Business West November 2011

ISSN 1837-9869

9 123456 789013

A STAR NEWS GROUP PUBLICATION | $4.95

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LAMANNAS AND BANANAS THE BUSiNESS OF LISTENING SUCCESS FROM TRAGEDY SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUR BUSiNESS

YOU BEAUTY JESAULENKO’S JUICE

ISSUE 13 NOVEMBER 2011

FROM THE EDITOR Promote your business or service in BUSiNESS WEST… Business West offers your business the opportunity to be seen by your target market; key business decision makers in the West!

Business West is sent directly to key business stakeholders in the area.

From CEOs, managers, directors, employers and employees alike, Business West is read by them all.

Can you afford not to be involved?

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to promote your business or service to the business world of the West, call Charles Ferraro, below, now on 9933 4800 to reserve your space.

To register for BUSiNESS WEST visit: www.business west.com.au

LOOKING FORWARD I HAD an open mind and an empty stomach as comedian James O’Loghlin (ABC’s The New Inventors) took to the stage at Melton Shire Council’s Building for Success Business Breakfast recently. But I was pleasantly surprised by his talk which had one key message: don’t spend so much time planning for today that you forget to plan for tomorrow.

The statement bounced around my head as the delicious breakfast did the same in my stomach. How true that statement is. Day after day we can get caught up in emails, phone calls, meetings, invoices and just like that, the day is gone. Running a business is important but planning for the future cannot play second fiddle all the time.

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also insightful for those looking to embrace the digital age. Cottingham is taking advertising to the next level using online tools such as YouTube to expand businesses.

Embracing online mediums may be the future of your business but this edition of Business West also reminds us that you can never substitute good old-fashioned values like hard work, dedication and passion when it comes to laying the foundation for a successful venture.

Milly Parker’s story is one to inspire; after surviving a car crash that left her with an acquired brain injury Milly began the fight of her life. The fight to live. She now owns and runs Happy Yappers – a dog biscuit company which

Planning for the future cannot play second fiddle all the time…

O’Loghlin’s talk about innovation, ideas and forward planning - all things that can turn a good business into a great business – was one to savour.

When it comes to looking forward in this day and age, it’s hard to look past the internet.

But still some businesses are reticent when it comes to embracing online tools. We’ve all heard the term ‘social media’ but do you know how to utilise it? The ability to market your product to a wider audience with the click of a button can take your business from limping locally to running rampant in no time.

In the Strategies section you will find some fundamental basics of social media and how your business can embrace it. Academic Keith De La Rue will guide you in the first of a three part series.

Charlene Gatt’s business profile on Sunshine entrepreneur James Cottingham is

from humble beginnings has exported around the country and even stocked by Harrods in London.

Then there is the La Manna family set up in Essendon Fields, showing true grit in the competitive world of fruit and vegetables, butcher Andrew Vourvahkis of Andrew’s Choice reveals how his company overcame a $32,000 debt (thanks to a debtor’s unpaid bill) to become an award winning success story, and our cover story on the Jesaulenkos, Annie and Alex, who dipped their toes in to the world of network marketing and found million dollar success with XanGo juice.

Once again, we are proud to bring you an edition of Business West bursting at the seams with business advice and inspirational stories from the West. [BW] Tim Doutré tim.doutre@starnewsgroup.com.au

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BUSINESS WEST

CONTENTS 4-5

CARE IN TRAINING Seeking practical outcomes

6-7

JUICY PROFITS Jesaulenkos on network marketing

8

NETWORK NOUS Increasing turnover MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Linnell stephen.linnell@starnewsgroup.com.au

14-15 KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY Lamannas take on the big boy

18-19 UNLOCKING SUCCESS

22-23

Adapting to hardware giants

22-23 THE FUTURE IS ONLINE A new way of advertising

24-25 BATTLING YOUR DEMONS The business of listening

REGULARS 26-27 SMALL TALK 28-29 STRATEGIES Hiring, Social media

31-33 OUT OF HOURS 34-35 BUSINESS NETWORK 36 Q&A Europcar’s Ron Santiago

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“

People put limits on people with disabilities.

Every time I achieve something I tthink ‘you you were w ere wrong’...

MILLY PARKER

20-21

CALENDAR

EDITOR Tim Doutré tim.doutre@starnewsgroup.com.au EDITORIAL Charlene Gatt charlene.gatt@starnewsgroup.com.au ADVERTISING Charles Ferraro charles.ferraro@starnewsgroup.com.au Mobile: 0421 555 404 DESIGN Mark Dinnie mark.dinnie@starnewsgroup.com.au BUSINESS WEST Unit 59, 40 Keilor Park Drive, Tullamarine 3043 Phone: 9933 4800 Fax: 9933 4844 Business West is a division of Star News Group Pty. Ltd. Celebrating our 102nd year as a family-run business. Proudly Australianowned and independent.

Produced and published

by Paul Thomas for Star News Group Pty. Ltd. ACN 005 848 108.

Star News Group Trading Terms and Conditions can be found on www.starnewsgroup.com.au Find an electronic version of Business West online. Keep a copy for yourself or share with your contacts.

Visit: www.businesswest.com.au

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Cover ALEX JESAULENKO Picture DAMJAN JANEVSKI

BUSINESS B USINESS WEST

3

BUSiNESS PROFILE

CARE IN TRAINiNG

BY CHARLENE GATT THEY started out as colleagues and ended up business partners.

at the workplace that can absolutely make a difference.”

Ms Normington added: “It was hard work.

so we knew how to promote to the industry,” Ms Watts said.

“We’ve always worked in children’s services – that’s our niche – and we’re well known.

Caren Watts and Kellie Normington are the brains behind Practical Outcomes, a Registered Training Organisation that provides a range of services to businesses and individuals working in community services programs, specifically children’s services.

“We worked for 12 months without any pay, trying to write our own training materials.

The pair worked together for 20 years across local government management, children’s services, accredited training delivery and as colleagues running separate consultancy businesses before joining forces in November 2006 and starting Practical Outcomes from a home office.

“We had to create our own materials from scratch and the philosophy that went with that.

It was lots of work.”

“Because they knew us and our work ethic, they knew to trust what we were offering.

Today, the business employs 20 people and is now located in the Business Centre in Caroline Springs with two training rooms and a separate suite for office administration. The pair has also introduced a new training stream – Culinary Skills, which trains childcare centre cooks in nutrition, safety and using fresh food on a budget.

“There are quite high expectations, so aligning ourselves with those people has allowed us to be seen as credible from day one. We didn’t do a lot of marketing, we talked to key people, got that trust and then word of mouth grew our business in that first year.”

“We wanted to make a difference,” Ms Watts said.

“We wanted to put a model of training that was different to other people. It’s more hands-on, more role-modelling, more training

“We didn’t want to buy something off the shelf that everybody else uses – that’s not what we’re about.

“We’ve been in training for a long time,

“We’ve worked for local government, we’ve worked for the Department of Human Services, lots of people know us and we just went back to those links.

“Training is a fickle industry.

In 2009, the company received their first government contract for 10 students.

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Practical Outcomes’ Caren Watts and Kellie Normington.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

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At the time, all the rest of their work was fee for service.

“We had some big clients that could have got Government funding with someone else, but they chose to stick with us and pay for the training themselves because they wanted that model that we provided,” Ms Watts said.

The following year, they got their second government contract through Skills Victoria and have steadily grown since.

However, the pair is conscious of controlling their growth.

This year they have focused on consolidating the business and have appointed an advisory board to monitor their progress.

“As we grew and took on more trainers, we were able to release ourselves from direct service to be able to go out and key account manage our clients – which we were doing anyway, but we could spend more time on that and attending networking events and getting to know people in our local community a bit more,” Ms Normington said.

Ms Watts added: “You don’t want to grow too quickly.

“There have been periods where we’ve not grown on purpose because we wanted to consolidate to make sure we were doing the right thing before we got bigger.

“We really don’t want to be a big organisation.

“We want to keep the level of quality that we have and you can’t do that by extending too far.

“We have quite a detailed staff development process, so we have a staff meeting once a month for a full day, and that’s professional development, plus networking.”

The pair still make a point of training their own students to keep abreast of their systems and how they’re working.

Their next step is to have a demonstration childcare centre.

Another big concern for the two mums is maintaining their work/life balance.

“We equally understand that we have (family) stuff to do, and we balance that between the two of us,” Ms Watts said.

“We take leave at different times and we have a work/life balance policy and that works for us.

“Childcare is a very women-based industry and we like to model that and we don’t want everyone working all the time.

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“We give six weeks leave to all our staff so that they can take the school holidays off and take a long period off with their families over Christmas, and we do the same.”

It’s a formula that works, with Practical Outcomes winning Best Service Business Award at the 2010 Melton Business Excellence Awards and Best Training Organisation this year.

“It was very exciting. It reiterates that we’re doing a good job and we’re on track,” Ms Normington said. [BW]

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BUSINESS WEST

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COVER STORY

JUiCY PROFITS

BY CHARLENE GATT

IT’S the juice that has many health and wealth benefits.

Just ask Altona couple Annie and Alex Jesaulenko, who have taken on the XanGo brand and made millions in the process.

At a time when their friends are slowing down or caravanning across Australia, the Jesaulenkos are just starting to hit their stride.

The pair, who have been married for the past 45 years, have spent their lives working together on a range of fashion retail and real estate businesses, plus a nursery in Rathdowne St, Carlton, and have now come together once again, this time in a home-based business that allows them to put in as little, or as much, time as they please.

It all started when Annie turned 50. After years of joint ventures, and Alex’s AFL career – which spanned 256 games for the Carlton Football Club and a coaching career – the fairer half dipped her toes into the network marketing industry.

Network marketing is a method of marketing that uses independent representatives to reach potential customers that a company would not otherwise be able to reach through traditional online or offline marketing methods.

After years of unsuccessfully searching for the right fit, Annie had all but given up on

the idea, until she was offered a piece of the XanGo pie.

The XanGo story began when founder Joe Morton was eating dinner in South-East Asia when he was offered a foreign fruit called Mangosteen for dessert.

Quickly taking to the fruit, Mr Morton started researching the fruit and discovered it had healing properties. Armed with scientific research, he approached five other about partnering him in a new business venture, and XanGo was born.

For Annie, it was the Mangosteen that made her jump on board.

It was a fruit that she was familiar with, having used it some years ago to cure a bad fungal disease.

“I started building up the business without any product – because there was no one even looking at opening in Australia – and it just went crazy,” Annie said.

“I held a meeting in Perth, and 120 people joined the business without even tasting the product. I must have told a good story,” she laughed.

they only had around 1100 distributors when I joined it, so we didn’t have the juice in Australia for about three months, but by that time, we already had a large business growing.

“We became members of the Million Dollar Club after five years in the business and it’s just been a wonderful, wonderful, ride.”

Today, there’s more than 15,000 distributors Australia-wide and the business model has created more than 100 million-dollar earners in the past nine years.

XanGo operates in more than 36 countries world-wide.

The Jesaulenkos are paid 50 per cent of every bottle sold.

“It’s very inexpensive to join and it’s the freedom of not being stuck in a nine to five job,” Annie explained.

Annie’s vision is to turn XanGo Australia into the biggest network marketing business in the country.

“We just want to build it as big as we possibly can,” she said.

“I told them I was not going to stop at anything (to make it succeed).

Annie and Alex work alongside their three children Ben, Sally-Anne and Kate in their Altona home, converting two bedrooms into their office.

“I had one piece of paper, because the company was brand new in America and

“It’s marvellous – we all work together,” Annie said.

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COVER STORY “Having the pleasure of working from home really appeals to me.

“I don’t have to go out to work every day and battle the traffic, I work from home, sometimes in my pyjamas and I have grandchildren, so it suits me fine.

“It’s helped build an incredible lifestyle as well as job.

“We’re together people – what we do, we do together. We don’t have any problems. I go off about once every three months and Alex jumps in his car,” she laughed.

“You’ve got to have your priorities, and our family is our priority. If the kids need me to mind the grandchildren, or one of the grandchildren needs something, they’re our number one priority and our business is also our number one priority, but I’d never put it before our family.”

Alex, the self-titled gopher, chauffeur and tax man, added: “The product is a good product.

