Roooar Magazine Issue 20

for women in business
ISSUE
20
The Tech Issue
WITH NATHALIE LUSSIER
plus
CUPPA COPY + COACHES CORNER + WIRED FOR SOUND & more

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INDEX
05 Contributors
06 The Team
07 From The Editor’s Den
08 New! Podcast Reviews: 5 Top Podcasts for Women In Business
10 Bookclub
12 Interview with Nathalie Lussier
20 Creating Passive Income
24 How Nike Can Help Your Avoid Tech Overwhelm
28 Is Technology Short Circuiting Your Orgasm?
33 Interview with Jessica Tutton
36 Movers, Shakers, And The Cookie Baker
38 Use Social Media to Empower Not Disempower
42 Technology: The Good The Bad And The Ugly
46 From B2B to e-Commerce
48 Email Marketing - The Opposite of Annoying
52 How Technology Can Improve The Human Experience
56 Women Who Roooar
60 Putting The Human Touch Into Your Online Business
64 Embracing The Power Of Digital Technology
68 Interview With Ellie Swift
72 Wired For Sound
74 Coaches Corner
76 Cuppa Copy
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

Contributors
Bianca McKenzie - biancamckenzie.com
Ellie Swift - ellieswift.com
Erica Urquiaga - bakedbyerica.com.au
Gemma Moore - redsparkcommunications.com
Jeanette Muscat - littlepinktypewriter.com.au
Jessica Tutton - jessicatutton.com.au
Lacy Nagar - gracefulrising.com
Ludwina Dautovic - theroomxchange.com
Malini Devadas - editboost.com
Myola Wood - eroticcoaching.com.au
Nathalie Lussier - nathalielussier.com
Sam Winch - samwinch.com.au
Tracey Sargent - traceysargent.com
Yael Keon - yaelkeon.com
REGULAR
Contributors
Ashlieigh Rae - ashleighrae.com
Demelza Leonard - bossmoderadio.com.au
Jay Crisp Crow - crispcopy.com.au
Lauren June - laurenjune.net
Lorraine Hamilton - coachschool.academy
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 5

The Team
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Lauren McFarlane
lauren@roooar.com.au
Copy Consultant
Jay Crisp Crow
hello@roooar.com.au
Thank you to our covergirl
Nathalie Lussier
Photography by:
Photography Credits
Nathalie Lussier - Pink Door Boudoir
Lauren June - AJ Harrington Photography
Yael Keon - AJ Harrington Photography
Ellie Swift - Tessa Kit Photography
Jay Crisp Crow - Krystle Ricci
Advertising Inquiries
Download out latest media kit here or email
advertising@roooar.com.au
Connect With Us
Roooar Magazine accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions
expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the views of Roooar Magazine. Roooar Magazine
cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the later appearance or non-publications of any advertisement.
Information about products and services featured within the editorial content of Roooar Magazine does not constitute
endorsements by us. Every effort is made to ensure that all advertising is derived from reputable sources however we
cannot accept responsibility of transactions between readers and advertisers.
Roooar PO Box 30 Stoneville WA 6081
Copyright © Roooar 2018 All Rights Reserved.
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

FROM THE EDITOR’S DEN
I am an ‘80s kid, after school each day was spent
wandering the neighbourhood to go see our
mates. When it was home time, Dad would stand
work something on a T Ledger they think I am crazy,
you don’t get taught accounting these days with
something as old school as T Ledgers.
out front and whistle and no matter where in the
neighbourhood we were, we would hear it and would
go home. We didn’t have Netflix or internet. If we
wanted to call our friends we’d have to use a phone.
With a cord attached to it! Yes, the days were simple.
Technology has changed how we work and even
with all the advances we have, they just keep on
coming. Most of the advances are extraordinary; we
can connect with more people in realtime around
the world. But with that comes more isolation
We were lucky; there wasn’t social media, mobile
phones, or the constant need to be connected.. We
got to disconnect from the outside world when we
needed. But, we also learned about technology and
from actual human interaction, lack of boundaries
between home life and business life, and a certain
expectation that we are always available for our
clients and customers.
by the time we were leaving school we were able to
access the internet, have mobiles, and email.
The ‘80s kid got to learn how to do our jobs with
the benefit of technology but also by getting our
In this issue of Roooar we explore all the pros and
cons of technology, how we can use it to better our
businesses and lives, and some of the lessons to
learn along the way.
hands dirty. We had intimate
knowledge of the nuts and bolts
of the work we did. When I have
trained people on accounting
packages and asked them to
x Loz
follow me
@laurenjunenet
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20
7

5
TOP PODCASTS
FOR WOMEN
IN
You leverage your work load, so why wouldn’t you leverage your professional development?
BUSINESS
Podcasts offer us powerful way to up-level our personal and business game, without costing
a cent to absorb the expertise of our entrepreneurial counterparts. In this edition, we’re
introducing you to Ashleigh’s Top 5 Australian Women in Business Podcasts. Wrap your ears
around these and prepare to play a bigger business game!
LEVERAGED AND LOVING IT
with Renee Hasseldine
Renee is a superstar in her field, and it shines all
through her podcast. This weekly show brings
the likes of podcasting royalty John Lee Dumas
to our ears. Renee makes business wisdom easily
digestible, with a spoonful of cheekiness, and
offers practical and realistic business backend
wisdom. This show will have you systemizing
and getting into flow before
you know it!
THOUGHT LEADERS
BUSINESS LAB PODCAST
with Sam Riley
Sam Riley is a successful owner of many
businesses, and you know what’s fabulous
about her podcast? It’s not fluffy or full of
motivational quotes that are designed to get
you to six or seven figures. Instead, it’s real,
sometimes hard-earned business wisdom that
will practically support you to being a better
business owner, and reaching your goals –
that is, if
your interested in playing a bigger game!
LISTEN HERE
LISTEN HERE
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

LAW OF EFFORTLESSNESS
with Shannon Bush
Shannon Bush is a marketing whiz consulting with businesses
throughout Australia. Her podcast is focussed on making
business easier – you might even say as effortless as possible.
This fortnightly podcast is packed with live coaching calls,
expert interviews, but best of all? It’s all geared to effortless
implementation and kills overwhelm dead.
LISTEN HERE
LEVEL UP PODCAST
with Jemimah Ashleigh and Tim Hyde
Jemimah Ashleigh is an expert in positioning brands and Tim is an
automation for connection pro – not only are you getting practical
business wisdom on this podcast, but you’ll also laugh along
with Jemimah and Tim’s hilarious sense of humour - making the
learning process that much easier and more enjoyable. It’ll have
you coming back for more!
LISTEN HERE
HEART CENTRED PODCAST
with Tash Corbin
Tash Corbin is a frequent disruptor of the business world – she’s
built a business and huge following by going against traditional
masculine business methodology and creating a movement
around connection strategies. Be warned: this podcast may
challenge everything about how you do business.
LISTEN HERE
Ashleigh Rae is the Chief Podcast Nerd at Virtually Awesome
– a podcast support service.
She hosts two podcasts of her own; Recovery – a passion project raising
awareness of the issues surrounding violence against women in Australia,
and the Virtually Awesome Podcast for Virtual Assistants and podcasting
nerdiness. You can find out more about Ashleigh and the VA Team here.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 9

BookClub
HOW TO WIN FRIENDS &
INFLUENCE PEOPLE
written by: Dale Carnegie
This book will help you solve one of the biggest
problems you face: how to get along with and
influence people in your daily business and social
contacts. How to Win Friends & Influence People
can help you achieve these important goals: Get out
of a mental rut, think new thoughts, acquire new
visions, discover new ambitions; Make friends easily
and quickly; Increase your popularity; Win people
to your way of thinking; Increase your influence,
your prestige, your ability to get things done; Handle
YOU ARE A MOGUL: HOW TO
DO THE IMPOSSIBLE, DO IT
YOURSELF, AND DO IT NOW
written by: Tiffany Pham
complaints, avoid arguments; Become a better
speaker and more entertaining conversationalist
BUY NOW ON: KINDLE OR PRINT
Traditionally, the word “mogul” has been attributed
to men. But Tiffany Pham has redefined it—now,
when you Google the word, the top search result
is the company she founded: Mogul. The platform
enables millions of women, across 196 countries, to
connect, share information, and access knowledge.
So how did a young woman—who arrived in the
United States without speaking a word of English—
turn a dream of connecting women into a fulfilling
career and highly profitable company that has
changed so many lives?’
BUY NOW ON: KINDLE OR PRINT
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

BRAND BRILLIANCE
written by: Fiona Humberstone
As a modern entrepreneur you need an incisive
vision; for both what your brand stands for and
where it s headed. You need to communicate in a way
that always enchants your audience and you need to
retain that focus in an increasingly noisy world. In
Brand Brilliance Fiona Humberstone will take you on
a comprehensive journey. She will help you to define
your dream clients, refine your message and up your
marketing game. This book will bring substance and
clarity to your brand, bring into focus the things that
really matter and enable you to communicate with
flair and intention. All in her trademark inspirational,
practical and easy-to-implement style. Expect to
feel empowered, inspired and energised! Branding
your business well is more important today than it s
ever been. And it s about more than visuals. It s about
having a strong message, a clear vision and owning
your style.
BUY NOW ON: PRINT ONLY
HOW TO STYLE YOUR BRAND:
EVERYTHING YOU NEED
TO KNOW TO CREATE A
DISTINCTIVE BRAND IDENTITY
written by: Fiona Humberstone
The right brand identity has the power to attract,
engage and compel people to do business with you.
But for many entrepreneurs, creating an effective
brand can be a challenge. Whether you’re a start-up
on a lemonade budget, or a seasoned entrepreneur
planning on working with a professional, an
understanding of the process is essential. In this
comprehensive workbook, Fiona Humberstone will
walk you through the process of styling your brand.
From finding your focus, creating an inspirational
vision and unlocking the power of colour psychology;
Fiona will help you understand the design details that
will make your business irresistible. How to Style
Your Brand will ensure you get your branding right,
first time. Style Your Brand is more than a business
book.
BUY NOW ON: PRINT ONLY
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 11

