EO Melbourne Members who were recognised in 2020 for their outstanding achievements

The year 2020 is perhaps one of the most challenging times due to the current global crisis that everyone is experiencing. Yet, amidst the sullenness that the pandemic may have brought upon us, some shine bright, inspiring and encouraging us to keep on and face the difficulties with optimism and determination.

Among them are entrepreneurs and companies that have been recognised by various institutions and organisations in their respective industries for the hard work and brilliance they have shown through their businesses.

2020 SmartCompany Resilience Awards

Since its inception in 2007, SmartCompany has been paying tribute to the fastest-growing SMEs in the country through its Smart50 Awards. While it took a break in 2019 and was bound to come back this year, present circumstances have stirred it to change tracks and recognise companies that have exhibited the knack for problem-solving, flexibility and rebounding from disappointments. Thus, the first-ever SmartCompany Resilience Awards was conceived.

There are four categories: Adaptation, Community, People and Agility. Five businesses were shortlisted per category and one of them was announced as the winners by a panel of judges. Work Health Australia, founded and owned by Dr James L Murray, bagged the top position in the People category “for its focus on keeping its team connected and productive during Victoria’s multiple lockdowns.”

Other shortlisted businesses by EO Melbourne Members are Arosh Fernando’s Woohah Productions and Mark Calabro’s HungryHungry under the Adaptation category.

TEMI’s 2020 Australasian Mobile Workforce Awards

The Employee Mobility Institute (TEMI) introduced the Australasian Mobile Workforce Awards in 2019 to give merit to those who excel in the talent mobility industry, ranging from talent management to HR, employee engagement, remuneration, taxation, relocation, mobility, immigration, diversity and inclusion, corporate travel or housing, and other disciplines related to this field.

The Award Program acknowledged individuals, teams and initiatives in the industry at a local and regional level. Twelve awardees were honoured in this program; three winners each for the Leadership Excellence Awards, Business Advancement Award, and Employee Engagement Awards; and one awardee each for the Employee Mobility Champion of the year: Highly Commended Award, 2020 GMP1 Outstanding Achievement Award, and 2020 GMP1 Highly Commended Award.

Jamie Lingham, Global Immigration Lead of Absolute Immigration, is hailed as one of the Employee Engagement Awards Winners. “Receiving The Employee Mobility Institute’s award for Wellbeing Initiative of the Year for 2020 was a huge honour, especially given the impact COVID has had on the mobility and immigration industry. With passenger arrivals to Australia down by 99%, our objective was to keep the team engaged and employed while retaining the investment and corporate memory of the business. We know that the investment made in employee wellbeing will pay dividends into 2021 and beyond!” he said.

ARN Women in ICT Awards 2020

The Women in ICT Awards (WIICTA) was launched in 2012 to honour the accomplishments of female innovators and leaders who have played notable roles in the local ICT industry.

This year, over 110 individuals were included in the final shortlist in the following categories: Entrepreneur, Rising Star, Shining Star, Community, Technical and Achievement. Under the Shining Star – Partner category, Jeni Clift of DWM Solutions is among the finalists. The Shining Star awards are candidates that have eight or more years of experience in the ICT industry and have significant feats in a flourishing profession, as shown through milestones and successful projects.

“I was thrilled to be recognised within my industry as a Finalist in the category SHINING STAR – PARTNER of ARN’s Women In ICT Awards. I am familiar with the calibre of women who work in this industry and am honoured to be included amongst leaders who are making a difference!” Jeni expressed.

Ragtrader’s The Power 30

Every year, Ragtrader, a publication that comes up with news, features, analysis and opinion on Australia’s clothing, footwear and accessories sector, celebrates people in the industry that have innovated and created a remarkable impact in eCommerce, retail and design.

This year, among the influential fashion traders that made it to the Power 30 list is Lee Munro of Munro Footwear Group. Its productive partnership with suppliers, especially with the challenges that 2020 has brought, has helped them overcome obstacles in inventory.

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Congratulations to all business leaders who have been recognised this year and cheers to all entrepreneurs that have braved the proverbial storms and painstakingly led their teams through the crisis. You all deserved a pat on the back for all your efforts to navigate through the current situation.

Books by EO Melbourne Members

Our society is now mostly driven by electronics and gadgets to make things get done faster and easier. However, we often get too caught up with so many things we see on TV, online or on smartphone apps. It’s sometimes refreshing to go offline and enjoy other simple things that can fill your mind and senses with great inspirations, especially by reading books.

With that, we are recommending these great reads authored by EO Melbourne members. These are books written by entrepreneurs that contain lessons and tips, which you can bring with you to your business and entrepreneurial journey.

Culture Is Everything

Culture Is Everything is the story and system of a start-up that became Australia’s best place to work. It is about the entrepreneurial journey of Tristan White, Founder and CEO of The Physio Co. His quest to creating an inspiring place to work has led him to years of learning and building an approach, testing it and refining it until he has developed the Culture Is Everything system. How do you create a strong culture in your business or team? You will find the answers in this book.

The New Way of Doing Business

In this fast-changing world, trends can alter drastically and markets can be fickle at times. As a result, doing business is now different from how it was before. With his experience advising businesses, BNR Business Accountants Director-Franchise & Business Services Jason Bertalli shares the new way of doing business.

The Attraction Tradie

Edward Clark, Director of Gallant Plumbing, wrote The Attraction Tradie in 2017 for young tradespeople that want to build and grow their business. It points out the common challenges that tradies experience and provides relevant and real solutions to various aspects of managing a trade business. This includes marketing, finance, communications and leadership.

Keeping Retail Alive: Navigating Through COVID-19 and the Changing Retail

Business partners Tui Cordemans and Nyree Hibberd, the Founders of Koh Living, about their experience as a retail company during COVID-19. As the world, including the retail industry, changes due to several factors like the pandemic, retailers have to be up-to-date and ready to transform and innovate to endure the challenges and prosper. The book also touches on discovering your purpose, brand personality and personal goals for your retail business. It also provides several tips, especially on the financial aspect of retail.

Your Dream Life Starts Here

Founder of kikki.K Kristina Karlsson shares her story and the valuable lessons she’s learned from her entrepreneurial journey through this book. The book also has simple proven tools as well as powerful ideas that can help you make your dreams into reality. Along with the book is the Dream Life Journal, designed as a workbook for Your Dream Life Starts Here. Other books by Kristina are:

• Dare to Dream Big: Your Dream Life Starts Here Series, Book 1

• Follow Your Passions: Your Dream Life Starts Here Series, Book 2

• The Power of Purpose: Your Dream Life Starts Here Series, Book 3

• Visualise Your Dream Life: Your Dream Life Starts Here Series, Book 4

• From Dreaming to Doing: Your Dream Life Starts Here Series, Book 5
  
  

The Australian Tax Pitfalls of Administering an Estate with International Connections

This book by BNR Partners Managing Director Ian Raspin is a valuable resource and guide for Australian Estate Practitioners. It contains tools to better understand the complexities of estates, assets and tax issues, especially with offshore properties or residents. Other books by Ian Raspin are:

• Taxation of Deceased Estates for Estate Practitioners

• CGT on A Deceased Residence – A Tax Minefield

• The tax obligations of a Legal Personal Representative

• Tax After Death: Essentials for Executors
  
  

Retail Sales & Customer Service - Volume 1: Getting Retail Service Right!

Written by RetailCare Founder Carlo Santoro, this book is helpful to younger individuals who are building a career in online and bricks & mortar retailing. It covers sales principles and fundamental concepts of customer service in retail, which are useful for those employed in the retail service industry to prepare them before venturing onto the sales floor. Through this book, one can learn more about product knowledge, store presentation, occupational health and safety, competitor analysis, working with a team and other factors that can affect sales success. The book also has a Volume 2 that provides a comprehensive guide to Point of Sale (POS). 