Not only is it healthy for you, but it can make you a millionaire as well.” [BW]

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Alex and Annie Jesaulenko are proud as punch when it comes to their juice.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

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7

NEWS

NETWORKING NOUS

BY CHARLENE GATT IT’S the little business network that could.

While many local businesses are reporting a slowdown, business owners taking part in the Westgate Referral Network are reporting the contrary.

Local business owners Janet Pearson, Tony Mead and Glenn Lee founded the network with five other entrepreneurs in 2006 after the Williamstown BNI chapter had closed.

The group was keen to establish an independent, self-managed referral network that encouraged opportunities for joint ventures or strategic partnerships, offered mutual support and encouragement and provided business education.

Being a referrals network, only one business per industry can participate – for example, only one web developer can be in the network.

The group has since recruited more than 25 members, in fields as diverse as accounting, film making, dispute mediation and catering.

Members meet for a fortnightly breakfast at Altona’s Mosaic Restaurant to catch up, talk business, listen to guest speakers and participate in education sessions.

Members are also encouraged to provide their own expertise – for example, Ms Pearson explained to members at a recent meeting how to rank your website in Google.

Ms Pearson, who has run web development and internet marketing business Technology Matters since 1998 said effective business results were achieved through networking when mutually beneficial and trusted relationships were developed.

“This takes time – but it works,” she said.

“This is not ambush marketing, where a person gives out as many business cards as possible and then moves on.

“We see opportunities develop by actively encouraging a deeper understanding of one another’s business and an appreciation of their expertise.”

Ms Pearson said the group’s philosophy was clearly a successful one, with members reporting that their business has boomed since joining the group.

She said the key thing to remember was that people liked to do business with people that they know, like and trust.

“When the economy is tight, people don’t like to take risks, they much prefer to give their business to people who are recommended to them.

“It’s not necessarily the people around the table who become your customers, but it’s their wider contact networks. That’s where the broader opportunities are.”

Ms Pearson said the network also provided a sounding board for people in small business to bounce their ideas of other business owners, becoming colleagues of sorts.

“Non-business people often don’t understand why you do the things you do – why you work the hours you work, and isn’t it easier to go back to a corporation and work for a wage? The answer is, yes it would, but who would want to do that?” [BW]

Above: Westgate Referral Network founding member Janet Pearson.

WESTGATE REFERRAL NETWORK’S EFFECTIVE NETWORKING TIPS: 1. We often attune ourselves to pick up opportunities for our own business. Start developing the same radar for colleagues or associate businesses 2. If you do see a business opportunity for a colleague or associate business, tell the person you know someone who might be able to help them.

3. Ask permission from the person in need if you can pass their number onto your colleague or associate business so that they can contact them.

4. Attend local business events, seminars or workshops to meet new business contacts.

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BUSINESS WEST

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BUSiNESS PROFILE

GROUP HAS THE ANSWERS Its biggest growth came in 2009 when the Tracy Group put out a tender to expand into the West, Geelong, Eureka and Bendigo Employment Services Areas.

That year, new offices opened in Newport, Sunshine, Watergardens, Werribee, Melton, Torquay, Corio, Ararat, Bendigo, Castlemaine and Gisborne.

Today, the Tracy Group, which has more than 150 employees, has 14 sites across Victoria and helps more than 6000 job seekers each year.

Westgate area manager Matthew Luttrell said the business was all about finding the right pathway, for the right person, for the right job.

“It’s not just placing them in work, but making sure they ready to work and ready to stay in work,” Mr Luttrell said.

Tracy Group’s Matt, left, Voni, Deleine and Luke.

BY CHARLENE GATT IT’S the business that has spent the past 25 years finding the right jobs for the right people.

The Tracy Group was founded by husband and wife team Paul and Linda Tracy in Ballarat in the late 1980s.

Since then the business has grown rapidly and Paul and Linda’s children, Tim and Sarah, have since become directors of the company.

The business runs three divisions, including:

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

■ A recruitment division that looks after both job seekers and employers; ■ A temporary labour hire division that provides temporary staffing for all businesses from civil construction to administration; and ■ An education and training division that is funded through the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments and delivers a variety of nationally accredited training programs for individuals or businesses wanting to invest in a new qualification or simply up-skill.

“It’s getting to know the employers and business, and getting the right people in.

“We provide recruitment services, training and advice to a range of people including employers or their employees, school leavers, jobseekers, parents returning to work or those simply wanting to up-skill.

“We offer the ‘total package’ for all training and employment needs.”

Last year, the Tracy Group was a finalist in the CGU Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards, and won Best Family Business at the Geelong Business Excellence Awards. [BW]

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BUSINESS WEST

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Brimbank

home to large scale investment Brimbank sits centrally within Melbourne’s West, one of Australia’s most rapidly growing regions. Brimbank has a strong and diverse economy with a range of opportunities for investment. Significant investment is being made in our industrial precincts based in the suburbs of Derrimut and Keilor Park.

This investment activity combined with residential growth and planned improvements to major infrastructure will continue to accelerate economic growth and employment opportunities in Brimbank.

The localities of Derrimut and Keilor Park have over recent years become the focus for this investment.

The Paramount Estate is located in Derrimut, the heart of Melbourne’s western industrial growth area. Investa Property Group developed the 194.5 hectare estate and is leading the investment charge in Brimbank.

Paramount Industrial Estate is set to become the data centre hub of Victoria with Metronode, Digital Reality and potentially two

commencement in late 2004. This represents over 25 hectares on average per annum on net developable land. With a catchment takeup of just over 80-90 hectares per annum in the West, the estate has consistently secured about 30 per cent of this demand.

Paramount Industrial Estate is home to Fucor, Kuhn machinery, Hynes Group, Health Buzz Gymnasium, Blundstone, Vistaprint, Hellman, Apprenticeship Groups Australia and Sleepyhead with tenants Pipemakers Victoria, Stora Enso, the YMCA and Air Roads all calling Brimbank home.

It is easy to see why the Paramount Industrial Estate has been labelled the best in the west.

Keilor Park is the northern industrial hub of the municipality and home to the Translink Business Park. The 75 hectare Business Park developed by the MAB Corporation is another significant contributor to the industrial landscape in Brimbank.

The Business Park is home to such businesses as Porsche, Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses, DHL Express, Porter Davis Homes and Lombard the Paper People.

In an interesting aside, MAB as part of the final stage of works undertook the restoration of Steele Creek in conjunction with Melbourne Water; the City of Brimbank and the City of Hume. The redevelopment works involved the realignment and rehabilitation of Steele Creek through the Brimbank City Council’s Botanic Gardens and the construction of a Melbourne Water retarding basin within Keilor Park.

The restoration of Steele Creek provides the occupiers of Translink Business Park with natural amenity and upgraded walking paths connecting the estate to the 10 hectare Keilor Park Botanic Gardens.

Above: The Business Park is home to Lombard the Paper People.

more data centres considering locating to Derrimut. Data centres play an integral role in our knowledge economy, storing information digitally with the support of the latest technologies. Approximately $500 million of capital value on data centres and high-tech facilities are forecast to be spent in the estate over the next three years.

“The high tech users have recognised the site has unique features being at the gateway of supply for dual feed power and fibre optic capabilities,” General Manager Investa Land Victoria Paul O’Brien said.

He added that Paramount Industrial Estate has now sold 166 hectares of the original 195 hectare site –85 per cent since

The broader Keilor Park industrial hub is also home to other iconic brand names such as Schweppes, Hunter Leisure, SEW Eurodrive and Honda to name a few. All of whom are maximising the old saying of ‘location, location, location’.

The Derrimut and Keilor Park Industrial Hubs are testament to the thriving local economy, an economy offering a diverse range of products and services for residents and business operators. Council is committed to building on Brimbank’s strengths and working with its stakeholders to position the municipality as a prime investment site, a destination for quality business development and as a growing community offering a range of lifestyle choices.

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There is a raft of development opportunities in a range of industries such as manufacturing; higher end retail; information technology and business services. There will also be opportunities for small to medium size businesses in retail; personal services; health and medical services; education and research which will complement the development of the larger organisations.

BUSiNESS PROFILE

HAMMING IT UP nightclubs and sold newspapers to supplement the income.

They were hard times, but he relied on the support of his family and righted the business again.

“I had to create the next phase of the business… it was just a butcher shop and now Andrew’s Choice is known for its smallgoods, its sausages, its hams and bacons – and I had to create all that following with something that people would come back for.”

In the meantime, Mr Vourvahakis continued to develop new kinds of sausages and other products, earning him a slew of awards, including Victorian Strasbourg King in 2002 and 2003 and most recently, taking out the top gong in a national competition to find the best ham made from 100 per cent Australian pork.

He also bought a factory in Laverton North in 2000.

It was around the same time he learned the power of word of mouth.

Picture: SARAH MATRAY

BY CHARLENE GATT ANDREW Vourvahakis doesn’t have a flashy business or marketing degree.

He has something you can’t put a price on: experience.

Mr Vourvahakis, the namesake behind Andrew’s Choice, has been making hams and smallgoods since he was 10 years old.

the business after his dad’s business partner left and eventually took over from his dad in 1994, the same year he won the Victorian and National Title for his cheese kransky.

Shortly after taking over, Mr Vourvahkis found himself in $32,000 of bad debt after one of his big clients failed to pay.

The incident nearly ruined the business.

At 15, he left Footscray Tech to become an apprentice under his father, Emmanouil, who ran Andrew and Emmanouil’s Quality Meats in Anderson St, Yarraville.

“It still makes my hair stand on end,” he said.

Later on, Mr Vourvahkis bought a share of

Mr Vourvahkis worked as a busboy in

“My dad always said ‘you’re only as good as your last pay’.”

“Just before we got into this factory, we had Channel 9 do a story on us… they had about a one minute clip on the news,” he said.

“That night, the telephone did not stop ringing and the next morning we opened our door in Yarraville at 7 o’clock – I couldn’t believe how many people were in front of our shop, waiting to get in.

Mr Vourvahkis said there were many ingredients that have made Andrew’s Choice the success it is today, with love and passion the biggest factors.

“One of the secrets of Andrew’s Choice is feel. When we’re making something, it’s all about the feel, the smell, the taste, the look – it’s all about those senses. [BW]

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Andrew Vourvahakis.

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B2B: Melton Business News Inspiration. Motivation. Education. Building for Success Annual Contiki founder wows the crowd at Branded! Melton Business Breakfast Small Business Professional Development Day

They laughed and shed tears. They clapped and they cheered...

One hundred local business representatives were left inspired and motivated after coming together to hear John D Anderson (founder, Contiki Holidays) share his story of business success at Branded! Melton Small Business Professional Development Day. John D Anderson shares his story of business success in Caroline Springs (photo courtesy Star News Group, 2011)

“Thank you and congratulations for running the wonderful Branded!

Small Business Professional Development Day... what a rush! I have never been brought to tears by a speaker before, but John Anderson did it... WOW! Serana McNichol My Pool Man – Just Spas, Melton

John’s keynote presentation was followed by workshops facilitated by some of Australia’s best loved marketing gurus, including Paul McCarthy , Ailsa Page and Yvonne Adele.

Held at the outstanding WestWaters Hotel & Entertainment Complex in Caroline Springs, Branded! will become an annual business professional development event, with Peter Alexander pencilled in as 2012’s keynote speaker.

Keep an eye out on www.melton.vic.gov.au/business for further details.

Melton showcases its wares to local business and beyond

More than 170 business representatives from Melton and beyond gathered at the Australand Melton Building for Success Business Breakfast last week to learn more about the incredible growth being experienced within the Shire, and how businesses can capitalise on the outstanding opportunities afforded by doing business in Australia’s fastest growing region.

James O’Loghlin (The New Inventors, Rove Live, Good News Week) entertained the crowd with his inspirational presentation focussing on fostering innovation and creativity in entrepreneurship, while Luke Shannon, General Manager Planning and Development, Melton Shire Council, got the audience thinking as he provided an overview of the new residential and industrial developments planned for the Shire over the next 10 – 15 years.

