VICTORIA EVANS, SENIOR PR CONSULTANT & COPYWRITER
AUSTRALIAN PORTFOLIO: 2016 - 2020
+61 (0) 472 511 323
www.vepr.com.au
1. EXAMPLES OF MEDIA RELEASES
Grace Lever named as Telstra’s South Australian ‘Young Business Woman of the Year’
6 October 2016: Adelaide-Hills based entrepreneur, Grace Lever has been awarded South Australia’s ‘Young Business Woman of the Year’ at the 2016 Telstra Business Women’s Awards. This esteemed award recognises the courage, leadership and creativity of a businesswoman aged 29 and under, who plays a critical role in raising the profile of women in business.
Grace is the founder of GraceLever.com, which empowers and equips other female entrepreneurs across Australia and beyond, to build profitable lifestyle businesses.
Launching in 2014, she has grown the business to be one of the most successful business support networks in Australia for female entrepreneurs. Grace has sold over 5,000 tickets to her live workshops - ‘Doing Days’, has over 40,000 women in her community and almost 2,000 active and engagement members in her membership group ‘The Doing Academy’, all passionate female entrepreneurs ready to ‘stop dreaming and start doing’ in their business. Every month, her brand is in front of more than 3 million entrepreneurs through her savvy digital marketing expertise.
Grace has recently launched her brand in the US, where hundreds of female entrepreneurs joined her community in the first month. This side of the business is set to grow and grow, with Grace poised to launch her offering in other markets later in 2016 – including regional and rural Australia, the UK, Canada and New Zealand.
Grace comments: “I’m so thrilled to have been chosen as the winner in these incredibly renowned awards; it’s testimony not only of my hard work but that of my team. It also provides further verification to the women in my community of their worth as business owners, showing that they have put their trust in a female entrepreneur who is recognised by Telstra and its line-up of esteemed judges. I’m so excited to be joining the other incredible winners at the national final in Melbourne in November; they’re all a true inspiration and great examples of what women in business can do if they put their mind to it!
In an announcement from Telstra, Joe Pollard, Telstra Business Women’s Awards Ambassador, Group Executive Media, and Chief Marketing Officer, said that the South Australian winners are exceptional business women. She commented: “The winners of the 2016 Telstra South Australian Business Women’s Awards are brilliant, passionate and courageous women who are thriving in their chosen fields. Not only do they have the courage to challenge the status quo but they also demonstrate exceptional business acumen and strong leadership skills.”
Now in their 22nd year, the Telstra Business Women’s Awards are Australia’s longest running and most esteemed women’s awards program in Australia. They recognise and reward the courage, leadership and creativity of brilliant business women. Grace will join other State and Territory category winners in Melbourne for the National Awards judging, culminating in a glittering Gala Dinner on the night of Wednesday 16 November 2016.
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For further press information or images or to set up an interview with Grace please contact Victoria Evans at GraceLever.com: [email protected]/ +61 (0) 8 8339 1529 or 0472 511 323.
Notes to Editors
Grace Lever is a digital marketing specialist and educator working with female entrepreneurs, helping them to create balanced, profitable, lifestyle businesses. Grace connects with these women through regular live workshops, ‘Doing Days’ and through her members’ group, the Doing Academy. Following exponential growth in Australia over the past 18 months, Grace successfully launched in the United States in mid 2016 and will be expanding to rural and regional Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand before the end of 2017.
Bird in Hand unveils fresh look for its 20th anniversary
20 June 2017: Adelaide Hills winery Bird in Hand has this week unveiled a brand-new look for its iconic sparkling wine, to commemorate 20 years of winemaking excellence.
The just-released 2017 Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir has been a classic favourite for many years, and the anniversary sees the new bottle in an elegant, modern and minimalist character, perfectly reflecting how Bird in Hand has evolved over the past decades.
The wine is the same sparkling pinot that has been produced at Bird in Hand for years and continues to delight customers from Australia and across the world. A cool climate Adelaide Hills’ wine, it’s awash with strawberry flavours and cherry aromas, accompanied by a floral lift. A light, blush-coloured sparkling, the winemaking team recommend it as an aperitif, enjoyed chilled.
Bird in Hand began in earnest in 1997 when founder Andrew Nugent happened upon a run- down dairy farm while exploring with his father, Michael. 20 years on, the winery is producing four tiers of cool-climate wines, is home to a cellar door open 7 days a week, a
farm-to-table restaurant and hosts events ranging from intimate dinners to concerts from world-class musicians, attended by thousands of fans.
Mashoom Tait, marketing and PR executive, Bird in Hand comments, “Bird in Hand has come a long way since 1997. We felt it was fitting to celebrate this milestone by unveiling a look that captures our brand and what it represents two decades on. The sparkling pinot noir is still the same wine that fans have come to know and love, but with a new, sophisticated appearance. We’re all excited about this beautiful new bottle, as we look ahead to many more years of artisan winemaking, and creating memorable experiences.”
http://www.birdinhand.com.au/
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Notes to editors ABOUT BIRD IN HAND Bird in Hand is a world-renowned producer of fine wine that celebrates place and passion not only through expert vinification but also through food, art, and cultural events. Its portfolio of cool climate wine is produced across four award-winning speciality tiers; Tribute Series, Nest Egg, Bird in Hand and Two in the Bush. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Victoria Evans E: [email protected] T: 08 8189 0860
MEDIA RELEASE NOVEMBER 2018
VIOLET CRUMBLE ON ITS WAY TO THE US
Iconic Australian snack begins journey into hands of American chocolate lovers
One of Australia’s most-loved confectionery brands, Violet Crumble is on its way from Adelaide to the US, as the first shipment gets underway.
Following the signing of an agreement between Violet Crumble’s owners, Robern Menz and distributors British Wholesale Imports (BWI) last month, a 20-foot shipping container of 14 pallets comprising 77,000 bars has been ordered and will be leaving Adelaide this week. Five tonnes of Violet Crumble bars will be en route to Los Angeles and San Francisco, the first direct shipment of the brand to the US in ten years.
Fourth-generation family business, Robern Menz acquired Violet Crumble from Nestlé earlier in 2018, bringing one of Australia’s most iconic and favourite snacks back to Australian soil after 46 years of foreign ownership.
The product has been available in a small number of outlets in the US for over 20 years, but its new owners have a strategic focus to expand internationally, exploiting a gap in the market for a tasty, high-quality honeycomb and chocolate snack. This, coupled with the growing global love for ‘Brand Australia’, means timing and positioning is perfect for a US expansion. Retailers including Cost Plus World Market, Wegmans, Stater Brothers, 7 Eleven are currently stocking Violet Crumble with many more in the planning phase, and it will also be on display at a number of confectionery trade shows across the US in the New Year.
Phil Sims, CEO, Robern Menz comments: “Violet Crumble is an iconic Aussie brand, and we’re thrilled to be in a position to manage its expansion into international markets, including the US. The reception around our planned expansion in the US has been really positive; Violet Crumble’s unique taste profile and branding is really resonating with Americans, who want to know how they can buy it locally. It’s so rewarding to see the first shipment leave the factory and make its way into the hands of American consumers and we can’t wait to hear the reaction from many more Americans to something that Australians hold so dear.” The Violet Crumble bars are made at Robern Menz’s factory in Adelaide to a top-secret recipe and technique process. Robern Menz’s factory underwent a $4 million refit and the recruitment of a dedicated team of 30 additional staff to oversee the production, to ensure that international expansion was possible, and as many people as possible get to enjoy Violet Crumble across the world.
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For media enquiries and interview requests related to Robern Menz, please contact: SOCIETY Marketing Communications
Victoria Evans | [email protected] | 0472 511 323
About Robern Menz
Robern Menz is an award winning fourth generation family owned business with over 150 years of tradition. Today Robern Menz is one of the country’s largest Australian owned confectionery businesses and the largest manufacturer of Choc Honeycomb. Robern Menz produces over 100 products including the National Trust Heritage listed and iconic Menz FruChocs, Crown Mints, JeliChocs and is the new home of Australian Icon, Violet Crumble. Robern Menz currently exports to the USA and throughout Asia.
New dental innovation, SmileMate pioneered in South Australia to revolutionise profession, providing non-intrusive, quick oral health exam
Adults and children can drop in for a FREE SmileMate exam at Westfield Marion all day from 15th-21st July
A brand new Artificial Intelligence (AI) system, which provides oral health examinations in just 15 minutes, is launching to South Australians this July. ’SmileMate’ is the brainchild of local Nick Duncan and is set to significantly increase South Australians’ ease of access to professional oral health examinations.
From 15th – 21st July, the Smile Mate team will have a space in Westfield shopping centre, Marion for any adults and children to take advantage of a FREE oral health examination.
SmileMate is a hand-held device that scans teeth in just one minute. The results are sent virtually to an AI system which analyses and provides a comprehensive report in just 15 minutes, identifying any potential oral health issues. Users will then be given a free face to face consultation with a professional who can advise on treatment options and refer them to a dentist or orthodontist.
High dental fears affect approximately one in six Australian adults*, which can result in a stressful and unpleasant experience for both the patient and the treating dental practitioner. By providing patients with a clear and comprehensive evaluation of their oral health as well as a view of relevant treatment options, the SmileMate screening report challenges misplaced preconceptions and alleviate fears.
It’s a simple process that can reduce anxiety and help everyday Australians to feel more confident about the dental examination process. It increases their receptiveness to having an honest conversation with their dental practitioner about their oral health needs, therefore dramatically increasing treatment acceptance. SmileMate is not only a more simple, efficient procedure for providing accurate reports, but the stress-free process itself helps to nurture the patient dentist relationship.
Nick Duncan says, “SmileMate is set to revolutionise the dental industry. By taking away many of the barriers to obtaining accurate oral health report in a timely, efficient and non-obtrusive way, many more South Australians will be on their journey to better dental health. We want as many people as possible to have access to this sophisticated technology, and encourage anyone in the Marion area to pop down and try it out for themselves this July.
He continues, “The scope for SmileMate is endless. We want to encourage schools, businesses, and of course, dental practices to offer the service, which will increase efficiency, and furthermore, strengthen patient – dentist engagement by removing many of the hurdles the traditional system imposes. Early detection of any oral health issues is possible with SmileMate, reducing serious treatment further down the line, and saving stress and financial burden.”
