FREE MAGAZINE
WINTER 2017
WORK LIFESTYLE VISION IN CALOUNDRA
Startup entrepreneurs thriving on the Coast The organic lush life
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BUSINESS, COMMUNITY, EVENTS, LOCAL SUCCESS STORIES, TOURISM AND MORE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES 4 President's Pen 6 Work/Play Lifestyle 8 Giving Rise to Startups 10 Diversity in Film 12 The Lush Life 14 Innovation in Business 16 Pocket of Vibes
REGULARS
5 Social Pics 18 Upcoming Events 20 Welcome to New Members 22 Members Directory
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CALOUNDRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY INC. A Level 1, 74 Bulcock St (PO Box 177) Caloundra 4551 P 07 5492 5977 E admin@caloundrachamber.com.au ADVERTISING AND CONTENT SUBMISSIONS To enquire about advertising space, or discuss content, please contact the Editor of Caloundra Buzz magazine | marketing@caloundrachamber.com.au GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PRODUCTION BY: Marx Design | www.marxdesign.com.au FRONT COVER: Image credit: Adrian Bell www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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PRESIDENT’S PEN
BUSINESS NETWORKING
Michael Shadforth, President of Caloundra Chamber Of Commerce
The Chamber recently hosted a number of functions and events that presented a great opportunity for networking and education. These included ‘Tourism on Fire’ Business After Hours event in collaboration with Visit Sunshine Coast, at 26degrees bar+venue. The Smart Lunch Club in April was presented by Secure Access I.T. with special guest Hon Leeanne Enoch MP (Innovation, Science & the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business) at Oaks Oasis, Caloundra. Photos courtesy of Brian Rogers Photographics.
THE FUTURE IS HERE The Sunshine Coast University Hospital has opened and the Aura community is well and truly underway, creating two major economic drivers for all levels of business. Caloundra is especially well positioned to take advantage of this unprecedented level of activity and now is the time for businesses to invest with confidence. The $1.8 billion SCUH is situated within the country’s largest Health Precinct and Stockland’s Aura, which will eventually be home for 50,000 people, is the largest privately-developed community. These aspects mean the spotlight will be shining firmly on our region for many decades to come as these projects reach their completion. This is great news for business owners and now is the time to be stretching yourself to improve all aspects of your business so you can not only grow your business at the same pace as the economy, but place yourself in a position to exceed that. There are some key areas to consider investing in, and how you approach the task will determine how successful your outcome will be. Investing in training will allow you and your staff to become more efficient and innovative in what you do. As the customer experience is paramount in business today, upskilling in customer service will also be a good investment, as will spending money on marketing to build your brand recognition and reputation. As every business owner knows, the staff are well and truly the backbone of the business, so investing in employing more adequately skilled staff who can take your business to the next level cannot be underestimated. Of course, there are many other areas you could invest in to position yourself as a market leader here on the Coast and because our growth is going to be considerably more that the majority of the country, it is a great opportunity to explore possibilities of expanding your business beyond the region.
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Brendan Neil and Tina Ballard from TAFE Queensland
Cory Gale (Visit Sunshine Coast) , Jane Chapman (Caloundra Chamber of Commerce), Bill Darby (Rumba Beach Resort), Caitlin Bassett (Sunshine Coast Lightning), Simon Latchford (Visit Sunshine Coast)
Emma Courtney - Millwood (Blend Hair & Beauty), Megan Limpus (Blend Hair & Beauty), Jeanette Marshall (Blend Hair & Beauty), Sarah Lord (Blend Hair & Beauty), Glenys Hogarth (Blend Hair & Beauty)
Karen Young (Best Western Plus Lake Kawana Hotel), Julie Ellenberger (Visual Concepts Brochure Distribution), Alice Young, Kym Bell (Best Western Plus Lake Kawana Hotel)
OUT & ABOUT
David Chamberlain (Express Print & Mail), Mike Roberts (Community Solutions Apprentices and Trainees), Gillian Carr (Perry's Sunshine Coast Event Hire)
Donna Niazov (Family Friendly Carpet Cleaning & Pest Control), Hon Leeanne Enoch MP (Innovation, Science & the Digital Economy & Minister for Small Business), Michael Shadforth (Ray White Commercial), Anthony Roberts
Trudy McGee (Marriage Celebrant), Terry Slade (Leadership Management Australia), Jodie Slade (Leadership Management Australia)
Karen McNamara (KBAS Bookkeeping), Paul Nay (PMCN Consulting)
John Morley (The Business Rebel), Joanne Manning (Fusion Beauty Lounge), Frank Van der Laan (First Class Accountants - Caloundra)
Tina Ballard (TAFE Queensland East Coast), Jason Knight (miiGroup), Tracey Vella (TAFE Queensland East Coast)
Tracey Harris, Cheryl Frodsom, Roxy Borchardt from Caloundra Holiday Centre
Michele Kelly, Mai Sugiya and Danielle Smithson from Accom Caloundra
Ken Jeffreys (Caloundra Jetski), Vicki Taylor (Red Hot Chilli Pepper), Jonathan Allen (Secure Access IT)
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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WORK AND PLAY LIFESTYLE THE VISION FOR LOCAL OPTOMETRIST In a landscape where the majority of the country’s business networks are highly connected, greater numbers of both established business people and start-up entrepreneurs are seeking to base themselves in lifestyle cities.
With pristine beaches, a redeveloped high street precinct in Bulcock Street, an already thriving and collaborative business community and major public and private investment in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Stockland’s Aura, it is no wonder that Caloundra is high on the list of lands of opportunity, where business owners can experience a work/lifestyle balance that is the envy of those living and working in major cities.
