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 --> 00:01:00,360 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 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: who have something to say but haven't had the platform 22 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: to say it. I'm going to continue hosting the Mental podcast, 23 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: but the Small Business call Out will be uploaded between episodes. 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: So let's get into this week's edition of the new 25 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: Small Business call Out. What is the name of your 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: business and in simple terms, what does your business do? 27 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 2: Sure thing? So my name and who we are. So 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 2: my name is Ivana Alfonso. I leave on the Gold 29 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 2: Coast with just two little kids and my hobby. We 30 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: have an awesome business that we run. We have two now, 31 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 2: but the main one that we have is called The 32 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 2: Bragbad Bloke. So basically, in short for anybody who has 33 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: heard of us, is we offer fully customizable fishing brag 34 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: bats for casual anglers, fishing clubs, brands, and fishing tournaments. 35 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 2: So basically, if you're just a weekend fish show or 36 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 2: you're a part of a competitive crew you know, or 37 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 2: you have a big store, we can outsource to you 38 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 2: and we create these awesome custom matts that you can't 39 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 2: really get from anywhere. So yeah, that's us in a nutshell. 40 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: Where was your business founded and where is it located? 41 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: We originally started obviously we live on the Gold Coast, 42 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 2: so that's where the business originated from. It came from 43 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 2: you know, good old fun COVID times. So yet started 44 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,239 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty. We had a signage business and graphic 45 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 2: design and signage, and it just collapsed overnight because obviously 46 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: who was needing signage well when you know, during the 47 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: times of COVID, nobody, So all shopfronts were closing, bricks 48 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:59,040 Speaker 2: and water, no car signage year nobody. Everybody's cars were 49 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:03,239 Speaker 2: in the garage quite literally. So yeah, we really plummeted. 50 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 2: And I think we were just all completely unprepared because 51 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 2: none of us knew had seen anything like that before 52 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 2: and knew what was to come either. It was really unpredictable, 53 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: so we sort of had to pivot. 54 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 3: And my husband and I, yeah, the brains that we are, 55 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 3: I guess you could sound the creative like the brains 56 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 3: are the brawn. 57 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: So he's definitely the hands and I'm the brain behind everything. 58 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: But yeah, he came to me and he's like, ah, 59 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: I'm selling this fishing brag match, and I said, what 60 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: the hell is that? Like, let me just explain to people, 61 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 2: otto fish at all. I have zero interested in fishing. 62 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: Most like of the things that I do, I love business. 63 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: So it's not so much like I think, once you 64 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,119 Speaker 2: can sell one thing, you can sell anything. But for him, 65 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: he was really enjoying fishing because that was the only 66 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: thing that you could do social distancing and it was 67 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 2: the only solo activity that you could do. So there 68 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: was quite a lot of people fishing also just for 69 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: their mental health as well, I think. And he said, oh, 70 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: I'm getting so many orders, like it's going nuts, And 71 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 2: I said, what the hell is this paid attention? And 72 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 2: once I saw this fishing brag mats, I thought, I 73 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: actually thought he was joking, And I thought to myself, 74 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 2: do people really measure their fish? He's like, yeah, they 75 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: catch it, they put on this and they measure it. 76 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: Just seeing how beginnings and I thought, really, why would 77 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 2: you do that? Well, apparently a lot of people do it. 78 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 2: So once they saw that the orders were flying in, 79 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 2: I just jumped on it straight away and yeah, went 80 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 2: nuts with the socials and started you know, TikTok, Instagram 81 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 2: and all of the things, started creating some ads and yeah, 82 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 2: they sent. The rest is history. So yeah, that's where 83 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: we started from. 84 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: And what inspire you to start your business. 85 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: So the inspiration behind the business was my husband being 86 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 2: a king fisherman and he was obviously very entrenched in 87 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 2: the fishing community, and the inspiration came from the fact 88 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: that all the big stores like Anaconda, BCF and all 89 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: those type of store you know, boating, camping, fishing, they 90 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: none of them do a custom brag mat, so like 91 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 2: you can't customize it, you can't have your name on it, 92 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 2: you can't have any photos on it. They're very generic, 93 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: like from China. You pull them out and they just 94 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 2: really really generic, I guess, you could say, so. I 95 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: think for him, he thought, oh, because we had been 96 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,720 Speaker 2: in the printing business for so long and the design 97 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 2: business for such a long time, it was just a 98 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: natural progression really from there then to eventually come into 99 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 2: this field. And yeah, it got inspired from like tough times, 100 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: I guess, because you couldn't really do anything during COVID, 101 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 2: So for him it was more of a way to 102 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 2: get away from the house, get away from everything, and 103 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:29,119 Speaker 2: just go for a fish. And then obviously the brag 104 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 2: MAT's there, you know, So that's how it all started. 