C A L O U N D R A BUZ Z AUTUMN 2019
CUSTOMER FOCUS CREATES AN Impact
BUILDING A BUSINESS One Stitch AT A TIME
s e t a M r You Brewing Good Times
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impact
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ommunity. Whether referring to Caloundra and the Sunshine Coast at large, the scores of local people and businesses which reside here or of course our active and engaged Caloundra Chamber members - our organisation is wholeheartedly dedicated to the betterment of our community. One of the avenues in which the Caloundra Chamber makes a critical impact on our surrounding community is in regard to both leading and supporting local community events. In the past we have made considerable contributions towards events such as the New Year’s Eve celebrations at Kings Beach, the Downunder Beachfest, Caloundra Film Festival, the Sunshine Coast Art Prize and many more and we could not be happier to do so.
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We strongly believe in the power of community events in building the social, cultural and artistic character of our region and further enhance our tourism offering. In particular, the Caloundra Chamber is incredibly proud to have been operating the Caloundra Street Fair and Twilight Markets Caloundra which have become iconic to our slice of the Sunshine Coast benefiting both our local community and tourists alike. In February this year we also launched the Currimundi Lake Twilight Markets which will run on the third Friday of every month at the scenic Currimundi foreshore – one of my favourite childhood locations. I was overwhelmed with joy after seeing childhood friends, families, grandparents and young adults alike all enjoying a bite to eat and a locally brewed beer with their neighbours and we cannot wait to return.
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The Caloundra Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber in QLD, and our role is to represent, support and connect our 600 members with each other, the government and the broader community. Join the Chamber as we establish Caloundra as the most dynamic, welcoming and connected business community in regional QLD.
MICHAEL SHADFORTH president Caloundra Chamber of Commerce
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CALOUNDRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY INC. , Level 1, 74 Bulcock St (PO Box 177) Caloundra 4551 c 07 5492 5977 m admin@caloundrachamber.com.au EDITOR Mitch Bland m marketing@caloundrachamber.com.au ADVERTISING AND CONTENT SUBMISSIONS To enquire about advertising space, or discuss content, please contact the Editor of Caloundra buzz magazine m marketing@caloundrachamber.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Express Print and Mail m quotes@expressprintandmail.com.au PHOTOGRAPHY H2H Studios m yes@h2hstudios.com
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Features
Your Mates Brewing Good Times Local Publican Taps into Coast’s Growth PA
Customer Focus Creates an Impact
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FAN’ing the Spark of Innovation in the Food and Agribusiness Sector Building a Business One Stitch at a Time Counting Colours not Calories
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New Chief in Town
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SAVE THE date
Social Pics Welcome New Members What's on Autumn
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Having shared the stage with the likes of Sir Richard Branson, awarded keynote speaker of the year 2018 and with over a dozen years of experience Amanda Stevens is going to blow you away on Friday, March 29 at our Better Business Breakfast – get in quick!
Book now: bit.ly/BBBAmanda
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“Beer is such a fragile product AND IT ISN’T EASY, IT’S A PROCESS, IT’S NOT JUST FOUR INGREDIENTS AND THAT’S IT.”
s BREWING e t a M r u o Y
WORDS BY MITCH BLAND
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tepping through the doors of the brand new Your Mates Brewhouse, you are hit with an immediate sense of pride as if by just being a Sunshine Coast local you have some personal stake in the thriving craft beer business. While the countless schooners of Larry that many Caloundra locals have enjoyed over the last few years does not actually equate to having skin in the game, it is clear the community has accepted the craft beer barons as one of their own.
With old photographs in view showcasing the Your Mates evolution, Matt says that all the 80-hour weeks, hard work and challenges have been more than worthwhile.
Proud owners of Your Mates Brewing co. Matt Hepburn and Christen McGarry, have spent the past five years working ‘blood sweat and beers’ in pursuit of what they call ‘the Australian dream’ – to sell beer for a living. Marvelling at the young Moffat Beach locals brand-new 200m2 brewhouse, it is evidently clear that their hard work has paid off. The full production facility and brewpub is decked out with seven Your Mates craft beers and a cider on tap, a complete kitchen and locally sourced pub-feed menu, a children’s play area and a pool table with a 2,000L brewery tank soon to arrive.
While brewing beer for a living may sound like the dream job to many Australians, the growth and success that Your Mates have enjoyed in the past few years has not come easily.
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“WE ARE SO STOKED TO HAVE BUILT THIS HOME FOR YOUR MATES WHERE PEOPLE WILL NOT ONLY COME AND try our beers BUT WILL LEAVE THINKING ‘WOW THAT’S A DESTINATION’.”