There is a real art to working with children and I love that challenge. Caloundra may have been a sleepy town when optometrist Adrian Bell arrived in 1986
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to begin his career, but even then, he knew there was something special about the place. His intuition was right and the optometrist has been a part of the community for more than 30 years, first as a partner with Roberts Alexander Optometrists and from 2014 as the owner of the standalone Caloundra Vision Optometrists. Having been a longtime fixture on the street, Mr Bell says he has made countless relationships with people from all demographics in the community. In fact, he says these relationships are the key to business longevity and has allowed him to continue to thrive despite the “cheap glasses phenomenon”.
“Some patients have had children and I am now seeing their grandchildren. I work with a lot of seniors and children – there is a real art to working with children and I love that challenge,” he says.
The rule is, whenever I walk, I have the camera. Mr Bell has spent 10 years on the executive of the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists and developed an interest in lecturing to optometrists about vision and children’s examinations. Optometry has changed a lot in three decades, with Mr Bell’s practice moving from the more medicallybased closed curtain-style look of the ‘80s
COVER STORY
If I see something beautiful or visually stunning, I will stop and look at it. It's all about the light, the lens and our vision. and early ‘90s to a much more modern and sophisticated feel. Lenses have also improved from the fragile glass kind to better quality plastic lenses that have the capability to block out blue light from electronic devices and change colour when they are in the sun or shade. “When I first started at the age of 25, we used to have to look at a patient’s eye through the equipment and then draw by hand, the best that we could, what we saw. Now we can photograph a patient’s eye and look at it on the computer and can also save the files to compare with previous and future visits,” Mr Bell says. While he uses camera equipment every day at work, Mr Bell has begun to indulge in his passion for wildlife and scenic photography in his down time. With wife Helen working as practice manager, Mr Bell says holidays were hard to come by, so they decided to scale back their hours to four-and-a-half days a week to achieve their ideal work/life balance. As a result, the accomplished photographer has built a strong social media presence over the past five years and uses his Adrian Bell Photography images to promote Caloundra as the ideal lifestyle city.
“I wake up in the morning and with half an eye open, I check the weather outside and if it’s great, I will head straight to the beach at Wurtulla where I live. The rule is, whenever I walk, I have the camera,” he says.
Now we can photograph a patient's eye and look at it on the computer. “I like to take photos of the seabirds, surfers, sunrises and sunsets. I have always had an
interest in the art of photography, but it’s one of those things where life gets in the way. If I see something beautiful or visually stunning, I will stop and look at it. It’s all about the light, the lens and our vision”. For more information: caloundravisionoptometrists.com.au
Find him on instagram @caloundravision
Seachange on the rise! National research group, Colmar Brunton, surveyed 1000 Australians of matters relating to work and their lifestyles preferences and they found: 40% of people thought about a seachange 32% had considered a treechange Just 18% thought about a city change It really is no wonder that lifestyle locations like Caloundra rank highly in people's minds when it comes to seeking an ideal work/life balance.
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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SUNSHINE COAST GIVING RISE TO START UP ENTREPRENEURS Renowned KPMG demographer Bernard Salt has crunched the statistics, scrutinized the trends and investigated what the Sunshine Coast could look like in 2040 and he overwhelmingly sees an economy fuelled by young people in their 20s and 30s.
Mr Salt predicts young 'hipsters' will be attracted to the region by technology, lifestyle, cost and connectivity, while universityeducated millennials will team up with 'second generation CEOs' (baby boomers who have retired to the Coast and begun new business ventures) to begin their careers or start up new businesses.
into the business and sold it 18 months later, just managing to break even.
me, Ms Shorter is a skilled social media influencer.
“While you could look at that as a failure, I look at it as a massive success. We learned so much. I’d go as far to say that I learned more in our first year of business than I did in three years of uni,” Mr Shorter says.
“The results will be a Sunshine Coast that is not just bigger, but also younger, more highly educated and entrepreneurial,” he says.
“We thought we could just create something and people would buy it. It was like rolling a boulder up a hill. Instead, you need to look for a way you can roll the boulder down the hill. What can you sell that people actually want?”
“With what I do, being active on social media is a part of the job and establishes my credibility. I would say business owners (in conjunction with their business platforms) should definitely begin leveraging off influencers with bigger followings to tap into markets that would take a long time and lots of money to establish with in other ways,” she says.
While that is an exciting future to prepare for, we don’t have to wait another 23 years to see our homegrown young entrepreneurs succeed. Mr Salt has already recognised the Sunshine Coast as one of Australia’s leading start up regions and young entrepreneurs are rapidly increasing in number as they venture out with innovative and creative ideas.
You can either give up or take it as a lesson and keep going. Take Caloundra’s Cody and Tahlia Shorter, for example. This couple have become huge social media influencers and have placed their stamp on podcasts, blogs and a marketing company. Not bad for being 27 and 25 respectively. The business-minded couple met while studying business at Queensland University of Technology. They made their first foray into the business world in 2014 when they created toffey, an online business selling their own brand of gel nail polish. They sunk $40,000 8 Caloundrabuzz
Ms Shorter says it was an eye-opening experience to create something from nothing, but she has since applied the valuable real life lessons she learnt to her latest venture Tahlia Shorter Digital Marketing. Launched on Bulcock Street in February this year, the boutique digital marketing agency services the fashion, wellness, hair and beauty space. The agency has already grown from two to 12 clients and from one marketing agent to three. “Niching down to any particular industry ensures we always understand the products and services we are selling as well as the customers of these businesses. When we don't have to switch up the customer mindset too frequently, it gives us a good opportunity to be more efficient in what we do as well as the best at it for our clients,” Ms Shorter says. With more than 10,000 followers on her Instagram @the_freedom_project_ and loyal followers on her blog www.thefreedomproject.