Melton Shire Council holds a number of key business events throughout the year, ranging from business breakfasts to business awards, professional development days and small business expos. To find out more, go to: www.melton.vic.gov.au/business

James O’Loghlin’s key messages of innovation and creativity certainly gave the crowd food for thought at Tabcorp Park last week

Melton Shire Council: Helping local business grow

2012 Powercor Melton Business Excellence Awards: is your business a winner?

International Women’s Day Business Lunch: Turning Passion into Profit

Melton Business EXPOsed Small Business Expo: showcasing local business

The Powercor Melton Business Excellence Awards celebrate the achievements and spirit of enterprise shown by businesses across the Shire of Melton.

Melton’s 2012 International Women’s Day lunch, featuring entrepreneur Janine Allis, founder and CEO of Boost Juice, promises to be an outstanding opportunity for men and women alike to hone their business skills, celebrate the women in their lives and hear Janine’s amazing story.

The Melton Business EXPOsed small business expo is an exciting, new business event, promoting local businesses to local people, encouraging them to think local... buy local.

Nominations for the 2012 Powercor Melton Business Excellence Awards open on 16 October 2011 and close 17 February 2012.

Winners will be announced at the Powercor Melton Business Excellence Awards Presentation Gala on 27 April 2012 at the spectacular Witchmount Estate Winery.

To download your nomination form, go to melton.vic.gov.au/business or email: businessevents@melton.vic.gov.au

Networking is a given, as is the opportunity to get to know Janine at this exclusive and exciting event.

To book, contact Rose Romeo on 9747 7200 or email: businessevents@melton.vic.gov.au

Taking place in Melton (November 2011) Caroline Springs (January 2012), the Melton Business EXPOsed small business expo will draw on crowds of over 30 000 per event, giving excellent exposure to exhibitors.

The Melton Business EXPOsed Small Business Expo is proudly sponsored by Practical Outcomes, Caroline Springs.

Download your application form at melton.vic.gov.au/business

232 High Street, Melton – 193-201 Caroline Springs Blvd, Caroline Springs – T: (03) 9747 7200 www.melton.vic.gov.au/business

401211-JF43-11

BUSiNESS PROFILE

Vince and Linda LaManna with some of their tasty produce.

Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI

KEEPING IT iN THE

FAMILY

BY CHARLENE GATT THERE’S no petrol discounts, no self-serve checkouts and no cheesy big budget ads just 100 per cent Australian grown fruit and vegetables and quality produce at competitive prices.

LaManna Direct is the new kind of supermarket taking Essendon Fields by storm.

The third-generation family business story begins in 1953 with Pasquale (Pat) LaManna, who opened his first fruit store in West Preston.

His reputation for reliable service and

commitment to quality quickly spread from one gossiping neighbour to the next.

In true country fashion, Pat started to make personal deliveries on his way home from the shop to customers who would not settle for anything less than his quality produce.

Before long, Pat had opened shops in all the major shopping centres across Melbourne and became the pioneer of home deliveries.

In the 1970s, Pat was joined by his sons Vince and Greg and together, the trio ventured into wholesaling bananas.

It was a smart move, with the LaManna

family becoming the largest banana wholesaler in Australia with stores and warehouses across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The LaManna family established a trusted reputation in supplying wholesalers and retailers with premium produce, direct from local growers for well over 50 years and has now come full circle with LaManna Direct.

Vince had been semi-retired for a few years when he was offered the Essendon Fields site at Essendon Airport last year – the same place that the LaManna family landed when they arrived in Australia back in the 1940s.

Memorable phone numbers make sense!

CALL 1300 SELL OUT www.mobilenumbers.net.au 531592-MD43-11

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BUSINESS WEST

Now Vince with his son Patrick, wife Linda, their two daughters, son-in-law (he’s the butcher), and seven cousins are redefining supermarket shopping with LaManna Direct.

One quick tour around the supermarket and the points of difference between LaManna and other supermarkets are apparent.

There’s the bakery, where customers can see Vince the pastry chef through a wide window baking fresh cakes and pastries fresh every day.

“

which offers specials like 10 per cent off your grocery bill for a week – that has more than 36,000 members.

And perhaps one of the most noticeable differences is their very own café, which offers breakfast, lunch and coffee both indoors and outdoors.

Vince said the family business was changing the face of supermarket shopping, with an emphasis on fresh fruit and vegetables and quality products at low prices.

oil in a shop renovation that will change the shop layout, allowing for more products.

“On Saturdays and Sundays, it’s a totally different feel – it’s like a market,” Maria La Brunna, long-time employee, said.

“We’ve had people from all over Australia, New Zealand and Europe come here.

“While Melbourne sleeps, the LaManna team is hand picking the best of the best at the fruit and veg market.

“This is a foodie’s place.”

The best thing we ever did was turn our produce into 100 per cent all Australian…

There’s Mick, the LaManna chef, busy in the kitchen cooking take home meals for LaManna’s Chef in a Box range.

There’s 370 car parks, making it easy for customers to find a spot.

There’s free trolleys and special trolleys that clip into wheelchairs.

There’s a spinning wheel at the front of the store where everybody wins, with prizes such as a carton of eggs.

There’s their customer loyalty program –

VINCE LAMANNA

Maria said the secret to LaManna Direct’s success was making the weekly grocery shop a social experience where friends and family could get together over a coffee.

“I always thought I could never work with him, but this is great,” wife Linda said.

“The best thing we ever did was turn our produce into 100 per cent all Australian,” he said.

“For more than 20 years, I didn’t see him much (while he ran the wholesale business).

Now, we go home together and go to bed together. I know that my son is the boss and my husband is the boss.

“I’m looking at ways to improve all the time.”

“We work in different sections… (but) I love that we’re all together.

Vince told Business West he was looking at opening other sites, and would love to have LaManna Direct supermarkets across Melbourne.

Not ones to rest on their laurels, the LaManna team is currently burning the midnight

“It was fate, it was meant to be.”

Speaking of fate, the family name literally means “food sent down from heaven” in Italian.

Bellissimo. [BW]

business news west

Operate a great business in Hobsons Bay? If you run a business in Hobsons Bay, then why not list your business for free on the Council’s online business directory.

Visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/tourismandbusiness to register your business today.

If you want to stay across current issues and network with fellow business colleagues, join a local business group. There are four recognised traders’ associations in Hobsons Bay and many business networks in the area. These groups are all like-minded business people whose focus is on improving their business and the region, why not join one today?

The workshop is on Wednesday, 16th November at the Hobsons Bay Civic Centre, Altona.

Don’t forget there are a number of business networks and trader groups that operate business functions regularly within Hobsons Bay. For more information on all workshops on offer, visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/businessandtourism

401209-SH42-11

What’s new in the business community?

Hobsons Bay Business Excellence Awards

Hobsons Bay Business Workshops

This year’s awards, held at the Williamstown Town Hall were a huge success. More than 200 people saw the best of the best rewarded at a Gala Dinner for local businesses. For all the glitz and glamour from the evening and the winners, visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/businessexcellence

Our next workshop is all about Your Business Online. If your business is ranked on page two (or beyond) of the leading search engines, and you’re not sure why, this workshop is for you. Capture a goldmine of business online, take control of your website and turn it into a money-making machine, converse like an expert with your web developer and learn tools that will drive more customers to your website.

The Council publishes a free quarterly business newsletter titled Business Works. You can register to receive this and our e-Update by sending an email to the address below, and if you have an idea for an article, we’d also love to hear from you.

Subscribe today!

Newsletter/e-Update

For more information please call Sally Curtis, Business and Tourism Officer on 9932 1000 or email business@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au

BUSINESS WEST

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PiECE OF CaKE The cafe, which won Best New and Emerging Business at the 2011 Melton Business Excellence Awards, also provides a light lunch range of pies, sausage rolls and pastries.

BY CHARLENE GATT DEBRA Tadday is living the sweet life.

The Taylors Lakes mother of three serves up a delicious range of cakes, cupcakes, slices, biscuits and chocolates in her cafe, Wooden Spoon Cakes.

The business, which is in a prominent location on High St in Melton, has a homely feel, with the café area looking through to the kitchen, where all the cooking and decorating is done – from scratch.

Her husband Scott works on the business behind the scenes.

Ms Tadday said she wanted the business to be like a little slice of home.

“It’s like what your mum or nanna used to make,” she explained.

“People love coming in and being able to see us.

“People love to watch what you’re doing, and when I designed the shop, I did it so people could see into the kitchen.

“If it’s all closed off, it’s like you’ve got something to hide.”

Ms Tadday also caters for people who are gluten-intolerant and food intolerant, with more than half her clientele made up of coeliacs.

Coeliacs are spoilt for choice in Wooden Spoon, and Ms Tadday said they were often surprised by the range of sweets they can choose from in-store.

“Often they might just find a macaroon or a piece of mud cake (elsewhere),” she said.

“I’ve had people tell me they’re the best cakes they’ve ever had, and that’s what makes me do it.

“You need to really love what you do.

It’s the icing on the cake for Ms Tadday, who left school at 16 and worked briefly at KFC before doing her apprenticeship.

“School wasn’t for me,” she said.

“I hated it, I had teachers telling me I’d amount to nothing.”

At 18, she hit a road block when she discovered she was pregnant, but simply postponed her apprenticeship for nine months and then got right back into it.

“It was important to me that I didn’t lose focus of my goals and raise my daughter while living off the dole,” she said.

Today, Ms Tadday makes a point of taking in a lot of work experience students to give them a taste of life as a pastry chef.

It is, she says, quite a different reality to what people see on cooking shows like MasterChef.

“Shows like that glorify the experience,” she said.

Wooden Spoon Cakes’ Debra Tadday.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI “This is what I love. I love the presentation – it has to look good, not just taste good.”

Every week Wooden Spoon produces up to 2000 items of food, using around 1600 eggs.

According to Ms Tadday, it’s all about using fresh quality ingredients, such as a melt-in-yourmouth chocolate, Gianduja, which costs $60 a kilo.

Ms Tadday is keen to expand the business over the next year and roll out a bigger lunch menu and focus on more catering, baking and wholesaling.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Ms Tadday isn’t so keen in her kitchen at home after a long day at Wooden Spoon.

“I hate cooking when I get home,” she laughed.

“The last thing I want to do is cook. I just do the same thing as everyone else and grab some chicken and sauce.” [BW]

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NO CHALLENGE IS TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL & ALL OUR SOLUTIONS ARE TAILORED TO SUIT OUR CLIENTS INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

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1300 00 3337 www.meltonconstructionjobs.com.au

creating job and training opportunities for the building and construction industry

providing co-ordinated access to employers in the building industry increasing the retention rate of building and construction apprentices within Melton

providing local jobs for local people providing a user friendly service for builders, sub-contractors and jobseekers

NEED AN APPRENTICE OR LABOURER FAST? Let the Building Melton Together project solve your problems. As an employer you can be confident that staff that you hire through the Building Melton Together project have been through a rigorous pre-screening process that determines that they are not only looking for work in the industry that suits them best, but that they have the skills and experience to fulfil the role.

Building Melton Together is a collaborative, industry based initiative that addresses skill shortages in the building and construction industry.

Building Melton Together provides a “one stop shop” that links and supports developers, builders, sub contractors, job services, education and training providers and jobseekers.

Local Builders, Sub-Contractors, Developers & Apprenticeship Centres network at the recent launch of Building Melton Together held at VU Melton Campus

The initiative is a practical response to the rapid growth in housing development in Melbourne’s outer western suburbs, the fastest growing region in Australia.

The project aims to place 150 committed, career oriented jobseekers into the building industry in Melton.

“To be part of the program just register your details on the website or call 1300 00 3337 for assistance.

When you need a worker, either jump on line to request someone or call 1300 00 3337 and talk to a consultant.”

The Building Melton Together project is funded by the Federal Government and supported by

Target 150 Brimbank/Melton Local Learning and Employment Network

Building and Construction Jobs 531587-MD43-11

BUSiNESS PROFILE

UNLOCKING SUCCESS

BY CHARLENE GATT JASON Catlow knows the key to any good business is to adapt to the conditions.

It’s a lesson that has served him and his dad William well, taking the pair from a small hardware store to a nation-wide security business.

Today, AusLock – which sells a range of locks, safes, doorhandles, deadlocks, chains and cuts keys – has forged strong distribution networks across the country so that they can service clients anywhere in Australia.

