Alive Magazine - Edition 18 - January 2022

WIDE BAY

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JANUARY 2022 EDITION #18

Entrepreneur

GIFTED SISTERS PAVE PATH TO SUCCESS

Fulfillment is key to the business empire

Edition

Creating more than a fortune Full story on pages 14-15

Full story on pages 04-07

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Former chef builds YouTube fame

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EDITOR’S WELCOME

S

tarting your own business is no walk in the park!

It entails understanding and dealing with many issues — financing, sales and marketing, human resources to deal with staff, liability, product research, and you almost need an accountant’s degree to navigate the minefield that is the ATO.

ONLINE MAGAZINE ON THE GO www.alivemag.com.au

successful business.

The online marketing expert is helping locals develop, implement and manage marketing campaigns … a vital piece of the puzzle for any business.

THE ALIVE TEAM

Enhancing brand awareness in a digital space and helping to drive traffic to websites leads to many more customers.

Editor KERRIE ALEXANDER editor@alivemag.com.au

Founder / Creative Director JOY BUTLER info@alivemag.com.au

Deputy Editor LEANNE ESPOSITO

Digital Editor LIZZIE MACAULAY

Advertising Manager LOUISE HOLMES advertising@alivemag.com.au Phone 0477 094 335

Advertising Executive DARREN STIMPSON darren@alivemag.com.au Phone 0408 122 050

In this edition of Alive you will meet a young man who decided to throw in the towel as a chef to follow his dream of becoming a professional YouTube content creator.

Advertising Representative KAREN WHITE karen@alivemag.com.au Phone 0418 197 386

Head of Distribution JAMIE BUTLER Phone 0428 137 968

Our cover star, Shae Kennewell, is absolutely someone you want in your corner when setting out to grow a

All editorial and advertising in Alive Magazine publications are published in good faith based on material, verbal or written, provided by contributors and advertisers. No responsibbility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Alive Magazine is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

A business owner has to be constantly switched on, and there’s no weekly pay dropping into the account, no holiday pay or super contributions.

However, where there are cons, there are always pros. In this instance, your hard work is rewarded by the time and effort you put in.

For many business owners, running their own company makes them feel liberated, excited and gives them a profound sense of achievement.

You have freedom at work, you can control your own finances and do something you love every day, your way!

With more consumers (and businesses) shopping and researching products online, it’s become vital for companies to recognise the importance of internet marketing.

That certainly wasn’t an issue for longtime bakery owner Max Sarah, who started out making bread in a wood-fired oven some 60 years ago.

We also sat down with Max to chat about the significant changes in business from then to now.

To all those who have dared to dream big and take a leap of faith by opening your own businesses, we salute you!

Entrepreneurship seems to be thriving on the Fraser Coast right now with plenty of cafes and stores opening their doors recently.

The former Maryborough resident now has more than five million subscribers.

Kerrie

UPCOMING EVENTS

Feedback or suggestion?

Send to: info@alivemag.com.au

05 Jan SURVIVAL SKILLS AT TERRA TRIBE FARM When: Wednesday, January 5, 9am to

noon.

Where: Terra Tribe Farm, Howard.

What: We will be breaking off into teams to learn knots and build shelters, make bows and arrows, and learn to light fires with flint and steel to cook. Visit terratribefarm.com. au for more details.

Cost: $35 per child.

08 Jan SAND SCULPTING COMPETITION

When: Saturday, January 8, 3pm to 6pm

07 Jan

FOOD ‘N’ GROOVE FRIDAYS When: Friday, January 7, from 4pm.

Where: Seafront Oval, Pialba

What: Food ‘n’ Groove Fridays showcase an excellent spread of food trucks, entertainment, market stalls and of course, a fully stocked bar. Laid out on the idyllic Seafront Oval with the sound of the Bay in the background, the event has the perfect Friday afternoon atmosphere Cost: Free

Where: Scarness Jetty, Esplanade, Hervey Bay.

What: The Tea and Toasters Relay for Life team will host a fun Scarness Sand Sculpting competition to raise funds for Cancer Council Queensland. Come along and support this very worthy cause.

Cost: Donation

08 Jan RODEO AND SHOW ‘N’ SHINE

When: Saturday, January 8, from 1pm and

Sunday, January 9, from 10am.

Where: Maryborough Showgrounds, Bruce Highway.

What: The Destiny Cattle Co bring you the 2022 Maryborough Australian Professional Rodeo. Rodeo kicks off at 1pm for a performance then again at 5pm with the next performance.

Cost: Visit frasercoasttickets.com.au

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03

COVER S TORY

by Leanne Esposito & Lizzie Macaulay

THE POWER OF TWO… W

hen it comes to the entrepreneurial spirit, you couldn’t get two people in the Wide Bay who embody it more than twin sisters, Kodie Axelsen and Shae Kennewell.

These passionate, dedicated philanthropists and savvy businesswomen prove that you don’t have to work in the big smoke to make an impact.

The naturally gifted sisters may be “nearly-identical”, but their paths in business couldn’t be more unique.

Both intelligent, insightful from-the-heart operators, Kodie and Shae have built businesses that would make most tremble at

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the knees.

Kodie, a finance broker and property developer, and Shae, a social media and digital marketing maven, started their businesses from scratch just a few years ago respectively, with little outside input.

Kodie is the literal antithesis of what you’d picture someone from the finance world to be: creative, introverted and passionate with a fairly large soft spot for playing the drums.

Shae is more widely known as the extrovert with an equally creative bent.

Both have exquisite minds for business, taking calculated risks

and using their incredible powers for good.

As self-confessed ‘high-school failures’ (naturally intelligent, but not necessarily dedicated to over-achievement), Shae and Kodie prove that marks are not everything.

The sisters were determined to help others and create lives that allowed them not only freedom and flexibility, but to escape the cycle of financial stress they experienced growing up in a divided household.

“That was always a motivator for me,” Kodie says. “We just come from an average working-class family, but obviously when your parents split up, you go from a two income household to then a one income household on each side, and things get a lot tougher.”

“I think that was just always a motivator for both Shae and I is to be able to have options from a money perspective. Not to work incredibly hard like our parents did and just live week-toweek.”

This experience extends to Kodie’s work as a financial broker, as she regularly redirects deserving, hard-working locals from the path of financial disaster to financial redemption.

It’s hardly a surprise that someone who used to read investing books as a teenager ended up delivering sound financial advice to others.

As for Shae, the path to her current commercial success was not always clear-cut.

Her empire began as a small, high-end online fashion store that was developed while she was on maternity leave with bub #2.

“I was told I’d been made redundant two weeks after returning back from maternity leave,” Shae recalls.

“I hired a guy to build my website. I designed it myself. The fashion I sold was high end. I bought specialised gift boxes and would personally send those. It was all about the customer experience.”

Of course, as a small business owner, the path ahead is never direct. It meanders with the occasional pothole for good measure.

“I had to pivot. When you are buying products wholesale the profit margin is extremely low. They were high end designer clothes which were much harder to sell. It was a huge financial outlay.” Shae said.

Many would see this as a complete roadblock. Shae found the opportunity in a difficult situation.

Enter: Miss Empire, the digital marketing agency every modern business truly needs.

Shae continues to grow her business brand through intuition, tenacity and organically made connections.

“Instead of doing courses I would talk to people who are CEO’s of companies. I figured there was no point in talking to the messenger,” Shae concluded.

Absorbing insights from her equally experienced peers, like American digital marketer Ryan Deiss or local success story, Josh Rimmington, of JRMG.

“I went to the people who knew what they were doing. How to grow and how to invest. I thought I would put my money where my mouth is,” she said.

“I remember thinking, ‘I can’t wait to do $10,000 a month’. In my second year, my business grew 690%. Last year I started my own online store and made six figures in my first month.”

It’s fair to say, impressive doesn’t quite cover the tenacity, dedication and trajectory of the local sisters.

Best of all, however, is the good they’re able to do with the proceeds of their hard work.

“All these things have happened to lead me to be able to do more. I want to build a bridging accommodation-type shelter for women experiencing domestic violence,” explains Kodie.

“So that to me is something that I really want to put some time and energy into and get funded. I’ll get a bit of a plan together and get that rolling.”

“We can keep doing all this, but you need to give back. It’s not fulfilling. I have to be fulfilled in whatever it is that I’m doing. I love helping people build their own wealth as well, but for me personally that’s just not enough.”

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With clients based in countries where poverty and inequality are the norm, Shae believes that in assisting her clients there is an even greater opportunity for change.

“It’s very important to me to work with purpose driven clients who give back. A lot of my clients are connected to charities, or they have a bigger end-goal. It’s not just about them. Not just about making money. I had a client who was from Asia where women weren’t provided with opportunities or education. Her goal was to give back to her community and give women there the chance for an education and a bright future,” Shae said.

It is often said that a sincere purpose in life is to start with nothing, to build an empire and to leave a legacy. That way you will know the sweat of hard work and the plight of the common person which seems to be real touchstone for both women.

