Host @Michael Kerr and guest @Elise Heslop talk through how and why Elise transitioned from a 'safe and secure' corporate role to life as an entrepreneur. After taking a family sabbatical in Italy, she founded Ply Room, a values-based furniture business. After she successfully sold Ply Room she's headed back to a new role in Corporate as Head of Marketing for @earlypay. A full circle with lots of challenges overcome, lessons learned, and pivotal moments.

We dig deep into her experiences of being a solo founder and owner of a #smallbusiness;

• The importance of trusting your instincts to the realities of running a small business
• Finding resilience and adaptability
• The highs and lows of business ownership
• The courage it takes to follow your own path
• Elise's family sabbatical in Italy as a pivotal moment in her career
• The realities of small business ownership - loneliness, stress
• Trying to find balance between business and personal life
• Elise shares insights on finding a supportive network
• What it's like to start then sell a business

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Elise Heslop
• 00:03:00 From Corporate to Entrepreneurship
• 00:09:00 Founding Ply Room
• 00:15:00 Challenges and Lessons Learned
• 00:21:00 The Importance of Instincts
• 00:27:00 Balancing Business and Personal Life
• 00:33:00 Conclusion and Reflections

@kerrcapital

Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

In this compelling episode of "Owner to Owner," host Michael Kerr dives deep with Dr. Craig West, the visionary founder of Succession Plus. Together, they unpick the transformative power of employee ownership programs and their profound impact on business value and succession planning. Discover how and why these strategies not only enhance business resilience but also foster community well-being. Dr. West shares invaluable insights on;

• How employee ownership programs can significantly enhance business value.
• Why early exit planning is crucial for business success.
• How employee share plans help retain key staff and improve business resilience.
• Why understanding business value is so essential for business owners.
• How succession planning benefits both businesses and communities.
• Employee ownership as a strategic exit option.
• Why employee share plans are gaining popularity in Australia

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction to Employee Ownership
• 00:00:00 Benefits of Employee Share Plans
• 00:00:00 Valuation and Exit Planning
• 00:00:00 Succession Planning in Australia
• 00:00:00 Community Impact and Business Resilience

Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au

@Gabe Villarreal founder, business buyer and business growth adviser on scaling a liquor business to a million dollars in monthly revenue. We discuss strategies for over coming the practical challenges of scaling and exiting businesses, as well as the merits of 'holding' businesses rather than selling.

He stresses the importance of imperfect action, learning from failures, and having options in business.

Gabe also talks about his experiences in different industries and countries, and the significance of building a business with an exit strategy in mind.

Takeaways

• The importance of imperfect action over waiting for perfection.
• Learning from failures.
• Having options in business is more important than the exit itself.
• Building a business with an exit strategy in mind is essential.
• Cash flow management is critical for business survival.
• Acquiring an established business can be more efficient than starting from scratch.

@michael kerr

@kerr capital

Thanks for listening. Visit the Owner To Owner Podcast website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @ownertoownerpodcast on your favourite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.ownertoownerpodcast.com.au