Small Businesses Soaking Up The Sun

How good is life! Seriously, these people are onto something that us city folks are missing out on.

As I met with half a dozen business people dressed in their board shorts, suntanned and at ‘one’ with the world, I was blown away by the business ideas, the size of some of the businesses that I met with and how good their lifestyles are. They might see the town coffee shop as their boardroom rather than a typical 12 seat, oak timber table with chairs to match and a white board – but who is to say that they don’t get as much if not more achieved in one meeting as their city counterparts? All you need is a cup of herbal tea, some organic muffins and an environmentally friendly notepad and pencil – and Bob’s your Uncle!

Every meeting was greeted with “I just went for a swim or cycled up to the mountains” and finished with “grabbing a bite to eat and then heading for a surf – want to come”. Sure do!

No-one wore a suit and tie, nor did they have anything that resembled the fact that they run successful businesses but their chosen office and lifestyle is something that everyone dreams of. I sure do! They take their laptops down to the local coffee shop or surf club, always have their surf boards by their side and some 30 plus sunscreen - and they do business.

I met with a finance guy, a restaurateur, a manufacturer of high-end outdoor living quarters, an online business, a t-shirt company, a consultancy firm, photographers and a jeweller. They all run successful businesses that are lucrative with a capital ‘L’ and they don’t take life and work too seriously. They are smart, savvy and creative with energy and a certain amount of spunk.

Many of us dream about living by the sea and getting away from the pressures of everyday life in the city, but think, that this dream could only become a reality if we were retired and had no business interests. We use excuses like “when the kids grow up” or “when we retire” because we are too afraid to leave the security and narcistic environments we live in. Here is living proof that businesses are thriving in Bryon Bay and people are living the lives they dreamt of right now. Not waiting until the day they …. you know what I mean!

What about Bryon Bay Cookies, Cheeky Monkey and the hundreds of clothing labels, organic foods and tourism businesses that are world-renowned? They are all owned and operated by locals in Byron Bay ranking in the millions, working 4 hour days and enjoying life.

They are pretty astute too! They need marketing, so they look for the best. That doesn’t mean it has to be in their backyard. They are as entrepreneurial, if not more than the person beside them, but because of the way they live, they seem to have a clearer perspective of what they want to achieve and how to get there. They work smarter, not harder.

I am pleased to say that Marketing Eye will be working with a number of Byron Bay companies that want to expand and grow, and I have definately put up my hand to manage some of these accounts. 4 days a month in Byron Bay – I can handle that, couldn’t you?

Who says that a thriving business should look a certain way? Know what your point of differentiation is and never lose sight of who you want to be, where you want to be and how you are going to get there.

Don’t wait until tomorrow. What if tomorrow never comes? What then?

Small to medium sized businesses have the unique ability and scope to be what they want to be and to live how they want to live. They are not restricted by what people think they should look like.

If you want to work from the kitchen table – don’t feel embarrassed. If the kids are playing whilst you are making a business call – who really cares? If you want to take your dog to work – take your dog to work. Be yourself because ultimately that is the only person you need to answer to.

CALL TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN BYRON BAY… RING 1300 300 080 IF YOU WANT A MARKETING MANAGER IN YOUR BUSINESS. I COULD SURE DO WITH SOME SUNSHINE!

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