The SmileMate team will be on level 1, site 13, (opposite Locksmith, near car park entrance) from Monday 15th July to Sunday 21st July. No bookings required.
Open Westfield trading hours.
For further information please contact Tania Terminello, Smile Mate Business Development Specialist on 0411487776.
For further media information please contact Victoria Evans on 0472 511 323/ [email protected]
*Armfield JM, Spencer AJ, Stewart JF. Dental fear in Australia: who’s afraid of the dentist? Aust Dent J 2006;51:78-85. Armfield JM. The extent and nature of dental fear and phobia in Australia. Aust Dent J 2010;55:368-377.
Time-poor parents and students in Australia spending big on takeaway – some even on a daily basis
October 2019 - Research released today exploring the takeaway habits of every day Australians has found that over 1 in 5 are purchasing takeaway on a weekly basis.
The research – carried out in August 2019 on behalf of San Remo pasta – revealed that households with children aged under 18 are the biggest takeaway consumers, particularly families with children under three, where one in ten are purchasing takeaway daily.
The average Australian spends $23.70 on a takeaway meal, which equates to over $1,200 a year for those purchasing weekly – the approximate cost of holiday for two in Bali*. This rises to $36.20 for families with children aged between three and 12.
Women turning to convenience food more than men Interestingly, Australian women are consuming takeaway significantly more than men, with over two in five (41 per cent) purchasing takeaway at least once a week, compared with 27 per cent of men. Despite high workforce participation, statistics show that women still do the lion’s share of housework and childcare**. This ‘double load’ may indicate why they are turning to convenience options. Women also spend more on takeaway compared to men - $27.70 vs $21.40 per delivery.
With economic growth in negative territory and persistent wage stagnation, San Remo wants to raise awareness among consumers of the cost-effectiveness, ease and versatility of pasta as an alternative to expensive take-outs.
Erik de Roos, chief marketing officer, San Remo comments: “It’s never been easier to order takeaway, with diverse cuisines on their way to you at the touch of a button. This research reveals that many who are time-poor are defaulting to takeaway on a regular basis. We want to show Australians that it’s easy to make simple, nutritious meals with pasta, often for less than the cost of the delivery fee alone, and in less time.”
Additional findings • Students are big takeaway consumers - Aussie students are also ordering takeaway frequently, with 46 per cent of full-time students, two-thirds (66 per cent) of part time students (who work full time), and nearly 2 in 5 (39 per cent) of part time students (working part time) ordering at least once a week. • Unemployed choose convenience - 30 per cent buy takeaway at least once a week, as do nearly half of all ‘homemakers’ (42 per cent) • Age affects takeaway habits - Younger people purchase takeaway most often – it’s a daily habit for approximately 1 in 10 aged 25-29, while 1 in 5 are buying it ‘a few times a week’. Those aged 30-34 spend the most, an average of $31.30 per meal. • National differences - When looking across each state/ territory, residents of Victoria and Northern Territory are purchasing takeaway most frequently with 44 per cent of those in the NT buying at least once a week. In urban areas, over 2 in 5 (43 per cent) Sydneysiders are buying at least once a week and spending the most of all the capital cities across Australia ($26.80), with Melbourne ($25.90) and Hobart ($25.80) not far behind.
San Remo has released a special collection of ‘budget busting’ recipes to show Australians of all backgrounds and ages some easy, nutritious ways to prepare a meal, without having to invest in expensive ingredients or devote hours of their precious time. These include San Remo Tubular Spaghetti with Napolitana Sauce & Fresh Basil and San Remo Wagon Wheels with Cauliflower, Lemon &, Chilli, which can be made with ingredients costing less than $5 for a family of four – less than the average delivery fee of a takeaway.***
De Roos continues, “We’re all leading busy lives, and often finding time to prepare a meal for the family can seem overwhelming. Ordering a delivery from a phone app can become the default. But these costs can add up. Preparing a meal doesn’t have to be hard work, or overly time-consuming, and cooking together can be a rewarding activity for all the family.”
View the Budget Busting collection of recipes here. -Ends-
For more information or interviews with San Remo please contact: SOCIETY Marketing Communications
Victoria Evans | 0472 511 323 | [email protected]
*based on Flight Centre deal for flights and 7 nights’ accommodation, September 2019 ** Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia ***Based on average Uber Eats delivery fee of $5.
Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council Aboriginal Corporation warns of disaster for remote indigenous communities due to knock-on effects of hoarding & panic buying
8 April 2020: Dennis Bate, CEO of not for profit organisation, Mai Wiru Regional Stores Aboriginal Council which campaigns to raise the health and economic wellbeing of communities living in the APY lands, is calling on the Australian general public to consider the implications on vulnerable people living in remote communities when panic buying at the supermarket.
Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council serves communities in the APY lands by operating healthy and sustainable remote community stores, providing low or no mark-up prices on fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and other day-to-day items. The Mai Wiru stores are often the only place for hundreds of kms where these first nations peoples can buy any items.
As a result of the panic buying witnessed in recent weeks by Australians in reaction to the coronavirus crisis, many of these stores are struggling to secure basic items, from toilet paper to tins of food to baby formula. With a supply chain under pressure to meet demands from the large supermarkets, these smaller stores are missing out.
Bate comments, “For thousands of people in these remote communities, these stores are the only places they can buy everyday essential items. Unlike those living in cities and big towns, they can’t simply get in a car and drive to the next supermarket, and the consequential effects on these already vulnerable communities could be disastrous.
“We’re seeing the store managers placing orders with our suppliers and receiving as little as 40% of products due to no availability. Whilst every Australian is dealing with the potential effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on some level, the consequences of lack of supply to these communities would be detrimental to their health and wellbeing and that would be catastrophic.
To help minimise the threat of spreading the Covid-19 virus, Mai Wiru, under direction from the emergency response committee for the APY Lands and the APY Land executives have reduced the availability of fuel for sale at all the Mai Wiru Stores. This is to reduce the amount of travel within the APY Lands and keep people at home.
Bate continues, “Mai Wiru is implementing new strategies to combat these shortages so that perhaps we will be in a position to help other indigenous stores with their supply. We are all working together to keep the people safe and all we need is for the people of Australia to understand that panic buying has knock-on effects to communities far more vulnerable than they are.”
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About Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council Aboriginal Corporation
Mai Wiru Regional Stores Council Aboriginal Corporation (Mai Wiru) is an unfunded, not-for-profit organisation which is registered as a charity by the ATO. Meaning ‘good food’ in Pitjantjatjara, Mai Wiru’s mission is to improve the health and well-being of indigenous communities by ensuring continuous access to nutritious and affordable food and essential items. https://maiwiru.org.au/
For further information and interview requests please contact Victoria Evans: [email protected] / 0472 511 323
Workplace technology innovator expands offering to support more clients during Covid-19 crisis
22 April 2020: Adelaide business, Teamgage has just been announced as the recipient of a $350,000 Research, Commercialisation and Startup Fund grant from the State Government to invest in research and development and international expansion. The grant, from the Department of Innovation and Skills supports researchers, entrepreneurs and businesses to accelerate their progress with funding from the South Australian Government.
Teamgage was founded in 2016 and offers software that gathers employee feedback and guides the organisation and its teams on how to improve in real-time. It focuses on creating teams that improve the way they work together, aligned to clear strategic business goals. Teamgage works with clients including Telstra, Westpac and The University of Canberra, to help them to drive their own improvements from the ground up through its bespoke online platform. Whether companies are concerned about weak communication channels affecting productivity or curious as to how teams are adapting to remote working, Teamgage’s provide a clearer picture and create better outcomes.
The company, based in Adelaide’s entrepreneur hub, Lot Fourteen, will be investing the grant in adapting its service for use in international markets and across multinational customers dealing with large datasets.
CEO and co-founder Ben Smit comments, “We’ve seen increased interest from companies both inside and outside of Australia looking to replace traditional ‘survey and analysis’ tools with a simpler, more intuitive way to gain accurate and timely feedback from teams and drive improvement. With this grant we can explore further how to adapt our technology for global companies, as well as those with more complicated structures and working environments.
“Since we founded the company four years ago we’ve helped many state and national companies, ranging from Santos and SA Water to Evolution Mining and the CSIRO. This grant is not only acknowledgement from the State Government as to the value we bring but will allow us to expand our offering further. We’re seeing strong interest from companies in Europe, the US and Asia and this grant allows us to explore and adapt our offering to deliver a solution that meets their differing requirements.”
Teamgage has also seen its services in high demand as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, as many companies are adjusting to new ways of working. In particular managing those working from home and ensuring they continue to be productive, are engaged and that their wellbeing is supported. To meet this demand, Teamgage has released a ‘Ready to use’ solution where organisations can quickly and easily discover how their staff are really doing while working at home. The software quickly gathers employee feedback on a fixed set of metrics, for example, analysing ‘Communication’, ‘Leader support’ and ‘Remote Working’, and then guides teams on how to make improvements where the data indicates.
Smit continues, “We’ve been supporting many of our existing clients like Hearing Australia and DXC at this time, as many are rapidly adjusting to new ways of working. We’ve also seen an increase in organisations looking to gather data quickly and effectively to ensure they’re able to maximise engagement and staff wellbeing during this time, while maintaining productivity.” www.teamgage.com.au For further information or interview requests please contact Victoria Evans: [email protected] / 0472 511 323
About Teamgage Teamgage is an Australian organisation, founded in Adelaide in 2016 by Ben and Noelle Smit which offers software that gathers employee feedback and guides organisations and their teams to improve. It has worked with clients including Telstra, Westpac, the University of Canberra and Santos. The system measures behaviours and sentiment aligned to the strategy of the organisation and drives teams and managers to action their own improvements in real-time, from the ground up. Teamgage also provides deep insights into the organisation as a whole, delivered using artificial intelligence to identify key trends and changes as they happen.