The source of their commercial and altruistic superpowers most definitely comes from their unique connection.

“We’re always together,” says Kodie. “We have very different businesses.”

“I’m very good with money, Shae’s not so much,” she smiles.

“She’s good with all the marketing stuff and I’m useless at that.”

“So, we sort of complement each other in that regard. I suppose as twins we’ve grown up having a significant other that knows you inside-out, always there for you as a support system.”

“So, for people that don’t have that, I don’t know what it’s like but I just know how much that boosts our confidence up,” she continues.

“We know what each other are capable of. And, I don’t know, we’re not scared of failure.”

Kodie concludes on a philosophical note, “You only live once so you might as well give it a red hot go. And if the shit hits the fan, we know that we’re there for each other.”

Perhaps that’s the secret sauce to their success – knowing that no matter what, someone truly has your back, will cheer for you and celebrate, push and commiserate with you… no matter what… That’s a true privilege, and a delight to bear witness to.

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I suppose as twins we’ve grown up having a significant other that knows you insideout, always there for you as a support system.

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L I Z Z I E L E A R NS T O

by Lizzie Macaulay

LIZZIE LEARNS TO…

OWN A REAL ESTATE AGENCY F

ull disclosure.

I’ve known my latest Lizzie Learns ‘victim’ for a little while now.

I’ve written about her. Talked with her at length about her business and her vision for its future.

But stepping behind the curtain for a first-hand experience of what she does each day was something completely different.

Knowing that this month’s edition was focused on the entrepreneurial spirit, I couldn’t look past Kristy Wright from One Agency Fraser Coast for an insider’s perspective on running a business.

With buying, selling and renting homes being one of the busiest industries in the Wide Bay, I was curious about what it would be like to actually work in the space.

Being the dutiful preparer for things that I am, I’d even taken in an episode or two of ‘Selling Sunset’ to try and get a feel for what I’d be in for. (And realistically, ‘an episode or two’ turned into ‘a season or two’ and I still have no idea what I was watching – It’s a comedy, right?!)

When I arrived at One Agency HQ in the salubrious Avenue complex, Kristy was ready and waiting to hit me with the most important factor in the measure of any business – the figures.

Impressive as they were (it’s been a good year), what really struck me was the birds-eye view that Kristy had of her staff, her business, and the overall trajectory of the year to come.

Kristy’s grand vision incorporates mobilising her staff, embracing emerging technologies, recognising the truly human nature of her craft and maybe, one day, taking her foot off the gas and sailing off into the sunset with her fabulous husband a business partner, Dan. Piece by piece, Kristy has assembled a cracking team of agents – each with their own flair – to service the multitude of needs and personalities you’ll find here on the Fraser Coast.

With the generous influx of new community members from interstate, that eclectic mix has developed even further.

Expectations vary so much client to client, and even with the population growth, I’m always astounded at what you get for your money here in the Wide Bay compared to anywhere else I can think of.

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Add to that, the glorious beaches and the unyielding sunshine… it’s the ultimate lifestyle destination for many.

No wonder we’re having a boom…

I’m struck by Kristy’s work being way more about people than property.

No matter who she’s thinking of, she’s considering their needs, tastes, motivation and trying to predict their next move as best as possible.

I suppose this is what all of us do as business owners to some degree.

Prior to the day, Kristy admitted she was a little self-conscious that I wouldn’t find what she does particularly exciting. As someone with a background in journalism and a natural penchant for being a snoop, this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The thing is – and I expect this is quite common for people to whom their craft comes quite naturally – she makes it look effortless. But to me, looking at numbers and staff, and selling, well anything, is as complex as it gets.

Kristy has one last surprise for me before we end our time together.

The day before my visit, the sale of one of her listings was finalised, and it was time for their signage to receive a coveted ‘sold’ sticker.

I imagine this to be the pinnacle of any real estate agent’s career, and never getting old, no matter how many times you do it. (I could be mistaken, of course)

The satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped someone find their forever home, or simply secured them a new income stream must be pretty damn satisfying.

As we head out the door, I get a gentle ribbing about making sure there are no bubbles in the sticker.

You never see any from a distance, and I’m wildly confident based on my experience putting up children’s’ decals in my home.

It’s not the same.

Not at all.

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As we pull up to the newly sold home, I’m full of my usual mixture of bravado and trepidation. “I’ve got this.”

“I’m going to mess it up for sure.”

Naturally, I messed it up.

This beautiful, meaningful symbol of the next stage in so many people’s lives… reduced to an unseemly collection of air bubbles that shouldn’t be there.

And add to that, as I look back, I now feel guilty for having robbed someone of this great honour – someone who maybe would have done a better job of it, too.

Still, it was an honour to have had the opportunity to try something almost nobody experiences.

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TH E P ROF ILE

EXPLORING WITH G&D ROSS BUS CHARTERS

M

aryborough has a number of established familyowned businesses that have operated in or out of the city for decades – if not longer.

The Heritage City tells a story of hard work and dedication. It’s a community that is continuously evolving but remains committed to its roots and traditions.

And it’s that hard work and dedication that sets successful, long-running businesses apart from those that make a big splash but disappear just as quickly.

“Don’t ever think you can start a business and get away with working eight hour days, shutting up shop at 5pm on Friday and putting your feet up until Monday morning.”

That’s the advice from owner of G&D Ross Bus Charters, Greg Ross.

“You work when you have to and when the phone rings, you answer it and take up the job.”

G&D Ross Bus Charters was founded in 1994 by Greg and his wife Donna.

In nearly 30 years, the company has grown from a single school bus service to a fleet of vehicles that offer a variety bus tour and charter services.

The business now employs about 20 drivers.

“I never thought we would get this big,” said Greg.

But all Greg can remember is wanting to be behind the

by Shaun Ryan

wheel of a bus.

“All I wanted to do when I was at school was drive a bus and avoid farming. I’ve carted a lot of people around over the years.”

The business is more than just a means of transport.

“We take an interest in what people are doing, where they are going and help them get the most out of any trip.

“It’s what we love doing. As a family, if we’re not driving buses, we’re on the road exploring.”

G&D Ross Bus Charters also create different tour options for clients infused with their passion for travel and adventure.

The tours are about getting people out and enjoying the different activities and attractions on the Fraser Coast and beyond.

“We’ve seen a lot of Australia through this business,” explained Greg.

“We love giving people positive experiences and it’s always great hearing good feedback – whether it’s the quality and cleanliness of the vehicles, the enthusiasm of our drivers or our impressive safety standards.”

So, if you’re looking for a bus tour or charter service give G&D Ross Bus Charters a call on 0741297132. You can also check out their website at ganddrossbuscharters.com.au.

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13

AUDIENCE BEFORE REVENUE

H OME GROWN

by Kerrie Alexander

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F

rom being a chef in various Fraser Coast restaurants to becoming a famed YouTube content creator - William Jonas is living proof that big dreams can become reality.

“You have to study trends and see what’s popular on other apps like TikTok and figure out what game to play and what skits to do; there’s a lot that goes into a 10-minute video.

It started with playing video games and trying his hand at content creating, editing, and drawing inspiration from the likes of his favourite content creator at the time, PewDiePie, who was named in the world’s 100 most influential people in 2016.

William is in his element being a creator in a quiet room behind a computer, letting his creative juices flow, no matter what the hours.

The former Aldridge High student graduated in 2011 with the idea of making a living as a chef but the ultimate goal of combining his passion for gaming into a career simply took over.

Now, after six years of trial and error, the 27-year-old Adelaide resident has made it big in the world of gaming with 5.5 million subscribers on his ‘Mully’ YouTube channel.

“I just loved playing games when I was young and seeing the cool moments that happened … I just enjoyed watching other people make videos and just decided to do it,” William said.

“I was always seeing PewDie Pie videos where they went on trips and got sponsorships and I just thought that was really cool.

“That’s really how it all happened.”

But, he said, you must love what you do to succeed in the industry.

The passion comes first and the money, if you’re lucky, comes later.

“You have to have a passion for it,” he said.

“If you’re doing it for money then you will fizzle out straight away.

“I made videos for three years before I made any money. You have to sit down for 10 hours a day and edit videos.

“I taught myself how to do it, there’s no big manual for it, you just figure it out as you go along.

“Sponsorships are just a bonus! They come along as you get the views, but you definitely have to like doing it. If you get into it for the money, you won’t have success.”

The Mully Channel is famous for its huge variety of Virtual Reality (VR) videos, with an audience of anyone from 10 years old to 60 tuning in.

“We play a game that might take two hours to record but it takes 15 hours of production to turn it into a video with editing, getting someone to make a thumbnail and all that sort of stuff.”

And as the VR videos took off about two years ago and the money started rolling in, William said it was important to him to remain that same guy, staying grounded and just continuing to do what he loves.

The added bonus, he said, was now being able to help family and friends financially.

