Business Women Australia acknowledges we are working and living on Indigenous land. Thisland is unceded and sacred to First Nations people who have lived, celebrated, and danced herefor over 120 000 years. We acknowledge Indigenous Elders past, present, and emerging, as well

as our Indigenous sisters in business. Below we have included a map bearing the traditional place names and countries on which

modern Australian cities stand.

This huge landmass that we call Australia is home to over 250 countries with unique languages, stories, lore andculture. If the traditional custodians of where you live aren't seen above, check out the AIATSIS Map of

Indigenous countries HERE*Note that proper nouns aren't capitalised in palawa kani (language of the muwinina mob of Tasmania).

E D I T O RWhen we decided to produce the BWA BUZZ

Magazine, COVID-19 wasn't on the agenda. Our original intention was to produce a beautiful

mag to raise the profile of a diverse range of Aussiebusiness women, share stories

and to celebrate 2020. It's amazing how quickly the world changed.

Australia has managed to avoid the extent ofsuffering overseas, but we have still felt enormous

impacts. We have buried loved ones, seen doors shuton businesses, new waves of unemployment, re-

arranged our lives and grieved with the world.As a business owner, a mother of four

and Director of BWA, I am anxious about the future,

but I've been amazed and delighted at the littlemiracles created by humanity during this time.

Despite the worry and stress, members havedemonstrated a wonderful generosity of spirit in

supporting each other. They have been creative and shown courage to try

new things, stepping up as leaders and collaborating. I'm inspired by the positive

outlook and inventive ideas put in place to solve unexpected

client and community needs. This mag is indeed a celebration.

Pour some bubbles or a cuppa, relax and soak up every word. Cheers to you all.

Thanks for your support as members, friends, sponsors, contributors, and to our amazing team

who work hard in the background. I am forever grateful to you.

Lyn Hawkins - National Director, Business Women Australia

2

Find out more HERE

Bridget HawkinsShannon CokerCathy SmithKarina Hilton

Sub-Editor / ProducerIntern AssistantDigital and Design Director Marketing Coordinator

Contributors:

BWA BUZZMAGAZINE 2020

Amanda FoxAmber DainesAnnie MaloneBecky SangsterBev Ryan Bridget HawkinsCathy SmithChristin SvardDonna VincentHaley GlasgowHeather WarnerJay ManganoJenny Chung

Jessica PankiwJessica SchubertKelly Parker Lisa Burling Maree Gooch Michelle PascoeNatasha LiePaula SmithPauline Bright Pippa HobsonRobyn MoyleTracey WardVida Carlino

On the cover: Jessica Schubert, Head of Development and Learning, Donna Vincent, Head of Accounts, Cathy

Smith, Head of Digital Engagement & Lyn Hawkins, National Director

Editor-in-Chief   Lyn Hawkins

PO Box 376, North Perth, Western Australia 6006   

BWA BUZZ is published by Business Women Australia as a magazine thatshowcases members and raises the profile of business women in Australia.

www.businesswomenaustralia.com

B USI NE SS W OME N A UST R A L I A

ABN 64 608 444 524hello@businesswomenaustralia.com.au

C O N T E N T S

2 A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

5

7 COMING OUT THE OTHER END:POST COVID 19Jessica Schubert, IntactTeams

1 0 REASONS TO SELF PUBLISHRIGHT NOW Bev Ryan, Smart Women Publish

1 1 BFFS WITH YOUR BOUNDARIESTracey Ward, Mindset Coach

1 6 ENGAGEMENT POST COVID-19 Lisa Burling, LBPR and Robyn Moyle, The HFactor

1 9 THE 4 CULTURAL BLINDSPOTS NOBUSINESS CAN AFFORD Amanda Fox, HR Dept

2 0 VEGAN COCONUT CARAMELPANCAKESAnnie Malone, Natural Temptations Cafe

2 1 INDIGENOUS SPOTLIGHT: PAWACATERING, CLOTHING THE GAP, &INDIGIEARTHBridget Hawkins, BWA

2 6 A FEW MORE BRAINS THAN IORDERED Vida Carlino, Inspiration Source

2 8 GIFT IDEAS - MADE BYAUSTRALIAN BUSINESS WOMEN

WFH, WTF?Maree Gooch, Value Creators3 1CHANGING THE WAY WE BUILD:A FEMININE PERSPECTIVE Jay Mangano, Devrite Homes

3 2

CHOOSING THE PERFECT TRAVELBAGChristin Svard, Travel and Living Collection

3 5 HALEY GLASGOW: FROMOKLAHOMA TO THE LANDDOWN UNDER Haley Glasgow, PROS

3 7 THE 7 KEYS TO BETTERLEADERSHIP Pippa Hobson, RSM

3 8 DO I NEED A WEBSITE OR ISSOCIAL MEDIA ENOUGH FOR MYBUSINESSCathy Smith, CATCO Enterprises

4 1 BRIGHTS INSIGHTS: FOUR STAGESOF CONSCIOUS COMPETENCEPauline Bright, Bright Business

GETTING REAL ABOUT FAKE NEWSAmber Daines, Media and PR Consultant4 3SMASHING THE BOOKKEEPINGMYTHDonna Vincent, Solo Accounts

4 6 SHOULD WE BOTHERING WITHSTRETEGY?Becky Sangster, Platinum Mix

4 8 SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS DURINGUNCERTAIN TIMESLisa Burling, LBPR

4 9 THE CHARITY FOR THE TECHGENERATIONJenny Chung, Humantix

5 1 SUPPORTING REMOTE WORKERSHeather Warner, WCA Solutions

GETTING BACK TO IT: CHECKLISTMichelle Pascoe, OOPS, and Kelly Parker,Murfett Legal

1 3

1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OFCOUNTRY

STAGE FOUR RESTRICTIONS: 3TIPS FOR WA BUSINESSESNatasha Lie, LG Accounting Solutions

1 2

Lyn Hawkins

2 9 EDUCATION: AN INDISPENSABLEINGREDIENT FOR SUCCESSJessica Pankiw, Pathways and PartnershipsDevelopment Manager at Torrens UniversityAustralia

4 0 THE RISE OF THE SPEAKERPaula Smith, Presentation Trainer

3 4

4 4

3drops is offering complimentary delivery Australia wide for our boutique wines and olive oil from WA’s Great Southern.Not sure what to order, check out our tasting notes at www.3drops.com or give Joanne Bradbury a call to discuss your selection.

C O M I N G O U T T H E O T H E R E N D :P O S T C O V I D - 1 9

BY JESSICA SCHUBERT, INTACT TEAMS

On the morning of Fridaythe 13th of March 2020, Ihad a call with BusinessWomen Australia (BWA)National Director LynHawkins. There was onebig question: ‘What are wegoing to DO?’ We had anevent planned to be heldwith WeWork and BWA inMelbourne and wonderedif we should cancel theevent, or bring it online.

The feelings of uncertaintyand fear of the unknownthat had been starting tocreep in already seemedwell and truly at home. Butthere were decisions thatneeded to be made thenand there.

Mid-March was whenthings got serious inAustralia with the fastspreading virus COVID-19being declared a pandemicon 11th March. Although atthe time there were noofficial social restrictions itjust didn’t feel right to hostlarge gatherings.

The days following were ablur. I remember talking tofriends and familymembers analysing theinformation we had accessto, always ending our

W i t h i n a

m a t t e r o f

d a y s , I w a s

f a c e d w i t h

t h e p r o m i s e

o f v e r y l i t t l e

p a i d w o r k .

J e s s i c a

S c h u b e r t

others in my situation, whatI was feeling during thosefirst few days was mostlyjust sheer fear. Feartriggered by uncertainty. Myhead was spinning and I layawake many nightsworrying: ‘How long is thiscrisis going to last? How will

I knew it couldn’t go on like this. It had takenme by surprise: the struggle was real. I alwayslooked at myself as a resilient person. But whycouldn't I shift past these emotions initially? Ihad always thought you either have resilience oryou don’t. And if you have it, you always have it.That’s not the case. You can be resilient in someparts of your life or situations but not in others.And you can grow and build resilience.

I get through this? How will my clients get through this?Will my parents be ok? How long can I pay my rent andbills without any income?' Projections in the mediaranged from three months to two years but no

yoga and walking every day, takingthe time to reflect. I wrote a list ofthings I could actively change andtook stock of my finances.

conversations with a more sincere ‘stay safe.’ We werelistening to news 24/7 yearning for clarity, a plan, anexplanation but receiving only worrying stats andprojections.

Then clients started to cancel or postpone. Within amatter of days, I was faced with the promise of verylittle paid work. That Friday was one of the mostsignificant and terrifyingdays of my life. It wasobvious, that the pandemicdoesn’t discriminate, and itwas here to stay. Like many

one really knew. The prospect of not having anincome for two years simply terrified me. Nosleep and that constant inner voice had amassive effect on my physical and mentalhealth.

Reworking my daily routine allowedme to focus on accepting thechanging parts of my life rather thanbeing afraid of the unknown. Istopped waiting for somethingpositive to be able to move forwardand make changes in my life andbusiness and learned to be ok withhow I was feeling in the moment andmove through and ahead anyway. DrAdam Fraser calls it 'The HappinessMovement.'

