Your Local Business Network - Southern Gold Coast

25/11/2021

I had the pleasure of catching up with Gary Reid from Showtime Entertainment Group the other day, have a read of how to get from A to B without letting anything get in your way. 👊

Being clear on your vision, fearlessly backing yourself, taking action and being aware of the risk makes Gary Reid, Director of the Gold Coast’s iconic Showtime Entertainment Group a very fun and inspiring human.

With Gary it’s not just the destination that makes this story so interesting but rather, the journey on how this born entertainer (who I grew up with) got from there to here.

Gary started recreational water skiing at the ripe old age of 13 and it was behind the back of his friend’s parents’ boat on the Molongolo River in Canberra. What he didn’t know at the time was that it was the beginning of a lifelong passion that would take him around the globe as a professional water skier, entertainer and ultimately, create a platform to showcase his creative genius.

Life, like business isn’t a straight line, it is littered with pivotal moments and Gary has had many including losing his beautiful older sister Michelle in a car accident when he was aged 16.

Ten days after the family tragedy, Gary travelled with his school up North to Queensland and to the Gold Coast where he watched the ski show at SeaWorld for the first time in his life and it was at this moment Gary realised what he wanted to do with his life. So, instead of moving on with his school group to the next attraction at SeaWorld, he snuck down the back dock, jumped a fence, ignored the ‘Do Not Enter’ signs, approached a skier from the show and boldly asked what he needed to do to be part of the entertainment.

Equipped with a list of tricks to learn given to him by the skiers in the show, Gary went home and told his parents that he was going to become a trick ski entertainer at SeaWorld. Always full of support, Gary’s parents said no worries, just make sure you have a trade under your belt first….No worries, Gary worked hard for a few years finishing his apprenticeship in carpentry while at the same time immersing himself within the skiing community and mastering the skills from the checklist he was given and more.

At the age of 19 Gary received his qualification as a carpenter the same day he started his first show as a skier at SeaWorld, then the following year he moved to America to continue his professional entertaining career with the best skiers in the world, travelling also to Europe and Malaysia.

Water skiing wasn’t the only extreme sport Gary was engaging in, while still working as a carpenter he was also caught up in the emerging Freestyle Motor Cross (FMX) sport and in
2000, the ring master for the Canberra Show asked Gary if he had any ideas for entertainment for the show, tongue in cheek he said “fill it with water and we’ll ski on it”.

Obviously that wasn’t going to work but what did was a morphing what Gary had been doing on skis overseas and blended with what he and his team could do on bikes he created Showtime FMX, a jaw-dropping extreme FMX show, with never seen before entertainment that sent the crowds crazy.

This extreme energy show with Gary at the helm saw him full time hustling to all the Royal Shows, Fairs and events growing to a massive 136 days a year at its peak of traveling all across Australia to entertain the revved up crowds.

Sadly in 2010, Gary lost his best mate to illness, it was at the wake he realised he had achieved everything they had set out to do, except live on the Gold Coast and provide a full time live show in a theme park. So the night after his best mates funeral he told his wife Amanda, they were moving to the GC.

Four years later Gary secured the contract with MovieWorld to provide the Hollywood Stunt Driver 2 Show, which he still holds today. Five years later Gary’s vision was complete when he signed the contract with SeaWorld (where his career started) to deliver the brand new Thunder Lake Water Skiing Stunt Show.

Now with 42 staff, Gary’s office and workshop Factory 33 is a destination site in itself, holding a massive collection of BMX bikes, MX bikes, custom cars, skateboards, classic cars, a Coca-Cola café and the fully fitted out Kustom Garage where they service their gear and also build custom vehicles, bikes, unique activation concepts and more.

Gary also holds major contracts with Repco to deliver some of the most creative marketing solutions for the group with interactive crowd activations, customised vehicles and one off builds that will blow your mind.

Gary is not your average human, his level of creativity is pure genius and it shows in everything he delivers, it’s the little things, the ability to deliver the unexpected and create lasting relationships that have made him a fabulous Gold Coast success story.

So, if you are cruising at the Bathurst 1000, the Gold Coast 600, MovieWorld or SeaWorld, keep an eye out for Gary and say hi.


https://www.showtimefmx.com/
Instagram

29/09/2021

Putting your heart and soul into your passion has been the focus for Stella Ladikos founder of Meraki a mental health training business designed to bring practical skills to the workplace in aid of mental health support.