“I didn’t think I would make as much as I have … I remember making a few thousand a month and thinking, yesss, I don’t have to work in the kitchen anymore,” he said with a laugh.

“It’s been a big accomplishment to help other people and now I’m in the process of buying a place of my own.”

William now has his sights set on reaching 10 million subscribers and receiving the prestigious Diamond Play Button.

So, what’s William’s advice for those starting out?

“Just do it and don’t care what anyone says!

“You’ll never start if you listen to other people. You have to go into it with the mindset that you’re doing it because you love it!

“You also have to learn to adapt. I’ve been doing it for six years and I’m learning new stuff all the time.

“The internet is constantly evolving and changing. It can’t be taught. You have to just do it to figure it out.

“Just have some confidence in yourself and give it a try.”

Head on over to YouTube and check out the Mully Channel, like and subscribe.

You can also follow Mully at twitter.com/mully and instagram. com/sleepymully/

The content creators we see on our screens always make the job look so effortless, especially William who often collaborates with his fellow creators, JoshDub, EddieVR and Juicy, to make the magic happen.

However, as the subscribers grow, the behind-the-scenes work becomes intricate, with a huge amount of planning going into each video.

“There’s more people watching but, in comparison to a normal job, there’s more stress because the videos have to be consistently good,” William said.

“You have to be on all the time … you can just get to 5pm and be finished.

“People think we just play games for a living and that is so far from the truth.

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15

WI S E WORDS

by Kerrie Alexander

A recipe for business success

I

t’s almost inconceivable that a man who was highly allergic to flour from a young age has spent over 60 years as a baker.

You see, Max Sarah’s father and grandfather both owned bakeries and as it was done in the early 1900s, parents passed on the tricks of their trade so the businesses could be handed down to future generations.

Even though the allergy gave the now 83-year-old breathing difficulties, Max was put to work from about 10 years of age, chopping wood for the wood-fired oven that could hold up to 150 loaves of bread in tins.

It was an era when sickness was put on the back burner and work took precedence.

“My grandfather and father were bakers, so it was imperative that I became a baker,” Max said.

“It’s not what I wanted to do but I did it.

“I didn’t like baking when I was a kid … I had to split the wood for the oven at my dad’s bakery there was no electricity. It was extremely hard work.

“I was an asthmatic and allergic to flour and house dust, but you just got on with it. Masks weren’t heard of back then.”

At 20, Max borrowed 1000 pounds from his father to buy his own bakery in a country town called Marong, just outside of Bendigo.

It was the first of six bakeries that he and his wife Noelle would eventually own, with two being the much-loved Sarah’s Bakery on Main Street and on the Esplanade Scarness in Hervey Bay. “In Marong everything was done by hand back then,” said Max as he recalled the days when he would start late in the afternoon and work through the night to get the baking done. Early next morning the country delivery of bread, pies, milk and mail involving 500 miles per week was also up to him.

The next bakery they owned was in the Victorian High Country

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with freezing cold and snow in winter.

“The science of bread baking was totally different back in those days to what it is now.

“We had what we call time doughs, where you had to wait three hours for it to prove.

“Then along came Vitamin C (a mix) that you added to the flour and made ‘instant dough’, which meant that it could stand for 20 minutes then you could do what you wanted with that dough but that didn’t come in until the early 60s.

“A good flour is a vital ingredient in bread making but Victoria’s high rainfall and cold weather stripped the protein in the wheat at times to about 6 and 8%.

“The protein was so weak at times in the flour it needed something to boost it.”

It was during this era that Max discovered a breakthrough in the chemistry of bread baking, which was recognised and used by some of the biggest bread companies in Australia.

“I got two bread improvers, one super and one regular, and made a super one which made such a strong protein in the flour.”

It was of course a pinnacle of his career.

As time went by and they owned more bakeries in Victoria, had six children, hired and fired staff, trained apprentices, and met some characters along the way, it was time for a change.

They moved to Hervey Bay 42 years ago and in between travelling and working as a ‘relieving baker’ all around Australia, Max and Noelle bought Brightways Hardware Store in Urangan in 1979 which was located underneath the Sportsman’s Club in Urangan.

While the hardware store was a success, he was still a baker at heart. They sold the hardware and decided it was time to get back to his roots and open a family business so that it too could

be passed down to his children.

In 1988 the iconic Sarah’s Bakery was born.

“I got back to Hervey Bay, and I thought bugger it! I’ll open a bakery in Hervey Bay and that was my fifth bakery.

“I just had to get back to my trade, but I also bought it for my family … and that’s how it all started.”

The couple’s eldest son Michael took the family trade by the horns when the first store opened across from the cenotaph in Pialba.

They supplied to many other local businesses, whale watch boats, and even to Eurong Resort on Fraser Island.

Michael is still working in the trade in Toowoomba after settling there.

There were not many people in town that didn’t try one of their much-loved birthday cakes, pies, sausage rolls, breads and pastries.

Their youngest daughter Sharon worked in the shop for many years. Their son Steven also became a baker, buying his first bakery at Burrum Heads, after that he is now the proud owner of the very successful Top of the Bay Bakery at Bideford Street, Torquay.

For Max and Noelle, this is what starting the family business on the Fraser Coast was all about.

Max said nothing makes him happier than seeing his sons take on the family trade and making a success of it.

Having had businesses for over 60 years and in the spirit of our entrepreneur’s edition this month, Max was happy to share some of the secrets to his success.

He said always try your best to start a family owned and operate business that incorporated your children and always keep a close eye on your competition.

“Your children will be your best asset because they will want to work because it has meaning for them. Good staff are always hard to find.”

Now married for 63 years and fully retired, Max and Noelle take time to enjoy their 14 grandchildren and social gatherings with their Cool Country Club music group.

Max is happy to drop in and get some bread from Steven’s bakery for his bread and take in the smell of freshly baked bread but does not stay long fear he will never leave.

THE WATERFORD @ HERVEY BAY OFFERS PROFESSIONAL AGED CARE AND SERVICES IN A PREMIER RESORT STYLE COMMUNITY.

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17

C OM MUNI TY CONNECT I O N

by Kerrie Alexander

A

A POWERFUL PATH TO SUCCESS

fter many hurdles, a Hervey Bay swimsuit model, mental health advocate and tour guide and host, has etched an exceptional path to personal successes.

Meet the beautiful soul that is Melanie Bragg.

The 28-year-old only moved to the region in 2019 but has made herself known in the community after organising and taking part in the Fraser Island Charity Walk, which raised a staggering $50,000 for mental health charity Mindfull Aus. Melanie was also recently selected to be a part of an Adventure All-Stars TV Show that combines raising funds, again for Mindfull Aus, and supporting the struggling tourism industry, which are two of her biggest passions.

Set that aside, and on most other days you will find the charismatic lady behind the microphone, working as a host on the Tasman Venture Whale Watch boat and a K’gari tour guide in the whale watching off season.

She has also played a big part in fundraising for a bush fire appeal and has been a volunteer for Sea Shepard.

However, Melanie hasn’t always been the shining beacon of confidence you see on our pages today.

From a young age she struggled with PTSD and other mental health challenges and sadly, even lost some friends to suicide along the way.

Melanie attempted suicide in her teens and was only saved by the support from loving family and friends and mental health

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services that gave her the tools and information to help get through the toughest days.

Coupled with this help and the power of positivity, Melanie now speaks openly about her experience and has become an advocate for mental health to help others in a similar situation from becoming a statistic.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 49 years.

This is the whole-hearted reason she spent about 12 months and countless hours planning Fraser Island Charity Walk and braving the camera for the Adventure All-Stars experience.

“Addressing the challenges of mental health is so important to me because suicide is a choice that comes from such a state of helplessness … a state I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy,” Melanie said.

“I am passionate because there is so much information, research, and tools out there that can genuinely help people who experience mental health challenges that are sadly not just readily given to us.

“I learnt this the hard way, as a 13-year-old girl battling depression and suicidal thoughts.

“The reason I choose this charity is because they are spreading the information that will help save lives, the information that we should be giving to our communities or being supplied by our medical professionals.”

Melanie said the FICW was absolutely a highlight of the year and seeing the end tally raised by the community for such a vital cause was beyond heart-warming.

“To be honest, I don’t think I can even comprehend how much this will actually help people, however, to think that it may even just help one person to see an alternate route other than suicide, brings me to tears … happy ones.

“I believe in this charity a lot and know they will make a lifechanging impact on many.

“In fact, they already did with the CEO and mental health speaker, Matt Runnalls, speaking at the FICW itself.

“I know that will have a ripple effect. It already has.”

The young go-getter has also been working on a very special project for her adored dad, Michael, who was recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

This disease is a progressive, degenerative neurological condition that affects a person’s control of their body movements.

A carpenter by trade, the diagnosis led Michael to close his business and make memories while he was still able.

Melanie penned a bucket list with the catch that each experience had to be done with a family member.

Next thing you know, the father-daughter duo was auditioning for the much-loved Australian reality television series ‘The Block’.