My old behaviours weren’t helping me and so Ihad to start doing what was actively needed andstart thinking clearly. I began to limit listening tothe news to once a day. I practised meditating,

Our perception of negative emotionsbeing bad and positive emotionsbeing good has perverted ourrelationship with struggle. If we waitto feel good before we take action,we just end up procrastinating.Resilient people who deal well with

struggle don’t think they have to bepositive to take action. I realised how Iwas feeling but I had to move on andchange my business anyway.However, it wasn’t long until I wentfrom feeling confident and strong witha plan in hand to those anxiousfeelings returning.

W e n e e d t o a p p l y

( s e l f ) - c o m p a s s i o n i n t h e

s t a g e s o f s h o c k a n d

d e n i a l , s u p p o r t i n a n g e r

a n d d e p r e s s i o n , a n d

m o t i v a t i o n w h e n w e g e t

t o a c c e p t a n c e .

When the Government in Australia startedshutting down businesses and enforcingstrict social distancing rules, I returned tosleepless nights and anxious days. Howcould this happen again? Why is thisrepeating itself? When we face traumaticevents, such as the COVID-19 crisis, we gothrough something similar to a grievingprocess. In the end, Lyn and I did change the

workshop event as our first Victoriannetworking event to be transitioned toonline and hosted it out of Melbourne. Itmeant that members from all around thenation could join in.

I have adapted my entire coaching andleadership program portfolio to be indigital form - for the time being anyway.

It's not about waiting for these stages,rather accepting them and havingconversations with yourself and others.

Swiss psychiatrist Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross,describes five stages of grief as Shock,Denial, Anger, Depression, and Acceptance.We need to let ourselves go through thisprocess without rush or force. We need toapply (self) compassion in the stages ofshock and denial, support in the phase ofanger and depression and motivation duringthe final stage, which is acceptance.

A book can be a fantastic marketing tool. It isan inexpensive entry point for potential

clients to get to know you and your business.

Self-publishing changes you internally. Youare transformed by the process of writing

your book, gaining knowledge aboutyourself, your industry, and the wider world.

Gain clarity and recognition for uniquenessin your industry, attracting attention and

opportunities by publishing your expertise ina quality, targeted book,

F O R Y O U R S E L F

A book can change how the world views you, legitimisingyour value, your knowledge and professional brand.

When you combine your accumulated knowledge andexperience with your real understanding of the true,

underlying needs of your chosen audience, your bookcan change lives.

Is it time to share more of you and what you know with the rest of the world?

K N O W L E D G E S H A R I N G

Bev Ryan talks about the growing trend of business-owner as self-publishercontinues. Technology has removed the traditional gatekeepers within the

publishing world.

R E A S O N S T O S E L F P U B L I S HR I G H T N O W

10

There are a number of challenges associated with ‘over caring’ both at the home and at yourplace of work.

Reduces the pool for great

ideasIncreases stress and affects

your ability to sleep

Teaches people that you are adumping ground for tasks

Hinders your

growth and the

growth of others

Frustrates yourteam

Setting yourself boundaries helps negate your over-caring tendencies.You still care, you can now just do it in a healthy way. An easy way ofsetting boundaries is continually asking yourself this question:

Over-careoverloadsyou

Why are boundaries paramount to success? Boundaries protect you, they have your best interests at heart and enable growth. The challenge for mostwomen is that too often they care too much and too hard, at their own expense. Caring withoutboundaries leads to three different forms of over-caring. 

Try asking this question before diving straight into ‘doing’ or ‘solving’ mode. Acknowledge to yourself youcould tackle this, and that you have numerous great ideas, but is it really for you? Now... go wild with yourhealthy boundaries. They ought to be your new and permanent BFF’s!

B F F S W I T H B O U N D A R I E S

Who is the real owner of this issue?

Tracey Ward, Mindset & Success Coach

Over–caring byavoiding

delegation oftasks

Over-caring bytaking on issuesthat aren’t yours

B W A B O O K O F F E RT h e f i r s t 1 0 p e o p l e t o e m a i l T r a c e y W a r d , a tt r a c e y @ t r a c e y w a r d . c o , w i l l r e c e i v e a F R E Ec o p y o f h e r b o o k B e i n g P e r f e c t l y I m p e r f e c t .

B u t d o n ' t w o r r y , i f y o u m i s s o u t y o u c a ns c o r e a c o p y o f T r a c e y ' s b o o k f o r a s l i t t l e a s$ 1 . 5 0 o n k i n d l e .

Both of usYouMe

Over-caring bydoing the work

of others

11

P h a s e 4 R e s t r i c t i o n s : 3 T i p sf o r W A B u s i n e s s e sNatasha Lie, Principle of LG Accounting Solutions

Firstly, use this opportunity to get in touch withyour customer base. Regardless of the service youprovide, you have customers who have beenaffected by the pandemic. Find out what the newnormal looks like to them. Everyone hasexperienced ups and downs during the last threeand a half months, now is a great time to have aconversation with the people who make yourbusiness a reality – your customers. Practice yourlistening skills, have what might be the firstpositive conversation your customers have had ina while.

But what should WA businesses doduring this return to new normality?

Three and a half months ago, Australia went into a coronavirus induced lockdown. There is no need toreiterate the consequences it had for many businesses; it was a time of unprecedented hardship. Fastforward three and a half months and on June 27, WA has entered ‘Phase 4’ of the restriction. Gatheringlimits are removed, the 2m² rule now applies only to venues with more than 500 patrons, and all events,bar big music festivals, are back on.

Government has signalled it will increasemanufacturing in Australia. There will be manyother shifts to the way our economy runs overthe next few years, and these shifts may haveknock on effects to all sorts of small andmedium businesses. Just like the pandemicaffected all industries when it hit in mid-March,the lifting of restrictions to Phase 4 will have anaffect on all industries and sectors.  

Secondly, learn and understand the newguidelines for workplaces. This one is reallyimportant. Businesses are still required to complywith Phase 4 Safety Guidelines released by the WAgovernment. This includes a COVID safety planwhich you can find here.

Thirdly, spend time assessing how the changes todemand in the economy may be an opportunityfor your business. Whenever there is an event thathammers the economy, there are permanentchanges to demand. For example, the

Natasha Lie

12

How will you manage staff after opening? Consider a soft opening with a select group ofcustomers or members. Giving you the chance tohear feedback on what is and isn’t working.

How are you communicating changes? Clear signage instructing customers on what to doand where to go. All team members need to know thecorrect protocols, what to say and how to say it.

Show your customers what to expect By making a short video with a behind the scenes look at your team preparing for the day, andwhat customers should be expecting when they come in.

Consider Health and Safety practices Such as hand sanitisers in self-dispensing dispensers at the entry and exit points. The use ofdisposable sanitising cleaning cloths. Team members wiping down everything.

What does your Entry/Exit and Line Control looklike? Are you ensuring the flow of people in the spacecomfortably creates social distancing? Review thecustomer journey in your business.

G E T T I N G B A C K T O I T :T H E C H E C K L I S T

Following the Federal Government’s announcement of aroadmap to normalcy and the states beginning to easerestrictions, there appears to be a glimmer of light at theend of the COVID-19 tunnel.

Michelle Pascoe, CEO of Optimum Operating Proceduresand Services, and Kelly Parker, Director of Murfett Legalhelped us devise the perfect checklist to getting back tobusiness in the new normal.

Post COVID-19

T H E P H Y S I C A L S P A C E

M i c h e l l e P a s c o e a n d K e l l y P a r k e r

Michelle Pascoe

Kelly Parker

13

Did you have to stand staff down ormake staff redundant? Do you need to bring back the stooddown staff? Did you pay out theredundancies? Did you make someoneredundant, but their role is vital to thebusiness?

Y O U R P E O P L E & T E A M

Reintegrating staff back into theworkplace. Even those that have been chomping atthe bit to get back to the office and workwill likely be experiencing some level ofanxiety and unsureness returning.

How is your relationship with yourcreditors? Have you been paying within terms orhave you now got a buildup of creditors?How you will work through your debts?Have you negotiated a reduction of rent?

Review your opening hours and thetimes your team arrive and leave. Staggering the arrival and departuretimes doesn't reduce working hours andensures that social distancing ismaintained.

Does anyone owe you money? How are you going to get paid? Whathappens if your debtors don’t have thecapacity to pay?

T H E N I T T Y G R I T T Y

Did some of the decisions you madeleave you open to claims? Claims made against you by employees,creditors, the landlord, the bank,shareholders or other stakeholders?

What do your cashflow and forecastslook like? Is there a pipeline of work and funds ordo you need to consider further cutbacksand funding options? Do you need tofigure out how and when to start makingrepayments?

How big is your ATO debt? Did the credit on your BAS help or haveyou deferred payment until September2020? How will you deal with the debt inthe future?

Did you first qualify for JobKeeper? If so, did you manage to pay wages andhas your first payment arrived yet? If not,do you qualify now?Is the business viable?

Have the last few months shone a lighton the fact that your business has beenstruggling for a while and you have beenin denial? Is it time to face facts?

14

Lisa Burling, founder and MD of PR consultancy LBPR, likeRobyn Moyle, of the H factor, is operating in a serviced-based industry that many businesses see as optional,rather than essential. Thus, both Lisa and Robyn have beenhard hit by the economic effects of COVID-19.