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What other books can you recommend to read this holiday season? Drop your suggestions at the comments section below.

What quirky hobbies do entrepreneurs have?

Hobbies can help an individual learn new things, acquire additional knowledge, declutter the mind, bond with people who share the same interest, and warm the heart. Hobbies are beneficial to the physical, mental and emotional well-being of a people, especially entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Intriguingly, some entrepreneurs have quirky hobbies, showing us their fun side that we do not get to see most often. Here are some of the interesting pursuits of EO Melbourne members that they do when they’re not on their laptops or immersed in their business.

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is the leisurely pursuit of Cesar Aldea, Founder and Managing Director of Aldea Consulting.

According to Cesar, “I started kitesurfing back in 2007 when I arrived in Australia. I love it because it keeps me fit and takes my mind away from any pressing problems, allowing me the time to reset and come back to it with a fresh mindset.”

Flying a helicopter

Getting into the air is also a penchant of Honeycomb Strategy Managing Director John Bevitt. “I started learning to fly a helicopter last year when I turned 30,” he declared.

“It was something I've always wanted to do. My wife bought me a trial flight for my birthday and I absolutely LOVED IT. In terms of what I love about it - it's the feeling of seeing something familiar from a new perspective, looking down over Melbourne and seeing so many familiar places. Just the freedom of flying in a 3d space and being able to move in any direction (compared to a plane for instance) is simply wonderful,” John shared.

Growing cacti

“I love cactus for some weird reason,” says Andrew Colliver, Executive Director and Co-founder of Banjo Loans. He explained, “My interest commenced on visiting our happy place in Sorrento and there was a massive cactus garden against a Mexican-looking wall. It was further reinforced on a trip to California 2 years ago. Each variety is so unique; they can be very tricky to plant and some sting like crazy – and they grow so slowly. Patience is required, a virtue I lack.”

“Some varieties have incredible flowers growing from a hostile-looking plant. They appear to be the adaptive masters of growing and surviving in a hostile environment – the poster child of a weird individual combined with resilience. And unrealistically, I somewhat expected a dinosaur to suddenly appear one day and start munching on them which would just cap off a great day,” Andrew said.

Stacking books

WeTeachMe Founder and EO Melbourne Past President Kym Huynh stacks books. “You would be amazed at how many options or variations are possible,” he remarked.

“I find the art of stacking books both meditative and cathartic. From the endless variations (all vertical, all horizontal, half up/half down, sort-by-alphabet, sort-by-colour, sort-by-size, sort-by-genre, sort-by-author and the endless combinations thereof, including but not limited to combining with art, photo frames filled with pictures of loved ones and cherished memories that instantly transport one to moments of pure unadulterated joy, and objects discovered in strange and foreign lands) to conscious choices in symmetry or asymmetry (perfect if one feels a sense of anarchy or looming irony), stacking books perfectly combines art in its creativity and expression and organisation in the structure of carefully-selected or curated books.”

“In this sense, I find that it mirrors life quite beautifully, and I'm sure there are theoretical links to leadership here in that it requires both creativity and structure for one to be effective and free. In actuality, I'm just practising leadership in each corner of the bookshelf or coffee table. That's what I'll just keep telling myself. Stacking books is practising life in a safe and contained environment where it is OK to fail or make mistakes,” he reflected.

Collecting and restoring Saab cars

“I collect Saab cars and restore the classic 900s,” shared James Murray, Founder & Managing Director of Work Healthy Australia. “I started doing it about a year ago,” he continued. “Once, I had a head-on collision in a Classic Saab 900 and walked away. If I had been driving my Ute I would have had a much worse outcome!”

“I drove Saabs for many years after that but stopped when they went under in 2011. Last year, I realized that SUVs were not for me as I missed my Saabs too much. Since then it’s all Saabs! I have two of the wagons that I use for work and they are both crazy fun to drive,” James revealed.

Paragliding

A sports enthusiast and Executive Director of Sports Tech World Series, Johann Odou is into paragliding since 2012/2013.

“There is something magical about flying. Learning to operate in a different world, one where you go up, down, left, right, forward and back. It's a pretty special feeling to be able to look down on birds flying,” Johann quipped.

Collecting chess sets from the USSR

Rankin Business Lawyers Principal and Founder Rob Roy Rankin has a fascinating hobby. “I collect chess sets with a focus on sets from the USSR.”

Well, if one is a chess enthusiast, why not collect sets from the land of the chess champions? Chess and Russia have a long history together as it is believed that their rulers were partial to this game.

Rob recalled, “I started collecting chess sets back in 1991 when I made my first visit to the USSR. Chess was such an enormous part of Russian and soviet culture in the 20th century and the variety of chess sets produced in that period is incredible. So much of the nation’s culture and history can be gleaned form each set and every piece of each set is a small work of art.”

pinball machines

Dylan Smith, Founder and Managing Director of Rubix, found pinball machines cool. “I started only two years ago and now, I’ve got fifteen of the beautiful creations.”

What makes him take interest in pinball machines is that “I love every tiny little aspect of it. I strongly believe it is the ultimate example of lessons on how to run a global long term business using some of the most complicated and advanced skill sets, whilst keeping a diverse global customer base happy and screaming for innovations, but then complaining when the machines deviate from their definition of pinball.”

He added, “Disciplines include software engineering, mechanical engineering, game theory, manufacturing, pricing, global distribution, support, innovation, sound, lighting, theme licensing, cost of goods, fussy customers, theme integration, storage, business operations, artwork, tournament management and world ranking algorithms plus lots more!”

Cooking new and interesting food

Of course, there are also hobbies that we may find simple, yet relevant in the current situation. For Ben Stickland, Founder and CEO of Alliance Software, he found his interest in preparing food for his family. “I'm enjoying cooking as a hobby, works well in lockdown. Every weekend, I figure out at least one new meal and cook it. My goal is to transition our family to new & interesting food, and a few months in it is working well. It works for me because my wife and children all love food and so it's allowing us to explore new meals together,” he shared.

While most of his growth as an entrepreneur comes from the people he interacts with, many of which are from EO, he finds personal and professional growth through the readings that he does. Still, cooking provides a different kind of value. “Cooking is about an escape. It's a small, completable project. Often as entrepreneurs, we're working on big things that sometimes don't have clear finish lines. When I cook a meal, it's done. Delicious or disgusting, it's done,” he added.

There are many other hobbies out there that entrepreneurs can be involved in and benefit from. What rare or quirky hobby do you have that is not on the list above? Share with us why you enjoy it through the comments section below.

EO Melbourne events during the first half of 2020-2021

It is halfway through the 2020-2021 term, and amidst all the challenges of lockdown and other restrictions, EO Melbourne has endeavoured to provide various avenues for its community of entrepreneurs, as well as their families, to grow in their journey.

A well-attended Mentorship Program Launch and Online Training.

Despite events taking place virtually, it didn’t stop the chapter from coming up with interesting, informational and enjoyable activities that are beneficial to its members. Here are some of the online events that have happened for the last six months:

Learning events

Committed to providing opportunities for personal and professional growth and development to its members, EO Melbourne has lined up several learning events online that could equip them with tools and additional knowledge.

This included webinars and Zoom calls with experts and business leaders who shared their experiences, lessons learned and insights to the EO community. These virtual talks featured the following speakers: Jeffrey Cole (The Coronavirus Disruption Project), Dr Emma Fulu and Hannah Kassay (Diversity and Inclusion), Austin McChord (his entrepreneurial journey), Joe Pane and Katerina Papamarkou (Readjusting to life after lockdown), Adam Ross (Launching a VC-backed startup during the pandemic), and Adam Bennett (In conversation with a “White Hat Hacker”).

There were also member-led virtual events such as the “Building Brands that Last” with Andrew McKinnon and the “Influencer Marketing” with Hannah Vasicek. There were also various online sessions with the chapter’s Strategic Alliance Partners like Airwallex, BlueRock, EOS, and Evans & Partners.