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Under embargo until 1st August 2020
Pertaringa’s ‘Tipsy Hill’ 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon awarded 99 points from James Halliday
As Bec Hardy takes over ownership of the McLaren Vale winery in its 40th year, its ‘hero’ wine receives near perfect score
Just weeks after announcing she has taken over ownership of her father’s 40-year-old wine brand, Pertaringa, Bec Hardy, a sixth-generation member of the famous wine family is celebrating a near perfect score from Australia’s most influential wine critic. James Halliday this weekend afforded the 2017 vintage of the Tipsy Hill Cabernet Sauvignon with a 99-point score, a rarely bestowed near perfect result.
Halliday describes it as a ‘marvellous wine, fluid, juicy and vibrant, with a very long finish, the tannins a gossamer web.”
The Tipsy Hill Cabernet Sauvignon comes from what Halliday has previously referred to as a ‘pocketchief size’ single vineyard at the Blewitt Springs home of Bec Hardy and her husband, co-MD Richard Dolan, from where its name originates. The property was named after the rare Tipsy Hill Imperial Concubine rose, planted in the beautiful gardens by its previous owners.
Bec Hardy took the reins of Pertaringa from her father on 1 July 2020, as part of the family’s natural succession planning, making her the first woman in the famous Hardy wine family to own her own vineyard and produce her own wine. The family’s name became part of legend back in 1850 when her great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Hardy arrived from the UK, and went on to become widely known as the father of the South Australian wine industry.
Bec comments, “This 99-point score for our treasured Tipsy Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is the icing on the cake in a month filled with milestones. Having taken over from my parents just a few weeks ago, it’s so rewarding that we can collectively share this honour. We know this wine is something special but having someone as revered as James Halliday agreeing with us is testament to the hard work of the viticulture and winemaking teams involved.
“It’s even more touching for us, knowing the grapes were sourced directly from the vineyard on our property, which we see as the natural home of Bec Hardy Wines. As we celebrate 40 years of Pertaringa, this 99-point score highlights what we have always worked towards achieving: to craft exceptional wines that truly reflect the special pocket of the world that is McLaren Vale.”
Along with the 99-point score for the 2017 Tipsy Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, James Halliday also bestowed a 97-point score on the 2017 Yeoman Shiraz and a 95-point rating for the 2017 Pertaringa ‘Over the Top’ Shiraz.
You can read James Halliday’s review in The Australian, 1st August 2020 – link here (subscription required)
To browse the Pertaringa and Bec Hardy Wines portfolio or place an order, please visit: https://bechardy.com.au/
Notes to Editors About Bec Hardy Wines Established in 2015, Bec Hardy Wines is a family-owned wine business based in McLaren Vale, South Australia. Bec runs the company with her husband and joint managing director, Richard Dolan.
In 2020, the company took over the ownership and running of the Pertaringa brand and cellar door from Bec’s father, Geoff Hardy.
Bec is a sixth generation member of and the first female vigneron from one of Australia’s oldest wine families, the Hardys.
For more information, contact Victoria Evans – [email protected] / + 61 (0) 472 511 323
2. EXAMPLES OF MEDIA COVERAGE SECURED
Grace Lever. Picture: Dean Martin.
TELSTRA South Australian Young Business Woman of the Year Grace Lever abides by the motto: practice what you preach.
Ms Lever, who runs GraceLever.com, helps female entrepreneurs create profitable businesses which allow them to have a balanced lifestyle.
She runs coaching programs and ‘Doing Days’ — events where Ms Lever shares her business and lifestyle philosophy. From next year, she plans to run events online only to ensure the message can be shared across metropolitan and regional Australia, as well as overseas.
She has already launched in the US, with Canada, the UK and New Zealand on the list for 2017.
“I’m all about building profitable businesses and lifestyle businesses,” Ms Lever said.
Her business helps entrepreneurs in areas such as marketing, delegation, social media and lifestyle and health.
On her website, Ms Lever runs a blog and offers free resources including the “seven pillars of Facebook ad success” and “why your website isn’t making you money”.
She works with people from myriad industries. Among those she has helped are Libby Tague, of Brisbane candle business Alma Luz, and Dr Sheena Vaughan, of Melbourne’s QI Medicine. For razor sharp political analysis. Watch Credlin 6pm Weeknights, Sky News. For In Adelaide, businesswomen — such as Busy Bouncers Castle & Party Hire’s owner Katie-Lee Pearce and Nutrition for Weight Loss Surgery co-founders Justine Hawke and Sally Johnston — have benefited from Ms Lever’s programs.
Ms Lever said winning the Telstra award is testimony to the hard work of herself and her team of seven.
“I guess (the win) was a reflection of the incredibly rapid growth of the business,” she said.
“We have 2000 members in our main program and up to 35,000 followers on our social media platforms.
“Facebook is where I have been picked up on the most.”
Facebook, where GraceLever.com has almost 25,000 page likes, is a tool Ms Lever believes other entrepreneurs can benefit from and grow their enterprise.
She said another key to managing the rapid growth of her business has been automation.
“A big focus is creating an exceptional customer service experience which is automated,” she said.
“It’s about learning to master automation and make sure (correspondence) is communicated skilfully.”
Ms Lever is a national finalist in the Telstra Australian Business Women of the Year Awards, to be held next month in Melbourne.
Women in Business Q&A: Grace Lever 09/15/2016 04:31 am ET Updated Dec 06, 2017
Grace Lever
Grace Lever is a marketing funnel specialist and educator working with female entrepreneurs, helping them to create balanced, profitable, lifestyle businesses.
Having launched a number of successful businesses, Grace wanted to use her experience and knowledge to empower and equip other female business owners to grow their own lifestyle enterprises. She launched Gracelever.com, providing practical guidance and support to ensure other women have the tools to turn their ideas into a profitable business that fits in with their life. As the previous owner of five small businesses over the years, she has experienced all the pains, challenges and frustrations all entrepreneurs do at some point in their careers.
Grace connects with these women through regular ‘Doing Days’, live workshops that take place across Australia, where attendees can learn practical, hands-on processes and proven strategies that can be applied to their own businesses. She also launched ‘The Doing Academy’, an online members group providing female entrepreneurs with the tools for them to develop intelligent, automated and long-term strategies to ensure a profitable lifestyle business. In May 2016, GraceLever.com launched in the US, providing thousands of female business owners stateside with the opportunity to access the brand and build their enterprises.
Grace is also the director and co-founder of digital marketing agency, Inbound Marketing and in the last financial year helped her clients generate over $20 million in revenue.
Having built a business entirely online, in 2015, Grace was able to relocate from Sydney to her favourite part of Australia, the wine region of the Adelaide Hills, where she lives her lifestyle dream with her husband and puppy.
Grace is the Adelaide ambassador for the League of Extraordinary Women. She was a finalist in the 2015 Telstra Young Business Women’s Awards.
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today? I’ve been very lucky, I grew up in a really supportive, encouraging environment. My parents fostered a real entrepreneurial spirit in me and never once told me I couldn’t do anything or shouldn’t take risks. I never thought there were any limitations - whether being female, or coming from a small town - so I was quite confident from a young age.
In some ways this is why I set up the business - it was a real eye-opener fo me when I entered the female-entrepreneur space that so many women didn’t have the support I’d experienced, and many of them had been told they couldn’t achieve their goals. This has made me more driven to empower and equip them to succeed.
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Royal Society for the Blind wants braille funding reinstated as interstate online service takes over
By Isabel Dayman and Eugene Boisvert
Posted Monday 9 JulJuly 2018 at 7:15am
Royal Society for the Blind client Michael Zannis reads a book.(ABC News: Isabel Dayman)
Reading just got even harder for blind and vision-impaired South Australians, the Royal Society for the Blind says, because the Adelaide-based organisation has lost its federal Print Disability Services Program funding from July 1.
Blind and vision-impaired people can now choose to use the society's unfunded skeleton service or send books and other documents interstate to get converted into braille, large print, digital text or audio through Vision Australia or VisAbility.
Under the new system, people will have to send materials interstate via an online portal or by mail, including text books, letters and personal documents, to be to translated by the new provider.
RSB executive marketing manager Darrin Johnson said this would be more difficult for many of the organisation's clients to use than the current face-to-face service. "It's actually not an easy task and there's also the turnaround issue," Mr Johnson said.
"If a student needs materials for lectures next week, it's going to extremely difficult for them to get the material, send it over and get it back in time to complete their studies with the postage and time delay."
"It sounds very easy if you're in Canberra to say the clients can send the stuff interstate, that will be fine, but there's actually not a recognition that that's actually quite difficult.
"Our clients have a lot of difficulties they have to face in life, and they overcome them very well, but this is now just one more problem that they're going to have to navigate when it was actually quite simple for them."
The RSB is starting a "Not Happy Dan" campaign and an online petition calling for its funding to be reinstated.
Three-quarters of the RSB's clients are elderly and many live alone.
"We believe that directing an 82-year-old woman who has gone blind late in life after developing glaucoma to use a website to arrange a service shows just how out of touch the department is," Mr Johnson said.
Other formats not as useful as braille
Michael Zannis uses the Print Disability Services Program to get study materials converted into braille.
"Being blind or vision-impaired can be really difficult and I want to make things easier for myself and other people who are legally blind and vision-impaired, not harder, and that's what losing this funding and taking this service away from South Australia will certainly do," Mr Zannis said.
"It's really difficult compared to having someone here in South Australia that you can talk to and work through any issues with."
Having a computer read out text online was not the same as reading braille, he said, because he could not work out how words were spelt.
"I won't be able to advance in life, I won't be able to understand sentence structures and be able to read things like everyone else can so I can then write well," he said.
Services revised to 'reach wider audience'
Federal Social Services Minister Dan Tehan announced on May 15 that Vision Australia and VisAbility would take over the Print Disability Services Program (PDSP). Mr Tehan did not respond directly to questions about changes to services in South Australia, but said the Federal Government had increased funding for the service to $5.7 million over three years.
"A review of the PDSP in 2017 recommended improvements to the program to reach a wider audience," he said.
"Following a competitive tender process in 2017, VisAbility and Vision Australia were selected to provide services under the Print Disability Services Program 2018-2021."
The RSB will continue to offer its scaled-down service for six months.
It previously received $156,500 in funding per year.
From Adelaide to California: Five tonnes of Violet Crumbles are heading to the US as decade-long wait ends By Cara Waters November 27, 2018 — 10.31am
Violet Crumbles are once again being exported to the United States after the beloved chocolate bar returned to Australian ownership earlier this year.
