Business name: Kasarn Designs
The lady in charge: Margo Humphries
Business location: Warners Bay, NSW
Launch date: December 2009
Website: www.kasarndesigns.com
Twitter: follow @kasarndesigns
Facebook: become a fan

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
When you walk into office blocks, people’s homes or other commercial premises what do they have in common? They all have walls! People will always be purchasing wall art so why not choose real art that is unique, affordable, available globally and on-demand.

What drove you to go it alone?
I looked at my situation and imagined where I would be 10 years from now. I realised I had to take a proactive approach to achieve a greater level of success.
I was lucky I had my art to start something up. Also having had a baby recently helped kick-start things as I was thinking about her future.

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
I could have saved time if I’d known about www.homestead.com when I was setting up my website and domain. It has met all of my requirements, the fees are next-to-nothing, and it’s very simple to use. What I’d had previously was free but I couldn’t have meta tags or google analytics.

What are you enjoying most about business ownership?
I’m really motivated by taking stock of all the small tasks which make up my journey – and seeing how each one is getting me closer to the ultimate goal. It’s cool to stop and appreciate what you’ve achieved from time to time, and pat yourself on the back!
Working for yourself and working on what you love is fantastic, and when you love what you do success is more likely to arrive.

What have you found is the most valuable, free, marketing tool that has worked for your business?
There are so many online opportunities, so many free directories that you can add your business to! My favourite social media marketing tools are Twitter and Facebook because they’re very viral. Also, for my line of work, there are many artist websites you can upload your work on.

What would you change, or introduce to your business, soon as financially able?
I’d like to get a selection of example prints made up for display at market stalls, for extra exposure. And I’d like to enter Art Sydney one year soon. On top of the entry fee, my originals need to be framed for hanging so it’s a costly exercise all round.
There are also some artist websites where I’d like to upgrade from a free membership so there are no account restrictions on what I can upload and sell. And finally, I’m keen to do a direct marketing mail out using postcard prints of my artwork. If I can make one of these things happen this year, that would be great!

Ask Margo a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

Name: Leah Gibbs
From: Sydney area, NSW
Business Names: Lifestyle Careers & Work at Home Mums

As a full-time mum, each day can already be jam packed. Add self-employment to that and you definitely need to introduce structure.

Each morning I try to get all of my little household chores out of the way first. Kid fed and watered, husband off to work, shopping done and dinner planned for the evening. This way, I find there are minimal interruptions to my work time.

I’m in front of my computer by 10am, with my second coffee in hand. I spend the first hour going through a mountain of emails that have come through overnight. Then I check and update social media profiles and blogs. I then complete my smaller tasks and devote a block of time to project work.

I’d be completely lost without my Outlook Calendar and To Do list. There’s only so much the old middle-aged memory can retain! These tools help me to see the daily tasks that are scheduled and assist me in managing my workload effectively, in order of priority.

I also believe there needs to be a work cut off time, so it doesn’t interfere with your work / life balance. My knock off is 4pm, so I can be there for my family and get dinner on the table. If time permits, I use a couple of hours in the evening to continue work. And I firmly believe weekends are for family!

Name: Melissa Priest
From: Newcastle, NSW
Job Title: Director
Business Name: Stylehunter.com.au

Tell us how you save time?
One of the biggest time wasters is email. To save yourself time, manage your email effectively and efficiently.

Only check your inbox a few times a day (rather than constantly) and when you do check your email, handle each item with a ‘one touch’ system. This means as you read each email, you either:

• File it – if it was a CC:, FYI, etc.
• Delete it – if it’s junk or not relevant to you
• Action it – respond a.s.a.p

Don’t leave emails sitting in your inbox that you then re-read or sit on, which only wastes more of your time.

Another way to save time is making sure you plan your day / week so that you know exactly what you need to achieve, which should help you focus and not waste time. This reduces the likelihood of getting sidetracked or allowing yourself to procrastinate.

