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Demystifying the ever-changing world of digital marketing. In every episode, we’ll bring you content and conversations designed to build clarity around digital marketing. We want to help you build a deeper understanding of how it works within your business and why it’s important that your marketing puts people first. You’ll get to know James, our deep-diving Managing Director and Jess, our many-talented Sales and Marketing Manager. Be a fly on the wall as they swap stories and fun-facts while sharing valuable marketing advice. Plus, from time to time you’ll hear from other experts within TheOnlineCo., as they share their own wisdom and experience in their particular areas of digital marketing.
Episodes
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
Wednesday Apr 21, 2021
When a series of difficult life experiences left psychologist Valerie Ling suffering from burnout - she knew it was time to get help in her business.
And so began the growth of a busy psychology practice called the Centre for Effective Living. In this episode Valerie – who’s now an expert in the treatment and prevention of burnout – tells the story of her lifelong entrepreneurship streak - and her passion to build organisations that make the world a healthier, happier place.
(This two-part series continues next episode, where Valerie shares her expert advice on burnout in business.)
***
KEY MOMENTS
03:29 - “I didn't even know what psychology was…” Valerie undertakes a double degree in Law and Psychology.
06:09 - Valerie’s entrepreneurial streak surfaces at age nine.
07:17 - By age 13, Valerie has started her own small enterprise teaching music.
08:12 – Valerie ‘meets a boy’, moves to Singapore to start a family - and begins practising psychology.
09:45 - Burnout hits Valerie, she resigns from her job and suffers a terrible grief.
13:43 - Back in Australia with young children, Valerie opens her own clinic.
16:39 - Valerie develops a regular reflective practice to maintain her own mental health and begins proactively building a healthier, more sustainable business model.
22:13 – The story behind the ‘Centre for Effective Living’.
28:19 – What Valerie has learnt about marketing.
***
LEARN MORE
- Connect with Valerie Ling on LinkedIn
- More about Centre for Effective Living
- Explore all episodes of Getting to the Heart of Business
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
When we sat down to hear the story of psychologist and burnout expert Dr Valerie Ling from the Centre for Effective Living, we had a feeling it was going to be one of our most helpful episodes yet—and we weren’t disappointed.
In this episode, (the second in a two-part series), Valerie dives into her expertise on the treatment and prevention of burnout – a path many business leaders often (sadly) travel.
Valerie’s an expert on the topic, has been given the nickname ‘Doctor Burnout’, heads up a team of therapists who help people recover from the condition, and has a passion to help leaders of all kinds to live more effective and balanced lives. Not only that, she once travelled through the valley of burnout herself – and knows first hand how it feels (and how not to go there!) Her advice is invaluable.
***
Key Moments
02:27 - Valerie shares her own burnout story: “I had a client walk in saying that I looked terrible.”
05:17 – Burnout – the warning signs.
09:52 – Steps to recovery if you’re burnt out.
11:32 – Valerie shares her Six 'R’s’ of burnout prevention.
17:04 – Avenues for affordable counselling.
19:01 – Hope for anyone suffering burnout: you can not only recover, but find a better, healthier normal than before.
21:53 – What is post traumatic growth?
***
Learn More
- Connect with Valerie Ling on LinkedIn
- More about Centre for Effective Living
- Explore all episodes of Getting to the Heart of Business
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
Phil Callaghan is a tech entrepreneur who bootstrapped his business from his own piggybank – and transformed the way the trucking industry works in Australia.
Conceived at a time when smartphones were in their infancy, Loadshift has effectively changed how truckers and shippers communicate - through what is now a very high-tech, online marketplace. It's revolutionised the way the industry works, and today, the Loadshift team have so much data at their fingertips, that they're able to see economy trends and shifts happening in real-time - weeks before we hear about it on the evening news.
But Phil's journey hasn't been smooth sailing. He hit many speedbumps on the road to success, and in fact when he first launched his business, it simply didn’t work. He's also faced his fair share of opposition in business - including personal threats, a court battle, and a long struggle to make the business financially sustainable.
Phil is an innovator ahead of the curve. His story is one of determination and grit which highlights the fact that if something doesn’t work first time, tweak and try again!
***
KEY MOMENTS
4:08 - Phil gets his start in the family agriculture business - and notices a gap in the transport industry
9:42 - How it all began: “I’m a tech entrepreneur who bootstrapped his business.”
12:41 - “As a business owner, you’ve gotta find your tribe, your group of followers.”
15:39 - Failure to launch. What next?
18:11 – What does sustainable growth look like?
21:45 – Time for a price rise.
24:22 – Changing life for the ‘little guys’ in business.
26:06 - Phil and the Loadshift team face one of their biggest battles.
31:48 – Impact of 2020 border closures on the industry.