“My own business is going through a massive shift as aresult of world events. When you work in PR and you sellyour time, nothing is guaranteed. I have felt incrediblyworried about what the future holds for me, my employeesand my family. I am doing all I can to ensure my teamremains employed in some capacity, and that my businesssurvives. Only time will tell if it’s enough, but I’m giving it allI have!"

by the pandemic shutdowns is navigatinguncertainly, wondering how to survive thisnew world order. Over 60% of smallbusinesses have been impacted by thevirus, reducing or standing down staff,cutting back business hours and freezingnon-essential services in an effort toremain in business.

E N G A G E M E N T P O S TC O V I D - 1 9L i s a B u r l i n g & R o b y n M o y l e

Communication

Lisa Burling

not return to how they were.“Rather than planning for thingsto be back to normal, we mustventure forward recognising thatbusinesses will be hurting for awhile, and things will be differentthat's for sure." Robyn finds teamengagement to be key. "It isimperative now, more than everbefore, to understand what drivestrue engagement with employees.Businesses that harness the valueof their people and motivate their

N ow i s t h e p e r f e c t t i m e t o

a m p l i f y b r a n d e n g a g e m e n t a n d

c o n t e n t c r e a t i o n o n l i n e .

L I S A B U R L I N G

LBPR, lead by Lisa is one of the many businesses inAustralia who are looking at creative ways to survive. Lisahas realised the answer lies in engagement, collaborationand innovation. Lisa, like many small business owners hit

16

The H Factor’s, Robyn Moyle, believesbusiness owners need to consider a wayforward that that recognises things will

An optimistic outlook seemsto be common among thosewho are forging aheaddespite the challenges. Lisabelieves that while things aredifficult, she is in a good placebecause she can offer clientsthe expertise they truly needby focusing on services likeissues preparedness andcontent production, which canbe very proactive. “Now is theperfect time to amplify brandengagement and contentcreation online."

Businesses need to stand outand deliver content that istimely, inspiring and innovative.It is time to connect with themillions of Aussies and globalconsumers who are in isolation,or working from home,spending longer hours scrollingsocial media. The saying 'we areall in this together' has neverbeen truer. Surviving will need

w e m u s t v e n t u r e f o rw a r d

r e c o g n i s i n g t h a t b u s i n e s s e s

w i l l b e h u r t i n g f o r a w h i l e , a n d

t h i n g s w i l l b e d i f f e r e n t t h a t ' s

f o r s u r e

R O B Y N M O Y L E

a shift in mindset, and an army of support. Many inventivebusinesses are looking at creative collaborations with clients. Lisasuggests that Digital Influencers offer a big opportunity in thisspace. "It is important to collaborate with those who have a validand genuine connection with your business and brand. These timesof social distancing and separation make it important to set upmethods

to connect and create a sense of community. We advise clients to goout of their way to make meaningful interactions."

ABS data shows Australian businesses expect ongoing COVID-19financial impacts, with almost 75% reporting that reduced cash flowis expected to have an adverse impact on business. Those whochoose to communicate, elevate and engage will have the bestchance to survive.

teams to consider the wayforward, will do well. Stoptelling them what to do, ask,and listen... really stop andlisten." advises Robyn.

Lisa Burling also appliesforward thinking strategiesto her business challenges.“Right now, I am operatingwith laser-sharp focus. Ihave to be efficient, nimbleand practical. I amimagining the worst casescenario is the reality,executing like there is notomorrow, treating my ownbusiness, LBPR, like a clientand implementing all thestrategies we advise ourclients to."

Robyn Moyle

17

Reader Offer

Listen to your team, provideautonomy for them to implementnew ideas and improve ways ofdoing things. Use online video

conferencing to stay connected,meet regularly and offer flexiblework options when you return to

work.

Don’t be afraid to reach out toconsider how to get pre-

payments or full payments upfront. This could mean a 'special

offer' or discount. Or, you canget payment in stages ratherthan at the end of a project.

Businesses need to do morethan a revenue forecast or

check their bank balance. Drillinto the details: wages, rent,tax, supplier payments, due

dates and get on top ofcashflow. Take precautions.

We are all in this together, staytransparent with your

consumers. Customers can andwill do their best to stick by you.

Listen to their needs andrespond with new ways to solve

their problems.

Give vendors and supplierssufficient notice if there is going

to be any delay in payments. This will help them be prepared

and maintain relationships.

Lisa Burling and the team at LBPR are offering PR updates aboutthe opportunities available to businesses who want to take them.SIGN UP TO THE LBPR e-newsletter for more information HERE.

“I’m excited. I don’t think the PR industry will lose momentum; ourexpertise and skills are needed more than ever. We work remotelyand technology has equipped us to keep connected. If anything, wecan shine as an effective, efficient and nimble element of themarketing mix. After all, you can cut all the flowers but you can’t keepthe spring from coming.” Lisa Burling

Provide the best service possibleto the 20% of clients and

referrers that give you themajority of your business. Lookafter your current clients beforeyou chase new ones.  Providing'extra' service is key. Make the

customers you still have,customers for life and raving

fans!

EIGHT TIPSFOR SURVIVAL

& REVIVAL

If you are in dire straits, call theTax Office and tell them

honestly about the state of yourbusiness. Ask for a payment

plan. They will be reasonable!

3 . K e e p y o u r t e a me n g a g e d

5 . P r i c i n g a n d T e r m s

4 . D o y o u r c a s h f l o wf o r e c a s t s n o w

1 . C o m m u n i c a t e w i t h y o u rc u s t o m e r s a n d c l i e n t s

6 . M a i n t a i nh e a l t h y r e l a t i o n s h i p s

8 . D o n ’ t f o r g e t t h e 2 0 - 8 0r u l e

Cancel clauses in your Termsand Conditions exposing youto risk. Re-write your T&C's.

2 . U p d a t e y o u r T e r m sa n d C o n d i t i o n s

7 . T a l k t o t h e T a x O f f i c e

18

T H E F O U RC U L T U R A LB L I N D S P O T S N OB U S I N E S S C A NA F F O R DLet's take a look at four common problem areas in theworkplace and why it's important to align our people with avisionary business culture, shared values, fair policies andclear processes.

Successful changesto workplaceculture begin withthe leaders' visionfor the future.Leaders must beable to articulatewhat employeeswill be doing, howthey will be doing itand what theresults will be forthe business, itscustomers, itsemployees andstakeholders.Leaders need tomodel thisbehaviour throughtheir actions andresponses.

SS ii mm oo nnDD oo ee ss ..NN oo ttSS ii mm oo nnSS aa yy ss I'm sure most of us

will be able torecall situationsemployee A isrewarded with themerit andrecognition fortheir actions, whensimilar actionsfrom employee Bgo unrecognised.This workplaceculture creates thefeeling thatemployees areoperating in avacuum, leading todisengagementand reducedproductivity tofollow.

TT rr ii cc kk yyTT rr ee aa tt ss

Mistakes happen,but the mannerthey are handledwithin a businessoftftf en reveals acultural blind spot.Is there a culture offinger pointing andblame, or are weopen to learningfrom mistakes.Working in abusiness whereblame culture existsleads to peoplespend time coveringtheir backs andsecond-guessingactions, ensuringnothing comes backto bite them.

MM ii ss tt aa kk ee ssDD ooHH aa pp pp ee nn

Having a clearprocess forhandling employeeissues in theworkplace enablesall parties to feelconfident in how agrievance will behandled.Without HR policyand procedures inplace to addresspeople relatedissues, businessruns the risk ofbeing inconsistent,legislativelynoncompliant, withthe outcomesoftftf en beingexpensive anddestructive.

AA nn gg ii eeFF rr oo mmAA cc cc oo uu nn tt ssvv ss KK aa rr ee nnFF rr oo mmFF ii nn aa nn cc ee

A m a n d a F o x , T h e H R D e p t

Culture

Amanda Fox

19

Gluten Free Vegan Pancakes 1 cup gluten free self raising Flour¼ cup coconut sugar or raw sugar1 cup soy or almond milkTo serve: Berries, maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon

Method: Whisk all together and allow to sit to absorb moisture until droppableconsistency. Heat your pancake pan and spray oil. Drop spoonfuls ofbatter, spread out a little and allow to cook. Flip when browned and cookon other side. You can add fruit juice, more soy milk or even some waterif batter is too stiff or flour if it is too runny.

DINING IN WITH ANNIE MALONE

VEGAN COCONUTCARAMEL PANCAKES

Vegan Coconut Caramel Sauce400 ml tin coconut milk

½ cup coconut sugar or soft brown sugar2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs coconut oil (optional)

Method:Combine all ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat.

Bring to the boil, then lower temperature and simmerfor 30-40 minutes. Stir often. Let the sauce reduce andthicken naturally. Sauce is ready when it has thickened

enough to coat a spoon when dipped in.Store in a clean jar in the fridge until ready to use.

Whether you are WFH or keen for a healthy snack, thisrecipe is quick, simple, delicious

and perfect for any kind of eater!

Cooking

Pawa Catering was founded byNiyoka Bundle and her husbandafter a combined 20 years ofhospitality experience. Niyoka is aproud Gunditjmara and Yuinwoman who says cooking has beena passion of hers since childhood.Pawa Catering brings indigenousingredients from Yuin andGunditjmara country to theforefront of fine catering.