The two have just completed their second audition tape which was filmed in Hervey Bay, and have everything crossed that they will be selected for the 2022 season.

Melanie put a shoutout on Facebook for props and filming locations and the Fraser Coast community more than came up with the goods.

“I made dad a chart of bucket list like items that he could do to improve his quality of life and make memories.

“Wanting to increase our father-daughter memories, and being fans of the show, we thought “what better way to do this than The Block?!”.

“The Filming we did here (Hervey Bay) with a local upcoming videography company called RAM Media House.

“We were so lucky to find such a talented guy to assist us.

“We had a pretty out-there idea for our application, so we sought help from the Hervey Bay Community Page, and we were not disappointed!

“The help from the community was beautiful and everyone was so supportive and eager to assist.”

The world really is Melanie’s oyster, having already had a long

line of successes in her modelling career.

Like taking out the Townsville 400 racing and Miss Hawaiian Tropics, to winning the title of Opal Veve Dream Girl that allowed her to model a $35,000 swimsuit while raising funds for mental health awareness.

Now, her most recent job on Tasman Venture, is the icing on the cake!

“I started volunteering at the marina before whale season 2020 and when Tasman Venture was hiring, I was able to get a referral and start straight away. Little did I know what I was in for!

Wow! “Fast-forward another year and I was asked to get completely out of my comfort zone and become a microphone host for the season.

“It has been the best job that I have been able to experience.

“Outside of whale season, I am a tour guide on K’gari, Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world!”

Melanie said the biggest change in her life since working through the challenges of the mental health was being able to see the bigger picture in life, which has ultimately led her to the work she is doing today.

“I have seen many professionals and have read books and feel so much more empowered and educated to overcome challenging times, thoughts and situations.

“In the end, I am extremely grateful that I have a positive, healthier, and more empowering relationship with the world and the voice in my head.

“What’s changed: The feeling of getting to live this life, not ‘having to’.”

Congratulations Melanie! The team at Alive wish you all the very best for what the future holds.

The Block auditions can be found on YouTube under BEST Block Audition - Melanie and Michael Bragg.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, there is help available. Please remember, it aint weak to speak!

• Lifeline 13 11 14

• Headspace 1800 650 890 • Beyondblue 1300 224 636

• Suicide call back service 1300 659 467

• Fraser Coast Mates frasercoastmates.com.au

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LO CA L MUSI CI A N

GREATEST HITS Rising Australian/British band, Greatest Hits return with their new single, ‘Nuclear Love’ on November 18th, the first single taken from their new EP ‘Volume 2’ available now.

Existing in the space between Sunshine Pop, 70’s groove, and Neo-Psych ‘Volume 2’ demonstrates a deft ability to melt multiple genres and influences. Whilst exploring elements of indie-pop, soul, funk, psych-rock and more, Greatest Hits use these sounds to establish their own brand of danceable, yet vulnerable energy.

“At its core, Greatest Hits is about handling the heavy things, lightly,” says frontman Ryan Cooper. “We want to flip it on its head - laugh at our insecurities, and point out our struggles, while having a good time!”

A good time is definitely had with lead single ‘Nuclear Love’ out November 18th – a lo-fi bop about infatuation, which glistens with a new wave groove. Elsewhere there’s fun Beach Boys-vibes in the addictive opening track ‘Spicy’ whilst the jangly ‘Pleasure To Meet You’ is what the band call their most collaborative track, written over a couple years in three different countries, with six different people including Timothy Lanham of The Vaccines. There’s also

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Photo credit: Saskia Kovandzich

the wistful love song ‘Banana Moon’ and the sun-drenched psychedelic pop of ‘Palm Springs’ which explores the illusion that everything works out supposedly easily for some people - “It’s my realisation that everyone is figuring out their own struggles,” says Ryan, “that most good things just require hard work.”

Greatest Hits is the project of Australian artist, Ryan Cooper.

Whilst living in the UK and after extensive touring with bands, Hollow Coves, and Halfnoise (Zac Farro of Paramore), Ryan began work on something more accurately reflecting his influences with initial help from fellow musician, Josh Macyntire (Marmozets/Dream Ceremony), who was crashing on his couch at the time. With no intention of developing things further, those early demos travelled from friend to friend, resulting in Greatest Hits agreeing to play their debut show - with no band, and a collection of half-finished songs.

Joined by Henry Chatham (bass), Chelsea Foley (vocals/ percussion), and a rotating line-up of musicians, Greatest Hits were soon playing a string of supports including The

Districts, Ezra Furman, Halfnoise, Lost Under Heaven, and Holy Wave, along with UK festivals like Live at Leeds, This Must Be the Place and Leeds Emerging - fast earning a reputation for their engaging live shows.

A temporary relocation to America saw the band spending time between New York and Nashville, in what became a significant time of writing and recording, before returning to homeland Australia for their next chapter. After receiving BBC Radio 1 support in the UK, an official Triple J add in Australia, and a huge year supporting the likes of Donny Benet, San Cisco, King Stingray, The Buoys - the band’s latest release sees them working with Shags Chamberlain (Mac Demarco, Weyes Blood, Drugdealer), to produce a sound that is full of both timeless groove and modern sensibilities.

The single ‘Nuclear Love’ and the EP ‘Volume 2’ is available now.

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L OCA L A RTI S T

by April Spadina

K

ym Latter is a joyful explosion of colour. With her purple hair, her bright funky earrings and her wild overalls, she is a vibrant breath of fresh air.

From humble beginnings, Kym’s life can only be described as full to the brim. Growing up in remote North Queensland, Kym discovered her love of art at a young age and after studying art at university, Kym moved to Brisbane to pursue a career in graphic design. She quickly discovered that designing business cards for a living was not for her and before she knew it, Kym’s life accidentally became a whirlwind of web design in the dawning of the age of the internet.

Kym was a highflier – literally! Her skills in webpage design saw her flying business class around the world and living in the fast lane – this lane would eventually see her crashing with burn-out.

After 20 years in the stressful corporate world of IT, Kym

made a life changing decision to leave the high life behind and travel with a different purpose in mind – to find Kym again.

She boarded a plane and headed to Southeast Asia with her young child, and it was there that Kym absorbed the rawness of creativity by being a part of a lifestyle that was stripped back and genuine, and her heart begin to heal.

Eighteen months later, a tragic family event would bring Kym to her loved ones in Maryborough where she would once again be involved in an internet business, but this time as her own boss.

She successfully grew an online business in cattle tags, a strange concept for an artist but Kym is not your usual human. Teamed with her knowledge and skills, she has created a “perfect storm” and become a successful entrepreneur.

But it’s the art classes Kym holds in her small studio in Maryborough’s CBD that really make her light up.

“Happy Creative Classes” for kids, teens and all-abilities, Kym teaches to create with freedom, to let go of inhibitions, and explore the feelings that getting messy brings you in a completely non-judgmental environment.

Kym’s studio is dipped in quirkiness, rolled in colour and sugar-coated in glitter. Most materials are recycled which adds to the expressive and unpredictable nature of the creations the kids achieve!

This vibrant human is like a lovely, colourful bird that has flown around the world in a burst of energy, finally coming to land in an explosion of rainbow feathers in Maryborough.

Kym is a sparkly jewel who has nurtured herself through art and colour, and with fire in her belly, she is now nurturing the young budding artists of the Fraser Coast.

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LIFE AND LOVE IN ART KYM LATTER

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The Mercedes – AMG GLC 63 S 4MATIC+ SUV and Coupe

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that make up the Mercedes – AMG GLC 63 S 4MATIC + range. From the progressive, dominant GLC 63 S4MATIC+ to the dynamic head-turning The Mercedes-Benz A-Class is here.

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Discover it today at Mercedes Benz Hervey Bay

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Visit Mercedes-Benz Hervey Bay and meet the A-Class Sedan today.

Sales Consultant Mercedes-Benz Hervey Bay

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Cameron Bates

Sales Manager Mercedes-Benz Hervey Bay

Applicable to new and demonstrator A-Class Sedan first registered on or after 1 March 2020 for 5 years from the date of first registration of the vehicle. Warranty start time may differ for demonstrator vehicles. Commercial application of vehicle is subject to 5 years from first registration date or 200,000km (whichever occurs first). Battery warranty periods vary. Excludes customers with specific warranty arrangements with Mercedes-Benz. For full terms, conditions and exclusions please refer to the warranty statement here https://www.mbherveybay.com.au/en/desktop/passenger-cars/services/warranty-and-repairs/new-vehicle-warranty.html.

Mercedes-Benz Hervey Bay 96 Boat Harbour Drive, Hervey Bay 07 4194 4444 3585388 www.mbherveybay.com.au

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SM A RT MO NEY

by Kodie Axelsen

BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS AND DETERMINATION W hat does it take to be an entrepreneur?

I think first off it takes guts and determination.

That big leap into being self-sufficient can be extremely daunting.