Moreover, it was a successful Mentorship Program launch and online training that saw the participation of 27 pairs of mentors and mentees.

Socials and family events

Apart from the learning events, EO also organised social events to provide fun and light moments for the members and even their families.

There were virtual wine tasting nights where participants and their partners enjoyed a thing or two about winemaking while exchanging stories over bottles of wine. It was an entertaining and magical day for parents and kids as they learned new tricks from Australia’s greatest magician, Cosentino, during the EO Academy of Magic.

With the absence of physical gatherings, EO came up with catch-up events, such as the Chat Roulette and Needs & Leads, that allowed members to get to know one another and lend support to each other.

APAC events

The EO Asia-Pacific region has also put together several webinars and special interest virtual events for chapters within the area. The APAC Celebrity Webinars featured the likes of Marc Randolph of Netflix, Jack Daly, Dr Angus Hervey and Tane Hunter of Future Crunch, Bhutan's former Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Starbucks Coffee Company International’s former president Howard Behar.

Meanwhile, the EO APAC Inspiring CEO Series took participants through the entrepreneurial journeys of Globe CEO Ernest Cu, Jindal Steel & Power Limited Chairman Naveen Jindal, Taylor's Education Group CEO Dato' Loy Teik Ngan, and Flight Centre Travel Group co-founder and CEO Graham “Skroo” Turner.

Apart from these activities, forums within the chapter continued to meet-up online. As restrictions are now easing after lockdown, some activities and events move towards the physical space. Although there is a face-to-face interface, safety measures and protocols are still strictly observed.

The calendar year 2020 is almost coming to an end and a new chapter in 2021 is about to unfold. Despite the challenges, EO Melbourne remains true to its mission of supporting entrepreneurial education by supporting the needs of the 360° entrepreneur through business, family, community & personal experiences and offering world-class learning events, skills-specific workshops and a venue to exchange business stories that can help its members learn and grow.

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Do you need this kind of support in your entrepreneurial journey? Check out here on how you can join and be part of EO Melbourne.

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.

Speaking to the EO community, Adam shared his knowledge and experiences with regards to cybersecurity, the realities and risks that are present in businesses as well as the struggles in building and running a business.

He began hacking as a hobby and has an intensive experience in professional management, especially in the security and risk management industry. He first talked about how hacking has begun and how it played a crucial role in hacktivism.

However, the influx of cybercrimes and cyber-attacks have disrupted many businesses that led to the closing down of ventures, especially SMEs. With more and more industries connected to the network and relying on digital technology, it is inevitable for online problems to increase. Adam sees two major challenges in countering such setbacks:

1. People don’t know where to start. Many businesses think that having an antivirus is enough to shield their online assets from possible attacks. However, these antiviruses can only protect a small percentage of the business. Professional help is needed to safeguard the remaining percentage.

2. Marketing. Promoting and campaigning for products and services, such as cloud services, before putting defence structures in place can expose businesses to risks. A good network design is needed to address such hazards.

Network architecture is built for office structures to defend a company. But the onset of COVID where many work-from-home arrangements are currently done, the cybersecurity landscape for businesses has changed as it provided many doorways to an organisation’s system.

As problems and threats evolve throughout the years, cybersecurity measures have also improved through technology and companies that help lessen the risks to one’s business. However, it was not an easy path for Adam and his business. While providing the solutions to cybersecurity problems, he also had to build his venture and ensure its longevity.

The entrepreneurial journey is like a rollercoaster ride and the first struggle he had to surpass was communicating a concept when the concept was not thought of before. They have to make people understand and accept a new idea. The second struggle was buy-in as more people want to invest in technology than on the business side.

Notwithstanding such challenges, Adam pressed on and continued to pursue his vision for his company and his mission to help SMEs. He is proud of their mission-driven culture as his teams endeavour to serve their clients.

It is important to have a full grasp of the risks and opportunities that technology may bring to your organisation. It is better to always consult with an expert and seek help when needed.

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How are you protecting your business from cyberattacks? What challenges have you encountered in your entrepreneurial journey? You can share your story by emailing communications@eomelbourne.org.

Partners in advancing entrepreneurs and their businesses

One of the benefits of being a member of EO is having access to the products and services of its Strategic Alliance Partners and being able to learn from them. As many businesses are struggling to get back on track due to the global pandemic, EO Melbourne and its partners provided virtual events to support those in the EO community during these challenging times.

Airwallex: Simplifying the challenge of doing business globally

Expanding one's business globally is not an easy feat, but the challenges can be easier to overcome when you have the right tools, people and partners at your fingertips. Through a virtual event, Airwallex Partnerships Manager Justin Huang discussed how their company can help businesses in their expansion and in managing their finances in their respective markets and around the world.

Their online session also touched on how businesses could set up bank accounts overseas and eliminate necessary FX costs. Moreover, a virtual demonstration of the Airwallex platform allowed participants to better understand how they can use it for their businesses more efficiently. As there are many details attached to operating a business globally and expanding to various countries, the discussion enabled online attendees to have more thorough information on how to go about it and the particulars involved in doing so.

BlueRock: Employee Share Options Plan and Startup Concessions

Attracting to and retaining good people in an organisation are not easy things to do for every business. Business owners come up with various rewards schemes and incentives for their people to stay motivated and perform well at work. However, one of the common misconceptions among startup entrepreneurs is that they can simply give equity away to key employees in recognition of all the hard work they’ve contributed to the business over the years.

As there are risks and resources involved and there’s a better way to do this, experts from BlueRock explained the various types of Employee Share Options Plans (ESOP) and their importance to one’s business. Their BlueRock Expert Panel composed of BlueRock Accounting Director Paul Evans and BlueRock Law Senior Associate Jeremy Goldman, along with BlueRock Group CEO Bruce McFarlane moderating the virtual event, talked through the process and how it can be done effectively. They presented the employee share scheme (ESS), various ESS options, and the particulars of the ESOP.

EOS: Getting a grip on your business

Created 18 years ago, EOS -- defined in the book TRACTION: Get A Grip On Your Business by Gino Wickman -- is a complete set of simple concepts and practical tools that have helped thousands of entrepreneurs around the world to get what they want from their businesses. EOS helps leadership teams to clarify, simplify and achieve their vision – and get traction. It is simple, but fundamentally changing the way a business operates can be hard.

Recently, certified EOS Implementers Martin Quinn introduced the vital Six Key Components of a successful business and demonstrated how the proven EOS Tools could strengthen them. The workshop enabled participants to do an organisational check-up and learn how to use the EOS model and tools in improving the different aspects of an entrepreneurial business and bringing discipline and accountability within an organization. The Six Key Components in the EOS model are:

• Vision

• People

• Data

• Process

• Issues

• Traction

Evans and Partners: Investment opportunities for businesses

At a time of a global pandemic, political uncertainty and record-low interest rates, some people are having doubts if there are opportunities found in the stock market. Through a virtual session, Evans and Partners Executive Director, Senior Investment Adviser Paul Benveniste and Evans and Partners Investment Adviser Glen Pearce provided general information and ideas on investment and illustrated how they work with their clients on an on-going basis.

This members-only event covered Evans and Partners’ views on the market and the opportunities they provide. Paul and Glen also walked the members through the process of getting started with them and responded to queries related to their presentation.

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If you want to become a Strategic Alliance Partner of EO Melbourne, you can enquire how through this page. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy the benefits of having access to these partners and other opportunities within EO, you can join and be part of this global community.

President's Update - November

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

Finally, we’ve reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

Businesses are opening up again. We’re able to socialise and connect in the flesh.

It feels like a huge weight has been lifted, doesn’t it?

It’s because humans are social creatures. We seek belonging and we seek understanding.