Adelaide family business Robern Menz which bought Violet Crumble back off global giant Nestle is sending off its first shipment of 77,000 of the chocolate covered honeycomb bars to the United States.
Richard Sims (left) and Phil Sims with the first shipment of 77,000 Violet Crumbles.
Robern Menz chief executive Phil Sims told Fairfax Media there was already an appetite for Violet Crumbles in the United States.
"We identified quite a significant number of Violet Crumbles going to the United States, it was going through the grey market, Nestle was not shipping directly it was going through US importers buying via Australian wholesalers," he says. "Once we saw what was going on we saw there was an opportunity and a market gap in the United States." Sims says around 500,000 Violet Crumble bars a year are already being sold a year through this grey market. However Robern Menz' shipment of 77,000 Violet Crumble bars which heads off this week will be the first direct shipment to the United States in ten years.
Under the deal with importer British Wholesale Imports, five tonnes of Violet Crumble bars will be shipped from Adelaide to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
"You have 320 million people over there who just love their candy and a chocolate coated honeycomb bar is relatively unique," Sims says. "With our own distribution systems now we think we can grow that relatively quickly to in the order of about 1 million bars [a year]."
Sims says a growing global love for "Brand Australia" means timing and positioning is perfect for an expansion into the United States with retailers including Cost Plus World Market, Wegmans, Stater Brothers and 7 Eleven stocking Violet Crumble bars with more to come.
Violet Crumbles on the production line at Robern Menz
Since purchasing the Violet Crumble brand in January for an undisclosed amount Robern Menz has spent more than $4 million upgrading its Adelaide factory to produce the Violet Crumbles to a top secret recipe.
Robern Menz was founded by Sims grandfather in 1908 and the fourth generation family business now turns over around $30 million a year.
It already produces more than 100 products including Menz FruChocs, Crown Mints and JeliChocs.
After more than three decades, the Violet Crumble chocolate bar will again be made in South Australia. Sims says demand for Violet Crumbles has lifted the factory's productivity by 35 per cent "it's a major step up" he says.
Robern Menz has also hired 30 more staff and will move to more than 100 full time employees by mid 2019.
"It's a brand with a heritage of over 100 years and it has been foreign owned for the last 46 years," Sims says. "We have had a very positive response to having it back in Australian hands. Our story is very similar to Vegemite going back into Australian ownership."
Polly Waffle chocolate to return to shelves
Lara Sims and her brother Daniel come to terms yesterday with an original Polly Waffle bar. Picture: AAP
• LUKE GRIFFITHS
• 8:13PM JANUARY 24, 2019
• The famed Polly Waffle chocolate bar is to again make its way onto store shelves, possibly by the end of this year after an Adelaide company acquired the brand and intellectual property from Swiss giant Nestlé.
Family-owned company Robern Menz announced the deal today, which mirrors its purchase of the Violet Crumble brand from Nestlé last year.
Robern Menz chief executive Phil Sims said finalising the Polly Waffle recipe to ensure it was authentic would now be the focus, followed by a return to production for the first time in a decade. Polly Waffle consists of marshmallow encased by a wafer tube covered in milk chocolate.
Mr Sims said he was prompted to pursue the deal after members of the public contacted the company, combined with lobbying on social media that included a “Bring back the Polly Waffle” Facebook page that has more than 55,000 followers.
Polly Waffle was created by Melbourne based business Hoadley’s Chocolate in 1947 and later acquired by UK based confectioner Rowntrees in 1972.
Nestlé acquired the rights in 1988 when it bought the Rowntree Hoadley’s business but discontinued its production in 2009.
“There are kids and even young adults out there who don’t really know what a Polly Waffle is and haven’t tasted it before, but there are also many devoted fans who have been campaigning hard for its return,” he said.
“The brand invokes happy memories of days gone by, much like the Violet Crumble.
“As an Australian family-owned business, we have a real affinity for local brands and to have the opportunity to revive them and bring them back into the market is such a privilege.”
Bill Page from the University of South Australia’s Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science said the re-release of an existing brand had significant benefits.
“Robern Menz is buying all the investment in the Polly Waffle brand over more than 70 years, whereas to start fresh you don’t get any of that benefit,” Dr Page said.
“But there’s a danger as well … tastes may have changed.”
Nestlé’s Chris O’Donnell said Polly Waffle was an iconic brand that, despite its absence from market, still had a loyal following.
“We wish Robern Menz the best of luck in bringing it back and giving Australia’s Polly Waffle lovers the opportunity to enjoy it once again,” he said.
Robern Menz last year returned the Violet Crumble to Australians hands for the first time since 1972.
It produced its first batch in October and a month later sent a five-tonne shipment to Los Angeles and San Francisco for distribution across the US.
The company, which has 100 staff and generates revenue in excess of $30 million annually, now plans to release a Violet Crumble bag containing bites size versions in March.
Unlike the Violet Crumble deal, Robern Menz did not receive any financial assistance from the state government for its Polly Waffle purchase.
Hospitality workers will soon have a dedicated mental health support network By Nkayla Afshariyan Tuesday 21 May 2019 6:48pm
Michael Browning on Unsplash
In the wake of the suicide deaths of several high-profile celebrity chefs, the hospitality industry is taking a hard look at the way it deals with mental health.
Celebrity chef Matt Moran recently spoke to the ABC about the devastating loss of Sydney chef and friend, Justin Bull, who took his own life this year.
"For anybody that has close friends who commit suicide, it's a horrible thing, and you ask the question, 'What could I have done?'" Matt said.
It's a question the entire industry is asking itself - there were 3,128 deaths by suicide in Australia in 2017.
Industry sources estimate about 563 of those deaths were from the hospitality industry.
Sydney chef Liam Crawley lost several colleagues to suicide in the last decade and it was this loss that spurred him to launch Hospo for Life. The non-profit aims to provide mental health support specifically for hospitality workers across
Australia.
A chef of 23 years, Liam told Hack the pressures of the industry - "the hours, reduced family time, substance abuse" - were enough to push him to help support his colleagues.
It brought me to seek out ways to repair the damage that's been done," he said.
"I've seen too many people who feel like they have no support when times get tough. The kitchen can be an incredibly lonely place...rostering is difficult and families don't get to spend a lot of time with workers either, because they're dedicating their life to the trade."
Tailored mental health support
Hospo for Life intends to be the first point of contact for workers needing support, where employees can reach out and ask for help by email or a phone call.
From there the organisation may refer them to services provided by Altius Group, a workplace health and wellbeing organisation, to provide free psychological services to those in the industry.
Both organisations hope to provide three one-hour sessions with a psychologist for hospitality employees.
Derick Borean, CEO and co-founder of Altius Group, said employees would be able to access free psychological services to deal with a range of issues that arise in the industry.
"Things like relationship issues, anxiety, stress, sleep, drug and alcohol problems. It's a whole range of things that affect people, but particularly working in the hospitality industry can make those issues more acute," Derick told Hack.
"We know shift work is problematic for hospitality workers and that impacts on sleep, relationships, diet and exercise. "That all feeds into their overall level of wellbeing."
For hospitality workers who might need constant mental health support, they will also have access to the AltiusLife app.
Liam says the app, as well as providing real-time access to professional services, can be set up to send alerts to the user throughout the day to remember to take a toilet break, for example, or get something to drink.
Derick says the app is just one tool that will "support people with education, goal setting and gradual changes in their behaviour around their wellbeing".
Help designed to fit in with hospitality hours
Liam says providing mental health support to someone who works irregular shift hours or can't afford to take time off is a challenge, and is why many workers don't seek help for mental health problems.
"It's about creating that time for yourself, if the boss doesn't allow you to have time off, or if you get called in to work on your day off," Liam said.
"It's really factoring in and working with people's lives better, to be able to make time to either
[get support] over the phone, over Skype, face-to-face or be anonymous."
Liam hopes to be able to help around 85,000 hospitality employees in the first 12 months.
You can find more information about the organisation here.
fina How entrepreneur went from ‘rock bottom’ to million-dollar boss
When Yemi Penn was heavily pregnant, she spent several nights on the street. But today she’s making millions thanks to one genius move.
Alexis Carey@carey_alexis
JULY 28, 2019 9:26AM
Yemi Penn was 24, had just finished her dream degree and was “in love” when she fell pregnant.
But there was one big problem — the Londoner wasn’t married, and her traditional Nigerian family didn’t approve.
At the time, she was living at home while working in a graduate placement — but with six kids of her own in the house, Ms Penn’s mother told her there was no more room for her and a new baby.
“In hindsight it came from a place of love, but it didn’t feel like it at the time,” Ms Penn told news.com.au.
“(My mother) told me I’d have to find my own place … I think that’s when it hit me that I’d messed up.
“I’d managed to get myself to uni and I’d finished a really good engineering degree, but I just kind of fell off the wagon.”
Luckily, Ms Penn still had her job in the chemical industry, but on a graduate wage there was “no way” she could afford a place of her own.
Her partner was still living with his parents, which meant she was forced to couch surf or crash with friends as her pregnancy advanced — although she knew the situation could not go on forever.
“The period came when I knew there was nowhere for me to live and I wasn’t earning enough money for a deposit for a flat, so my only option was to go to the council and register myself as homeless,” she said.
However, at that time, placements for people who were registered as homeless in London were limited and awarded on a first-in, first-served basis, which meant those seeking shelter had to physically queue up in hope of gaining a roof over their heads.
Ms Penn, who was now in the late stages of pregnancy and growing increasingly desperate, spent entire nights outside the council office to ensure she would be first in line the next day. “It was scary as hell because it wasn’t the way my life was meant to go,” she said.
“It was flight or fight — I was going into work trying to keep it together, but I was always on edge — it knocked my confidence and made me want to shrink and hide.
“I remember having this big bump, but I didn’t want people to ask what was going on.”
She was finally given a home just weeks before her daughter Leah was born, which Ms Penn described as “life-changing”.
“I finally felt like I had hope. The biggest thing for me was that there was nowhere I could afford to rent, but after I found housing I realised that worst-case scenario, I could do it on my own,” she said.
“After I had my daughter I was able to come home and care for her — we had one bedroom but it was such a relief to have somewhere safe to live and I was so grateful.”
