Carmel and Adam Wooding join me on the podcast today to chat about how digital technology can help you thrive by connecting you with your friends, family and community, as well as how digital technology is helping rural, regional and remote businesses across Australia thrive by connecting them with their customers and their teams. Carmel and Adam established their own business, Empower Digital, during the drought and the bush fires of 2019 in Warwick, Queensland. They also had plans to travel around Australia with their business when the pandemic changed what was possible. Their story reflects how important it is to have goals in your personal and your work or business life. But most importantly, it highlights the value of being flexible in how you work towards your goals. The themes in this episode encourage you to connect and to be flexible in life and business. 

Listen to the podcast conversation to hear Carmel and Adam share:

• their connection with the Southern Downs Region
• how they combined their interests in education and digital technology to create a family business in 2019 when the region was experiencing drought and bushfires 
• why their business goal is to empower people with the use of technology
• how they planned to combine their business and family goals in 2020 
• how the pandemic unexpectedly impacted their travel and business
• the adjustments they made to their family travel goals that enabled them to return to caravanning and working on the road
• the surprising silver lining that COVID-19 had for their business
• technology as a tool facilitates connection between people, businesses and communities in ways that help them to thrive especially in rural and regional areas
• access to technology and connectivity is a barrier in some parts of Australia where there are limited mobile phone and Internet services
•  fear or lack of confidence in using technology is also a barrier for many people
• adopting the mindset that everything in life is a learning process can help people access and enjoy the benefits of technology
• the importance of maintaining information literacy and remembering that everything you see on social media is not true or realistic
• being proactive with security measures is important 
• practical tools to help you overcome some of the challenges with technology include:
  •  keep software up-to-date with the latest versions of apps and programs you use
  • use a password manager 
  • use a different password on every different account
  •  turn on two-step authentication wherever possible 
  • be careful which links you click on and who you share sensitive information with
• supporting communities and businesses to improve connectivity and connection reflects the positive power of technology and facilitates self-determination
• COVID-19 has normalised virtual meetings and connections using technology

 RESOURCES and LINKS
Download a handout which includes a summary of the episode and a full list of the services, organisations, events and resources mentioned

Read the transcript of the episode

Contact Carmel and Adam Wooding at Empower Digital

Contact Kathryn Walton from Kathryn Walton Consulting and Outdoors is my Therapy

Music by Twisterium from Pixabay

Series 2 has been jointly funded under the Commonwealth and State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (2018)