If Niyoka was to lend apiece of advice to someonestarting a new business itwould be to have a supportnetwork, “Business mentorshave been great help tokeep me on track. Alongwith supportive family andfriends, you need a closecircle for support,” and tobe organised from the

Even when Pawa Catering is hired,Niyoka has had to learn to discernbetween people genuinely wantingto work with her and those wantingto use her, and Pawa catering forthe diversity tick. Nioyka says sheno longer bends over backwardsfor those who just need to tick abox or fill an Indigenousprocurement quota. Creatinggenuine connections andrelationships is important toNiyoka and the team at Pawa

P A W A C A T E R I N GN i k o y a B u n d l e

Indigenous Business

“ M y c u l t u r e b r i n g s m e a n i n g t o

a n d e m p ow e r s m y p r o c e s s e s .

I h a v e m y f a m i l i e s ' k n ow l e d g e

b e h i n d m e f o r i n s p i r a t i o n . "

Where Niyoka gains strength andinspiration from her culture, shefound many Australians have adifferent, often harmful,perspective of Indigenouspeoples in business. “Having tojustify my business to peoplewho are weary or have aperception that we may not turn

Pawa Catering79 Sunshine Road, West Footscray, Victoriaquotes@pawacatering.com.au Tel. 0422896535www.pawacatering.com.au

Niyoka chose the namePawa, which means to cookin Gunditjmara, to reflecther proud identity andheritage. “My culture bringsmeaning to and empowersmy processes. I have myfamilies’ knowledge behindme for inspiration. I wanteda strong powerful namethat would represent mypassion but also myculture.”

up on time, or our quality may notbe as good just because we are anIndigenous business.” Niyoka isfighting a battle before beinghired, "unfortunately theirperception of myself and mybusiness was already taintedbefore they even used myservices.”  A battle that Niyoka’snon-Indigenous counterparts justwouldn’t be fighting.

catering. Opportunities andcollaborations built on mutualtrust and respect can make aworld of difference and Niyokaconsiders some of her bestmoments to be the ones ofauthentic collaboration, working hard incommunication with clients todeliver high quality food andservice.

beginning, “You don’t want tospend time and money goingback and fixing up things thatcould have been avoided in thefirst place.”

21

Laura Thompson, Gunditjmara woman and SiannaCatullo, Narungga woman lead Clothing The Gap,formally Spark Merch, which started as amerchandising company for Spark Health Australia.Clothing The Gap has since evolved into a hugeonline community of celebration, education, and 

The Clothing The Gap community welcomes all,from Indigenous people celebrating their identity tomembers of the wider Australian community whowant to learn about Indigenous culture and issues.“Our clothes are more than just clothes” says Laura“they are conversation starters.” Clothing The Gap'sproducts proudly display messages such as “Alwayswas, Always will be”, “Fearlessly Progressive” and“Free the Flag.” Sianna and Laura often getmessages on their social media platforms frompeople talking about conversations they have had

C l o t h i n g T h eG a p

non-Indigenous Australians.  “Our mission is to addyears to Aboriginal lives” Sianna says, both womendedicated to creating health programs tailored toIndigenous Australians.

L a u r aT h o m p s o n & S i a n n aC a t u l l o

because of their clothing. “We are able toraise awareness of issues and educate anaudience that we may not have directcontact with.”

Arguably Clothing The Gap’s most notable

inclusivity because “We do more than sell clothes, wesell messages” says Laura. The brand name, ClothingThe Gap, is a play on words on the AustralianGovernment initiative “Closing the Gap” which aims toclose the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and

campaign is the “Free the Flag” campaign,fighting to make the Aboriginal flagaccessible. which has meant receivingmultiple cease and desists and a possibledefamation case. The Aboriginal flag is theonly flag in the world that is copyrighted,non-Indigenous company WAM owning 

22

O u r c l o t h e s a r e m o r e t h a n j u s t

c l o t h e s t h e y a r e c o n v e r s a t i o n

s t a r t e r s . . . w e a r e a b l e t o r a i s e

aw a r e n e s s o f i s s u e s a n d e d u c a t e

a n a u d i e n c e t h a t w e m a y n o t

h a v e d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h .

L a u r a t h o m p s o n

Clothing The Gap Level 1/248 High St, Preston, Victoriahello@clothingthegap.com.au

Clothing The Gap and Spark Health Australia are on theground, amongst community, working, first andforemost, for and with the Indigenous community. “Weknow what we need to talk about, what we need topromote and what we need to stand up for” says Sianna.Laura agrees, “We are women and we arebusinesswomen, but first and foremost we are Blakwomen. That cultural overlay is so embedded in ourwork, it is core to who we are.”

exclusive rights.  “It is a copyright IP lawyer’sdream case” jokes Laura. The team at ClothingThe Gap want to ensure that IndigenousAustralians aren’t being charged to, or suedwhen, they use their own flag.

#ShadesofDeadly is another Clothing The Gap campaign where Indigenous people post a photo ofthemselves or their Indigenous friends and family with the caption #ShadesofDeadly challengingstereotypes about what Indigenous people look like, and creating an avenue for people to embrace

23

W e w e r e r e c e i v i n g m e s s a g e s

f r o m p e o p l e w h o h a d n e v e r

f e l t p r o u d t o e m b r a c e t h e i r

i d e n t i t y u n t i l o u r c a m p a i g n .

W e m a k e a l o t o f p e o p l e f e e l

l i k e t h e r e i s a b i g g e r

c o m m u n i t y t h a t t h e y a r e a

p a r t o f .

S i a n n a c a t u l l o

their identity. During this campaign, Laura and Siannareceived multitudes of positive messages. “We werereceiving messages from people who had never feltproud to embrace their identity until our campaign. Wemake a lot of people feel like there is a bigger communitythat they are apart of” says Sianna.

Blak is a term coined by artist Destiny Deacon and represents the Australian Indigenous identity as one of simultaneousblackness and Indigeneity while "reclaiming the historical, representational, symbolical, stereotypical and romanticised notionsof Black or Blackness."

Sharon Winsor, Ngemba Weilwan woman andfounder of Indigiearth, has watched the nativeproduct industry explode over the past 23years. Indigiearth, which is completelyIndigenous owned, provides bush tuckercatering, cultural performances and education,and a wide range of products each made withnative ingredients ethically sourced incollaboration with Indigenous communities.

However, this isnot a commonpractice in theindustry. Productsdescribed as“native” oftenhaving little to nonative ingredientsand fewbusinesses in theindustry areIndigenousowned. The nativeproduct industryisn’t veryIndigenous.

i t ’ s m o r e t h a n j u s t

b u s i n e s s ; i t ’ s m y

c u l t u r e , m y

s p i r i t u a l i t y , m y

c o n n e c t i o n t o w h o I

a m , m y i d e n t i t y a n d

w h e r e I c o m e f r o m .

A n d t h a t ’ s b e e n a

h u g e p a r t o f m y

h e a l i n g p r o c e s s .

I n d i g i e a r t hS h a r o n W i n s o r

“I don’t see the point in producing native foodsand products if I am not sourcing from my ownpeople and country using traditional methods.”Sharon and Indigiearth is committed to creatingsustainable relationships with, andopportunities for, Indigenous communitiesaround the nation. This has taken time anddedication “Over the years I have been buildingrelationships with Indigenous communitiesacross the nation which is where we get mostof our products.” Spending time assistingcommunities to build systems of wildharvesting and cultivation using traditionalmethods, Sharon is dedicated to creatingsustainable opportunities for her community.

Sharon describes her biggest personal success as “Stillbeing here. Being able to be resilient enough to keepgoing and pushing through.” Sharon has faced manydifficulties in life. She is a survivor of domesticviolence, lost her first child to a stillbirth and hasexperienced mental health problems. But, Sharonsays Indigiearth brings healing “It’s more than justbusiness; it’s my culture, my spirituality, myconnection to who I am, my identity and where I comefrom. And that’s been a huge part of my healingprocess.”

IndigiearthPO Box 494, Mudgee NSWenquiries@indigiearth.com.auTel. 1300 551 525

Unfortunately only 1% of the industry is Indigenousowned which has been a big driving force for me, tohelp my people and my community.” This number issure to change especially with trailblazers such asSharon, who was the first Indigenous recipient of theNSW Business Leader of the Year Awards in 2013.Sharon is transforming the native food industry as theleading Aboriginal premium native food supplier.

Indigiearth thenbuys back theproduce directlyfromcommunities.

33.3%

33.3%

33.3%

Neuroscience has uncovered three distinct forms ofintelligence each consisting of complex, adaptive andfunctional neural networks. Most of us are familiar withthe intelligence of the head brain but less familiar withwhat scientists in the fields of Neuro-cardiology andNeuro-gastro-enterology are calling heart and gut brains.Each of these intelligences possess different primalfunctions.

Once the threat has passed the parasympatheticsystem kicks in to bring us back to a state ofbalance. Without the parasympathetic system,your body would stay in a fight or flight mode,draining energy, overworking the body functions,and reducing your potential.

Our 3 different brains. Inspired by KarenJensen of Natural Factors' diagram

Being human means that our three brains do notalways align. One or two of our brains can bestronger than the other depending on whichneural networks we activate. When we areunaligned, we become confused and display

A F E W M O R EB R A I N S T H A N IO R D E R E D . . .Vida Carlino, Director of Inspiration Source provides aninsight into our three different types of brains, and how toalign all three to make better decisions

Wellness

GUTDirectly engaged

with the world

Instinct and Intuition,unselfconscious,

immediate, practicaland direct

HEADObserving theworld

Inner life of logic,reasoning, detailedfuture plans

HEARTReaching out to the world

Inner life of emotions, memories,images, visions, dreams

26

I am sure you have experienced your gut instincts tellingyou one thing and your brain another. Or your heart issaying “Yes” and your head is screaming “No” and youfind yourself unsure of who to listen to. In times likethese your decision-making ability is diminished.