Interview with
nathalie
lussier
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOU
GOT STARTED IN TECH, ‘CAUSE IF I REMEMBER
reverse engineering it to build my own website. So
that was kind of my first foray in tech.
RIGHT, WERE YOU BUSINESS COACHING TO
BEGIN?
WOW, YOU HAD THE TECH NACK FROM A YOUNG
AGE? TELL ME WHAT GOT YOU STARTED IN
When I first started in the online business space,
I had a blog in health and wellness, where I built
my own website. Then people were asking me
,“Who built your website, can we hire you?”
YOUR BUSINESS NOW? WAS IT ... ‘CAUSE I
REMEMBER POPUPALLY ...
Yes.
Because the answer was me, I built it myself. So,
I essentially started offering web design services
for about a year. I was teaching tech stuff at the
same time as I was doing web design which is kind
of how I started my Getting Techy With It brand.
WHEN THAT FIRST CAME OUT, WAS IT A
CERTAIN NEED THAT YOU FOUND FROM
CLIENTS OR WAS IT SOMETHING FOR
YOURSELF?
That transitioned into more business consulting,
because I was helping clients, not just with their
websites, but also with the strategy behind it and
their launches and all the pieces that go into that
process.
How I really got started in tech was when I was 12
Yeah. Great question. So when we released
PopupAlly, or when we decided to start working
on it, there were a lot of people asking me, “Oh, I
really like your popup or I really liked your opt-in
on your website. How can I do something like that
for my website?”
and when I was on the web for the first time I saw
people were making websites, who were around
my age, about cartoons and things that they were
interested in. I decided to create my first website
and I was basically just finding other people’s
websites, looking at the code and then kind of
And my answer was, “well you have to know how
to program or how to do code”. I didn’t have a
good answer for people and there weren’t a tonne
of plug-ins at the time to help you style your optins
or create beautiful popups. They were always
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 13

the same template, where you
could change maybe a couple
of colours or something, but
they looked the same. That’s
why we’re like, well how about
if we build an opt-in styler,
essentially that also does popups
and mobile, and responses and
all of that? That was the idea
behind it and it was definitely
more people asking me how
to do it. And me saying, “Oh, I
think we should build a popup
tool.”
I REMEMBER WHEN THAT
CAME OUT. I DOWNLOADED
WITHIN A SHORT AMOUNT OF
TIME.
That’s awesome, I love it.
ALRIGHT, YOU’RE A MOTHER,
WIFE, TECH DEVELOPER,
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY
LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
At the moment, and this changes
all the time, but my little girl
comes stumbling into my room
around 6:30 or 7:00 depending
on how she slept the night
before. We get up together, I
start making breakfast, and then
I get her off to preschool, and
from there, you know I’ll maybe
clean up a little bit because
sometimes there’s things left
over in the kitchen to put away,
or dishwasher to get running or
laundry. There’s always little
something to get going in the
morning.
I get online at this point, and
most days I try to do my most
focused, productive work in the
morning and not check email
first thing, but sometimes that
doesn’t happen. So, I’m totally
guilty of checking on Facebook
or jumping on email to make
sure nothing’s on fire and
everything’s okay.
I stay in touch with my team -
we have a daily meeting every
day around 11:00 where we
sync up, make sure everybody’s
working on the right things,
make sure that there are no
roadblocks for anyone, and then
I tend to have a lot of phone
calls in the afternoon. Those
could be interviews, partnership
calls, demos, or anything that’s
more of a communication thing,
and try and do all of that in the
afternoons as much as I can.
Then, basically it’s time to pick
up my daughter, we have dinner
... oh and I do have lunch, I forgot
to mention that! I spend a couple
hours after preschool with her,
reading some books, or doing
things outside in the garden, and
get her to bed, and then usually
I try to just wind down before
sleeping, but I do sometimes
hop back online and make sure
everything’s good. Or sometimes
I’ll do my less focused work, if
it doesn’t need to be creative, it
just needs to be clicking a couple
buttons or whatever, there’s
always some stuff to just review
at the end of the day, or answer
quick questions. So I try to do
that before going to bed as well.
WHAT DOES YOUR TEAM
LOOK LIKE? DO YOU
WORK TOGETHER, OR
REMOTELY? HOW DO YOU GET
ALTOGETHER?
My husband and I obviously
live and work together. We are
kind of the main hub, and we
have four other people that are
remote, so they work all over
the country. So, that’s why we
do have our sync up meeting,
because they’re all in different
time zones, and working on
different things, so we want
to make sure that everyone
is on the same page. Then we
also have a weekly meeting,
and marketing meeting,
development meetings.
Our team is basically, myself,
my husband - who’s our core
developer -and then I have
someone that’s doing project
management, marketing,
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

technical writing, and then
support. So that’s been great to
see everyone take ownership of
that aspect of the business.
THAT’S A NICE SIZED TEAM.
ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS, I
ALWAYS LEARN SO MUCH. AS A
TEAM WHAT CAN’T YOU LIVE
WITHOUT?
I love ASANA, our team runs
really well because of it, so that’s
where we put all of our tasks, all
of our projects, and we use it to
plan ahead. We track all of our
feature requests, and bugs and
everything all in ASANA, so it
really does a lot of heavy lifting
in our business.
Some of the other things I
cannot live without. There’s
another tool that I love which,
all the writers reading this will
definitely agree with, it’s called
Scrivener. It’s a little app for
Mac or PC, they have it for iPad
too, and it helps you organize
your writing, and I’ve been
using it for 12 years, which is
kinda crazy. I love it, I use it to
write all of our blog content, my
newsletters, PDFs, pretty much
anything I create that’s written,
starts off in Scrivener, and they
can export to different formats
and all kinds of things. I use that
a lot.
The other tool that we use,
which is our company Wiki,
so it’s run on Atlassian’s
Confluence System hosted on
their website (and there are
tons of other great Wiki tools,
I know there are Google sites
that do Wikis, there’s just I
think Wikimedia, or something,
there’s basically a bunch of
different options for Wikis) but
we like it because everyone on
the team can come in and update
pages and keep everything fresh
and up to date with what we are
doing. We also use it to plan our
meetings and keep track of what
we talked about, and we have
something in there we call our
‘idea cooldown’.
The idea cooldown basically
is when, I’m the idea person,
and I have too many ideas for
the business I will just create a
document that outlines the idea,
the goals, like what I see as the
outcome of this idea if we do it
well, and then the rest of the
team can chime in on whether
they think its a good idea to
prioritize that or not. So, it kind
of slows me down a little bit
from just jumping in and doing
everything, because one of our
company mottos is; Do fewer
things better. It also makes the
best ideas rise to the top.
I LOVE THAT. I THINK A LOT OF
US NEED THAT IDEA.
Yes, everyone can use it.
YOU’VE MADE A GOOD NAME
FOR YOURSELF, AND HOW
HAVE YOU STOOD OUT,
ESPECIALLY IN SUCH A MALE-
DOMINATED INDUSTRY?
Great question. I think part of it
is that I started off in the female
industry, so I think that I got a
really solid start because I was in
the B school community and the
female entrepreneurship space
and that gave me a chance to
spread my wings a little bit and
feel comfortable growing my
business and being successful
before entering the male arena,
or the mainstream arena,
whatever you want to call it.
It gave me the confidence and
the support I needed in the
beginning. When I was doing
web design all of my clients were
female, except for one, so that
also confirmed I understand the
female market, I understand
how to design websites, and then
later on software that works like
how women think.
From there, it was just a
matter of translating that and
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 15

continuing to grow that in the
more mainstream space and
it’s something I’m still doing -
entering more mainstream areas
where I’m not as well known. It’s
been an interesting challenge
to see people who have never
heard about me or never heard
of AccessAlly, or PopupAlly.
Once they kind of dig into it and
they’re like, “Oh, this is great,
this is very established, how
come I’ve never heard of you?”
It’s because I started off in a
little bubble, if you will. Then
from there, I was able to expand,
and find those other pockets of
people that I had to get in front
of.
WOW. IT’S AMAZING TO THINK
WHAT ... I WAS ACTUALLY
GOING BACK THROUGH
SOME DOCUMENTATION
RECENTLY, AND REALISED
HOW LONG AGO AND TO SEE
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE CREATED.
REMEMBER MANY YEARS AGO
WATCHING THE VIDEOS IN
YOUR APARTMENT AND THEN
TO GO TO ACCESSALLY SEEING
THE LAUNCH THAT YOU’VE
RECENTLY DONE ... YOU’VE
DONE AMAZINGLY.
Thank you so much. I think
what you touched on is really
important, is that it didn’t
happen overnight, right? I think
just being able to stay consistent, and
at one point I was basically changing
business models every 18 months,
I was doing web design for about a
year, and then I was doing consulting
for about a year, and I was doing
events for about a year, and then we
finally got onto the software which
has been our more consistent, and
more mature kind of business.
HOW IS IT WORKING WITH YOUR
HUSBAND?
It’s actually not bad. We definitely
had some stumbling blocks at the
beginning where we would talk to
each other and assume that the other
person knew what we wanted them
to do, and why. We developed this
rule that when we tell each other to
do something, giving each other a
command, we have to use the word
“because”. So maybe I’m saying,
“Oh, could you review this document
because I need to send it to a client.”
Or “Could you update this page on
the website because this is what’s
happening and people are getting
confused”.
We first ran into this when we were
organizing a live event and we were
both Type A -tell each other what to
do kind of people and we were always
saying, “Oh, you move the chairs, you
take care of those people and get the
swag bags or whatever” and we were
like, wait ... if we take a step back and
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

