Female entrepreneurs from a variety of industries are sharing their knowledge and opinions at a roundtable this week presented by BlueChip Communications and Dynamic Business.
Women from very different walks of life will gather together to discuss issues that concern female business owners from all industries this week. The roundtable event, hosted by BlueChip Communications and Dynamic Business will bring together female entrepreneurs to discuss topics around the theme, ‘what makes a successful female entrepreneur?’
Some of the participants attending will include Jacqueline Arias, director of Republica Coffee, Jo Burston, managing director and founder of Job Capital and Carden Calder, managing director and co-founder of BlueChip Communication.
Participants at the event will be sharing their ideas, thoughts and experiences and Dynamic Business will be there to cover the action, live on Twitter. Be sure to follow the event on Twitter, or feel free to comment below if you’d like to see any particular issues addressed.
Dynamic Business spoke to Carden Calder prior to the event about how she started her business and what’s important to her as an entrepreneur.
How did you get started in your business:
A: We saw a gap in the market for financial services communicators who really knew the wealth management industry. At the time we started in 2004, we could find great PR consultants, but they just didn’t know wealth management well enough to be up and running quickly.
Q: What kind of growth is your business enjoying?
A: We’re pleased to say we’ve had double digit growth every year since we’ve started, with the exception of 2009.
Q: Most challenging thing about your industry?
A: The most challenging thing about out industry is getting ahead of the game in terms of technology and social media.
Q: How are you working to overcome this?
A: By rapidly upskilling out team, practising what we preach internally, and investing significantly in learning from offshore what the market leaders are doing, because we know Australia is a laggard in some respects when it comes to social media and content marketing.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you’re learnt in your career so far?
A: The biggest lesson I’ve learnt in my career so far is to recruit very, very carefully, hire only the best, reward them well, and create a culture that A Players want to be part of.
Q: Tell us more about any new ventures?
A: Under wraps for now. Tell you more later!
Q: Entrepreneurs that you look up to?
A: I look up to my friends Jo Burston who runs Job Capital, and Naomi Simson of Red Balloon among others. Both of them have taken a scaleable business idea to build something their market needed but that no one else had managed to deliver before. They are both clever entrepreneurs, compassionate friends and always looking for the next opportunity.
Q: Tips to people starting new businesses?
A: Do your research, be realistic about your skills and make sure there is a real market opportunity. Self awareness is a valuable commodity, and it’s worth making sure you really understand what you’re good at and what you’re not, so you know what to hire in, and where you need advice. All businesses these days are technology businesses, so understand which new technologies could boost or wipe out your business. Build with that platform in mind, but always keep an eye on what’s coming up.
Q: Advice for other entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs?
A: I’d say if you’re eligible, join something like the Entrepreneurs’ Organisation (EO). Without it, my business wouldn’t be where it is today.
Q: What’s next for you?
A: Looking forward to significant growth in 2013, and to pioneering content marketing in financial services.