105 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 3: But yeah, I think inspiration always strikes from need. SI's 106 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 3: something that you know, maybe you just have a light 107 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 3: bolb moment, but really when you sit down and you 108 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: think about the mechanics of it, and you can always 109 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 3: trace it back to some sort of aha moment that 110 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 3: you had, like a light bulb moment, and I guess 111 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 3: that was ours at the time. And for me, I 112 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 3: was a little bit slow to catch on to the 113 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 3: whole fishing industry as a whole, because I was like, 114 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 3: people are even fishing, Like, how boring? Because last time 115 00:05:57,760 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 3: I fished, I sat there and I was so bored. 116 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,239 Speaker 2: How can people do this for hours? So but yeah, 117 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 2: it all worked out in the end, so I'm glad 118 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 2: that the inspiration struck when it did. It was a 119 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 2: good time. 120 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: How is your business doing right now? 121 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 2: Oh, look, in business, it's always up and down. Like 122 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: I would love to say, I would love to lie 123 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 2: and say, oh, it's always on the up, you know. 124 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: And there is definitely moments and times when it's on 125 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 2: the app because obviously a lot of our customers have 126 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: repeat customers, so a lot of them are fishing clubs, 127 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 2: so every single year that have those big fishing competition, 128 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,040 Speaker 2: so they'll come back to us and a what a 129 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,720 Speaker 2: huge quantity of brag mats. So it is an issue. 130 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: You are right with the niche comes pluses and minuses. 131 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 3: So the really cool thing about I guess being in 132 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,479 Speaker 3: a niche is, you know that's what you want to 133 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 3: call it, It is very easy to sell and you 134 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 3: know exactly who you're selling to, so there's no confusion there. 135 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 2: So in return, I guess you could say we're wholesaling 136 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 2: to them. 137 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 3: Then obviously you've got people who are just ordering one 138 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 3: or two brag mats every now and then, so it 139 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 3: is scattered in terms of that. It's hard to predict, 140 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 3: you know, the amount of brag mats you're going to 141 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:05,119 Speaker 3: sell every day. 142 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 2: But it's just you have to have that mental fortitude 143 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: of blocking that out and just focusing on the day 144 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 2: to day, you know, because I think if you're just 145 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: sitting there going, oh my god, I haven't sold it in. 146 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 3: Now, like I have sold any brag mats, you know what, 147 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 3: isn't it? You've really just got to keep pushing on 148 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 3: and pushing on. And I think there's a lot of 149 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 3: talk about, you know, burnout and overworking and overstressing and inconsistency, 150 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 3: but I think that's just the nature of business. I 151 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 3: think you don't enter business to own a business and 152 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 3: to run a business to have it easy. 153 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 2: I think if you want to have it easy, you 154 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: need to have a nine. 155 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 3: Till five and you need to be employed somewhere, because 156 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: having a business is like this beast trying to grow 157 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 3: and then trying to tame, and it's this constant like 158 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 3: art and science of making it. 159 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 2: I guess, function the best way that it can. 160 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: What challenges have you faced as a small business owner 161 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: and how did they impact your business? And how did 162 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: you become them? Did they affect your family members, did 163 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: they affect your relationships? How did you solve them? 164 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: So many challenges, great question. I was actually waiting for 165 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: this question and I thought, how would I answer this question? 166 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 3: So there's there's a few different challenges. Let me start 167 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 3: by articulating. So everything we do is in house, so 168 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 3: we try and control as much of the flow as 169 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 3: we can. So every single order that we get, we're designing, 170 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 3: we're printing where you know everything, we run everything ourselves, 171 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 3: you know, within our I guess headquarters. The second thing is, 172 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 3: you know, dealing with things that are outside of your control. 