just use the word ‘because’ it takes
all of the emotion and all of the
commandingness out of it, and it
just makes things so much easier
for all of us to be on the same
page. Just to be like “oh, I see why
I’m doing this” and sometimes it
even comes up like “Oh, okay well
I have this other thing going on
that’s more important.” We can
negotiate what’s more important
because we understand the
underlying reasons why we need to
be doing something.
going into procrastination, or my
confidence is lagging, I tend to
retreat and pull back, and either
hide, or stop doing things. My new
way to deal with that is actually
do the opposite, and usually,
that is connecting to a client, or a
colleague, or somebody who I feel
like needs me. I know that sounds
weird, but; how can I be of service,
and how can I engage in that
service? That takes me out of my
own mind a little bit and helps me
focus on the other people - that
I’m there to help.
Other than that I think it’s good.
I think we do talk about business
sometimes a little bit too much,
so we have to tell each other
just, “Hey it’s the evening, let’s
not bring this into our dinner
conversation”. That has been
something we’ve learned. I think
since having our daughter we do
talk a little bit less about business
when we’re around her, so that
brought some balance as well.
WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING
RIGHT, CONFIDENCE ISN’T
VERY GOOD, HOW DO YOU
KEEP YOURSELF ON TRACK
AND CREATING AND MOVING
FORWARD VERSUS GOING INTO
PROCRASTINATION, PAUSING?
I am definitely no stranger to
that. I am happy to admit it. I
found that a lot of times when I’m
When I do that it’s,“Oh it’s not
about me and how I feel today”.
Because our feelings do fluctuate
day to day and maybe it’s grey
outside, maybe it’s sunny outside,
you might be feeling up or down,
but at the end of the day it’s not
just about how we feel, it’s also
about what we’re here to do. That
can make such a big difference
to get me out of that loop. If you
can just re-engage with what’s in
front of you, I think that makes a
really big difference.
GREAT ADVICE. IS LIFE PERFECT
FOR YOU?
[laughs] Definitely not! I’m happy
to share just some realities. We
are going through an IRS Audit
right now. Things happen and so
that’s one thing and obviously,
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 17

there’s ups and downs all the time. I know my friend
Denise Duffield-Thomas who’s been interviewed
before so she says, ‘New level, new Devil!’ and I
think that’s absolutely the case. There are definitely
new things to contend with, new kind of challenges.
What would I teach myself?
HANG ON ... 4:30 IN THE MORNING. IF YOU
COULD GO BACK TO WHEN YOU STARTED OUT IN
BUSINESS, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH YOURSELF
AT THE START, IF YOU HAD THAT CHANCE?
As our business has expanded we’ve had to register
it in different States, and have more red tape
essentially, and more bureaucracy involved. It’s just
me getting more comfortable with these things that
are, kind of, sort-of, not really big business, but just
kind of more corporate if you will, right? Just getting
used to some of those things that are just part for the
course and part of running a business.
There’s all kind of things like that that happened
that you have to deal with and adapt. In terms of
perfection, I think that my life itself hasn’t changed
a whole lot. I think that I still work on the computer,
I still spend time with my family and yeah there’s
I think what I would have taught myself is really
focus on my strengths. Because I think in the
beginning I tried to do a bunch of things that I
wasn’t necessarily amazing at, but I thought I had
to do. I would teach myself to kind of do a little more
introspection and also to trust my intuition. I think
that a lot of times I kind of compared myself to other
business, or how other people were doing things and
that kind of took me off course a little bit. Not that
I would ... all of it was useful to get me here, but I
think that if I wanted to fast rack, if you will, or kind
of help myself get over some of those things I would
do that.
definitely ups and downs. I have to clean all of our
bed stuff today so pillowcases and blankets and all of
that because my daughter and my dog peed on them
recently. There’s definitely little things like that that
are not ... it’s not perfect. At the same time, I think
that that’s OK, that’s part of life.
Sometimes my husband and I chat about, well, when
does it all end? I have to say, “Well, that’s when you
die”. [laughs] So all of this is actually, this is good,
all of this kind of hardship if you will, is actually
part of the process of being alive. I think that kind
of keeps things exciting. I try to just keep a positive
outlook as much as I can. [laughs]
ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE QUESTIONS AND WE ASK
ALL THE TIME ON THE ROOOAR PODCAST, IS IF
YOU COULD DO IT ALL AGAIN WHAT WOULD YOU
Also, in terms of teaching myself, I think that
in terms of hard skills, probably some sort of
copywriting, or writing skills, because that has been
such a big part of our business. I really think even
though we’re in tech we communicate through
writing many times online. Writing emails, writing
sales letters, writing even feature lists, all of those
things are written communication and I think that
that’s probably one of the most important skills in
my business.
I would say I would teach myself copywriting early,
and then also that introspection and trusting myself,
which kind of came with experience, so maybe it’s
not something you can teach. At the same time, I
think just giving myself permission to trust a little
bit more would have helped.
TEACH YOURSELF?
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

The
Podcast
LISTEN AT ROOOAR.COM.AU & ON ITUNES

Creating Passive
Income
SAM WINCH
samwinch.com.au
Let’s be honest, it’s easy to get drunk on the
Passive Income Koolaid.
The thought of making money while you sleep,
or laying on a beach on a tropical island while the
dollars roll in...OK, back to reality for a moment.
bubble - it’s not like that.
Firstly, because everyone tells me that courses are
passive income (which they aren't) or that creating
your own online course is the only/best/easiest
type of passive income (which it isn’t) and I’ve
realised how much this myth has been perpetuated
The concept of it is lovely, but I have to burst your
to women in business who are trying so valiantly to
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

uild amazing businesses.
Fair warning. Ways that you can make ‘passive’
income.
So, courses are the only/
best/easiest way to make
passive income, right?
Wrong.
AFFILIATE PAYMENTS
Simply put, this means getting payment for selling
someone else’s product or service. You may also
see this being called a ‘commission’.
There are lots of ways that you can look at
including passive revenue streams into your
business. In fact, there are plenty of ways that
are more “passive” than building and running a
course. Before we go too far though, I want to let
you know…
I don’t believe that
anything is completely
passive. There is always
work involved.
That might be work at the beginning, in the
middle, or at the end (or even all the way through).
That work might include writing, marketing, fixing
your SEO, work, work, work (just like in the terrible
Rihanna song).
Successful people work hard. They might have put
in a lot of the hard work a long time ago, and now
they are reaping the rewards, but there was hard
work involved. They just don’t always show all of it
on social media. It’s not passive.
Ultimately, the options in the list below mean that
you don’t have to show up everyday, 9-5, to get
paid… but you are definitely going to put some
work in along the way, and it isn’t always easy.
In most cases, you will be given a link that is
unique to you. You share this link when you tell
people about the product or service. You can do
this on social media, through video, or by creating
great blog posts about the product. When people
click on your link, the site tracks where the traffic
is coming from, and if they buy then you are
allocated a portion of the sale. In some industries
this could be as low as 5%, but often in the world of
digital products or services, you could be making
up to 30% – 50% of the sale.
Sometimes this payment is one-off, and
sometimes you continue receiving payments for as
long as they remain a client.
Things to note: You’ll need to make sure that you
follow any rules and regulations from the provider
and for the platform that you are promoting on.
These vary from company to company, so make
sure you check. As a minimum, you will normally
have to declare that it is an affiliate link and
that you may receive payment if they decide to
purchase.
AD REVENUE
You can receive money for ads placed on your
content. There a lot of different ways that you can
do this.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 21

You may decide to sell space on your podcast,
YouTube videos, or on your blog. You may decide
to use AdSense or Mediavine, who place adverts
can sell it, is endless. You could even sign up
your own affiliates to promote and market your
products for you.
on your blog posts for you or you may decide to
monetise your YouTube channel so that they place
DROP SHIPPING
ads before or during your videos automatically.
“Drop shipping is a retail fulfillment method
Ad revenue is often based on the number of people
who see the ad, so you might not receive a lot of
money unless you are getting a lot of traffic.
where a store doesn’t keep the products it sells
in stock. Instead, when a store sells a product, it
purchases the item from a third party and has it
shipped directly to the customer. As a result, the
ROYALTIES
merchant never sees or handles the product.” -
Shopify
Royalties are payments you receive for allowing
someone to use your intellectual property, like
copyrights, patents, and trademarks. You might
receive a one-off payment, but you will often
continue to receive payments over the period
of time which the product is being used, or an
additional payment each time an extra one is sold.
There are lots of different ways that you could earn
royalties including from book sales, from music,
from photos, or from art work.
The upside of drop shipping is that you don’t have
to hold any stock. This means that you don’t need
the money to invest in stock to start with, you
don’t need a warehouse to store it in, and you don’t
run the risk of buying too much of something,
which might not sell as well as you thought it
would.
There are some downsides to drop shipping.
Margins are often tight, you might not make as
SELLING DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
much profit per sale as you would if you were
selling direct, as you are relying on someone else
Originally, I was thinking content like ebooks,
guides and templates, then I started talking to my
Mastermind group and the list just kept expanding.
Think graphics, stock photos, fonts, WordPress
templates or plugins… the list is endless.
to store and ship the product. You also have to be
careful where you sell your product. While you can
run a drop shipping business on Ebay, you can’t
on Amazon (unless you use their drop shipping
platform).
You might sell your content on your own site, or
put it one a larger site, such as placing your font in
a font library. You may also sell your content one
Lastly, when it comes to drop shipping (in fact, this
applies to everything in this list) you need to know
how to market your product.
by one, or bundle things together for larger sales.
This is not a case of ‘build it and they will come’.
Really, when it comes to selling your content
online, the list of what you can sell and how you
You will need to know how to market and promote
the product you are selling to get the number of
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sales you need, to make a sustainable income.
DEVELOP AN APP OR SAAS
income (which is a better description of this kind of
income) it is one way you can add an extra revenue
stream to your business.
“What is a SaaS?” I hear you ask. SaaS stands for
Software as a Service. Simply put, this is software
that is sold to you on a licensing and delivery
model, something which you pay to use, monthly
Just like selling downloadable content, there are
countless ways you can build, host, and sell your
course. You can even use affiliates to promote your
course for you.
or annually.
But at the end of the day, participants in your
There are countless examples of SaaS, in fact you
are probably already paying for a few.
course will need support. You might do this
yourself, or you might choose to outsource it, but
you will need to make sure that they are looked
Think things like Xero (or other bookkeeping
after.
software), Zoom or GoToMeetings, Leadpages,
Convertkit and many, many more.
CREATING WORK FOR YOU.
Just like the other ‘passive’ models that we have
covered, there is definitely work involved. Getting
your app or software up and running is going to
take a huge amount of time, effort and possibly
investment. Once it is up and running smoothly,
you can pay a customer service team to look after
your customers, and developers to look after your
updates.
There are plenty of ways to make leveraged income
online, and calling it ‘passive’ is simply incorrect?
There’s lots of work involved with generating
this income, but your hard work will pay off over
time. The difference is that you don’t need to work
certain hours in a day, or see face to face clients to
make the income.
Rather than trying everything at once, look
If you have a great idea, or you can see a gap in the
market, it is worth thinking about.
For example: Buffer tracks all of their stats live,
in open source, which means you can follow along
in their journey as they earn $1.52US million in
monthly recurring revenue. (figure Sep – Oct 2018,
tracked through baremetrics)
through the list (or at some of the other options
that are available) and find something that fits
your current strategy. For example, if you already
recommend products or services to your clients,
could you become an affiliate for them? Or if you
are already building websites for clients, could you
build a user friendly template which you could sell
to clients who aren’t ready for custom designed,
CREATE AN ONLINE COURSE
done for your services?
I couldn’t leave this off the list, even though it
fuels my ‘passive’ income rant so perfectly.
Look at your current business model and see where
you can add a little leveraged income.
While it’s not the only way to create a leveraged
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 23