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“While we market ourselves as a couple of pretty relaxed young guys, behind the scenes we have always worked really bloody hard.” “We were living on the bare skins of our bums for years, paying ourselves next to nothing, but we always had this vision of the Your Mates brand which continued to motivate us.” Back in 2013 the two beer enthusiasts threw their professional jobs aside as a project manager (Matt) and school teacher (Christen), took a significant pay cut and began their journey into the craft beer industry. Nurturing the infantile craft beer scene while working at Drift Bar Caloundra, the pair initially introduced Stone and Wood on tap and soon after launched a craft beer club. “Everyone was like, woah we are in bloody Caloundra what are you thinking no one’s going to drink this hippie crap.” “But we thought we would see how it went, and straight away it started outselling XXXX Gold.” Although Matt and Christen initially had plans to launch a bar of their own, the positive reaction to craft beer drove them in another direction. “A light bulb just went off,”
“There was only the Sunshine Coast Brewery on the Coast at that time, and they were a little bit more old school than all of these new breweries that we were seeing from Melbourne and from Sydney so we just thought let’s start our own brewery.” However, taking their interest and enthusiasm for beer as a consumer to learning about the finer details of producing and wholesaling the product proved to be harder than they originally thought. When the Your Mates brand was launched in 2015, the Sunshine Coast was introduced to the team’s signature pale ale, the mischievous party shirt laden Larry, and the innately clever branding behind the beer took on a life of its own. Over the next few years Matt and Christen managed to open their own bars, The Basement in Nambour and Taproom at Moffat Beach, increase their wholesale into numerous liquor stores and bars and build a loyal following on the Sunshine Coast.
However, the guys continued to face the same problem, they could not keep up with the demand for their beer while contract brewing. In mid-2018 the pair were chosen to appear on the cut throat television program Shark Tank featuring the evergruff and to the point investor Steve Baxter. With over one million eyes across Australia homed in on the program, the guys did not get the deal they were after but landed a one hour exclusive with panellists Steve Baxter and Glen Richards. “After half an hour, Steve said that we were doing everything right, we just had to keep going and keep at it.” Matt says of their experience.
He said to us don’t discount it, there is no mates’ rates, this is now a legitimate business that you have built, you have a good business plan and now you just need to get the money.” “When you’ve got Steve Baxter saying that to two blokes from Moffat Beach it gave us the confidence to say, ‘let’s go and do this’.” With slow continuous growth and perseverance, these Caloundra entrepreneurs are now proudly splashing the Sunshine Coast and beyond with 15,000 litres of beer per month, with 5,000 litres of this sold over the counter of the brewhouse alone. Follow the Your Mates journey and introduce yourself to Larry and the team at: yourmatesbrewing.com/
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L o c a l P u b li c a n
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the face of stiff competition, Scott Armstrong has not only managed to create, but replicate, an incredible hospitality experience through the Brightwater Hotel, Parklands and Bellvista Tavern. Now Scott as Managing Director of Sunshine Coast Hotels is at it again, building two brand new venues in the heart of the Baringa and Bli Bli communities. As a passionate publican, Scott says he is proud to be providing a locally owned alternative to the ever-expanding Woolworths and Coles duopoly, and that he could not dream of a better location to do so than right here - on the Sunshine Coast. “We think that being locally owned is really critical and is a clear point of difference for us to our major competitors which are Coles and Woolworths.” Scott says. There are a lot of properties up here that are Coles or Woolworths owned, but in many respects this is a great advantage to us, because we have the ability to engage with our customers in a different way than what they do.” “I have been able to get to know most of our customers by name as well as our over 150 staff and that is because of our local focus.” In addition to the Sunshine Coast Hotels string of beautifully designed taverns,
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TA P S I N T O C O A S T ’ S G R O W T H WORDS BY MITCH BLAND
the Coast hospitality powerhouse also operate four Celebrations bottle shops and the Lakehouse Sunshine Coast function centre. While Scott’s attention to detail and almost three decades of experience in the hospitality industry clearly account for much of these establishments’ success, Sunshine Coast Hotels have also been very strategic in regard to the location of their venues. “WE HAVE BEEN CONFIDENT IN THE GROWTH OF THE Sunshine Coast AND HAVE ENSURED THAT WE POSITION OUR PROPERTIES IN HIGH GROWTH AREAS.” While it is easy to assume in retrospect that today’s residential growth was easily apparent, the actuality is that it takes good relationships with developers and significant demographic research to ensure the success of a venue. “It’s important to know your customer’s expectations well before they arrive,” Scott says. “We have been confident in the growth of the Sunshine Coast and have ensured that we position our properties in high growth areas.” Coinciding with the droves of new families that are beginning to migrate
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to Stockland’s Aura development and the continuation of work on the Maroochydore City Centre, Scott has overseen the earthworks of two additional venues set to seize the growing opportunity. Set to open late August 2019 the Baringa tavern will be 1,250 square metres, complete with bar, bistro gaming, drive through facility and a bottle shop to service the burgeoning community in Caloundra South. “This is a really exciting time for us,” Scott says. “I believe that this is going to be a fantastic new hotel and will become the meeting place for the Baringa community.” Making the leap into the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, Scott will also be opening the much anticipated three story Bli Bli hotel in the first quarter of 2020 capturing cool breezes and river views. “Bli Bli have been screaming out for a hotel for a number of years with large residential growth in the area and now it’s
