In the lead up to this year’s International Women’s Day, allow us to introduce you to some of Junction Fair’s inspiring female entrepreneurs!
Meet Robyn McLennan, Owner & Creator of Easy Living Footwear.
Robyn left school at the end of year 10, “In my family young women were supposed to be married and starting families,” she said.
Lucky for us, Robyn bucked the trend and in 1980 at the age of 22 purchased a mini department store in the country town of Adelong – population 1000. Robyn traded successfully for nine years until she sold her business, ready for her next big foray into nursing shoes. “Within 12 months I had over 100 retailers stock our brands throughout Australia,” said Robyn.
Unfortunately, with the devaluation of the Australian dollar in the 1990’s it nearly became too much for Robyn, 80-hour work weeks meant she became exhausted and unwell. She was losing money, but quitting is not what country girls do, so she thought “What else do I know – the answer was retailing!”
Thankfully, Robyn started again with an aim to produce shoes for country women aged 35 plus who enjoyed fashion and comfort.
“From day one I envisaged several stores and using the knowledge I had obtained in wholesale I could manufacture my own shoe collection specifically for country women. My philosophy was that even though we live several hours from the city, we still wanted to feel and look fashionable,” said Robyn.
Easy Living Footwear first opened in Bathurst in 2001, followed by Dubbo, Wagga, Tamworth and finally The Junction. Over the past few years, they have closed Wagga and Dubbo and launched an online store which has been immensely popular with the challenges of COVID19.
“Along the way I have made many mistakes but never twice. I saw the business nearly crumble but with a clear head and firm strategy I have always clawed my way back,” she said.
Over 60 per cent of their collection is now exclusive to Easy Living Footwear – either manufactured in Robyn’s small family factories in Asia or imported from European suppliers. COVID19 has presented several challenges, especially when developing products remotely, but technology assists immensely.
“Over the years I have employed many young women and watched them grow from timid teenagers to confident young ladies. At present I am mentoring a young lady with her beauty business and because of COVID she has really had to reinvent herself. It can be tough and lonely owing your own business especially handling staff with different personalities, but you learn along the way,” said Robyn.
“The shoe business is challenging but one of the main reasons we are successful, is the dedication and commitment of my staff,” she said.
Robyn recently heard a customer say “Your shoes are so kind to my feet.” She had driven several hours just to visit Easy Living Footwear.
“This is what it’s all about for me – happy customers who get so excited when they find the perfect shoe,” she said.
We asked Robyn if she had any advice for entrepreneurs starting out and she said, “Do what you love, live your dream and never give up!”
Meet the owner and creative genius behind Doughheads, Anna.
In June 2014, Doughheads was officially born when Anna took her ‘side hustle’ to the local markets. She wanted to connect with the local community and create a fun, local brand that people would love and get involved with.
Anna started her own business because she loved baking… but she has learnt that there’s a lot more involved in making it a success. Taking each day in her stride, Anna has learnt the importance of leadership and creating a healthy workplace culture. She’s spent time understanding the financial aspects of running a business and managing cash flow to ensure a solid future, not to mention surviving 2020 and the COVID19 pandemic – one of their biggest challenges yet.
“I try to ensure that we are creating an environment within Doughheads that encourages each person to strive to be the best version of themselves. We actively seek to provide a balance between work and personal life, ensuring that our people pursue passions outside of work, resulting in a happier and more fulfilled workforce,” said Anna.
“As a business owner, I believe it’s important to encourage other women and to lift each other up, whether that’s through our words, practical help or just networking, then we are all moving towards creating a better environment and community,” she said.
“I firmly believe that there is no competition (striving to be MORE successful than those around you), only ambition (achieving success on your own terms). When we create this environment, everyone grows and excels, creating a community where we rise together.”
Anna believes that the only thing constant about life is change.
“Running a business provides a space for constant learning and growth; this is one of my favourite parts! Looking at the future of Doughheads excites me because the possibilities and opportunities are actually endless and as the Creator, I get to choose how we grow and what the business will look like,” she said.