And it’s why we’ve all been pulled to join EO and be part of this community.

As much as it has been great to connect online, the time has come for us to come together and spend time face to face (socially distanced, of course).

So enjoy reconnecting with your forum buddies in person. Make an effort to grab a coffee or lunch with other EO members.

And of course, we hope you’ve RSVP’d to one of our most anticipated events for the year - our EO Melbourne Christmas Lunch. It’ll be the perfect way to cap off the year with great chats with good company and there’s sure to be some good laughs!

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

Three Qualities of a Successful Entrepreneur

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.”

Persistence

“Having started my working life flipping burgers at McDonald's, I was exposed early on to the stories of Ray Kroc and his successes (and failures) in building the McDonald's brand late in his working life. Ray’s consistent and persistent drive to succeed, regardless of the hurdles, failures and unexpected setbacks, was inspirational. When problems arise, and they initially seem impossible to navigate, having the faith to persevere and persist and believing in our goal has helped ensure I keep moving forward and leading the team through uncertain times,” he remarked.

Patience

According to Jacob, “This one goes hand-in-hand with persistence.  A couple of years ago, I accepted that if I truly wanted a business that ran without my operational input and daily direction, I needed to invest the majority of my time in developing the team and the systems, then have patience in waiting for the outcome. This has been the hardest lesson, as many times my lack of patience has led to a setback—in the heat of the moment, when I see the solution I can’t help myself but to jump in and take over, eroding the hard-won progress already made.”

Resilience

“The last 6 months have thrown more at us than anytime I can imagine.  And, what's more, there is no delineation between the impact at home and in business. Recently, I heard someone reflecting on tough times, ‘without darkness, there is no light and without sadness, there can be no happiness’.  Difficult times are guaranteed, but so are the happier ones afterwards. Facing problems, recognising difficulties and enduring them have helped me realise that we are all much more resilient than we think and that I’ve still got a long way to go,” he acknowledged.

When faced with challenges and difficulties, Jacob finds that having persistence, patience and resilience enables him to meet them head-on with confidence and determination. These and many good qualities are necessary for those who aim to achieve their goals and reach the peak of success.

What positive traits do you want to build up in yourself? What characteristics have you found helpful when taking the entrepreneurial journey? Share your thoughts below.

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.

It all started when Adam received from a friend a link to Antler, a global early-stage venture capitalist (VC) that enables and invests in the world’s most exceptional people, defining companies of tomorrow. Through this startup incubator, Adam met his co-founder earlier this year, and they both founded CloudOlive, a single place for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to discover, purchase and optimise the SaaS solutions they resell to their customers. Since incorporating in April, they have raised funds for capital and are in the process of launching a minimal viable product to pilot customers. 

To participate in this funding process, Adam and other accepted applicants went through a 12-week program and training wherein they would find a co-founder, validate a problem area, get as much traction as possible, and have an opportunity to pitch to possible investors. What they usually look for in founders, as Adam noted, are technically-minded people, those with a commercial mind, and the main experts. These qualities and the ability to execute ideas are often chosen during the process.

One of the key factors for a successful pitch is good preparation. Adam and his co-founder had to come up with hundreds of possible questions before the pitch to ensure that they have diligent answers to everything that will be asked of them. They assigned topic questions to each other so that it will be easier to respond to queries during the pitch. It is also best to keep those answers short and concise.

Throughout the experience, Adam realised that raising money is a full-time job. He found that trying to close in the first call is never going to happen. For most VCs, what they care about is future traction. “Securing a VC is almost like securing a user for your product in some regard. They need to fit the exact intersection of where you are and what you’re offering,” he stated.

From the first phase of the program and going into round 2, Adam learned that it is better to ask diligent questions to investors early on. Such questions can be:

• Talk us through your last 3-4 investments.

• How long did they take to come about?

• What revenues were they at?

• What’s your follow-on strategy?

• If you invest in us now, how hands-on do you want to be in the business?

It is good to speak to their portfolio companies as well to be able to gain an understanding of what they are like when things are not doing well. Adam believes it is important to have this information because having a VC is like a marriage where both the founders and the investors have to make the partnership work and enjoy the returns.

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EO Melbourne organizes learning events like this where Members and those within the EO community can find nuggets of information, knowledge and wisdom that can help them in their entrepreneurial journey. EO Members also join lots of benefits that can further their development as entrepreneurs and help them with their businesses. To be part of EO Melbourne, you can check this page on how to join.

Persistence and dedication to business: the difference between success and failure

“The more I practice, the luckier I get.” – Gary Player

This inspiring quote from golf legend Gary Player has taught Canopy Fitouts Managing Director Karl Simity about the need to work hard to be able to succeed in one’s endeavours. “Creating space that is perfectly fit for the user is what drives me. Sometimes there can be multiple roadblocks to creating a space that suits. However, finding the perfect solution is what I pride myself on,” he declared.

Karl started his business 5 years ago and managed to turn it into an 8-figure business in four years. “And I have never looked back. I love every part of it, from inspiring clients to working with my amazing team, as well as the exciting projects and stories of success that we get to play a small role in,” he shared.

According to Karl, “There are many different ways to create beautiful things, but from an early age, I decided to follow my passion for construction and people and make office fitouts my career. I’ve been lucky enough to live and breathe fitouts for half my life and I’ve seen just about every aspect that goes into a fitout.”

Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, Karl learned that one cannot just achieve success overnight. Several factors facilitate entrepreneurs to reaching their goals. “You need to have a product or service that has a good market fit. You need a good business plan. You need start-up capital,” Karl enumerated.

Having these conditions are essential, but it is also important to have the right attitude and mindset towards business. He added, “You need to accept that you won't always get it right. Most of all, you need to be okay with not having the answers. It doesn’t matter how many entrepreneurial or business fundamentals you get right. It will never guarantee success. But there is one thing that will always be key – you need to stand up, you need to hold your head high and you need to get on with it.”

Karl further shared, “I’ve worked on the ground getting crucial hands-on experience. In design, it is challenging thoughts and boundaries of what is achievable, and in management, it is overseeing projects from inception and site selection to relocation.”

“You have to do the work, put the hard yards in and turn up every day as your best self, being ready to tackle the challenges head-on. There is always going to be someone smarter, faster and someone with more experience, but you have to be the one willing to work the hardest. Your persistence and dedication to your business is the difference between success and failure and the difference between good and great,” he remarked.

The reward can be quite satisfying for him as it motivates him to take the extra mile. “Seeing people happy in their new space and using them as designed drive me to continue to challenge myself to come up with smarter, more inspiring solutions and alternatives to ensure I can deliver the perfect fitout.”

Karl recognises that there are high points and low points in the entrepreneurial journey. But what matters is that he keeps moving forward until he gets to his goal. “You won’t always get it right, but it’s about getting up doing the work and putting the time in. That’s why ‘The more I practice, the luckier I get.’”

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What entrepreneurial lesson have you learned in your journey? Share them with us through the comments section below.

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.

An expert in human behaviour with a degree qualified in psychology and sociology, Joe Pane acknowledged that “there are a lot of realities that people have gone through that are very extremes. Some people had a tough time losing money, losing relationships, losing businesses and some unfortunate tragic circumstances where lives have been lost as well. At the other extreme, some businesses have been booming and doing well.”

With a healthy appreciation and respect for people’s experiences and what they have gone through, he elaborated on how to handle the realities of people, which are unique for everyone. One of the key points that he touched on was focusing on what we have, which is gratitude, without denying what is happening around us. When business leaders manage themselves this way, they can manage their teams more effectively because they can see more clearly when they’re in touch with gratitude.

“And that’s when you can start bringing in even more certainty, even more warmth and even more connection to your interactions every day if you’re running a team or dealing directly with customers or clients,” he said.