The results will be a Sunshine Coast that is not just bigger, but also younger, more highly educated and entrepreneurial. Ms Shorter’s business also taps into content created by The Copywriters, which the couple founded in January 2016. Mr Shorter leads a team of eight writers and began a podcast for the company to boost marketing efforts. He has since begun another podcast called Sunshine Coast Frontier, in which he explores the way businesspeople on the Coast get things done and the role community plays in assisting them. “I had just joined The Caloundra Chamber of Commerce and I wanted to make sure I got the most out of it. Being new to the Coast, I also wanted to force myself to get out and meet new people and the podcast helps me to do that,” he says. Cody says the best advice he could give to
CALOUNDRA BUSINESS young people looking to pave their own way in business is to 'just do it'.
Take on the hard jobs at work... Building resilience and understanding yourself is key. “Don’t wait for things to be perfect, they never will be. Take your first step right now,” he says. Queensland Chief Entrepreneur Mark Sowerby knows a thing or two about how young people can thrive with innovative startups and says his biggest challenge was getting past his own insecurities. Mr Sowerby was named the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Queensland after he founded Blue Sky Alternative Investments Limited in 2006 and took it from start-up status to Australia’s only listed funds manager focused on alternative assets, with $2.1 billion in private equity, real estate, hedge fund strategies and real assets.
He left the company last year after it posted a record net profit of $10.5 million.
Mr Sowerby says young entrepreneurs need to “get old quickly.”
Following a presentation at a Caloundra Chamber of Commerce’s Better Business Breakfast, Mr Sowerby says he feels a real sense of community in Caloundra.
“By that, I mean drive yourself up the experience curve through getting well out of your comfort zone as often as possible. Take on the hard jobs at work or wherever you are. Building resilience and understanding yourself is key. I only worked this out in my mid 30’s really.
“There was a clear drive and vision to change the destiny and outlook for the region and work together to create a startup and scale-up culture of support and giving,” he says. “The Sunshine Coast has been identified as the most entrepreneurial region in the country. State and Federal Governments are desperate to support new businesses as that’s where all net jobs growth comes from. Investors are looking for growth and it’s also a wonderful place to live. “I know young entrepreneurs in Brisbane that want to move up [to the Coast] for the combination of lifestyle and opportunity. I think if there was decent transport infrastructure between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane it would happen a lot quicker.”
We thought we could just create something and people would buy it. “Also, the reality of being a young entrepreneur is your networks are weak and networks really matter. So, finding a suitable mentor that backs you financially and personally is a good plan, as is attending every event you can to build relationships. It always pays off in the long run.” Source: The Activated City: Imagining the Sunshine Coast in 2040
Mark Sowerby - Queenland's Chief Entrepreneur Mark Sowerby's top tips for young people looking to pave their way in business
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Understand yourself first. Test your mettle and build up resilience to give you the confidence and stress fitness required to go through the inevitable ups and downs.
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Invest everything you have in yourself. Take all your savings and borrow from those you love most if you want to start a business. Nothing drives harder than personal alignment and risk to family and close friends. If you're not willing to do this then likely your idea is not good enough or you don't have the conviction to back yourself.
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Business plans and budgets are fine but the younger the business, the less likely it is they will have any real value. Startups and scale-ups are just too variable to plan in detail. Better to have a story for what you want the business to be and then have a six-month action plan to deliver against that story.
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Try to do it yourself, but if you have a partner or co-founder, make sure you know them well. Partners can reduce risk, but more often than not they increase it. As a filter, assume each and every partner or shareholder you introduce doubles your risk. So anyone you add has to add more than that in terms of value. This will stop you introducing the wrong people into your business.
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Accept it's a 10-year journey. In my experience, the first five years earns you the right to change your life in the next five. So, five years to the starting line, then the gun goes off, then the real value is added in the next five. Blue Sky listed on the ASX after five and a half years with a market capitalisation of $33 million and today is more than $500 million. If you do it quicker, then great, but start with a 10 year sacrifice in mind.
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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DIVERSITY IN FILM CULTURE COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN Caloundra is undergoing a cultural revolution, with people flocking to the Big Screen Cinemas to soak up foreign language films.
It is something Caloundra Film Festival founder Murray Power has always hoped for and has been blown away by.
It's very important to give back... and let these students know they can follow their dreams Since its inception in 2013, the Caloundra Film Festival has had a small but loyal following, but when Mr Power made the decision to build up the anticipation for this year’s festival by offering the monthly Foreign Film Arthouse Series, it was almost like an invisible switch was flicked on.
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“We started out in January with a French film and we were booked into Cinema 5, which seats 50 people, but we ended up being moved to a bigger cinema and now, we are packing out cinemas 1 and 2 with sell outs and people are coming out and saying ‘more please,’ it’s just crazy,” he says. “It has been an interesting journey and I don’t know why there has been a sudden groundswell of support. I think there is a shift on the Sunshine Coast in relation to the raised level of sophistication we are starting to see, and that sophistication is not just about the number of espresso bars you see around, it is also cultural. This is good for the town, because if you invest more in cultural pursuits, you make the place more interesting to live in
and much more desirable to be in.” The overwhelming support for the monthly foreign films has drawn the attention of other Sunshine Coast regional film festivals, which brought the first ever French Film Festival screening to Caloundra and the inaugural Sunshine Coast Surf Film Festival, where the
People want [these events] and they are supporting our events that embrace cultural diversity. movies made by young Coast up and comers were screened alongside those created by industry greats.
