‘Wish someone told me’ with Nat Locke

'Wish someone told me' is a podcast that dives into the worlds of small business owners as they navigate their business journeys.

In this five part series, Nat Locke chats to small business owners about the ups and downs of running a business, what they’ve learned along the way and the things they wish they were told when they started out.

The podcast also covers topics such as business planning for growth, how to manage cash flow effectively, social media marketing, tips for tax time and managing staff.

Brooke started her career as a receptionist in the medical industry, eventually becoming a practice manager and medical software trainer. After becoming a mum, Brooke changed tack and started a bookkeeping business and found many clients were seeking advice about other services such as marketing.

Brooke created a second small business to help other small businesses ‘ignite to the next level’. Nat chats with Brooke and Monica as they explore getting your business name out there, preparing for tax time and the opportunities and pitfalls of social media.

Podcast Transcript: Episode 5 – Brooke & Monica – The Small Business Lounge (PDF, 109KB)

Following his studies, Jonathon heeded advice from his father who was a small business owner to work in a business before starting his own. A few years later, Jonathon opened a business, focusing on chiropractic and soft tissue therapy.

In this episode, Jonathon shares his experiences with building loyal clientele, opening up the business to social media, the importance of delegation to avoid burnout, recruiting staff and managing cash flow.

Podcast transcript: Episode 4 - Langer Chiropractic (PDF, 109KB)

With a desire to share her love of fresh, homemade food, Lea opened a café in Fremantle, Western Australia. But as economic conditions changed, Lea made a bold business decision to close the café and transform into a wholesale business. Mister Nosh ready-made meals are now stocked in supermarkets across Perth.

In this episode, Lea talks about her challenges with cash flow, the importance of mentors and the value of thinking outside of the box.

Podcast transcript: Episode 3 – Lea Kurandy– Mister Nosh (PDF, 101KB)

Leaving a successful drive-thru coffee business behind, it was time for Julie to look to the next chapter in her life. With Julie’s mother being a seamstress, she fell in love with natural textures and fibres from an early age. With this, Bedtonic was born - an online store selling quality French linen and loungewear.

Julie talks to Nat about her business journey - from travelling overseas to find suppliers, to launching (and relaunching) her website, getting her first order and her foray into social media advertising.

Podcast transcript: Episode 1 – Julie Ramsay – Bedtonic (PDF, 386KB)