close proximity to the new Maroochydore City Centre.” Scott says. While any investment of this scale is not without significant risk, Scott says that he is nothing but confident in the continued growth and development on the Sunshine Coast which will mean more customers in more venues. “I think when you look at all of the economic indicators, speak to other people on the Sunshine Coast and realise the strength of investment from other businesses and the community… we have confidence that the growth will continue into the future.” Scott says. Scott is not only responsible for investing significantly into the Coast’s hospitality industry but has also made a huge impact in regard to providing jobs and opportunities to locals. Sunshine Coast Hotels currently have
4 Colours
150 staff on the books and will be in the vicinity of over 270 employees by this time next year, which is something that Scott takes very seriously. “This is a big responsibility, as we are paying over $100,000 of salary each week.” Scott says. We have to not only make sure that our staff are economically and commercially supported and are able to have a sustainable life up here on the Coast but also that they are learning and developing while they are with us. “ “There is nothing I like seeing better than a young person coming through and seeing them go through the ranks and we have many examples of this in our businesses.” Explore Scott’s venues here: suncoasthotels.com.au
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CUSTOMER FOCUS W O R D S B Y R O X A N N E M c C A RT Y- O ’ K A N E
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mpact Office Supplies management have one main question they use to filter every business decision before it makes it to the implementation stage – will this benefit our customer? It is a philosophy that has stood the business in good stead since Jeff Ross founded Impact Office Supplies in 2003. With headquarters now based at the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park, Impact has already expanded into Brisbane and opened another office on the Gold Coast late last year. Moving from a leased premises at Kunda Park to a purpose-built warehouse in the Bells Creek estate at the end of 2018 allowed them to expand from 1,200 square metres to more than 2,000 square metres. Growth has been a consistent factor for the local business, which Jeff began after he found small to mediumsized businesses were often being overlooked by the major office supply companies. Jeff has grown his one-man
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ct a p m I n a s Create
enterprise to an employer of 65 staff across three locations that is now the largest independently-owned office supplies company in Queensland. With a turnover of $22 million, sales manager Nick Francis says reinvesting in infrastructure and operating systems has allowed them to maintain a personalised customer service experience and maintain control of their entire operation from ordering through to delivery, making them unique in their industry. “We are investing a lot in the business at the moment and one of the results of that is an online ordering site for customers, providing a much more flexible and user-friendly experience. All of our warehouse packing is done with an iPad, so packers use a barcode scanning system which means we can pack faster and more accurately,” Nick says. “Essentially, this means we can pack more orders in a day and provide a more accurate service than packing
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manually. While we still employ staff to pack orders, our stock system now knows exactly what we have at any point in time so we can stock more of what customers need and have it there when they need it. “While technology can improve operations, rather than things getting more automated we see it going the other way. People want customer service and oftentimes office supplies are so far down the list for them that they just want someone to get it sorted out for them because they don’t have time. Everyone’s trying to do more work with less resources.” Not so for Impact Office Supplies, operating in the B2B space. Nick says each client is assigned an account manager who essentially becomes an extension of their clients’ business as the sole point of contact who knows their requirements and can pick up on any discrepancies, such as an additional zero added to the quantity of an item in an order, to minimise
errors and create greater ease in the ordering process. Noticing the majority of their competitors outsource elements of their business, Nick says they made a conscious decision to invest in staff and equipment that allows them to maintain control over every aspect of their business. This has meant employing 16 fulltime drivers across the three sites, allowing them to offer free delivery from the northern New South Wales border all the way up to north of Gympie. By continually looking at how to improve their business model and working on their business and not just in it, Nick says they have been able to discover new lucrative income streams to leverage off traditional quiet industry periods. One of their most successful implementations was to expand their services into the back to school realm six years ago. “Years ago, everyone was taking holidays from November through to February because so many of our clients were shutting down for the summer holidays and not ordering, but we started working with schools six years ago and now we look after 22 schools, which sees us through that
lead period. In fact, we are actually putting extra staff on for that period to manage the demand,” Nick says. “It just shows how any business can turn their lead months into profitable months.” Nick says a buy local policy has meant they have been able to support other Sunshine Coast businesses as they grow and having a Coast-based warehouse with their own delivery drivers means they have the capacity to deliver urgent orders for things like toner, for example, within an hour.