HOW NIKE CAN HELP YOU
avoid tech overwhelm
Dr Malini Devadas completed a PhD in neuroscience and worked in medical research before
realising she enjoyed the writing more than the lab work. She began her editing career in 2004,
working inhouse at a small consultancy firm; in addition tolearning her editing craft, she also
learned a lot about running a business. In 2013, Malini set up her own successful editing and
writing coaching business. Since then, she has spent much of her time studying marketing and
realising that mindset is the biggest thing holding back most sole traders. In 2018, she launched
Edit Boost, working as a business coach to help editors make more money.
DR MALINI DEVADAS editboost.com
Have you noticed just how many brands and types
of toothpaste, tomato sauce, bread, you name it
there are these days? As a former scientist who
also likes to get her money’s worth, I can spend
ages analysing the nutrition/chemical content and
price of each item before coming to a decision on
what to buy every single time I go to the shops.
idea for me at the time. I suddenly realised that
I could turn my successful in-person workshops
into an online version, allowing me to help more
people with less time and travel needed from me. I
bought a comprehensive online course that taught
me everything I needed to know about creating
online courses. However, when it came time to
choose my course software, I became stuck.
Similarly, it feels like every week a new piece of
software is launched to help online entrepreneurs
run their businesses, whether it be related to
accounting tools, email systems or website
platforms. And while you might think that it’s
great to have a choice, as that gives you flexibility
and freedom to choose what suits you, I would
argue that it actually becomes another hurdle to
overcome as we try to streamline our workload and
become more efficient.
The course I was doing had a great workbook that
analysed the major options out there. But in order
to make a choice, I had to make some decisions.
Did I want to host the course on my website or
would I prefer to use a third party to host it? Did I
want to drip the content out to participants each
week or could they have access to the entire course
from the start? Did I mind if I was limited by a
basic template or did I want to hire a designer to do
a high-end custom design?
3 years ago, I came up with the idea of creating
an e-course. I was completely new to the world of
online business, so this was a pretty revolutionary
As I worked through these questions I started to
panic. I had no idea which of these things were
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important. However, what I did know was that I
wanted to spend as little money as possible, in case
no-one bought my course. Great attitude, right?
In hindsight it is clear that I didn’t consider that
the course would bring me an income and that I
could re-invest the income into the running of the
course. And I also didn’t factor in that in order to
save money I would have to spend more of my own
time on learning new skills that, frankly, I have
little interest in.
I constantly see others asking the question ‘I
want to do XYZ but don’t know which piece of
software to use’. My answer these days is ‘just pick
something’! The thing is, I remember being that
person looking for tech advice in online forums.
And I also remember other people saying to me
‘just pick something’. But I couldn’t heed that
advice at the time because, as it turned out, I was
worried about other things: scared that no-one
would buy my course (I had no list at the time),
scared that those who bought it wouldn’t like
So, instead of making a decision, I spent a lot of
time worrying about which software to choose.
About spending too much, not spending enough,
how professional it would look, how easy it would
be use, how easy it would be to change later, how
much support was provided ... I think you get the
picture, and I suspect you can relate to at least
some of these feelings.
it, scared about having to market it, scared that
people would think it was too expensive, scared
that people would wonder what I would know
about such a topic (aka imposter syndrome). I still
have those fears – most business owners do. But
now I know that these fears will always be there,
no matter what tech solution I choose.
If you can relate to any of this, here are my tips for
avoiding tech overwhelm in your online business:
In the end, I was lucky. I had a deadline imposed
upon me because a local organisation wanted to
give 10 people access to my course. And I always
work well with a deadline! This situation forced
me to choose a platform for my course. So how
Make a list of what you need the software to do.
Having a list of essentials will help you compare
options and will stop you from getting distracted
with unnecessary bells and whistles.
did I choose? Well, by coincidence, one day soon
after, I happened to be listening to a podcast and
heard about a new company that had launched a
new platform for online courses. The price was
reasonable because they were just starting out,
and it was a drag-and-drop interface that meant I
didn’t have to worry about tech issues. So, I signed
Be realistic about your budget and what you feel
comfortable in spending. There is usually so much
choice that you should be able to find something
in your price range. However, remember that
whether you are spending time or money, it all
comes at a cost.
up straight away (before the price went up) before
I started overanalysing it. Is it perfect? No – some
new features have been added in the past year, but
they are not always things that I need, and it still
doesn’t have some of the functionality that I would
like. But does it deliver the content to my clients so
that they can do the work? Yes!
Ask for opinions from others but don’t put out a
call in a large online group. You will only end up
hearing all sorts of view of every potential type
of software, which may not be helpful. Instead,
narrow down your choice to 1–2 options and then
try to find a couple of people who actually use that
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software and ask them more in-depth questions
about the pros and cons.
you subscribe to the tech tool but don’t actually use
it) then ask yourself the following questions:
Know that you can
always change platforms.
You don’t need to pick
software that is going to
last for the next 5 years.
How will you feel if you never ‘do the thing’, whether
that be launch a course, create a website or create an
email list.
Will you upset if you see your competitors get in first
and launch the very thing that you have been wanting
to launch?
Just pick what works for now and then change/
upgrade as required. Sure, it may be a bit of a hassle.
Is there a fear that is stopping you from taking
action?
But better to be in that situation than to find yourself
one or two years down the track and still not having
launched anything.
If you find you still can’t make a decision, or you
make a decision but then still don’t take action (e.g.
Common fears are ones of failure, of being seen, of
being judged and even of success! If you have those
fears, it could be worth working with a coach, to
explore you are stopping yourself from growing your
business.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 27

In this age of technology being paramount to our
every need - an app for this, Siri for that, a never
ending ‘to do’ list - could this be impacting our
ability to orgasm?
bigger, and instantly. Transferring this to our
arousal and orgasms, the desire is to have variety,
an intense quickie can be very satisfying but if it
is your only option, probably not so much. Like
our food, sometimes we need something quickly
I hear too many stories about men not lasting
long enough and women finding it difficult to
have an orgasm. The knowledge is being lost.
and other times we want to savour each mouthful,
taste the deliciousness, smell the aromas, feel the
surrounds, hear the sounds of delight as we enjoy
our… meals.
My Nanna (when she was alive) was an amazing
cook and, even though my Dad and aunties try
to capture her recipes and style of cooking, their
food never quite tastes the same. People tell me
her secret wasn’t a quarter or half a spoonful of
any ingredient. It was love. She enjoyed cooking
and bringing happiness to those who shared her
efforts. There are some of her recipes that nobody
knows how to make anymore. Our family has
lost this information and future generations are
missing out. They will not get to experience the
joy of the handmade warm cookies filled with love.
Our bodies are designed for pleasure and
orgasms. Why else would we have a glans (the
rounded part of the clitoris and penis) containing
thousands of nerve endings (six thousand in
a penis and eight thousand in a clitoris, to be
exact). The body has many connectors, neurons,
nerves and erectile tissue specifically designed
for sensation and pleasure communication.
Our bodies love connection, touch, intimacy,
hormonal flows and muscle contractions. When
we don’t orgasm regularly, we lose these benefits.
It can cost us:
Is this the way our orgasms are going as well?
Is the information not being passed down and
the knowledge being lost, taken for granted that
everything will be OK? And if it’s not OK, can we
simply go and buy one from the shop?
Blissful experiences, ecstatic states of hope,
wellbeing and transformation;
Happiness. The decrease in “happy” hormones
within the body enables depression to easily set in;
Connection with ourselves, our partners and the
We love our technology; if you are ever on a train
you can see almost everyone with their heads
down looking at their own screen, usually not
sharing, not engaging, and not noticing anyone
around them. Technology, advertisements, and
society are suggesting our pleasure come from our
devices and not deep intimate connection with a
physical human in the same place.
With all this focus on technology, we need the
latest and greatest gadget, new software, faster,
world around us;
Pelvic health. The muscles are not contracting,
therefore there is a decrease in blood flow,
muscle control and integrity which can lead to
incontinence.
In a recent study by Ernst and Young consulting
firm, they found that many Australians are
connected to internet devices for up to ten hours
a day. Interesting… how much time is given for
intimacy?
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IS TECHNOLOGY SHORT
CIRCUITING YOUR ORGASM?
Award winning Myola Woods is an Author, Certified Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Sex Educator,
International Intimacy & Relationship Coach. Myola specialises in teaching individuals and couples the art
of connection, creating and cultivating the choice of arousal, to deepen intimacy, sensation and pleasure.
As a sexual being, mother of 4 teenagers, and pleasure enthusiast, Myola appreciates the time constraints
and social pressures that can play havoc on our erotic lives. Myola teaches ways to explore and enhance
your love making in everyday life.
MYOLA WOOD
An article in The Telegraph (UK, 2015), suggests
a goldfish has a longer attention than an adult
human. The results showed the average human
attention span has fallen from 12 seconds in 2000
(or around the time the mobile revolution began)
to 8 seconds. Goldfish, meanwhile, are believed to
have an attention span of 9 seconds.
eroticcoaching.com.au
sex therapists stated that intercourse lasting
1-2 minutes was “too short”, 3-7 minutes was
“adequate”, 7-13 minutes was “desirable” and
10-30 minutes was “too long” (interestingly,
there’s some overlap between their opinions on
“desirable” and “too long”). In 2004, however,
a study in the Journal of Sex Research included
foreplay in their research and found that, on
In a 2008 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine,
average, people were indulging in 11-13 minutes of
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 29

