18 minute read
Legal
New range of skin care products
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“They’re considering what they’re eating, what they’re wearing and they’re more into sustainability, so I’ve changed my target market. But it’s making it more difficult for me because I have to think like them.
“So I’m lucky that I’ve got a daughter in the 30s and a very good friend of my daughter who are helping me with those things.”
She’s also found assistance in mixing with other women in business, including at the Nuriootpa market when a fellow stallholder was happy to give her a crash course in Instagram too.
With such a wide range of experience in the business world Sandy says she’s learned that being in business is hard work, and having an online shop is much different to a physical premises.
“Nothing comes easy at all. You need to know your product and if you don’t know things, you need to get help with them basically.
“I’ve come from a background of a food shop, everybody’s hungry. They just came to you. There you just have to have a good product and they’ll come, whereas this is a little bit different in that they don’t know about you. You’ve got to show them that product and it’s totally different. So, it’s a big learning curve.”
And the terminology being used in the modern era, particularly around technology has also been challenging.
“When you say funnel and all these algorithms, and I’m reading it, it looks like French and then so Google that word and that looks like Italian. Oh, my goodness. I’ve got no idea. And that’s where I’m struggling. It doesn’t compute in my head because they’re unusual words and that’s not something I’ve come across before.”
Sandy, who joined the Women in Business Regional Network in mid2021, is looking forward to learning even more in 2022. She has already enjoyed attending network functions in the Barossa, Murray Bridge and the Clare Valley where technology was a focus in several instances.
To find out more about Sandy Carruthers and her Karku Natural Skin Care visit https://karku.com.au/.
The five steps of divorce
With Rianie Huggins* Boylan Lawyers
LEGAL
Anew year brings a fresh start for many. In the world of Family Law, this means I am approached by couples looking to divorce after the stresses of the Christmas season.
Many couples stay together and ‘bunker-down’ through the Christmas period, often for their children. However, when the new year arrives, they decide they can’t go on.
Deciding to divorce is a tough decision, but also a decision that takes bravery to believe you are making the right choices for your future. As a family lawyer it is my job to support couples through the next steps.
Here are five steps typically involved in the divorce process. 1) Get advice: First and foremost, it is important you receive quality advice from a family lawyer. They will help you create a plan that is specific to your personal needs and situation. Your lawyer may also direct you to speak with an accountant or financial planner. 2) Property settlement: Find out what assets, debts and financial resources are up for negotiation regardless of who brought them into the relationship. Your lawyer will likely organise valuations and reports required to settle your property or distribute assets. 3) Parenting Arrangements: Work with your family lawyer on how much time each parent receives with the children. 4) Wills and estate planning: Divorce automatically revokes a Will. Before you settle, make sure you protect your assets, and your future wishes with a fresh Will and estate planning. Not updating your Will as a divorced person can lead to disputed estates in the future. 5) Conveyancing and asset transfer: If you decide to sell the assets you own or purchase new assets, you will need help from a conveyancer that can guide you through the process.
The success of negotiations will determine whether you and your ex settle or go to court. The court process is extensive and can be time consuming.
Once negotiations or court matters are settled, you can organise conveyancing of the matrimonial home and other assets. You can also settle payments for financial distributions. Once this is complete, the process is now over, and you can take a breath.
The above process is stressful, which is why it’s important to have the right team behind you. Boylan Lawyers can support you through every step of your separation plan. Our Family Law team has a combined 86 years’ experience.
Get a free 30-minute consultation by calling (08) 8632 2777 or email admin@boylanlawyers.com.au. *Rianie Huggins is an Associate at Boylan Lawyers who specialises in family law, estate planning, probate, trusts and more. Rianie has extensive international and local experience in law. She loves being part of the Strathalbyn community and enjoys seeing the unique offerings from talented artisans throughout the Adelaide Hills and surrounds.
Phone: (08) 8632 2777 Email: admin@boylanlawyers.com.au Website: boylanlawyers.com.au
From checkout to shop owner
From toilet paper rationing to needles in strawberries, the past two years have certainly thrown up some challenges for supermarket owner Leanne Reynolds … and that’s just in her business life, but she still maintains her passion for the business, and the contribution it makes to the local community.
Leanne, together with her husband, David, are the owners of Foodland Goolwa, as well as partners in a large fruit and vegetable store in Victor Harbor, Veg Out. For Leanne, supermarket life is in her blood, having grown up in her parents’ Foodland at Christies Beach where she met and later married David.
She laughs as she recalls the quasimaths lessons she had at a very young age counting out, measuring and packing 1kg tomatoes and onions.
Working in her parents’ store parttime, including at the checkouts, it was never Leanne’s vision to remain in a supermarket.
“It wasn’t going to be a career. I applied to be a Mothercraft nurse,” Leanne recalls.