Joe added, “Hope, along with gratitude, is one of the simplest yet most powerful focus points in our lives.” It is helpful to come up with small rituals that people can look forward weekly and raise their spirits. This can be done by learning something new like a musical instrument or online course, getting involved in a new hobby or designing small events in your schedule like pizza night every Friday. He called this micro-hope. From that, people can create macro-hope that will help them get to the next stage by looking forward to something in the long-term, such as travelling to other places or getting together.

Katerina Papamarkou, EO Melbourne’s Resident Psychologist with over 25 years of experience in organisational consultancy roles, pointed out that “there is a wide range of different responses to what’s been going on so there have been several workplace challenges.”

What she has noticed was that as workplaces have started to think about going back to work, people experience anxiety on how going back to work will look like for them, since this whole thing is still novel. Some of the challenges for organisations and businesses are the social distancing requirements, travelling to and from work, and maintaining records for contact tracing. What businesses can do are to:

• Ensure safe and healthy practices

• Manage different attitudes and expectations

• Think of financial considerations

• Do contingency planning

• Care for the mental health and well-being of their team members

She remarked that people are experiencing lockdown fatigue and anxiety so it is important for organisations to lend support and talk it over to those who are going through these challenges. She also reiterated the need for compassion and empathy for those who are experiencing difficulty during these tough times. Since there are shifts in context, choice and control, it is normal to have a range of psychological reactions to an abnormal situation and it is important to acknowledge these various thoughts and feelings.

It helps to be mindful of such realities, to focus your attention on values and goals, and to know what is most important to you and what you need to let go. You can do this by putting things in perspective, taking precautions and minimising risks, and taking action according to your goals.

Finally, both cited open communication as the best approach that can help organisations and their members readjust to life after lockdown. Knowing the concerns of those in your team and discussing possible solutions can be a huge comfort to them. Although there has been a huge shift in people’s lifestyle due to the pandemic, things will eventually come to pass. However, to get through this and be able to cope through the changes happening within and around us, it is noteworthy to be mindful of one’s own as well as of others’ thoughts and feelings, accept these realities, and acknowledge them.

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When you join EO Melbourne, you will have access to these learning events, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and other benefits that can help you in your entrepreneurial journey.

How to brainstorm effectively

Ideas are necessary for every business, whether it’s for product development, administrative matters, management or marketing. Having a safe environment and doing healthy exercises can cultivate concepts into creative outputs are significant to a business venture.

Brainstorming is one way to collect, bring together, sift through and improve on all the creative thoughts our team members may have. The question is: how do we do it efficiently? Premier Technology Solutions Pty Ltd CEO Matthew Beesley shares with us his experience and tips on how to conduct brainstorming effectively.

Brainstorming for your business

By Matthew Beesley

There are many tried and true methodologies and frameworks for enabling teams to brainstorm ideas. From mind mapping to round tabling, these methods are useful for finding innovative ways to solve problems.

As a business stacked full of engineers, we are rarely short of solutions or suggestions. One thing that’s clear to a business with 'all the answers' is just how easy it is to solve the wrong problem or problems that didn't need solving in the first place.

So how do you know if you're solving the wrong problem?

Firstly, separate the emotion

Problems generally come to the table as a result of a catalyst, often via a high-profile client or staff member. It's important to first separate the emotion and status tied to it to measure the true weight of the situation.

Secondly, understand the impact

It's almost impossible to have a truly effective brainstorming session without first understanding the impact. What is the cost of doing nothing vs. the potential gain of the 'perfect solution'. Something with limitless potential should be brainstormed without financial or resource constraint. Likewise, a problem with limited upside should have a narrower scope, allowing for conclusions to be reached quickly and efficiently.

Third, always ask 'why'

As the saying goes, "sometimes the problem is just the symptom of another problem". It's important to drill down several layers by asking 'why'. Questions like "why do we want this opportunity?" and "why will that help us?" will eventually lead to an underlying need or desire that could reshape your entire approach to a situation.

Bringing it all together

Dealing with the above ensures that round table discussions or other brainstorming techniques can have the most impact. Asking 'why' provides a purpose. Understanding the impact defines a scope. Finally, separating the emotion removes bias and enables true creative thought.

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Different businesses may have unique problems or needs that may require brainstorming to solve or address them. The tips above may be able to guide you on how to go about it properly so that you can make use of your time, effort and ideas proficiently.

If you have other tips to add, please feel free to share them at the comments section below.

Diversity and Inclusion: how do we make it become part of our corporate culture?

In times of social unrest, it becomes more critical for founders and leaders to dive deeper into diversity and inclusion within their organisations.

With recent events across the world bringing systemic racism and inequality to light, it is more important than ever to be upholding diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The worst thing any organisation can do right now is to do nothing.

But where do we start? How do we navigate the topics of diversity, inclusion, and equality with respect and do it right? How do we communicate about this with our team and our customers? How do we become more aware of our unconscious bias within our HR, marketing, or daily operations and address them effectively? What steps can we take to ensure long-lasting diversity and inclusiveness is part of our company’s 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.

Emma talked about her personal experience coming from a family of diverse backgrounds. Growing up, she has received undue treatment from people who have perceived her as different from them. Since she found herself wanting to address injustice and inequality, she then pursued a career that enabled her to do this.

She became a researcher, social entrepreneur and one of the world’s leading experts on equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls. Her groundbreaking research has been featured widely in international media, including on BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, and Huffington Post, and published in high-level academic journals. She is also a representative on the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Council on Women’s Equality, co-Chair of the Gender and Rights Advisory Panel of the World Health Organization, and a member of the Lancet Commission.

Eventually, she founded the Equality Institute, a global feminist agency working to end violence against women and girls with the ability to combine world-class research with creative communications.

For companies who want to uphold diversity and inclusion in their organisation, Emma stated that it is best to communicate with honesty and humility, to listen to team members, to acknowledge areas for improvement on this aspect, and to take further action that can create long-term impact. She recognised that there is no quick solution to ensuring equality in companies, but a good approach is to have a diverse recruitment process to more targeted groups, which may require more time and effort.

Hannah, on the other hand, shared her journey from her childhood in Eritrea to her move to Australia. “When I came to Australia as a refugee, ZERO was the only way one could describe my starting position. Without knowing English or having any real formal education, it was only power of will, utmost dedication on a daily level, and continuous personal growth that made me into what I am today - a businesswoman with a deep awareness of what it takes to convert ZERO to ONE,” she revealed.

She started her company, ACS Cleaning Melbourne, from scratch with zero income and built the business into a trustworthy resource that it is today through old-school perseverance, dedication, and customer-obsessed approach. Today, her business has 10 franchises and growing, with plans for expanding nationally.

Throughout her journey, when she has come to realise that she was different from everybody else, Hannah began to educate herself. Later on, she developed self-esteem and saw her value as a person. “Diversity comes from within,” she remarked, and equality is something she regards as self-responsibility. For her, diversity and inclusion in any organisation must be a genuine effort where the leader or CEO explores what it truly means to be different and conducts open communication about it. She also pointed out that embracing diversity will also nurture the creativity and growth of an organisation.

Through her business, Hannah extends an opportunity for women and those who are marginalised to reach their goals through franchising. At present, she does some public speaking and organises workshops and mentoring sessions for everyone interested in hearing and learning about the principles that proved their value and soundness during her whole career. “I have a special interest in empowering underprivileged women and youth, helping them find their place in a global business ecosystem,” she stated.

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EO Melbourne comes up with webinars and learning events like this that helps entrepreneurs look into various social issues that may be beneficial in growing their business and developing their organisation.

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.

“I grew up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in Africa. Rhodesia was and still is a third world country, which means there is a lot of poverty. My father was a pharmacist, so whilst we were not wealthy, we were comfortable,” Graeme shared.

