Stories

Applying a childhood lesson to the entrepreneurial journey

Entrepreneurial insights flourish from experiences, resources, education and learning events. Yet, some of the lessons that business owners now carry in their entrepreneurial journeys may often be traced from childhood. Some develop their skills and knack for business since their early years, whether it’s through their family or their self-learning.

Founder and Director of Graman Advisory and Executive Director of Clark Rubber Graeme Goldman looks back to his early years and realised the gem of lessons he got during those times.

The entrepreneurial journey of Datto’s Austin McChord

Reading about the life journey and insights of successful entrepreneurs is inspiring and educational. But there’s a different kind of learning experience that you get when you hear their stories firsthand and have the opportunity to ask them questions that have been lingering in your mind. Such was the opportunity that EO Melbourne has presented to its members and community when it held a virtual event with Austin McChord, the Founder of Datto.

Working with a BPO during a pandemic

As economies have become more globalised and boundaries among markets have become more flexible, business process outsourcing (BPO) began to rise where call centres, customer service and other jobs are performed offshore. And with the recent health crisis, countries were forced to close borders, many activities were moved online, and businesses have come to rely on BPOs to keep their operations going.

But how is it to work with a team from a different location than yours? Guy Olian, Founder and CEO at Energy Ease and Smart Ease, share his experience working with BPOs during the pandemic and how such an arrangement can be taken into consideration by businesses in the post-COVID era.

Leading with Hope

One’s success in business or organisation can be attributed to various factors, the primary of which includes leadership, particularly when it faces several challenges, such as a global pandemic that is affecting lives and economies.

Which is why this year’s theme of EO Melbourne – “Lead with Hope” – is very relevant and timely to the present situation. As business owners, the chapter members are also leaders in their respective fields and companies that need to bring their teams towards their goals despite stormy weather.

EO Melbourne President (2020-2021) and League of Extraordinary Women CEO and Co-Founder Sheryl Thai and Absolute Immigration Global Immigration Leader Jamie Lingham share their insights on leadership, their experiences and style of leading, and how they become a guiding light to the people they lead.

What are the 3 most important items on an entrepreneurs’ desk

by: Bernie Fernandez

With considerable surprise, I receive the email from EO Melbourne. I am being invited to write a blog as a subject matter expert. Painful anxiety mixed with disdain rises as I read the subject “What are the 3 most important items on an entrepreneurs’ desk”. I hate it.

This idea, however, stumbles into my head days later as I hear the quote below from the book, You Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins.

“In a society where mediocrity is too often the standard and too often rewarded, there is intense fascination with those who detest mediocrity, who refuse to define themselves in conventional terms, and who seek to transcend traditionally recognised human capabilities.” – Navy Seal Commander

How do successful entrepreneurs get continuous professional growth?

No matter how good one is or even if they are an expert on a particular thing, there will always be room for improvement and growth. It applies to everyone, including entrepreneurs. Each one of us has strengths that we can capitalise for our chosen fields of endeavours, as well as weaknesses which we can still work on to expand our knowledge and hone our skills set.

And when you reach the peak of success in your career, how do you ensure that you continue to grow professionally? Entrepreneurs Rick Nieuwenhoven of Nieuvision, Rob Roy Rankin of Rankin Business Lawyers, and Adam Stewart of Debt Recoveries Australia, ADC Legal and Nova Team Solutions share their experiences and learnings when it comes to pursuing their professional growth.

Experimentation in business: the risks and rewards

Taking risks is a huge part of the entrepreneurial journey. You need to invest resources, time and effort to bring your venture to greater heights, and it is guaranteed that there will be many forks on the road and lots of trial and error before you can get there.

We’ll take a look at two circumstances where entrepreneurs had to experiment in their business and take the risks to reap the rewards.

Hiring the right person is not enough, then it comes the induction process…

Hiring new staff members is crucial because it takes a lot of time and effort in introducing them to the team and your corporate culture as well as briefing them on how things are done in our organisation. It’s one thing to have a strong recruitment process where you ensure you select the right candidate and it’s another to bring that person on board to be part of the team. the Induction training puts structure and system in making sure that nothing is missed in the process of onboarding.

Lauren Staley, Managing Director of Infolio Property Advisors, an experienced collective of buyer advocates, vendor advocates & property managers, and Miguel Donnenfield, Co-Founder of Creativa Videos, an animation and video production studio, share how they train new members of the team to make sure that the new hires acquire the necessary knowledge and skills needed for the job.

An ounce of fun in your workplace to make work enjoyable for you and your team

How do you make your workplace fun for your staff? Or do you have enjoyable days at work with your team? StudioHawk Founder Harry Sanders, Etto Street Pasta Bars and Truly Deeply Founder David Ansett and Blackhearts & Sparrows Co-founder Paul Ghaie share what they do in their respective businesses to inject fun into their work environment, as well as how they care for their teams.