“But, a change in government meant they shut down Mothercraft, and I didn’t know what I’d do, so I just went to the supermarket.
“I had a passion for kids and I wanted to help mums with their babies. I was devastated. They shut down the hospital and then they offered me a challenge in NSW or Victoria at 16.
“It meant I had to move away and I couldn’t do it. This is a great industry of family owned businesses and lots of community support.
In the early days after leaving school she worked in every department, including packing meat in the butchery, packaging and displaying fruit and veg, groceries, variety and filling shelves.
“Back then, on the checkouts, we had to learn the specials off by heart,” she says.
And, how many were there?
And there were no bar codes and scanners in those days.
But it was in office administration that Leanne eventually found her supermarket niche, and that’s where she stayed, moving into comanagement of the store.
The supermarket life also proved the perfect matchmaker for Leanne too, meeting long-time husband David when he was an “after-school boy when he was 15 in Christies Beach”.
He worked his way up to store manager, and into the heart of the bosses’ daughter.
Leanne’s parents had three stores in Adelaide, and one in Goolwa, so when they wanted to semi-retire they asked the couple which store they wanted to buy.
The world of supermarkets has certainly changed over the 40 years the couple have been in the business. Today there’s scanning and, of course, the GST, which can be quite complicated dealing with GST and GST-free items.
Leanne is grateful to the support from the Master Grocers Australia and Foodland head office to assist with the transition, and other challenges the couple has faced.
“We have very good support within the industry, lawyers for HR, workplace issues and, of course, COVID. Our role is to work in the business and on the business. We’re not HR experts, we’re not lawyers, we’re not accountants. We have those experts to call on.
“We’ve had computers come through. Everything is downloaded on a Tuesday night and Wednesday morning specials are all done. We used to have to rub the price off the can and restamp it. Back then it was the sticky guns and then reprice them.
The Goolwa store has also gone through quite a few rebrands over the years since opening in December 1979. It has been Tom the Cheap, Super Value, Foodtown and then Foodland.
Leanne is clearly passionate and proud of the support the businesses provide to the local community. MORE NEXT PAGE
SIGN OF THE TIMES: Leanne’s daughter Courtney was featured in The Advertiser as a COVID Marshal when new rules came into effect for supermarkets and other businesses to deal with the global pandemic. AWARD WINNER: Leanne Reynolds proudly holds the Paul Harris Fellow award she and her husband David received for services to the community.
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As well as supporting the local netball, football, bowling and golf clubs, Foodland Goolwa does a range of other fundraising and community support projects.
“We run a Christmas stocking raffle for the Rotary Club and have bins out for donations for food donations for the Uniting Church.
Leanne and David oversee a team of 30 staff at Foodland Goolwa and have maintained close relationships with them over the years. The recent 40year celebration saw three generations come together to celebrate their journey as employees.
It was through the connection with the staff that Veg Out was founded as the co-partner in the business, Frank Vizzari, is the son of a former fruit and veg manager at Goolwa Foodland.
Between the two stores there are about 60 staff, including juniors after school and several university students who return in the holidays each year for seasonal work.
As well as supporting community, Leanne and David are passionate about supporting South Australian small businesses, which is part of the philosophy of Foodland generally.
“We strive to include locals like the Fleurieu Milk Company, B-D Paris Creek, local olive growers, fruit & vege suppliers, Alexandrina Cheese, Kangaroo Island oats, olive oil and Beerenberg products, to name just a few,” she says.
But, as well as the global pandemic, there have been other challenges for the supermarket owners, not only in their personal health, but through crime.
The Goolwa supermarket was caught up twice in the “needles in strawberries” attacks and there have been “so many robberies and breakins over the years”, including two tobacco robberies in two weeks just before we spoke with Leanne.
“You get angry because everyone is working hard to make their businesses work.
“COVID has been the biggest challenge we have ever had. It’s hard keeping your staff’s mental health lifted. They’re worried. I’m worried.
“If you’ve got staff you have to work as a team and have respect if they have anguish. Talk to people about things. Listen to what the customers and staff want. You have to work in a team environment, not as a boss.” MORE NEXT PAGE
THREE GENERATIONS: Leanne with three generations of one family who have been employed at one point at the Goolwa Foodland store.
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Leanne says the important lessons of being in business is to accept that you have to work hard to get rewards and to make sure everybody works together as a cohesive family.
“You’ll have challenges along the way. You work through it. I thought the strawberry thing was going to shut down the business, but it didn’t.
And, as if running a supermarket and a busy fruit and veg outfit isn’t enough, the couple have also been involved in their community outside of business, and they were recently awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for their contribution to the community.
“It was a huge honour and surprise. It was nice to be recognised,” a very humble Leanne says.
As well, David has been involved in the local surf lifesaving club as foundation president and was named the Alexandrina Citizen of the Year for his contribution.