foreplay followed by 7-8 minutes of intercourse.
That sounds positively luxurious compared to the
previous numbers! Still, the participants generally
wanted sex to last for double the time.
general public, will we lose the connection with
other humans? Will we decide it is easier to just
have a robot on tap (it doesn’t argue; is always
ready; you don’t have to keep them happy,
bring them flowers or boost their egos) than be
There is a correlation between the short attention
span and limited amount of time we make love
vulnerable, raw, risk being heartbroken and have
to truly express ourselves?
for the purpose of gaining a quick release. In my
opinion, we are losing the ability to hold good/
great/wonderful feelings for a long time. In turn,
we are losing the connection with our bodies that
enables us to hold, build, grow, deepen, receive
and relax into arousal, allowing many orgasms to
occur before our lovemaking is complete.
We are so desperate for connection we look at our
devices when we are stopped at the lights, hoping
for a message or notification. We are losing the
skill of physical and intimate connection and
trying to use technology to fill the empty void
inside. We are risking our lives (checking our
phones while driving) for just a hope that someone
Technology is moving very quickly. There are
already many kinds of sex robots you can order
to specifications. Some are even able to have
conversations, orgasms, and dance! As they
become more available and accessible to the
or something has reached out to us. Connecting
with ourselves is the first step in any connection or
satisfaction then bringing this sense of presence,
in the current moment to your intimate relating,
togetherness is the key.
29

To increase your attention span and enjoy one another,
slow down. Slow your touch, slow your kissing, your
movements and your breath. When you slow down,
it allows you to access more sensations and pleasure,
increases anticipation and excitement and gives the
brain time to process all the sensory information being
sent. This enables you to last longer, build arousal and
stay present with your feelings and partner.
And, become skilful in the bedroom. Use your Kindle,
iBooks and audiobooks to become educated in the
world of sex. For most of us, the stuff we learned in
school was not about pleasure, sensations, reaching
ecstatic states or using orgasms to heal and create. It
was Reproduction 101. There is much to discover, and
you can listen together or send each other snippets and
ideas.
Technology is not going away, so find ways to make it
work for you.
As the future of technology moves faster and faster,
we can choose to slow our intimate lives down and be
connected to the physical people in our lives. Don’t
You can send a tantalisingly teasing picture (making
sure it is to the right person!) or sexy texts to your
partner. Often, we simply send lists for the shopping
or duties to perform. Keeping in touch sensually and
let your orgasms be short circuited, maintain the
balance, is the time and energy you spend in the areas
of technology and intimacy/sex/pleasure and orgasm in
harmony and balance.
sexually is going to keep the spark and anticipation
alive, bringing curiosity into your lovemaking.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

INTERVIEW
W I T H
Jess Tutton
Jessica Tutton is a Facebook Ad and Sales Funnel Strategist. She’s spent years immersed in the digital world,
learning first hand what works, and what doesn’t – simply by testing, tracking and tweaking different
platforms, strategies, and funnels.
Now, through her courses and coaching programs, she helps entrepreneurs bring their business to life
online. From “How to” to “What not to do” she’ll teach you – step by step – how to create an online course,
launch a funnel or hit publish on your next successful Facebook Ad Campaign.
jessicatutton.com.au
WHO ARE YOU? NOT JUST THE
BUSINESSWOMAN BEHIND THE BUSINESS:
WHO ARE YOU?
fascinated with the power of the mind and how our
thoughts can change our life. In my spare time I’m
usually listening to an inspiring podcast or a book
on mediation and manifestation.
I’m a Mum, first and foremost to 2 beautiful,
energetic and crazy boys aged 2 and 4! As an
introvert, our life is very simple. I just love
spending the days by the beach or exploring new
parks… and nights are usually reserved for Netflix
or the latest ep. of Bachy or Survivor (sad, but
true!)
On a more serious note, I’d definitely say that
Motherhood has absolutely changed my direction
in life (and business). In recent years I’ve become
TELL US ALL ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
My mission is to empower entrepreneurs to feel
confident to master their own marketing online.
My core service is my online training and
mentoring program Master Your Facebook Funnel.
This is where my members learn how to find,
attract, and convert new leads online by using
Facebook Ads.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 33

I also offer 1:1 private coaching and training to
entrepreneurs who want more of a personalised
digital strategy or hands-on tech help.
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR
BUSINESS?
Ultimately, helping women find success and
financial independence by creating a business that is
successful and fulfilling.
YAY FOR THAT! WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUR
BUSINESS JOURNEY, WHAT’S THE THING YOU
ARE MOST PROUD OF?
I am most proud of creating an online course that
now runs on auto-pilot!
It’s taken many years to finally get it to where it
is now, and it’s amazing. It aligns with my family
values, and with what I want to help other women
achieve.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE HAD TO GIVE UP
ANYTHING TO SUCCEED IN YOUR BUSINESS?
Ahh, yes. Here comes the Mum guilt! I often wonder
if I’m making the right decisions. I think running a
business and juggling young kids is so hard because
it’s really difficult to switch off and flick between
work and home life.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR THOSE STRUGGLING
TO GAIN A SUCCESSFUL WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
Does balance exist? I can
safely say that I haven’t
found a perfect balance,
ever.
If the house is clean, the emails pile up - and visa
versa. So, accepting that finding a perfect balance
doesn’t exist is the best advice I can give.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY?
I try to be organised from a content point of view,
and batching my content in 6 weekly blocks really
helps. When it comes to my day to day work, I block
out time. I work super fast for an hour, and then have
a short break before I jump to my next task. If I allow
myself too much time for anything, my productivity
goes down, fast.
WHAT IGNITED THE SPARK IN YOU TO START A
NEW BUSINESS?
I would definitely say that becoming a Mum pushed
and inspired me to start my own business. My first
son was born with a rare craniofacial syndrome, so
I didn’t just ‘want’ to find a flexible business that I
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

could run from home, I really needed to.
This is also why I love
anything that can be
automated, because us
Mums need to multitask!
AMEN TO MULTITASKING! WHAT DO YOU
THINK WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU’VE
MADE?
I can easily be swayed in direction by external
influencers (AKA people who don’t want to see me
succeed!)
In the past, I’ve let their opinions influencer my
business decisions. Now, I trust myself, I know
where I’m going and I’m trying to not care so
much about what other people might think of me.
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE WAS THE BEST
DECISION YOU MADE WHEN BUILDING YOUR
BUSINESS?
WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL PIECE OF
ADVICE YOU COULD GIVE BUSINESS WOMEN?
Your mind is your biggest asset. It will determine
if you succeed or if you fail. The best part about
this is that you have the ability to change your
thoughts, and therefore - choose to succeed.
WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS
HAS BEEN?
Support from my husband and my family. My
husband is my number 1 fan who believes in me
and my business (oftentimes more than I do!) And
my family have always helped me with the kids so
that I have the space to bring my business to life.
I’m so grateful for that.
LOOKING BACK IS THERE A PIECE OF ADVICE
YOU WISH TO PASS ONTO SOMEONE STARTING
OUT?
Don’t look at your competitors. Just start & be
committed to doing what it takes to succeed.
Getting out from behind the comfort of my
computer and actually meeting people in real life!
I actually really enjoy networking events now, and
I’m always looking for events that will help keep
me motivated, inspired, and moving forward.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
Oooh, I don’t know. But I have an itch for a new
project in 2019!
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Movers, Shakers,
and the CookieBaker
At this point in time, I have lived my life 50/50 in the Philippines and Australia, I am determined
to make a positive impact in both countries I consider my home. Through Baked by Erica, I
endeavour to spread joy and happiness to everyone I meet through delicious baked treats and
use the profits from these treats to spread the joy and happiness further to a small farming
community in the Philippines. Building an empire and changing lives, one cookie at a time!
erica urquiaga - bakedbyerica.com.au
Making a positive impact on society has never
been easier, regardless of distance or time zone,
technology has made it so easy to actually impact
the lives of those near and far.
Much of what we do at Baked by Erica is driven
of our geographic locations. You would not believe
the number of message exchanges, photos,
clarifications which gets exchanged for one
project. We rely on Facebook, Messenger, Viber,
WhatsApp and emails to get the information
across.
by the spirit of giving back, of spreading joy and
happiness to our customers and friends in Perth
and to spreading that joy and happiness further
to a small farming community in the philippines.
We use 50% of our profits to deliver various
community projects in Don Jose Aguirre (Sipulan),
Zamboanga del Norte. In order to effectively
deliver our projects from over 4500kms away, we
rely on technology to get things happening.
From sending request letters via email, to teeing
up the presents and menu we owe it to technology
to make things happen instantaneously regardless
Technology also allows us to either deposit the
money to a bank account in the Philippines or to
send over wire transfer ready for the team on the
ground to pick up in minutes!
The ease at which we can plan and deliver our
projects is all thanks to this high tech times we
live in. Without the internet, the interconnection
we are readily part of with all our smartphones,
and the communication apps, it wouldn’t be
as easy to have the impact that we do in the
Philippines.
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As our projects heavily
rely on our sales in Perth,
our main medium of
getting the word out
about our delicious
cookies is social media.
Using various apps to edit photos and to create
various graphics, I tend to use my phone for
majority of all these tasks. Sometimes I actually
log in to a computer but 90% of the time,
everything happens over this little thing I have in
my hand.
To be honest, I sometimes forget just how far our
reach is thanks to social media. Most of the time,
doing what I do from home, it feels really isolated
and that it’s just me randomly stringing words
together, adding a photo, then pressing submit or
post. Only when I encounter the amazing people
who take time to follow our social media accounts
do I realise that it’s not just me, alone on the couch
or in the kitchen, on this journey. Every single
one of you who bother to like, follow, comment or
subscribe to the various communication channels
we have are on this journey with me.
Technology, social media, and everything it comes
with gets some negative press at times. The people
who use it for evil and troll do it a great disservice.
Used correctly, we have the ability to change not
just our own lives but the lives of everyone we
meet and heck everyone we haven’t even met,
from our couch on our little phone or computer.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 37