Ms Penn took just over a year of maternity leave — but was only paid for six weeks.
She also split up with her daughter’s father, but somehow, she made it work — and while she cared for her daughter, she often fantasised about starting her own business, although she eventually returned to her original job.
But when the 2011 London Riots swept through the city — and through her housing estate — Ms Penn knew she needed a change.
She ended up meeting a man on an online dating site who was in the US air force and living in Japan, and the couple eventually married, with Ms Penn and her young daughter moving across the world to be with him.
A son, Levi, soon followed, and Ms Penn spent her time in Japan “hustling” — teaching aerobics classes and training as a hairdresser.
But “cracks started to appear”, and when a management consulting job came up in Australia, Ms Penn jumped at the chance, moving Down Under when her son was seven months old and her daughter seven years while her husband remained in Japan.
“It was sink or swim — I was in a foreign country with no family and one friend,” she said.
Ms Penn and her husband eventually divorced, and after taking on a second job in Australia, “the penny dropped”.
“I thought, you’ve only got one life — do you really want to keep doing this until you reach retirement age’?” she said. “I had a deep conversation with myself about what I was wiling to risk to give me the future I wanted.
“I decided to open my own consultancy, which at the time was the biggest risk I’d ever taken — it was mental, there was no guarantee of work, I was in debt and then I just decided to quit my stable job that was paying well.”
She launched her own engineering consultancy firm, Penny Consulting, in January 2016, and it soon took off, with branches eventually opening in both Sydney and London.
Last year, the 37-year-old also opened a F45 gym in London, and she has also launched another business, W Squared Coaching, a life coaching firm aiming to “empower people to be their best versions of themselves”.
Today, she splits her time between London and Sydney, and her three businesses are now turning over more than $A1.6 million per year. “I still pinch myself,” Ms Penn said of her business success. “It has taken a while, and sometimes that impostor syndrome pops up and I think I must have fluked it, but I’m extremely proud of myself.”
Ms Penn also hosts the Did You Get The Memo? Because I F***ing Didn’t podcast.
Adelaide Has Officially Turned FruChocs Into A Beer So Pass Us An Imperial Pint
By Cam Tyeson 22/08/2019
I don’t pretend to understand the ways of the average South Australian: A creature that by all fundamental measurements is technically human, but by all spiritual and behavioural traits is clearly not. The way they speak? Absurd. The names they call things? Preposterous. The things they eat? Utter lunacy. And yet they exist as their own self-sustaining society, cut off from the rest of the country by protective hills and wild, untamed rings of parkland. Remarkable. In possibly the most South Australian move of all time, the state’s native dish FruChocs is making the leap to the world of beverages thanks to a new beer being brewed up in time for a state-wide holiday in honour of the local confectionery.
Adelaide-based Big Shed Brewing today announced the release of the limited-run BruChocs, reportedly a “hearty chocolate stout” infused with the signature “Fru,” which I’m lead to believe is the signature apricot/peach heart of the traditional FruChoc itself.
The brewery has been pumping bottles and kegs of the beer off the production line ahead of the planned FruChocs Appreciation Day celebrations tomorrow, and thirsty South Australians will be able to get around as much of the malty delight they can until supplies run out.
The festively fruity brew is available from tomorrow across a raft of outlets in Adelaide and beyond (but only in SA state lines), and a handful of pubs in the Adelaide region are even getting the special beer in kegs, would you believe.
If you’re drifting through Adelaide tomorrow, you can find out about their wholly unique FruChoc-based celebrations via the FruChocs Appreciation Day Facebook event here.
Honestly? BruChocs sounds delish. Would tuck into a frosty (imperial) pint of it.
How to stop takeaway food costs from eating into your savings
Paying for convenience can be expensive. And when it comes to fast food, the amounts that some Australians are buying may shock you.
ANTHONY KEANE News Corp Australia Network OCTOBER 19, 201910:44AM
Buying takeaway food has become an expensive daily habit for many Australians.
One in 10 families with children aged under three buy takeaway meals daily, as do 25-to-29 year olds, according to new research commissioned by pasta company San Remo.
Busier lifestyles and an explosion in food delivery apps have resulted in more than 20 per cent of Australians ordering takeaway at least weekly and spending upwards of $1200 a year on it, it found.
Sort My Money founder David Rankin said takeaway had been increasing but its costs often slipped below people’s spending radar.
“Takeaway used to be a luxury for Australian families and now has become the norm,” he said.
“Convenience always has a price tag attached to it, even if you don’t realise it at the time.”
Mr Rankin said the idea that people were too busy to cook was “a cop-out”.
“If you think ahead and get organised, it’s absolutely possible to live without takeaway week to week, and there’s a financial dividend that you will enjoy,” he said.
San Remo’s chief marketing officer, Erik de Roos, said city dwellers could now get a range of meals at the touch of a button “but these costs add up”.
The research found:
• The average Australian spends $23.70 on a takeaway meal, with women spending more than men ($27.70 versus $21.40).
• More than 40 per cent of families with kids buy takeaway at least once a week and spend an average $33.
• Up to two-thirds of students buy takeaway at least once a week. • Almost 40 per cent of unemployed people buy takeaway weekly or more often.
Mr de Roos said creating nutritious recipes was easy, affordable and “can cost less than the delivery fee”.
He said some home-cooked dishes could cost less than $5 to feed a family of four.
The number of families with both parents working was increasing steadily, Mr de Roos said, and this could lead to home-cooked meals being de-prioritised.
“If you’re a takeaway addict, calculate how much you spend each week or month, and put aside those funds for something special,” he said.
“Seeing the funds for a family holiday or new car accumulate can be a real motivator.
“It’s a mindset exercise. We often consider takeaway as a treat, but, in fact, creating something from scratch should be considered as a gift to your body and your wallet.”
TAKE DOWN TAKEAWAY COSTS
• Plan your shopping with a list and look for discounts. • Schedule time to prepare the food, and consider making cooking a family activity. • Educate yourself with recipe research and maybe a cooking course. • Start with simple recipes and build up a repertoire.
Stores in remote Indigenous communities ask city dwellers to stop hoarding Suppliers are struggling to get essentials like toilet paper. ‘We have to supply 5,000 people. Thirty cartons are not enough,’ says one
Empty shelves at the supermarket. Advocates are calling for coronavirus buying restrictions to be lifted for those in remote communities so they can cut down on trips to town. Photograph: Richard Milnes/REX/Shutterstock
Community stores servicing hundreds of Aboriginal communities now in lockdown say they are still having trouble finding essential supplies, and are pleading with city dwellers to stop hoarding.
Mai Wiru, a not-for-profit corporation that supplies 11 community stores in remote South Australia and the Northern Territory, said stockpiling and hoarding in towns and cities had made it hard to source and supply the basics to remote communities.
“We have been trying to buy toilet paper for weeks now,” said the CEO of Mai Wiru, Dennis Bate. “I’ve had buyers out there scouring the countryside to buy bulk toilet paper and not much luck.
“We have to supply 5,000 people. Thirty cartons a week is just not enough.”
Mai Wiru operates a weekly road train from Adelaide which takes several days to deliver to all the community stores.
“So if our load is picked on a Monday, we have to make do with what we can get on that day. We get one bite of the cherry.
“If we don’t get it then, we are never going to see toilet paper,” he said.
Mai Wiru has doubled its road train service, but Bate said he was “worried about how we are going to keep this up”.
The demand in communities was greater, he said, because so many people were sent home under biosecurity measures, but those same measures meant shipping supplies into those communities was more difficult.
“People don’t understand the ramifications; it’s quite complex. There are restrictions on who can go out to the stores. As CEO, I have to get special police permission. That takes out half of our regular freight companies, and those who remain have their own set of priorities.
“It’s an uneven playing ground. My long-term worry is the hoarding. That’s the issue.
“Woolies and Coles are making a killing out of this, and the silly punters have brought on themselves. But there are ramifications for people down the line. Stop hoarding, let the manufacturers catch up and it’ll all go down again.
“Share it out. There’s enough to go around.”
A spokesperson for Woolworths said it appreciated “the current situation is frustrating for our customers in remote communities”.
“There has been an unprecedented level of demand for groceries, which has put enormous pressure on Australian supply chains.
“We are working hard behind the scenes with a number of key stakeholders, including the government, to improve the situation for the benefit of these communities.” Coles said it was “lifting restrictions on all known remote groups for Coles online deliveries”, was making weekly deliveries to some communities in isolation, including Yarrabah in Queensland, and was working with the Western Australian government to provide a remote order service.
The Central land council said the big supermarket chains also need to lift item restrictions so that remote communities could buy in bulk and spare themselves trips into towns like Alice Springs for supplies.
The minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt met with the big supermarkets, the NT chief minister, Michael Gunner, and community store operators to guarantee supply chains for the expected months-long duration of the Covid-19 lockdown.
'Like preparing for war': Australia's hospitals brace for coronavirus peak
Wyatt said there was a lot of goodwill to resolve the situation.
“We will meet again in two weeks time to see how the goodwill is translated into outcomes,” he said.
“There is a focus on the top items stores provide to communities, and the challenge also is the changing season, which means that if there’s rain, then some of them will have challenges in having access to food supply. So we’ll look at options as to how we get food into those communities.
“As the chief minister [Gunner] said, this is about the way in which governments at all levels ensure food continuity to Aboriginal communities in remote areas.
“We’ve asked them to stay in their communities so we also have to ensure that food safety or access paramount.”
Wyatt said he has asked the national Covid-19 coordination commission to work with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to monitor the cost of goods in remote communities, and ensure that enforcement measures are communicated to store operators.
Glass half full for left-handed lady of wine
ADELAIDE Monday May 25, 2020
BUSINESS
Mollydooker Wines owner and CEO Sarah Marquis spent last month’s McLaren Vale vintage in isolation as she recovered from COVID-19 and watched the company’s US distribution grind to a halt. But despite the setbacks, coupled with the winery’s smallest vintage in several years, Marquis is upbeat about the future and is using the downtime to reposition the business to grow online sales and revitalise its cellar door offering.
Mollydooker Wines CEO Sarah Marquis in the McLaren Vale winery. Picture: Liam West.
