Maddy Balderson and Rhiannon Hall started Luna Bronze a year after Maddy was diagnosed with skin cancer. Willis Koh swapped the corporate world to run Rice King Foods, a small family manufacturing company started by his migrant parents in 1987.
Laz Smith and his wife decided to forgo buying a house and instead create Apéro Label. Lisa Skaife combined passion and purpose to found myDRIVESCHOOL. Jane Crofts wanted to equip more people with data literacy skills, so she built Data To The People.
These five very different businesses have one element in common: they all recently underwent a Rare Birds and American Express Mentoring Program.
The program offers expert advice on how to further your business, one-on-one mentorship facilitated by Rare Birds and an opportunity to win one of five $10,000 American Express Business Grants.
Mentorship is a valuable and cost-effective way for a small business to improve confidence, boost skills, improve innovative thinking and build strong teams.
Discover how mentorship helped five Australian businesses grow their revenue and streamline processes during a worldwide health crisis.
Mentorship matters: 5 businesses share their experiences
Maddy Balderson, Luna Bronze
In 2015 – a year after Maddy’s skin cancer diagnosis and surgery – Luna Bronze was born. The idea came to Maddy and her friend and co-founder Rhiannon when they couldn’t find a natural sunless tanning range, focusing on tanning and skincare benefits.
“We wanted to create products that users would happily use as part of their routine rather than risking their skin and health by laying in the sun,” Maddy explains.
“The challenging part of the business was juggling priorities and projects. Throw in a couple of babies into the mix, and things get very interesting,” Maddy says. “But being able to work when you want and from where you want changes your lifestyle. It has been great for my soul too. If we can encourage people to step out of the sun and under the moon (as we like to say), then we’re happy.”
The mentorship opportunity came at the perfect time for Luna Bronze. In 2020, Maddy and Rhiannon were facing several challenges: pregnancy, COVID-19, and rapid growth in sales. The business also experienced logistical delays, customer complaints and surcharges due to shipping from Australia.
“We had to think fast about how to best serve our customers in the US and Canada. They make up most of our online sales. It was a sink or swim moment for us,” Maddy says. “I wanted to learn more about logistics, warehousing, and inventory management so we could make confident decisions.”
When they received the email from Amex, saying that Luna Bronze had been awarded the $10,000 business grant and a Rare Birds business mentor, it was a huge relief. “The mentorship program has been an invaluable tool for our business,” Maddy says.
The top three lessons for Maddy and Rhiannon were:
● Inventory forecasting: Managing inventory over multiple locations, making sure there’s enough stock, knowing when to place orders, and ensuring adequate stock coverage.
● Setting up a warehouse: The business has grown and evolved, leading Luna Bronze to set up its warehouse in Sydney.
● Confidence in abilities: Starting Luna Bronze over five years ago with no previous experience has come with many hurdles, challenges and imposter syndrome. During these times, having the chance to bounce off any questions, scenarios or problems with the mentor has helped develop confidence as a business owner.
“My mentor has provided me with the skills to calculate, track and forecast to help us make educated decisions,” Maddy says. “The program has also allowed me to develop my business confidence.
“Sometimes, it’s hard to know whether the work you’re doing is right or if you’re on the right path. A mentor allowed me to ask questions, gave me assurance and confidence in my abilities and the path that our business is on.”
Willis Koh, Rice King Foods
Rice King Foods is a family-owned and operated company that manufactures authentic Asian and traditional Western frozen meals. The business was started by Willis Koh’s parents in 1987 in NSW.
Needing a change of lifestyle, in 2016, Willis left the corporate banking field to focus on the family business. “My parents were running their business for over 30 years, and it can be hard to convince them of introducing change. You have to prove your worth before they can let go,” Willis explains.
Willis decided to apply for the mentorship program to gain further knowledge and make connections. He says that business can feel like a lonely place from an advice standpoint. “The mentorship was a gateway to genuine marketing guidance, which I found hard to obtain,” he adds.
The top takeaways from the program were:
· Importance on when to re-invent your brand/products
· Understanding your unique selling point
· Double down on your strengths
The program provided the company with third party perspective. Willis says that the mentor set guidelines to adhere to, which the stakeholders approved and engaged with. “For example, dropping “products” for “food” in our business name,” he explains.
Willis agrees with the fact that business owners should seek a mentor. Not only can they provide real-life experiences, but they can also offer tailored advice to your business needs. “This program helped open doors for our business, which in the past we struggled to find,” he shares.
Lisa Skaife, myDRIVESCHOOL
Lisa Skaife, an entrepreneur and business owner, has spent over 10 years developing myDRIVESCHOOL – a simulation game to teach kids how to drive online. The program combines simulation, gaming and AI. It is delivered on PC/laptop with portable steering wheel and pedal set, or with multi-screens, motion platforms, in VR or simulator experience.
“Over the past 50 years, every aspect of road safety has changed and modified, except for the way we teach young people to drive,” Lisa says. “And over 95% of fatalities in the first three years are caused by driver error. Why don’t we just teach kids better?”
Since the launch of the first myDRIVESCHOOL program at the 2019 Australian Grand Prix, Lisa has continued to work hard to get the program into schools and through the government.