We asked Anna to share a fun fact about her doughnuts … “Nutella is Doughheads most popular doughnut. We sell over 20,000 of them every year, which equals over 800kgs of Nutella. This would fill approximately 100 regular sized baths…. now THAT would be fun!”
Meet Cheerie, Franchisee of Harry’s Schnitzel The Junction.
Cheerie became the franchisee of Harry’s Schnitzel in May 2017 and hasn’t looked back.
She knew the Harry’s brand and believed in their tasty products, this coupled with her passion for working in the hospitality industry ensured a recipe for success.
We asked Cheerie about the challenges she faces in her role and she said “I have overcome many tough days, but I always manage to make them a good day. I do this by continuing to focus on providing the very best quality, and great tasting food to our customers.”
When we asked about Cheerie’s thoughts on women in business, she said “There are no jobs in our business specifically for men or women, that’s not how we operate. Everyone has an equal opportunity to learn new things from front of house to back of house. I believe that it’s important for the women in our store to know that they can do anything they set their mind to, they just need to step out of their comfort zone and I’m here to help!”
Cheerie is always looking forward to more exciting new menu items. She loves seeing the new flavour combinations and can’t wait to share them with her customers.
Meet Louise, owner and innovator at Privvy Fashion.
Privvy was born right here at Junction Fair, almost 20 years ago in 2002, and has since grown to 5 stores!
Louise opened her first store when she was approached by an Australian Manufacturer, but the business was not exactly what the consumer wanted so the offering had to change very quickly. Now Privvy buys from an assortment of labels giving the customer choice and variety. The ever changing range and keeping abreast of the fast trends of fashion is one of the reasons Privvy is successful.
When it comes to empowering women, Louise said “Privvy is an employer of ALL women. The managers in our company are empowered to run their stores as if they are their own. Training and business education is part of the structure of Privvy.”
“As a business we are constantly looking at ways to trade profitably, whilst giving back to the community. We want to be part of the world’s efforts in finding solutions to reduce waste. We also hope to create a young women’s mentoring program,” she said.
“In 2020, Privvy partnered with Vinnies and asked customers to bring their preloved clothing into the store. This resulted in 70% of those donations being sold in Vinnies outlets, compared to about 20% from the Vinnies bins, this is an outstanding result in reducing waste and assisting the local community,” she said.
Meet Angela, owner of Too Cool for School, which opened in April 2011.
We asked Angela how she got started, “I was already running a successful gift shop, Blue Star Elements, and I was facing huge demand for unique kids’ clothes and gifts. An opportunity for a lovely new retail space was presented and my spin-off business Too Cool For School was born!”
When it comes to challenges, Angela said “I think most of us in the retail world experience very similar challenges. A business such as this demands consistent attention so finding a work/life balance can be tricky at times – especially when your kids are really young. I’ve always been so fortunate to have a super supportive community around me.”
Angela is honoured to have other women come to her for advice when thinking of starting a small business or opening a shop. “I always have time for them and feel like I give very honest advice. I think people appreciate my super straight-up guidance which comes from many years of ups and downs in this business,” she said.
Angela and her team are very supportive of the local community too and they are proud of their involvement with the Hunter Wildlife Rescue. Angela spends one day a week assisting a carer in the Hunter Valley and she includes an ongoing fundraiser for the organisation within her shop, amongst their other fabulous offerings.
As for the future? Angela says, “I always look to the future with optimism and new plans! Trends shift very quickly, and I have always loved the evolution of it all.”
Meet Diana, co-owner of family business, Buzz Junction.
In June 2016, Diana purchased Buzz Junction and it was very different back then!
She had two goals in mind: to spend more time with her family and provide healthy, affordable takeaway food to the people of Newcastle.
Diana saw the potential for her family to create something together, a new lifestyle and a job opportunity for her husband which meant he could spend more time in Newcastle.
“I chose to offer my customers food that was visually appealing with a strong emphasis on vegan and gluten free options,” said Diana.
“When we first purchased Buzz Junction, I knew that it was going to require a lot of hard work to increase brand awareness, I wanted our business to be renowned for producing the best acai bowls in Newcastle. I believe we are up there with some of the best and our little store has become a real drawcard for all age groups in The Junction,” she said.