Has anyone seen the memes that say I left my 9-5 to work 24/7 for myself? Well they weren’t wrong! The second you take that almighty leap the buck stops with you! Every decision that is made, every mistake that is made, all you!

It isn’t for the faint hearted. Building your own business is extremely hard work and is very much life consuming if you are giving it a red hot go. But if you never try, you’ll never know.

Now, you can boot strap and fund your own start up or you can access funding from a multitude of lenders.

Either way I suggest you write a business plan and nut out a cashflow forecast. From experience, people starting a business think this is excessive and ‘hard work’ but I cannot stress enough how much this opens your eyes to what building blocks you require to get your biz off the ground.

It will also help you foresee any issues you may run into. As they say, cashflow can be the biggest issue in your first few years of business. I remember running cashflow forecast’s for every possible scenario before going into business. Once I had it all in my head and I knew I could get through any potential hurdle it gave me the confidence to go all in.

There are so many more small businesses popping up and with the recent government mandates I believe we will

start to see a lot more people becoming self-sufficient.

All it takes is the confidence to back yourself and know that you have the capability to make it happen and the rest will flow. Business is hard and the lessons are never short of smacking you in the face at any given moment. It’s a huge step to take. At times you’ll find yourself in the deep end and at others wadding in the shallows.

Then you will have these moments where you will look back and realise how far you have come. I guarantee, these moments make that blood, sweat and tears all the more worth it. When you get to the point where you have the time and the money to give back, that’s when you get that epic feeling in your bones that you have made it.

Get your ideas pumping and your creative juices flowing and ask questions.

Go to business owners, go to the people in the trenches and ask them how they did it.

Everyone has their own unique set of circumstances and it just may be that you are one conversation away from realise you can do it too.

This lights me up because I get asked these same questions by people. When they realise that they can do it too you can literally see their brains ticking over and that “ahh hah” moment where they’ve just come to that realisation that they can do it. And from there the journey begins...

@cofinancecompany

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VEHICLE FINANCE

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SMALL ASSET FINANCE

“FINANCE CAN’T GET ANY EASIER!” “We recently purchased a motor vehicle for work, the team at Co Finance were very professional with seamless service, all the hard work is taken away from you.

We look forward to working with Kodie and team next time. Thank you from the team at Fraser Coast Food Service.”

125 BAZAAR STREET, MARYBOROUGH PHONE 4123 0566 WWW.COFINANCE.COM.AU 26

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Authorised Credit Representative Number 478413

WIDE BAY’S ENTREPRENEUR LINE UP

Running a successful business requires a lot work, and some days you might feel like you won’t see the fruits of your labour.

That’s why we’ve gathered some tips from our successul entrepreneurs in the region to help you push through rough patches and grey days to the brighter moments ahead.

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Tammy WAKELY

A passion for skin and the holistic health for all is what ignites Tammy Wakely, owner of Skin + Wax, Skin Space, and Totally Derma Australia. Tammy’s why’s and reasons for building her empire around skin come from battles of her own in her younger years.

Understanding the pains of bad skin and how it affected her own self-worth and confidence is what has brought Tammy to open Skin + Wax, bring Totally Derma to Australia, and finally open her dream day spa Skin Space.

Skin Space, Tammy’s latest offering to the Fraser Coast, is a place where she has been able use all of her expertise to pamper clients of all ages.

To offer locals and holiday-makers a space where they can receive luxe pampering has allowed me to achieve a longterm goal, leaving them feeling pampered and special. Our facial and massage rooms are also a place of divine relaxation.

As Hervey Bay continues to be discovered by those from afar Tammy assures us that she will continue to add to her offerings to bring the very best of her experience and expertise to everyone. www.skinspace.com.au Phone 4125 2969

Michelle WARREN

After trying to source a gift to send to her sick grandmother in hospital, Michelle Warren knew there was definitely a gap in the local market she could fill with her little dream business idea.

It was a “lightbulb moment”. Since then, Michelle hasn’t looked back after creating HOLABOX! She believes the only thing better than getting a gift is giving one.

With a deep rooted love for celebrating moments that matter, she set out to fill a void in everyday life with gift giving. Meaningful gifts create lasting memories!

They have the ability to build and transform our relationships. Finding the perfect gift, one that is thoughtful, unique, and lasting, can be a daunting task.

These gifts are packaged to perfection and accompanied by a hand-written note. Each and every box that leaves the studio is a gift to be remembered. www.holabox.com.au Phone 0438 141 125 198 Walker Street, Maryborough

Kristy WRIGHT

They say some are born with certain personalities that attract a certain career path. As most of us do during our lives, Kristy has experimented with different career paths but there was always an element in common – service to others.

Although being an entrepreneur was not an obvious choice to her, on reflection at the tender age of 5 years old, she had set up her first little shop in competition with her aunties ‘corner shop’ selling homemade perfume (crushed flower petals in water) and chocolate bars (kindly donated by her aunty). And so began her first steps to becoming an entrepreneur.

Regardless of the chosen career path, “service” is still the core of Kristy’s philosophy. Whether it is her clients, staff or community, giving to others is alway her key focus.

Kristy has been running a successful real estate business since 2009 and has navigated the GFC, rebrand and covid pandemic with a determination and resolve that has seen her business go from strength to strength. www.oneagencyfc.com.au Phone 4194 2936

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Luke STROCHNETTER Luke Strochnetter is a 21 Year OId Entrepreneur who has been living on the Fraser Coast for 14 years.

What started as a passion, has now turned into two thriving businesses here on the Fraser Coast. 360 Degrees Marketing is a full service Marketing agency specialising in Social Media Marketing, helping businesses stand out from their competitors.

Luke also runs Occasions by the Bay which is a luxe Pop up Picnic and event management business.

When you have a dream and are prepared to put in hard work, you can achieve anything!

www.360degreesmarketing.com.au Phone 0459 193 747

Alicia Ann WADE

What’s your secret to turning bright ideas into successful start ups and successful story as an entrepreneur?

My secret: Gratitude! Little Black Book Gratitude is something that was born on 25th December 2018 as a spiral bound journal, however I lost money from producing this. Then 6 months later I tested out another way: Softcover and sold over 100 in 6 countries! 6 months later I created a hard cover and sold this in 6 months. I knew I was onto something people wanted and needed. Next, I went to a Publishing House Balboa Press and now the journal is on booktopia and other leading book platforms, even a feature in Hay House, American TVs and radio! And it is now trademarked as “The Gratitude Method ‘’ producing 300 spiral bound journals and gift box sets with a program. It has hit every state already. I have been able to manage to get together a collaborative book that will be published in Jan/ Feb 2022 with Olympians, Healers, International Speakers, Sport Coaches, Tradies, Coaches and Mentors across Australia sharing their stories on how Gratitude has changed and shaped people’s lives. My advice test and measure, get out there, share your story, see what people want and need. The external world will tell you through how many products you sell and how fast. Find your niche, Trust yourself, put your mind to it, invest and watch what will occur. www.hbgratitude.com.au

Kodie AXELSEN

I’m born and bred on the coast of Adelaide and moved to Maryborough 13 years or so ago. I’ve always had drive for investing in real estate and read tonnes of books etc.

I guess you get to point where you have read enough, you have the tools and you need to make the moves.

My husband and I started our real estate portfolio when we were 21 and we’ve just continued to grow it from there.

In the meantime we’ve had 3 kids and run 2 businesses, a finance brokerage and construction company.

I love the drive it takes to be successful in business and the lessons it throws at you. Every day is a school day so Matt would say!

I’m just super keen on growing as a person and giving back as much as possible and business has definitely been a huge contributor in making that happen. www.cofinance.com.au Phone 4123 0566

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Brand building 1. Rainbow Straw Sun Hat 2. Blush Linen Stredded Trims Jacket 3. Sky Blue and White Light Linen Scarf

New Year

New You!

36 Torquay Road, Pialba 30

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Phone 4128 4122

www.alivemag.com.au

www.maxinesshoes.com.au

F A SH IO N

by Kate Manley

T

his month features entrepreneurship … and fashion probably has more creative minds than almost any industry. If you find a niche market that you are passionate about, then run with it.

Starting out with baby steps to achieve your dream, you will find there is a multitude of online help to guide you along the way. fashionista.com

startupfashion.com

fashionequipped.com.au

And when your business starts to grow :

“People that make progress in big goals have mastered the ability to say ‘no’ to things that don’t align with their current focus or attention.”

Charlena Ortiz.

As a famous brand says: ‘Just do it!’.

By way of clarifying our own brand building, we are featuring ‘All Things Linen’ for you to enjoy.