The AusLock brand received kudos earlier this year when they were named Lockwood’s Australian Dealer of the Year for their recently released MT5 product.

The business caters largely to other businesses, with about 70 per cent of all their jobs commercial.

“The residential market tends to look for the right price… commercial seems to be being able to provide the right services, the right machinery, coming up with new products to take to them and show what will make their property better protected,” Jason said.

The AusLock story started more than 24 years ago when William opened a boutique hardware store in Laverton, Laverton Locksmiths and Handyman Centre, near the RAAF base.

His young son Jason helped him out on weekends and school holidays, then took up a locksmith apprenticeship after finishing school.

The qualification would soon turn the business on its head as hardware giants Bunnings and Mitre10 came onto the scene in the 1990s.

“Being that sort of small, corner hardware store wasn’t bringing in the revenue that would allow the business to survive,” Jason remembered.

“We were doing a little bit of locksmithing work on the side and we realised that there was a market to develop a locksmithing side of the company, and slowly phase away the hardware side.

“That developed quite well and quite quickly, it was probably a matter of a couple of months that we sold the hardware off all together and fully focused on the locksmithing side.

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“It was a big move for the company, because we weren’t sure how well it was going to pan out.”

As it turned out, the move was cosmically strategic. Business boomed.

The pair put on an apprentice locksmith within the year, and had another three the following year.

“I suppose we were lucky it occurred in an era where security was getting a lot more focused and commercial developments were getting a lot more concerned about their security and locking up, so we kind of hit a mark where it all fell into place,” Jason said.

The Catlows then bought out an Adelaide locksmith and re-branded the company to AusLock to have an identifiable brand nationwide. The business still uses the business name Laverton Locksmiths for local advertising.

In 2005, the business moved to a new showroom and workshop in Laverton North to be closer to the commercial sector.

“

“We have a great understanding, obviously there are times where we sort of have a few challenges, but generally, as a whole, it’s been a fantastic run and we work together quite well.

“We understand each other and what goes about, but at the end of the day when the person at the top of the chain says ‘no, I want to go a particular way’, you’ve just got to respect that decision.

“We’ve been able to develop the business a lot in the last three to four years so he’s seen some real positive movement and believes a lot in the ideas that we’re putting forward.

“It might not be the same marketing that they did 10 years ago, because it wasn’t such a big thing to them back then, but when I emphasise how good the website looks, or the way we’re trying to promote things, he gets excited about that side of the business because it’s something that he never really got into himself too much.”

We’ve gone national with our website and from that get a lot of enquiries from right around the country…

JASON CATLOW

But perhaps the biggest change came three years later when Jason bought out his dad and their roles switched.

Jason has been working with a business coach for the last 12 months to help his transition from second-in-charge to director.

“It’s certainly a lot different.

“It was quite a difficult task at first to drag myself away from working on the tools… to sit back now and teach other people now how to do things or put in a new system, is a completely different role. “(Dad’s) still very hands-on in regards to running the workshop downstairs.

Jason’s focus now is to develop the safe side of the business.

“He certainly has fantastic skill and ability to make things and come up with problem-solving solutions on a daily basis, it’s fantastic.

“Being in business for 24 years is a great achievement and we look forward to continuing that and keep growing.” [BW]

“We’ve gone national with our website and from that get a lot of enquiries from right around the country.

“I’d certainly like to spend a bit of time developing the business as well – working on systems, working on procedures, spending some time with the team.

“People are finding it quite trying at the moment and I feel that we’re quite lucky that we’ve always been able to hold our head up and get through a lot of things.

BUSiNESS PROFILE

Jason Catlow knows his business AusLock is in safe hands.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

Design and Build Delivery Commercial Retail Industrial Melbourne Ph: 03 9347 2611 Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses Keilor Park, Victoria

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Vaughan Constructions has established a proven approach to meeting specific client needs, within budget and time constraints, “Building Customers for Life”.

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BUSINESS WEST

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BUSiNESS PROFILE

TRAGEDY

BREEDS

SUCCESS

companionship as she tried to get accustomed to her “new brain”.

“I’ll never forget the time I taught her to sit – it was the first time I’d achieved something good since the accident,” she remembered.

“She (Riley) had a big impact on my life. We were at home all the time and one day I thought ‘I’m going to make her some treats’.”

Ms Parker’s partner at the time was a chef, and he helped her come up with a recipe.

Proud of her biscuits, she took some samples to a local pet shop, who bought some packets.

“I will never forget him giving me $15 payment for my first order,” she said.

“For the first time in years I was actually paid for something that I had done – it had nothing to do with my disability, Social Security and the TAC. “This feeling was amazing.

“I was so proud, I’d achieved something myself.”

And so Happy Yappers was born.

Today, Happy Yappers biscuits are sold all around Australia in selected stores and online.

The biscuits, which come in a variety of forms – including

523187-JL36-11

AT 21, Milly Parker was a selfconfessed wild child. But all that changed one fateful night when she was a front-seat passenger in a car that ran off the road and hit a tree at 140 kilometres an hour. CHARLENE GATT reports…

MILLY Parker was resuscitated at the scene, incubated and airlifted to hospital. Being the front seat passenger in a 140km/h car crash meant things were looking grim.

She wasn’t expected to make it.

Miraculously, after a week on life support, she pulled through but she had an acquired brain injury.

The injury severely affected her memory, making it hard for her to learn and retain new information.

Ms Parker was then transferred to a Bendigo nursing home for a year, where she was constantly confronted by “these old and broken people” being carried out in body bags.

“I often say the accident was the easy part; it was the aftermath that was hard,” she said.

“I was broken and useless – at least, that’s what I heard around me.

“I used to fight it and get really angry. “(Now I accept) there’s things I can’t do, but lots of things I can.”

Ms Parker sank into a deep depression and more than once contemplated suicide.

After a while, she realised the people surrounding her were inhibiting her recovery.

“I stopped seeing doctors. Ironically, I had to stop seeing doctors in order to get better.”

Back at home, Ms Parker tried to take up her accounting course again, but struggled to remember the formulas she had stuck to her bedroom walls.

She found if something or someone touched her emotionally, she was more likely to remember, but try as she might, accounting was not one of those things.

Meanwhile, her new golden cocker spaniel, Riley, was bringing Ms Parker plenty of joy and

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“

I often say the accident was the easy part; it was the aftermath that was hard…

MILLY PARKER

doggie donuts, bones, and sunflower cupcakes – are also exported to several countries.

One of her most popular clients is Harrods in London, for whom she created a bone with 23-carat gold.

Happy Yappers biscuits will soon also be stocked in David Jones stores.

“People look at me now and think ‘there’s nothing wrong with you, you don’t have a disability’,” Ms Parker said.

“Disability can happen to any one of us at any time.

“People put limits on people with disabilities.

I was told not to expect much from myself, even now, 20 years on.

“Every time I achieve something I think ‘you were wrong’.

“Some people who know my story go ‘Hello Milly, how are you?’ really loudly and slowly, like I’m deaf.

“I’ve had some dreadful things said to me.

I’ve been told I shouldn’t tell people that I have a disability.

“It makes me wonder what it must be like for people with physical disabilities, like being in a wheelchair.

“Happy Yappers wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for my brain injury… out of this came something that wouldn’t have otherwise.

“I’m glad I’m not an accountant.

“It’s all about your attitude. Sure, you can have a cry, but you pick yourself up.” [BW]

Milly Parker and her dogs Charlotte and Ruby.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

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Hobsons Bay City Council would like to congratulate all nominees and winners of the 2011 Business Excellence Awards. And the winners are: A diverse array of exceptional businesses entered the awards this year and showcased their business excellence.

New/Start Up Business Elle & Stuart Retail Court Jester Fancy Dress Hire Hospitality Mosaic Restaurant Tourism ( joint winners ) Captains Retreat Tourism Lantern Ghost Tours Transport and Logistics Compu-stor Manufacturing and Industrial Able Industries Engineering Professional Services Hampton Sustainability Not for Profit/Community The Substation Home Based Trading Places Foodservice Brokerage Environment and Sustainable Newport Organic Collective Inc Good Access/Good Business Mosaic Restaurant Business of the Year Able Industries Engineering In addition the Mayor has awarded the Mayoral Encouragement Award to Ragusa Restaurant, the Mayoral Innovation Award to Aqueous Solutions and the Mayoral Corporate Citizenship Award to PAZ Group.

Sign up for all the latest news and information around Hobsons Bay. Simply send an email to business@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au to subscribe today!

Make sure you experience a Hobsons Bay business today!

BUSINESS WEST

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BUSiNESS PROFILE

THE FUTURE IS ONLINE

BY CHARLENE GATT FORGET search engine optimisation, James Cottingham is offering a new kind of online marketing.

The 34-year-old Sunshine man is promoting YouTube videos as the next big thing in online advertising.

The videos, which can be filmed in an infomercial-style format or a quick teaser, are similar to a TV advertisement with one big difference – it costs nothing to upload the clip to YouTube.

The same product would cost a business upwards of $15,000 on a non-peak TV slot, whereas this costs the business a one-off production fee.

Furthermore, there are various ways of promoting the video, such as embedding it back onto the company website.

It was a smart move, with Mr Cottingham able to work on the business full-time straight away.

“It’s fusing traditional methods of photo and video with high technology. It’s a different way for businesses to showcase their products and services,” he told Business West.

Over the years he has branched out into bands and production services and video, working for a range of corporate and noncorporate clients.

“Reading stuff is boring. Technology these days has allowed us to further boundaries for our visual senses.

In 2001 he changed the company name to The Art of Excellence after learning that the name did not appeal to brides.

“This technology will allow a greater presence for many businesses.

He currently has a team of 12 DJs and entertainers, and is focusing on getting word of the YouTube videos out.

“It has proven itself well beyond a shadow of a doubt. This is a very powerful tool.

“I wanted something that allowed me a greater level of creativity, and where I could also provide more of an impact than a service to others,” Mr Cottingham said.

The videos are yet another branch in his ever-growing multi-media business, The Art of Excellence.

“Never before have we been in such a position to utilise an arsenal of tools that are available to expose a business to a greater market for next to nothing.

The business started out as a DJ and entertainment business 14 years ago, with Mr Cottingham buying out an established company – Mind-blowing Entertainment – to kick-start work.

“There are many great reasons why using

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Mr Cottingham believes the videos are a cheap new marketing tool that other businesses could capitalise on, with one of his

clients reporting a tripling in sales after putting a video out.

F O

Committee for

Wyndham inc.

Building a better tomorrow. Today

Become a member and help shape the future of Wyndham. Today!

Melbourne’s west and in particular the City of Wyndham is undergoing rapid population and economic growth. The Committee for Wyndham was established to work closely with business, community agencies, and all levels of government to enhance the future of Wyndham and Melbourne’s west.

With the majority of members actively involved in the Wyndham area, the Committee has a valuable insight into the needs of the community which is vital in planning for the cities social, environmental and economic prosperity. This allows the committee to prioritise the strategic issues facing the Wyndham Community.

From very small beginings in 1998 The Committee now boasts 40 participants across the various level of membership. With structures to suit individuals through to major corporations the Committee for Wyndham offers a unique influential group of business and community leaders from all walks of life.

If you would like to become a Committee for Wyndham member and help direct the future of Wyndham, or to find out more about the benefits of membership, contact The Office of the Executive: Ms Jan Goates Tel: 03 9741 4541 Mob: 0417 591 697 email: admin@committeeforwyndham.com.au or Nik Tsardakis on 0411 252 686

P.O. Box 2296 Werribee Vic. 3030 ABN 204 128 098 69 email: admin@committeeforwyndham.com.au

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531567-MD36-11

BUSiNESS PROFILE YouTube can dramatically shift your business – Google’s ranking system for one.

“Aligning your business with common social networks opens up a whole new world of possibilities, and that can directly impact your sales.

“All smart business owners know that passive marketing does not land you many sales, if any, whereas video promotional tools are designed to capture the attention and imagination of your target audience.

“The more that your customer engages in your promotional and advertising tools, the more likely they will end up coming to you to close the deal.