And the growth and expansion continues, with work now underway to develop an app that allows customers to see where their delivery driver is. “They already know when the items are loaded ready for delivery thanks to our electronic invoicing system, but soon they will be able to track their driver. This is an example of how investing in your business and creating transparency can help your customers to have a better experience.” To find out more about Impact Office Supplies, visit impactofficesupplies.com.au
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FA N ’ I N G T H E
Spark of Innovation IN THE FOOD AND AGRIBUSINESS SECTOR WORDS BY MITCH BLAND
F
rom the internationally recognised golden sand beaches to the vast green rolling hills and everwatching Glasshouse monoliths of the hinterland, the Sunshine Coast’s beauty and value is innately entwined within its diversity. While the region is better known for its coastal elements the region does have a rich agricultural history that has been reinvigorated in recent years, quickly earning the area a reputation as one of the most dynamic locations for new agribusiness investment in Australia. Nurturing the growth and development of this identified high value industry for the Sunshine Coast is the Food and Agribusiness Network, fondly known as FAN, who were founded by industry leaders in 2015. General Manager of FAN, Emma Greenhatch believes that the organisation is fulfilling a vitally important role on the Sunshine Coast acting as a conduit for cross sector communication, collaboration and cooperation. “FAN is a not for profit industry cluster and our purpose is to support the food and agribusiness industry in the greater Sunshine Coast region to connect, collaborate and grow.” Emma says. “We do this in a range of ways, from capability building through workshops, through bringing the industry together
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to network, through developing programs that address challenges, bringing buyer opportunities to businesses and profiling the industry in this region nationally and internationally.” FAN has undergone significant growth in the past three years and is considered the fastest growing food and agribusiness cluster in Australia with 250-member businesses. From farmers, processors, retailers, exporters and chef’s, businesses across the entire value chain from farm to plate are represented by this innovative collective. The organisation’s board contains a wealth of knowledge and industry experience and is chaired by FAN’s co-founder and the Global Innovation Manager of McCormick, Jacqui Wilson Smith. In 2018 FAN was awarded a grant from Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) for up to $900,000 matched industry funding over the following three years reaffirming the network’s vision and significantly raising the
“WHAT THIS WILL ENABLE US TO DO IS TO FURTHER develop the FA N team SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER MORE FOR OUR MEMBERS AND ALSO TO TRIAL NEW REVENUE STREAMS.”
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organisation’s profile. Emma believes that an increasing understanding for the need to localise agribusiness and the growing popularity of niche food tourism also represents an enormous opportunity on the Sunshine Coast. From brewpubs such as Brouhaha, Land and Sea and Your Mates Brewery, to producers such as Maleny Dairies, Strawberry Fields and countless others our food and agricultural businesses are fast becoming landmarks of their own. “Provenance is becoming really important, to be able to tell the story of the region and tell the story of other producers. People love that and this region has a really big opportunity from a tourism perspective.” We have such diversity here, we are not just a wine region, not just a dairy region, not just a grain region. We have got everything!” “We don’t have large scale agribusiness because we are not a huge geographical region, but we do have huge diversity in the produce that is grown here and a huge opportunity therefore to add value to that produce.” Emma believes that the value-add process within the food and agriculture space holds an incredibly exciting future, especially right here on the Sunshine Coast. “I don’t know that there is any other
region around the country collaborating to the level that the greater Sunshine Coast region is, and it is a really great way for small businesses to enhance their profile.” Emma says. This community ethos can clearly be seen to underpin the Food and Agriculture Network and is the overarching basis for much of what the organisation aims to do. While this is clearly expressed through many of their events which they hold each year, Emma says that this is also a way in which businesses are able to more easily create innovative new products. “If businesses want to stay ahead, value add is going to be huge and that is where we see some really exciting opportunities for innovation occurring when these
businesses work together.” While FAN have already made a large impact on the Sunshine Coast business scene, the organisation still has much to achieve in the coming years. “The Sunshine Coast region alone has
“OUR VISION IS TO double the food AND AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IN THE GREATER SUNSHINE COAST REGION BY 2030.” EMMA SAYS CONFIDENTLY. gone from $500 million in 2017 to $700 million last year, so we have optimistically said that by 2022 we would like to see it at
$1 billion dollars.” “It’s growing fast, and we are seeing a lot of companies now like those in our export program, which are COYO and Nutworks, who are really starting to push into export. “ “And when companies start to go global that is where you start seeing some big growth rates.” Considering the expansion of the Sunshine Coast Airport, businesses on the Coast have a greater ability than ever before to push into foreign markets. Follow along the FANfare for more information about Australia’s fastest growing food and agribusiness sector: foodagribusiness.org.au/
Bistr Bar Gamin caloundracbx.com.au caloundrahotel@alhgroup.com.au caloundrahotel@alhgroup.com.au
0754394555
BUILDING A BUSINESS
One Stitch at a Time
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tanding inside the professional 185 square metre showroom and warehouse space, it is hard to imagine that just four years ago, Sunshine Uniforms was being run out of a singlecar garage at a Caloundra home on a single embroidery machine. Director Brad Argent has shown that being mindful of opportunities and having the flexibility to evolve your business model is one of the fastest ways to grow your business. Working in the workwear space was completely foreign to Brad in 2014, having built a career in hardware and warehousing, following in his father’s footsteps. But when a friend offered to sell him a single-head Japanese-made embroidery machine, Brad saw an opportunity to pave his own way in business and the potential to reach clients across any and all industries was alluring. The leap of faith has well and truly paid dividends for the father-of-two, with Sunshine Uniforms outgrowing
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two premises within three years due to a customer base that swells by 50% each year, now servicing more than 400 customers and growing. As a beginner in the industry, Brad says he did have to put in the hard yards at the inception of Sunshine Uniforms to hone his skills and begin to build a rapport in the industry and he launched the business online with just one supplier in November 2014. “I had everything taught to me over a couple of weeks and for a while I was like a fish out of water. I was working in hardware during the day and working on the machine at night,” he says. “I started out running five specials on a small eBay store and in the first month produced $1900 worth of orders. Encouraged by my growing customer base, I bought a vinyl cuter WITH ORDERS GROWING IN SIZE AND NUMBER, BRAD DECIDED TO GIVE
Sunshine Uniforms HIS FULL ATTENTION.
