Ep 4: Today Me Hates Yesterday Me: Professor Sarah Verdon, Founder And Single Mum On Building A Business That Works With Your Brain

What happens when the person you’re building a business with is also the person you go home to? Sue Schiller has spent nearly 30 years building Bedrock Landscape Supplies with her husband, Jamie, while raising their family and figuring out how to work together when they don't always think, communicate or approach the business in the same way. In this episode, Sue shares what they’ve learnt about being business partners and partners in life, including how they handle disagreements, set boundaries, know when to hand something over and keep things from becoming personal. Sue’s approach is simple: get curious before you react, communicate clearly and focus on making things 1% better rather than trying to fix everything at once.

When you’re running a small business, how do you keep going when there is so much happening behind the scenes that most people never see? In this bonus episode of Minted, Lisa Morey wraps up Season One by reflecting on what the podcast has become, what she has learned from Wagga Wagga’s local business community, and why these conversations matter to small business owners everywhere. Lisa shares why Season One has been such a privilege to create, what these conversations have revealed about resilience and community, and what listeners can expect as Minted moves into Season Two. What you’ll take away:

When you’re trying to break into the US market, what does it really take to keep going when the timeline blows out, the market behaves differently and the wins come slower than expected? Lisa sits down with Fiona Hamilton (founder of Rowdy Crowd) to unpack what it has actually looked like to take a homegrown Australian designed product into the US. From product development and manufacturing to market fit, messaging, packaging, word of mouth and staying power, Fiona shares the real lessons behind launching beyond Australia and why belief, adaptability and patience matter more than quick wins. What you’ll take away:- Why launching into a new market starts with solving a real problem, not chasing hype.- How Fiona built Rowdy Crowd by listening to customers, improving the product and staying flexible as demand shifted.- Why word of mouth still beats a lot of paid marketing when your product genuinely solves something.- What Fiona learned about the US market, from packaging and messaging to speed, scale and buyer behaviour.- Why educating customers is part of the job when your product or material is still unfamiliar.- How small business owners can use adaptability as a real competitive advantage over bigger players. Links:- Guest website: Rowdy Crowd - https://rowdycrowd.com.au/ - Mint Agency newsletter sign up: Podcast Newsletter - https://www.mintagency.com.au/news-sign-up Credits:- Host: Lisa Morey, Founder of Mint Agency- Guest: Fiona Hamilton, Founder of Rowdy Crowd- Production: Podcast Expert Lab- Music: 'Country Western On' - moodmode (Pixabay)- Studio partner: The Streaming Guys - thanks to their team for partnering with us and providing the soundproof podcast pod and pro recording setup. STAY FRESH. STAY KIND.

When small business feels lonely, how do you build the kind of connections that actually help you grow without forcing yourself into awkward, salesy networking? Lisa Morey sits down with Sally Manning (Business Manager of the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber) to talk about what relationships really mean in small business, why connection matters so much in regional communities and how to find support in a way that feels genuine and sustainable. What you’ll take away:- Why loneliness in small business is more common than people admit and what to do about it.- How to start building connections in business, even if networking feels intimidating or draining.- What introverts can do to ease into networking without forcing a personality that isn’t theirs.- Why building the right support team around you, from accountants to marketers to contractors, can make a business more sustainable. Links:- Guest: Sally Manning, Wagga Wagga Business Chamber - https://waggachamber.com.au/ - Mint Agency newsletter sign up: Podcast Newsletter - https://www.mintagency.com.au/news-sign-up Credits:- Host: Lisa Morey, Founder of Mint Agency- Guest: Sally Manning, Business Manager of the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber- Production: Podcast Expert Lab- Music: 'Country Western On' - moodmode (Pixabay)- Studio partner: The Streaming Guys - thanks to their team for partnering with us and providing the soundproof podcast pod and pro recording setup. STAY FRESH. STAY KIND.

When life shifts in a big way, how do you keep building a business that can still grow, adapt and hold strong? Lisa Morey sits down with Jacqui Stevenson of Ladysmith Park Perennials and her father Brett Stevenson of Market Check to talk about resilience, family, strategy and what it really takes to build a business that lasts. From Brett’s life changing accident and the evolution of his leadership style, to Jacqui turning a gap in the Riverina market into a growing nursery and design business, this is a conversation about backing yourself, building support around you and creating something sustainable for the long haul. What you’ll take away:- Why a strong business often depends on support, delegation and shared responsibility.- How hardship can change the way you lead, think and grow a business.- Why stepping back to think strategically can improve decisions, culture and growth.- Why mentors, outside perspective and regular strategy days can make a major difference.- How to stay connected to your purpose when business feels heavy or life gets real. Links:- Guest Website: Jacqui Stevenson, Ladysmith Park Perennials - https://www.ladysmithparkperennials.com.au/ - Guest Website: Brett Stevenson, Market Check - https://marketcheck.com.au/ - Mint Agency newsletter sign up: Podcast Newsletter - https://www.mintagency.com.au/news-sign-up Credits:- Host: Lisa Morey, Founder of Mint Agency- Guest: Jacqui Stevenson, Ladysmith Park Perennials- Guest: Brett Stevenson, Market Check- Production: Podcast Expert Lab- Music: 'Country Western On' - moodmode (Pixabay)- Studio partner: The Streaming Guys - thanks to their team for partnering with us and providing the soundproof podcast pod and pro recording setup. STAY FRESH. STAY KIND.