Business Name: Wee Willie Winkie
The Lady in Charge: Angela Cuzzilla
Business Location: Victoria
Launch date: January 2010
Business website: www.weewilliewinkie.com.au
Twitter: follow weewilliewinke
Facebook: become a fan

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
I launched Wee Willie Winkie out of a demand for quality baby shoes. I am an exclusive distributor in Australia for Xick Baby Shoes from Brazil, so that range in my online store is my competitive edge in such a saturated market. I have a passion for what I do and am very dedicated in getting Wee Willie Winkie on the map and becoming a household name.

What drove you to go it alone?
I have always wanted to have my own business. Initially I was going to open a day spa, because I’m a beauty therapist by trade. But after having twin girls in Feb 2008, it was my decision to open an online business as it meant I could still be home for my girls.
I’ve always been a very good shopper [laughs], only now I have directed my efforts into shopping for quality baby wear instead! I went into this alone, because I knew I didn’t want to share any decision making.

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
Initially I had 2000 flyers made, for mail outs, which really did not give me much return at all. That money would have been better spent elsewhere. I have learnt that as an online business, it is best to advertise online as that’s where my main market is.
Also I would not have placed so much focus on just the products and launching the site. I should have allocated more time on networking and as to what direction I was going to go once I was live!

What’s the most surprising thing – good or bad – you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
I’ve learnt that I can actually manage having a family and a business at the same time. I very much doubted myself as I was getting closer to launch, but I’ve been able to keep a good balance so far. Sure I have my days, where it seems to be overwhelming. But now I just move through those obstacles, stop and re-think why I am doing this.

What have you found is the most valuable, free, marketing tool that has worked for your business?
Facebook has definitely been invaluable to me so far. I have only been open for two months and it has been an enormous help in giving Wee Willie Winkie exposure. I’ve generated many sales and subscriptions via my Facebook Page alone.

What does your five-year business plan entail?
To have Wee Willie Winkie become a reputable name/brand in Australia and New Zealand. I want to be a successful wholesaler as well as a retailer of baby wear.
Plus, I plan to have Xick Baby on the feet of many babies and toddlers throughout Australia as possible and would like to launch my own line of baby shoes. Oh and of course, I hope to be generating enough revenue to hire help!

Ask Angela a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

Business name: Fletcher Tax Accountants
The Lady in Charge: Janna Fikh
Business Location: Lindfield, NSW
Launch date: January 2009
Business website: www.fletchertaxaccountants.com.au
Twitter URL: follow FletcherTax

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
Mention that you are an accountant at a dinner party and most people are unsure how to respond. Typically, people want advice on reducing (or eliminating) their income taxes or how to open an off-shore bank account. My goal – make tax easy to understand and easy to comply with.

What drove you to go it alone?
Mainly sheer disappointment at the quality of advice and customer service provided to clients. So called ‘little fish’ were not given the proper and efficient advice as their ‘big fish’ counterparts. I recognise that tax and paperwork are hard topics for most business owners, with my main goal being to make tax bearable and more efficient for all of my clients – regardless of their fins’ size!.

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
Promotional flyers. I tried distributing some within my local area, but to no avail.

What’s the most surprising thing (good or bad) you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
I’m becoming more and more open to trying new things for the good of my business, like using Twitter and public speaking. One bad thing is that, now, my own paperwork gets delayed! That never happened before.

Do you have a favourite quote, for inspiration?
I have two actually. Would have to be “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” – Albert Einstein. And, “Forget injuries, never forget kindness.” – Confucius.

What would you change, or introduce to your business, soon as financially able?
Someone to help me with all my social networking, ie. my blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, video marketing, website SEO etc.

Ask Janna a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

Business name: S.T. Writing Services
The Lady in Charge: Sharon Thompson
Business Location: Brisbane, QLD
Launch date: November 2009
Business website: www.stwritingservices.net.au

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
I write anything, for anyone: I write copy for advertising, web content, blogs, articles, book chapters, transcriptions and more. I do this with a quick turnaround time, at competitive rates. My process is simple and effective, and clients are always satisfied.