The head brain recognizes things, makes meaning,creates language, thinks and perceives. Heart brain feelsemotion, connection, purpose, love, desire, dreams, andvalues. Gut-brain holds our core identity. Who am I andwho am I not? It is the centre of self-preservation,protection, action, fear, anxiety and intuition. When weexperience stress or danger our sympathetic systemsquickly kick in, preparing our bodies for fight or flight.

incongruent behaviours, emotionalinstability and outcomes thatsabotage our success. Let us take alook at simple practices to align yourdifferent forms of intelligence forbetter decision making and successfulliving.

Find a comfortable space free of interruptions.Set a timer, don't think about time during thisbreathing practice.Take a moment to notice how you feel before youstart.Sit or stand, ensuring you're comfortable and yourspine is straight.Bring your attention to your breath; the inhalationand the exhalation.Notice your awareness shifting as you relax, givingthe body permission to release tension.Let your breath flow with ease and without anyeffort.Begin to breathe gently and deeply in through thenose and out through the mouth.Bring your breath into balance with six counts inand six counts out, or whatever count is naturaland comfortable. The important thing is to keepyour breathing even.When you have completed the practice, notice thechanges in your emotional,

SIMPLE ALIGNMENTPRACTICE

physical and mental states.

Balanced breathing is a highlyeffective tool that brings yourautonomic nervous system into abalanced state, expands awarenessand facilitates understanding of howyour three-brain intelligence relatebringing forth clarity and wiserdecision making.

We are continuously inhaling andexhaling unconsciously with many ofus not realising the power our breathholds. It is no secret that our breathinfluences our physical, mental andemotional health.

Different breath practices createstates that improve our health,increase our energy levels, buildresistance, calm our emotions andbring clarity to the mind.

W h e n w e a r e u n a l i g n e d , w e

b e c o m e c o n f u s e d a n d d i s p l a y

i n c o n g r u e n t b e h a v i o u r s ,

e m o t i o n a l i n s t a b i l i t y a n d

o u t c o m e s t h a t s a b o t a g e o u r

s u c c e s s .

Drawing on years of psychology training and coaching experience,Georgia Bamber has devised a simple step-by-step process that will

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By Bev Ryan

By Georgia Bamber

28

Thankfully, there are many women committed toempowering women. “Let’s keep the momentumalive, keep creating the opportunities. Power andempowerment need consistent recharging. Thatenergy will always come from one place – us.” Apowerful call to action from CEO and President ofTorrens University Linda Brown and a promise tohelp each other achieve goals and dreams.

Despite progress, real change has been painfullyslow for many women in the world. Ruth Cooper,Torrens University New Zealand Country Directorreminds us of this pertinent point.  “Womencontinue to experience inequality, continue tofight bias, and continue to struggle forrecognition for their contribution to society.”

There is a deep power in higher education forchange and transformation. Yet, there needs tobe a stronger, more concerted focus on theempowerment of women so they can succeedand make a difference as entrepreneurs andprofessionals.

E d u c a t i o n : A nI n d i s p e n s a b l eI n g r e d i e n t f o r S u c c e s s

Jessica Pankiw, Pathways and PartnershipsDevelopment Manager at Torrens UniversityAustral ia

Torrens University walk the talk when it comes todiversity and inclusion, we are committed to toempowering women. Key leadership positions,from our CEO to senior executive staff to ourAlumni Board Chair, are held by inspiringwomen.

29

P o w e r a n d e m p o w e r m e n t

n e e d c o n s i s t e n t

r e c h a r g i n g . T h a t e n e r g y

w i l l a l w a y s c o m e f r o m

o n e p l a c e – u s . ”

L i n d a B r o w n

Jessica Pankiw

" O u r u n i v e r s i t y h a s t h e

h i g h e s t r a n k i n g a m o n g

A u s t r a l i a n u n i v e r s i t i e s f o r

e n r o l m e n t s b y w o m e n i n n o n -

t r a d i t i o n a l b a c k g r o u n d s

L i n d a B r o w n

Melanie Tran is a Torrens University Bachelorof Digital Media graduate and current Mastersof Philosophy student. A disruptor, aninnovator, an activist, and a socialentrepreneur, Melanie has been recognised asone of the Australian Financial Review’s 2019Top 100 Women of Influence and was the2018 Laureate International UniversitiesGlobal Here for Good Award winner.

Torrens University is Australia’s internationaluniversity and the first new university inAustralia in more than 20 years. Home to over

ranking among Australian universities forenrolments by women in non-traditionalbackgrounds. Ee are ensuring womencontinue to forge into new pathways and newindustries.”

“I’m proud that we have female leadership inour executive team, as our Deans, acrossprogram leadership, and in our alumnicommunity,” Linda continues. "Our universityhas the highest

Torrens University are uniquely committed toproviding relevant, transformational, andcareers-focused education, whilst bringing aglobal perspective to Australian highereducation, empowering women to take on theglobal stage.

19,000 students from 115 different countries,and 63% of our students being female. TorrensUniversity is a certified B Corporation® andpart of a global education network, theLaureate International Universities network.

30

Melanie Tran

W F H , W T F ?M a r e e G o o c h , D i r e c t o r o f V a l u eC r e a t o r s s h a r e s f o u r k e y s t e p s

t o t h e p e r f e c t W F H o f f i c e .

1 . C R E A T I N G A W O R K S P A C E

Work starts with your work space, and your workspace starts with your mind. Having a positive

mindset helps manage your workload.

Saying that, physical space is just as important.My office has been set up to be a place of colour,

inspiration and light as well as order anddiscipline. Find what physical space works foryou (note: clutter doesn’t work for anyone!).

3 . C O M M U N I C A T I O N

Communication and consultation are key tocope with and manage changing teamdynamics. Make time for regular check-inswhether it’s via email, phone or Zoom calls.Stay open and respectful and trust eachother's abilities and dedication.

As the leader, there will be times you haveto step in and step up. Sometimes that iswhat you must do - in business and in life.

2 . L E A D E R S H I P

There is a great saying “You don’t need a title tobe a leader." The best outcomes in any situation

come from collaboration, team-planning,assigning tasks and setting realistic deadlines

and budgets.4 . T H E D R E A D E D K N O C K

It took some time for me to set up and‘train’ my family that when Mum’s officedoor is shut that I am not to be bothered. IfI am interrupted, it had to be serious; abroken arm, blood or death. It wasn’t justthe kids, it was also my partner calling forme constantly as well. Once we set someboundaries together, it was much better.

The kids all survived with no broken bones,and my partner and I have just celebratedour 30th wedding anniversary.

The Home Office

Maree Gooch

31

building cheap and building fast.As a result, homeowners arespending money fixing uphouses that are only a few yearsold.

As a female builder and project manager, Jay often falls to therole of peace keeper and relationship builder. The buildingindustry is notorious for treating contractors badly, poorcommunication between trades on site, and a general ‘hit andrun’ attitude towards projects. Jay and her team have workedhard to push back against these trends and build strongrelationships, gaining trust, ensuring communication andinclusion between the clients, the contractors and themanagement.

Jay believes that building homes is about more than just making aquick profit, it’s about building something that will last. In today’sconstruction industry there is pressure towards

The building industry has historically been a male dominatedspace and while that is slowly changing, there is still a long way togo before women are equally represented.

As a Registered Builder, Jay Mangano has been building homes inPerth for over 17 years as co-owner of luxury home buildingcompany Devrite Homes of Distinction. She is no stranger tobeing the only woman in the room, having always worked in themore “masculine industries.” Whether it was working in plumbingsupplies or shearing teams, or mining for 13 years, driving trucks,loaders and blowing things up. "I had to work to be respected asone of the only women on site.”

Jay quickly noticed that clients and contractors would try and talkto the man (any man!), rather than her. However, now that shehas an established reputation and profile in the industry, she isrespected in her own right.

C H A N G I N G T H EW A Y W E B U I L DJay Mangano,  Devr ite Homes

Women in Building

Jay Mangano

BC11550

When houses are built to besold, they are usually poorquality and not built to last

32

SPOT THE FAKERS

When finding a builder, look for astreet address, registrationnumber, owner's name orcontact numbers on their

website. Focus on the real-liferesults, not just plans. Drawingnice pictures doesn’t mean they

can build a quality end product!

TRUST IS KEY

Find someone you can trustto build the house how youwant to build, not what they

want or think is best.

CHEAP AS CHIPS

If they get you thecheapest price by quotesfrom multiple builders, it

won’t be the best deal. Youwill get low quality, whilethey take a percentage of

the build cost.

DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK

Before you sign the contract,check every detail in the

addenda, review the drawings.Once you have signed the

contract, that is what you aregetting.

Jay warns. This hasmassive impacts on everyarea of the system. Forexample, there is lessdemand for quality, lessdemand for well-constructed materialsbecause they cost more,so there is huge wastage,impacting on theenvironment – along withmoney wasted onmaterials that breakdownor aren’t fit for purpose.Even product warrantiesare written in a way thatthere are loopholes somanufacturers can savemoney without providinga quality product in thefirst place.

