Small Town Business with Erika McInerney
Small Town Business shines a light on people making big things happen in small towns, regional and rural communities. Each episode is in two-parts. In Part one, we chat with a small-town business owner, hand picked because they have a particularly special story to tell. They generously share the ups and downs and all the in-betweens of their business, before part two where I draw out one of the key points of the discussion into a specific learning with a focus on marketing and business development.Follow along for inspiring stories from community-driven, authentic people. Then let Erika McInerney - that’s me your host - teach you how you can take that inspiration and turn into into action for your business.Whether you’re already living in a small town, thinking of moving, or wondering what business is like outside the city - this podcast is for you. Make sure you follow or subscribe so you don’t miss an episode and, if you’ve just found this, make sure you start from the beginning.
Episodes
30 episodes
29. Simone on ‘advocacy’
I’ve always thought that the best business ideas come from noticing something that’s missing in the world. Something important and necessary. Simone Eyles did just that. She noticed that the media and marketing channels are seriously light on f...
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Episode 29
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25:19
28. Erika on Resilience
When crisis hits your town or your business, it’s hard to know where to start. This episode is packed with practical ideas to prepare for disaster or down time, but also advice on what to do and how to approach marketing and promotion whe...
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Episode 28
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10:19
27. Andy on ‘Resilience’
Andy McCarthy is an entrepreneur, best known for building a renewable energy business from a tiny town called Mirboo North in South Gippsland Victoria. He later sold his company ‘Gippsland Solar’ to the RACV but he hasn’t lost his passion for r...
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Episode 27
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27:47
Erika on 'changing hands'
I’m sure we’ve all been there - seen a sign on a window or a post in a local facebook group with that ‘business for sale’ headline. It starts you thinking…what if?? In this episode I’ve pulled together five key things to consider, to lo...
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Episode 26
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9:10
Kate from Umina Beach Book Nook on ‘changing hands’
Kate Toon is a multi award winning entrepreneur, author and speaker. In the circles I work in, she’s well known for her commonsense approach to complex beasts like SEO and digital marketing. And then in 2...
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Episode 25
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20:12
Small Town Business is back!
How do you grow a thriving business in a small town, regional or rural area? One way is to learn from others and this podcast is a great place to do just that.If you’ve ever wondered how to make big things happen in a regional or rural ...
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1:00
Alex from Plant a Seed for Safety: Why Safety Matters
Alex Thomas is a rural health and safety specialist and advocate for safety and wellbeing in regional and rural areas - especially on farms. In this episode she tells us her very personal ‘why’ and...
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Episode 24
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27:16
Erika on The Tree Change
Sometimes to make a treechange you have to leave your career behind and start something new. There are so many pros to building a local business - especially to support your lifestyle or family goals, if commuting back and forth to the nearest ...
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Episode 23
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8:45
Kristy from Green Hills Farm and The Ridge House: The Tree Change
Kristy Plumridge is the owner of Greenhills Farm and The Ridge House in Yarragon, West Gippsland. She and...
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Episode 22
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28:09
Erika on 'Not Social' Media
Even though I believe there is usually a place for social media in your marketing, I will rarely encourage anyone to JUST focus on it. Having a healthy spread of promotional and marketing activity allows you to reach a broader audience and miti...
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Episode 21
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13:38
Kimberley from OAK Magazine: 'Not' Social Media
How much time and effort do you spend working on your business’ social media? Is it at the expense of other media? There’s increasing pressure from all around us to believe that social is the only way you can build your business or promote your...
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Episode 20
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36:07
Erika on "Building in Public"
If you’re in a small business, chances are you’re wearing the marketing and social media hat. Being close to the heart of your business makes you the best person for the job, but sometimes it can be hard to share the type of content that really...
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Episode 19
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9:59
Amy from The New Red: The "Pivot"
My guest, Amy from The New Red, is no stranger to a good pivot, having traveled a winding road in her career and life. More recently in her small business she went into battle against her local Council to keep her successful woodworking and eme...
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Episode 18
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25:51
Erika on Learnings
Are you a lifelong learner? I am! Learning comes with success and failure and, in small business, it comes from listening to others’ experiences. In this episode I open up about some of my learnings and challenges to date. I hope it helps - eve...
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Episode 17
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9:27
Jackie from Soilz Alive: Learning
My guest, Jackie Yong from Soilz Alive, describes herself as a curious human, compost enthusiast and hair lover…three things that you wouldn’t think you could turn into a business. But she has and it’s great. It wasn’t all smooth sailing though...
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Episode 16
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23:52
Erika on Passion
This week I’m talking about passion. How to find it when you’re feeling stuck or how to know what you could or should be doing. I give you a few thoughts on how being passionate about your business can backfire and some tools to try and prevent...
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Episode 15
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11:05
Alli from Walker Events: Passion
Does your small town have a calendar of events that you attend regularly? If not, do you wish it did? Conceptualising, creating and running events is no small feat and it requires a lot of hard work and passion.My guest, Alli ...
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Episode 14
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31:05
Erika on Purpose
Purpose-driven, for-purpose, heart-led, social-enterprise, profit-for-purpose…There are a lot of ways to describe businesses that have a purpose or a mission, but there’s also a common misconception that business that have a p...
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Episode 13
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10:51
Jason from ETCH Sparkling: Purpose
Just a few years ago, Jason and Andy Quin conceived, developed and launched a really special range of alcohol-free, inclusive drinks, called ETCH Sparkling, that celebrate health and native Australian fruits and herbs. Special for those reasons...
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Episode 12
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31:19
Erika on Family Business
There’s a lot that can be said about family when it comes to business, especially small business. It’s very hard to run your own business without involving your family - whether directly or indirectly. Setting boundaries and having clear intent...
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Episode 11
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9:49
Sarah from Harden Bearings: Family Business
Are you one of the many many people who left their home town seeking greener pastures, fame or fortune only to feel that pull back when the time came to raise your own family? I am and so is Sarah Rowan, my guest today. S...
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Episode 10
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24:01
Erika on Authenticity
Authenticity is such a slippery little sucker. We know it’s important, but what does it actually mean to be authentic when it comes to your business or your social media and marketing?In this episode I reflect on my conversation with Dou...
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Episode 9
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10:48
Doug from Gippsland Adventure Therapy: Authenticity
Over the past two years I’ve talked with a lot of people who took a redundancy or lost their jobs during the pandemic. People who found themselves with either no choice but to start their own business or, in the case of this guest, saw an...
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Episode 8
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24:46