CALOUNDRA COMMUNITY “It’s great for Caloundra and everything we stand for,” Mr Power says. “It has been very hard to get these things up and going, but it has built up every year and engaged more with the community.” A passionate filmmaker himself, having released a film called Ella at the 2016 Melbourne International Film Festival and being involved in the production of a documentary called Stranded, which premiered on the ABC in 2015, Mr Power says it gives the festivals he runs a point of difference.
their friends and family, but also to industry professionals, who are on hand to offer advice on the education pathways they can take to build the foundations for a successful career in film.
It's great for Caloundra and everything we stand for. “This gives them an opportunity to find out more from representatives from tertiary education who come and hand out information to the kids. It’s very important to give back in a fairly major way in that respect and let these students know they can follow their dreams.”
It also means he is conscious of providing young up and coming filmmakers an opportunity to shine.
People are coming out and saying 'more please', it's just crazy.
The Caloundra Film Festival boasts a student showcase, where young people can submit their creations to be screened not only to
While 2016 was the breakout year for the Caloundra Film Festival in that it was the first time the event attracted “healthy sponsorship,” Mr Power says they continue to operate on the “smell of the proverbial oily rag” with some financial assistance from the Sunshine Coast Council and he hopes more sponsors will come on board to ensure the future of the popular event.
“The wealth that it brings to the community cannot be quantified, because it’s a cultural wealth, and in some respects, that is more important than anything,” he says. “We have always been identified as a homogenous white culture here and having these points of diversity is very good for the Coast. People want them and they are supporting our events that embrace cultural diversity.” Mr Power says with a growing Caloundra foreign and art house film culture, he is working on securing new events for the town. “I can almost guarantee there will be other foreign film festivals on the horizon,” he says. For more information, visit caloundrafilmfestival.com
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Ph: 07 5438 9611 • www.blendhairandspa.com.au www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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THE LUSH LIFE OF HAIR AND BEAUTY Australia's first and only green salon. Women will, on average, put 350 chemicals on their face, skin and hair first thing in the morning.
It is an overwhelming statistic, and one Lush Organic Hair & Spa founder Nanette Barter learnt on her journey to establishing Australia’s first certified Green Salon. Since Lush opened its doors in the Kunara Organic Marketplace precinct in Forest Glen, it has caught the attention of both health conscious and environmentally-conscious clients who want a more natural approach to their hair and beauty needs. The salon is the realisation of a dream for Ms Barter, who has waged many health battles during her time in the hairdressing industry and was seeking an alternative that would be better for the health of her and her six staff as well as her valued clients.
As soon as I saw this, I thought 'We need to be the first ones in Australia, we need this here. Ms Barter began hairdressing at the age of 16 and opened her first salon in the UK by the time she was 21. By the time she turned 30, she had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and autoimmune disease Ulcerative Colitis. “Even early on in my career, there were signs the industry was filled with chemicals,” she says.
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“When working in the industry, you think that everything we use is safe, why would they be giving you products that aren’t safe? This started me wondering if it had anything to do with the chemicals in my working environment I was exposed to on a daily basis. Unfortunately, at that time, there was very little information or research available.” After a move back to the UK, Ms Barter says she felt a “real call” to come back to Australia in 2008. She opened Lush salon in Buderim in 2010 and made a conscious decision to only offer haircuts to avoid working with hair colours. Ms Barter was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a lumpectomy, changed her diet and returned to work and began offering hair colours to meet increasing client demand. The symptoms of her autoimmune disease immediately flared up. “I had already changed my diet and the only thing I hadn’t changed yet was my hairdressing, so I began a journey to find something more natural and organic products that we could incorporate into the salon, but there was very little out there and I couldn’t find much at all, until I came across a product from Denmark,” Ms Barter says. The Zenz organic product range is the brainchild of Danish eco-conscious
hairdresser Anne-Sophie Skjodt Villumsen, who started the first green hair salon in Denmark in 1999 and now owns six Zenz Organic Hairdressing salons around Copenhagen.
We are very different and we are very proud of what we do. “As soon as I saw this, I thought ‘We need to be the first ones in Australia, we need this here’,” Ms Barter says. She immediately flew to Denmark to undergo a course and learn all about green salon accreditation, the problem chemicals in common salon products and their more natural alternatives. It was during this course that Ms Barter learnt about pigment colour, which magnetically adheres to the hair follicle, rather than chemically altering its composition, like oxidating colours do. “Some hair colours are filled with hormone disturbers and aromatic amines. You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, but it is there and it gets inside you and it causes damage,” she says. Energised and determined, Ms Barter returned to the Sunshine Coast and set about putting the wheels in motion to open
CERTIFIED ORGANIC Almost all of our products use certified organic ingredients. the country’s first green accredited salon. In order for the salon to pass its annual audit to maintain its European green accreditation, every aspect of the venue, from the paint on the walls to the products on the shelves, has to be approved by the environmentalist and the chemist. Drinking water is alkalized and the water used for hairdressing is purified, and Himalayan salt walls promote clearer air. “We don’t say that we are fully organic, because you can’t be. But we are certified green and we have regulations that we have to adhere to. Almost all of our products use certified organic ingredients. We are very different and we are very proud of what we do,” Ms Barter says. The salon is attracting an average of 16 new clients a week, keeping the six staff busy.
While some arrive for a simple haircut and colour, others take advantage of the large array of spa treatments from facial and massage through to a soak in the Magnesium Floatation Pod. Ms Barter’s daughter Laura, who also works at the salon, is the first green certified cosmetician in the world and Lush launched an academy in late 2016 to train hairdressers in working with natural products and relearning techniques to accommodate green practices.