Stella started her mental health advocacy as a community support volunteer back in 2015 when she was still in year 12 at her local Headspace Centre. Naïve to issues around mental health, her dream at the time was to become a media star and feature in a Coca Cola advertisement, she didn’t realise how diametrically opposed her outcome would be.

Through her experience Stella witnessed su***de attempts, depression, psychosis as well as the effects it had on the community and decided the only way she was going to stop people from falling in the river was to go to where they were falling in, so she started her business.

The word Meraki is derived from the Greek language and loosely translates to doing something with heart, soul and passion, a fitting name for Stella and what she has created.

Meraki, delivers face to face as well as blended evidence based education for all industries, community groups, schools and peer to peer support. They deliver mental health first aid, su***de prevention and stress management strategies through training with accountability, the sharing of stories, and understanding mindful language, all with the belief that there is so much power in the individual.

Meraki is a Mental Health Australia accredited trainer, if you would like more information on how you can help improve your organisation or the mental health of the greater community, get in touch with Stella.

Merakimhtraining.com.au

30/08/2021

Here’s a great example of a family business run across two generations in an industry that has copped the brunt of Covid and got back up again…thanks partly, to a stockpile of toilet paper.

Meet the Townsends, Joy, Sarah, Peter and Jay, a family with over 40 years combined experience in the resort management industry, genuinely good people and owners of Resort Supplies , a company servicing the procurement and interior design needs of the hotel, resort, apartment, commercial and also private accommodation industry.

Originally from WA, Joy and Peter had managed resorts in the West before moving to Coffs Harbour to manage…...Resort, it was there that a 16 year old Sarah showed up one day to start an employee traineeship and ended up marrying Jay, Joy and Peter’s Son and becoming one big happy resort loving family, with the rest being history.

Resort Supplies opened its doors 15 years ago, it was a natural progression for the Townsends, with their roots firmly planted in the industry they knew what was missing in the market, understand and speak the language of their clients, enabling them to provide a full end to end advisory service.

In the 15 years of trade, Resort Supplies has experienced the ups and downs of the hospitality industry, adapting where needed and like most hospitality businesses, were impacted by the Pandemic…except for toilet paper sales. Thanks partly to a pot of good luck, Resort Supplies had a huge mountain of toilet paper, sanitisers and dispensers in their warehouse and according to Joy, she satirically recalls, the revenue from that alone kept the business afloat.

Resort Supplies really is a one stop shop for all things hospitality but that doesn’t necessarily mean commercial. Although they are well versed in managing the needs of the big end of town such as the Q1, Wave, Rapsody, Rydges and more, Resort Supplies also loves to give the same service to private residential, small investors and accommodation businesses, so much so that they have opened a new business servicing the needs of the residential customer called Coastal House.

Combined, Resort Supplies and Coastal House supply and style for indoor and outdoor furniture, furnishings, curtains, blinds, Manchester, artwork, consumables, restaurant, kitchen, washroom, in-room…you name it, they do it all with old school values and customer service.

So, if you’re in the hospitality game, or maybe in wanting to decorate your home, get in touch with the Townsends.

www.resortsupplies.com.au

23/08/2021

When your values lie in continuing to support local businesses and local producers you know you will have a healthy community growing around you.

This has proven true for Manny Barea, long time owner and operator of FoodWorks and Your Organic Pantry Burleigh, an independent grocery store at the top of busy James Street, who strives to keep local producers on the shelf, front and centre of the consumer.

Born in Spain and arriving in Australia at the age of four, Manny grew up in Wollongong and spent 20 years of his working career in corporate roles for Pizza Hut, managing 15 stores and grateful for the opportunity to experience and manage the complexities of operating multiple businesses, managing time, prioritising projects, systems and checklists.

In the mid 2000’s Manny was asked if he would move to the Gold Coast to manage the Pizza Hut stores up here, the decision was an easy one and even better, through work, Manny met his wife Barb. Together they proved to be a formidable team, working hard and getting great results but the decision to start a family meant they needed refocus and that’s when they decided to get into business for themselves.

