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Realising true entrepreneurial freedom
by Jamie Lingham
As an entrepreneur, I want the benefits of not only being my own boss but also having the ability to do what I want, with who I want, where I want and when I want. After 20 years of running my immigration business, dealing with staffing issues, long nights, long weekends and time away from my family, COVID was the one to push me to take on the ultimate travel, work, and family adventure around Australia.
Mentorship: Accelerating growth by learning from others’ experiences - The Salt & Fuessel’s experience
We have always come across this quote by Jordan B. Peterson: “Experience is the best teacher, and the worst experiences teach the best lessons.” Although the hard lessons are those you experience yourself, there are ways to avoid the common pitfalls and save yourself from losing time and money by learning from the experiences of others. It can only be done if you devote enough time listening to and learning from the story and lessons of those who are ahead of you in the entrepreneurial path.
EO: A strong business support system during challenging times
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
A few years back, no one has ever imagined that we would be experiencing this tough global crunch that we have today. Every corner of the world has been affected by the pandemic, affecting many industries and economies. It is undeniable that it has also taken a lot of toll on business owners.
Mentorship Story: Reflecting from the rearview mirror to drive forward on the entrepreneurial highway
To be a better leader – this is the goal this year of James Murray, Founder and Managing Director of Work Healthy Australia. And for him to drive himself forward in achieving this goal, he recognises the value that the mentorship program is offering entrepreneurs like him, who aims for continuous personal and professional growth.
James is thankful to have Steve Sacks, Chairman of Sonnant, as his mentor because of the value that their relationship has brought to James’ professional development. “My journey for my self this year is to become a better leader, which means to become a better listener. Steve has been very helpful. Even if I've only changed 1% or 2%, I attribute a lot of that to some of my conversations with Steve because he's just such a good listener,” James professed.
3 different ways innovative entrepreneurs use cryptocurrency for their business
As the online space and financial world merge more and more and break boundaries, the interest in cryptocurrency is increasing by the minute. People looked into it as a way of boosting their financial resources. As its popularity rises, cryptocurrency has become an option for entrepreneurs to use in their business. How can it be done?
While many cannot still wrap their heads around this new concept, we tapped into the expertise of EO Melbourne Member and Nugget’s News Executive Director Ben Simpson, who shared with us his thoughts on the subject matter.
The path of entrepreneurship through acquisition
When we talk about entrepreneurship, the first thing that comes to mind is starting a company from a garage. However, there are various ways towards a successful business journey, and one of these paths is entrepreneurship by acquisition. Top-level universities and business schools like the Harvard Business School, Columbia University, The University of Chicago, and Duke University, among many others, even offer Entrepreneurship by Acquisition in their curricula.
A Reflection: EO Melbourne’s “Our Best Year Yet!”
In retrospect to the year 2020 and how it has become one of the most challenging years in modern times, EO Melbourne Past President Kym Huynh recalls how it has affected the chapter and highlights the lessons that the experience has brought to him.
“Think of that one thing that when you achieve it, will make you want to jump up on the table, pop open a bottle of champagne, and start dancing.” This was the picture that Kym painted when he wanted people to consider what needed to happen for the 2019/2020 year to their best year it. It also coincidently happened to be the EO Melbourne’s 2019/2020 theme.
Level Up Your Life
Having clarity of vision and developing the habits, tools and life-hacks to bring your BHAG into fruition this 2021 and beyond
As we leave 2020 and all its challenges behind, it is but apt to make 2021 a year where we level up our lives and set our minds to accomplish the things we want to achieve. Often, the big question is: where do we start? The “how” can be quite daunting.
To help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential and enable transformational growth in the lives of its members, EO Melbourne recently held the virtual workshop “Level Up Your Life” where OAK Journal Founder and EO Colorado Member Keith Roberts shared the tools, structure and habits
to reach one’s limitless potential through its 90-day structured OAK Journal.
Have you ever wanted to chat with a real-life hacker?
Due to restrictions on physical movements to contain the spread of COVID-19, more and more activities and transactions have moved from the physical space into the virtual space. As online transactions flourish and become more widespread, the threat to cybersecurity and privacy also becomes more prevalent.