173 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 3: So for us in that sense, the second biggest is 174 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 3: Australia Post so or you know, whatever couri are we're 175 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 3: using at the time too, especially when we have big 176 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 3: orders and it all goes off weight as well. So 177 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 3: anybody obviously who's in the e commerce world will tell 178 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 3: you the same thing with postage. So the biggest issue is, 179 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 3: you know, when things aren't being un arriving on time, 180 00:08:58,520 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 3: even though we leave. 181 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 2: Make sure there's an deadline and we always make sure 182 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 2: that there's enough time. We can't over promise. 183 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 3: To people and say they've made in order today, Oh 184 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 3: I need to buy you know, a couple of days, 185 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 3: but there's somewhere in the Northern Territory. 186 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 2: So the biggest thing is obviously those remote orders. 187 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 3: You know they say they've been dropped off, but then 188 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 3: the customer says, no, it's actually not here. 189 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 2: So that's the tricky part. So as much as you 190 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 2: have insurance and you pay for all these extra things 191 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 2: that when things go wrong, you can never really chill 192 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 2: and guarantee because it's out of your hands. So that 193 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 2: would be number one, and number two be you know, 194 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 2: like wild weather events. We've had two in the last 195 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 2: couple of years on the Gold Coast. 196 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 3: We had a tornado a couple of Christmases ago, and 197 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 3: we just had cyclone Alfred. So in that case we 198 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 3: had no electricity, and if you have no electricity, you 199 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 3: can't run your business, especially for us, so our prints, 200 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 3: our computers, you know, all of our equipment we could 201 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:46,040 Speaker 3: have run. 202 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 2: So we were just off the grid rule switched off. 203 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,559 Speaker 2: So you would have you have to have so many 204 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: generators just to basically power one thing up. So it's 205 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 2: much like I said again, as much as you're prepared, 206 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,679 Speaker 2: there's just so many things that are out of your control. 207 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 2: And I think that's just the general of it in business. 208 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 2: So there's only so much you can control, and then 209 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 2: there's so many other wild things that can happen that 210 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 2: you can't control. In that sense, obviously you have insurance, 211 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 2: you have generators, you know, you have things you can 212 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 2: back up on. But obviously it's tricky because everything else 213 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: is down as well. So orders aren't going out Australia 214 00:10:16,440 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 2: Post isn't you know, functioning people. You know, people aren't 215 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 2: making orders when they're just busy surviving. So this is 216 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 2: the tricky part living, you know, I guess in this 217 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 2: you know, living in Queensland. So that would be the 218 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 2: most recent one that we've had a big learning curve from. 219 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:34,199 Speaker 2: The third one obviously. 220 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 3: Would be you know, managing. I'm sure a lot of 221 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 3: people have talked about this and maybe more specifically mothers, 222 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 3: but I'm going to just bring it down to parenthoods. 223 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: So like today, to make today happen, I mean, I 224 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 3: had to like full down the sky in order to be. 225 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 2: Here sitting in this chair to make miracles happen. So 226 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 2: when the children are sick, for example, and you have 227 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: a full day of all the things you have to do, 228 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,199 Speaker 2: the school rings you and you have to go pick 229 00:10:57,280 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 2: up your child. So all of a sudden you've got 230 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: sick children and the sick household and you still have 231 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: to run that business or you might be sick yourself 232 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 2: as well. So this is where it's hard when you 233 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 2: don't have a massive team that you can rely on. 234 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 2: We're lucky enough of this tour of us. In some 235 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 2: cases people run businesses just based off a soul operator, 236 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 2: so we can split our tasks. But that's where it 237 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 2: becomes tricky navigating again that arn't and signs that balance 238 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 2: of being self employed and working for somebody else where 239 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 2: you have, you know, your sick days paid, your holidays paid, 240 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 2: and all of that. And obviously fourth thing you mentioned. 241 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 3: Was you know that niche once again, how many people 242 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:38,480 Speaker 3: own boats? You know, the whole point is there's always 243 00:11:38,480 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 3: someone who's going to buy that one thing. So you know, 244 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 3: you see those really funny ads, I don't know those 245 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: like gimmicks, those gimmicks you see online, You think, who 246 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 3: the hell's going to buy that? 247 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 2: Guess what? A lot of people do? You put weird stuff? 