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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Coronavirus Disruption Project: a webinar with Jeffrey Cole
Jeffrey Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future in the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, recently held a webinar with EO Melbourne on The Coronavirus Disruption Project and shared the findings of this study, which provided insights that help better understand the people around us, such as our family, friends, staff members, clients and customers, who go through similar life experiences, anxieties and coping mechanisms.
The importance of mentorship in the entrepreneurial journey
The entrepreneurial path can be quite daunting for those who are contemplating to take it. But even when you’re already in the journey, there are times when the ride can be tough and you seem to be lost midway due to the pressures coming from various directions. Having a guide, someone that has been through this before, to point the way can help ease the anxiety of not knowing what lies ahead and can even be instrumental in accelerating things. This is where mentors come beneficial to one’s entrepreneurial journey.
Entrepreneurs Damian Blumenkranc, Co-Founder of Creativa, Attento, and Just Click Videos, among others, and Benjamin Trinh, Founder and Managing Director of Life Ready Health Group share that having mentors have helped them in the success of their endeavours. Apart from being on the receiving end as mentees, both have also become mentors to other entrepreneurs, helping others in their businesses as well.
EO Melbourne's online catch-up events: Chat Roulette and Needs & Leads
In a time when physical interaction is limited and most people are at home due to restrictions, reaching out to one another is of great importance. Having a community where members can seek help or extend assistance can make a huge difference in people’s lives. This is how EO Melbourne has become a flourishing environment for entrepreneurs where continuous growth and constant support takes place.
Recently, the chapter held virtual catch-up events that allowed members to get to know each other at a deeper level and lend a hand to those in need. Members were more than enthusiastic to participate in such endeavours that provided them with an avenue to strengthen their bond as they navigate the challenges of the current crisis together.
EO Melbourne's virtual Wine-Tasting Nights
A week loaded with various tasks and business concerns to attend to deserves a relaxing Friday evening. A glass or two of wine is a wonderful way to cap the work week and welcome the weekend. EO Melbourne recognises this as the chapter recently held virtual wine-tasting events for its members.
We asked the question: As an entrepreneur, how do you practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace?
Having a diverse workforce and ensuring the inclusion of everyone within an organisation – regardless of race, gender or beliefs – help grow a company’s corporate culture, enhance one’s competitive edge and contribute to its bottom line. If you want to learn how to uphold diversity and inclusion in the workplace, read the stories and tips from Anou Khanijou, Director of IFOTA Group and Managing Director of anouconcept; Anthony Holdstock, Partner at Sharp & Carter; Nyree Hibberd, CEO of Koh Living; and Costa Vasili, CEO and Founder of EthnoLink.
Ways of streamlining your business
As your business grows, you will find that tasks increase, files pile up, materials (and dust) gather and more things need your attention. Some items take longer to turn around, need several documents and require to deal with a lot of people. When work gets more complicated and unproductive, maybe it’s time to review your business and see where you need to streamline and simplify things.
How to do a proper handover and transition at work
People exiting an organisation is a common occurrence in every business. There are plenty of reasons why staff members leave the company. Whatever is the circumstance behind an employee departing, the changing of employees is something that every entrepreneur should prepare for to ensure that there are no gaps in-between periods of a team member leaving and a new one coming in.
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.
The pros and cons of serial entrepreneurship
There are entrepreneurs and there are serial entrepreneurs. But what is the difference between the two? Both start a business from an idea. While a typical entrepreneur may opt to stay to run their venture, a serial entrepreneur may pass on the reigns of managing the business to someone else and moves towards starting another one.
When to partner with a competitor
It may not be commonplace to find competitors partnering with each other, but it is also not a rare case. Besides, such collaboration only lasts for a certain period and is not expected to be done in the long-term.