Jay's approach highlightsthe value of attract more women to the buildingand construction industry.“As a woman, I want tobuild homes, not houses,and work in a positiveenvironment with people Itrust. I want my clients tounderstand that I willalways work in their bestinterest, building homesthat families can live insafely and enjoy for yearsto come”  

Quality is the mostimportant thing when itcomes to building; itprotects your investmentand your budget in thelong term. And thanks towomen like Jay, we justmight see a greater focuson valuing quality, buildingbetter homes, not justhouses.

J a y ' s T o p T i p sw h e n b u i l d i n g

y o u r h o m e .

33

H A L E YG L A S G O W :

F R O MO K L A H O M A

T O T H E L A N DD O W N U N D E R

with STEM’s lack of femalepresence. [STEM is theacronym for the fields ofscience, technology,engineering and math.

As soon as I took this leaptoward the technology sectorI began to stand out. Oneuniversity professor insisted Ijoin his very competitive,yearlong course for final yearstudents. In this class, wemanaged an investment fundfor the University of Arkansasand even travelled to theconcrete jungle of New YorkCity to network withinvestment banks. My boldcareer vision began to unfold.

Graduating in 2011, I beganmy search for organisationsthat specialised in myuniversity majors, eventuallyfinding a match in a companycalled PROS. Headquarteredin n Houston, PROS wasattractive due as a leader

in technology. PROS assistsbusinesses to digitallytransform pricing and sellingprocesses, integrating thepower of artificial intelligence(AI) into the whole end-to-endsales process. When I joined, Iwas amazed at employee's

My first twoyears atuniversity wereclouded by oneof the worstglobal financialcrises inhistory.

I grew up in Ramone, a smalltown in Oklahoma, with apopulation of 543. There areno stop lights and the town isfull of cowboys, ranchers andfarmers. My father was achemical engineer by day,soybean farmer and angusbeef rancher by weekend andnight. To this day I have noidea how he had time butwatching him instilled thevalues of determination andintegrity within me.

While growing up in a smallcountry town was amazing, Iwas always fascinated withtraveling the world. Once itwas time for me to graduatehigh school and move towardsa tertiary education, I chosethe University of Arkansas. Asa major educational institutionof 30,000 students, this nextchapter of my life was initiallycharacterised by uncertainty.The commonality of a smalltown where everyone knows

everyone was distant.

When picking my major area ofstudy, financial investments for myBachelor of Science in BusinessAdministration degree, I dreamedthat a qualification would allow meto move to a large city and meetpeople from all over the world.

Member Spotlight

T h e w o r l d w a s b e g i n n i n g t o

s e e g r ow t h a n d d e p e n d e n c y

i n b u s i n e s s t e c h n o l o g y . . . . I

w a s c o n c e r n e d w i t h S T E M ’ s

l a c k o f f e m a l e p r e s e n c e .

H a l e y G l a s g o w

Evidently the downturn impactedmy perspective of theinvestments world, knowing thatcompetition would beexacerbated. I needed to diversifyand I decided to focus oninformation systems. The worldwas beginning to see growth anddependency in businesstechnology.But, I was concerned

35

employee’s knowledge, diversity, and willingness to help others.It opened my mind to endless opportunities.

PROS are pioneers of diversity and inclusion, an area that I amextremely passionate about within the technology sector. I wassoon on the first diversity and inclusion core group, called BLAZE,which is the women’s network at PROS. The group has led tovarious professional networking and mentoring opportunities forestablished thought leaders as well as the next generation. BLAZEwas integral to closing the gender pay gap at PROS andencouraging a continuous focus to increase femalerepresentation, especially at executive level. I had been at PROSfor five years and had worked my way from an implementationconsultant to working as a project manager on the delivery side,which gave me the opportunity to travel all over the United Statesand Brazil.

Three years on, I am now based in Sydneyworking as a strategic consultant with PROS.When I arrived in Australia, I was just thesecond employee. We now have 20 people inour local office and are still growing. Theexperiences and people that I have met areunlike anything I could have ever imagined. Mycurrent focus and passion is business growthin the Asia Pacific region, while keepingdiversity front of mind. PROS are helpingbusinesses to navigate the uncertainty ofCOVID-19 through digital pricing and sellingsolutions that build resilience and marketvisibility.

I am very excited to be a part ofBusiness Women Australia andlook forward to networking witheveryone (in person) whenCOVID-19 isolation measures areeased.

t h e e x p e r i e n c e s a n d p e o p l e

t h a t I h a v e m e t a r e u n l i k e

a n y t h i n g I c o u l d h a v e e v e r

i m a g i n e d .

H a l e y G l a s g o w

However, I was ready for the next challenge so atone of the BLAZE networking events I told one ofmy colleagues about wanting to liveinternationally. Later that night she rang me andlet me know that she found an opportunity inAustralia within the PROS sales organisation. Iimmediately felt terrified and could not fathommoving across the globe, at the age of 27.

36

COMMUNICATE WITH CLARITY ANDTRANSPARENCY

Talk things through, listen to others and ensurethat there is clarity and understanding. People

often fill an information vacuum with their worst-case scenario which can be destructive and

unnecessary. Be honest even if you don’t havethe answer and don’t put off delivering the

difficult messages.

SELF CAREIt is important to engage with friends, to get a bitof perspective and a laugh. Make heaps of time

for family and friends. Get plenty of outdoorexercise. I aim to leave extra time in my week byworking four days to make space for the other

important things in my life.

COLLABORATIONThe action of working together to achieve

something more than sum of the parts just makessense. Collaborating is very satisfying for all.

TRUSTProvide your team a safe environment to betheir best; innovating, problem solving, andconstantly striving within an environment of

trust.  Place trust in your team to do theirbest. Sometimes you get burnt, but genuine

trust mostly pays back.

INTEGRITY AND HONESTYOperating outside of our own personal barometer

of integrity will lead to an emotional toll beingtaken. Only you understand where your own

personal line is, and that it shouldn’t be crossed.It’s just not worth it.

GET INVOLVEDGet involved in the organisation and people

you work with and for. Learn how theorganisation operates; its purpose and drivingforce. What are the values and how are they

Instilled? This means understanding thepeople at the heart of the organisation, and

what’s important to them.

AUTHENTICITYWhat you see is exactly what you should get.

Its too complicated to be someone else, so betrue to who you are.

I’ve been thinking lately about leaders, and what makes agood leader. When asked by BWA how I rose to the variousleadership roles I have enjoyed in my career, the truth is;leadership was not something I actively planned.  For me,the path has been about being true to my values andsticking up for what I think is the right thing to do. Thisdoes not mean that its been easy, but that’s half the fun!Here are my seven keys to being a better leader.

7 K E Y S T O E V E NB E T T E R L E A D E R S H I PP i p p a H o b s o n , R S M

Leadership

Digital marketing has come a longway over the years. Not so long ago,digital marketing did not even existhowever these days it is crucial. Thishas been highlighted particularly inrecent months as the situationaround COVID-19 developed aroundthe world.

For many businesses, their digitalplatform is what kept themoperating. Bricks and mortarbusinesses had to turn to an onlineplatform to sell products, with manysetting up online shops for the firsttime. With face to face meetings nolonger possible, the internetprovided the crucial way ofcontinuing to connect and buildrelationships with customers.

While social media is a fantastic tooland should be part of your businessmarketing, it should not be youronly marketing tool.

Social media is great for brandawareness, to talk to your audienceand drive traffic. However, socialmedia networks have rules andever-changing algorithms which canaffect what you can post andwhether your audience will see yourcontent at all. For this reason, it’simportant to have somewhere todrive traffic to that is searchable andevergreen, not just a social mediaroundabout.

I am often asked“Do I really need a website?”

D O I N E E D A W E B S I T E O RI S S O C I A L M E D I A E N O U G HF O R M Y B U S I N E S S ?C a t h y S m i t h , C A T C O E n t e r p r i s e s

Digital Marketing

A website gives your brand a central home. I often say “If you wererenting a house, you wouldn’t build a patio, swimming pool oroutdoor kitchen on the property you don't own."

Many businesses build their entire shop front, marketing and salessystem on a social media platform which is rented ground that wehave little control over.

T h e r e a r e 3 . 1 b i l l i o n p e o p l e o n

s o c i a l m e d i a a n d 4 . 7 b i l l i o n p e o p l e

N O T

o n s o c i a l m e d i a

The answer is YES! C a t h y S m i t h

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Wouldn’t you like to have abigger piece of that pie?

The easier it is for customers tofind the information they arelooking for, the longer they willstay browsing and reading theinformation your websiteprovides.

Pay close attention to groupingsimilar content together, ensureeach page addresses one maintopic with links to areas that aresimilar.

It is essential your websitereflects the look and feel of yourbusinesses current branding.While drag and drop websitebuilders may look good, theydon’t always allow for custombranding of your business.

Social media isn’t enough tohave a sustainable business thatwill continue to build and growyear on year.

Having social media as part ofyour marketing plan, not youronly marketing plan will allowyou to weather the ever-changing social media platformstorms. Having a well-designed,a well maintained and up todate website with solid searchfoundation will allow old andnew customers to find you anddo business with you.

6 3 , 0 0 0

s e a r c h e s

e v e r y s e c o n d

5 . 6 b i l l i o n s e a r c h e s

o n G o o g l e

e v e r y d a y

A website allows your business to meet customer expectationsby portraying that you (and your business) are the real deal.