Overcoming self-doubt in the entrepreneurial journey

It is not at all times when business leaders are confident of themselves or of the decisions they make. The reality is that there are moments of self-doubt, which can often freeze you on your tracks. We wonder when such instances occur along the business journey, how do entrepreneurs overcome their weaknesses and move ahead towards their goals?

KHQ Lawyers Founder and Managing Director David Kelly and Lights Lights Lights Director Danielle Mastro reveal how they embraced the experience and used it to strengthen themselves.

Online training: how to conduct it effectively

To adapt to the present challenges, events like meetings, seminars, conferences and training sessions move from the physical space to online platforms with the use of technology. There are pros and cons to this scenario -- it allows everyone the opportunity to take part of these virtual sessions regardless of location, but poses some limitations on what can be done and cannot be done.

Anthony Lam, Managing Director of Punchy Digital Media, and Jeni Clift, Professional EOS Implementer and the Director/General Manager of DWM Solutions provide some tips and pointers on how you can conduct your online training sessions more effectively.

The biggest hurdle in the first 3 years of my entrepreneurial journey

The entrepreneurial path is always filled with risks and challenges. It is not a smooth ride but the journey can be rewarding. The most difficult phase is the early stage where birth pains mixed with the lack of experience can make the trials seem insurmountable. But it is also at this point where entrepreneurs can learn a lot and use those lessons as tools towards achieving their goals.

Laiken Kerr Clarke, Director at MediSound, and Cesar Aldea, Founder and Director of Aldea Consulting, share the biggest hurdle they had to surpass in the first three years of their business. Read through their stories and learn from their experiences.

Music Makes Better Entrepreneurs

How has music played in your personal and entrepreneurial journey? For some, it helps relieve them of stress while others use it to pump some energy into their day.

Entrepreneurs live busy lives as it is, which are often filled with stress and pressure from various angles. With the challenges that the current crisis brings and the uncertainty that the future beholds, they need more than ever to turn to methods and solutions that can contribute to their mental health. Music is one tool that brings energy to a lethargic mind and respite to a weary soul.

Let’s get a closer look at WeTeachMe Founder Kym Huynh, Koh Living Director Tui Cordemans, Liston Newton Advisory Director John Liston, and Marketing Melodies CEO and Founder Dean Cherny on the role music has played in their lives.

10 tips in looking after your mental health: Holding on to hope through COVID -19

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 early this year, many of us have experienced a roller coaster of emotions including fear, anxiety, anger, frustration and feelings of sadness and grief. EO Melbourne Resident Psychologist Katerina Papamarkou shares 10 tips on how to look after your mental health.

EO Melbourne members share their secret recipes for Social Media Success

EO Melbourne Members Robert Tadros, CEO of Impressive Digital; Hannah Vasicek, Founder and Director of Francesca Collections, Nathan Chan, CEO and Publisher of Foundr Magazine; and Tom Caw, Founder and Director of Untitled Group Australia cite Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn as among the top social media platforms they use in their respective businesses.

Can changing your morning routine make you a better entrepreneur? Here are some real-life experience shares.

Salt & Fuessel Director Gabriel Esseesse, Torii Consulting Director Joe Woodham, Work Healthy Australia Managing Director and Founder James Murray, and Banjo Executive Director & Co-founder Andrew Colliver share the morning routines that work effectively for them, helping them face their day and tackle the things ahead of them with energy and focus.

Leadership in the Time of Crisis

EO Melbourne Navigating Now and Preparing for Post-COVID-19

"We've aged a generation in the past three weeks. What matters has sharply come into focus. Family matters. Love matters. Kindness matters. Health matters. Generosity matters. People matter. Community matters. The rest is just noise.

Aside from physical distancing, the biggest thing you can do right now is to choose to see the best in each other. Be kind. Be patient. Be tolerant.

Be quick to help out in any way that you can. Be forgiving when you would otherwise be upset. See things through the eyes of others and try to understand where they are coming from.

Seek out opportunities for generosity. Reconnect with your community. Reconnect with yourself. Reconnect with your priorities. Live them."

- Anonymous

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought governments, businesses, and communities to a standstill, affecting lives all over the world and across all levels of society. Entrepreneurs are not spared from the adverse effects of this pandemic. EO Melbourne’s President Kym Huynh shares how the crisis has impacted the lives of entrepreneurs in Melbourne and how he, and his Board, tackled the situation head-on to both help those affected navigate through the challenges and prepare for a world post-crisis.

Successful entrepreneurs who failed in business before making it big

We see their faces and names on magazine covers, TV documentaries, business news, and in some important events past or present. They have gained fame through the success of their companies and brands, but these entrepreneurs had tried their hand on business and, at one point, didn’t work like a Midas touch.