I began a journey to find something more natural and organic products we could incorporate into the salon.
doing things. It’s an alternative to help them to move away from traditional products with chemicals and it is life-changing for them,” she says. “I believe things happen for a reason and I believe that I had to go through what I went through to find what I found. This is the best I’ve been in 20 years and it is working in a chemical-free environment.” Ms Barter says there has been an overwhelmingly positive response to the salon and she is already in the process of establishing a second salon in Sydney with the potential for many more on the horizon. For more information lushorganichairandspa.com.au
“What we do is offer a chance for hairdressers to begin to make a change in the industry and become experts in the green way of
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
INNOVATION SOLVING BUSINESS TIME AND MONEY WOES A Caloundra-based business has tapped into a niche market that has seen their business soar with 300% month-on-month growth since the miiFile platform launch in January this year.
Managing director Jason Knight combined his previous experience working in construction and mining industries with his hobby of building websites to create MiningLink in 2011 with his partner Nicole Sattler, finally incorporating in 2014 as an unlisted public company. After several years, a few pivots and a name change, miiGroup Ltd was re-born with two main platforms; miiFile for the individual and iCompLii for business.
With our system, you simply connect to your worker's portable profile... everything's already done for you. miiFile is a portable individual digital record that connects with iCompLii, an innovative online resource for employers that collates miiFile profiles and transforms them into functional business information in a simple online platform. “There are many times where workers are going to site and not being able to get on site because their tickets have expired and they are not currently qualified and therefore cannot work,” Mr Knight says. 14 Caloundrabuzz
“Our system keeps track of all of this and alerts employers when qualifications need an update and also allows workers and contractors to have remote instant access to their required documentation in order to prevent site lockouts. It can also help employers to hire pre-qualified candidates and instantly on-board.”
miiFile profiles with them when they move to the next job and if they need help setting them up, the miiFile concierge team is there to help them.”
Mr Knight says iCompLii, a cloud-based platform, is all about simplification.
Mr Knight has no doubt iCompLii is poised to revolutionise how many businesses connect with their employees going forward.
“iCompLii is a paradigm change, and companies need to be prepared to adapt, but once they do, they can be saving their business up to 95% of time and money spent on human resources and compliance administration with little to no upfront outlay,” he says. “Traditional methods of advertising for workers, finding candidates, hiring staff, collecting their information, inputting that data, managing the data and then having to audit it is a tedious and expensive exercise. “With our system, you simply connect to your worker’s portable profiles, which is a secure but simple arrangement, and you monitor their profile. Everything’s already done for you. Workers can then take their free portable
The system is ideal for all regulated industries, such as mining and construction, as well as health, finance, trades and banking.
“Security is a big focus and we are already
The focus on individual privacy and data security means that potential risks... are always countered through infrastructure and process.
running state-of-the-art systems and hosting in the same places where banks host. We are currently working on a blockchain that further improves security and provides a layer that proves your data has never been altered. There are plenty of updates going on almost daily,” he says.
Fuji Xerox Business Centre Sunshine Coast
With Smart Work Gateway, you can work from anywhere
“We have a team of seven full-timers in house in Caloundra that build the tech as well as the director, advisors and the external board, so there are a lot of eyes, keeping this on track. “iCompLii’s competitive advantage lies in reusing the verifiable data it collects, manages and provides access to. The focus on individual privacy and data security means that potential risks such as identity theft and fraud are always countered through infrastructure and processes. And the best bit, is when you create your own miiFile account, you own the data, and have the ultimate control over who sees your data.” The program has caught the attention of global superyacht companies and Mr Knight says they will be operating in Europe by midyear in partnership with another company and are poised to release a white labeled product called miiCrew.
Smart Work Gateway provides a flexible and secure way to do business.
Simplified Management
Sophisticated Document Workflow
Seamless integration with Cloud Services
Uncompromising Mobile Security
For more information icomplii.com.au
Call us on +61 7 5451 7333 or go to www.fxbcsc.com.au
POCKET OF VIBES IN DOWNTOWN CALOUNDRA A former eye clinic is seeing more action than ever after being transformed into a trendy restaurant and bar, adding another element to Caloundra’s growing nightlife options.
The Corner Pocket Bar & Grill is the realisation of a long-held dream of owners Tracey and Keith Jow. Formerly from the UK, the couple moved to Caloundra 14 years ago and operated a successful welding business in Daniel Street for 11 years.
We had no trouble finding quality staff that are real allrounders. We placed an ad on Gumtree and we received hundreds of applications. They decided to sell the business in 2015 and enjoyed a year off before Mrs Jow was once
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again bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. This time, she wanted to rediscover the hospitality industry she had once enjoyed more than two decades ago. When the Aspect Eye Clinic building came up in the prime location on Lower Gay Terrace, the Jows were quick to secure the spot and spent six months gutting the 15 small consultation rooms and rebuilding a fresh, modern offering to rival major city hotspots. Corner Pocket Bar & Grill opened in March and immediately enjoyed patronage from locals who had been eagerly watching the transformation take place. The Jows also enjoyed a busy Easter holiday period, with visitors also coming in to sample what the
town’s latest venue had to offer.
We have an absolutely brilliant team and a growing customer base and it is great to see them coming in.
While Mr Jow was the primary face of their welding business, while his wife took care of the back of house systems operations and paperwork, the roles have now been reversed. Mrs Jow is in her element at the venue, overseeing seven casual bar, barista and wait staff while head chef Dennis has two sous chefs, an apprentice and two casual
WHAT'S NEW IN CALOUNDRA
dishwashers in the back of house. “Keith’s role is more the background work, he does all of the ordering and checks them off when they come in and tends to the paperwork side of things and other running around. He’s not the pulling a beer behind a bar kind of person, he prefers to be at the other side of the bar,” Mrs Jow quips.