“The availability of tools and technology means that a high impact presentation of your business can be produced and showcased in a matter of only hours for much less than you would think.” [BW]

James Cottingham is taking marketing to a whole new level.

Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI

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OLD SPICE The ‘manly’ tongue in cheek ad was a hit worldwide for the aftershave company and made the star a minor celebrity – briefly.

EVIAN The dancing babies went global and currently has more than 47 million views on Youtube.

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BUSiNESS PROFILE

BAttLING YOUR DEMONS

BY CHARLENE GATT DAWN Wilson is a woman who practices what she preaches.

Ms Wilson, who runs Life Matters: Counselling & Wellness Solutions in Caroline Springs, is no stranger to battling personal demons. Now she helps other people get over theirs.

Starting off in the corporate sector, Ms Wilson was state manager for a recruitment organisation in Melbourne, then she moved to Brisbane with her husband and the pair started their own recruitment firm, which they turned into a multi-million dollar business.

It was then that the trouble started.

“I was married at the time and I felt like things weren’t making sense to me,” she said.

“I was quite angry and irritated at a lot of things, and I couldn’t put my finger on what was making me feel that way and I was stressed and anxious most of the time.

“I was so stressed and anxious that it started affecting me physically, and a friend recommended I go and see a neurologist, because I was getting massive headaches.

“The neurologist said to me ‘you don’t need to see me, you need to see this person’ and I went across town to see this person, who was a reflexologist.

Dawn Wilson wants her counselling service to be accessible to all.

Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI

“She had an enormous amount of life experience and even though she wasn’t a qualified counsellor, she knew enormous amounts about emotional processing and she

A Collins & Co initiative Upcoming Christmas Event Guest speaker Barry Hall will give an honest account of the real man behind the dramatic headlines.

This event is invitation only. For further information, call 03 9680 1000 or email partner@collinsco.com.au

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BUSINESS WEST

531591-MD43-11

A networking event aimed at business owners from small to medium sized firms in Melbourne’s Western Suburbs.

BUSiNESS PROFILE asked me a few very specific questions and the tears just started to flow.

“One of the biggest things she asked me was ‘do you like yourself?’ and I sat in the chair and said ‘no’.”

Months of holistic therapy followed, prompting Ms Wilson to take up a different career path.

The recruitment business was booming, but that didn’t stop Ms Wilson from pulling out and going back to school to get her counselling qualifications.

She graduated at the end of 2006 and started up her own practice at the beginning of 2007.

“

I’m in the right place, at the right time, in a job I love…

DAWN WILSON

A year later, her nine-year marriage – which included two children – broke down.

It was yet another road block in Ms Wilson’s life and career, but this time she had the tools to get her through.

“I think you need a lot of belief in yourself, you need a lot of resilience and I think the biggest thing for me was completely surrendering to

the fact that this was my life’s purpose, this is where I knew I had to be, and let everything else go.

“It’s like I was on the universal payroll.

“If I had two clients a week, or 20 clients a week, that’s what the universe wants me to have.

“If I’m going through distress or grief or loss, I’m not in the best space to deal with 20 clients a week, I’m doing them a disservice.

“I found I had quite a few months where all I did was work around the house and cry a lot and try and rebuild myself.”

Ms Wilson then started to consult with two practices before she was asked to be the workplace counsellor for a Gold Coast company.

It was productive work, but she relocated to Caroline Springs in January 2010 to be closer to her family.

Keen to re-start her practice, Ms Wilson found premises at the Waters Edge Business Centre, literally down the road from her own house.

counselling service, charging drastically reduced rates for high school students, university students, single parents and seniors to ensure that her services are accessible to all.

“I feel like people search me out, and people who other psychologists get, I don’t get.

“I don’t get heavy domestic violence, I don’t get drug and alcohol, I don’t get personality disorders – I’ve never gone through any of that, I’ve never had to experience any of that, so everyone who comes to me, I feel been there, done that.

“I feel like I’ve been brought to this suburb, that I’m meant to be here, I’m meant to make a connection with the community in the suburb.

“I’m not a financially-driven person… I’d like to be known as someone who really gives a damn. It will never be about a financial reward, like my previous life. It’s more a human to human connection.

“I’m in the right place, at the right time, in a job I love.” [BW]

The service focuses on – you guessed it – life matters. Marriage, separation, divorce, step kids, career highs and lows and going into business are common problems that people come to Ms Wilson for.

Ms Wilson shares the space, which has bay windows and a balcony overlooking the lake, with an accountant to reduce overheads.

“It’s such a nice space to be in.

“People come here and for some reason they feel enveloped and the barriers drop and the trust rises pretty much immediately. When that happens, they will open Pandora’s box for you and the work commences.”

She has also introduced a low-cost

531588-JF40-11

BUSINESS WEST

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SMALL TALK RISK IN THE TRADES

TIME TO EXPAND

SAFETY FIRST

THE biggest business risk for tradespeople is liability, according to the RACV. Operating a trade business comes with hidden dangers such as third-party injury and damage to others’ property RACV Insurance General Manager Paul Northey said.

Another significant risk to tradespeople is the loss of their tools.

“Annual budgets should always include an allowance for insurance to cover against adverse events that could lead to an expensive legal claim,” Mr Northey said.

“Without insurance it could take years to pay for replacement tools. Then there’s the immediate concern of days of work lost and having to knock back jobs until you’re up and running again.”

Tradespeople operating out of vans and trailers advertising their business name, logo and contact details are more easily identified as carrying expensive equipment and therefore more often targeted by thieves.

A SURVEY of small to medium sized businesses in Australia has shown that a staggering 74 per cent expect to expand their businesses in the next year.

The survey of almost 600 clients of Scottish Pacific Benchmark (SPB) appears to confirm that debtor finance facilities are well suited to growing businesses.

It also revealed that cash flow is not the most pressing issue facing those businesses.

Only 27 per cent of respondents said cash flow would be their biggest challenge in the next twelve months, while 32 per cent cited Australia’s economy.

Only seven per cent of SPB clients cited the availability of credit as their major concern.

SPB CEO Peter Langham said the lack of cash flow concern business clients was not a surprise, but the confidence in business growth was.

WERRIBEE business Water Resources Alliance is a finalist for the Best Solution to a Workplace Health and Safety Issue at the upcoming WorkSafe Victoria Awards.

The business is in the running for its safe solution to concrete channel lining.

A revamp and restructure of the awards and the introduction of new categories attracted 176 submissions this year.

Thirty finalists spanning 11 categories representing safety, health and wellbeing and return to work have been chosen following a rigorous judging process.

Winners from each category will be announced at the awards night at the Crown Palladium Ballroom in late October.

“These individuals and businesses have gone above and beyond to make improvements in workplace safety, employee wellbeing and efforts to improve return to work prospects for injured workers,” WorkSafe’s Executive Director of Health and Safety Ian Forsyth said.

RAIL LINK TENDERS THE Regional Rail Link Authority has shortlisted tenders to deliver the Southern Cross Station to Footscray stage of the Regional Rail Link.

Integrate Rail and Leighton Contractors, Downer EDI, SMEC & Mott MacDonald are in the ring to deliver the project – which includes realigning and upgrading the existing track and building two lines.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said the short-listing for the second major package of works represents another major milestone in the RRL project.

The Regional Rail Link is a jointly funded project, with the Federal Government contributing $3.2 billion and the balance coming from the Victorian Government.

Mr Mulder said the extensive package of work to be delivered by the successful consortium will transform the movement of regional trains through Melbourne’s inner west.

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BUSINESS WEST

CHANGE AT THE TOP PAUL Rafferty has taken over as CEO of Hoppers Crossing company Redmond Repetition Engineers.

Owner and director John Redmond has handed over the reins to Mr Rafferty, who has been the Chief Operating Officer for the past nine years.

Mr Redmond will remain owner and director and will focus his energies on the sales component of the company.

Redmond Repetition Engineers produces precision components for some of the biggest global brands in military, aviation, automotive, medical, building, plumbing and general hardware.

SMALL TALK SCIENCE SELLS SCIENCEWORKS welcomed its seven millionth visitor recently since opening to the public in 1992.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts Heidi Victoria welcomed the visitor, a young science enthusiast from the Dunolly Primary school group, and the pair conducted a colourful chemistry experiment to mark the occasion.

Early business plans for Scienceworks suggested the museum would gradually build to 250,000 visitors over its first five years of operation.

In its first year, more than 400,000 went through the doors.

The museum has continued to grow with the planetarium in 1999 and the lightning room in 2004, while short-term exhibitions, like the 2009 Star Wars exhibition, have become major drawcards.

The Star Wars exhibition helped draw in a record 540,000 visitors.

FULL STEAM AHEAD EXTRUSIONS Australia has officially opened its new $11.5 million manufacturing plant in Truganina.

The plant is a third larger than Extrusions Australia’s old Laverton North operation and includes a new state-of-the-art extrusion press.

At full production, it will employ around 100 people, almost doubling the company’s current workforce.

The facility will design and manufacture aluminium extrusion profiles for commercial and residential window and door fabricators – a sector worth more than $4.2 billion in Australia last financial year.

Sedco Australia, which produces the dies used by Extrusions Australia, will also be co-located at the plant to streamline manufacturing processes and boost productivity.

RESOURCES INVESTMENT QENOS, ExxonMobil Australia and BHP Billiton have entered into long-term supply contracts using Bass Strait oil and gas resources to produce polyethylene.

These agreements will assist with a $195 million expansion and ongoing sustainability of the Qenos Altona polyethylene manufacturing operation.

It will create 250 additional jobs during the expansion of the plant and will secure the long-term future of the plant.

Scienceworks general manager Genevieve Fahey.

Qenos is also investing in the energy efficiency of its production facilities at Altona.

An existing steam boiler on the Olefins site will be decommissioned and replaced with a modern cogeneration unit.

The cogeneration unit will meet all of Qenos’s electricity demand and will be capable of producing over a third of its steam requirements, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

SKY HIGH IN ST ALBANS ST ALBANS could be the next suburb in the West to go high-rise.

Plans for a $150 million-plus apartment-based village with towers rising up to eight storeys are a step closer following the newly released St Albans Centre Structure Plan 2025.

Brimbank City Council is set to rezone what agents call the largest single landholding in the suburb, a move that will pave the way for a residential-based rebuild.

The site, a 6.8-hectare factory on McKechnie Street, is now a collection of seven separate offices, warehouses and factories, offering 8427 square metres of building area.

A rezoning from Industrial 3 to residential and mixed use allows high-density apartment towers to be developed along McKechnie Street, near the Victoria University St Albans campus.

Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT

The industrial site has now been listed for sale by its owner-occupier, Krueger Transport Equipment.

NEW ADDITION ESSENDON Fields based Matthews Steer Chartered Accountants has announced a major boost to its accounting and financial planning team, appointing Harry Chemay as Financial Planning Manager.

Mr Chemay has more than 16 years’ experience in finance and investment and in his new role as Financial Planning Manager will work closely advising clients on a range of planning issues including self-managed superannuation funds.

He was previously an investment consultant at Mercer and before that a financial planner with WHK Smith Read Prescott, specialising in self-managed super.

Mr Chemay is also a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and a Certified Investment Management Analyst.

Matthews Steer Director and co-founder, Geoff Steer, said he would be a great addition to an already strong team.

BUSINESS WEST

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STRATEGIES

HELP TO HIRE FINDING THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR YOU VARIOUS recent surveys indicate that there is increasing employee dissatisfaction and up to 45 per cent of all Australian workers are actively seeking to move on.

A high staff turnover can not only be disruptive for a business and lead to understaffing; it can be very costly too. One of the ways to lessen this burden is to get the initial hiring decision right.

A complete and thorough hiring process will clarify your next employee’s responsibilities so when they make the decision to sign a contract with you, they know exactly what they’re prepared for.

Follow these handy tips to help select your next star performer.

START AT THE END Many employers avoid ‘exit interviews’ but having a discussion with the person departing the role you need to fill can be a valuable experience. Not only will you gain insight into potential strategies to boost staff retention, but you will also learn more about the role. This process will help you identify the characteristics and skills required by their successor. Strategic planning and marketing firm Stengel Solutions offers some good advice: “Chances are an employee who is walking out the door will be more honest and forthcoming than a person who still depends on your company for a pay cheque. But in order to ensure truly effective exit interviews, a leader must establish a climate of trust long before he receives the letter of resignation.”