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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

Use social media
to empower
not disempower
JEANETTE MUSCAT - littlepinktypewriter.com.au
There’s a lot of talk about this and the impact of
social media-driven ‘comparisonitis’ on people’s
wellbeing. I get that. And it’s valid. In the early
days of social media people were more easily
manipulated and malleable about highlights reels
versus reality. But as social media has grown
into the beast it now is – and we know more
about its trickery and deception – people are a
lot more discerning, and arguably less prone to
comparisonitis.
I remember hearing the saying, “Comparison is
the thief of joy” (Theodore Roosevelt) years before
social media existed, and it really resonated with
me. Here’s why I choose not to buy – and never
really have bought – into comparisonitis.
While everyone’s circumstances and mindsets are
different and not everyone portrays “the perfect
life” on social media, we understand that social
media tends to be a highlights reel and should be
taken with a large bucket of salt, in terms of its
representation of life as a whole. And, some people
focus on others’ posts (what the Joneses are doing)
more than others.
Social media might amplify that experience for
some, but it’s been going on forever – the Keeping
Up with The Joneses mindset.
Why should you care
about the freakin’
Joneses? Seriously. Why?
How does it serve you,
your business or your
life? It really doesn’t.
My favourite things to see on social media
are people’s travel photos and celebrations –
embellished, filtered or otherwise. There’s so
much whinging and negativity in the world; let’s
appreciate the goodness, I say.
I travel as often as I can and engage in social/
active/arts/cultural stuff as much as I can. I post
happy snaps and everyday stuff (like food and
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 39

everages). Yes, I’m one of those people. I don’t do
it to pretend to have “a fun, busy, perfect life” –
from the ‘puter and remember… it’s a highlights
reel.
far from it! I do it because I like using Facebook to
(over)share and communicate with people far and
wide. It’s the “mass email” for me, which I also
used to engage in. Yes, I was one of those people
too!
I don’t love all social media platforms and don’t
feel obliged to participate in all of them. I stick
with the ones I do, omit the ones I don’t, and
reluctantly tolerate the ones I feel I should still pay
some attention to from a business point of view.
I am also acutely aware of how short life is, so I
embrace it, get out and about as much as I can, and
“do stuff” – and document it. The memories are in
So, how can we use social media to empower - not
disempower?
my noggin’, but I also love being able to look back
on it.
Empower
I don’t post pics of me sitting on the couch
watching TV, arguing with my husband, having a
stressful day, or picking up dog-poop. That’s not
because I don’t want people to know about these
“alarming” aspects of my very normal, boring life
Only use social media platforms you enjoy
engaging with. Follow people you enjoy engaging
with, can be inspired by or learn from. If it’s
negatively impacting you, limit your time on social
media.
or pretend they don’t exist; it’s because that stuff
is even more mundane than what I ate for lunch!
Disempower
The same goes for business personas and posts.
We know people’s highlights reels are just that –
highlights.
Some people are more competitive than others
and some control others’ perception of them
by embellishing and filtering to a larger degree.
And perhaps those people suffer more from
comparisonitis. So it’s a vicious cycle.
However… imagine the opposite. Imagine endless
feeds of people whining all day. An endless stream
of #firstworldproblems. Or, indeed, actual world
problems. All. The. Time. Crikey. Please, no.
Like for likes, follow for follows, fake engagement
– zzzzzzz. Follow huge numbers of people without
the capacity to meaningfully engage – hello
overwhelm! Follow people/pages/business you
don’t resonate with, but, for whatever reason, you
feel obliged to – pointless brain-drain.
It’s easy to spend (waste – albeit sometimes
joyfully!) a lot of time on social media, so try to
make it worthwhile. Life is short. Get on with it.
Post what you like. Don’t give a shit what others
are doing, unless it’s a positive experience for
you... And, so long as you’re not hurting others, do
what makes you happy.
Enjoy the highlights reels, I say! Be happy for the
Joneses. But if it occasionally gives you a pang of
comparisonitis, put down the phone, step away
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BLANCA
Wildly Creative
WHITE LABELLED
DIGITAL + BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
WWW.BLANCACREATIVE.COM.AU

TECHNOLOGY;
The Good,
The Bad and Ugly
Gemma Moore is a spark finder, a word spinner and a marketing strategist who loves helping women business
owners find and share their SPARK with the world. She has a BA in Media Studies (Radio and Print) and is
a former producer for ABC Radio where she first discovered the magic of stories. Gemma specialises in writing
winning business award submissions and creating successful Facebook Ad campaigns.
GEMMA MOORE
redsparkcommunications.com
As a marketing strategist who started my business
in the social media early years, I’ve spent a lot of
time using and observing technology and how it
wanted to know everything I could. That curiosity
remains with me today and has led to so many
positives.
impacts us and our business.
When I first started using technology, on our
I’ve come to realise, now more than ever, there is
good, bad, and ugly with technology. Especially for
me and my business - and probably yours too.
brand new computer with a fancy CD ROM, I
was hooked. It gave me access to all of this new
information (and this was before the internet, boy
was my mind going to be blown). One of the first
From a young age my Mum told me I could do
anything and be anything I wanted. This really
instilled in me a love of reading and learning - I
CDs we used was an encyclopedia - it was hard to
believe that the stack of heavy books on the shelf
could be condensed. But I realised it meant I had
42
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

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access to more information than ever.
you will need to invest - whether time or money in
your advertising and marketing.
I guess that’s one of the polarising aspects about
technology - the amount of information you can
access. At least back then there was some control
With technology, we are now just much more
aware of everything.
over what type of information was published
- with the internet now anyone can publish
anything - who cares if it’s true or correct (or
damaging or hateful)?
At one time I was the only social media consultant
in my regional city. Then I would go online and it
seemed there was a “social media guru” around
every corner or Facebook post.
I’ve spent a lot of my time in business trying
to educate and inform people with the right
information. I would worry with all the incorrect
posts I would see on social media. One of the main
reasons I had started the business in the first place
was because I was worried small businesses were
being taken advantage of and if they were being
exposed to this - so the incorrect advice online
really pushed my buttons.
I found technology and the ability to be part of so
many communities saw me spiral (many times)
into deep comparisonitis. The time I spent on
seeing what others were doing soon turned to
many hours and sometimes days wondering why
they were successful and I was struggling. Perhaps
it was simply the fact I was stuck in one place, not
taking action.
I soon found the wrong or misleading stuff would
spread like wildfire and the attempts to share the
“right” knowledge would be like pulling teeth.
The GBU (Good, Bad & Ugly) Ranking
Access to Information - Good
Information Overwhelm - Bad
Wrong Information Spreading - Ugly
When I started the business I was driven by (and
still am) the knowledge that social media and
technology gave smaller businesses the chance to
really compete with the bigger guys - or at least be
seen without having to spend big dollars.
And it did. But now we have a generation of
businesses who expect coverage, reach and
publicity to cost them nothing. Those who have
been in business for a while know at some point
I knew logically I
shouldn’t keep looking
but it became part of my
regular habits and an
easy way to procrastinate
from the scary step for
me of showing up and
sharing who I was.
The GBU Ranking
Reaching new audiences - Good
Comparing yourself to everyone and finding
yourself lacking - Bad and Ugly
Technology has created the sense we always need
to be ‘doing’ rather than just ‘being’. As a new
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ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