A website adds value, provides information and resources,giving customers access to everything they need to know aboutyour business. Think of social media as the bridge between youand your customers, and your website as your home.

Your website allows you to continue conversations that werestarted on one of your social media platforms. Your websiteallows your customers and potential customers to be able tofind all the information they need on your business together inone place.

Your website can be your unpaid salesperson, a place whereyou can qualify your customers, educate them and inform themso that they can begin the journey to work with your business. Itcan also be a place that potential customers can learn that youmay not be the right fit then choose not to continue and saveyou both time and money.

When it comes to essentialsfor your business website,being easy to navigate iscrucial.

Clear navigation to contentrich pages is the key togoogle listing your website.There are 5.6 billionsearches on Google everyday and 200 million activewebsites.

The opportunity to developand nurture relationships inan endorsed or educationalenvironment with interactiveand professional storytellinghelps build awareness of whoyou are and what you standfor. Speaking creates anunmatched level of trust andcan drive a message home,bringing about understandingand social change drivingbusiness directly to yourdoor.

Presentation skills author andtrainer, Paula Smith, usesneuroscience to shed light onhow powerful stories can be. 

"A great story releases a rushof brain chemicals likecortisol, dopamine andoxytocin because ourneurons mirror the samepatterns as the speaker’sbrain. This is known as neuralcoupling. 'Mirror neurons'create coherence between aspeaker’s brain and thebrains of audiencemembers."

The first is whether the talkgives people a fresh way ofseeing the world. Thesecond is whether the talkoffers the audience a cleversolution to a given problem,or the promise of a betterfuture. The third isinspiration. The talk shouldexpress an idea in a way thatcompels people to act.

New ideas that are worthsharing? Now, that's a greatrecipe for any presentation,not only reserved for TED.

The rise of TED Talks and thevarious offshoots of thisplatform, show just how farstorytelling is growing inappeal and participation.

TED started 33 years ago as alow-budget, in-person seriesof 18-minute talks and hassince grown into a $US65million juggernaut. TED relies on a three-prongedtest designed to determinewhether a talk is worthincluding in a lineup. Thiscriteria is also worthcontemplating if you'reconsidering public speakingas a business buildingplatform.

R I S E O FT H E S P E A K E RA key strategy in thought-leadership marketing is publicspeaking. Paula Smith explains how presenting to an audiencegives businesses, and their leaders a stage to showcaseexpertise, gain credibility and engage target audiences.

Trending

Paula SmithAuthor and Presentation Expert

2    

Conscious Incompetence. The “AHA! moment” when you realise there’s

something very valuable that you would like to orneed to know.

Unconscious Competence. It can be a good thing, unless the business owner fallsasleep at the wheel, doing what they’ve always done,driving around without paying attention.

4zzz

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T H E F O U RS T A G E S O FC O N S C I O U SC O M E P E T E N C EInvest time in stages two and three, becoming aware of whatyou don’t know and working towards becoming proficient atit.

Look around. What’s happening in your industry that needsconscious awareness?

Unconscious Incompetence.You don’t know what you don’tknow.

1

AHA!

41

stage two, Conscious Incompetence and stage three, Conscious Competence are where growthand insight occur. They are the most valuable stages for business evolution.

To keep your business fresh, relevant and evolving, keep cycling through the stages, especiallywhen you are at the stage four, Unconscious Competence.

Consciously Competent. It’s like driving a car: you learn and practice the skills by

paying attention to everything. It takes time to become agood driver.

3

P a u l i n e B r i g h t , B r i g h t B u s i n e s s

a few years. News outlets have been fightinga losing battle for some time.

Nearly 20 years ago, the internet changed theway we consume information and media forgood. Many old school publishers are stillstruggling to monetise their businesses orhave sold out completely. In the mid-2000swhen paywalls were rare and relatively new,nobody wanted to pay for online news.Rather, we all instinctively used our Googleskills to hunt out answers on free platforms.And, at times, they served us well. Socialmedia gave, and continues to give, us accessto a wide range of voices whenever andwherever and for free.

COVID-19 has caused many of us to feeldisempowered, fearful and despondent. We arehungry for the latest updates about ourcommunity, and for the next steps to take.  Evenoutside of these troubled times, our news sourcesknow to tap into the key areas that have an impacton us all – the economy, the environment, healthand wellness.

The rise of social media and a fall in subscriptionsto traditional news outlets over the past twodecades has left many of us struggling to discernreal, valuable and validated information from thedribble. Trust has to be earned. Traditional mediasources have spent tens of decades buildingcredibilty and trust. Social media disrupted that in

However, as researchers at Deakin Universityfound ‘Facebook is not held to account thesame way that mainstream media is when itcomes to upholding and sharing accurate,reliable information.' Many popular satiricalor sensationalist sites like The Shovel, SBSThe Feed and The Onion havebeen generating greater traffic withcontroversy or humour. Smaller sites likethese, as well as internet trolls who activelyspread false information, make it difficult todistinguish between truth and lies.

On top of that, social media platforms suchas Facebook and Instagram, work on analgorithm that tailors your feed to your

G E T T I N G R E A LA B O U T F A K EN E W SA m b e r D a i n e s

In the Media

Amber Daines

own interests, creating an echochamber of the same thoughts.Readers need to be interrogatingwhat they’re reading.

It is unfair to place all the blameon social networks and theiraudience, though. Bias creepsinto even the most respectedmainstream news outlets. Weoften develop opinions based onwhere we stand in the world, ourbackground and life experiences.We must try as a society to listento alternative views and be open-minded when forming opinions.

As individuals, we can work todevelop and expand our ownnews consumption and analysisskills so that they’re betterequipped to make fairassessments of the informationthey’re provided with. Journalists

As readers become aware of the proliferation of fake news, theywill increasingly seek to verify the facts. A pandemic makes thetruth even more vital. We, as consumers, are demandinginformation that is backed by facts and professionalcommunicators who put their name to their work without anagenda. The murky waters of fake news online affirms the futureof reliable, properly sourced journalism.

F a c e b o o k a n d

I n s t a g r a m w o r k

o n a n a l g o r i t h m

t h a t t a i l o r f e e d

t o y o u r o w n

i n t e r e s t s ,

c r e a t i n g a n e c h o

c h a m b e r o f t h e

s a m e t h o u g h t s .

R e a d e r s n e e d t o

b e i n t e r r o g a t i n g

w h a t t h e y ’ r e

r e a d i n g .

a m b e r d a i n e s

43

The next generation of journalists will become beacons of moreresearched, accurate, and reliable information. This is how theywill be able to maintain legitimacy in the digital age.

The future of journalism is clearer than ever, and the pandemichas driven that. News outlets are driving their audiences toconsume news content on Facebook and other social mediaplatforms. And, as such, need to rethink their approach if theywant to remain economically viable and build loyal audiences.

can actually learn from the Facebook model, using their positionto help connect people and to help readers make sense ofissues in times of crisis.

We have all heard the myth, or advice,that you should never do your ownbookkeeping. That all of yourbookkeeping needs to be outsourced.We’ve heard the horror stories aboutthe tax man. This is all valid; nobodywants to accidentally commit fraud.Badly kept records and confusingbookkeeping software definitely add tothe prevalence and longevity of thismyth. However, the fact is,bookkeeping doesn't need to be asscary and confusing as you may think.

Interestingly, since COVID-19, soletraders and small business ownershave been embracing cloudbookkeeping software to get on top oftheir business accounts, moving awayfrom both "shoe box" systems andtraditional accounting software.

Donna Vincent, Founder of SoloAccounts has always been passionateabout disproving the myth that allbookkeeping is complex. She has seena significant increase in new users,most who are micro business owners,registering online for the DIYbookkeeping software she developedfor contractors and sole traders. “Small business owners are taking theopportunity to ensure their books areup to date, that they are claiming everyexpense they can and able to accessany government incentives available tothem."

Solo Accounts was developed for soletraders and gig workers as an onlinebookkeeping solution replacing the

manual systems used by small businesses. Often timesthis means replacing a glove box of crumpled receipts.“I know that so many small business owners havehistorically struggled with the books, perhapscontinuing with a messy, time consuming process theyhave had in place since they started up, or paying for acomplex accounting solution that is an overkill.“

For sole traders and small business owners, the processof preparing their tax returns can be an administrativenightmare. Many find that they end up having issueswith the Australian Tax Office because of unpreparedaccounts, disorganised books, incorrect or incompliantaccounts or missing paperwork. Small businesses can’talways afford to outsource their bookkeeping and haveto grapple with a complex tax system they may notunderstand. "It doesn't have to be this way," explainsDonna.

T H E B I G G E S TB O O K K E E P I N G M Y T H

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D o n n a V i n c e n t ,   S o l o A c c o u n t s

Accounting

Donna Vincent

As a bookkeeper with over 30 yearsof experience, Donna has seen it all.The reason why so many soleproprietors fail in business is becausethey are not on top of their financials.

“I was drawn to develop a tool thatsimplified bookkeeping. The softwareand mobile app are a fast and easyway for small business owners totrack where money is going allowingthem to photograph, record andautomatically sort all work relatedexpenses from wherever they are,with any level of bookkeeping skills.”

The Solo Accounts app producesfigures for a Business ActivityStatement and useful reports thatany small business owner can easilycreate. The anti-thesis of the shoeboxof receipts, Donna says “The systemis paperless and all records arestored in the cloud, so there is no lossof information from faded receipts orlost paperwork. In the event you areaudited, everything is there, safelyavailable to view.”