248 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 2: Probably online yourself. I have as well, and I thought, 249 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 2: why would I like a posture thing? A posture brace 250 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 2: like that was my my wildest recent purchase. So I 251 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:01,560 Speaker 2: guess we don't really focus on that too much, like 252 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 2: I think if we just focus on, oh, there's not 253 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 2: enough people who are you know, everybody's outdoors, everybody's camping. 254 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 2: So we do live in a country where people are 255 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 2: voting camping fishing. So we're lucky that way that a 256 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 2: lot of ossies do vote camping fish. So you know, 257 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 2: for a lot of people, it's even just a gift. 258 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:21,559 Speaker 2: So they gifted to their kids, or they gifted to 259 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 2: their husband, so it's one of those things that you 260 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 2: just have. 261 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 3: Obviously you might not buy a lot of them, but yeah, 262 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 3: for every niche there is a buyer, So yeah, we 263 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 3: don't really focus too much on what's you know, I 264 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 3: guess what's outside of our control, and we just try 265 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 3: and focus on what we can control. 266 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 2: So I hope that's a better answer. 267 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 3: You know, if anybody who is in a niche or 268 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 3: dealing with niche clients or however you want to call it, 269 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:49,199 Speaker 3: you know, I think it's important just to remember that, 270 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 3: you know, you can't cater to everybody. So you know, 271 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 3: obviously there is products like I know people who, let's 272 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,680 Speaker 3: just say, sell T shirts or they sell a peril, 273 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 3: but they don't really have a big following or a 274 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 3: big and then I think, geez, i'd be really hard 275 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 3: because I can go and buy a T shirt from KMA, right, 276 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 3: why would I buy a T shirt from them unless 277 00:13:07,520 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 3: there's someone that I follow, admire or am inspired by. 278 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 3: So that's where I look at, you know, their stuff 279 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,079 Speaker 3: and think, man, that'd be really hard to sell that 280 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 3: one T shirt, you know, like it's just a T 281 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: shirt at the end of the day unless something or 282 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 3: someone makes it special. Whereas with what we do, there's 283 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 3: nothing out there like that. So, like I said, the 284 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 3: big stores they only sell generic brag mats. So as 285 00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 3: of now, there's only really us and maybe another couple 286 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: of companies or businesses that I've seen that aren't that 287 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 3: consistent online who are doing what we do so at 288 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 3: this current rate in Australia, in this whole country, there 289 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 3: is only really us that do custom brag mats. And 290 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,959 Speaker 3: some people do, but they're not as good as ours. 291 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 3: And I say that in confidence only because we have 292 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 3: been in the printing industry and the design industry for 293 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:52,679 Speaker 3: such a long time, so we have really, I guess, 294 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 3: perfected the brag mat you could say, so in that sense, Yeah, 295 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: you've got to You've got to look at what works 296 00:13:58,960 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 3: for you and what doesn't. 297 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 2: But you'd have to focus more on the pluses than 298 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 2: the minuses. 299 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: What is one thing you wish you knew before you 300 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: even started your business? 301 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 2: Oh so many? Not something that I knew before I started, 302 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: before we started. If you've got. 303 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 3: All day, I can, yeah, definitely go into it and 304 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 3: really like a two hour segment. But to try and 305 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:24,240 Speaker 3: keep it short and precise, I would say, and yes, 306 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 3: we have been in business for a long time, both 307 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 3: of us individually and together as a couple. 308 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 2: Is yeah, don't work with your husband, No, just joking. 309 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: I love working with my husband. If he's listening to this. 310 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 3: That would have that should have been one of the 311 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: other challenges, But let's not focus on that. One thing 312 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 3: would be, say to get used to I guess the inconsistency, right, 313 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 3: So I think when you're hopeful and you're naive, like 314 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 3: before you start anything, you're like, this is going to 315 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 3: be great, this is going to be awesome, and you're 316 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 3: really hyped up, you're really excited, and then the enthusiasm. 317 00:14:55,920 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 2: Dwindles off as time goes on. So as time goes on, 318 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 2: it'll be like a week two or three or whatever, 319 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 2: and maybe someone hasn't books your service so they haven't 320 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 2: WoT your product, and you're like, but I'm doing all 321 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 2: the right things. What's going on? So that's where it 322 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 2: can get really hard. 323 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 3: So I'd say, like mental fortitude is really really important. 