Marquis was hosting a skiing trip in Colorado for Mollydooker’s top US distributors when COVID-19 closed the mountain in mid-March. She arrived back in South Australia on March 17 and immediately went into self-isolation before testing positive a week later and enduring mild headaches and nausea for about five days.
“We were just starting vintage and I had to self-isolate for two weeks with my partner and then I had to self-isolate for another 14 days to make sure I no longer had any symptoms,” Marquis said.
“As soon as I said I had COVID-19, the (winery) team got even more serious about wiping down surfaces and they are still doing it at the end of every day and half of our staff are still working from home. “The head winemaker and the head viticulturist have been doing it for 15 years and knew exactly what to do so we could keep running and it was fine with me not being there, I just worked from isolation and made a lot of phone calls.
“My expertise as a winemaker comes in with the blending and the decision and the style making, which happens a bit later.”
The Mollydooker cellar door has been closed since March 18 but the shutdown has coincided with a 30 per cent off online sale in Australia and the US, which Marquis said had more than offset the loss of cellar door sales.
She said the four-fold increase in online sales had been vital for maintaining some cash flow and had opened up new revenue opportunities in Australia and overseas.
Mollydooker Wines, which takes its name from an old Australian slang word for a left-handed person, was started by Marquis and her former husband Sparky in 2005, selling about 30,000 cases of McLaren Vale wine exclusively in the US in its first year.
The company produced 90,000 cases in 2019 and now sells about 50 per cent in the US, 25 per cent in Australia and 25 per cent in other countries including South Korea, Denmark, Germany and Canada.
About 98 per cent of Mollydooker’s wine is red with Shiraz and Shiraz blends making up about 80 per cent of production. It is also known for its colourful names, velvet labels and its quirky “Mollydooker Shake” wine serving method.
Dry conditions and a cool spring led to a much smaller than average vintage across South Australia this year with Mollydooker on track to produce just 55,000 cases from the 2020 crop. About a third of the winery’s grapes are estate grown while the remainder are sourced from McLaren Vale and nearby Langhorne Creek.
Sarah Marquis with her children Holly and Luke, who both work in the business. Picture: Liam West. Marquis said the current dip in sales meant the small but high quality vintage came at the ideal time. However, she acknowledges that many wineries were possibly not as well placed to cope with a downturn, particularly those that relied heavily on cellar door and sales to hotels and restaurants.
Rising tensions between Australia and China, its biggest wine customer, is also putting pressure on wine companies heavily reliant on Chinese orders.
“Just the way our business is set up, we’re not reliant on China, online sales have gone very well and with a small vintage coming up is also great so if there’s a little lag it’s kind of good because we’ve got less coming out in a year and a half,” the left- handed Marquis said.
“In the 2016 and ’17 vintages we had 96,000 and 90,000 cases, which was up from 75,000 and we haven’t quite got through all of that yet but now with the smaller vintage coming it’s perfect.”
Marquis studied winemaking at Roseworthy alongside the likes of Peter Gago and Stephen Pannell in the late 1980s before working at Fox Creek in McLaren Vale, which was started by her parents Helen and Jim Watts in 1984.
Sarah and Sparky began making wine for the US market under the Marquis Philips label in the early 2000s in partnership with US wine importer Dan Philips. But the relationship soured after a few years, leading to the launch of Mollydooker.
Marquis and Sparky went their separate ways in 2015 with Sarah taking sole ownership of Mollydooker Wines in 2017.
The company has won many wine accolades over the years and was most recently named 2019 Telstra South Australian Business of the Year.
Mollydooker has its own importing company in the US and two permanent staff members as well as Sarah’s son Luke, who heads up the winery’s US distribution. About 70 per cent of its US distribution is through retail outlets including Costco and Trader Joe’s while the remainder is to restaurants and other on-premise customers. Its wines are sold in 48 states with California and Texas the biggest buyers.
However, Marquis said the recent surge of online sales in the US had been a “saving grace” and pointed to further opportunities to grow direct to consumer sales in the future.
She said the import business was the key to Mollydooker’s long run of success in the US as it allowed the company to increase its margins and maintain control of its wine for longer.
“In the US they think of Southpaw and the idea that Mollydooker is Aussie for left- hander and they love the accent and the story.
“A lot of Australian wineries were in the US and then when the GFC hit and the exchange rate was bad many pulled out because they weren’t making any money but we stayed in there because we owned the import business, which allowed us to make a little bit more margin than most other wineries and that means our product also ends up at a really good price point.
“When the exchange rate was at $1.10 in 2011 and 2012 that did hurt us but we stayed in the market along with only a few others such as Penfolds, Yellow Tail, Henschke and Two Hands and right now with the exchange rate we’re making almost double.”
The United States is the second largest importer of Australian wine but sales have slowed in the past two months as the nation attempts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When COVID hit, the US just stopped ordering and our sales slumped 60 per cent there last month but the increase in online sales has helped,” Marquis said
“We’ve still got the wine in bottle and we can still sell it once we get through COVID so I’m not too worried – it’s not like it’s perishable and we’ve got to sell it now. Get InDaily in your inbox. Daily. The best local news every workday at lunch time.
“We are expecting our distributors to order large quantities once the tension in the market dies down, as they will need to refill their warehouses and stock.
“So far this May, we have seen a busier selling month from distributors into restaurants and retailers that have remained open compared to last year, so we are hoping this continues.”
However, Marquis said she was relieved Mollydooker had reduced its reliance on the US in recent years.
“I’m glad I’ve spread the risk now as our sales to the rest of the world has picked up.
“The rest of the world markets, which is about 25 per cent of our volume, they all bought like crazy last month, which was a surprise.
“South Korea is a great market and we sell about 5000 cases a year to Denmark and also into Canada.”
Back home, Mollydooker has 50 staff and Marquis is thinking about how to reinvent the cellar door experience with a possible re-opening next month.
“I like the time to reflect at the moment and reinvent the business and a lot of people should be doing it because things will change and we just need to be flexible.
“I’m really looking at the business including the profit and loss and the operating costs of the cellar door and I want to re-open with a new offering that’s not just a free-for-all tasting.
“We want to do proper cellar door packages from a full velvet experience including a winery tour and private tasting through to a fun $10 tasting where you taste nine wines and get to keep your glass.
“Maybe next month if we do open we might do it by appointment only on the weekends so we will limit our numbers and keep it safe and then when everything goes back to normal we’ll offer a couple of different experiences.”
Teamgage wins $350,000 R&D grant Adelaide start-up Teamgage is eyeing new international markets for its workplace culture improvement software after winning a $350,000 R&D grant from the State Government.
Giuseppe Tauriello, The Advertiser Subscriber only | April 28, 2020 11:51am
ADELAIDE start-up Team-gage has been awarded a $350,000 research and development grant to support an international expansion.
The company, which develops software to improve workplace culture, wellbeing and performance, has also released a new platform to support organisations that have transitioned to remote working environments during the coronavirus crisis. The “ready to use” software has been developed to measure and report, in real-time, how organisations are performing in terms of communication with staff, leadership support, collaboration and employee engagement. Teamgage chief executive Ben Smit said the company had seen an increase in requests for support in recent weeks, from organisations adapting to remote working environments. Teamgage founders Noelle and Ben Smit. Picture: Supplied.
“We’ve been supporting many of our existing clients like Hearing Australia and DXC at this time, as many are rapidly adjusting to new ways of working,” he said. “We’ve also seen an increase in organisations looking to gather data quickly and effectively to ensure they’re able to maximise engagement and staff wellbeing during this time, while maintaining productivity.”
Teamgage was established by Mr Smit and wife Noelle in 2016. In October, the company relocated its headquarters to the Lot Fourteen start-up hub on North Tce.
Mr Smit said the company would invest the State Government grant in adapting its technology for use in international markets and for major clients dealing with large data sets.
“We’ve seen increased interest from companies, both inside and outside Australia, looking to replace traditional ‘survey and analysis’ tools with a simpler, more intuitive way to gain accurate and timely feedback from teams and drive improvement,” Mr Smit said. CuttWeeknights,ing through Sky the News. spin. For Don’t more miss The Bolt Report with Andrew Bolt 7pm “With this grant we can explore further how to adapt our technology for global companies, as well as those with more complicated structures and working environments.” Teamgage has worked with major organisations including Santos, SA Water, Evolution Mining and the CSIRO.
3. SELECTION OF OTHER WRITTEN CONTENT: (Newsletters, blog content on owned channels and thought leadership articles written on behalf of client and placed in media)
Bird in Hand member offer: pre-sale tickets
We're excited to announce two epic concerts in February: Neil and Liam Finn on Friday 16th February, followed by Gang of Youths (with Middle Kids) on Saturday 17th February.
Music lovers can enjoy performances by the artists over a glass of Bird in Hand wine amongst the picturesque surroundings of the rolling Adelaide Hills.
Pre-sale tickets to Neil & Liam Finn go on sale on Monday 4th December at 9am (ACDT) for online subscribers. A limited number of tickets are available at the reduced price of $99 with the code: earlybirdfinns
Bird in Hand
PO Box 163 Woodside SA 5244 +61 8 8389 9488 www.birdinhand.com.au
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The 2016 Nest Egg Chardonnay has just been released and we wanted to make sure Flight Club members are the first to have the chance to buy this special wine.
Only the best barrels are selected for our Nest Egg range. The fruit was handpicked in the cool of the morning from one of the highest vineyard sites in the Adelaide Hills. Grapes were whole bunch pressed directly to French oak barriques (40% new), resulting in a complex and intense wine that exhibits all the characteristics of an exceptional cool climate chardonnay.
Described by the wine-making team as a 'phenomenal' vintage, the 2016 Nest Egg Chardonnay shows aromas of white peach and grapefruit, with subtle notes of apricot, cashew and flint. On the palate, the wine’s intense flavour is complemented by a delicate mouth- feel, with textural oak components balanced by a natural acidity.
This Chardonnay is the first wine in the Nest Egg series to be released featuring our new bottle design. Elegant and sophisticated, the new look reflects the superiority of this wine.
Our winemakers suggest the wine is a great partner to crispy skinned pork belly or blue swimmer crab linguine.
The wine is available online at $79 per bottle.
Flight Club members are the first to know about its release and can enjoy 20% off purchases and free delivery.