He recalled his childhood days and how he would enjoy it with his family. “When I was 6 or 7 years old, we, as a family, would have a big outing for the week and go to the movies on a Sunday night. This was a big event because in Rhodesia at the time, we did not even have TV (yes, think about how lucky I was to grow up without TV).”

However, one incident was ingrained in his mind and brought a valuable lesson that he still carries to this day. “On this particular Sunday, I was walking with my dad, my hero, and we walked in and bought the tickets. Next step was to go to buy popcorn and lollies. But my dad bent down and asked me if I would like to do something instead of spending money on popcorn and lollies. I said no because I was entitled to those, just like every other Sunday at the movies,” he recalled.

“Dad asked me if I saw the beggar on the pavement as we walked in and I said, ‘no, I did not’. Dad explained to me that the beggar was begging because he had no money and no food, and we could give the money for the popcorn and lollies to the beggar to buy food, but I would have to forego my treats,” Graeme continued.

The next thing that happened made little Graeme realise something important. “Begrudgingly, I walked with my dad to the beggar and dad gave the beggar the popcorn money, shook the beggar’s hand and wished him well. As we walked back to the movie, my dad said something to me that I have never forgotten and something that I have lived my life by:

‘there but for the grace of god, go I.’”

What his dad meant was that Graeme was fortunate not to be in a similar situation as the beggar, which is why he has to empathise with them. That lesson has shaped Graeme’s view of the entrepreneurial path and helped him overcome the challenges he encountered along the way.

“As entrepreneurs, we have all faced difficulty and hardship in our journeys. At least I know I have. Every time I think how challenging life is for me at that moment, I remember those words my dad said to me more than 40 years ago. It reminds me that life could have been a lot harder for me than what it is and I am grateful for what I have and for what I have been allowed to achieve,” he remarked.

Truly, the path of entrepreneurship may be full of ups and downs. However, many more may be in an even worse situation than the one you may be in. The entrepreneurial life calls for perseverance, endurance, relentlessness and determination. It may also need human values like sincerity, compassion and honesty. One does not learn all these overnight. Some of them you may already have picked up from your childhood lessons or your experiences, which you may be able to apply to your role as a business leader.

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.

Becoming a unicorn startup is one of the goals many entrepreneurs want to achieve. But how does one start small and become a global success? It was not a smooth journey for Austin as he shared the ups and downs that he went through during the process of growing his business.

Austin started Datto from his parents' basement in 2007 and went on to build it as the first unicorn startup from his home state of Norwalk, Connecticut. With the mission of bringing best-in-class data protection solutions to underserved small and medium-sized businesses, he was able to make Datto as the world's leading provider of IT solutions delivered through managed service providers (MSPs).

According to Austin, there were some hits and misses as he began making his first products from limited resources. He built his online store, created a website and had his products listed on Amazon only to see no sales. However, out of his not-so-glorious beginnings, he kept on creating and innovating until he saw some promise from the ideas that he and his team have executed.

Moving out of the basement to a bigger office and later several locations across the US and around the world, Datto has grown and Austin, as the founder, continued to chart that distance to the future. While coming up with new concepts and creations, he made sure to look after his team and customers, as well as respond to the needs of the community, especially during times of disaster.

One particular incident that Austin couldn’t forget was when he received a strategic deal where a company wanted to buy his business. He didn’t believe it at first, but when he realised they were bent on offering his venture, he took Datto even more seriously. At that time, the deal didn’t get through and Austin went on to build Datto to the point wherein they even bought their competitors’ products.

As Datto became huge, Austin wanted to move towards his next big journey and give the company a new leadership space. He stepped down as Datto’s Chief Executive Officer after serving for over 10 years. Now, he invests in and advises other technology growth companies, while continues to invent and experiment in his lab in Norwalk, CT.

Since then, Austin has received various distinctions and awards. He was named to Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in 2015, named an Ernst & Young Technology Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016, and earned recognition as one of the nation's top 50 philanthropists in 2017 by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

It was an inspiring entrepreneurial journey worth emulating. Austin showed that with determination and perseverance, along with a passion for his craft and commitment to his team and clients, he can achieve his goals.

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EO holds chapter, regional and global events for its Members that help them in their entrepreneurial journey. Interested to join the EO Melbourne chapter? Check out how through this page.

President's Update - October

From the President

Dear EO Melbourne,

As we roll into the last quarter of 2020, these last few months can easily become a haze. In a blink of an eye, we’ll be welcoming a brand new year.

So how do we become more intentional about how we end the year? How do we muster up the motivation to make it truly memorable?

Here’s a start, ask yourself this question: “What are you most proud of this year?”

This year has been wild, and amidst all the uncertainty we’ve had to deal with, perhaps we haven’t given ourselves the space to recognise the accomplishments we’re truly proud of.

Invoking pride in ourselves is uplifting. It builds confidence and it brings joy. Revel in it.

Invoke pride in others by taking the time to ask your closest friends and forum buddies this powerful question next time you’re able to connect (hopefully in real life).

If you’re wondering - I’m most proud of being able to create boundaries that keep me mentally and emotionally strong. This quote was my inspiration.

“In order to lead others, you must first lead yourself.”

I'm also proud of what our chapter has achieved in the first quarter -- our high renewal rate of 87.41% (globally, we have renewed more members this year than any year in EO’s history; South Pacific Area achieved the highest renewal rate on record at 90.75%), 17 EO Melbourne events since July 2020 with Event Median Score of 9.19, and the high interest received for the Mentorship Program that we're launching next week with 27 pairs (thanks to our Mentorship Chair James Murray for driving this initiative).

Thank you to everyone who contributed to these milestones. Be proud of what you have done and look forward to the rest of the year with hope and determination.

Warmest regards, 

Sheryl Thai 
President 2020/2021

5 books every entrepreneur should read

Crowd Culture Director Blake Brunne and Orange & Green Founder and Executive Director Rudi van der Vlies share the books that have helped them navigate through the business space and understand their market better.

According to Blake, “There are a lot of books about Marketing and Entrepreneurship out there at the moment but for me, the two that have stuck out the most for me are The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss and Purple Cow by Seth Godin.”

As to why he chose these books, “Both of these books gave me some great insights and learnings when I was getting Crowd Culture off the ground in 2016 and a lot of which I still use today. The books itself isn’t too long and are easy to digest especially in Audio Book form, which makes it a great starting point for any busy entrepreneur,” Blake explained.

1. Purple Cow by Seth Godin

Blake shares what he has learned from the book. “Purple Cow was the book that gave me early insights on how to understand my customer better. Although my business has changed a lot since 2016 when I read it for the first time, my key takeaway from the book remains the same: Passion. In the book, Godin writes 'If you make something that you’re passionate about, it’s sure to be remarkable; if you create something that others are passionate about, it’s sure to have a market. Passion is key.’ I feel if that even you don’t read any more of the book, then you would have still learnt a valuable lesson from this.”

“We all want to do something we are passionate about or that we find a sense of joy in, and for a lot of us that could be the reason we became entrepreneurs. But for the majority of us, eventually, we are going to have to work on something that we are not passionate about. Godin writes 'you still need to project an air of passion, even if it’s not real.’ It sounds straightforward, but for me, it isn’t that simple. I was hell-bent on finding a way to do something I was passionate about, and I hadn’t thought about the fact that if I only did things I was passionate about, then I was leaving a whole heap of clients and markets left untapped,” Blake shared.

Blake has learned since and has adjusted his mindset. “It took a while and I still need to work at it today, but when I speak to clients about their event now I can show genuine excitement and share in their passion. In my game, that means a better solution for my clients and could be the difference between winning and losing the job.”

2. The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich tackles lifestyle design. Citing several case studies, the book presents examples of those who have multiplied their income, shortened their work time and enjoyed their life due to wise decisions, practical solutions and smart adjustments in their work regimen.