34:17 - Phil and his business undergo a major identity shift.
***
LEARN MORE
- Connect with Phil Callaghan on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-callaghan/
- More about Loadshift - https://www.loadshift.com.au/
- Explore all episodes - https://theonlineco.net/getting-to-the-heart-of-business/#podcasts
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
It’s the perfect story of a Stay at Home Mum with a hobby that goes viral. But peek behind the beautifully curated Instagram feed to hear about the real-life journey which has taken Wild Indiana from a back bedroom operation to a national brand.
It all started with a play gym made by Laura’s husband, Luke. With nine months maternity leave ahead of her, Laura began selling a few on Instagram.
Then she happened upon a certain silicone baby's bowl, and entered the importing game.
When Covid hit and an Instagram influencer shared a post, Wild Indiana went viral - reaching seven figures and a social following of over 34,000.
Laura’s story of courage, tenacity, and a heart to help other mums - is incredibly inspiring.
***
KEY MOMENTS
03:48 - Laura discovers her knack for selling on Instagram, before the rest of the world catches on.
07:46 - A new product range enables Laura to support and encourage mums, while building a successful business.
12:17 – Laura enters the world of importing and overseas manufacture.
13:00 - Sales triple when an influencer shares an Instagram post – and Covid helps online purchases to soar.
17:00 - Time to move house. The back room just isn’t big enough for this growing business!
19:31 - After a few kinks along the way, Laura is grateful to the forgiving customers who have stuck with Wild Indiana through the growing years.
22:17 – From a painful experience, Laura reshaped her business.
24:00 - Laura shares some tips for Instagram marketing.
29:29 - When the rubber hits the road, Laura revisits her motivations, and her idea of success.
***
LEARN MORE
- Connect with Laura Turner on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wild_indiana/
- More about Wild Indiana - https://www.wildindiana.com.au/
- Explore all episodes - https://theonlineco.net/getting-to-the-heart-of-business/#podcasts
Sunday Mar 14, 2021
Sunday Mar 14, 2021
The story of Steve’s business, Right Property Group is a classic story of diving in the deep end.
As a respected authority in the Australian investment property game, Steve makes regular appearances on TV and in print and is known as an industry pioneer.
But the way he started out in property investment, is quite surprising.
He was on track to continue in his family’s beef export business – until he met a girl (now his wife) - who was a successful property investor. Never afraid to put “skin in the game”, Steve switched career paths, and took the dive - to focus on investment.
What’s incredible about Steve is – even though he’s seen over a billion dollars cross his desk having negotiated over 5,000 property deals, he doesn’t lose sleep at night worrying about all those zeros. That’s because he clearly knows his industry inside out—and he also knows more than a thing or two about running a successful business.
Steve shares with searing honesty about his wins and losses, and how he learned the hard way, that greed and ego are often at the root of failure.
***
KEY MOMENTS
03:03 – Growing up, Steve knew he was destined to be in business, learning from his father who ran a beef export company.
05:50 – He wheels and deals in high-stakes property – but Steve is a low-risk taker.
08:20 – Everything changed the day Steve met a girl…
10:03 – “Patient and tactically aggressive” – the qualities that have made Steve a good investor.
13:43 – Steve’s first investment property – he admits “greed and ego” got in the way
21:07 – Lessons learnt during the Global Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 crisis.
23:54 – A chat about media, social media, and market forces.
26:28 –Right Property Group specialises in an emerging industry called buyer’s advocacy.
28:44 – Industries like real estate and digital marketing are full of ‘sharks’.
34:18 – When do you let go of an unfruitful enterprise? Steve shares his thoughts.
***
LEARN MORE
- More about Right Property Group – https://rightpropertygroup.com.au/
- Find Steve on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-waters-474aa129/
- Explore all episodes – https://theonlineco.net/getting-to-the-heart-of-business/#podcasts
Monday Mar 08, 2021
Monday Mar 08, 2021
If you’re writing an action-drama novel, and you need a great storyline, you might look to the fascinating life of Roger Vertannes for inspiration.
Growing up the youngest of 10 kids, Roger learnt that if you want brand new football boots, you’ll have to work for them… and so at the tender age of 12, he joined the family business.
Since then, his journey has been full of adventure: wheeling and dealing in the Middle East; starting up a national franchise in the UK; immigrating to Australia and reinventing himself as a business broker. Now, he’s in demand advising other business leaders, through his work as a Certified EOS Implementer™️ at Leadership Counts - using a unique set of tools called the ‘Entrepreneurial Operating System’. In our interview, Roger opens up about some of the toughest lessons he’s learnt in business; what happens when you don’t watch your balance sheet; and the great rewards that come when you know your values - and run your business by them.
