I first met Linda McCall when she rode into town on her motorbike and rocked up at Canvas Coworking for a visiting entrepreneur event with a fellow from the USA that she and her partner Mark Philips were escorting around Qld startup communities. Linda and Mark were living a nomadic lifestyle, running their business supporting entrepreneurs and travelling around Australia. As very experienced travellers, having been to over 100 countries, it was no surprise when they decided to start their latest startup Nomad Stays, which is helping digital nomads and remote workers find longer term accommodation options in beautiful hidden parts of the world, as well as helping accommodation providers in these areas to understand the benefits of catering to the longer term guest. Linda and Mark join me today from a very warm south-east of France and share how they have turned their latest idea into reality.

Our Startup Lesson today is finding your point of difference.

Links mentioned in this episode:

LinkedIn: Linda McCall https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaamccall/

LinkedIn: Mark Phillips https://www.linkedin.com/in/imarkphillips/

Nomad Stays: https://www.nomadstays.co/

FB Group: Digital Nomad Explorers Co https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalnomadexplorers

FB Group: Sandtracks Virtual Coworking https://www.facebook.com/groups/sandtracks

Business in Barefeet https://www.businessinbarefeet.com/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

This week I am excited to share with you my conversation with Kat Lynn from Foodie Shots and Sonny & Kat Photography. Kat has been part of our community for a while now, having been a participant in a Food & Ag Bootcamp and a regular sprinter in our Focus 30 Day Sprints. Kat believes that we eat with our eyes and loves helping local food businesses capture the essence of their products with her product photography skills, and as we will hear, is also aspiring to help bigger businesses produce better images too.

Our Startup Lesson today is the value of having a good profile photo

Last week we talked about communicating and the value of making a visual representation of the story, the product or the journey. As we have just had a chat with Kat, I wanted to share my thoughts on the value of having a good photograph of yourself, and your products.

Links mentioned in this episode:

LinkedIn: Foodie Shots https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-lynn-foodieshots/

LinkedIn: Kat Lynn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-l-200677176/

Foodie Shots: https://www.foodieshots.com.au/

Sonny & Kat Photography: https://sonnyandkatphotography.com.au/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Today's guest is an award-winning chemistry teacher, who believes we are all stewards of the earth and has designed a product to help other busy parents take the stress out of supermarket shopping. With her 3 kids and partner cheering her on, Eleighta Hannam has found the personal strength to create Orange and Thyme Trolley Totes. I'm delighted to have Eleighta with me today to share how she has turned her idea into reality.

Today's Startup Lesson is about visualisation of ideas and concepts, which is often the most effective method of communication with anyone.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Orange and Thyme Trolley Totes: https://www.orangeandthyme.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orangeandthyme/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orangeandthyme/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

This week, we will celebrate Canvas Coworking's fifth birthday, so I have decided to interview myself, and share the story of how I came to be the co-founder of Canvas Coworking and recognise some of the wonderful people who have been part of the journey so far.

Links mentioned in this episode:

RSVP for Canvas Coworking 5th Birthday Celebration: https://canvascoworking.com.au/event/canvas-coworking-5th-birthday-celebrations/

Techstars: https://www.techstars.com/

CU Asia: https://cuasia.co/

Advance Queensland: https://advance.qld.gov.au/

Flair Incubator: https://canvascoworking.com.au/flair/

Zero to Startup: https://canvascoworking.com.au/zero-to-startup/

CoderDojo Toowoomba: https://coderdojotoowoomba.com.au/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Creating a social enterprise is often something people have an idea about but find it difficult to bring to reality. Today's guest is not that person, she is a doer, and not just once but a repeater as well. Susy Wenitong was the founder of 2ndShot a social enterprise that provides homeless people with an opportunity to learn skills and re-engage with the community in a way that builds their confidence and self-esteem and ultimately a future that they look forward to. Having achieved her goal of making 2ndShot successful and able to continue without her, Susy is now the co-ordinator at Protea Place, a space for women here in Toowoomba where she has used all her prior experience and learning to create an environment that is beautiful and welcoming and empowering.

Instead of a startup lesson today, I have a second guest join me for a conversation with about a wonderful new project that is about to launch, the Toowoomba Creative CBD. Ann Whitton from Toowoomba Regional Council is the driving force behind this wonderful opportunity and today we chat about what Creative CBD is, who can get involved and why the Council has invested in it.

A quick reminder for everyone listening, that our Flair Incubator is open for applications. Flair is for female-led businesses, that aspire to go into an international market, and are based in a regional area. The incubator will provide support for 5 teams as they work on their developing their aspirations into reality with the guidance of our team of experienced entrepreneurs, along with a suite of mentors from various industry sectors and countries around the world. The program runs from August through to December and is free to participate in. Applications close soon though, so be sure to let any of the wonderful women in your networks know about it...they may just aspire to something bigger that you do not know about yet.