Many good businesses started in the GFC, and Your Organic Pantry was one of them, they have lived challenging times already and know how to deliver service and value. What I found makes Your Organic Pantry really stand out is their devotion to supporting small business and the community, from employing young kids through traineeships in retail management, to event days where loyal customers are treated to discounts and local producers get to showcase their products.

Your Organic Pantry products include a wide selection of food and products from around 50 local suppliers from Byron to the Bay Shire and all chosen to support the varied needs, healthier options, at the most affordable price for their very wide customer base.

You will find a huge range of local organic, vegan and naturopathic products, supplements, fruit, veg on top of the mainstream range of food and even items for the kitchen.

If buying local and supporting local is important to you then make sure you shop at Your Organic Pantry Burleigh.

Need help? Give them a call on (07) 5535 2505 and the team will happily help you out!

Check out Foodworks here https://foodworks.com.au/stores/burleigh-heads

11/08/2021

Done and dusted 👊 Business Continuity Webinar was a hit yesterday full of practical tools focusing on the right things to move the business forward.

Join me next week Tuesday 12.30pm for Communication Intelligence....remember there's no charge, it's on the house 🙌

https://bit.ly/37ylTj7

07/08/2021

NO CHARGE WEBINARS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS👇👇
You are invited to a series of 5 COMPLIMENTARY business owner WEBINARS designed to help navigate, support, refocus and overcome some of the challenges we are currently facing in business.

Join one (or all) of the webinars listed below. They'll be held via Zoom and are an opportunity to learn and share with like-minded business owners.

The Menu:

👉Business Continuity Planning - get clear on what your immediate action points are along with a plan for coming out on the other side. 4pm Tuesday, August 10th.

👉Communication Intelligence - Learn to control the environment you can control, to improve the culture and mindset of your team, especially when faced with challenges. 12.30pm Tuesday, August 17th.

👉Upsize Your Sales - Sales person or not, running our own business requires us to make sure the sales are coming through. This workshop gets you focused on implementing sales systems that work for you and for your customers. 4pm Thursday, August 26th.

👉Maximise your Profits - Whether you love numbers or shy away from them, this practical workshop gets you focused on what's important, how to work it out and make the most of this time. 12.30pm Tuesday, August 31st.

👉Scale Your Talent - For business owners growing their team. Whether you're getting ready for your first hire or your 100th, this will get you step up for success. 4pm Thursday, September 9th.

All workshops:
✅ 90 mins, will start on time.
✅ Include a workbook and action plan so you can implement straight away.
✅ Free for all business owners.

We want all business owners to make it through this lock down and come out ready to thrive on the other side. If you, or a business owner you know could do with some extra support, we're here and ready to help.

Want to come along but can't make the date, or just need to have a chat? Let us know and we'll help you out.
🙌
Book through Eventbrite here: https://bit.ly/3xpqzm5

19/07/2021

Meet Rosalyn Wilson, a top 100 women in construction, Director and Principal Environmental Scientist of Wilson Environmental Compliance, a local and very progressive business servicing the construction industry in the areas of environmental compliance and adherence to legislation requirements.

Rosalyn’s career started in her early 20’s working on construction sites as a building inspector for a Sydney council, issuing fines for environmental breaches such as water pollution, noise, dust and non-compliance with Development Consent. Being one of the few young women in the industry in the late 1990’s, it came with its all-too common challenges and harassments forcing her to leave and move into environmental science and public health for a while.

Fast forward to 2018 and after holding Council roles in science, compliance and education, Rosalyn founded Wilson Environmental Compliance using knowledge of both the construction industry and Council requirements to facilitate best practice environmental outcomes. Rosalyn’s passion to empower women to feel confident working in the construction industry is a huge focus which she undertakes by supporting women’s platforms that encourage diversity and promote opportunity in the construction industry.

Rosalyn is totally comfortable pushing boundaries and is emerging as an authority in the ongoing concern of PFAS contamination and environmental legislation. Her unique positioning, having worked in construction as well as her knowledge of environmental legislation, keeps her focused on positive outcomes for her clients through environmental management plans, contaminated land issues, soil/water quality and of course ensuring the regulators requirements are satisfied along the way, creating a win-win outcome for everyone.

The scientists, engineers and environmental consultants at Wilson Environmental Compliance work alongside top-tier construction companies, builders, contractors and small developers to ensure their works are practically balanced with all environmental compliance requirements, are on time and consider all restraints and restrictions faced by their clients, to help them get on with their job of construction.