There have been a few tears along the way to opening because you want things to go perfectly. “We had no trouble finding quality staff that are real all-rounders. We placed an ad
on Gumtree and we received hundreds of applications.” Dennis, who is originally from Holland, has pulled together an impressive menu offering, with meats cooked on a lava stone grill to infuse a unique taste into each meal and his American-style specialties Mississippi gumbo and very, very, very long braised beef brisket are the venue’s most popular dishes. Mrs Jow says it has been a steep learning curve, but a challenge that she has relished as she worked to bring her dream venue to life. “The industry has changed so much since I was in it in the UK over 20 years ago, and there have been a few tears along the way to opening because you want things to go
perfectly. But we have an absolutely brilliant team and a growing customer base and it is great to see them coming in and enjoying a meal, or popping in for a few drinks of an evening,” she says.
He's not the pulling a beer behind the bar kind of person... he prefers to be at the other side of the bar. The Corner Pocket Bar & Grill is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am until late and will soon introduce Saturday and Sunday breakfasts to satiate those who want a more relaxing start to their weekend.
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
17
COVER STORY
UPCOMING EVENTS IN WINTER
CALOUNDRA HOTEL LAUNCH NIGHT
DOWNUNDER BEACHFEST June 7 - 11 Bulcock St, Caloundra and other locations
June 8 Caloundra Hotel, Caloundra
Downunder Beachfest celebrates the hot rod and classic car lifestyle and includes Show n Shines, driving events, dining, dancing, street parties, trophies, and a mega car show in downtown Caloundra.
50’s themed party, beer off the wood, moonshine, plus entertainment Diva D'Amour live from 6pm and DJ Shannon B from 9pm. This is the night when CBX returns to its roots as the Caloundra Hotel.
beachfest.net.au
caloundracbx.com.au
THE BEST OF THE EAGLES
CALOUNDRA FORESHORE RUN
June 16 The Events Centre, Caloundra
June 18 Golden Beach to Moffat Beach, Caloundra
The Best of the Eagles is a tribute concert production that delivers a captivating show from start to finish and recreating the synonymous country rock sound Eagles' fans have come to expect.
The 10km run starts at Golden Beach through to Bulcock Beach before winding round the coastline to Kings Beach and finishing at Moffat Beach. A great activity for the whole family to enjoy.
theeventscentre.com.au
caloundrafunrun.com.au
THE PUMP HOUSE CALOUNDRA CUP DAY
30TH ANNIVERSARY OPEN COCKPIT WEEKEND
July 1 Sunshine Coast Turf Club
July 1 - 2 Queensland Air Museum
The Pump House $175,000 Caloundra Cup Day will run on Saturday July 1st 2017! The day is not to be missed with Fashions on the Field, Fabulous Function Packages and of course LIVE horse racing!
2 days of aviation history with 200 aircrafts on display. Fun for the family including paper plane making for the kids, Star Wars characters and more.
sctc.com.au/event/caloundra-cup-day
qam.com.au
VELOTHON SUNSHINE COAST
ALL SCHOOLS OZ TAG
CALOUNDRA QUILT SHOW
July 13 - 16 Throughout the Sunshine Coast
July 14 - 17 Sunshine Coast Stadium
July 29 - 30 Caloundra Arts Centre
Velothon Sunshine Coast brings together a dream riding location, ideal race set up and a world class rider experience on and off the bike. Whether you're a professional, or for the love of it, Velothon Sunshine Coast is for you. Day 2 starts in Moffat Beach.
120 teams from 35 schools from as far as Cunnamulla in the west and Townsville competing over three days at Sunshine Coast Stadium
Caloundra Arts Centre Association will present the 120 members in the Caloundra quilters group with an impressive display of quilts of all designs and techniques.
velothonsunshinecoast.com
queenslandoztag.com.au
caloundraartsandcrafts.org.au
SUNSHINE COAST ART PRIZE
SUNSHINE COAST MARATHON
August 17 - October 8 Caloundra Regional Gallery
August 18 - 21 Alexandra Headlands
Forty finalists have been selected for exhibition at the Caloundra Regional Gallery. Previous winners include Michael Cook, Cyrus Tang and Jandamarra Cadd. A great recognition of talented Australian artists.
This community-focussed, world-class athletic event caters to all those wanting to take part, including families and those with physical and intellectual disabilities. Event distances include the marathon, half marathon, 10km, 5km and the 2km.
gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/art-prizes
sunshinecoastmarathon.com.au
18 Caloundrabuzz
CALOUNDRA FOOD
SOME LIKE IT HOT! There’s something new cooking in Caloundra. The Caloundra Chamber of Commerce is turning up the heat in downtown Caloundra with the inaugural Ignite Chilli Festival on Saturday November 25.
It will be a great opportunity to taste new foods from around the world whilst enjoying live music, cooking demonstrations, chilli eating competitions and browsing diverse stalls selling everything from chilli seeds to chilli sauces, jewellery and other products associated with chilli. Michael Shadforth, President of the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce describes the event as “hot!”. In a word, it defines the essence of the Ignite Chilli Festival. “Food tourism is a big drawcard across the world and this is a chance for Caloundra to be a part of it” he said.
“Caloundra does not have a significant food event and we felt our time had come. Chilli products are a unique niche market with a popular following worldwide, there are growers here, plenty of chefs from home cooks to sauce manufacturers and the festival itself is a point of difference for the Sunshine Coast”. Vaughn from Cobra Chilli is one vendor excited to come to Caloundra for the festival and to bring his extensive range of Chilli & BBQ sauces to the Sunshine Coast. “I have travelled all around Australia to chilli festivals and just recently was in the United States for one too. It’s great to see this fresh new festival coming into an area where there hasn’t been a festival like it before. I have had a friendship with Vicki from Red Hot Chilli Pepper in
Bulcock Street for 3 years now, who told us about this new festival and I want to attend as the concept is unique for the Sunshine Coast”. Vicki Taylor is a passionate advocate for the festival and sees the value of bringing unique and exciting ventures into the heart of Caloundra. “Chilli is gaining momentum worldwide and Aussies are just starting their own obsessions with chilli whether it be through influences from travel or cooking programs” she said. This project has been proudly supported by Sunshine Coast Council's grants program. For more information, visit ignitechillifestival.com.au
July Kids School Holiday program
VISIT downtowncaloundra.com.au FOR MORE INFORMATION
CREATIVE KIDS
The event will introduce the exciting world of chillies, herbs and spices in a fusion of food, fun, music and people.