Needing someone to share ideas with, Lisa decided to apply for the mentorship program. “It has been massively helpful having a mentor. I’d never had one before,” she explains. “We’ve got a big vision and an unbelievably small team. It’s hard to take that elevation and keep the momentum with such few resources and funding.”
The mentorship program broadened Lisa’s opportunities and network. The other benefits of a mentor were: having someone to call, direction and clarity, and being provided with diverse business paths. “He’s given me ideas on how to grow and scale into specific industries that I’ve never thought about,” Lisa says.
From corporate programs to the elderly and culturally and linguistically disadvantage, a mentor was able to help Lisa see multiple other market opportunities.
“When you’re the founder or CEO, sometimes you run out of energy or ideas. Having a mentor is brilliant for input, guidance and to keep you sane,” Lisa says.
Laz Smith, Apéro Label
Apéro, an Australian fashion label creating French-inspired pieces, was started by Laz Smith, a former sales and marketing professional, and his wife, Rachel Smith, a fashion designer. “In 2017, we thought, well, we can either buy a house or start a fashion label. We decided to give the second one a try,” Laz explains.
In the first few months of operations, the couple moved in with Rachel’s parents to save costs and reduce their expenses. But by the time the first year ended, Apéro Label saw significant growth, which led to hiring employees. “It felt like things changed overnight from us being in a lounge room to managing staff and having an office,” Laz says.
Keeping up with business growth was an initial challenge for the founders. The other was managing staff. “Business owners get thrown into the deep end in every aspect. It’s essentially about being a jack-of-all-trades, master of none and being okay with that. That was the hardest challenge.”
While initially shielding away from the idea of a mentorship program, Laz changed his mind when he came across the American Express and Rare Birds offering.
“My experience was amazing. I was surprised that I could also teach my mentor. I thought it was going to be a one-way engagement. But I was able to help and give him objective opinions.”
The other lesson was that everyone is experiencing similar challenges. “You have to find the right person who can share their experience, and then you can learn from that,” Laz explains.
“Mentorship is definitely worth your time. Often business owners don’t have enough time in reinvesting in themselves. I learned that that is important. It helped clarify my thoughts and struggles and move forward in a better way.”
The mentor was able to help Laz and Rachel make big decisions and provide alternative ideas. “I believe that if you’re not growing, you’re going backward. You can’t rely on yesterday’s success to build tomorrow,” Laz shares.
“You need to be constantly, iteratively assessing yourself, measuring what you’re doing and trying to improve. The right mentorship can help unstick you at certain points in your business journey.”
Jane Crofts, Data To The People
Jane started Data To The People in 2017 to understand – and tackle – the challenge of communication between business and IT. The first year of business was about building ideas, researching and developing the data literacy competency framework – Databilities.
“We were lucky – it was a case of right place and right time,” Jane explains. “The business community was becoming aware of ‘data literacy’ but still didn’t quite understand what it entailed.” The company’s framework was so well-received that the UN Data World Forum invited them to present it in Dubai in 2018.
Although the company was doing well, Jane felt she needed a push to see the next steps for Data To The People. She also wanted help lifting her vision from working “in” the business to working “on” the business. This realisation led to her applying for the Amex and Rare Birds program.
“The mentorship was an opportunity to connect with an industry leader, be challenged and guided in this thinking,” she says.
The lessons Jane learned were more than just how to grow the business. It was also about realising your success and journey and asking for help.
“Through the mentorship program, I’ve been so incredibly blessed to have met my mentor, Susan Brown. Susan has challenged me, supported me and shown me the importance of taking care of myself through this journey,” Jane says. “It’s been humbling to spend time with such an amazing woman who has managed a remarkable career and been an amazing mum.”
Entrepreneurship can be lonely, stressful, exciting and demanding. And it was incredible for Jane to see that this has not just been “her” journey but one that is well-trodden by every entrepreneur. “Recognising this has been grounding,” she notes.
Jo Burston, Inspiring Rare Birds
When reflecting on her 16-year business journey, Jo Burston realised that it came down to two things: hard work and mentorship.
“That mentor is still with me today. He was my first business partner, first investor, and my first real mentor. We often talk about business challenges and personal challenges,” Jo says. “I needed someone who already had battle wounds and had experienced what I was about to go through.”
That’s how Inspiring Rare Birds started. Jo explains that mentors help with revenues, profitability and provide support through difficult times. She says it’s also about having someone to celebrate with because business can be lonely.
Out of all the companies Jo has built, Rare Birds has been the pinnacle. “It’s a legacy business. We are making an impact. We’re seeing businesses trading in the red turnaround to become highly profitable because of a highly engaged mentor relationship. If you go through the program and it works, everybody wins.”
Mentorship is a two-way exchange of information and knowledge between the mentor and the mentee. This connection is particularly vital during COVID-19. Now is a time of hardship for many business owners and when everyone needs a supporter in their corner.
“I would never climb Mount Everest without a Sherpa. How can you climb your own business without someone guiding and helping you? Business owners often say, ‘I don’t know what I don’t know.’ Well, that person knows what you don’t know. They’re there to see you grow and help you be successful,” Jo concludes.