Bird in Hand
PO Box 163 Woodside SA 5244 +61 8 8389 9488 www.birdinhand.com.au
Shop 2016 Nest Egg Chardonnay now
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mivision • ISSUE 151 • NOV 19
The millenial market is a massive opportunity for optometry practices in Australia and New Zealand. However, to tap into this market, you need to have the most appropriate tools for communication, stock the ideal products and be prepared to shower these patients with attention.
WRITER Tara McCabe
Tapping into the Millennial Market
Millennial consumers are today’s economic engine room. A report by Nielsen predicted that over the five years 2016-2021, they will account for AU$6.1 billion of growth in the retail sector.1 Suffice to say, there’s a huge opportunity for brands to connect with this growing demographic, but with opportunity comes competition. Brands need to be strategic with their marketing and sales strategies to stand out in a crowded marketplace, including eyewear.
WHAT DRIVES MILLENNIAL SPENDING HABITS? When connecting with ‘millennials’ in store, it’s important to know what motivates them as consumers.
Firstly, let’s consider what is meant by ‘millennials’. The definition varies but it’s generally assumed to be those who were born between 1981 and 1996. This means the oldest among them are heading towards 40, and may well be homeowners and/or parents, whereas the youngest will be just out of university, entering the workplace and perhaps enjoying disposable income for the first time.
Millennial consumers are often characterised by their ubiquitous digital usage and connectedness. They’ve grown up with social media being the norm; 84% of those aged 27 to 32 use social media daily.2 They boast significant purchasing power, but their decisions are calculated, rarely making a purchase until they’ve compared all options for price and quality.
Importantly, because businesses in all sectors have been responding to this increasingly profitable market, this generation of consumers has become highly accustomed to being actively ‘courted.’
QUALITY IS KEY
Travel, fashion and lifestyle blogger Shaun Birley has worked with numerous global brands, with a particular focus on fashion. For just under a decade Shaun’s business focused on helping brands grow their business internationally in the e-commerce world.
He’s identified a movement among millennials away from the age of ‘fast fashion’ purchases, with preferences evolving to embrace more quality products.91
This, he believes, is partly attributed to changes in financial circumstances as the group ages and has more disposable income.
However, he says it is because this audience is also very savvy when it comes to their image and personal brand. “You’ll find social media is becoming a more visual version of a CV when it comes to professional accomplishments as well as the lifestyle their occupation is creating for them. Associating yourself with high quality brands is a part of the image.” This is particularly pertinent to eyewear. Purchasing a new pair of frames and lenses can be a significant investment, so millennials will want to ensure they’re buying a brand that exudes style and quality. It might not necessarily be about the big global names – quality and attention in the craft of the design is equally important.
With a recent report finding that 73% of millennials are willing to spend more on products that are sustainable,3 it comes as no surprise that Mr Birley has also seen a growing trend among millennials in favour of handmade, European-designed, but Australian-made products, particularly those with an association to an ethical or non-profit organisation.
PEER RECOMMENDATIONS
Millennials are particularly influenced by suggestions from others. Often a combination of mutual recommendations from different circles – friends, family, or public figures – will ultimately push a patient to make the final decision.
Remember that even before they enter a store, it’s likely a millennial customer will have already researched and have a clear idea of the style and brand they want to buy. It’s important to listen to the patient and understand their pre-existing ideas, so you can offer meaningful recommendations that respond to their personal preferences.
SUMMER 2019/20
Now that we’re well into the warmer months of the year, there are some clear trends in the world of clothing and eyewear that are on the wish list of millennials. ‘Nineties’ with a contemporary twist is going to be big. Animal print continues to be a strong trend, as are pastel shades such as lavender. Lighter fabrics and bolder patterns are becoming more prevalent.
Mr Birley predicts “loose light denim jeans, T-shirts and older patterns, especially in floral,” are on their way. This will translate to eyewear with the narrower frames of the ‘90s making a comeback, along with classic frames.
The clear transparent framed glasses that have been particularly popular with a younger demographic will continue, as well as eye-catching animal prints and the classic tortoiseshell.
Of course, lens choice needs to complement frame selection and Transitions Style Colours offer some great options that millennials have embraced since their launch. When recommending these lenses, consider which colour suits the patient’s tone, hair colour, and style preferences as well as their framechoice – an amber lens, for example, beautifully suits a tortoiseshell frame. If you’re opting for a simple black or grey frame, consider emerald, which suits many skin types and aesthetics.
Travel, fashion and lifestyle blogger Shaun Birley
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Transitions Style Academy
HEALTH AND WELLNESS A PRIORITY
Millennials are also very engaged in health and fitness compared to previous generations. Mr Birley notes, “The posts on social media tend to be about yoga, pilates, or the gym, eating acai bowls then going out that night, followed up with a quote the next day ‘sweating out last night’s Champagne’. It’s about balance – keeping well and healthy, but equally having fun and not denying yourself the good things in life.”
This awareness of the importance of looking after yourself extends to young people’s understanding of eye health. They’re aware of sun damage as well as the effects of laptops and phones. They’ve heard of blue light, and while they may not have a full understanding of what it means, this provides an opportunity to educate and inform.
Bear in mind, however, that an emphasis on health can’t come at the expense of style. Glasses wearers who are concerned about UV and blue light won’t choose lenses that are practical and offer protection but are unfashionable. Engaging customers on this topic provides an opportunity to recommend Transitions Style Colours, which block 100% of UV rays and potentially harmful blue light while also being available in four different colours, to suit the individual’s style.
With 10 million Australians (52%) aged over 14 stating that they swim, cycle or run,4 dispensers have an opportunity to recommend glasses that make a transition from indoor to outdoor activity much easier. Once again, keep in mind that style will still be a priority, and this can go hand in hand with practicality, thanks to many of the new adaptive lenses available, such as Transitions Style Colours and Transitions XTRActive Mirrors, which capitalise on the ‘mirror’ trend. It’s worth asking a patient if they spend time exercising outdoors and if they do, recommending a pair of glasses that allow for the seamless transition from work to sport to socialising without compromising on style or quality.
CONNECT WITH TRENDS AND TRENDSETTERS As part of the new Transition Style Academy initiative, which is rolling out across Australia, Essilor is providing support to practices and dispensers so they feel more confident when communicating to younger patients, particularly in relation to trends and style.
Eyewear has never been more fashion-led and being able to engage and connect with style-conscious glasses wearers while they are young can lead to lifelong customers. It’s therefore worth taking the time to find out what these patients are looking for, and how to relate to them, then providing recommendations and advice that relate to their personal preferences and wider trends. If your patient knows your practice prioritises style, understands different tastes, aesthetics and evolving styles, they’ll keep returning for decades ahead.
The world of style and fashion can seem intimidating, but it needn’t be. Rather than going in cold, put the ball in the patients’ court. Ask them what colours they usually wear. Are they conventional, or happy to go a bit ‘out there’? As Mr Birley says, “Focus on customising both frames and lens colours available to the consumer. It doesn’t mean they have to choose that lens colour or frame, but it allows them to pair colours that suit each other.”
When you are approachable and able to encourage a two-way conversation, your patient is likely to place their confidence in your advice and feel more empowered to take your recommendations.
Tara McCabe is the Marketing and Business Development Director at Essilor Australia. Ms McCabe has over 20 years’ experience in business marketing, specialising in optical, fast moving consumer goods, and consumer health across the Asia Pacific region. Leading the team within Essilor Australia and New Zealand, she has developed and implemented strategies to build brand awareness and increase penetration of key brands across the optometry industry. Since 2017, Ms McCabe has directed a number of high profile launches including Varilux X Series, Crizal Sapphire UV, and the OSA rebrand. She managed the conception and roll out of the Transitions Style Academy program across Australia in 2019.
References
1. Nielsen Australian Millennial Report March 2017 www. shopnielsen.com/all/nielsen-millennials-report-march-2017 2.Deloitte Media Consumer Survey, 2016: www2.deloitte. com/au/en/pages/media-releases/articles/deloitte-media- consumer-survey-150816.html
3. Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 2015: www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-releases/2015/consumer- goods-brands-that-demonstrate-commitment-to- sustainability-outperform
4. Roy Morgan, 2016: www.roymorgan.com/findings/6700- australians-who-swim-run-and-cycle-and-do-triathlons- december-2015-201603010006
W SQUARED COACHING FOUNDER YEMI PENN. SOURCE: SUPPLIED.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 60% of small businesses cease operating within the first three years of starting. Whilst there are multiple factors that potentially contribute to this, in many instances, entrepreneurs can find it’s all become too much of an uphill struggle, and call it a day.
It’s an easy, throwaway comment to say, ‘don’t give up’ to someone, but often it isn’t that simple and these words sound empty. I’m really fortunate to now be running three businesses, but my path hasn’t been easy, and having hit rock bottom, I’ve learnt how to adjust the way I look at the world to completely modify my thinking, feel positive, and keep going.
Aged 24, I found myself pregnant and homeless, while my friends from university were busy climbing the corporate ladder. I was determined that this wouldn’t be my destiny and made a decision to do whatever I could to change this trajectory.
Now, 13 years later I’m running three successful businesses, dividing my time between Sydney and London. Through my latest enterprise, W Squared Coaching, I work with businesses and individuals to empower them to change their way of thinking and live a life that suits them, rather than doing what society tells them.
My experience has taught me while circumstances can make you feel like you have no escape, it’s how you react to things that may be out of your control that ultimately affects your future. Here are some of my tips for pulling yourself out of the slump, no matter what life throws at you:l offers from our partners. You can opt-out at any time.
Firstly, it’s about completely taking responsibility for yourself and your actions. Acknowledge that life can be harsh and unfair sometimes, but you alone have control over how you react to difficult situations.
Once you realise this, you’ll feel empowered. I urge others to free themselves from a victim’s mentality. Yes, other people or wider influencers can derail you, but you ultimately control how you react to these situations. Accepting full responsibility for your life and how you live it is freeing and it allows you to be bolder than ever.
Once I acknowledged this, and moved on from the blame game, it became far easier to realise my untapped potential and identify where my skills and future lay.
The other vital piece of advice is around knowing your ‘why’. So often we find ourselves on some kind of treadmill, in work and in life, unhappy but continuing because we feel it’s what society expects of us.