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
19
CALOUNDRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS A Gentle Clip Ultimate Dog Grooming Currimundi Dog grooming salon creating the ultimate experience for your pet. 0419 888 681 agentleclip.com.au
AKA Cleaning Machines Cleaning machines distributor with a range of equipment that will offer cleaning solutions for a wide range of cleaning solutions. 0411 033 363 akacleaningmachines.com.au
Aktiv Resolve Business consulting and alternative dispute resolution. 0488 933 313 aktivresolve.com.au
Balanced Bookkeeping Bookkeeping services. 0404 779 260 balancedbkeeping.com.au
Bargara Brewing Company Founded in the small seaside village of Bargara in 2014, we produce a great range of different styles of beer and cider. 0437 593 922 bargarabrewingco.com.au
Coast and Hinterland Rehab Occupational therapy services, specialised driving assessments, Lymphoedema management, aged care home and community services and workplace rehabilitation services. 0405 420 050 chrehab.com.au
Corner Pocket Bar and Grill Bar and grill restaurant in the heart of downtown Caloundra with a range of craft beer and wines to satisfy everyone's tastebuds. 07 5438 9461 facebook.com/Corner-Pocket-BarGrill-177992322636567/
CQUniversity CQUniversity has established itself as Australia's largest regional university. Study onsite at the Noosa campus or online.
Food and Party World Retailing food and party supplies for the event and party industry. 07 5493 7666 foodandparty.com.au
Fuse Pyrotechnics Fuse Pyrotechnics is a family owned and operated pyrotechnics and effects company dedicated to creating truly spectacular productions using fireworks, flames and special effects.. 07 5476 7280 fusepyrotechnics.com.au
Impact Office Supplies Supply and delivery of office products. 0423 659 814 impactofficesupplies.com.au
Ink Brothers
07 5440 7011 cqu.edu.au
Ink Brothers can help you with your branding, redesigns, toners, inks and printing supplies.
Deep Love Picnics
07 5437 7314 inkbrothers.com.au
Picnics and events for all occasions. 0448 128 327 deeplovepicnics.com.au
DJ Hinton Lawyers
Intersect Bookkeeping Services Bookkeeping, BAS agent, Xero certified partner and payroll specialist.
Family law, insurance and damages claims, contested wills and estate disputes, enduring power of attorney, TPD and superannuation claims, wills and estate administration and conveyancing.
0481 065 908 intersectbookkeeping.com.au
07 4148 6445 hintonlaw.com.au
07 5493 1111 italiapizzaandpasta.com.au
Fresh fruit, blended and squeezed into delicious smoothies and juices with a flavour for everyone.
DJI Commercial Cleaning
KAG Event Electrical
Commercial, residential and holiday cleaning.
0403 143 042 boostjuice.com.au
0401 870 280
Dedicated event electrical company with vast experience in national and international events to service the growing festival and event industry.
Buslink
Edgeware Creative Entrepreneurship
Bill's Boat & Bike Hire Boat and bike hire in Golden Beach. 0408 102 100 billsboathire.com.au
Boost Juice Caloundra
Charter bus and school route transportation. 07 5476 6540 buslink.com.au
Chilli Design Strategic marketing, digital marketing, graphic design, web development and brand creation. 0436 191 721 chilligroup.com.au
20 Caloundrabuzz
Edgeware Creative Entrepreneurship is an innovative business training and coaching company for startup and established business owners. 07 3108 6077 edgeware.com.au
Italia Pizza and Pasta Awarded best Takeaway Restaurant Queensland by Menulog.
0410 506 299 kageventelectrical.com.au
Leadership Management Australia Professional development for people. 0414 588 836 lma.biz
Licensed Electrical Contractors Domestic and commercial electrical and air conditioning services with over 18 years experience. 0410 506 299 licensedelectricalcontractors.com.au
Meridan State College Meridan State College is an independent public school situated in the fast growing western suburbs of Caloundra from prep to year 12.
Search Domination
Sunshine Business Systems
Search Domination provide industry leading search engine optimisation and search marketing strategies to clients within Queensland and throughout Australia.
Sunshine Business Systems will find the software which is the best fit for you and will set it up, provide training and ongoing support to ensure it runs seamlessly.
07 5437 3111 facebook.com/searchdominationseo
0407 855 227 sunshine.systems
Solutions 4 Learning
Sunshine Coast Surf Film Festival
07 5490 2666 meridansc.eq.edu.au
Post secondary education provider, training up to Cert III Qualifications in business administration, horticulture and landscaping with foundation skills support.
Moffat Beach Motel Caloundra
07 5476 2511 solutions4learning.com.au
0448 127 275 scsff.com.au
Sound Images
Sunshine Coast Trailers
Sound Images is a video production company based on the Sunshine Coast (with clients all over Australia) specialising in television commercials and corporate videos.
Manufacture, repairs and maintenance to all types of trailers.