***
KEY MOMENTS IN THIS EPISODE
03:22- The youngest of 10 kids, Roger starts learning about business as a 12-year-old.
07:22 – At 17, Roger joins the family export trade, and finds his niche in the Middle East.
11:55 – A crushing blow in the family business leads to some serious soul-searching.
16:24 – With his brother, Roger starts a business that changes the face of sports education.
22:58 – ‘Team Elite’ is a roaring success – until they hit cash-flow issues.
27:10 – A plan begins to form: shape up, sell up – and leave the country!
29:00 – Roger immigrates, with a mix of “What the hell am I doing?”, and a deep a sense of ‘calling’.
31:20 – Landing in Australia, Roger is confronted by a lot of closed doors.
33:30 – A famous cricketing family gives Roger his first break.
37:31 – Roger explains EOS – the ‘Entrepreneurial Operating System’.
41:48 – Advice for business people who are feeling ‘stuck’.
43:34 – The struggle is real: balancing business life and family life.
***
BOOKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Drive by Daniel Pink
- Traction by Gino Wickman
- Good to Great by James C. Collins
- Free Downloadable EOS Tools at eosworldwide.com
***
LEARN MORE
- Connect with Roger Vertannes on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogervertannes/
- More about Leadership Counts - https://leadershipcounts.com.au/
- Explore all episodes - https://theonlineco.net/getting-to-the-heart-of-business/#podcasts
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Monday Mar 01, 2021
When we turned up to interview Josh Nicholls at Platinum Electricians HQ, it felt like we were stepping into a trendy Silicon Valley tech-startup.
It’s full of bright, ultra-modern décor; there’s inspirational slogans on the walls, and a buzz of motivation in the room. It’s a long way from Josh’s days as a young apprentice electrician, facing up to workplace bullying. He now heads up around 300 employees with franchises around Australia, and having a happy and thriving workplace culture is one of his highest values.
In our interview he shares some of the keys to his success - as well as his biggest challenges, how he survived COVID-19, and what’s kept him going strong for close to 20 years.
James and Jess then explore some of Platinum’s marketing strategies – like their 21-Point Customer Experience checklist – and share tips on finding your own USP.
***
KEY MOMENTS
04:07 – Leaving school at 15, Josh’s electrical career got off to a rough start - in an apprenticeship where bullying was common. But the experience had a silver lining.
06:15 – Josh’s first day as a business owner – “I’ll never forget the new car smell”.
08:05 – Growing as a business leader - “I learnt to leverage off others”.
12:35 – The difference between Leadership and Management.
17:17 – To grow a business you need to have humility and hand responsibilities over to others.
19:11 – Josh explains his “wow” principle: wowing his customers with “Crazy Customer Service”
21:53 – Establishing your business’s Culture and Values.
25:46 – For Josh and his wife their “Why” is to be a blessing to others, through a charitable Foundation.
28:30 – “The first million is hardest” – Josh explains why.
30:18 – Josh's toughest times in business, and how he navigated Covid-19.
33:54 – Work life balance – how Josh achieves it.
41:46 – James and Jess discuss how to develop a USP in your business.
***
BOOKS MENTIONED BY JOSH IN OUR INTERVIEW
- 'The E Myth – Why Most Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It' – by Michael Gerber
- 'Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action' - by Simon Sinek.
- 'Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose' – by Tony Hsieh
***
LEARN MORE
- More about Platinum Electricians https://www.platinumelectricians.com.au/
- Platinum’s 10 Core Values - https://www.platinumelectricians.com.au/about-us/
- Explore all episodes https://theonlineco.net/getting-to-the-heart-of-business/#podcasts
Friday Feb 19, 2021
The Story of a Famous Aussie Snack: Karen Lebsanft, Kurrajong Kitchen - Ep 5
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Karen Lebsanft is a business powerhouse.
She's the woman behind Kurrajong Kitchen, the Aussie snack brand famous for their Lavosh crackers, first baked at a little restaurant in the foothills of the Blue Mountains - and now found in supermarkets across Australia.
Karen has won awards in Australia and the USA, she’s appeared on Foxtel's Industry Leaders TV Series, and is in demand as a speaker and business couples mentor.
In our interview at Kurrajong Kitchen HQ (where we may or may not have pocketed some of those iconic crackers), Karen shared countless gems of wisdom learnt through nearly 30 years in the business.
You’ll hear some of the keys to the company’s growth – like customer care, and a tireless commitment to quality. You’ll also learn how they’ve made it through several crisis moments – including droughts, recessions, a pandemic…. and a giant face-off with Arnott’s.
James and Jess wrap up with some digital marketing tips, such as monitoring what your customers are saying about you online.