Use the content of your exit interviews to analyse your organisation and find out if there are any patterns which will determine what areas require priority action.

UNDERSTAND THE ROLE Make sure you understand the position you’re seeking to fill or else you risk hiring the wrong person, or writing a job ad that skips the essential elements of the role. If possible, ask a colleague who has served in the job or a similar role to be on the interviewing panel.

This person will be able to ask more specific questions pertaining to the ‘day to day’ requirement of the position, which may garner more telling responses from the candidate about their suitability.

WRITING THE JOB AD A well written job advertisement will result in a more talented and deeper pool of talent applying for your job. Make sure location and at least a salary range are specified, what your business offers in the way of facilities and equipment, and the ‘non-negotiable’ skills and experience required.

LOOK TO THE FUTURE Business adviser David Meyer writes that employers should remember that they’re hiring for the future. “Be clear about your strategic direction for the future, and then hire the talent to help you achieve it,” he advised. Flexibility and a willingness and enthusiasm to learn new skills are key characteristics to look for.

Opportunity guidelines restrict the questions that can be asked. While CareerOne advises of key questions that you should also ask yourself when considering an applicant, such as: ■ Is the candidate highly adaptive?

■ Do they ask great questions?

■ Can they admit to mistakes?

Taking a little longer could pay off in the long run If possible, allow yourself to wait for the right candidate. If your first batch of applicants don’t fit what you’re looking for in the role, consider extending the application deadline.

Forcing yourself to hire someone because of arbitrary timelines is far likelier to result in a costly mistake than waiting another couple of weeks for a better person.

Following these tips to source and secure the right staff can make all the difference to your business’s success.

ASK RELEVANT QUESTIONS – OF THE CANDIDATE AND YOURSELF With a staggering one third of job applicants reportedly lying in interviews, it is essential that you ask pertinent questions to ensure you pick the best candidate. Keep your probing to the point, this means avoiding anything along the lines of: what sort of animal are you?

According to employment website MyCareer, it’s important to know that Equal

WAYNE JAMESON Born and bred in the North West, Wayne commenced his working career as a Plumbing apprentice and spent the next 14 years in the trade before choosing a different career path and moving into recruitment. He spent the next 15 years in multiple positions within the recruitment space before recently commencing with VECCI (Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry) in Broadmeadows as the Business Manager for the North West.

VECCI - Broadmeadows, Suite 18, 11–17 Pearcedale Parade, Broadmeadows, VIC 3047 www.vecci.org.au Phone: 5227 7998

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STRATEGIES

LET’S TALK

SOCIAL MEDiA A FEW months ago, I noticed an advertisement in one of the mail-outs I receive regularly. It was promoting something like a “minimal impact social media solution”. I’m sure the guy promoting it was billing himself as a “social media guru”. The concept was that he could sell me an “add on” to my business, that would do all the social media marketing that I needed, without me having to change a thing.

My business could just tick along nicely, and he would do everything. Or so it seemed.

There is a problem with this. You may think that Twitter is all about people sharing what they have had for breakfast – or you may already be using a business Facebook page, a blog, or recruiting on LinkedIn, but the story is the same. You cannot get the best out of these tools without a fundamental change in your business.

“

So how does this affect business? Rather than losing control, we can open the way for our customers – and also our staff – to tell us what they want to see in our products and services. They know what they want, and they are happy to tell us. Social media tools can give us the ears to hear what they are saying.

Social Media tools use computers – even those little ones we carry around in our pockets – but don’t let this trick you into thinking that it’s all up to those IT guys. These new tools affect all facets of business, so they should not be left up to just one part of the business to run. There’s something in this for Marketing and even HR. Social Media outside the business is for letting your customers, suppliers and other stakeholders join the team and build the business potential that they can see.

Inside the business, it is for truly empowering staff to

Social media is not only something you can no longer ignore, it’s part of a bigger shift that is changing everything…

To quote EuanSemple: “Social computing requires a mind-shift from previous ways of doing business and requires high levels of trust and confidence from those engaging in it. How you communicate your intentions and encourage take up is crucial.”

Social media is not only something you can no longer ignore, it’s part of a bigger shift that is changing everything. Boundaries are falling, and they are leaving big gaps in the way we used to do things.

The big movement is to trust, openness and transparency. This is showing up in many facets of the 21st century world, but for business, it is all about opening the shop or factory walls, and letting our customers in. This may seem a little scary, but we do get to choose how we respond.

Just as social media is impacting on the newspaper business, it is affecting all industries. We are moving from an economy of scarcity – where you could lock things away, and charge high prices to drip feed them out – to an economy of abundance. It’s no longer a zero-sum game; it’s now more about sharing and winwin.

KEITH DE LA RUE be part of the business. Recent research has shown that the top two reasons for using collaborative tools inside businesses are team productivity and decision making (cost reduction rated a distant ninth).

Other research has shown that Australians are at the top of the world not only in Social Media takeup, but also in hours spent per month using Social Media. More and more of this population are also saying that they want to use these tools to interact with businesses.

Another way to look at this is – what is the risk of not engaging with your audience this way – when your competitors are?

KEITH DE LA RUE works as an educator and independent consultant in knowledge management, communication, learning and social media.

He is a regular presenter and speaker at conferences in Australia and overseas, and a part-time staff member at three universities in Melbourne. He has researched and written about communication, conversation, celebrities, cognition, communities – and cats. He has contributed to a range of books and publications, and his work has also been translated into Portuguese. Keith is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators, and of Mensa, and has appeared on radio and in quiz programs on TV. He blogs at delarue.net, is married with three children, and lives in Pascoe Vale.

BUSINESS WEST

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Lending

A BUSiNESS WEST PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

BUYING A BUSiNESS WHEN you decide to buy a business, home or investment property you quickly realise that what must follow is arranging a loan.

Shopping around the numerous banks and other lenders can be confusing and take considerable time. You need to be prepared and understand what the various lenders will require from you.

So it’s really important that you know from the outset: ■ Exactly what you can borrow ■ What deposit you need so that this can be approved to be able to buy at auction or to make an offer ■ The type of business or property that will be acceptable to the lenders ■ Loan types, loan features and loan repayments.

Many buyers find out that they cannot borrow the amount they need or the business they have chosen is unsuitable.

So it’s best to deal with the financial issues first before you start looking.

As independent brokers, WHK can assess your current situation and do all the research for you.

We then present you with a recommendation and negotiate on your behalf with the financial institutions, arrange all the paperwork, lodge the application seeking approval, formalise loan offers and assist with arranging settlement.

How much will this cost you?

Generally nothing – our brokers are paid commissions by the various financial institutions.

Business and home owners should therefore be aware that there are three main lending rules:

1. CAPACITY TO REPAY It is important to establish whether the applicant/s have enough income to meet all fixed commitments such as loan repayments and have sufficient income left over to live.

2. ADEQUATE SECURITY Each lender has a different policy as to how much they will lend against the security offered. WHK brokers deal with many lending institutions and are very familiar with each of their requirements 3. CHARACTER OF THE BORROWER Lenders assess the character of the potential borrower/s by various means.

Generally they look at stability of employment, stability of residence, length of employment and credit reference check If you wish to discuss your current or future lending needs at your home, workplace or our office call Chris Humphrey or Trent Walerys on 9742 8444.

Chris Humphrey Principal, Lending & Finance WHK Werribee office

401212-MD43-11

better advice for a better life

Financing Your Business L1, 18 Synnot Street Werribee Vic 3030 T: 9742 8444 werribee@whk.com.au

www.whk.com.au

Are you looking to buy or expand a business?

Require new equipment?

Need to consolidate or restructure debt?

To achieve optimal results, call Chris Humphrey or Trent Walerys in our Lending team now for experienced, strategic, professional broking advice and to negotiate a loan on your behalf.

Lending advice is provided under Australian Credit Licence number 389 054

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BUSINESS WEST

OUT OF HOURS BRIMBANK traders breakfasted at Overnewton Castle Receptions last month at the quarterly Brimbank business breakfast.

Business owners got the chance to spruik their company in the mad minute, while Mike Brady – composer of football anthem “Up There Cazaly” – talked about winning and losing three individual fortunes.

During the ‘Mad Minute’ spruiking his business, Marquez Comelab of Oranges and Lime.

BRIMBANK BUSINESS BREAKFAST

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1 (L-R) Jacqueline Cutajar, business owner of Navigate Coaching, with Adrian Misiano,Partner at Matthew Steer Chartered Accountants.

2 Mike Brady, guest speaker and musician well known for having written the Australian Rules Football song, Up There Cazaly.

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OUT OF HOURS THE Western Region Business Club hosted its quarterly networking function at the Yarraville Club last month.

Alexandra Knight from the HSBC was the guest speaker on the night and focused on Australia’s current economy.

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WESTERN REGION BUSINESS CLUB

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1 (L-R) Alexandra Knight, Economist for NAB and guest speaker for the evening, Bluey Finch, Director of Finch Industries and Fabio Cammarano, Partner at Collins & Co. 2 (L-R) Antoinette Fava, Director of AVA Services Group and Vittoria De Stefano Lawyer at Harwood Andrews Lawyers.

3 (L-R) Kristie McMaster, Owner of Master HR Solutions and Jacqueline Cutajar, Owner of Navigate Coaching.

4 (L-R) Adrian Banducci, Banker at NAB and Justin Kirwan, Director at Top Shelf Management (TSM).

THE Committee for Wyndham hosted their annual dinner at the Werribee Mansion Ballroom recently.

Frank Costa, owner of the largest fresh fruit and vegetable growing, packing, distribution and exporting business in the southern hemisphere was the guest speaker on the night.

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COMMITEE FOR WYNDHAM 1 (L-R) Mayor of Wyndham John Menegazzo, Guest speaker Frank Costa and Peter Hudson, Chairman of the Committee for Wyndham.

2 (L-R) Brian Weppner, Business Banking Manager for Bendigo Bank Werribee and Barbara McLure, Consultant.

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BUSINESS WEST

OUT OF HOURS JAMES O’Loughlin from The New Inventors, Good News Week and Rove Live demonstrated his funny take on creativity and innovation in business at the Building for Success Breakfast at Tabcorp Park.

Luke Shannon from Melton Shire Council brought business owners and investors up to date on the key drivers behind Melton’s phenomenal growth, while the Business Angels gave advice to businesses with big ideas and small bank balances.

BUILDING FOR SUCCESS BREAKFAST

1. Guest speaker James O’Loughlin.

2. Theo Afkoudias from Project Prospectus and Buisness Angels.

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THE Westgate Referral Network meets fortnightly for breakfast at Mosaic Restaurant in Altona.

At this meeting, Ailsa Page from AP Marketing Works gave traders in the West a crash course in marketing their businesses to others.

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1 Janet Pearson, business owner of Technology Matters, welcomes business owners to the Westgate Business Referral breakfast, at Mosaic restaurant in Altona.

2 (L-R) Glenn Lee, business owner of Telco Plus and Michael Karaszkewycz, business owner of Emerald Investment Property.

WESTGATE REFERRAL NETWORK BUSINESS WEST

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BW NETWORK Business West Network – a growing directory of local businesses ready to do business with you.

You can join the Business West Network by registering online at www.businesswest.com.au to make sure you receive your personal copy of Business West AND receive a free onetime 30-word listing for your business in a future edition.

STRATEGIC INVESTMENT & RETIREMENT SOLUTIONS PL 38 Duncans Rd, Werribee, Victoria 9741 8795 Financial Planning, Superannuation, Investments, Asset Finance, Home and Investment Lending, Insurances/Wealth Protection Member of Count Financial Ltd.

YOUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PO Box 2325, Greenvale, Victoria 1300 566 729/0414 420 188 www.ycfo.com.au Management of personal financial affairs.

We save you time paying your bills and find you the cheapest service providers such as Gas & Electricity, saving you money.

TIMEWISE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PO Box 3744, Caroline Springs, Victoria 0402 022 058 www.timewise.com.au Timewise Business Solutions provides bookkeeping and business support services to small and medium businesses in the north and western suburbs of Melbourne.