324 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 3: One thing that I wish if someone told me, let's say, 325 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 3: ten years ago, is to focus. 326 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 2: On my mental well being. And what I mean by 327 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: that is when all else fails and like bills need 328 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: to be paid and people haven't been ordering whatever the 329 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 2: situation might be, is you need to keep yourself well. 330 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 2: So instead of just like focusing on all these little 331 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 2: things like being online and doing all these other things, 332 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,560 Speaker 2: and your brain being so busy. I think mentally, you 333 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: just need to go to a place where you can 334 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 2: be quiet, where you can zoom out and you can 335 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 2: have a bird's eye view of what's going on. And 336 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 2: I think you can adapt that approach to any area 337 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: of your life. But I think you need to do 338 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 2: the same thing in business, Yeah, because once you step away, 339 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 2: you're able to see, well, all right, that's the problem. 340 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: That's what I need to change, that's what I need 341 00:15:58,520 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 2: to work on, because yeah, like I said, you don't know, 342 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: you don't know what you don't know. So you're starting 343 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 2: out really naive, really positive and easy has it progressively 344 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 2: goes down And you'll hear that probably in a lot 345 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 2: of the interviews as well from people when you know 346 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 2: they's start off, you're really hurts full, you know, set 347 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: on their mission, the fire is burning, but then as 348 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 2: time goes on, it progressively sort of decreases a lot. 349 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 2: So it'd say to keep your energy up and to 350 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 2: continuously find ways to keep your energy up, because I 351 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 2: think you know, if you're down, you're depressed, that's just 352 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: going to show on your business as well, because your 353 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:40,200 Speaker 2: business is a reflection of who you are. Your business 354 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 2: is a reflection of what you do and don't do, 355 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 2: so it's a direct reflection. People think it's two separate things, 356 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 2: but it's not. And you'll know when you're online you 357 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 2: follow like the person. So you're following Mark and you're like, wow, 358 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 2: that's cool. And then obviously you're following his other business 359 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 2: ventures because you like him as well. And what makes 360 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: him appealing or you know, isy to listen to obviously 361 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 2: is his demeanor, is his approach, is the way you 362 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: talk is energy? So I think the best thing as well, Yeah, 363 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,719 Speaker 2: like just making sure your energy is good and nice 364 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 2: and like a magnet towards other things. So I hope 365 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 2: that makes sense. 366 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: In short, how confident are you in Australian government's ability 367 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: to support small businesses effectively? 368 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 2: Oh? Look, this is a tricky question. I thought, how 369 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 2: would I answer this question because I heard so many 370 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: other answers, Like I said, you don't enter business. 371 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 3: Business isn't for the faint hearted, I don't think anyway. 372 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 3: So I think if you you know, two years. 373 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 2: Has passed and your heart's not in it, like you've 374 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 2: just got to let it go because at the end 375 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 2: of the day, no one's going to do the work 376 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:45,959 Speaker 2: for you and no one's going to give you anything. 377 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 2: So I think if you go with the mindset of 378 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 2: no one owes me anything, I've got to make this work, 379 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 2: it's a lot of an easier path versus Oh, I 380 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 2: wish the government would do more, and you know, the 381 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 2: government sucks, and what are they doing for small businesses? Yes, 382 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 2: like there is a lot of small businesses in Australia 383 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:04,400 Speaker 2: and I do believe they should be getting a lot 384 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:05,440 Speaker 2: more adequate support. 385 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 3: One positive, So for example, we had that storm, we 386 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 3: had that cyclone, or we were able to straight away 387 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,800 Speaker 3: jump on center Link or whatever support they were offering. 388 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 3: You know, for small businesses earning under a certain amount 389 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 3: where they could give you, they sort of drip feeds 390 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 3: you a small amount, you know, per fortnite. Well that's 391 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 3: like it's not much, you know, but at the same time, like, 392 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 3: thank you, that's awesome. Maybe in other countries that wouldn't exist. 