Although not a surfer or a lifesaver herself, Leanne contributed to the sport by spending two weeks volunteering behind the scenes at the World Lifesaving Games in Adelaide.
In the future the couple are planning on stepping away more from the business and allowing the team to do more, while Leanne works more from home in her administration role.
“I would never have done that before (working from
FAMILY SUPPORT: Leanne and David with their children Aaron and Courtney celebrate 40 years in the supermarket business together. All have worked in the Goolwa store and Leanne is hoping to spend more time with family in the future.
home). I find I can be more focused on the job.”
And the couple have also joined the many people who have bought a caravan during the pandemic, and they’re hoping to enjoy some local travel in the future, while continuing to maintain their successful business.
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The Clare Valley’s Nan Berrett is proud to call herself a “silverpreneur” and, at a time when most of us are looking to wind down in our working lives, she’s busier than ever and continuing to grow her enterprise.
Nan’s a wordsmith, and founded her business, Word Solutions, about 10 years ago after resigning from her job as a journalist with the local newspaper.
And, although she’s technically “home-based” she offers a very mobile service covering more than 10,000 kilometres throughout regional South Australia and Adelaide each year.
And, even the restrictions of the global pandemic haven’t stopped her much.
“I think I’ve travelled one third around the circumference of the world or something like it this year, according to Google,” Nan says.
Nan and her husband have recently bought a caravan too which now also bears the personalised number plate WORDS2, so they can travel together while Nan works, and to ensure their “needy” dog isn’t left behind.
“We can travel with the dog, and my husband can come too, and we can actually spend a bit of time going to places together, instead of me on my own.”
Nan says her age has been a positive, rather than a negative, when it comes to business.
“No business would actually employ me as an employee, but for some odd reason, the greyer your hair gets, the more desirable you are as a contractor.
“I consult and contract to various business and local governments and it’s never been a problem. The older I am, the more respect I get, so, no, I haven’t actually had any discrimination.”
“The only thing I’ve noticed is, sometimes with other younger businesswomen, they tend to patronise me a bit, but my clients don’t.”
Nan encourages employers to consider the value of employing older staff, rather than opting for younger people just because they may be cheaper to employ.
“When you get older, you don’t party as hard and I’m well past childbearing, so I’m not going to be off doing that.
“When I was in the workplace, I would tend to come to work even if I didn’t really feel like it or didn’t feel particularly well.
“You soldier on as an older person, you’re much more reliable. But employers don’t actually get that. They don’t seem to understand the value of an older employee.”
Word Solutions isn’t Nan’s first business. Although being employed throughout her working life, she has always maintained a side hustle or two. Her side hustles in the past have included owning a gift shop, a health food shop and doing direct sales.
Her latest business is the first she’s run while not also being employed elsewhere.
“This is my best life. Honestly, best third life ever. Being on my own, calling my own shots, not being beholden to an employer.
“Workplaces traditionally can be quite fraught with tension of various sorts at various times, and you’re always, sort of, at the bidding of someone else. I’m completely in control of my own destiny now.
“I can choose my own clients. If I don’t get on with someone, then I can shuffle them to someone else who they may get on better with. “I can choose my working hours. If I want to work late at night, I can do that and sleep in the morning. It’s just fabulous.”
And, although today Nan comes across as confident and knowledgeable, it wasn’t necessarily the situation when she resigned from her job.
“When I left work I didn’t actually think I had any portable skills,” Nan recalls.
“And so, I was actually looking at winding down towards retirement; not that that was something I was looking forward to, because I don’t have any hobbies, so there wasn’t anything to move on to.
“I had an opportunity to start my own business, and I started it through NEIS (the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme).”
Calling upon skills she’d learned in social media while at the newspaper, and her experience with computing and technology, as well as her reputation as a journalist, Nan snared her first client, the local council, after announcing her resignation.
“So that started the ball rolling. I think we were one of the first rural/ regional councils in South Australia to have an active social media page, a Facebook page.
“I started off their social media and I began doing media releases and one thing led to another, and now I do a diverse range of jobs for them.
“It’s quite surprising, all sorts of things pop up. So the council became my first client and they’re still a client.”
Training has been a key component in Nan’s business and personal development over the past 10 years.
The roll-out of the nbn network, and the associated Federal Government funding to assist small business to make use of it, provided opportunities for training.
“I linked in with the Polaris Centre at Mawson Lakes, who are just fantastic. I must have gone to at least a dozen small business workshops on using the internet for good, and not for evil. And I built on my knowledge of social media and marketing.
“And whenever the chance comes up for me to learn more, I will just put my hand up and go off and learn new things.
“I’m a pretty much an advocate of lifelong learning.
“I also believe that if you’re
PROUDLY REGIONAL: Clare Valley convenor for the Women in Business Regional Network Nan Berrett with her finalist’s certificate in the Regional category of the 2021 SA Woman awards.