TRACY THE PLACEMENT PEOPLE 17 Hall St, Newport, Victoria 8331 500 www.tracys.com.au Tracy the Placement People recruitment is to provide clients with a total employment package and to assist businesses with the ultimate solutions to their employment needs.

WRITEWAY COMMUNICATIONS PO Box 2382, Taylors Lakes, Victoria 0410 534489 www.writewaypr.com.au Individual & Couples Counselling. Improve your social skills and ability to work through life challenges with counselling and training.Training includes improving assertive skills & conflict mgmnt. Workplace counselling also available.

NAOMI WARING BOOKKEEPING & MARKETING 59 Knightsbridge Dve, Tarneit, Victoria 0439 312 782 Bookkeeping and Marketing solutions for small business. Contact me to get your accounts on track or to increase sales and brand awareness.

INTAIR TRAVELSCENE AMERICAN EXPRESS 1/8 Tongue St, Yarraville, Victoria 9817-7388 www.intair.com.au Intair has been in the travel industry for 30 years. We will customise your business travel arrangements and provide the best service available to meet your requirements.

DM URBAN PROJECTS PTY LTD 41 Powell St, Yarraville, Victoria 0422 185 363 www.dmurbanprojects.com.au We are a domestic building company that specialises in renovating period Edwardian and Victorian homes. We help our clients from design stage right through to construction.

ASCENT PRIVATE WEALTH L10 356 Collins St, Melbourne, Victoria 96725116 www.ascentpw.com.au We help successful individuals and families get their entire financial house in order and keep it that way.

MY JOB IS YOUR ACCOUNTS 2 Wyena Crt, Hoppers Crossing, Victoria 0433 854 650 Small business and individual income tax returns, BAS/IAS lodgment, GST Returns, Bookkeeping, Financial statements, Company/Trust/SMSF formation, Bank recon, Payroll processing, ABN/ GST/PAYG/TFN/Business Names application and registration, Accounts Payable/Receivable, Certification: Stat Dec/CertifyTrue Copies.

WESTSIDE JOINERY P/L PO Box 783, Sunshine, Victoria 9311 4072 Established in 1971, Westside Joinery manufacture custom built windows, doors and frames from Select Vic Ash and Western Red Cedar in their large Sunshine factory.

MEDIA MONITORS 120 Miller St, West Melbourne, Victoria 8327 6400 www.mediamonitors.com.au Media Monitors provides over 5,000 corporate, government and non-for-profit organisations customised access to media intelligence services and innovative tools to enable effective communications.

OSTEOPATH JEM 91 Ferguson St, Williamstown, Victoria 9397 3263 www.osteopathjem.com.au Fixes joint, muscle, visceral and nerve pains gently using cranio-sacral and deep tissue massage.

Women, men, elderly and children all treated.

Specialises in back, neck, shoulder, hip, and knee pains.

TAMMY B PHOTOGRAPHY 43 Palmerston St, West Footscray, Victoria 0400 575 927 tammybphotography.com.au Newborn, baby, children, family, special event and wedding photographer based in Melbourne, Victoria, specialising in newborns, babies, children, families, special events and weddings. Studio and location photo shoots.

ASCOT PARTNERS 227 Abbotsford St, North Melbourne, Victoria 9373 2102 www.ascotpartners.com.au Accounting and financial services practice servcing small business Australia wide.

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BUSINESS WEST

WESTERN TRUCK REPAIRS 1 Ponting St, Williamstown, Victoria 9393355 www.westerntruckrepairs.com.au Commenced buisness in 1996 in the repair of heavy transport trucks and trailers which have been involved in accidents. Employs 50 staff in all facets of reapiring heavy equipment.

MATTHEWS STEER CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS L2, 7 English St, Essendon Fields, Victoria 9325 6300 www.matthewssteer.com.au Services include: Accounting, Business Services, Debt Advisory, Financial Planning.

THE 26TH LETTER 33 Collingwood Rd, Newport, Victoria 0431 013 256 www.the26thletter.com.au Zara is a commercial photographer specialising in creating images for websites, blogs and print media.

WESTERN OPPOSITE LOCK 143 High St, Melton, Victoria 8746 0340 www.westernoppositelock.com.au Western Opposite Lock caters to the needs for 4WD enthusiasts and those looking to add accesories to their vehicles. Set within Melton Toyota we have a full showroom display.

REDEFINE STUDIO 10 Barnes Pl, Werribee, Victoria 9741 5541 www.redefinestudio.com.au Toning tables that help reduce inches off your body without stress or strain. The most relaxing way to exercise.

ALL DEGREES OF HEALTH 294 Buckley St, Essendon, Victoria 9331 0951 www.alldegreesofhealth.com.au Your one stop wellness centre! Our team of health practitioner’s help with weight loss, pain, stress and more. IncludesNaturopathy, Natural Fertility, Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Massage and Yoga.

ARS CONSULTING PTY LTD 3 Ribbon Cl, Point Cook, Victoria 0433 164 664 Over past 15 years of our experience in product development and importing, of Leather Belts, Hand Bags , Garments, carves, Home Furnishing, Artificial Jewelery, we work with major global markets.

CALIBRE PERSONNEL Office 3, 6 Neville Ave, Laverton, Victoria 9369 4930 www.calibrepersonnel.com.au Small privately owned labour hire company that predominately uses people to work as forklift drivers, truck drivers, container unloaders.

Business expanding into adminsitration, hospitality.

BW NETWORK PAPERWORK PIXIES 59 Knightsbridge Dve, Tarneit, Victoria 0439 312 782 www.paperworkpixies.com.au A bookkeeping, marketing and organising service for small business. One off projects or ongoing work, flexible to suit your needs. BAS lodgement, website creation, brochures, administration, marketing/advertising and more.

PROGRESS CAREER ADVANCEMENT & TRAINING PO Box 3817, Caroline Springs, Victoria 0400 155 405 www.progressconsulting.net.au Progress Career Advancement & Training works to enhance career opportunities for clients living in the Western suburbs of Melbourne through careers counselling, skills recognition and accredited training.

OUTER EDGE BUSINESS COACHING PO Box 282, Seddon, Victoria 0422 741 255 Outer Edge Business Coaching teaches small to medium sized businesses how to make more money, get more time and have the business they dreamed of!

VICWEST COMMUNITY TELCO 42 Watton St, Werribee, Victoria 0418 327 080 www.communitytelco.com.au Vicwest Community Telco is a local provider of telecommunication business services including landline,Mobile,Internet,and PABX Phone Systems.

We aim to offer high Personal Service whilst creating a more prosperous community.

WISE EMPLOYMENT L1, 9 Bridge St, Werribee, Victoria 0439 653 871 www.wiseemployment.com.au WISE Employment is a not-for-profit community service organisation and employment agency.

We support disadvantaged members of the community, and assist them in obtaining work.

INNER CLARITY 14 Robb St, Essendon, Victoria 0400 584 598 www.innerclarity.com.au Helping you find inner clarity and peace I draw from a range of healing disciplines which include Kinesiology, Massage, Reflexology to balance your body, mind, emotions and spirit.

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY 80 Champion Rd, Newport, Victoria 9919 8381 www.vu.edu.au Victoria University offers training in all of the abovementioned industries.

TILE MART(VIC) 502-506 Geelong Rd, Tottenham, Victoria 0447 552506 Tile Mart has been serving both the public & trade since 1984, with quality & value for money products, where “You won’t do better than Tile Mart”. For your nearest branch – www.tilemart. com.au BORAN REAL ESTATE PO Box 142, Glenroy, Victoria 0419 390 098 Boran Real Estate; Service with a difference.

ROTARY CLUB OF BRIMBANK CENTRAL 41 Buckhaven St, Deer Park, Victoria 0412 388 823 www.brimbankrotary.org.au We are the premier service club in Brimbank and provide a wide range of service opportunities for business professionals within the Brimbank Area.

We are the “Friendly Club of the West”.

MAINSTREET MARKETING Unit 22, No. 2 Techno Park Dve, Williamstown, Williamstown, Victoria 0412 226 626 Education & Trainining Facilitator, Business Management, Frontline Management, Retail Operations, ESL, Business Administration.

AUSTRALIAN BUILDING CONSULTANTS CENTRE 122-188 Ballarat Rd, Footscray, Victoria 9689 3445 www.abcc.com.au (Under reconstruction) Property Development and Feasibility Studies, Building Project Management, Town Planning and Building Permit Applications, Architectural Design and Drafting, Interiors and Graphic Presentations, Engineerings and Construction, Estate Finance, Maintenance and Management.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 60 Gheringhap St, Geelong, Victoria 5226 9344 www.colliers.com.au/geelong Colliers International leads in global real estate services defined by our spirit of enterprise. We integrate the resources of real estate specialists worldwide to accelerate success of our partners.

MERIDIAN SOUL ACUPUNCTURE 15 Quartok Avenue, Werribee, Victoria 0408 135 692 www.meridiansoul.weebly.com Meridian Soul Acupuncture specialises in stress and anxiety disorders using Acupuncture and other natural methods in order to help you create balance in your life.

CLAW WEB DESIGN 14 Walhalla St, Pascoe Vale South, Victoria 0425 772 388 www.clawwebdesign.com.au A young, enthusiastic freelance Web Designer specialise in quality, affordable Web Design and Development for small to medium businesses, using standards based web design.

ALTONA LAVERTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC 30 Hammond St, Altona, Victoria 9398 1886 Local organisation responsible for collecting and preserving local history and culture.

WILSON BUSINESS SERVICES 6, 12 Pascoe Vale Rd, Moonee Ponds, Victoria 9078 7158 www.wbspl.com.au Wilson Business Services has developed upon the belief in “Building and Supporting Business”. We provide the advice to help build your business and the support to help your business run smoothly.

SAVVY ACCOUNTING SERVICES 175 Erinbank Cres, Attwood, Victoria 0409 389 228 www.savvyaccounting.com.au We are passionate about helping you to improve your business systems and processes and providing premier accounting and business services. Best of all we come to you.

NICOLE SULTANA PHOTOGRAPHY 3/64 Wilson St, Moonee Ponds, Victoria 0435 400 435 www.nicolesultana.com Nicole Sultana is a Melbourne based social commentary and portrait photographer. Her passion lies in sharing the stories of the marginalised and misunderstood. Available for editorial assignments, new projects, commissions.

ADECCO L16, 28 Freshwater Pl, Southbank, Victoria 9954 2120 www.adecco.com.au Adecco has partnered with the Victorian Government to offer your business Skills for Growth. Find out how your business can benefit.

This is an absolutely free service. Phone Lisa 9954 2120.

CONTOUR COMMERCIAL INTERIORS PO Box 4454, Hoppers Crossing, Victoria 9267 2900 New and renovation of offices and supply of furniture.

DAMES & DIVAS 0416 758 653 www.damesanddivas.com.au Dames & Divas is a boutique Australian shoe and accessory label specialising in creating beautiful limited edition silk accessories.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL 18/47-51 Little Boundary Rd, Laverton North, Victoria 0413 308 785 Colliers International is Australia’s leading commercial and residential agency. We are the only major agency with an office located in Melbourne’s West and we welcome your business.

VOCAL ART STUDIOS 6/51 Parer Rd, Airport West, Victoria 9016 0032 Melbourne’s Award Winning Singing, Music and Entertainment School. Tuition, Entertainment Services, Recording Studio. Est 2003. As seen in Leading Press and Media across Australia and Overseas.

MEMBER FOR WESTERN METROPOLITAN REGION Shop 1, 662 Old Calder Hwy, Keilor, Victoria 93317644 Andrew Elsbury MLC, Member for Western Metropolitan Region. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need assistance with a state issue or concern. Phone 9331 7644 or Email andrew.elsbury@parliament.vic.gov.au LDC LOCKSMITHS 451 Camerons Rd, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria 0411 344 144 At LDClocksmiths we specalise in commercial security. OH’S compliant doors & fire doors, Restricted master key systems, Dead locks, Door closers, Security grills and custom security doors, Office doors repaired/replaced, Digital locks.

ROTARY CLUB OF BRIMBANK CENTRAL 70 Stagecoach Cres, Sydenham, Victoria 93904885 Our Rotary Club is based in Melbourne’s West and we are always interested in this that are happening in our area.