393 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,919 Speaker 3: So let me first acknowledged by saying that that was 394 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 3: an awesome thing that they were doing. And it wasn't 395 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 3: just us, it was like, you know, hundreds of thousands 396 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:37,640 Speaker 3: of other businesses as well. 397 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 2: Who had been impacted. So when you add that all up, 398 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: it's a big sum. Second thing, yeah, of course, what 399 00:18:43,200 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: I like to see more support everybody would, you know, 400 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 2: But I think that goes for everyone, Like if you're 401 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 2: a student and you're paying hex, if you're you know, 402 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 2: in this industry, that industry, everybody wants to see that 403 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 2: support that they're not seeing. But I think what's once 404 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 2: again the point I come back to is like, what's 405 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 2: within my control. Anything they give is an extra bonus, 406 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: that's awesome, but also at the same time, I've just 407 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 2: got to focus on what we're doing and doing it 408 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:09,959 Speaker 2: well because a lot of those grants they offer, like 409 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 2: I have applied for, but it's they're really complex and 410 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:16,879 Speaker 2: they take really a lot of time. Like there's people 411 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,760 Speaker 2: out there who are teaching other people how to feel 412 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:20,960 Speaker 2: that grant. So I think that's why. So you know, 413 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 2: it should have been that complex. But then again, if 414 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:24,439 Speaker 2: itel was easy, everybody would be doing it. 415 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you know there's a reason for that as well. 416 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:29,320 Speaker 2: So I think you've just got to take the good 417 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 2: with the bad. And I think it's also what Mark's doing, 418 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 2: for example, having this podcast giving small businesses voices, to 419 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: be heard, to be shared, to be Yeah, it's great. 420 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 3: Like I'm learning as I'm going and I'm learning from 421 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 3: other people and we get to share and this is 422 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 3: great as well. And it's all free, you know, like 423 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,200 Speaker 3: it's not costing us anything. So yeah, thank you Mark. 424 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 3: Like the government might not be doing much, but there's 425 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 3: also a lot of individual people within Australia who are 426 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,400 Speaker 3: giving back to the businessmmunity. 427 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: So yeah, if you'd advise Australian government on one action 428 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: to take to better support small businesses, what would it be. 429 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,080 Speaker 3: Oh, look, I think there's so many things that can 430 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 3: create maybe that won't cost so much money. Like I 431 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 3: think what a lot of other previous guests have said, 432 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 3: even a particular gentleman I think couple of episodes ago, 433 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 3: you know, he said, it's not always about money, and 434 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 3: it's not just about giving money to people. It's not 435 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 3: solving the problem. It's more just small about a community 436 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 3: building some sort of little community of small like minded 437 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,680 Speaker 3: business owners within Australia, not just within Queensland, New South Wales. 438 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 3: All this different so we're not segregated where you know, 439 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 3: you could go on a website, it's specifically built up 440 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 3: for that. It's a community. You can connect with others, 441 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 3: you can really help each other out. If you're looking 442 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:48,280 Speaker 3: for certain suppliers, if you're looking for certain people that 443 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 3: do certain things, that you can jump on that platform 444 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 3: and it's there, almost like a directory. I guess you 445 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 3: could say, you know where the small business community sort 446 00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:00,400 Speaker 3: of is coming together and stayed alive and helping each out. 447 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 3: And then if somebody is on the Gold Coast or 448 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:04,480 Speaker 3: within you know, sort of my an area, I can say, hey, 449 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 3: look let's meet up, you know once a week. 450 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 2: Call each other accountable, or I do this, you do that. 451 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: Let's you know, you scratch my back, I scratch it back. 452 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 2: So I think there's so many Yeah, if you just 453 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 2: create a hub or a platform for these people, it's 454 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: more so. I think people are just feeling lost alone, 455 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: lonely as well within what they're doing. 456 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 3: Maybe a bit of lack of direction. Like I said again, 457 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 3: that energy is dropping. Some of energy is dropping. What 458 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 3: happens to those people, you know, and we shop with 459 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 3: small businesses, so we have a lot of local stores 460 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 3: like the bakery, the cafe. You know, we're there all 461 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 3: the time. So we're trying to give back yeah, And 462 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 3: like I said, I'm stoked to. 463 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 2: Be on this platform because it's giving little people big voices. 464 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 2: So it's not all bad, but there is a lot 465 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 2: of I guess small improvements maybe that won't cost that 466 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 2: much money that the government can help facilitate. 467 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: What's the most rewarding part of being a small business owner? 468 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 2: Oh, look, the most rewarding. I think there's so many rewards. 