07 5494 3600 soundimages.com.au
SV Partners
Short and long stay accommodation. 07 5491 2122 moffatbeachmotel.com.au
Nerdyness Website design and content creation. 0407 736 124 nerdyness.com.au
NFL Electrical Pty Ltd Electrical contractor. Cover your needs for a complete house build: wiring, data/phone, solar and even the remote control garage doors or gates. 0417 040 291 nflelectrical.com.au
Spaceage Signs Spaceage Sign Systems manufactures interchangeable message signs specialising in post-mount signs, roadside signs, a-frames and LED signs.
One Spot Finance
07 5491 4488 spaceagesigns.com.au
Finance broker.
Strata Care Australia Pty Ltd
0431 462 405 onespotfinance.com.au
Strata Care manages Body Corporate matters for all kinds of projects, from small and medium-sized residential communities to large, complex strata entities.
PJT Accountants The team at PJT Senior Accountants can ensure your taxation and corporate compliance needs are well managed.
07 3435 5300 stratacare.com.au
07 5413 9300 pjtaccountants.com.au
Suncity Travel Caloundra
Red Door Records
Travel agency providing outstanding advice and services since 1987.
Original pressings, new vinyl of all genres and memorabilia. 0403 518 009 facebook.com/red-door-records
07 5491 8311 suncitytravel.com.au
The Sunshine Coast Surf Film Festival is an annual event screening the best Australian and International surf films and events showcasing surfing culture.
07 5494 5555 sunshinecoasttrailers.com.au
SV Partners provides professional corporate and personal insolvency advice to accountants, financial institutions, corporations, financial and legal advisors and individuals. 07 5414 3000 svpartners.com.au
The Redletter Club Clothing and accessories - wholesale and designer. 0430 350 438 theredletterclub.com.au
Tintman Window Tinting 25 years experience in glass tinting for cars, homes, industrial machinery, boats, anti-graffiti films and more. 0487 153 082 tintman.com.au
UP Financial Planners Discovering clients' specific financial requirements and providing expert solutions around financial strategies. 0414 909 767 upfinancialplanners.com.au
Ron Robinson Ron offers skill, experience and training to people who need to prepare business documents. 0407 018 706 businesswriter.net.au
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
21
CALOUNDRA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER DIRECTORY The Caloundra Chamber has well over 500 members who come from a broad variety of industries. The full list of members and their contact details is available online at www.caloundrachamber.com.au in our Business Directory. To become a member, visit www.caloundrachamber.com.au/join HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Apprenticeship Support Australia
www.apprenticeshipsupport.com.au
07 5452 9807
Australian Red Cross Employment Services
www.redcross.org.au/employment-services.aspx
07 5341 8703
EastCoast HR Group
www.eastcoasthr.com.au
07 5443 6022
HRM Contracting & Consulting
www.hrmcc.com.au
07 5436 1000
Job Centre Australia Ltd
www.jobcentreaustralia.com.au
07 5438 0837
Lo - Go Appointments
www.logoapp.com.au
07 5477 5433
Lucio Matarazzo Pty Ltd
www.workplaceresource.org
1300 554 214
Max Employment
www.maxsolutions.com.au
1800 625 350
Mylestones Employment
www.cpl.org.au
07 5390 0800
Tursa Employment and Training
www.tursa.com.au
07 5491 2784
Workplace Central
www.workplacecentral.com.au
07 5491 9800
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING SERVICES ADFX
www.adfx.com.au
Adigi Copy & Print
www.adigi.com.au
07 5491 8144
Aerial View Photography
www.aerialviewphotography.com.au
0414 884 635
BJN Graphic Design
www.bjn.com.au
0407 177 647
Chilli Design
www.chilligroup.com.au
07 5437 7788
CNC Promotional Products Pty Ltd
www.cncpromo.com.au
1300 364 869
dnd graphiks
www.dndgraphiks.com.au
0429 090 271
Felicity Jane Digital
www.felicityjane.com.au
0427 046 918
Fresh PR & Marketing Pty Ltd
www.freshprm.com.au
07 5351 1010
Greg Larchin Photographer
www.greglarchinphotographer.com.au
0417 534 061
Ink Brothers
www.inkbrothers.com.au
07 5437 7314
Innovate Media
www.innovatemedia.com.au
07 5450 2715
Pocket Books
www.pocketbooks.com.au
07 5438 1881
Rejuvenate Marketing
www.rejuvenatemarketing.com.au
07 5641 4781
Splash Marketing and PR
www.splashmarketingandpr.com.au
0412 021 250
Square One PR
www.squareonepr.com.au
0411 771 469
What the Fox Creative
www.whatthefox.com.au
07 5443 7747
PRINTING SERVICES Able Printing
www.ableprinting.com.au
07 5491 6133
Adigi Copy & Print
www.adigi.com.au
07 5491 8144
Express Print and Mail
www.expressprintandmail.com.au
07 5479 1659
Marlin Printing
www.marlinprint.com
07 5491 5833
UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS To view our full Events Calendar, or to register to attend, visit www.caloundrachamber.com.au
MONTH
DATE
EVENT
VENUE
June
Friday 5th
Membership Introduction
Caloundra Chamber Office
June
Friday 9th
Better Business Breakfast
The Events Centre
June
Tuesday 13th
Smart Lunch Club
Oaks Oasis Resort
July
Monday 3rd
Membership Introduction
Caloundra Chamber Office
July
Tuesday 11th
Smart Lunch Club
Oaks Oasis Resort
July
Wednesday 26th
Business After Hours
Dicky Beach Surf Club
August
Monday 7th
Membership Introduction
Caloundra Chamber Office
August
Tuesday 8th
Smart Lunch Club
Oaks Oasis Resort
August
Tuesday 29th
Business After Hours
Corner Pocket Bar & Grill
22 Caloundrabuzz
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McGrath Caloundra 07 5438 8548
mcgrath.com.au