One doesn’t have to work round-the-clock, wear themselves out and wait for retirement when they can start to enjoy life. In his book, Ferriss shows that people can work smart enough to be able to attain financial freedom, location independence and frequent vacations or what he refers to as ‘mini-retirements’ while continuing their business journey.

And while Blake has gained considerable tips and advice from these two books, Rudi, on the other hand, believes that good business leaders should have the following three books at the front of their mind so that they can always act and manage accordingly. These books have presented mind-blowing concepts that have guided many entrepreneurs and helped them attain the success they were aiming for. They have also helped business owners reach their goals at an accelerated rate.

3. Scaling Up by Verne Harnish

If you want to master the four major decision areas of your business: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash, then Verne Harnish’s Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It…and Why the Rest Don’t is a must-read.

The book contains practical tools, techniques and approaches that have been tried and tested by various companies and businesses. It also includes one-page tools that readers can use in scaling up their ventures. Entrepreneurs can learn from this book on how to grow a business that can dominate an industry without killing it.

Aside from authoring books, Verne Harnish is also the Founder and CEO of Gazelles, a global education and coaching company, and also the Founder of EO.

4. Good to Great by Jim Collins

“Good is the enemy of great” is a famous line of Jim Collins in his book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't. The question that this book wishes to address is ‘can a good company become a great company, and if so, how?’ Based on the five-year research on various companies, the book presented several findings: the Level 5 Leadership; First Who, Then What; Culture of Discipline; Hedgehog Concept; Technology Accelerators; and The Flywheel and the Doom Loop.

It’s a great read that reveals significant thoughts from the data and examples of companies cited in the book. The concepts are helpful tools for entrepreneurs that can challenge their mindset and motivate them to aim for better results.

5. The Ideal Team Player by Patrick Lencioni

Jeff Shanley is a leader who tried to save his uncle’s business by bringing back the commitment of the organization towards teamwork. He needs to find out the virtues that team players must have so that he can hire and build the team based on such virtues. His story is the central point in Patrick Lencioni’s book, The Ideal Team Player.

Apart from the story, Lencioni includes in the book a powerful framework and actionable tools that can be used in recognising, employing and fostering ideal team players. Since good human resource is an important factor in the success of a company or enterprise, the book is a valuable guide to business leaders in developing and nurturing an ideal team that can help them drive their ventures towards their goals.

This is a good list that you can take with you on your entrepreneurial journey and growth as a business leader. What books have you read that have helped you face the challenges of entrepreneurship? Tell us your recommended books in the comment section below.

The Coronavirus Disruption Project: a webinar with Jeffrey Cole

"Daily life is far more disrupted by the pandemic than after 9/11 or the beginning of World War II, and anxiety is at levels only seen after Pearl Harbor and the Great Depression," said Jeffrey Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future in the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The Center conducted a study titled "The Coronavirus Disruption Project: How We are Living and Coping During the Pandemic," which found rapid life changes and concerns as to how Americans confront the pandemic.

Jeffrey recently held a webinar with EO Melbourne on The Coronavirus Disruption Project and shared the findings of this study, which provided insights that helped better understand the thoughts of people who go through similar life experiences, anxieties and coping mechanisms.

Jeffrey has been at the forefront of media and communication technology issues both in the United States and internationally for the past three decades. An expert in the field of technology and emerging media, he serves as an adviser to governments and leading companies around the world as they craft digital strategies. In 2016, Jeffrey was one of the founders of the Global Disruption Fund (GDF), a technology investment fund based in Australia. He is one of the members of the Investment Committee identifying innovative companies and those about to be disrupted, making investments based on his work.

Veering from the Center's traditional work in annually examining digital change since the year 2000 in 35 countries, The Coronavirus Disruption Project took an extended look at life during the pandemic. As people are living through the greatest social science experiment of all time without warning or preparation, millions have had to suddenly move their work, learning, buying and everything else online. To see how everything has changed and will continue to change, Jeffrey gave a detailed look at how people have lived and coped during the crisis.

It was an insightful webinar for the attendees as Jeffrey elaborated on the data they gathered last April and June. People revealed what they missed most when isolated due to the pandemic. He also tackled people’s hobbies, habits, and sources of information with the new lifestyle that COVID-19 has brought to people's lives. With the shift of activities to the online and virtual space, the study revealed how people are navigating through the changes and how they perceive the transformations in their lives. Following his presentation was a healthy discussion as Jeffrey answered questions from the webinar participants related to the topic.

EO Melbourne continues to hold online learning events like this that allow its members and community to acquire additional knowledge and deeper understanding not only of the business environment and the entrepreneurial journey but also of the adjustments and modifications entrepreneurs can employ to adapt to the present environment.

Check out EO Melbourne’s past events in this page and its 2020-2021 Q1 events through the video at the homepage. Are you interested to be part of EO Melbourne? Read here on how to join.

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.

Steering the company towards a brighter future through hope

“Over my decade of leading teams in my business or being involved in Boards, my leadership style has evolved as I’ve gained more insight and experience working with people,” said Sheryl Thai who, apart from her leadership roles in League of Extraordinary Women and EO Melbourne, is also a Board Member of Project Gen Z and the founder of Cupcake Central, her first business that she has successfully exited. “In this point in time, I relish in a collaborative and coaching leadership style where I’m able to guide my team to assist them to unlock their potential.”

Empowering her team is what Sheryl applies in her business and organisations where she is involved. “I seek their input and collaboration to keep our company innovative and relevant. Whilst we still operate the business on systems and processes, I provide them with the autonomy and freedom to carry out their role how, when and wherever they see fit.”

Leading her team efficiently also helps her in serving well the communities they cater to. For her, effective leadership shapes the right culture for the company that is fit to their purpose and mission. “As a company that seeks to connect and inspire women globally, we have to constantly move with our community to keep them engaged. For us to achieve that, we must have a culture that is inspiring and engaging. This style of leadership provides the autonomy for the team to follow their intuition to allow for creative and innovative content delivered to our audience,” Sheryl explained.

And how does Sheryl give hope to people around her, especially when they are met with difficulties? “During times of uncertainty and doubt, it has been imperative for me to continually return to hope to steer the company towards a brighter future. For us, this means focusing on how we’re able to make a difference to those that need inspiration and connection more than ever in a world that has been forced to stay apart and connect virtually instead.”

Leadership that encourages openness, teamwork and innovation

Jamie Lingham describes his leadership style as one that promotes teamwork and openness and encourages ownership and innovation. “Sometimes I feel like I ‘over-share’, but this has always served me well, especially during the difficult times when we need to brace as a team and get through the challenge that has presented itself. Our team is very close. We support one another, and everyone is willing to jump on to any project that needs to be completed, no matter what the task or time it takes or the deadline.”

As a leader, he sees to it that the atmosphere is healthy for growth for him and his team. “I am a huge fan of ‘delegate to grow’ for both my benefit and also the benefit of my team members. When giving them work, we prefer the ‘sink-or-swim’ approach, but ensure that it is in a safe environment, with senior staff guidance and systems and processes in place to protect them from any ‘live fire’ issues. If a mistake is made, we work to pick this up before it gets to the client, but the learnings are still relevant,” he stated.

His approach is to constantly push his level of comfort and ‘give until it hurts’ when it comes to passing on his responsibilities, “which I believe is the only way that I can truly grow and be available to new opportunities,” he remarked. “I also support promoting innovation throughout the team and encourage everyone to take opportunities as they come up and run projects on their own.”

Other than that, Jamie also describes himself as a leader who looks after the quality of their work. “While I love to delegate, I also lead by example through being involved with reviewing work before it goes out. I provide feedback on the quality of work when measured against the level of service expected to deliver to meet our service promise and client expectations. This ensures that I keep connected to the day-to-day output, which demonstrates to the team that they can confidently follow my lead.”