To get in touch with Rosalyn and her team go to http://wilson-compliance.com/

04/06/2021

If you’re not a fan of having creepy crawlies doing their thing in your home, business…or worst still eating it, then I suggest reading on because I was fortunate enough to have a lengthy chat with Shaun Harding, owner of the very well-established pest control business Pest King.

Pest King has been treating residential and commercial buildings for termites and pests here in the Gold Coast since 1975, a decent length of time in anyone’s books.

Originally a country boy from … Shaun joined the military in 2005 and served in the Army for four years in the airborne infantry outfit, serving i Iraq and the Solomons where he was a lead scout tracker. It was extremely intense, and he learnt the lesson of how to work across all different personalities, cultures and the strength of teamwork.

Upon leaving the military Shaun realised within three days (and washing everyone’s cars) that he needed to find something to do so he started work as a pest technician with his mate who was the original owner of Pest King. A few years down the track and the opportunity to purchase the business with an extensive database attached to it presented itself and Shaun decided to purchase the business from his mate in 2012.

Pest King has a team of seven, they do all things pest control, termite inspections, pre purchase residential and commercial inspections, and pre-construction. Their technique is very detailed, they focus on excelling in the areas of investigative, problem solving solutions to determine where the problem is coming from, not just what the problem is and, if required, will undertake invasive inspections to ensure their client’s properties are safely removed from the problems of pests.

Shaun is a pretty young bloke for this industry, he loves the dichotomy of working with his clients, helping them and capitalising on his natural drive to solve problems.

If you need any building treated or checked for termites or pests, get in touch with Shaun and the team at Pest King.

www.pestking.com.au

10/05/2021

Hey all, I've decided to take part in the Vinnie's Sleep Out on the 17th of June, so for one night, I'll be sleeping outside to raise awareness and bring home the realities of homelessness.

I don't camp as a general rule, so this will be something different for me and genuinely uncomfortable...there is no tent, no roof...just a cardboard box and a sleeping bag, I'm expecting it to be a pretty challenging experience.

For those who know me well, you already know my position on homelessness and the people affected...for me it is a big deal and I ask for your support to make a small contribution towards this cause that is collectively, as a community all of our responsibility.🙏

Your support will help the St Vincent de Paul Society empower more people to get off the streets and into stable accommodation. Vinnies provides counselling, education, health and employment services to help people to lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty.

Every donation is meaningful. Just fifty dollars can provide a whole family with a warm, nutritious meal this winter. Together we can combat homelessness in our community. Please help me raise funds today! The impact of your generosity will be felt well beyond the 17th of June.

This winter, I'll be raising money for people experiencing homelessness in my city. Click here to help me have the biggest impact I can by supporting the Vinnies CEO Sleepout today. Your donation will help the St Vincent de Paul Society provide housing, food and empowering support to the people who....

26/03/2021

I had a very interesting conversation recently with Darren Bartsch one of the founding partners of Barrana – a company whose purpose is to us software and technology to solve business problems and help business owner become more efficient, effective and profitable.

Born in Loxton 300km from Adelaide, Darren played footy for the SANFL in Adelaide and then Melbourne with Essendon before starting a Jim’s Mowing business during its first year of inception as a franchise. Jim’s was a top job for a 21 year old (even if he’d never mowed a lawn before) and even though he loved it, he moved off to Darwin in 1997 to manage property at the MGM Grand.

Skip forward to 2004 and with a small family in his care, Darren decided to teach himself how to build websites, it wasn’t long after that he met his business partner and they moved into the consulting space building software and websites for businesses.

Today Barrana is thriving, their focus is on building web based and non-web based apps, with a specialisation in blockchain technology. The benefit to blockchain is the removal of the middle man in the transaction process which works particularly well in the supply chain space, finance, real estate and energy providers.

Barrana is currently working on some large projects building efficiencies in the in the healthcare space by creating time dated stamped documentation systems using blockchain, this interestingly alleviates errors and ambiguities within the system, supporting both the healthcare provider, staff and patients.

Darren is an extremely kind man, his genuine curiosity, interest in solving problems and love of people keep his passion for his work well and truly alive.

If you have an idea you want to bring to market, or you just feel like changing the world (for a good cause)☺️, get in touch with Darren and his team.

www.barrana.com.au