Entrepreneur

Think you’re too young to start a business? Take a lesson out of Mark Teperson’s book, who gave the boot to his old job to launch the successful Shoe Superstore chain.

Pam and Martin Brook have come a long way since selling macadamia muesli at their local market. Their business Brookfarm was the first food-manufacturing company to win a Telstra Australian Business of the Year Award, and now exports its award-winning products across the world. Despite the global success, the founders say its community ethos remains intact, creating an important point of difference for the business.

When the time has come to sell your business, many factors need to be considered and acted upon before you’re free from any further obligations. This is what should be on your to-do list.

Your Friday Entrepreneur Fix this week stars SourceBottle founder Rebecca Derrington, who’s remade the relationship between journalists and expert sources and created a profitable business in the process.

Taking inspiration from Steve Wozniak’s recent trip to Australia, Sharon Williams shares her 10 top tips for inspiring innovation in your business.

Stratsec was launched in its founders spare bedroom, based on a vision to change information and communication technology security in Australia. Since then, the business has overcome a number of challenges to grow into the most-recognised cyber-security firms in the country – an achievement recognised when Stratsec won 2010 Telstra Business of the Year. Here, head of delivery and operations Peter Lilley shares his tips for surviving business setbacks.

In 2010, Michelle Glitman began selling one-of-a-kind vintage fashion pieces on Facebook. MIISHKA took off, and now has an 88,000-strong fan base. Here, the former stylist reveals how she built a profitable online business, one Facebook ‘like’ at a time.

As the 2012 Telstra Business Women’s awards open for nominations, Dynamic Business is speaking with twelve former winners about the impact the program has had on their businesses. Here, 2009 winner and Laser Skirmish founder Nicole Lander talks about the importance of an innovative spirit in business.

Yes, it terrifies many of us, but for a business owner, improving public speaking skills can be a real asset. It all starts with knowing your audience, making a connection, telling a story and involves plenty of practice.

Meet the two guys who wanted to create a Facebook for wine, but took the concept and turned it into something much bigger – Vino Mofo.

Sipping Marsala tea while having foot reflexology in a luxury world-class spa may seem like an unusual place to close a business deal. However, that’s exactly what some women were doing at the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network Event (DWEN) in New Delhi, India this week.

Lou Kendall and Heidi Bailey are a pair of entrepreneurs disproving the old adage that you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure, and the LouenHide founders are the stars of this week’s Friday Entrepreneur Fix.

Jim Marggraff, founder of digital smartpen business Livescribe, has faced no shortage of financial challenges as an entrepreneur. He launched just as the GFC hit, and battled to find investors to get Livescribe off the ground. But after 5 years- and one million smartpen sales- his company is at the forefront of the market. Here’s how he did it.

In 2001, 22-year-old finance student Fred Schebesta co-founded digital agency Freestyle Media, growing the business into a successful media agency which sold for $1.3 million just a few years later. Here, the young entrepreneur talks about the importance of learning from your mistakes, first time around.

Fifteen female entrepreneurs from Australia were part of an exclusive group of 149 women from 11 countries at the third annual Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network Event this week, including our woman on the ground Valerie Khoo,

Coconut water is the latest trend sweeping the country, and a trio of Aussie entrepreneurs are taking the market by storm with their wholly organic product and some savvy celebrity endorsements from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio.

CEOs and entrepreneurs across the country will experience homelessness in the midst of winter first hand next week, by taking part in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout. CatchOfTheDay co-founder Gabby Leibovich and Ruslan Kogan are throwing their weight behind the cause, auctioning off the chance to join them for dinner.

Daniel Jarosch knew Aussie consumers were ready to shop online, so he ignored all the naysayers and launched brandsExclusive in 2008 and went on to found Spreets and StyleTread. Now, this online entrepreneur is sharing his eCommerce secrets in this week’s Friday Entrepreneur Fix.

As the 2012 Telstra Business Women’s awards open for nominations, Dynamic Business is chatting to twelve former winners about the impact the program’s had on their businesses. Here, Jean Madden talks about how her 2011 win has validated the hard work she’s put into the Sweet Swags charity.

Your Friday Entrepreneur Fix this week features the award-winner behind the unique gifts business Edible Blooms, Kelly Baker-Jamieson.