LEFT: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Pure White Light Linen Scarf Earth Grey Linen Rolled Sleeves Shirt Dress Natural and Blue Bar Fabric Clutch Blue and White Strip Fabric Clutch

RIGHT: 1. Pure White Light Linen V-neck Summer Top 2. Blush Linen Shorts with Patterned Stretch Belt 3. Navy Blue Fabric Clutch

40% TO 70% OFF SELECTED STOCK IN OUR BACK ROOM

ARTIST

QUALITY ITALIAN CLOTHING

572 ESPLANADE, URANGAN HERVEY BAY

WWW.LUXEHERVEYBAY.COM MON TO SAT 10AM - 3PM Alive Magazine Wide Bay |

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ECO L I VI NG

by Ingrid Gorissen

CREATING A VISION S

uccessful entrepreneurship starts with a deep passion and vision.

Other characteristics are that entrepreneurs are always on and never give up.

For our business, it started with a name …

We choose VIVERE as its meaning is Life, to Live, Lifestyle.

To Live is to Love, to love is to enjoy the life, and express the quality of life with the people we love. At VIVERE, quality life is made easier.

Our individual, innovative, and stylish design vision will bring better atmosphere in living space, create an atmosphere for life.

Vivere Homes stands for Lifestyle Design Build and our focus is creating a unique style of home, together with our customers.

Homes that are designed and built to individual lifestyle and needs. We have a strong focus on applying innovative eco building principles as it is underestimated, the impact a welldesigned home can make to the inner health of people.

We are also passionate to raise awareness, show and educate the public about economically- friendly and sustainable living.

Many think this is out of their price range, but it is totally doable. Home designing starts with taking (free) natural elements like sun, shade, wind, light in consideration and a

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site investigation allows us to see how the block sits, and how we can use these components to their optimum advantage.

This construction is financially and ergonomically friendly; a natural through breeze can eliminate the need for air conditioning.

Custom built, innovative personalised homes are a wonderful asset to the growing community on the Fraser Coast. Living in the Fraser Coast now for 20 plus years, it is our passion but also feel it as our duty to educate, motivate and support the community in establishing, implementing, and achieving sustainability for the betterment of the region.

The world around us is changing, homebuilding, and our way of living, play an important role in this.

By looking at home layout, position, alternatives in materials, integrated energy systems, we can be eco-friendlier and more sustainable, designing and building homes that feel natural and balanced.

Healthy homes, happy lives!

Home designs should be beautiful and functional, feel good and are kind to the environment. Homes that reduce energy and running cost.

Sustainable houses that work for you, your family, or your business.

Residential buildings are responsible for more than a third of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, yet most homeowners

“Home designs should be beautiful and functional, feel good and are kind to the environment. ” are unaware of the impact that their homes are having on our climate.

Given the current trend toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy, the overlap between entrepreneurship and sustainability has become a key research area.

Part of this trend is the emergence of ecopreneurial businesses.

These businesses are pioneers in using innovation to achieve sustainable growth by exploiting market opportunities.

Many homeowners have heard the common myths about green home Building being more expensive, and the materials are limited and lower quality.

On the contrary, eco-friendly design is one of the absolute best investments you can make. Building an environmentally friendly house is highly economical in the long run, paying for itself with energy savings in under a decade as well as increasing home value. But it’s not all about the money; Building an environmentally friendly house means protecting the planet while creating a healthier home for you and your family.

As the economy starts to shift towards a greener future, the building industry need to as well, so the time is now to move with the trends and to think Eco Designed homes and living so we aren’t left in the past.

For ourselves, our kids, and grandkids

Yours in Design & Passionate Eco-Preneurship, Ingrid

2021

Fraser Coast's Best in Trade & Manufacturing and The Verena Fletcher Award

BUILDING, RENOVATING AND DESIGNING QUALITY HOMES TO CO-EXIST WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.

PHONE: 0417 067 592 EMAIL: INGRID@VIVEREHOMES.COM.AU VIVEREHOMES.COM.AU Alive Magazine Wide Bay |

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B RA NDI NG DES K

REFRESH YOUR BRAND IN 2022!

by Marta Hackett

C

onsidering the growth throughout the Fraser Coast (inadvertently the healthy competition) is your business in need of a brand refresh? Usually less expensive, less intensive and quicker than a rebrand, it might be what you need. If you’re sitting on the fence about this investment, read on! I’ve included my top four reasons for a brand refresh: ONE

You’re unclear who your target market is.

Major alert on this one. If you don’t know who you’re selling to, how will you attract them? Creating client demographic profiles will show you how to speak to your target market through visual storytelling. This will make building your stellar marketing strategy a breeze! Building a lovable brand starts with knowing the needs and desires of your target market and then using your brand messaging to resonate with them directly.

TWO

You’re not sure if your logo is right for you.

It pays to keep up-to-date with your visual identity. Rocking a logo from the early 90’s can communicate to your customers that you don’t have a vision or you’re out of touch with the best industry practices. A logo update shows you’re an industry pioneer and striving for growth. Springboard off your client demographic profiles to refine your visual identity. From here,

it’s easy to build an unbreakable foundation to stand on throughout all your marketing efforts. You won’t pander to trends but you’ll be making decisions in alignment with your brand confidently.

THREE

You want to increase your prices.

Higher prices mean higher value and quality. Therefore, your branding should express that quality. Increasing prices puts you in a new bracket that may make your current visual identity and packaging obsolete. If you’ve recently added a new product line, increased your value/price or even changed your store location, then it could be time for a refresh!

FOUR

You’re short-staffed.

A refresh has the potential to attract professional staff with great skillsets. With Australia’s current workforce shortage, there are many businesses (especially the healthcare, hospitality and tourism industries) which are lacking skilled staff. The past two years has kickstarted career changes and employees see how valuable they are. Employees want to work for businesses that have strong missions they can resonate with and ultimately rally behind. If your business is struggling to attract quality staff members, your branding might be the problem and a brand refresh might be your solution!

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35

HE A L TH HUNTER

by Rhian Hunter

DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF YOU

W

hile the festive season is a great time for kicking back, and spending time with family and friends, most of us become too busy and end up feeling tired and overstretched.

Lack of time and days of events that are centred around eating and drinking can lead many of us to lose sight of the hard work we have put into ourselves throughout the year and often knocks us right off the new year bandwagon before it’s even got going.

But you don’t have to let your routine fall by the wayside, and nor should you have to restrict quality time with friends and family. It’s a matter of prioritising your time and finding a balance.

Movement should never be perceived as a luxury, it’s a necessity. It should be just as important as spending time with the ones you love, eating nourishing foods, staying hydrated, maintaining good hygiene and getting adequate sleep.

Here are some tips to ensure you avoid falling of the wagon, while still enjoying everything the summer holidays have to offer.

If you are strapped for time, try reducing your workouts to shorter and more intense bursts of exercise; 10-20minutes rather than skipping them altogether.

Use family gatherings as an opportunity to get everyone involved in some physical activity for example backyard cricket, basketball, dancing, swimming.

Go for a brisk walk with friends, relatives or even on your own after long periods of sitting down.

Use some of your time off to get out in nature; get up early and take a brisk walk on the beach or have an early morning dip in the ocean. Do a couple of sun salutations as soon as your feet hit the grass or sand.

Make a ‘budget’ for your eating and indulgences. This means allowing yourself a treat or two, but spreading them out across the holidays means you won’t over indulge.

True freedom is experienced when we have the ability to be totally adaptable. Enjoyment is what we strive for over the summer holidays, but we lose our ability to enjoy when we exceed our limits.

Your most important limitation is your body’s capacity to endure your indulgences. If you wish to end and start your year on the right foot, then it is a classic case of freedom versus responsibility, either you restrict your freedom a little bit each day, or nature will come along and restrict you for days, weeks or months at a time down the track.

@healthhunternaturaltherapies

36

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GARDEN NOMELETTE

H E A L TH Y RE CIPE

by Rhian Hunter

SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS: FOR THE NOMELETTE : ½ Cup of Red Lentils (dry) ½ Cup of Yellow Split Peas (dry) 2 TBLS of Nutritional Yeast Flakes 1 Clove of Garlic 1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar 1 tsp. Baking Powder 1 tsp. of Parsley 1 Cup of Water Salt & Pepper (to taste) *FOR THE SAUCE (Optional)

½ Cup of Cashew Cream or Tahini 1 tsp. Garlic Powder 1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper 1 tsp. White Miso

1 tsp. Nutritional Yeast Flakes 1 TBLS. Plain Kombucha FOR THE FILLING

125g Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

1 Cloves of Garlic (chopped, fine) 1/2 Red Onion (sliced, thinly) 1 Cup of Spinach & Rocket

1 tsp. Sweet Paprika (ground) ½ tsp. Thyme (dried)

½ tsp. Oregano (dried)

Salt & Pepper (to taste) 1 TBLS Olive Oil

2 TBLS Basil (leaves torn) METHOD:

1. Soak the lentils and split peas in water and salt for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix together all filling ingredients except basil until combined and evenly coated in oil and spices.

3. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, (add the spinach at 20 minutes, and cook for a

further 3 minutes until spinach is wilted). Remove from oven and toss in torn basil leaves

4. If having sauce with the nomelette, throw all ingredients into a blender or small food processor and blitz until combined, you can add water to the mixture if you prefer a runnier consistency.