“There have been many challenges and frustrations, especially in recent times as we navigate our way through COVID19, like many businesses! We are enormously grateful for the community support we have received, and we hope that our healthy foods and happy demeanours have helped locals in some way too,” said Diana.
“We focus on using ingredients and produce which is locally sourced, supporting other small businesses. We employ locally and train our staff in all areas of the business, giving them a feeling of ownership and pride. Staff members who have moved on after finishing school/Uni continue to shop at Buzz because they love the menu and it still feels like family,” she said.
Diana also encourages her staff to pursue their dreams, whether that’s education, health, family or lifestyle related. She understands the importance of flexibility when rostering staff and accommodating important commitments.
Most of all, Diana is looking forward to seeing Buzz Junction continue to thrive! She’s always looking for new additions to their food offering and hopes to add to their in-house creations, which are always well received by customers.
“I would love to see Buzz expand into other locations someday,” said Diana.
Introducing another inspirational business owner from Junction Fair, Aymee from Cocoa Nib.
The very early stages of Cocoa Nib began in 2007 after a life changing event but let’s rewind and find out a little bit about Aymee’s background…
She entered the hospitality industry as an apprentice chef at the age of 16. After approximately 21 years working as a pastry chef, she decided to change her journey and become a Chocolatier.
“After learning my trade as a chocolatier, studying in Melbourne I decided to step out of my comfort zone and pursue my own unique style of chocolate goodies,” she said.
“My passion to produce artisan hand crafted works of art continues to be an evolving venture which I absolutely love every day,” said Aymee.
Aymee’s grandmother ran her own successful business for over 60 years too, so you could say women in business is in her genes! “I definitely feel her presence some days pushing me forward,” she said.
“My first retail experience was in Newcastle at The Olive Tree Markets at The Junction, this was way before starting Cocoa Nib in the Hunter Valley. I eventually made my way back to The Junction, which is now my main kitchen, complimented by a small retail store,” she said.
We asked Aymee about the women in her business and she said “For no particular reason, all of my beautiful team around me just happen to be women, which I’m extremely grateful for. We all support each-other in various ways.”
“I’m always excited every day to witness the growth and strength of my business,” she said.
We asked Aymee what inspires her and she said, “The amazement I witness when customers see our products for the very first time. They tell me that they are an absolute work of art and they don’t want to eat them!”
In the future Aymee is looking forward to pursuing studies in Business Management but for now she is proud to be a local small family business serving the wonderful people of Newcastle.
Robyn, Anna, Cheerie, Louise, Angela, Diana, Aymee are striking the #choosetochallenge International Women’s Day pose, to help shine a light on equality for all women globally.
Allow us to introduce you to another inspirational woman, Sarah Head, Co-Owner of Sushi Koo.
In December 2005, just one year before her first child was born, Sarah and her partner, Chris launched Sushi Koo. They had moved home to Newcastle after being away for 10 years and wanted to try something new.
Running their own business presented plenty of opportunities and challenges, but this dynamic duo was destined to succeed. Chris was a chef and Sarah was working in PR/Marketing.
“Having our own business has provided a lot of flexibility and allowed me to spend a lot more time with my children as they are growing up,” said Sarah
“The majority of our staff are women and I’m proud that we can provide training, a fun and inclusive culture, with a great work-life-balance. We tailor everyone’s shifts to accommodate their University or other work commitments,” she said.
With 15 years up her sleeve in business, Sarah is not resting on her laurels, she’s constantly looking for ways to improve Sushi Koo by expanding their product ranges and she still gets excited about working with her team and providing the freshest sushi to her customers.
Meet Leonie, one of Newcastle’s most respected and well-connected retailers, wholesalers and importers of everything food and cookware!