Links mentioned in this episode:

LinkedIn: Susy Wenitong https://www.linkedin.com/in/susy-wenitong-0b640054/

2nd Shot Food Truck https://www.facebook.com/2ndShotFoodTruck

2nd Shot https://2ndshot.com.au/

Protea Place http://toowoombawomenscollective.org.au/

https://www.facebook.com/Protea-Place-Womens-Support-Centre-2289797634640525

First Coat Festival https://www.queensland.com/au/en/places-to-see/destinations/southern-queensland-country/toowoomba/toowoomba-street-art.html

LinkedIn: Ann Whitton https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-whitton-839a9248/

Creative CBD

Toowoomba Regional Council http://www.tr.qld.gov.au/

Flair Incubator https://canvascoworking.com.au/flair/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB

Inspirational people are always a joy to meet, and when I first met today's guest, I knew immediately that she was an incredibly inspiring person. Cathy U'Ren is the founder of the Pet Wellness Centre located in the beautiful Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. Today, I chat to Cath about her journey of turning her idea of creating a better veterinary experience into a reality.

Our Startup Lesson today is about recognising burnout, and some options for how to start to work on creating a way to manage through that stage of your journey.

Links mentioned in this episode:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-u-ren-b1372729/

Pet Wellness Centre: http://petwellnesscentres.com.au/

Best Life Adventures: https://bestlifeadventures.com/

Peak Persona: http://www.peakpersona.com/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Today I am delighted to introduce you to Ian Mason our new Entrepreneur in Residence for the Flair Incubator. Ian shares a bit about his journey of becoming a serial entrepreneur and how that has inspired him to also take up the opportunity on multiple occasions to support other entrepreneurs to grow successful and sustainable businesses, including a bit about establishing Virgin Startups in the UK and working with QUT Creative Entreprises Australia and with regional startup programs here in Australia too. Then we spend a little bit extra time talking about Flair Incubator specifically and why Ian chose to be part of Flair (and why we asked him to be part of it) we also talk about the value of Flair to participants and how Ian sees his experience being beneficial to the cohort.

Links mentioned in this episode:

LinkedIn - Ian Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ijmason/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Kim Edwards was the Founder and International Director of Sea English Academy International, a company that she started with her best friend who lived in another country at the time. For 10 years, Kim provided vision and leadership, authored the school curriculum and teaching materials, mentored an international team, conducted training in 26 locations in 17 countries around the world...and created a business with franchise that saw it become one of the world's fastest growing and awarded English language schools.

These achievements earned Kim the Outstanding Business Woman of the Year and Outstanding Business Person of the Year. Kim has recently returned from 7 years living and working in Saudi Arabia and joins me in this week's episode to share some of the things she learnt in her journey of turning her idea into reality.

This week's Startup Lesson is all about the value of networking...and not just the digital kind

Links mentioned in this episode:

Kim Edwards - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-edwards-83a9415/

Flair Incubator: https://canvascoworking.com.au/flair/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Interview with Kurt Alexander and Startup Lesson on when to quit your day job

The journey of a non-tech solo-founder of a tech business is not an easy one, and requires a real passion for the problem, commitment to seizing opportunities and a personality that makes everyone feel welcome to be involved. Today's guest embodies all of the above, and it has been my great pleasure to be a small part of the story that has evolved. Kurt Alexander is the founder of Quick Safety, a reg-tech startup that is making the electrical industry safer, and more compliant through the use of technology guided by a thorough understanding of the problem and diligence in bringing the relevant parties to the table to develop a solution that works.

This week's Startup Lesson on when to quit your day job

Links mentioned in this episode:

Quick Safety https://www.quicksafety.com.au/

Kurt Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtalexander/

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/

Today I have the great pleasure of introducing you all to Steph Piper. Steph is the founder of Piper 3D, the resident maker at the USQ Makerspace and one half of the emerging electronic tech kits for girls company, Elkei Education. For the last few years, I have had the opportunity to watch and be a part of Steph's journey of bring the idea behind Elkei Education to life, along with her co-founder Andrea Madden. From the very first pitch at a Startup Weekend I have been excited about seeing the idea evolve, particularly as it aligns so closely with one of my favourite programs here at Canvas Coworking, which is our free kids coding club, called CoderDojo Toowoomba. That is enough from me for now though, let me introduce you to Steph and hear the story from her side.

This week's Startup Lesson is all about Minimum Viable Product and why it is so important to think small to start.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Elkei Education https://www.elkei.com.au/

Piper3DP http://www.piper3dp.com/

DDPPE.net https://ddppe.net/

Startup Weekend https://www.facebook.com/StartupWeekendTwba/

Startup Onramp https://canvascoworking.com.au/product/startup-onramp/

Lean Canvas https://leanstack.com/leancanvas

Contact Us:

Canvas Coworking https://canvascoworking.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/canvascoworking/

Startup Toowoomba https://startuptoowoomba.com.au/

or find us on FB https://www.facebook.com/startuptoowoomba/

Get in touch with our host, Joy Taylor via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/joymtaylor/