5. Drain and rinse the soaked lentils, and throw all nomelette ingredients into a

blender or small food processor and blitz until a smooth batter consistency forms.

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37

Fashion Forward

by Janie Wild

Pialba Place 38

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(Big W Entrance),

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SK I N C ARE

by Abby Blanke

AGING GRACEFULLY A

s much as we would all love the foundation of youth or a magic oil elixir that permanently stops the aging process unfortunately nothing like that has been invented just yet!

But can you anti-age your skin? Which means slow down the aging process or even turn back the wheels.

SPF!

The number one premature aging reason is the sun. It breaks down our skin collagen and cause free radical damage within the epidermis. If premature aging is a concern for you, no amount of high quality skincare will help stop if you are not using SPF every day.

In salon treatments:

The answer is YES! Of course you can’t prevent aging because it is a natural part of life.

Anti-aging is more about helping you age the best possible way your skin and body can.

How do we do that?

First it’s really important that you understand your genetics and lifestyle as these play a huge role in how your skin ages. It will help us find the weaker links that we need to focus on for skincare and treatments.

All genetics age differently

I love German skin! I feel like they got the best when it comes to aging. Their skin tans beautifully and practically never lines or pigments. Red hair genes on the other hand have a little more of a hard time trying to prevent pigmentation and premature aging.

This is a really crucial step if you want to reverse some of the damage already done. In salon treatments are higher potency than what can be done at home and if you are in the right hands an experienced therapist will know exactly what treatments can be combined to treat your skin to give high impact results. It really does take a holistic approach when it comes to getting the maximum results for your treatments and skin.

Turning the clock back to your 20s may not be possible but we can certainly make you look and feel the best possible version of yourself and that’s really what it is all about anyway.

Using the right homecare for your skin

Once you understanding how your skin will show signs of age we can then match your homecare for your skins needs. Vitamin C is really important for strengthen the skin and protecting from pigmentation. Vitamin A helps prevent lines.

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FI TN E S S

by Josh Hoodless www.teamlift.com.au

THE BIGGER PICTURE M

aking a living is great but making a difference is greater!

I have been in the fitness industry for nearly 20 years and have seen many businesses open and close, fads and diets come and go, and even come back again in disguise.

However, one thing that will always remain a constant is that both clients and trainers will always need help.

I get asked for advice by new personal trainers (PTs) and people fresh into the fitness industry every year.

I simply tell them: Go and help people! Do it for free if you can. You don’t need to be the best trainer; you just need to be the best person.

Sounds crazy but the ones who succeed in the fitness industry really want to make a difference in the lives of others, not just make a living.

The financial reward from helping people comes a lot later down the track. It takes hard work, patience, and passion, but what you give you will get back.

It’s a tough and flooded industry. The Fraser Coast has seen gyms pop up and then close down, PTs give up after a few years or sometimes months.

In the gym facility scene, there are numerous options.

If you know what you’re doing in the gym and confident there are some awesome big commercial gyms filled to the brim with the latest equipment.

All the way down the scale there are personal trainers operating out of their garage.

What we are seeing these days are new PTs or business professionals wanting a return on investment and focusing on business over client performance.

This has seen the battle of the smaller franchised group training gyms.

They usually consist of a large group of people with less equipment who sign up for unlimited group sessions for a weekly membership price.

We are seeing more and more of these types of businesses with cool names.

The downside: usually owned by people with limited or

zero knowledge of exercise science, functional anatomy or progressional overload. Also, you could be following a program written by head office in Sydney and sometimes watching it unfold on a TV screen.

It’s just business and that’s totally fine. If your goal is to workout with a group of people a few times a week and you’re doing that, you’re succeeding.

The upside: The price is affordable and there’s a trainer always leading the group. You can definitely get a sweat and have some good workouts.

For me personally, it’s more encouraging to see businesses actually ‘training’ their ‘clients’ as opposed to doing a random ‘workout’ with their ‘customers’.

My advice; don’t limit yourself to just one particular style and offer clients a more personalised plan based on their goals. If you can’t do that as a business then you should refer them to another great local fitness business who offer that. We should be all about the improvement of others no matter where it’s happening.

Here at LIFT, we like to up-skill so our trainers can help ANY person. We are a centre that focuses on all elements of the client’s health and fitness journey.

What has worked well for LIFT for so many years is to keep it simple; get to know our clients, their goals and what they really want to achieve.

Only then can we prescribe an exercise plan for them that is enjoyable, sustainable and will actually see results.

Another tip for business owners is to invest in the best staff!

We are providing a very personal service, not a product.

Experience and customer service is vital in our industry.

Don’t get me wrong, in order to remain open and provide for your family you must cover the business basics - more revenue than expenses to make a profit etc.

But knowing you are helping your clients be the best possible version of themselves, in mind body and soul, should always come first.

If the client comes first, the profits will follow.

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Photo credit: Brooke Wilson (above)

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DE STI N A TIO N

by Brooke Wilson

EARN PANORAMIC VIEWS OF

MOUNT WALSH A

nyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely not a morning person.

And yet, for some reason, I agreed to a 6am start on a Sunday morning to go climb a mountain. The mountain in question is Mount Walsh, about 10 minutes’ drive from the town of Biggenden.

enough to fit one person, and due to the recent rain, a steady flow of water coming straight down its centre. Certainly not for the faint hearted. Through utter stubbornness to not let it defeat us, and perhaps with a touch of dare devilishness, we shimmied our way up, one at a time, using whatever nooks and crannies we could find as handholds.

Having never climbed it before, I knew that it wouldn’t be easy, but still didn’t really know exactly what I was in for.

The rest of the way up the summit was much the same, albeit a little easier to manage.

It had rained the night before the day that my friends and I went, so naturally the track was muddy and slippery.

All of this was worth it though, as at the top, we were rewarded with stunning 360-degree views across the North Burnett region, beautifully lush and green. After a muchneeded breather, we started the long walk back down, slipping and sliding and collecting far too much mud.

Shortly after you turn off onto the road into the national park, the sheer enormity of the mountain looms ahead, and any thoughts that it might be a light stroll are quickly dashed.

Still, we had come all this way, and weren’t going to turn back now, so off we went.

The first half wasn’t too dissimilar to any walk, a steady incline meandering through the shrub, but enough to get the calves burning.

About halfway up, we rounded a corner and were confronted by a sheer rock face, with a crevice up the middle barely wide

Still rivulets on rock faces make for slippery footing, so it was slow going.

Maybe one day, I will give Mount Walsh another go but for now, my calves are still crying out in pain. All I know is that I am really proud I made it all the way to the top, and I am certain I earned the chicken parmi I had for lunch that day!

www.frasercoasttravel.com.au

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43

T HE BI G CA TCH

by Andrew Chorley

CAST OUT FOR SUMMER FEAST

Clancy made some great memories while out on the water with his two boys. They will never forget the day they caught this awesome black marlin.

44

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Burrum

Spring rains stirred the Jacks up in the Burrum and they should continue to fish well through January with prawn imitations getting the bites. The guys using live baits have also done well so take a cast net to gather some bait if you are serious about catching a few.

Whiting have been taken in the lower reaches along black bank along with flathead and the odd grunter.

Out the front mac tuna can be found on the surface along with the odd spotted mackerel. The Burrum 8-Mile has produced a few golden trevally, grass sweetlip and blackall.

Wild Grounds

The wide reefs can be a little harder to access with the easterly winds blowing a bit harder out wide this time of year.

Sweetlip, coral trout and hussar have been the main catches with sharks being a real problem and will be for a while yet until things cool down.

Heading south over the wide bay bar is a better option with less sharks and good reports of reef fish coming from down there.

Platypus Bay

A few spotted mackerel can be found in Platypus Bay but can be very patchy. A slow and gentle approach to the schools is the key with the extra boat traffic they become very spooky and can split up. Golden trevally, queenfish, longtail tuna and broad bar mackerel can also be found on the bait balls.

Local Reefs

Sweet lip has been in great numbers but again sharks have been very bad. Once a few fish have been landed moving on is a must to avoid feeding sharks.

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Try the shallow reefs for better success and less sharks with dawn and dusk seeing the best bite periods.

Cod, coral trout, blackall and parrot have been reported coming from the local inshore reefs. Big GT’s have been about with a few anglers getting some big specimens to 25kg.

Urangan Pier

Off the Urangan Pier golden trevally, Spanish mackerel, and GT’s have been caught in the second channel on live baits.

In the shallows, gar, whiting and flathead have been reported. Walking the beaches is another good option with some good whiting catches being reported off the beach at night.

Sandy Strait

Early mornings have seen some good fish being caught around the mouth of the Mary with threadfin and a few blue salmon being reported.

Grunter and flathead have been caught up the Susan River with some good whiting also about.

The Turkey Straits has had some good reports of whiting also along with queenfish, GT, grunter and flathead.