469 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 2: And I also feel like people focus on that because 470 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:03,840 Speaker 2: I think the more you focus on the rewards that 471 00:22:03,880 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 2: you're getting from the business, the more rewards it will 472 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 2: give back. It's almost like this child, this baby, and 473 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 2: the more you give it, or even a dog with truths, 474 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 2: the more you give it, the better it's going to behave. 475 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 2: So I think it's this game almost this game, you 476 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: could say, once again, the art and signs of it. 477 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 2: It's not all black and white. There's all these in 478 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 2: between bits that are really you know, the crunchy bits. 479 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 3: And the ice cream. For me personally being a mum 480 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 3: obviously with little ones. You know, when my son has 481 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 3: something at his school, he's getting an award, or there's 482 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 3: a parade, or there's a Mother's Day breakfast or whatever 483 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 3: it might be. 484 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 2: We're able to get. 485 00:22:39,359 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 3: Involved, which is really awesome because I know a lot 486 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 3: of other mums who work for other people and they're 487 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:47,640 Speaker 3: not able to do that. So you know, even though 488 00:22:47,640 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 3: they might pencil it in, it's like the event gets 489 00:22:49,640 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 3: canceled and then it gets rescheduled, and it's really hard 490 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 3: for those parents to you know, a lot of parents 491 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 3: work away, so then it's hard for them to be 492 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 3: present for their children or you know, anything that have 493 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 3: going on at school. So for me personally, the biggest 494 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 3: reward is getting to be with my children, getting to 495 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 3: pick them up from school, getting to pick you. 496 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,719 Speaker 2: Know, drop them off. Like that's all big pluses and 497 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 2: for a parent like that means everything, just being present 498 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 2: and being there, whereas if I was strapped to working 499 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 2: in corporate nine or five Monday to Friday or even weekends, 500 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:21,719 Speaker 2: all of that would disappear. So for me, the biggest 501 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: reward is that second reward is you know, seeing your 502 00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:28,160 Speaker 2: products out in the real world, you know, shipping rag 503 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:32,120 Speaker 2: Maats off, to shipping our products off to Spain or Portugal, 504 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,959 Speaker 2: la random countries. You're like, wow, there's an actual person 505 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,399 Speaker 2: following us from Spain. That's wild, you know, they're buying 506 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 2: brag maats. Like people fish everywhere. And once again, I'm 507 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,239 Speaker 2: going to tie it back to the niche, you know, 508 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 2: like or to the negatives or you know, maybe what 509 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 2: people focus on, or you know, it's such a niche. 510 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:47,880 Speaker 2: Maybe not as. 511 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 3: Many customers, but yeah, there's customers everywhere. Like people fish 512 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,119 Speaker 3: all around the world. And I think if you just 513 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 3: look outside your little bubble, which is where you are 514 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,680 Speaker 3: and within the country that you're in, there's people all 515 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 3: over the world who fish, like USA, for example, Florida, 516 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 3: Like that's a huge one. You know, there's so many 517 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,119 Speaker 3: fishermen over there. Look at all the. 518 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:07,360 Speaker 2: Big YouTubers, and so I think you've got to really 519 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 2: keep your finger on the. 520 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 3: Pulse and you know, really just just keep pushing. And yeah, 521 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 3: so many rewards, Like there's so many rewards seeing seeing 522 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 3: your product out in real life, getting reviews, getting people 523 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 3: contacting you telling you it's awesome. Wow, they're stoked with it. 524 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 3: You know, even little kids see little YouTubers, like they 525 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 3: order it, they take it out, they're putting their fish 526 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 3: on it. They're all excited about it. So seeing them 527 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 3: be excited makes me excited as well. So I'd say, 528 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 3: that's like the biggest, the biggest reward, and obviously working 529 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,280 Speaker 3: with my husband, being side by side, being together, spending 530 00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 3: time together every day, working on something bigger than us, 531 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 3: and yeah, and also showing our kids really what work 532 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 3: looks like. So it's not this detached thing. I think 533 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 3: when kids go to school and parents go to work, 534 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 3: they just say, oh, yeah, parents going to work. 535 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,199 Speaker 2: They don't even really know what it means or like 536 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 2: maybe even what you do. 537 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 3: But when our little one's sick, you know, he's like 538 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 3: he's in there with us and he sees what's going on. 539 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 3: So sometimes we get him to participate as well, and 540 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:04,919 Speaker 3: we get him to record videos and hold in the 541 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:05,360 Speaker 3: bag mat. 542 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 2: So it's really cool to be able to involve our 543 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: