 Speaker 2: Board Australia site. We're going to pop up on there. 576 00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:08,359 Speaker 2: You know, they look up garment dealers for a garment electronics. 577 00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:12,399 Speaker 2: We're going to pop up on there. If people want 578 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:16,760 Speaker 2: to find us, they'll find us pretty easily. All phone 579 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:24,920 Speaker 2: numbers basically come direct to me. You know, my secretary 580 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:28,720 Speaker 2: and myself are always accessible on the phone. 581 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:30,680 Speaker 3: Generally. 582 00:39:30,680 --> 00:39:33,320 Speaker 2: If I don't answer, even if it's a Saturday or Sunday, 583 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:39,040 Speaker 2: I'll tell all people just to send me a text. Mainly, 584 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:43,600 Speaker 2: the reason for that is it if someone's in a boat, 585 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,120 Speaker 2: they might be a bit stressed out, they might be 586 00:39:46,120 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 2: having a problem, they can't start their boat, they're at 587 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,799 Speaker 2: the boat ramp and they forgot to turn the kill 588 00:39:52,800 --> 00:39:58,760 Speaker 2: switch off, you know, so or on. So I'm happy 589 00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:01,040 Speaker 2: to not always in you're in the phone, if you're 590 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:04,080 Speaker 2: still asleep or you're in bed, but you know, I'm 591 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 2: happy to text someone and hopefully try and help them 592 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 2: out wherever they are. 593 00:40:09,160 --> 00:40:10,280 Speaker 3: And yeah, we just want. 594 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:15,920 Speaker 2: To really promote the local business in Canberra and surrounds, 595 00:40:15,960 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 2: which includes a lot of regional New South Wales around Canbra. 596 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:25,000 Speaker 2: What we're trying to do is help everyone in business 597 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:28,959 Speaker 2: in this area help one another. And I guess that's 598 00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 2: why I'm so in favor of things like the shout 599 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:38,160 Speaker 2: Out and listening to podcasts with Mark and similar other 600 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:44,560 Speaker 2: podcasts so that people have, you know, just got someone 601 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:48,520 Speaker 2: else to listen to and not take all those problems 602 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 2: home because your wife doesn't always 603 00:40:50,040 --> 00:41:02,560 Speaker 3: Want to listens to do