***
KEY MOMENTS IN THIS EPISODE
03:20 – Karen takes us back to 1993, to a little restaurant in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
09:29 – Growing a network of buyers was hard yakka – one supermarket at a time.
12:00 – Big brands came along wanting to buy Kurrajong Kitchen out.
12:59 – Every business has to deal with some element of risk. Karen’s risk profile is high.
14:42 – Kurrajong Kitchen’s resolve to stay all-Australian became crucial when COVID-19 hit.
17:12 – Karen opens up about some of the mistakes and lessons learnt through her 28 years in business.
18:40 – When Arnott’s came out with a similar product, Karen thought she would lose everything.
23:09 – In 2012, Kurrajong Kitchen faced a major crisis.
29:20 – Karen shares some of her keys to resilience and stress management.
32:00 – Brand isn’t just about logos, colour and design. It’s also about reputation and quality.
34:17 – How Karen’s childhood experiences shaped her future.
36:30 – Karen now spends a lot of her time mentoring other couples in business.
37:49 – James and Jess discuss brand consistency; and share tips on social media marketing.
***
LEARN MORE
- Karen Lebsanft mentors couples in business and is an in-demand guest speaker. Find out more at www.karenlebsanft.com.
- Explore the Kurrajong Kitchen range of products at www.kurrajongkitchen.com.au.
Sunday Feb 14, 2021
Sunday Feb 14, 2021
If you’re in a business partnership, and it sometimes feels a bit like a marriage – then you’re not alone!
That’s how Kirsty Farrugia describes it, in this fascinating interview about her business, The Art of Decluttering. It’s a professional organizing co, run by Kirsty and her business partner and long-time friend, Amy Revell. Together they also host a highly successful podcast of the same name.
In her interview, Kirsty shares about the massive journey of personal growth she’s been on while working in the partnership – including both the struggles, and the great rewards.
She also gives us a fascinating insight into the powerful emotional ties people have with their clutter—and what happens when you’re in a client’s home, an “landmine”explodes…
***
KEY MOMENTS IN THIS EPISODE
03:43 - She may be a professional organizer, but Kirsty admits she was once a chaotic “red hot mess”!
07:51 – Feeling restless as a stay-at-home mum, Kirsty took a leap of faith. The story of how the business began.
14:17– It’s an ironic moment when two pro-declutterers, realise their business is rather… cluttered!
16:04 – Anyone in a business partnership will agree – it’s not easy! Kirsty talks about the personal struggles of letting go, and making room for someone else’s wishes.
23:12 - Relationship before profit, Generosity: two of the values at the heart of Kirsty’s business.
25:24 – A thriving Facebook Group has been a key to the Art of Declutterings’s success.
26:11 – “Landmines” – a unique hazard of the decluttering profession.
31:23 – Kirsty talks about her great passion for helping people find freedom.
35:00 – Is it possible to ‘declutter’ your business? We ask Kirsty for her advice.
39:28 – James and Jess talk about the business strategy of identifying gaps in the market.
43:09 – Using Facebook Groups as a business tool.
***
LEARN MORE
Find out more about Kirsty and her work at www.theartofdecluttering.com.au.
Monday Feb 08, 2021
Monday Feb 08, 2021
The growth of Limcora Group is a great Aussie success story. Starting as a little family plumbing co handed down from father to son, it's now grown into a major player in the construction industry with more than 60 staff, working on major development projects in Sydney and interstate.
James caught up with the two couples at the head of the business, Evan and Amy Graham, and Alex and Natalie Nelson, and it was a revealing insight into the highs and the lows of running a complex, multi-faceted company.
The team, affectionately labelled in their WhatsApp chat as the 'Awesome Foursome', share some of the keys to their growth, the challenges and tensions they’ve faced together – and how two couples can run a big business together and still stay the best of friends - (they even go on joint family holidays!)
***
KEY MOMENTS IN THIS EPISODE
03:47 – At age 21, Evan Graham snapped up the opportunity of a lifetime - and found himself managing a team nearly all older than him.
06:24 – The guys explain how diversification has paid off for Limcora.
10:10 – Alex Nelson shares how he handled being “the new guy” when he first joined Limcora - and the mindset that helped him to grow the business.
13:07 – The more staff you have, the more complexity in your business. We discuss the challenges of managing a large team.
14:44 – Alex shares the story of a young plumber who left with a poor attitude - and came back a different person.
18:15 – We ask the team how they work as a management team made up of two couples.
19:21 – A chat with the 'Awesome Foursome' about work-life balance, and the pressures of juggling business and family.
27:27 – Evan and Alex share about some of the toughest times they've faced, and the hard lessons they’ve learnt about stress management.
***
LEARN MORE
- Limcora Group are plumbing and drainage contractors based out of the Hawkesbury in Sydney's West - https://limcora.com.au/