What drove you to go it alone?
I think everyone dreams of working for themselves at some stage, but what really pushed me from the stage of thinking about it to actually doing it, was falling pregnant with my first baby. I wanted to have a flexible timetable, be home-based, and feel that there were no limits to my earning capacity. The only way to do this that I could see was to go freelance, set up my own writing business. I am lucky I have a skill easily transferable to working from home, and it seemed silly to waste!

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
I have managed to get this far without paying for advertising yet, so I feel that this has worked well to this stage. However, in the next few months, I will be looking at paid advertising. Business development-wise, it is still early days, and I am still learning, so it is hard to say – time will tell!

What’s the most surprising thing (good or bad) you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
I have learned how vital it is to have the right frame of mind: starting the day in a negative mindset can be poisonous for your business and yourself. As somewhat of a natural pessimist generally, I have learned I can control my thoughts, and in doing so, control how the business is being run. I have also pushed through a lot of tough issues, and so have realised I am more of a fighter than I ever realised! Also, I am not a natural businesswoman, and that side of things is still a challenge.

What do you find the most difficult – and most rewarding – aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult thing is the continuous marketing! As I have often been part of developing marketing strategies, I thought this would be fairly easy for me, but I have discovered marketing yourself as opposed to someone else is a whole new ballgame! Writers are notoriously reclusive and I do find selling myself a little hard. I prefer to let my work speak for itself.
The most rewarding? The feedback – we all love flattery and when a client is pleased with your work, comes back for more or recommends you it is a wonderful feeling.

Ask Sharon a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

Business name: Veux
The Lady in Charge: Genevieve Langbien
Business Location: Brisbane (services nationally)
Launch date: November 2009
Business website: www.veux.com.au
Twitter: follow Veux
Facebook: become a fan

How would you sell your business concept to an investor, in 50 words or less?
Veux is an online boutique stocking garments by emerging Australian fashion designers. The point of difference is each design is exclusive to Veux and will never be seen in any other store. All garments are also limited edition, so customers can own and wear something that reflects their individuality.

What drove you to go it alone?
I was frustrated with the lack of unique fashion available in Brisbane. I kept reading about emerging and recently graduated fashion designers in magazines and newspapers, but actually finding their work proved difficult.
I thought, cutting edge fashion should be available for everyone, no matter where they lived, and so the idea of Veux was born. Since the launch, I’ve been thrilled with the response of emerging Australian designers. Everyone seems so keen to be involved, and the talent of these young people is so inspiring. It keeps me motivated!

In terms of business development, or promotion, what have you invested time or money in that you could have done without?
I’d have to say the launch party, which included a runway show and cocktail event. Despite the time involved in planning, the investment didn’t exactly translate to sales.
But it was extremely fun and the photos we took have been useful for future marketing activities, so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

What’s the most surprising thing – good or bad – you’ve learned about yourself since launching a business?
That I’m a morning person! I never realised, but I definitely get my most creative and productive work done before 11am every day. Now I schedule my time so those tasks are allocated to the morning, and the easier or more repetitive jobs are relegated to after lunch.

Do you have a favourite quote, for inspiration?
I love inspirational quotes and I have about ten stuck on post-its around my computer screen all the time. My favourite at the moment is: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. It reminds me to keep my energy up and my motivation levels high.

Did you write a business plan, and do you think every part of it was worthwhile – time and research-wise?
A business plan is definitely important and I urge every business owner to write one. However, I disagree with the idea that it should be a 60 page, technically complex document.
The Veux business plan is just two pages; one summarising the vision and implementation, the other outlining the marketing plan and goals for the first five years. I refer to it constantly. It keeps me on track and reminds me where Veux needs to go. Without a plan you run the risk of getting off track and wasting time and resources on the wrong things.