Taking the crab pots is also a great idea it has been hit and miss but some good crabbing is still on offer if you put in the time.

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45

PA RENTI NG

by Amanda Coop

A

HOLIDAY NEGOTIATIONS

hhh, school holidays. Blissful, carefree, harmonious. Well, for the first five minutes, anyway.

With Christmas done and dusted, we head into another month-long slog of trying to keep the kids occupied without resorting to 12 hours a day of screen time or locking oneself in the pantry for a little “me time”, aka scoffing chocolate and listening to my own sweet, previously lost thoughts.

Once the glow of Christmas has worn off and any sense of routine is well and truly out the window, holiday boredom begins to set in.

It’s around this time I know plenty of parents say their kids have had enough of being with each other all day, every day and start to fight.

To say you can’t even look in his direction without setting off a full-blown emotional meltdown is more accurate. Miss 10 is doing a little better, but emotional regulation has never been her strong point at the best of times so we’re navigating some rough seas right now.

In an effort to curb my own emotional meltdown, we are on day three and devices have already played more of a role in keeping harmony than I would like to admit.

My children though, are the anomaly. They start their holidays arguing over … well, pretty much everything, and finish up as besties who then of course get upset when they have to part ways to head back to school.

I still have to listen to the frequent shouts of Mr 6 calling out Pokemon battle moves, but that’s better than listening to him shouting at his sister.

It’s also better than catching them at the top of the stairs, ready to use the dogs’ beds to slide down and probably straight into the wall (followed by an ambulance), as we did last night.

Unfortunately, due to the need to write in advance to accommodate printing deadlines, we haven’t quite reached the bestie phase yet, and are still navigating our way out of dog-pack mode.

With just another seven short weeks to go, what could possibly go wrong?

That’s not to say they are exactly holding hands and singing Kumbaya in bestie mode. It’s just not like having to break up a wild dog pack every two minutes.

Mr 6 has just finished Prep, his first year of full-time schooling and an entirely different pace from his

46

previous three-day weeks at kindy, so to say he’s a little touchy would be an understatement.

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There seems to be no middle ground for this pair.

They’re either screeching at each other over trivial misdemeanors (“he’s using my favourite fork!”) or getting on like a house on fire but in doing so, getting up to mischief that hopefully won’t end with the actual house on fire.

Maybe I’ll just double-check our home insurance is up to date.

FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY & MUSIC FILM Love is a powerful thing, it gives me goosebumps.

My heart is over-joyed to be able to create breathtaking keepsakes for you. It is a passion that lies deep within my soul that allows me to give you something special to adore. A moment in time, that is created through the beauty I see in you. It gives me such pleasure to sit with my clients and show them what my eyes saw through the lens and watch their faces light up when they too see, what I saw.

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47

LIFE CHA T WI TH MI CH E L L E

by Michelle Robinson Bach. Counselling.

Dip. Clinical Hypnotherapy

48

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MAKING YOUR RESOLUTION STICK

W

elcome to a year that is bright with new possibilities.

Like a blank canvas, the beginning of 2022 offers us opportunities to shape the direction of our lives. Sometimes, we choose to change direction by making a ‘new resolution’.

Unfortunately, research shows that over 60% of resolutions don’t last. They fade away like the motivation that inspired them.

In this month’s Life-Chat, I’m going to help you have the best chance of success with any positive strategy or habit you might choose to add to your life.

A resolution often involves moving away from something we don’t want, so that something more positive may take its place.

This is especially true for decisions about improving our well-being through sensible weight loss, smoking cessation, a focus on fitness, a decision to reduce alcohol consumption and so on.

A habit or behaviour that we no longer want in our lives is identified, and a new habit or behaviour is chosen to replace it. It seems straightforward enough. However, if it was easy, there would be many fewer smokers, yo-yo dieters, hung-over weekenders and unfit Australians still pondering why their helpful resolutions failed them.

Retraining the brain away from one behaviour and way of thinking, towards another behaviour and way of thinking takes discipline, persistence, and time.

New neural pathways require at least 90 days to replace the pathways that already reinforce that old unwanted behaviour. If you falter in willpower before at least three months have passed, then you have already lost your chance of success. Old habits regain control.

The good news is that you can vastly improve the odds of transitioning a new resolution into a long-term behaviour.

Here are my top strategies.

If there are drawbacks to a current behaviour, really feel those drawbacks and ‘rev yourself up’ so that you feel determined to put an end to it.

Next, mentally rehearse, as often as you can, the benefits of your new, chosen behaviour. Imagine your strongest benefits as if you already have success. This mental rehearsal is critical for brain training and forming new neural pathways. Finally, write or display these benefits where you can see them. Refer to them often.

Link your new habit with an established routine: If you are adding a new habit, pair that new habit with a behaviour you regularly do at a specific time. For example, you might add a walk to your morning routine right after you have breakfast. Since breakfast is already a regular habit, pairing a walk with it is easier than attempting to introduce a daily walk at random times.

Replace an unhelpful habit with new options: Removing a habit without some options to replace it leaves you vulnerable to moments of weakness and indecision.

Work out a range of acceptable options to fill the gap.

Make sure your strategies can be activated anywhere, anytime, are enjoyable, and will distract you. Nominate someone you can phone at short notice to be your coach.

Persistence is your friend: Sadly, motivation usually fizzles out like a sparkler on a birthday cake. It burns brightly in the short-term but dies when the going gets tough. Do not rely on motivation.

Tell yourself that all you need to be is persistent. Long-term success is achieved through steady, small steps of progress.

If you make a mistake, that’s okay. You are not derailed. It’s just a detour. Tomorrow, you are once more committed to the positive behaviour you chose to improve your life.

For a positive Oracle Card message that offers daily practical guidance, why not join my free Facebook group, ‘Your Intuitive Gifts At Work’?

Mentally Prepare: Before you take the plunge with your resolution, focus on two things: why you wish to make a change, and the benefits of doing so.

trustyourintuition.com

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49

JANUARY inspiration

INSPI RA TI ONS

by Alison Dunlop

Alison’s Guidance this Month:

2022 is your year to step up and be an entrepreneur! What a great opportunity to be the CEO in charge of your life!

January is a great time to write a list of your goals and intentions for the year ahead. Make sure self care is the number 1 priority on your list. Just go for it, you have nothing to lose!

Capricorn Dec 22 -Jan 19 New year, New you! It is time to get out of your comfort zone and reach for the stars!

Set some intentions for what you want in 2022, and know you can move positively towards what you want.

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 You’re on a winner this month Aquarius!

Success is with you all the way! It seems everything you touch turns to gold. Enjoy reaping your rewards for hard work.

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 A warning this month to tread carefully and have your wits about you. It is possible you are only being told half truths, so be on the lookout for that.

Stay strong, and above all listen to your intuition.

Aries Mar 21 - April 19 This month is definitely not a good time to be taking risks. Take it easy and spend time on nurturing yourself and recharging your body for the year ahead. Give yourself permission to have a quiet month.

Taurus

April 20 - May 20

Are you feeling like you just want to break free? The end of last year may have been busy for you, but now is the time to surrender your stresses to the universe, and find what gives you freedom. Without this, you may become overwhelmed, and emotionally unbalanced!

Gemini May 21 - June 20

There is an opportunity for you to heal this month Gemini. In order to allow your heart, mind and body to heal, you do need to let go of any past sadness. Stay positive, and flick any negativity away.

Time to move forward, you,ve got this!

Alison Dunlop Kinesiologist. Find out more at: www.alisondunlopkinesiology.com.au (Cards drawn from The Modern Oracle of Essential Oils by Katy-K.)

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Cancer June 21- July 22

You are being encouraged this month, Cancer. This can be a really happy time for you, but you must keep your thoughts in check. Keep your thoughts positive and look for the joy in life! Remember, your thoughts become your reality.

Leo

July 23 - Aug 22

Keep your calm Leo, and don’t be in so much of a rush to make decisions. Take a step back, and just breathe. Take time to look at the big picture. Use your intuition to guide you, and know you do have all the time you need to do what is necessary.

Virgo

Aug 23 - Sept 22

Libra

Sept - 23 - Oct 23

Blessings for all you Virgos this month.

Time for you to start believing in yourself.

Take the time to truly listen to your heart and have faith all will work out. After all, the universe has your back.

January is the winning month for Librans!

Connect with your confident nature and keep moving forward. Stay positive and know everything you put your heart into will be successful.

Scorpio

Oct 24 - Nov 21

Don’t be shy Scorpio! Have you been second guessing yourself of late? It is now time for some self acceptance. You are uniquely you, so turn your mindset around, and choose optimism!

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 The start of a new year is a great time for a spring clean. It is time to release the old, to make way for the new. So have a declutter of your physical home and your spiritual home. You will feel so much better, and will allow positive new things into your life.

RE A DE RS ’ G ALLERY

Crossword of the month

ARTWORK OF THE MONTH

Last month’s solution

Artwork by Michael Armstrong

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Starts 20th Jan

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51

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