Leonie has always been obsessed with cookware. Quite simply, she LOVES it! She also loves cooking. But when she moved to Newcastle, she noticed that there were very few places (other than department stores) where she could buy quality cookware, the associated paraphernalia, and hard to find ingredients. “I used to travel to Sydney regularly to feed my addiction, shopping at The Essential Ingredient in Camperdown. At the time I was working as an academic at Newcastle University and was approaching a milestone birthday, I had 6 children under 12 and I really felt that I wanted a change. I wanted to do something I was passionate about. So after a lot of research, I purchased the Newcastle territory of The Essential Ingredient Franchise in September 2005,” she said.
We asked Leonie about the challenges she faced along the way… “Owning a small business is not for the feint hearted. It is hard work. You make mistakes, sometimes big mistakes, and you must acknowledge, accept and fix them. Running a small business demands that you become multi-skilled as you rarely have the funds to call in experts. You need to be able to change light bulbs in fridges, do your own accounting, provide counselling services to staff, build displays, use all manner of computer software, climb ladders and everything in between,” said Leonie.
What about the women Leonie works with? We asked Leonie how she supports them too… “I actively encourage them to have a balanced work/life….while I don’t actually model that myself, I do facilitate it. I also encourage and support further learning and training. I have championed many, many women in my workplace, urging them to go to university and I provide flexible hours and days to accommodate this. Maternity leave and part time arrangements for mothers is also important, and we have a non-discriminatory age policy. I have employees from 17 years of age through to (late) 60’s. I love the energy and experience each of them bring to The Essential Ingredient,” she said.
Outside the business, Leonie is proud to support charities for women. She has been on the board of organisations who provide support and shelter for those experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and regularly helps with fundraising too.
We asked Leonie what the future holds, she said, “Having a business that is now 15 years old is rewarding and challenging. It is an established business and to a large extent our customers have an expectation of what we are and what we do. As a business owner you know what works but you cannot become complacent. You need to keep mixing things up to keep customers, staff and yourself excited and inspired. I am loving the change in the community buying and demands – so sourcing new, sustainable and locally (Australian) products is a joy – and it really is going to set the trend for the future of all businesses.”
P.S. Did you know that The Essential Ingredient is not just a retail store? They run workshops and classes to help you further your foodie passion. PLUS they are wholesalers to food businesses and other retailers, as well as importers of food and kitchenware from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany and Asia. That’s why they have a huge range of products you can’t find anywhere else.
Meet owner and creator, Kylie from the divine Savant Apothecary.
This is what Kylie had to say about growing a successful business….
Savant started late 2016 after six months home full time following an interstate move. I started Savant Apothecary to give people a better skincare option, my version of what was missing and what should be missing in skincare. I also had an unexplainable urge to build a large business of my own, to really go all the way. To really experience what that is like. To take something that I’m passionate about, like skincare, apply my scientific knowledge to it and sink my creativity into something big and challenging that was ultimately mine…..sink or swim.
I started small and with a testing philosophy. I only ever used the cash I had on hand, bootlegging it, as it is called today. The most important thing I ever did was just to start, and keep going.
Challenges are ever coming and ever changing. I think the biggest ones are that you really have to know yourself because doing something like this brings every aspect of you to the forefront at some point, even those secret awkward parts of yourself you keep hidden away from view. Even those will have their day when you have to go “Ok, today I face this weakness about myself” “Today I need to learn this, today I must face this, today I think and contemplate” “Today I throw this hurdle away”. Equally important and perhaps challenging is setting your strengths free. Acknowledging that they are in fact freakin awesome.
I deal with lots of people either directly on my staff or coming into Savant on a skills needed basis. Many of these people are taking a natural talent or passion as I am and making it into their career like me. We talk about our experiences and successes and explore ideas and talk through challenges. Often we talk about dreams and goals too, the really big ones. It’s important to wrest dreams into existence by sharing and talking about them. Over a few years I’ve seen these people’s businesses grow too which is a very wonderful thing to watch. Having people you feel free to talk to is very important.
In the future I look forward to a day when I’ve opened a store that will take the total to perhaps a number like 7. I’d like to have some time there on my own and just reflect that this actually was possible. To reflect on all the people who decided they wanted to get on board. To how much I would have learnt and some big high and low moments that would have occurred. I think I will cry and feel so much gratitude. Switching off the lights in that store will be a click I’ll remember always.