BUSINESS WEST

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Q&A Ron Santiago has been Managing Director for Europcar’s Australian and New Zealand operations since 2008, bringing more than 20 years of car rental management and sales experience to the role. Ron has broad experience in the international car hire industry after working in a number of managerial roles for high profile companies such as National Car Rental in Europe and Alamo Rent A Car – Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

WHICH JOBS HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH SKILLS THAT HAVE HELPED YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? My greatest challenge was starting a new car rental business in Switzerland at the age of 28 and not speaking any of the languages.

I was certainly thrown in the deep end but looking back it was one of my best experiences and I learned more in one year than I would have learned in 10 had I not had this opportunity. Each time I go back to Switzerland I get a really good feeling inside.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE CAR HIRE INDUSTRY? I started in car rental cleaning cars to earn a little money while going to school. I slowly progressed through the business and relished in new opportunities and challenges presented to me whilst slowly working my way up the company ladder.

EUROPCAR IS ONE OF THE TOP FOUR RENTAL CAR COMPANIES IN AUSTRALIA. WHAT IS THE SECRET TO ITS SUCCESS? At Europcar, we have a continued dedication to improving and investing in our products, procedures and technology. We are always looking for ways to improve the rental experience. Our new Loyalty Privilege program is a good example of this. Our efforts in every element of our business set us apart from our competitors.

This includes our dedication to our customer loyalty program, environmental agreements, and commitment to featuring only the newest and most diverse fleets.

of my job. I simply manage the challenges and move on to focus on the positives of the business. Although I wouldn’t redo my career, if I were to give a young person advice today it would be to think and plan more and, although I learned this through trial and error, had I learned it at a younger age my journey would have been easier.

WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MANTRA? Seeing young people succeed and being able to take part in that success through sharing my experiences. Plan ahead and think where you want to be and ensure you give your best each and everyday. It takes time, dedication and work to be successful but it can be great fun and extremely rewarding. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas A. Edison HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM WORK? Through yoga practice, cooking and spending time with my wonderful wife Susie.

IF YOU HAD TO INVITE FIVE PEOPLE TO A BUSINESS LUNCHEON, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY? Success breeds success, so I would look to the giants and invite people such as Warren Buffett or Dick Smith. Individuals who have succeeded through difficult challenges with integrity, intelligence, hard work and perseverance but have also managed to give back to the community.

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING EUROPCAR IN THE NEXT DECADE? To meet the changing requirements of our customers which are trending towards less vehicle ownership and the use of more environmentally friendly transport solutions. This presents great opportunities for Europcar and we will meet this challenge with more flexible and innovative rental solutions for our customers and the option to hire electric vehicles at and ever increasing network of rental locations to bring car rental within easy reach of our customers. This backed by an outstanding level of customer service will ensure Europcar’s continued success DESCRIBE A TYPICAL WORKING DAY. Meetings to review progress in the business, providing guidance and support to my management team, reviewing forecasts and adjusting strategies to ensure growth as well as planning and executing company strategy. The best part of each day is working with the people in our teams here at Europcar. I truly enjoy seeing people succeed and I am fortunate to be able to provide guidance to many people in my business.

WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? I drive an Audi A7 with a very efficient and carbon friendly diesel engine. Europcar’s exclusive partnership with Audi allows our customers access to these extraordinary vehicles with the latest environmental features such as start stop technology to improve economy and reduce emission. The new Audi A1 is now available for rent as are the A3, A4, A5 convertible and A6 IF YOU COULD RE-DO YOUR CAREER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? There is little I would change and I wouldn’t chose to re-do my career. It has great diversity and, although this presents challenges as there are many components to ensuring we are delivering outstanding results, nothing comes to mind as being the worst part

36

BUSINESS WEST

Europcar’s Ron Santiago

FFOR OR YOUR DIARY

NOVEMBER Monday GOT AN EVENT COMING UP? Email the details to charlene.gatt@ starnewsgroup.com.au

Tuesday

1

Wednesday

Thursday

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4

Saturday

5

Sunday

2

3

9

10 11 12 13

MELBOURNE CUP DAY

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Friday

Melton Business EXPOsed: Small Business Expo.

Melton Recreation Reserve, Melton. Call Esther Clark 9747 7200 for more information.

6

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Starting a Business seminar. Function Room 4,5 and 6, Wyndham City Civic Centre, 45 Princes Hwy, Werribee. 6pm-9pm.

Free. Email Catherine Johnston at business@ wyndham.vic.gov.au for more information.

Get Your Business Organised Seminar.

Meeting Rooms 3 and 4, Caroline Springs Library.

6pm-9pm. $10 GMCC & WIBNET members, $20 non-members. Call Esther Clark 9747 7200 for more information.

Revaluing the Total Customer Experience seminar. Moonee Valley City Centre, 9 Kellaway Avenue, Moonee Ponds.

9am-12.30pm. $15. Email business@mvcc.vic.gov.au for more information.

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Wyndham BizNet meeting.

Mambourin Enterprises.

6.30pm-9.30pm. $40 members, $50 non-members.

Call 0418 533 806 to book.

28 29 30 www.leadwest.com.au

The Calendar is brought to you by... info@leadwest.com.au 523181-MD30-11

BUSINESS WEST

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Find me online BGT

A BUSiNESS WEST PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

www.bgt.org.au

BGT are the apprentice and trainee experts located in Melton providing apprentices and trainees to local business. BGT pride themselves in providing an employment solution for people in the West Melbourne area whilst assisting employers to find the right apprentice or trainee for their business. As a registered training organisation BGT also provide customised training services across the community. Like us on or follow us on @BGT01 531555-JM34-11

Mangosteen Fruit

www.thequeenofthefruits.com

Known as “The Queen of the Fruits” is the only mangosteen product to market that contains the “whole fruit puree”. This delicious product is all natural, no added sugar, no artificial colour, & contains a natural source of Xanthones and Antioxidants to address multiple body systems. Free Sample available. After experiencing the benefits of Mangosteen Juice - You may want to share these benefits with family, friends & others. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY. For more information on this incredible home-based business opportunity Please contact Annie & Alex Jesaulenko Mobile: 0418142 116 Email: thequeenofthefruits@yahoo.com.au 531566-JM36-11

web.d3

www.webd3.com.au

web.d3 is a website development and design agency that specialises in helping small and medium businesses maximise their online presence and generate real results for their business. Whether you are looking for a brand new website, are building one that just never seems to get finished or are simply looking to freshen up your existing website, we have the right solution that will help boost your online presence and your business. Contact us today to discuss your needs & mention this ad for a 10% discount.

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BUSiNESS SERVICES LEGAL

PERSONNEL SERVICES

CONFERENCE VENUE

Business Wills | Wills & Probate Estate Adminstration | Home Visits www.legalessentials.com.au 9326 2627

523182-MD30-11

Calibre Personnel Solutions Pty Ltd

DESIGN SOLUTIONS

Telephone 9369 4930 Facsimile 9369 0486 Office 3, 6 Neville Avenue Laverton Vic 3028

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

531585-SH41-11

BUSINESS WEST

6WDWH RI WKH DUW $ 9 :LUHOHVV EURDGEDQG KRWHO URRPV VXLWHV 2Q VLWH FDWHULQJ )UHH SDUNLQJ

Call us, tell us your needs, and let us work for you.

www.gcc.net.au

03 5226 2121

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER SERCVICES

TEMPORARY STAFFING PERMANENT PLACEMENTS

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FRQIHUHQFH URRPV

• For all your recruitment needs in the WEST • Permanent, part time or casual • Trades, warehousing, logistics • Clerical and administration • Resume preparation • Outplacement assistance

• Trades & Construction • Warehousing / Logistics • Clerical / Administration • Manufacturing / Process • Maintenance/Engineering Resources •24 hour service TELEPHONE: 9369 4459 FAX: 9369 2849 12/22-30 Wallace Avenue - Point Cook VICTORIA 3030 info@capturerecruitment.com.au www.capturerecruitment.com.au

For a reliable, professional and flexible part time Financial Controller service that adds value to your business call Peter McLean at Prominens on Ph 8618 6820 “In 26 years this is the most detailed reporting we have had and it has helped improve our business” – Bruce Robertson, Kingfisher International

PROMINENS www.prominens.com.au

BUSiNESS SERVICES IT SERVICES

PRINTING

alltasksIT providing IT solutions to businesses in the West for over 20 years.

Located in Sunshine West and the Melbourne CBD, we can meet your IT needs, no matter your industry or location.

Find us online at www.alltasks.com.au Call us on 9312 7444

BUSINESS ADVISOR

Keeping organisations healthy – specialising in business process we can work with you to resolve an immediate organisational issue or to assist in forward planning and strategy to add value.

Ph 1300 602 880 www.complianceessentials.com.au Essential Compliance and best practice for every business

CORPORATE TEAM BUILDING VENUE Melbourne’s Raw Materials – The Studio is a state of the art demonstration kitchen studio and events space that can be used for corporate functions, team building, filming, cooking classes, product launches or intimate special events for up to 120 people.

For more details, please see the website on www.studiorawmaterials.com.au or contact the studio manager Robert Monteau on 0410 618 165

HEALTH & MOBILITY 491348-SH12-11

EVENTS MANAGEMENT

Turn everyday receptionists into the very best and put the right face on your business.

Call 9370 8845 or visit ERTWorkshops.com.au

418028-KS30-11

STRESSED? We offer effective treatments for stress, anxiety and wellness.

Our competent, experienced practitioners offer Herbal and Nutritional advice, Yoga and Meditation classes, Therapeutic Massage, as well as Personal Training and Osteopathy.

THE FIRST 20 CALLERS RECEIVE A FREE YOGA CLASS OR GROUP TRAINING SESSION, AND A 1 HOUR MASSAGE FOR $64 (20% DISCOUNT) See www.alldegreesofhealth.com.au for more information All Degrees of Health 294 Buckley St Essendon 9331 0951

21 Comben Drive, Werribee 3030

LINE MARKING NE MARK K’S LI I C I • Car Parks • Arrows • Safety Lines NG M • Numbering • Bollards

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

BATHROOMS

ALL AREAS 5 Lawn Cres Braybrook 3019

We can help!

Ascet Tafe 96608900 info@ascet.edu.au

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Need Ca$h for Staff Training?

C882415-JL5-11

• Computer Cut Lettering • Safety Signs MICK SCOTT Mob: 0408 999 643 Ph/Fax: (03) 9318 4942

TRAINING Put the right face on your business!

Complete Comfort

Phone 9741 8507

Ph: 03 8742 8304 www.wyndhamlec.com.au

CONTACT: (03) 9746 6479 or EMAIL: info@platinumaccounting.com.au VISIT: www.platinumaccounting.com.au

HEALTH & FITNESS

• Adjustable Beds • Hi/Lo Beds • Lift Recliner Chairs • Massage Chairs • Scooters • Mobility Aids • Daily Living Aids • Sports Medical • Orthotics • Incontinence Products • Compression Socks & Stockings John & Marge Head and Staff

The Wyndham Events Centre is the perfect venue for your next function or for that special occasion; distinctive in design and versatile in its spaces.

What’s the Platinum difference?

We are small business specialists. Talk to us about all business financials and tax returns; investment and property portfolios; business start-up and restructure; self-managed super funds; GST & BAS bookkeeping; and tax-effective strategies.

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SALES TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

COMMERCIAL | CORPORATE | PROMOTIONAL PRINT SOLUTIONS www.suddenexposure.com.au • www.b484.com.au •M: 0411 179 847 • T/F: 03 9395 3229

510885-SH24-11

BUSINESS SUPPORT 418009-SH18-11

SMART MARKETING

SCREEN & DIGITAL PRINTING | COMPUTER CUT VINYL SIGNAGE | DYE SUBLIMATION IMAGE TRANSFER

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401208-JF43-11

DESIGN, PRINT & WEB SOLUTIONS

To advertise your services to the business community phone: 1300 666 808 BUSINESS WEST

39

Great vehicles available for immediate purchase.

Select from a great range of late model, low kilometre Government and Company Cars, some with the balance of new car warranty.

Simply Purchase & Drive Away.

Realise the Value.

531598-MD43-11