usiness owner, trying to justify themselves and
build a customer base, I had this sense that I had to
make a heap easier is breaking my shyness or
social awkwardness. It didn’t happen.
be at the computer - be seen to be working.
Yes, I have made some great friends online but
It's kind of crazy really because even if I was sitting
at my work desk in my office it didn’t actually
mean I was achieving anything - I was probably
just scrolling social media and going from website
it has taken a lot of time to find my people and I
still feel completely out of place in groups full of
thousands - and especially with those who have
well-established relationships.
to website, making myself feel worse and getting
completely overwhelmed.
I started to notice my own sense of self-esteem
had decreased being online and eventually I felt
In fact, I want to cry when I think about the time
I spent doing that when instead I could have gone
out for coffee or a walk and achieved more. Or at
least I would have felt better.
The GBU Ranking
Time saved - Good
completely invisible.
The need of wanting to be seen or heard online
made me feel even more alone. This was one of
my initial warning signs that I had lost a sense of
myself and also I was placing too much emphasis
on what others were doing.
Time spent procrastinating - Bad
Bad manners and nasty behaviour - Ugly
One of the major ugly sides can be the reach of
technology - it seems we’re always attached. Our
The GBU Ranking
Connecting with new people - Good
Having to remain connected - Bad
Feeling invisible -Ugly
social media pages are ranked on how quickly we
respond to people - it doesn’t matter if we are solo
operators or doing this as a side job.
Now with a lot of experience and a clearer sense
of who I am and what I need to function well,
I’ve learnt to minimise the bad and ugly aspects
We take our phones everywhere and there are
few places we can now escape technology or
being reachable. Even aircraft now provide wifi.
Technology means we can often feel confined and
boxed in.
Our brains rarely get the chance to rest or relax. Or
dare I say it - daydream? Today as I looked out the
window I realised it had been far too long since I
of technology and focus on the good things that
technology brings me and my business.
I’m confident to say technology has brought so
much more good to me. But I’ve learnt the most
from the bad and ugly.
The reality is technology can only amplify actions
from the real world - good, bad or ugly.
allowed myself that simple gesture.
And the one area I was so sure technology would
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 45

from B2B to
e-commerce
BIANCA MCKENZIE - biancamckenzie.com
Whether you’re new to business or a seasoned
entrepreneur, most of us will be using technology
to run and grow our businesses. For some it’s easy
peasy, for others it’s their daily struggle.
When I first started this journey I had been
working an office job for many years so I knew
my way around computers, plus I had an interest
in graphic design so I took a few short courses
to learn my way around a number of software
Doing what I do for a living, which involves
managing Facebook ads, and recently I’ve added
running an e-commerce store, I’m constantly
learning new technologies or at a minimum
updating my skills in the existing areas. Because
I’m relatively tech savvy my learning curve isn’t
usually very steep but I still ride the wave and
come across obstacles that sometimes make me
want to pull my hair out.
programs. Combined with a natural ability to pick
up new technology I think it was fairly predictable
that I would be utilising marketing software along
the way.
Admittedly I never thought I would end up
using technology as much as I do, let alone
make a living from it. I never set out to become a
Facebook advertising strategist, that happened
organically because more and more people asked
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me for help so I studied Facebook ads harder and
harder. It’s an area of marketing that constantly
changes so I have to upskill on a daily basis to
make sure I deliver my best work.
their support team are based in Brisbane. Once
I had made this decision it was time to build my
site. Wow, the options on Neto are endless as it’s
a very powerful platform but it’s not the easiest
e-commerce software to work with. Let’s be
Facebook advertising is
not something you can
take a break from for a
few months and expect
to be able to return to it
without any changes.
I was well aware of this and after taking some
months off to spend time with my baby girl,
I returned to work and to new changes in the
Facebook ads manager dashboard. Whilst it’s
not like starting from scratch, it still took a
considerable amount of time to discover what
Facebook had changed in the time I was ‘offline’.
Becoming a Mum and being at home with a little
one inspired me to setup an e-commerce store
whilst my baby girl was a few weeks old (call me
crazy, but I did). Even though I had been part
of e-commerce businesses in the past, I had a
completely new learning curve in front of me
when I selected an e-commerce platform that I
wasn’t familiar with. I had worked with Shopify
in the past, my ads manager website is built with
Wordpress plus Woocommerce, yet I decided to
choose Neto for my e-commerce store. Some part
of me wonders why I didn’t simply choose the
‘easy’ option and go with what I’m familiar wit.
My decision was simple. Neto charges in
Australian dollars rather than US dollars and
honest, I had many moments where I wished I’d
gone with Shopify because of ease of use but I
persisted and I’m glad I did. I now have a website
that looks good, is functional, offers me many
more options for when my business grows, is
paid for in Australian dollars and I have a new
skill set.
There are many similarities between running a
service based business and an e-commerce store
but there are also so many differences.
In my service based business I use email
marketing and sales funnels a lot more than I do
in my e-commerce business. In my service based
business my website is my business card and
my email funnel and sales pages are the ‘sales
conversation’ whereas my e-commerce store
is my shop front and the product descriptions
are the sales conversation. It’s a very different
structure and it required me to switch my
thinking in terms of how to market myself. The
focus is more on setting up your shop whereas in
my other business it’s very focused on content
through blogging and email marketing.
However frustrating technology may be at
times, as a business we are so lucky to have all
these tools available to us. Many of them make
doing business so much easier, faster, more
streamlined. So next time you’re at the stage
of pulling your hair out, take a minute and be
grateful for technology and this is as much a
reminder to myself as it is to you.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 47

EMAIL MARKETING
- THE Opposite OF
ANNOYING
Yael Keon is an online marketing strategist with 15 years experience working in multi-national corporations
from high level strategy right down to day to day marketing administration.
With a unique ability to see the big picture and map out practical steps to achieve outcomes, Yael now helps
small business owners to navigate their way through the world of Online Marketing, helping them find the
right marketing strategies and methods for their unique business. This is done through her blog, online
courses and one on one coaching.
YAEL KEON - yaelkeon.com
“But I don’t want to
annoy people”
“annoying” after all. But it was quite another to be
sending them on my own behalf – labelled there
with my name as the sender.
This is a sentiment I hear time and time again
when discussing the prospect of using email as a
marketing tool.
A sentiment bought on by users who have, frankly,
abused the system with spammy messages and
constant pushy sales tactics.
Something about it all of a sudden made me feel
icky. Even though I was always coming from a
place of being helpful and providing good content.
So, I went on a mission to discover how I could use
email in a way that was more personal and more
engaging. The type of content that your subscribers
reply and say thank you for sending that email.
But does this mean we need to avoid this tool
altogether?
I admit, when I first started my business I was
so nervous sending those first emails. It was one
thing sending them to subscribers as part of my
corporate marketing roles. It wasn’t me doing the
THE OPPOSITE OF ANNOYING.
Technology has been a great supporter in this and
has come a long way since email newsletters were
invented. The newsletter was a natural progression
from sending a physical letter with “news” to the
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 49

current electronic medium. But many of us have
gotten stuck in thinking that that is the only way to
grab their business card and walk away without
introducing yourself.
use it.
Even just one welcome email gives you the
Writing email newsletters is like writing Facebook
posts using the word “is” at the beginning. It’s
how things were done 10 years ago – not now.
opportunity to share the most important
information about what you do and why you do it.
It also gives the opportunity for response: Ask a
question and start a conversation.
On the opposite end of the spectrum though is the
highly pushy, numbers game others use where
LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM
they try to get as many people on their email lists
as possible only to promote something to them at
every opportunity. You know the ones – where you
get a slimy series of sales emails when you first
sing up and then never hear from them again until
the next launch.
This is where tagging comes in. Put simply, this is
where you add a virtual label to your subscribers
to know more about them. This amazing tool
helps you to categorise your subscribers based on
whatever criteria you like – from topics of interest
to products purchased to demographic criteria.
But what if there were a middle ground? A way
that you could use email as a sales tool while also
connecting with and helping your audience.
A way in which we can enjoy the benefits of
marketing at scale while still guiding your new
Using modern email marketing tools like Active
Campaign or ConvertKit, you can set it up so that
these labels are automatically added when specific
actions take place.
subscriber on an experience that is tailored to their
unique circumstances.
These actions can include clicking a link to read a
blog post, purchasing a service or even when they
Technology has made this possible through the
combination of features like automations and
tagging.
visit a page on your website.
This can then trigger a series of events like sending
more helpful information on that topic. Or the
Here are a few ways you can use technology to
personalise the email experience – beyond just
using their name in the opening.
information tag can just sit there so you have
a greater awareness of what your audience is
interested in and what they are not (super simple
market research!)
INTRODUCE YOURSELF
ASK QUESTIONS
A welcome automation is the perfect way to start
the relationship with your new subscriber and
get things off on the right foot. If you were to
meet someone face to face, you would never just
Ask any marketer and they will tell you the first
thing you need to do is “niche”. And the instant
response is fear of saying no to work.
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While I don’t disagree with the need to have a solid
target market, we can start a little bit broader on
our websites and get more specific in our emails –
You can even take this a step further by offering
upsells, VIP specials or purchase reminders when
they are due for that next appointment.
all by asking questions. By using the add tag when
someone clicks a link feature, you can easily create
MOVE THE CONVERSATION ELSEWHERE
a custom series of emails based on a niche.
One of the most powerful ways to use email is to
DON’T SEND EVERYTHING TO EVERYONE
not rely on it for everything.
Once tags are applied it makes it simple to send
your emails only to those who have expressed
interest in a topic or purchase. You can send
promotional emails only to those who are
interested in that topic. You can send your regular
updates only to those who have finished their
welcome sequence so they aren’t getting too many
emails. You can empower your subscribers to
remove themselves from receiving launch emails,
but still remain on your list.
However, by sending regular content, adding
interest tags, tracking opens and even use lead
scoring systems you can identify who is most
interested in what you offer. Once you know this,
you can start to engage with those people more
on different platforms. This could be by following
them on social media (if appropriate) and starting
conversations or reaching out to them personally.
ADD MORE OF YOU
Or if there is an email you don’t want your Mum
to see then you can just exclude those with tag
“Mum” (sorry, Mum).
While technology is powerful and provides so
many avenues to personalise the email experience,
the one thing it cannot replace is you and your
stories. If you want to make your emails more
Create an amazing customer service experience
Often we think about email marketing as a tool to
get sales so focus our energies on list building and
campaigns.
personal and to connect more with your target
audience, then you need to bring more of you into
your emails.
This means getting a bit more vulnerable and
But 90% of the time, the best source of sales is
existing customers – whether by repeat business
or referrals. By adding email to the mix you can
increase the odds of this happening by creating
some amazing customer service.
You could create post-purchase sequences
sharing some stories. Or it means just sharing your
wit or sense of humour.
And, with email, it isn’t sitting there publicly on a
social media profile or in a blog post – it has that
slightly more conversational and comfortable
feeling of sitting in someone’s private inbox.
which include tips on how to use or take care of
their product or you can send a series of emails
onboarding a new client. All on autopilot.
It can be daunting, but it is what is going to add the
most personalisation of all.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 51