By taking advantage of his strength in helping and motivating others, his leadership has facilitated a cooperative culture at Absolute Immigration. “Our cooperative culture is strengthened by the fact we are in constant communication with each other, especially in turbulent times such as COVID. Our team catches up daily over Zoom meetings so we have the opportunity to engage with one another through sharing ideas, helping each other solve any issues that arise, and have a fun element which includes games, quizzes, and mindfulness exercises.”

COVID-19 has affected their industry and, as a result, their company. Jamie had to make adjustments within his organisation for them to survive. But he also has to step up to carry the torch of hope for his people. “I continuously encourage our team to promote positive mental health measures and to keep the humour going. Yes, it is a serious time, but we need the release and positivity that humour provides,” he said.

“When I reflect on this topic, it made me realise how important good leadership is in the time of a crisis. COVID-19 has been a great time for us to come together and grow as a team, as well as for me as a leader,” the Global Immigration Leader declared.

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What is your experience in leading your team during this challenging time? We want to hear from you. Share your story through the comments section below or email us at communications@eomelbourne.org.

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

I do not believe I am the subject matter expert on the topic handed to me. So taking a cue from the seminal business book, Tools of Titan by Tim Ferris, I asked 3 of my ex-clients, each who demonstrated elite leadership and standards throughout their careers, to identify the single most important item on their desks.

CHAPTER 1: GRAEME STRANGE – WHITE SPACE

I hear a lot of people calling 2020 a write-off. With absolute respect to the many people of unfortunate circumstance, I belong to the ‘other’ many that do not see 2020 that way.

In late February, I received the news that two of my Spanish family contracted COVID-19. With the impending situation being broadcast to the world, I naturally made sure I kept constant contact. It seems like a blessing now as my cousin shared advice on how to deal with the inevitable lockdown here. “Go find something you’ve always wanted to do, something you’ve put off because you never had the time and do it. You now have time and space.”

Graeme may not know this, but early on in one of many workplace project meetings, without Graeme in attendance, the term “repressed hunter” was coined to describe the cultural leadership and design direction of the business leader. One morning, I approached Graeme sitting at his desk. Embodying Indiana Jones, the adventurer had swapped the worn leather and fedora for neat business attire. As he sat in plain sight in an open plan with 60+ staff, I had to ask:

“How do you manage to get any work done sitting here?”

The ever calm and compassionate man, with all the time in the world for anyone, replied, “When I’m at work, the door is always open. When I truly need something done, I go home”. That was 2015.

The ensuing conversation stayed with me and now will be expanded upon from a recent conversation to answer the question: What is the most important item on your desk?

The answer – space.

An empty desk reflects an empty mind. Space is required to focus on and solve problems. A leader’s role is to work on solving problems. Space must be allowed to work on Challenges, Staff, Business and Customer Needs. After all, staff are looking after your customers. Your desk is simply a place to work. What is required for productivity is a state of mind and technology.

CHAPTER 2: ANOU KHANIJOU – THE POWER OF THE PENCIL

Passing through Indonesian customs, our group was greeted by an attaché and luggage hands. They led us towards a nice bus just a short walk from the front doors of the airport. In what might have been a humid Kuta minute and two quick words, the “nice” bus disappeared. A shiny new leather-lined, stereo-amplified Mercedes instantly turned the corner. “Now, this is a little more to my standards,” revealed Anou.

Over the following five days, my understanding of a business retreat became redefined forever. What was increasingly obvious was that in her “spare time”, Anou had meticulously hand-curated royalty-level experiences for us, one after the other. Spectacular private adjoining villas. As I come to understand, they were practically impossible to book. Yoga instructors and masseuses were scheduled to arrive every morning. Onsite chefs were to serve us breakfast and lunch by the pool.

I knew enough of Anou’s life to know that as the PR representative to Hollywood in Australia, this afforded her a well-connected network. National theatre level “opera” was simply one of the many performances conducted by Anou at any given time around the world.

About a year later, I visited Anouconcept’s soon-to-be new office space. I admired the décor and the hum of the productive office in full swing and found myself reflecting on this amazing person. So humbly inspiring, so unfathomably busy, yet with so much time for others.

With curiosity, I asked the trailing query and key point to this blog - “What is the single most important item on your desk?” To which, Anou replied, “A pencil.”

I will not lie, during COVID-19, I have struggled for focus and to stay on top. Capturing the many important details and concepts of the creative and delivery process has been tough. Here is someone I look up to, orchestrating similarly complex projects for the likes of Universal Studios, Chris Hemsworth and Justin Bieber!

What I have learnt was that Anou has created and orchestrated these multiple once-in-a-lifetime experiences, crafted incredible stories, and built multiple businesses by learning the simple, yet the very important habit of taking time in writing things down.

She explained, “I always write my ideas and plans – big or small – with a pencil. It’s the most essential tool on my desk juxtaposed with all this technology.”

Artists ensure there is a direct and physical connection between brain, hand, medium and paper. There is pure artistry in Anou’s inquisitive mind. Gentle and empathic, yet also critically honest and transparent. Anou makes time and space for scribing and reflection, later sharing with others and directing these learnings into her daily life.

CHAPTER 3: MINA SHEHATA - TRUE GRIT

True Grit. The movie instantly flashed delicious, memorable images of amazing characters and a wonderful story spun together by the genius of the Coen Brothers. We, the viewers, are swept away by the stellar performances, story, action and incredible scenery. At the end of the film and in that unique twist we all enjoy so well, we realise the protagonist deserving of label “True Grit” is the often sidelined fourteen-year-old girl Mattie Ross. This female lead is astounding, uncompromising and determined to achieve her mission at all costs.

True Grit, as defined, is passion and perseverance for long-term and meaningful goals. It is the ability to persist in something you feel passionate about and persevere when you face obstacles.

Enter this story - Mina Shehata.

“There are 3 types of engineers. One - the technician: socially inept, but detailed and brilliant. Two - the social butterfly: great at sales and people, but hopeless engineers, and three - a bit of both. Mina is a lot of both.” Wes Malek of ECM Building Services Engineers shared this with me over a lockdown telephone interview. “What separates Mina from the typical engineer – it’s his intellect!” Wes Malek leads a team of 30 and has run his business for about 17 years. “ECM practically recommends Mina and Mina’s business, RMS Manufacturing, exclusively on every project.” ECM is not alone.

Wes also told a great story of first meeting Mina on a cruise trip up the Nile over 20 years ago. As the night closed in over the cruise through this magical desert scene, Wes recalled, “this massive guy being dressed in Bedouin headgear, passionately dancing with Sheesha pipe in hand all night long! Mina simply squeezes out every single last drop of life he can.”

Ten years ago, RMS began from absolutely nothing. Led by someone like Mattie Ross, Mina uncompromisingly brought it to become the premier switchboard manufacturer of Victoria. Mina sits on the board as President of NESMA (National Electrical Switchboard Manufacturing Association), while RMS switchboards sit in the basements protecting the biggest and most important government and commercial buildings in Australia.

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Mina and his growing business to assist in accommodating RMS into a new custom-built 2400-sqm Manufacturing and Office facility in Derrimut. Knowing Mina for his relentless drive — True Grit — and as living evidence of the Law of Attraction, I simply had to ask, “What is the single most important item on your desk?”

“My two screens,” flatly replied Mina. “I’m set up to work from anywhere – this week Queensland, next Dubai.” Knowing that Mina vibrates at this high frequency, his response did not surprise me at all. “Two screens allow me to work as efficiently as I can, anywhere.”

As we all face a return to a “normal” work-life now finally integrated into our sacred homes, any semblance of “work-life balance” should irrefutably be as dead Josh Brolin’s Tom Chaney. Mina’s relentless pursuit of efficiency provides the space to be the best he can be at work, which results in having a clear mind and choices to live a life of freedom which he deserves.

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About the author:

Bernie Fernandez is the Founder of Agero Group and Sustainable Stripout. He is also a member of EO Melbourne.