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WORDS BY R O X A N N E M C C A RT Y- O ’ K A N E and heat press, which allows me to cut heat transfer vinyl, which is used for logos, team numbers and names etcetera.” After just two months of operation he had already found the volume too much for his single machine to handle. The business relocated to a 43 square metre ground floor shopfront in The Arcade on Bulcock Street, where Brad was able to attract new customers through bright window displays and frequent specials, although 90% of orders were coming from online. His evolution from online store to a local business with a focus on quality customer service had begun. “Orders kept getting bigger and bigger and the single machine couldn’t get through it fast enough – I was literally only doing one garment at a time. I bought a second machine to bring prices down and speed up production, effectively doubling my output,” Brad says. In August 2017, Sunshine Uniforms moved to Sydal Street, a location more
than four times the size. Equipped with a top floor warehouse area and a top-ofthe-range six-head embroidery machine, staff can now work on six garments at once and Brad says there is enough space to easily accommodate another “growth spurt”. Small businesses wanting a professional look, which make up 70% of their customer base, can visit the showroom to try on uniforms from leading industry brands, including Syzmik Workwear, which all meet Australian work safety standards. But Brad says they can order in “absolutely anything that people desire.” “When someone comes in, we ask a lot of questions about their business so we can recommend the best product straight away, which saves them valuable time. Having the showroom means people can try things on and know exactly which size they are, which can be a challenge with an online store, and all of the embroidery and vinyl work is done on site,” he says. Sunshine Uniforms also offers dyesublimation, which uses heat to transfer dye onto materials, and screen printing. With a staff member on board to work the machines, Brad plans to hire another staff member to take Sunshine Uniforms on the road. “I want to bring us out to the market and take the showroom to the customers,
so they can see the selection for themselves, feel the quality and place an order without having to come into the store. It’s all about meeting the customer’s needs,” he says. While evolution in any business is critical for long term success, Brad says often it boils down to offering good oldfashioned customer service.
“What I find is repeat custom is common and because I know them so well, all they have to do is ring up and it’s done. The key to this is open and reliable communication that is transparent. If you are doing a good job, they’ve got no reason to leave,” he says. Learn more here: sunshineuniforms.com.au
plant based, healthy eating movement is experiencing Sally says that there are no other businesses on the Sunshine Coast offering the service which she provides. “While there are other chefs and educators talking about healthy eating on the Sunshine Coast, there is nothing specifically plant based, and no one is providing the one on one coaching and cooking workshops that I deliver.” This is not only a clear point of difference which Sally is able to give her clients, but a point of pride for the young plant-based chef who endeavours to teach you how to implement this lifestyle and make this sustainable long term. “People who come to my workshops leave knowing how to prepare really simple, really healthy and delicious plantbased recipes.” Sally says. “And through my one on one support they also have the ability to sustain these important lifestyle changes.” Whether your vegetables are normally dwarfed by the bloody rump to its side, or you are a life-time vegan, Sally will astound you with how easy and delicious plant-based dieting can be. More information found here: fedforwellness.com/
COUNTING
Colours
NOT CALORIES
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ith growing awareness around the array of issues created through the global production and ingestion of meat products, plant-based dieting has blossomed into a legitimate and health conscious alternative. While people are increasingly searching for quick and easy results, the reality is that it takes considerable time and willpower to educate yourself and improve your health and well-being. Located in Moffat Beach, the eversmiling and inherently positive Sally Jane Douglas is re-educating people about their diet and lifestyle one vegetable at a time through her business Fed for Wellness. Fed for Wellness is dedicated to empowering people to put their health back on the agenda by increasing their consumption of plants through the provision of workshops and one on one coaching. If the term ‘plant-based’ is a little difficult to swallow however, relax, it is not
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WORDS BY MITCH BLAND as undigestible as you may think. While Sally herself enjoys a vegan lifestyle, she insists that her workshops do not aim to convert your ideals, but simply improve your health and well-being – and if you decide to reduce your meat intake as well then that is your choice. I REALLY ADVOCATE ADOPTING A MORE plant-based diet , WHICH INVOLVES COUNTING COLOURS NOT CALORIES.”