Ask Genevieve a question!

If her story resonates with you, or you’d like to know how she deals with any particular thing – leave your thoughts in the comments box…

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

SNOBS.com.au has been helping startup, women business owners with free promotion (in the form of Q&A) since we started up. What used to be known as our New Kids on the Block feature, has promoted more than 45 stylin’ startup ladies in the past 15 months. Some of them are pictured below:

This post is to introduce a few changes being made, and to let you know about the new benefits associated!

New Kids on the Block will now be known as In The Making – so it’s kinda like a mini-version of Success Story (our feature interviews with established businesswomen).

The other changes are:

• Each Q&A will now focus on just one businesswoman, instead of two per feature.
• We’re extending the interviews to learn more about each business – and the highs, lows, lightbulb moments experienced by each lady.
• Besides the feature appearing here, we’ve also started putting the word out via Twitter and Facebook every time a new interview is published.

Like to see your business promoted here? To be eligible for a success In The Making feature:

• You must be an Australian-based, female business owner (or part owner).
• Your business must still be in its first two years of trade.
• You also need to be a registered SNOBS’ Member.

Caroline has launched a time (and sanity) saving website site for office professionals and Anna runs a high end fashion boutique. Meet our New Kids on the Block…

Business name: Pa Assist.com.au
The Lady in Charge: Caroline Mulcahy
Location: National site, based in Sydney
Launched: November 2009
Website: www.paassist.com.au

Hit us with your elevator pitch:
It’s simple! It’s a website created and designed by a Personal Assistant for all Personal Assistants, Executive Assistants, Office Managers, Secretaries, Administrators – all busy office professionals from all industries.
A website with everything a busy professional needs on a daily basis. A place that houses information about businesses, services, ideas, dates to remember, charity events, corporate tools, government links and much, much more.
Pa Assist.com.au is brand new. We don’t have any fancy glossy flyers or traffic statistics to show off, but what we do have is a very unique, targeted audience which is why advertising with us is FREE for 6 months for Australian online businesses.

What drove you to go it alone?
I have been a PA for over 15 years and got sick of searching for new venues, catering, government departments, photographers, corporate cars, office tools, travel visa’s… oh the list goes on.
I would spend so much time searching to find businesses and tools; it would take up too much of my time. I wanted everything at my finger tips! So after many late nights and a year of research, I have taken the plunge and bought it to life.

Give us five words that best describe you, since becoming your own boss?
Passionate, excited, driven, empathic and persistent.

What have you had to give up since becoming your own boss – and what’s one thing you’ve acquired that makes up for it?
The hardest sacrifice has been giving up my time. I still work full-time to fund my new business so I work every night till late and all weekend. But now that my hard work is resulting in businesses wanting to be on board, and my marketing campaign is working so it’s all worth it.

Business name: The Palms Boutique
The Lady in Charge: Anna Lutkajtis
Location: 6/17 Gerrale Street Cronulla, SYD
Launched: March 2009
Website: www.thepalmsboutique.com

Hit us with your elevator pitch:
The Palms Boutique offers high end Australian and international designer fashion to women in the Sutherland Shire area. Our aim is to provide the most beautiful, stylish and – most importantly – wearable designs on the market. We are expanding our business with an online store this year so our product will be available to women all over Australia.

What drove you to go it alone?
After 3 years working in HR in large professional service firms, I realised that the corporate life was not for me. I left corporate to go back to university and start a PhD in psychology, which was also not quite right, but made me realise that I loved working independently and on my own projects.
Starting a PhD taught me that the things I value most in my career are autonomy, creativity and being able to move ahead at my own pace, and starting my own business has given me all of those things.

Give us five words that best describe you, since becoming your own boss?
Driven, passionate, inspired, optimistic, busy!