Small and medium enterprises are not exempt from such risks and probable attacks. Concerns like these are what Adam Bennett and his team in Red Piranha are trying to address. They are white hat hackers, also known as ethical hackers, who are the good guys that break into computers and devices to test an organisation’s defence against the bad guys.
Three Qualities of a Successful Entrepreneur
Effective business leaders are those who can steer their companies and teams towards the road to success. As the path may often be filled with potholes and uphill climbs, it is advantageous if those who drive their organisations forward possess the right values and characteristics that can help them reach their goals successfully at the least possible time.
Jacob Spencer, Owner and Managing Director of Mobile Skips, cites the various virtues that he finds useful when leading a team. Among them, he names three qualities – persistence, patience and resilience – as the most significant in shaping him to become who he is today. He shared, “There are many, many traits and attributes that have helped me on my journey as a business leader. On reflection, I believe these three have been the most important and have had the biggest impact on me.”
Lessons learned from launching a VC-backed startup during a pandemic
Raising capital for a new venture can be quite daunting at this time when a global crisis has affected many lives, including businesses, markets and economies. The present situation may be quite disheartening for those who want to take their first step into their entrepreneurial journey or those with businesses who want to open a startup.
However, there may be a spark of hope as CloudOlive Co-Founder and Co-CEO Adam Ross shared, through a virtual event with EO Melbourne, his valuable experience and the lessons he learned from launching a Venture Capital-backed startup during a pandemic. Adam is now pitching for round 2 of raising capital, using the lessons he learned from round 1.
Learning from the experts: Readjusting to Life after Lockdown
Melbourne has endured one of the strictest and longest lockdowns in the world with stage 4 restrictions imposed since early August. There have been huge impacts on businesses, personal lives, and people’s general mental well-being. As restrictions have started to ease, the chapter turned to experts Joe Pane and Katerina Papamarkou to know how to readjust to life after lockdown.
Diversity and Inclusion: how do we make it become part of our corporate culture?
EO Melbourne has been into the topic and some members have shared their thoughts and tips through the article “We asked the question: As an entrepreneur, how do you practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace?” This time, the chapter invited Dr Emma Fulu, Founder and Director of The Equality Institute, and Hannah Kassay, a refugee who came to Australia 17 years ago from Eritrea, to shed more light on this issue as they shared their experiences and thoughts on how we, as a society, can do better.
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.
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.
Marcus Lethlean on the business of serving
With several businesses under his belt, one would think that Marcus Lethlean, owner of Mediport, GoodBarTrade, 4Degrees Celcius, A2b Solutions and OneSevenOne, has already mastered the entrepreneurial journey. Still, he sees himself having the need to acquire better skills to take his businesses further and serve better the people that benefit from his services. At the same time, he shares the learnings he gathered during his years of establishing and managing his ventures.
Nyree Hibberd: bringing meaning and beauty through her business
Gift-giving is part of our way of life from days old. People give gifts for every occasion, especially this time of the year when the holiday season is fast approaching. But selecting an item as a present is not as easy as grabbing anything available on the shelf or adding the first product you see online to your virtual shopping cart. It helps when you can find something that has meaning to people and society and give it to those who mean most to you. That is the core of Koh Living, the business that Nyree Hibberd and her business partner put up several years ago.
Nuggets of entrepreneurial wisdom from Harry Sanders
Work hard. Find your purpose. Step out of your comfort zone. These are the three main lessons that Harry Sanders, founder and director of StudioHawk, a Google Marketing Specialist SEO company, learned in his experience as a businessman. Harry established his company during his teens, and he found that the entrepreneurial journey is full of challenges. Yet, the hardships moulded and strengthened him to be what he has become today.
The advantages of attending conferences, talks and seminars
Not many may adhere to the thought of leaving their workspace and be with several other people, mostly strangers, to listen to a speaker. Others may prefer to read books, watch videos or listen to podcasts in the comforts of their offices or homes rather than going to a venue, which may be a bit intimidating. However, there is a great benefit in being in that space where you absorb the energy of experts and other like-minded individuals.