If you’re unhappy with a situation, such as continuing with an unfulfilling job, be brutally honest with yourself and understand why this is the case. It may be that deep down you want to be your own boss, and you want to do something really special, but are fearful of the change.
If that ‘why’, such as leaving a legacy for your family or rewriting history, is strong enough, you’ll be able to make that change. I anchor all my goals — business and personal — on this and ensure any decisions I make fits with my values.
Finally, learn to exercise gratitude. It may feel when you’re down on your luck that life is against you, but remember there are always people in a worse position.
Having truly hit rock bottom, sleeping on the streets, I can look back and be grateful for all the things we all take for granted, such as my sight, my kids, fresh air — or even little things like easy access to office supplies or the smile of the bus driver on your way to work.
This attitude does take some work, and it certainly took me a while! But you’ll notice that when embracing it with intention, you’ll reach a state of indescribable appreciation.
Changing your attitude and the way you react to situations is life-changing. If I hadn’t experienced the tough times, I know I wouldn’t be a successful business leader, I needed to go through that to alter my mindset. While the words ‘don’t give up’ may sound hollow, by resetting the way you look at the world and truly putting in perspective the reasons why you’re fighting on against the odds, you’ll find the freedom to reach your potential.
Wellbeing may mean different things to each of us, but regardless, now’s the time to prioritise your self-care.
Do you sometimes feel that your mind runs at a million miles an hour and you’re not sure you’ll get everything done? Smashing through your daily ‘to do’ list like a machine, not stopping to reflect on how you actually feel, and then getting up and doing it all again the next day? That is, until you collapse in a heap?!
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing external to you has any power over you.” Finding peace with the things you can’t change and taking steps to make positive changes for the things you can; will set you free.
Events in 2020 have forced many of us to consider if being constantly on-the-go is the right way to live our lives. Packing so much in that we never have time for ourselves.
The result? If we aren’t putting our own wellbeing first, it can mean never quite being our best selves – at work, home or with loved ones.
Defined as ‘the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy,’ wellbeing can mean different things to different people.
At its core though, retaining ‘well-being’ is something we can all strive for. It might be that feeling of contentment you get when sitting down to a family meal, the sense of pride of smashing your targets at work, or even just feeling alive when walking in the park on a sunny day.
What it isn’t is that frazzled feeling when you throw yourself from one task to another, and while ticking all the boxes, still being left with a feeling of underachievement or stress. With so much noise cluttering our minds at the moment, it can be hard to think clearly, but there’s a few steps we can all take to prioritise our physical and mental wellbeing.
Firstly, it’s time to accept that self-care isn’t about being selfish. Being happy within yourself is empowering and allows you to be the best you when you’re around others.
So, if like many of us, your routine has been thrown into disarray due to constantly evolving circumstances, here are some of our practical tips to help you feel healthy and well:
1. Stick to as much of a routine as possible – create a designated workspace within your home, get yourself and the family up with your regular alarm and stick to your usual meal schedules 2. Eat well – nobody’s perfect and we all enjoy a treat, but processed foods will not help in the long term 3. Include exercise in your day – Working on your body can support your mind. It doesn’t mean doing a HIIT class every day, just getting out for a walk around your suburb will improve your state of mind 4. Consider the little things as a ‘treat’ – the stroll in the park, the mid-morning coffee or your favourite TV show – by reframing the significance of these activities, you’ll feel more content 5. Keep up the regular Modere habits that help you feel your best – like Well- Being which has been curated with a special blend of Chinese and western herbal medicine to replenish your ‘qi’, supporting you against stress
Remember, give yourself a break! Many of us – particularly women – strive for perfection in all areas of life. What this virus has taught us is that however hard we try, sometimes life throws us a curve ball.
Set yourself small, achievable goals, and make sure to put yourself first, before caring for others. Unless we feel content and comfortable in ourselves, we’ll never achieve the feeling of wellbeing we deserve.
What wellbeing changes are you going to make?
HOW TO DEMONSTRATE STRONG LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
Posted by Ben Smit | Learn Magazine, People and HR | Just as many of us have started to become accustomed to working from home, talk has now shifted to an exit strategy. During all of this uncertainty, for the business owner or leader, it can be a challenge to ensure the work is still being delivered effectively, whilst also ensuring you meet your responsibilities in terms of team safety and wellbeing.
A recent US survey found that about half of businesses expect a dip in productivity during the pandemic due to a lack of remote work capabilities. This is hardly surprising, when teams are adjusting to new ways of working, in some cases, juggling with home schooling or the distractions of being around family members or housemates, and sometimes facing technological challenges such as slower internet. This doesn’t even take into account the mental impact of the virus – the fog many of us are experiencing in our minds that can affect our concentration – coupled with the temptation of checking the news and social media feeds for the latest updates.
As much as company leaders will want to demonstrate compassion and flexibility at this time, some may be worried about the stability of their own position, or are under pressure from shareholders, the board or other stakeholders to ensure the day-to-day still continues, and that targeted KPIS are met. It’s a doubled-edge sword – ensuring the wellbeing of a team with the responsibility of also ensuring they continue to have a role, and that your organisation is able to generate enough income to pay salaries. There are some simple tactics to showing strong leadership in uncertain times, which can be introduced, whatever your business size or sector. We all lead differently, but here are some tips to help those who may be navigating these challenging conditions and want to ensure their teams remain productive, whilst also supported:
Firstly, communicate. Teams will be nervous of decisions being made behind their back. They’ll be seeing headlines projecting that 3.4 million people will be out of work and worrying they’re next. Of course, no-one can guarantee a job is safe, but by checking in regularly, they’ll feel more confident that you have their best interests at heart. Be honest and operate an ‘open door’ policy so teams can have one- on-one time and not be beholden to sharing their concerns on a group call.
If people feel in the dark, they’ll fill the gaps with speculation and this can lead to offline gossip and potential reduction in engagement and motivation. Remember, in these circumstances there is no such thing as overcommunication but be prepared to mix it up – don’t enforce a weekly WIP along the same format if it’s not receiving positive results. Ask the teams what type of check ins they prefer, and how often, they’ll appreciate having their opinions sought.
Be as transparent as you can be, be factual and compassionate, and don’t be afraid of repeating important information. Crucially, set the expectation of constructive two-way communication that is inclusive. Don’t make any radical changes at this time that feel like you are trying to be a company you are not – it’s important that your communication reflects the existing office culture – even if the location has moved.
USE TECHNOLOGY AND DATA TO UNDERSTAND TEAMS AND ADDRESS ISSUES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
You need to understand how teams are coping, and – particularly if you are leading larger teams where a regular call is not practical – you need this information to be measurable and up to date. At Teamgage our
‘ready to use’ solution means accurate, timely information can be gathered related to specific criteria – including communication, collaboration, leader support, working remotely and resources. Leaders can then receive a systematic, objective view that they are able to rely on to address any concerns or shortfalls in collaboration with the team
Through their Teamgage dashboard, they can view, for example, if the number of people stating, ’I am still engaged with my work and my team’ is significantly lower in certain areas of the business, and then work with that team to create actions to address this issue immediately.
Given the rapid pace of change, gathering data to make informed, educated decisions relating to specific team activity needs to take place as close to real-time as possible so that teams can remove issues iteratively and adjust to challenges as they arise. SET APPROPRIATE CULTURAL EXPECTATIONS
For many businesses, working between the home and the office isn’t much of a shift. Many companies operate flexible working policies and therefore aren’t in unknown territory when ensuring a culture of trust, empowerment and an understanding of mutual expectations. However, if the pandemic has thrown a company into completely new waters, it’s important to set cultural tone as soon as possible.
Technology has made it easier than ever for us to operate virtually – so continuing practices such as regular video calls, informal check-ins and online updates will create an understanding of what is expected during this time. Consider open sessions online where team members can opt in to work while staying connected which can have a huge impact on morale and the culture of the group. Make it clear that you still expect the work to be done to deadlines, but that you appreciate that some flexibility is needed at this time. There’s no point insisting teams are in front of their computer from 9 till 5 if they’re also making meals for the kids or doing the shop for elderly relatives. It’s about balance, and understanding, and by being compassionate and flexible, you’re likely to see rewards with an engaged and loyal team for the future.
Whatever works for one company won’t necessarily work for another – but we’ve seen teams embrace their new environment by having group ‘knock off drinks’ online, or dress-up mornings, or sharing entertainment and cultural recommendations each week. Finding these kinds of simple and fun outlets for teams to blow off some steam might seem trivial, but it can make a huge difference to stress levels and morale, so be flexible and cultivate cultural initiatives where you find them.
LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES
There’s no denying that this pandemic has disrupted everyone’s lives, and seen us all facing unprecedented experiences, on a personal and business level. One US Gallup study found that the percentage of full-time employees who say COVID-19 has disrupted their life “a great deal” or “a fair amount” jumped from 58% to 81% between early and late March.
There is no point pretending it’s ‘business as usual’, we have had to adjust, many businesses have had to make tough decisions, and there is still so much unknown. But there’s no harm in considering ways that the pandemic has forced us to be creative and innovate in our working practices. We may be seeing our teams thrive in a world of trust, autonomy and flexibility, and realise there may be benefits in this for the long term. We may also have had to invest in new systems and technology to carry out work, which teams have enthusiastically responded to and have helped them to be more efficient or productive. Even less tangible changes such as the teams ‘coming together’ more on a personal level may have long lasting impacts. In many ways this is a chance for organisations to try new things. Double down on what works, learn from what doesn’t. Most importantly try small and fail small. What is crucial is for clear, confident leadership to be prioritised, and for processes that empower the team be introduced, that they will adhere to, be open to, and feel positive about. We’ve seen many organisations approaching us at Teamgage looking for a solution that helps them to continue to understand their teams despite this adjustment. Our ‘Ready to Use’ solution allows organisations to quickly and easily discover how their staff are really coping in real time, aligned to specific objectives, and whether they need to address any issues or make improvements.
In Australia, there is already talk about easing restrictions, as the ‘curve flattens’. So we may be back in the office sooner than initially thought. What is important is that the strong, coherent and compassionate leadership practiced during the pandemic continues, in collaboration with teams, when we are all back in the office.