Your Local Business Network - Gold Coast Region

16/04/2024

🚀 Exciting News for Business Owners! 🚀
I'm thrilled to announce the release of my new eBook: "Leveraging ChatGPT for Sales and Marketing Success"! This guide is packed with insights on how to integrate ChatGPT into your business strategies to boost efficiency and innovation.

🌟 As a special offer, I'm giving away FREE copies to a few lucky business owners! Want one? Simply comment "YES" below and I'll send you the download link.

Don't miss out on transforming your sales and marketing with the power of AI. Claim your free copy today! 📚✨

01/03/2024

🌟✨ I had the pleasure yesterday to sit down with the incredible Tassia Tsiros to unravel the story behind her sensational new online clothing venture, Siross! 🛍️💖

Picture this: It's 2023, and Tassia finds herself in the enchanting embrace of Greece, basking in the warm sunlight with her son. As they indulge in a delightful breakfast on Syros Island, a vision catches Tassia's eye—a stunning dress adorning a woman in the boutique across from their café. Unable to resist the pull, Tassia ventures into the store and instantly falls head over heels for the brand Greek Archaic Kori, they are exquisite handmade and embroidered dresses, each crafted with love in Greece (she left the store with 4 of them!).💕

And just like that, the spark ignites! Tassia finds herself dreaming of a way to share the magic of these stunning garments with the world. With unwavering determination, she embarks on a journey to bring the essence of Greece to the shores of Australia, her homeland. 🌊👗

Oh, the wonders that await you at Siross! 🌟 From the intricate detailing to the timeless elegance infused into every thread, these dresses are more than just garments—they're an ode to tradition, a celebration of culture, and a testament to the enduring spirit of Tassia's Greek lineage. 💫

Embark on a journey through time and tradition at siross.com.au, where the magic of Greek-inspired fashion awaits. Let your wardrobe become a canvas for storytelling as you embrace the allure of Siross! 🛍️✨

Visit the store - Sirros.com.au
Follow on Instagram - siross_boutique
Follow on Facebook - Siross

20/02/2024

I had the pleasure of catching up with Kylie Maclachlan from RendezVou Beauty Emporium in Hope Island yesterday. Kylie is an inspirational business owner who first started running a small nail salon in Hobart at just 17 years of age.

For the last 8 years, RendezVou Beauty Emporium has been delighting clients in our community. Specialising in a myriad of treatments including the revolutionary Builder in a Bottle nails, flawless waxing, sun-kissed spray tans, and rejuvenating facials. RendezVou Beauty Emporium sets the standard for exceptional customer experience.

At the heart of RendezVou Beauty Emporium beats Kylie's unwavering belief in the transformative power of exceptional service. She understands that by prioritising the needs of her clients and fostering genuine connections, she's not just building a business—she's cultivating a community of loyal patrons who return time and time again, not just for the treatments, but for the experience.

As a devoted client of RendezVou Beauty Emporium for over 2 years, I can attest to the magic that Kylie and her team create. My nails always look fabulous thanks to Kylie and her beautiful team!

But the story doesn't end here. Kylie is now embarking on a new chapter in her journey— In late March, Kylie will be opening a new salon in Main Beach. Located at Shop 10, 12-14 Tedder Ave, gloGLAM Beauty Boutique is poised to become the crown jewel of Main Beach's beauty scene. With Kylie at the helm, I have no doubt that gloGLAM Beauty Boutique will carry on the legacy of RendezVou Beauty Emporium, offering unparalleled service, luxurious treatments, and unforgettable experiences to all who walk through its doors.

Facebook: Rendez Vou Nail and Beauty Bar
Instagram:

09/10/2023

25/11/2021

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

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

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

19/07/2021

Get to know Rosalyn Wilson!

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

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

07/02/2021

Turning your passion into an innovation and a business that brings delight to the consumer is a dream for many and is what Dylan Rickit, Director of The Laughing Pug Aus Coffee Company has managed to achieve.

An ex barista, Dylan spent four years working on the oil rigs in Papua New Guinea, it was here that he came across the amazing (and somewhat unknown) PNG coffee beans that grew throughout the country. His love for the coffee was so much that he would spend hours with his mates banging the beans through pillow cases so that they could drink it…oh and that there was no other way to get a coffee

Upon moving back to Manly in Sydney as a barista and pouring 200-300 coffees per day Dylan didn’t forget how good the coffee beans from PNG were and was struggling to find any coffee anywhere that was up to par with what he had experienced overseas.

Then, in 2016 while visiting family in New Zealand his cousin Richard showed Dylan the super clever coffee drip bags from Japan that he had come across which were designed to hang over your cup using origami techniques…remembering the love for the PNG coffee and the people there, they knew by combining the two, they were on to the beginning of a very good idea.

The brand The Laughing Pug came from the Latin phrase for pug - ‘multum in parvo’ which means ‘much in little’, the individual drip coffee bags are representative of this term and it’s a great talking point! Their original coffee drip bags clients’ include boutique hotels, throughout Australia and their coffee beans are found in many different cafes across the country.

Richard decided to launch the business in New Zealand but it didn’t go so well, so they decided to bring the product to Australia and launch the business out of their garage, get a contract roaster in and start where many great brands start…at the Burleigh Markets.

Selling at the markets was pretty archaic to their set up now, they literally filled the little drip bags by hand using a cut off plastic bottle as a measurer (which they still have framed on display), to taking their first few big orders, getting into the Earth Markets and now have 12 staff producing a ton of coffee per month out of their Burleigh location.

Rick is still in NZ, in 2020 they bought in a new partner and director Marina who is also in NZ and helping lead the team into a global distribution model.

The coffee is a seriously amazing concept and a great tasting one too. If you need a proper coffee on the go, or just love coffee then hit these guys up at...
www.thelaughingpug.com.au