children in what we're building and from that pivoting as well. 544 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,120 Speaker 3: Like I was saying to before, with the Niche Elements, 545 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 3: we did have quite a lot of people who were 546 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 3: buying from us, customers that were saying, you know, do 547 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:21,359 Speaker 3: you do other types of signies, to do other types 548 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 3: of stickers, you know, So we did create a different 549 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:26,439 Speaker 3: arm which is called Fonzi Creative. So all Fonsore being 550 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 3: our lassame Fonzi creative, and that's where all the other 551 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,399 Speaker 3: creativity gets to happen. So I guess that business was 552 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 3: born at the back on the back of this one. 553 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 3: And yeah, so we're creating a little separate arm to 554 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 3: that simultaneously so that we can service those people who 555 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 3: might have otherwise been gone somewhere else. Yeah, so that's 556 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 3: probably the biggest rewards, I'd say, I'm sure there's many more, 557 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 3: but those are ours. 558 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: Where can people find you and your business? Let us know? 559 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 2: Awesome? So yeah, look where can you find us? Find me? 560 00:25:58,480 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 2: You know, find all the things so you can type 561 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,679 Speaker 2: in the brag Matt Bloke. That's all separate, you know, 562 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 2: separate words. You can pop it in on Google. We're 563 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 2: going to come up everywhere. If you're on. 564 00:26:10,440 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 3: TikTok Instagram, you know everywhere, and everywhere Facebook, where they're. 565 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 2: Also Fonzi Creative. 566 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 3: That's just a little sidearm that we've created for all 567 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,879 Speaker 3: of that overflow that maybe somebody else would usually be 568 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 3: doing as well. 569 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,200 Speaker 2: See a Fonzi creative Instagram, TikTok face. But all the things, 570 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 2: you know, and if you want to connect with me personally, 571 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 2: like I said, I'm always so keen on connecting with 572 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 2: other small business owners, not just small, but medium, big, 573 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 2: wherever they are on the scale, and just yeah, connecting 574 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 2: with others because I think when we get to share 575 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 2: with each other, we actually like quickly realize, oh, I'm 576 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 2: not the only one. So yeah, once you realize, oh 577 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,640 Speaker 2: I'm not the only one, there's other people out there 578 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 2: selling niche things and weird things, and and it makes 579 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 2: you feel a little bit more confident. I think it's 580 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 2: a confident and boost more than anything. So yeah, you 581 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 2: can connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, so Ivana 582 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 2: Strabats which is my weird and awesome cool maiden name, 583 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 2: so Strbac and Alfonso. At the end of that, like 584 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: I said, if you're a LinkedIn or anywhere, if you 585 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 2: want to collaborate, do business together, or even just. 586 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:22,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, just reach me my DMS and send me a message. 587 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 3: I'm so happy to connect and yeah, maybe I can 588 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 3: learn something from somebody else, or there's somebody else in 589 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 3: our industries as well that we can collaborate with. 590 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 2: It'd be awesome. And I want to. 591 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 3: Say huge thank you to Mark's team for making this 592 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 3: happen today. It's with such an awesome experience. I was 593 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 3: having such a crappy day and this has just brought 594 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 3: up my spirits. So yeah, thank you Mark and the 595 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 3: team for putting this all together as a free resource 596 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 3: for all of us small business owners in Australia. 597 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 2: On small piece of. 598 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 4: Advice that I would give to someone else that I 599 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 4: learned the hard way. Look, I would say, because there's 600 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,240 Speaker 4: two of us and we've been working side by side 601 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 4: for so many years in this venture and others as well. 602 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 2: Outside of that, don't let your emotions take over. It's 603 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 2: great to use your emotion as a tool, I believe, 604 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,320 Speaker 2: so like to fire you up to get your going. 605 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:19,880 Speaker 3: You need that energy like you need that fire because 606 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 3: without that and nothing else functions. 607 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 2: You know, when we get. 608 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 3: Sometimes you know, let's say, tricky messages from customers, what 609 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 3: is this person underneath their complaints or underneath their issue, 610 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:33,919 Speaker 3: what are they actually asking for? And the thing is 611 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 3: every problem that that customer has with you or your 612 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,959 Speaker 3: business or your product or whatever it might be, your service, 613 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 3: it's just an opportunity for you to get better. 614 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 2: In that sense, I think, yeah, just it's not to 615 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,120 Speaker 2: remove the emotion out of it. But you've got to 616 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 2: know when to turn that switch on and off