“I talk about plant-based lifestyle because veganism does have a negative connotation in some people’s minds, and it doesn’t actually translate to health,” Sally says. “A plant-based lifestyle is not a diet, we are not restricting anything, we are just encouraging you to eat an abundance of healthy plant-based whole foods.” With one in five deaths across the world reported to be influenced by people
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having a poor diet, the need for healthier eating is self-evident and the momentum is growing here on the Sunshine Coast. “The vegan movement is the biggest health movement in the world at the moment and one of the largest growth areas of this lifestyle is right here on the Sunshine Coast, ranking within the top five,” Sally says. “People here are really conscious about what we are eating, how we are feeling and our outdoor lifestyles and we simply want to feel good.” Despite the clear momentum which the
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Social Events
CALOUNDRA CHAMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS C H R I S T M A S PA RT Y On Thursday, 13 December the Caloundra Chamber threw a massive end of year Christmas party attended by over 130 members at the Parklands Tavern. Supported by Sunshine Coast Hotels, the event was held in the Tavern’s lush outdoor beer garden and latest function room, the Chook House.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS @ Y O U R M AT E S B R E W E RY Kicking off the year in style, the Caloundra Chamber gathered close to 150 people at the brand-new Your Mates Brewhouse in Warana on Thursday, 31 January. In celebration of the achievements of the two young local entrepreneurs behind the incredibly popular Sunshine Coast business, attendees were treated to stacks of food and locally brewed beer and wines throughout the night.
B R E A K FA S T O F C H A M P I O N S – S TAT E O F T H E N AT I O N Continual improvement and finding new ways to add value to memberships is an ongoing imperative at the Caloundra Chamber. As such, Friday February 15 saw the very first Breakfast of Champions event launched at the Dicky Beach Surf Club. Featuring Mayor Mark Jamieson, David Robertson from Bendigo Bank and Vanessa Rader from Ray White Group, the FREE member event provided attendees clarity around the economic outlook of the Sunshine Coast and the nation. 18
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NEW
M
Chief
IN TOWN
ove over Steve Baxter and make way for Queensland’s newest Chief Entrepreneur, Leanne Kemp. Leanne Kemp, the first female to fill the coveted role, brings with her 20 years of experience in the tech space including her latest venture – Everledger. From working in fields such as research and development commercialisation, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), ad tech and blockchain technologies Leanne has a wealth of experience. “My most recent endeavour was to think about blockchain.” Leanne says. “In as early as 2010 I bought Bitcoin and in 2013 decided to work with the technology and decided to build Everledger from 2015 forward and now you could say I’m a veteran in this space.” Everledger looks to apply blockchain technology to industries where transparency, trust and provenance matter most, from diamonds to wine, art, and more, and is designed to mitigate risk and fraud in global marketplaces. Early last year (2018) this start-up raised $10 million in funding and now employs over 70 staff across offices in five countries and are bringing accountability
WORDS BY MITCH BLAND
and ethics to numerous industries. Through personal experience in places such as the Congo DRC and Columbia, Leanne has developed a profound understanding of the issues that plague many industries through a lack of transparency. This has been a key motivation for Leanne in utilising this emerging technology to establish ethical trading through her innovative platform. Speaking at a Caloundra Chamber of Commerce breakfast late last year Leanne described her success as ‘doing a Steve Bradbury’ in that she continued when others around her folded. Passionate about advancing the spirit of entrepreneurialism Leanne urged the crowd to “be the very best version of you and strip back the protective layers to the bare bones of who you are. Then you can contribute.”
WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THE future of our State MEANS."
“You’ll be living in a constant state of uncertainty, but certain you are doing what you are supposed to be at the same time.” Leanne intends to use her elevated position as Chief Entrepreneur to position and prepare Queensland for the jobs of the future. “We have the convergence of all of these technologies coming together now that will provide exponential power,” Leanne says. “The change in our workforce is upon us and we have to think about how we can combine these technologies and our skillsets and really start to think about what this means for the next generation of work.” One major aspect of this methodology is to not only train our youth and students but transition the current workforce, who hold years of industry knowledge, into the jobs of the future. Keep up to date with the Office of the Chief Entrepreneur here: advance. qld.gov.au/office-queensland-chiefentrepreneur.