What do you find the most difficult, and most rewarding, aspects of running your own business?
The most difficult aspect for me has been learning when to switch off and have some down time. There are so many rewarding aspects, but the first ones that come to mind are the wonderful relationships I have built with clients and suppliers, becoming part of a local business community, and the thrill you get when you find a winning product that your clients love!

Want to see your new business featured here?

New Kids on the Block is a SNOBS’ initiative to help promote women business owners who are still in their first year of trade. If that describes you, write to us via the contact page and we’ll let you know if you’re eligible.

Kath Fry and Eisha Saleh are a perfect match for each other, as friends and business partners. Kath is a graduate of Sydney’s Whitehouse Institute of Design and Eisha has 15 years experience in corporate business and human resources. The pair combined professional skills to launch their first business last year; a clothing label – Baraka Women – designed with modesty in mind.

Their friendship began in 2005. Eisha is a born Muslim who began practicing around the same time Kath converted to Islam, which landed them both at Daar Aisha Shariah, an Islamic women’s college in Lakemba, NSW. “Every Saturday we would sit together and talk fashion,” says Kath.

Like many great business ideas, Baraka was conceptualised due to a gap in the market for quality garments with high-end style; suitable for the religious dress codes of – not only Muslim women – but Jewish, Christian and those who simply believe in attire that covers much more than it exposes.

Tell us about your personal style, and how you make it work with the religious dress code you follow?
Eisha: I’ve always dressed modestly because I naturally prefer the classic French styles of the 1950’s and 60’s. I also love colour, prints and embellished fabrics; I’ve just adapted the way I wear them a little.
It was five years ago I began adhering to the Islamic dress code set by the Quran, and God, which is to cover everything except hands, feet and face. My way of showing my personality is with a statement piece like jewellery, shoes, a bag or the kind of scarf I wear as my hijab. My latest purchase is a skull and cross bone scarf that I wear on my head! It’s so punky but also classic in a way, when I wear it with tailored pants and shirt.
Kath: I love bright colours and beautiful materials. It’s who I am, and my dress is an expression of the faith in my heart; my hijab is right for me. I love that I can fuse my religion and my personality to create my own unique style.

“I love that I can fuse my religion and my personality to create my own unique style.”

Would you say faith versus fashion worship was the driving force behind your business idea?
Kath: When I first became Muslim I was looking for beautiful long sleeve shirts and full-length dresses or skirts, and found very little on the market. I realised no one seemed to be catering fashion to women aged 25-45 who want to dress modestly, and ideally, in clothing made from cool natural fabrics. So it wasn’t just faith based. I think there’s also a a huge gap in the Australian market for clothing designed to protect us from the harsh sun, while keeping us cool.
Eisha: Cool, lightweight clothing had a lot to do with it. When I first wore hijab I struggled to go from high end fashion labels to the traditional black Abaya. So I continued buying quality labels but had to layer them to cover my body entirely. This created two problems; it was much more expensive and far too hot. I was constantly complaining to Kath about it in class [laughs].
When we decided to create Baraka, we knew it would suit Muslim women but we don’t necessarily design just for her. It’s bigger than that.

On that note, we’re very impressed by Baraka’s ‘project women’. Can you tell us more about that?
Eisha: The word ‘baraka’ means blessing, which we chose for a business name because we are blessed to live in a country like Australia where women have the freedom to run their own business with the full support of our government. Also to have the freedom to live life as we choose.
We feel like our business has the opportunity to be a blessing for others which lead to our ‘project women’ initiative.
Kath: The label is committed to empowering women to make a difference in their world wherever they live. Five per cent of each sale goes back to ‘project women’ and we work with different organisations that promote the advancement of women through donations, up-skilling or mentoring.
The projects page of our website offers updates on any of the causes or fundraising we’ve been able to support with the help of our customer’s support. We also ask for people to let us know of any projects we could help with in the future.

Baraka Women’s clothing range is available for purchase online, or appointments can be made to visit their showroom in Chester Hill, NSW.