The Mentor with Mark Bouris

In mid 2019, brother and sister duo Julie and Eduard Otter walked away from successful corporate careers to start their own premium whiskey and vodka distillery Otter Craft Distilling (OCD), using only sustainable and traceable ingredients. Eduard is the distiller and creator of everything inside the bottle and Julie is the creator of everything outside the bottle –  so they’ve got the family business down to an art.OCD had only been around for 8 months when Covid struck and business came to a standstill, until they quickly pivoted to produce something in high demand: World Health Organisation approved hand sanitiser. I ask Julie and Eduard how their business redirected from making premium spirits to manufacturing hand sanitiser, and how they’re planning to re-pivot back into spirits and expand the business to get scale.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few industries have been harder hit by COVID19 than live music and events, and my guest this week, Jeremy Fleming, has been on the frontline of this. Jeremy and his wife Tabitha are the owners of StageKings who have been building custom-made stages for music festivals and sporting events since 2015. But when COVID19 forced the end of large public gatherings earlier this year, StageKings lost 95 per cent of their business within 48 hours.Rather than sit around and wait for the events to come back, they immediately thought of new ways to use their skills and produce something in high demand: work-from-home  furniture. Their rebranded furniture business 'IsoKing' has sold more than 10,000 units in just three months. I ask Jeremy how StageKings went from creating stages for the Commonwealth Games to desks for inner-city apartments and how they use social media to tap into exactly what consumers are looking for.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's not a single business in the world that Covid19 hasn’t effected in some way, so for the next few episodes I'll be speaking to business owners who have had to pivot their business, rethink the way they operate and find innovative ways to keep their businesses going in some of the most challenging times we’ve ever seen. So to kick it off, I speak to Paul Dewhurst, Operations Manager at Three Blue Ducks, who have restaurants in Bronte, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Roseberry and now Melbourne too.They were forced to shut the doors to all their venues in March with almost no warning. But they pivoted quickly and a week later, the business branched into the fresh food and takeaway market, supplying gourmet produce boxes to Byron Bay locals and a paired-back take-away menu to Sydneysiders. I ask Paul about how they made the quick decision to pivot what Three Blue Ducks offered, why they won't compromise their company values for an easy buck, and how Covid-19 has shown the importance of community and connection.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week I'm talking to the owner and ‘Chief Smuggler' of swimwear brand Budgy Smuggler, Adam Linforth, who's business was founded at a backyard BBQ in true Aussie fashion. Budgy Smuggler definitely know a thing or two about doing things differently, because while other brands were focusing on people with perfect physiques, Budgy made it their mission to focus on ordinary people of all shapes and sizes. They're even a favourite with Aussie athletes. I ask Adam how Budgy Smuggler have creatively used social media to gain brand recognition, and how the business has pivoted to use their famous prints to create new products.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest this week is changing the game for the PR and Marketing industry. Lara Vandenberg founded her business Publicist while working in New York, where she saw an industry that needed a big shake-up. The traditional way of hiring talented PR professionals through word of mouth and recruiters was becoming outdated and ineffective. So at just 28 years old, Lara took on a challenge to automate the industry and founded Publicist, an online marketplace connecting brands with the most experienced freelancers in PR and marketing. I ask Lara how Publicist is transforming the traditional PR model to provide flexible and scalable support for brands, while rewarding talent entering the freelance market in a time of layoffs. Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After working as a beauty editor for some of Australia's top magazines for over 15 years, Carla Oates was shocked by the synthetic substances used in so many commercial beauty products. When her daughter developed allergies and eczema, Carla put her family on a gut-healing plan that included probiotic-rich whole foods and quickly noticed a huge difference in her daughter’s skin and wellbeing. So after researching the benefits of gut bacteria, Carla started her business ‘The Beauty Chef’ to create plant-based supplements for gut health and glowing skin. I ask Carla how she is striving to change the beauty industry to be more transparent and why she’s on a mission to educate people on healthier and more holistic skincare solutions.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If recent events have shown us anything, it’s that Australian small businesses are resilient and have a fighting spirit in challenging times. Having the right online setup for your business shouldn't be daunting, it should be simple and accessible so that anyone can feel confident to set it up themselves.My guest Suzanne Mitchell is the Marketing Director for GoDaddy Australia and knows a lot about building online success for everyday entrepreneurs. I ask Suzanne about the essential tools and services all businesses need to build an online presence, attract customers and manage their work, and how small businesses have had to adapt and pivot during Covid19 to not only remain operational but transform and thrive.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 25 years working in retail, Julie Mathers decided to take her experience, combine it with her passion for the environment and animal welfare, and create a business committed to making a meaningful impact on the world. So in 2014 Julie launched her online store Flora and Fauna, specialising in ethical, eco-friendly and vegan products.When the business launched there were 30 brands and 500 products; now their range has over 300 brands and 8000 products, sourcing the best ethical and low-waste skincare, food, fashion, and lifestyle products. I talk to Julie about the ethic of hard work, the concept of thinking like a proprietor and how Flora & Fauna has managed to grow so quickly while maintaining its eco ethos.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Husband and wife duo Tara and Danny Solberg worked as designers collecting inspiration on their travels around the world, and always dreamed of bringing the unique things they saw home to Australia. So they turned their passion into a business and created Few and Far, a furniture and homewares business on the South Coast of NSW.Few and Far source and import one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture and décor and Tara and Danny have created a compelling shopping experience that captivates all the senses. I ask them how their design backgrounds and passion for travel helped shape their entrepreneurial mindset, and why moving online was the natural choice for the growth and success of the business.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guests this week are Shaun Greenblo and Elliot Midalia from Boody, a sustainable clothing brand that creates everyday essentials from eco-friendly organic bamboo. Shaun and Elliot have been best friends since they were kids and their dads started the business together in 2012, when they saw an opportunity to sell an unconventional product for the health-conscious and environmentally minded customer. Shaun and Elliot came into the business with their growth mindset and love of technology and Boody is now a family business run by two fathers and two sons, sold in 1000 retailers in Australia, online and in 17 countries globally. I ask Shaun and Elliot about how their hunger to change the world for the better inspired them to create a sustainable product, and how Boody uses fabrics and craft to bypass trends and fast-fashion.Join the Facebook Group.Follow Mark Bouris on Instagram, LinkedIn & YouTube. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.