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CALOUNDRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MARKETING & MEDIA DANIEL MCDOUGALL C O M M U N I C AT I O N S
Daniel is an expert in the communications field focusing specifically in the media, government relations and Communications space. 0407 637 541
NINE SUNSHINE COAST
Channel Nine Sunshine Coast is a leading television broadcaster which offers an array of programs suiting all ages. 9now.com.au | 5459 4214
SUNSHINE COAST BUSINESS CARDS
Sunshine Coast Business Cards offer artwork, design and printing for business cards, stationary, signs and screen printing AND they also create beautifully designed websites.
www.sunshinecoast businesscards.com.au | 0409 267 639
91.9 SEA FM
91.9 Sea FM is one of the Sunshine Coast’s favourite radio stations offering BarRat and Heidi for breakfast and the ever-popular Carrie and Tommy between 3pm-4pm plus much more. 919seafm.com.au | 5443 8444
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOOD & AGRIBUSINESS N E T W O R K ( FA N )
A food and agribusiness industry cluster helping Sunshine Coast businesses connect, collaborate and grow. foodagribusiness.org.au | 0466 634 465
HOST SAFETY AND TRAINING
Registered training organisation located in Caloundra delivering civil and rail construction courses to help locals get employed and keep jobs on the Sunshine Coast for new forecasted projects.
MIND YOUR LIFE
Based on the Sunshine Coast, Mind Your Life provides career coaching and counselling services for students, graduates and adults looking for a career change. mindyourlife.com.au | 0409 478 599
S H A D F O RT H D I C K S O N & A S S O C I AT E S
Shadforth Dickson & Associates are the ideal Caloundra Queensland Property development company for all of your business needs. 5491 1344
S Y S T E M S S T R AT E G Y
Helping businesses develop and implement systems and procedures to improve quality, performance, consistency and reliability throughout their organisation. systemsstrategy.com.au 0409 159 064
T H E A LT E R N AT I V E B O A R D
Supporting business owners to take their business to the next level through; supportive advisory boards made up of other local business owners, expert one-to-one coaching, and a suite of business tools. thealternativeboard.com.au 0468 333 415
THE GUINEA GROUP
Building peak performance leaders and high-performance teams, The Guinea Group are committed to helping leaders and teams become better versions of themselves. theguineagroup.com.au 0418 686 522
E N T E RTA I N M E N T Q U E V E N T S P T Y LT D
Offering event management, staging, audio, video and lighting hire as well as event planning, event design and event permit assistance. quevents.com.au | 0412 852 500
hostsafetytraining.com.au 0434 001 985
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buzz AUTUMN 2018
ROMANTIC NIGHTS AND EVENTSX
Romantic room styling and decorating for wedding nights, honeymoons, anniversaries, birthdays, weekend escapes and all other special occasions. romanticnights.com.au 0427 375 840
FA M I LY, C O M M U N I T Y & C I V I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N S T H E C O M PA S S I N S T I T U T E
The Compass Institute is a Sunshine Coast based Charity providing learning and development programs and services for persons living with a disability. compassinc.org.au | 0401 330 224
R E A L E S TAT E , MOVING & STORAGE R AY W H I T E C O M M E R C I A L CALOUNDRA
Ray White are the largest real estate group in Australasia and provide commercial sales, leasing, projects and property management. raywhitecommercialcaloundra.com 5491 4600
M E D I C A L & H E A LT H C A R E SUNSHINE COAST ANIMAL EMERGENCY SERVICE An after-hours emergency and critical care centre for animals based in Tanawha. animalemergencyservice.com.au 5445 1333
YOGA NRG & MINDFULLNESS TRAINING AUSTRALIA Yoga and mindfulness, teacher training, programs, classes, retreats & partnership events with a health / education focus. yoga-nrg.com | 0439 418 571
Welcomes New Members T R AV E L & T O U R I S M
SUNSHINE COAST CRAFT BEER TOURS
Local beer, local produce, local stories. SCCBT take you behind the scenes to see how beer is made, meet the brewers, and visit local breweries and food producers on the Sunshine Coast. sunshinecoastcraftbeertours.com.au 0438 823 377
CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT & CONTRACTORS ABCO COMMERCIAL DIVING
ABCO is a commercial diving company that has been based on the Sunshine Coast for the past 10 years, ABCO specialise in underwater construction, salvage, inspection and maintenance. abcocommercialdiving.com.au 0427 455 829
AMBROSE BUILDING
Ambrose Building was borne out of insurance repairs and while this is one of the cornerstones of the business they have come to realise that our people, processes and procedures lend themselves to much more. ambrosebuilding.com.au | 5373 3500
CITRUS/CLEAN/STEAM/PEST
A new business on the Coast offering exceptional home, office, commercial builders, events, chem free, vacate, air bnb cleaning, plus pest control services plus carpet and upholstery cleaning. citruscleaning.com.au | 0432 018 558
CIVIL GEOTECHNICAL C O N S U LTA N T S
Civil Geotechnical Consultants specialise in providing Geotechnical Engineering solutions to the civil engineering, transport engineering and construction industry. civilgeotechnical.com.au | 5313 7816
GYMFIX
RJP DESIGN AND DÉCOR
RJP offer quality interior design and decoration services including kitchen and bathroom design, renovations, new builds and small commercial projects. rjpdesignanddecor.com.au 0414 621 269
STUDIO COLLECTIVE INTERIOR DESIGN
Studio Collective is a boutique design studio based on Sunshine Coast with extensive experience in both commercial and residential interior design projects. studiocollective.com.au | 5443 8391
WHOLESALE SOLAR I N S TA L L E R S
Offering high quality solar power products Australia wide, sourced from Australia's largest solar wholesalers which allows them to provide the consumer the lowest possible price.
wholesale-solar.com.au | 1300 459 315
R E TA I L D I S R U P T I V E A P PA R E L
An online based business that design, source and sell casual clothing and accessories, predominantly within the extreme sport and moto space.