Its good news that more sole tradersand small business owners areditching the shoebox andspreadsheets, smashing the myththat bookkeeping is too hard, toodifficult, and too boring thanks toSolo Accounts, and its founder,Donna Vincent.

“ I w a s d r a w n t o d e v e l o p a

t o o l t h a t s i m p l i f i e d

b o o k k e e p i n g . S O L O A C C O U N T S

s o f t w a r e a n d m o b i l e a p p

P R O V I D E S a f a S T A N D e a s y w a y

t o I N V O I C E A N D T O t r a c k

w h e r e m o n e y i s g o i n g . I T ' S A

S I M P L E D I Y P R O C E S S P E R F E C T

F O R S O L O - P R E N E U R S . ”

D O N N A V I N C E N T

45

course and allows for‘tacking’ (re-calibration ofthe strategy) to ensure thedestination remains insight.

Without a marketingstrategy a business isrudderless and beholdento its environment,including the undercurrent of the competitionand the wind of marketforces. If this rudderlessapproach is adoptedbusinesses will findthemselves constantlychanging at the mercy ofwell-intentioned ‘goodideas’ focussed only onachieving quick wins andshort-term gains.

The result will generallyexpend a lot of resources(time and money). Afterthe exhaustive processbusinesses find them-selves no closer to the

Is strategy reallyimportant? Can’t we justcut to the chase and justDO some marketing? These are two questions thatI regularly get asked in mymarketing practice.  Thesimple answer to both is yes,but the results are wildlydifferent if the ‘doing’precedes the strategydevelopment.

To answer both questions, Ioffer the following analogy.All organisational strategy, beit financial, operating,corporate or marketing,provide organisations with amap to success.  It shouldhave directional instructions(tactics) focussed on a singlegoal (destination). This map, ifplotted well, will be client-centric, contain keymilestones ensuring a

S H O U L D W E B O T H E R W I T H S T R A T E G Y ?B e c k y S a n g s t e r , P l a t i n u m M i x

Marketing Strategy

46

Becky Sangster

so important. I alwaysrecommend some time isspent on developing a strongbrand strategy beforesignificant marketing moneyis incurred.

For many people, the term’Branding’ usually conjures upimages of company logos.  Insimple terms, they arecorrect, but it is so muchmore than just a pretty logo.A strong brand creates trustand establishes emotionalconnection with a target

making their buying decisioneasier. It is all aboutdemonstrating value,perceived benefits, andimmediate distinction fromyour competitors.

Building an effective brandstrategy puts the client at thecentre of the story,establishing them as thehero, with the supplier actingas an effective guide to thathero, supporting them inachieving their goals. Thisstrategic shift in thinking andmarketing narrative willeffectively differentiate abusiness through acute

customer centricity. Theprocess we adopt to assistbusinesses with developing astrategic brand for theirbusiness addresses allaspects of the brand, fromthe tangible product featuresto customer benefits as wellas the intangible elementswhich focus on thepersonality of a brand andthe experience it offersclients. It’s a really insightful processthat many businesses hadnever taken the time toconsider before, therefore it

can be really productive 

for the business

leaders and provide strong pillars for the the future marketing of theirbusiness.

W i t h o u t a m a r k e t i n g s t r a t e g y a

b u s i n e s s i s r u d d e r l e s s a n d b e h o l d e n t o

i t s e n v i r o n m e n t

B e c k y S a n g s t e r

desired destination.Focussing on the strategy inthe first instance establishesa solid foundation uponwhich the future marketingpillars can be built. As well assetting the entireorganisational team on aclear course and destination.The process of developingthe strategy ensures thatmacro environmental forces;the competition, the industrysector outlooks, and marketsegment nuances are takeninto consideration.

Unfortunately, this approachis seldom adopted by SME’s who too often resort to a ‘soap-boxing’ approach tomarketing which onlyinvolves one methodology oftelling the market how'wonderful’ they are with littleregard to emotiveengagement of a targetedclient base.

Businesses that take the timeto develop a marketing andbrand strategy prior to ‘doing’any marketing, benefit from acohesive approach to all theirmarketing andcommunications, with eachmarketing touch pointmoving the organisationcloser to achieving its goalsand objectives throughpositive ROI. Brand strategy issomething that I particularlylove assisting businesseswith. It is so fundamental and

47

SOCIAL MEDIA BUSINESS TIPSDURING UNCERTAIN TIMES

I am so lucky to have landed a career thatbrings together my passions and purpose.As part of Humanitix, the work I docontributes to funding educationprograms for disadvantaged kids. But evenmore than that, what excites me is thefeeling that we are the forerunnersshaping the next generation of businesses.

Humanitix is a not-for-profit eventsticketing platform turning booking feesinto a powerful tool for social impact. Let’sface it, the extra fees charged on top ofticket prices are widely resented, whileremaining profitable for the ticketingplatforms. Why not turn these fees into anopportunity to do some good for theworld?

As a registered charity, Humanitix redirectsall booking fee proceeds to fund educationprojects. Our mission is to close theeducation gap around the world,addressing the root of global inequalityand poverty. By providing an ethicalticketing platform, we are disrupting ahuge industry and shifting a previouslyuntapped pool of funds toward massivesocial impact.

Humanitix is a "charity for the techgeneration” that harnesses technology as avehicle for exponential global impact. It’s ascalable solution with low operating costsmeaning that once global, can reallymaximise the social impact margin. Thebeauty of the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)model that Humantix uses is that it doesn’tcost more to do the right thing – it actuallycosts less.

When it comes to the on-the-groundoperations of delivering educationprograms, Humanitix defers to theexpertise of leading charities in this space.One of the projects we support is The Girls’Education Program run by Room to Read,an international charity that has beendoing amazing work in the educationspace in developing countries for decades.Studies show the most effective way to

The couple of dollars that are added toyour ticket have the potential to generatemeaningful impact. Humantix is creating afuture where the end goal of a business isnot to make its shareholders wealthy, butto combat a social problem sustainablyand make the world we live in a betterplace.

We are asking the question: what’ssomething that the world really needsright now, and how can organisations becreated or changed so that they can bepart of the solution?

Social Impact

Jenny Chung, Humantix

A C H A R I T YF O RT H E T E C H G E N E R A T I O N

Jenny Chung

49

to combat poverty and inequality atits root is to provide essentialeducation for disadvantaged younggirls.

Humanitix has also partnered withYalari to fund Indigenous scholarshipsto ensure students in remote or ruralareas of Australia are offered theopportunity to vital education. As aminority group that are heavilypersecuted, Indigenous Australiansare at a particular disadvantage whenit comes to the education gap. Byfunding such scholarships we arehelping pave the way for futureIndigenous leaders.

I’m incredibly excited for the growthin trajectory that Humanitix is on andthe impact that will accelerate in theyears to come. I’m also excited to seethe emergence of the next generationof organisations at this intersection ofbusiness and charity, that willleverage tech and savvy smarts todeliver positive outcomes for theworld. After all, if a ticketing platformcan help close the education gap,what could the rest of the world do?

W e a r e d i s r u p t i n g a h u g e

i n d u s t r y a n d s h i f t i n g a

p r e v i o u s l y u n t a p p e d p o o l o f

f u n d s t ow a r d m a s s i v e s o c i a l

i m p a c t

J e n n y C h u n g

50

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to quicklyrearrange their workforce and direct employees to workremotely from home.   While some already had a remoteworking policy in place, it has been reported that 48% ofSME’s had to create one to react to the pandemic.  Heather Warner, Director of strategic IR and HR consultingfirm, WCA Solutions said many lessons have been learntthrough this experience.  “We had to adapt quickly to thenew norm by implementing small changes to keep a positiveinformed, motivated and productive workplace culture...remotely.” Heather shares five tips to create a positiveworkplace culture whilst supporting teams who are workingremotely.

WFH Checklist: Everyone worksdifferently but by providing employeeswith a checklist of how to set up theirdesk, environment and structure theirday, you can help employees achieveproductivity. Simple ideas can helpemployees feel refreshed andconnected such as; take breaks awayfrom the desk and setting up a lunchtime video break with other colleagues.Encouraging employees to have anactivity immediately after they “endtheir workday”, enables them to shut offproperly at the end of each day.

Team Communication starting with aMorning Huddle: Communication is keyto maintaining focus and transparency.The establishment of a quick 15 minuteteam virtual huddle each morning toupdate on achievements from the daybefore, and priorities and possiblechallenges for the day ahead provides theteam with a great overview.

Structure Communication:  Companiesneed to choose the right platform for the taskand outcome required while ensuringemployees are aware of what platform to usewhen and have access to the platform.

Performance Check-in: Managers shouldstill be engaging employees in performancereviews. WCA has developed an onlineperformance check-in tool to promoteshorter, genuine and more frequentconversations about recognisingperformance and setting individual goals.This takes no longer than twenty minutesand allows clear expectations to be set nomatter where an employee is working.

Social Activities: Maintain the culture of theworkplace and the 'water cooler’ chats. WCAhas introduced Friday afternoon video drinks,and morning Quiz Challenges. These activitiesare often short and enable employees tointeract in a relaxed manner, keepingeveryone connected and boosting employeemorale.

Flexible Workplaces

S U P P O R T I N GR E M O T E W O R K E R S

Heather Warner

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T O O U RS P O N S O R S

S P E C I A LT H A N K S