FINANCE & INSURANCE
AMALIS FINANCIAL S E R V I C E S P T Y LT D
As finance & mortgage specialists with extensive knowledge and relationships with service providers in residential, business and commercial lending, Amalis Financial Services can assist you in reaching your finance goal. www.amalis.com.au | 5373 5587
COAST2HINTERLAND F I N A N C E P T Y LT D
Coast2Hinterland Finance offers house mortgages, business and equipment finance. 0401 629 037
O L D P R O P E RT Y PA RT N E R S Gold Property Partners use their decades of experience in banking, finance, wealth creation and investment property purchases to provide you a springboard to build wealth for the future.
www.goldpropertypartners.com.au 5438 9775
I A P C O N S U LT I N G P T Y LT D
IAP Consulting is a bookkeeping company dedicated to empowering and educating its clients.
disruptiveapparel.com.au 0404 470 780
0448 443 338
GREEN RV
YOUtax are a start-up in the tax space which utilises the latest technology to support clients Australia wide.
An Australian family owned, and operated business committed to helping their customers find the perfect caravan. It’s all about enjoying life with your loved ones and making new friends. greenrv.com.au | 5356 5000
L I LY M H AT S & M I L L I N E RY S U P P L I E S
LilyM are experts in making and designing hats and headpieces and holding hat making classes as an international millinery supply business.
Y O U TA X P T Y LT D
youtax.com.au | 0403 144 989
I N F O R M AT I O N TECHNOLOGY ABOUT NETWORKS
Specialising in dental, medical, legal, Accounting and other professionals About Networks provide fixed price IT support for business.
aboutnetworks.com.au | 1800 048 228
lilymhats.com.au | 0419 511 799
Gymfix offers complete fitness equipment installation services including repairs. gymfix.com.au | 0427 227 956
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What's on?Autumn Ma & Pa Bendall Surfing Competition
Currimundi Lake Twilight Markets The Currimundi Lake Twilight Markets incorporates unique stalls which offer a selection of street food, a designated entertainment area a bar for everyone to enjoy on the third Friday of every month. CURRIMUNDI LAKE FORESHORE WESTAWAY PARADE FRIDAY 15 MARCH, 2019 @CurrimundiLakeTwilightMarkets
Dragon Boat Queensland State Championships The Dragon Boat Queensland Federation will be holding its 2019 State Championships at Lake Kawana on the Sunshine Coast. Paddlers from all across Queensland will be gathering to compete for the honour of being the best club in the State. LAKE KAWANA
SATURDAY 23 - 24 MARCH 2019 dbq.com.au/events/23785
UPCOMING C H A M B E R E V E N TS
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MOFFAT BEACH
FRIDAY APRIL 12 - 14 2019 windanseaboardriders.com.au
Sunshine Coast Dance Eisteddfod The Sunshine Coast Dance Eisteddfod is an annual event regarded as a friendly but professional dance eisteddfod attracting competitors from across Australia. THE EVENTS CENTRE CALOUNDRA
APRIL 13 – 17 | 4 – 5 MAY & 11 – 12 MAY, 2019
In Autumn
March, 7 Thursday Membership Introduction | Caloundra Chamber of Commerce March, 13 Wednesday Business After Hours | Australia Zoo March, 29 Friday Business After Hours | Australia Zoo April, 3 Wednesday Breakfast of Champions | TBA April, 30 Tuesday Smart Lunch Club | Rumba Beach Resort May, 2 Thursday Membership Introduction | Caloundra Chamber of Commerce May, 3 Friday Breakfast of Champions | TBA May, 9 Thursday Business After Hours | TBA
The Windansea Surf Club present the 45th annual Pa & Ma Bendall Memorial Surfing Contest. This event is held over the Easter long weekend at Moffat Beach. Drop in and see Caloundra’s surf culture very much alive and on show.
dancesunshinecoast.com.au
South Sydney Rabbitohs Vs New Zealand Warriors Head to Sunshine Coast Stadium to watch the South Sydney Rabbitohs take on the New Zealand Warriors in the first of many games played right here on the Coast. SUNSHINE COAST STADIUM
SATURDAY APRIL 13, 2019 nrl.com
buzz AUTUMN 2018
National Clean Technologies Conference & Exhibition The National Clean Technologies Conference & Exhibition will provide Australian and cleantech innovators the opportunity to focus on ‘National’ issues, opportunities and latest developments by coming together to network, learn and do business. THE EVENTS CENTRE, CALOUNDRA
WEDNESDAY 29 – 31 MAY 2019 nctce.com.au