How technology
can improve the
human experience
LUDWINA DAUTOVIC
theroomxchange.com

I began my entrepreneurial journey pre-internet
sensation that clung to me in every way.
and pre-digital in what were known as the
‘analogue’ days. It was way back in the time when
we used to watch movies on VHS tapes, listen
to music on CDs, and made phone calls from a
landline. In my first business I would pound the
streets, delivering postcards with my details from
one house to another. I’d leave posters with phone
number tear offs, so people could easily call and
book me in. My list of clients was a box filled with
As entrepreneurs in a technological world,
we have so many advantages. Our stores can
be reached by thousands if not millions, our
messages can be heard from far and wide and our
offerings are no longer limited to our own locale.
However, with anything new, adoption is required.
This requires change, which can be uncomfortable
for many, especially those of my age and beyond.
white cards with their details alphabetised, stored
safely in my desk. It was the ‘good old days’.
To save you the
arithmetic, I’m 52 and
I’ve been working for
myself for 26 years.
I adopted massive
changes as digital and
the internet became a
staple in our lives.
I continually hear, “how things have changed”
and yes, they have. The mantra usually arrives
from the lips of those from my generation who
struggle to embrace evolving technology.
I don’t know why, but as soon as we shifted from
analogue to digital I embraced it with gusto. Mind
you, I was a lot older than most people embracing
the change. At the age of 34 I bought my first
computer and a few years later my first mobile
phone. Once I got a taste for tech, it was a sweet
Embracing technology is a must for every
business
Many small businesses are struggling to keep up
with the ever-changing world of tech. Bricks and
mortar businesses are most affected as resources
are limited and overheads high. Introducing
innovation as a common practice for your
business can help generate the rapid growth that
tech offers, helping you stay ahead of the pack.
Combining tech and offline tactics
Embracing technology can drive gains but there
will always be a need for human connection.
Businesses who can successfully combine
both, will stay a cut above the rest. Here are
some examples of businesses who are utilising
innovative technologies and traditional tactics in a
beautiful combination.
Sweep – Retailers are struggling to get customers
in their stores. Sweep is a shopping app that
uses Augmented Reality to help customers find
great shopping deals at local retailers. It uses
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 53

geolocation and gamification to attract Millennials
who love buying on impulse.
Sweep users can search for offers around them,
ensuring they never miss out on a good deal.
time poor households with guests who provide
two hours of help around the house each day in
Xchange for food and accommodation. Technology
is the only way we could create this business and
allow us to scale it nationally and internationally.
CEO Robyn Foyster says, “Sweep’s flagship AR
feature will help map your journey to stores and
venues. Immersive experiences are the future of
retail and we believe Sweep will revolutionise how
people shop and importantly be the catalyst to
drive more sales.”
Utilising so many facets of tech, we’ve been able
to create an online marketplace where hosts
and guests can create a profile that provides
information about themselves, their values,
personality type and needs and then directly
connect with a host/guest who matches their
With online retailers dominating the on-demand
economy, Sweep will revolutionise the retail
industry by creating a new avenue for online and
criteria. They can then message each other
internally, have a conversation, connect offline
and then start their Xchange.
bricks and mortar stores to reach their customers.
This will also enable traditional retailers to gather
valuable, customer analytics and data. It’s a great
use of innovative technology to drive customers to
retail stores.
We’ve also recognised that although technology
can cover the entire process from start to finish,
our hosts, being time poor, might want an offline
service that filters through potential guests,
conducts interviews and instigates the connection.
Ikea – Using print and digital to stay ahead of the
market.
We call it our Matchmaking Service and it’s our
premium service available to those who need
it., Those who like good old-fashioned human
Ikea has an Augmented Reality app called Ikea
Place. It lets you experience, experiment and
share Ikea products into any space in your home
or office. Everything is 3D and true to scale so you
can see if it will fit. “Ikea Place makes it easier
to make buying decisions and get inspired to try
different products, styles and colours in real-life
settings with a swipe of your finger.” Says Michael
Valdsgaard, Leader of Digital Transformation.
support. In fact, adding an additional premium
service that connects on a personal level, can be
your point of difference.
Technology doesn’t do away with the need for
people. What it does is enable the connections to
happen faster, provides a broader reach and can
facilitate the engagement or end result in a much
more affordable way.
It’s a great combination of online and offline
strategies.
Embrace it. It’s not going anywhere. It’s growing
and moving at a pace we can’t fathom. But like
anything that requires change, just do it one step
The Room Xchange - My company, The Room
Xchange, is an online platform that connects busy,
at a time. Find one thing you can implement,
integrate it, find another, rinse and repeat.
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WANT TO
WRITE FOR ROOOAR?
WE ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR WRITERS, INTERVIEWEES, AND GUEST POSTS.
FIND OUT MORE HERE OR EMAIL EDITOR@ROOOAR.COM.AU

TRACY O’MEARA SMITH
HOLISTIC THERAPIST,
SILVERDALE NATURAL THERAPY
Tracy is a Holistic Therapist providing
support and empowered relief to
women who suffer from remedial
health issues, chronic pain and anxiety.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I am a Holistic Therapist. I use a combination of natural therapies such as Bowen, Emmett and Flower
Essence Therapy.
Helping women gain the peace, relief and new perspective they crave. The body does not need very much
to bring it back into it’s own natural postural alignment. The mind does not need very much to find peace.
Bring the two together healing both mind and body – you will gain the inner empowerment to move through
and gain the relief that’s needed. Gaining quality of life.
HOW DID YOU START?
I started after my daughter had hip dysplaysia has a baby. I used Bowen and Flower essences including
numerous other holistic therapies to help her move her hips almost 19 degrees over a space of 18 months. We
avoided surgery and years of other complications. I am a huge believer in holistic therapy and the power of
using the body’s own innate wisdom to heal and gain relief.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED?
To trust your intuition and your gut instincts. If in doubt - don’t. Always trust what you are
feeling and you can never go wrong.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF?
Trust yourself, back yourself.
CONNECT WITH TRACY
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REBECCA HOPE
WEBSITE DESIGN,
BELLE WEB DESIGN + DEVELOPMENT
Rebecca earns a crust by designing
and developing custom websites.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I earn a crust by designing and developing custom websites (specialising in WordPress, Shopify and
BigCommerce).
HOW DID YOU START?
By travelling down many different professional paths and starting a business in a completely different industry!
But, I have finally found myself at home with ‘Belle Design’. Creating beautiful (and functional) websites is the
perfect synergy between my varied business experience and my passion for the creative.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED?
That I can always learn a bigger lesson.
WHAT RESOURCE CAN YOUR BUSINESS NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Google (and wine).
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF?
Take some advice, woman!
And please ask for help once in a while.
CONNECT WITH REBECCA
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 57

JENNA-RAE HALLETT
CREATIVE GRAPHIC + WEB DESIGNER,
JENNA-RAE DESIGNS
Jenna-Rae specialises in branding from small
to medium sized businesses. Her design style is
whimsical, elegant and funky.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I am a Creative Graphic and Web Designer specialising in branding from small to medium sized businesses. My
design style is whimsical, elegant and funky. Each piece of art work is carefully thought out and researched. I
work with my clients to create the perfect logo, website and more, making sure all their needs and requests are
listened to and met.
HOW DID YOU START?
I have always wanted to work in a creative role and be my own boss. After running a successful online retail
business for 3 years and becoming a mummy to 2 beautiful little girls I decided to finally follow my passion and
open up my own graphic design studio from home. And I absolutely love it.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED?
Believe in yourself and take a risk. Work smarter as well as harder and always aim high.
WHAT RESOURCE CAN YOUR BUSINESS NOT LIVE WITHOUT?
Social media such as Instagram and Facebook. I really enjoy staying connected with clients and fans through
social media as well as using these platforms to network and share my work.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF
Be more confident in yourself, you are going to do some amazing things!
CONNECT WITH JENNA
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Putting the
“Human Touch” Into
Your Online
Business
Lacey Nagar is a Confidence and Visibility Coach, author, and mentor. She helps entrepreneurs
feel more confident about themselves, show up bigger, comfortably stand out, and make
an impact with their work. Lacey blends visibility strategy, mindset work, and the power of
persistence into all of her programs.
Lacey Nagar
gracefulrising.com
Online business has so
many perks. We can work
all day in our pajamas
without anyone knowing,
we can create our own
schedules and work from
anywhere, and we can
serve people halfway
across the globe.
I was so excited to start my online business for
these very reasons. I realized pretty quickly that
something was missing from my email blasts and
Facebook posts. It felt too automated - like I was
constantly hiding out behind my computer. It felt
surface-y and impersonal.
I was missing that human connection.
Relationships are so important in business.
Sometimes we forget that business starts with
building relationships… relationships with clients,
collaborators, and mentors. Luckily, it’s never too
late for us to put the generosity and the “build
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a relationship first” mentality back into online
business. With just a few tweaks to the way we
show up online, we can get back to the basics
of building relationships and genuine human
connection.
would just pick up the phone and call me. The
same may be true for your online community. It’s
powerful to actually talk to a person on the phone.
You can hear their tone and their inflections, you
can dive deeper and ask follow-up questions, and
you can have a two-way conversation (which is
If you’ve already built an online business there’s
no need to panic. There are easy ways to add more
of a human touch back into business.
not always the case on video). Would you enjoy
having a conversation with someone rather than
just watching a video or reading a post? If so, your
clients probably would, too.
USE VIDEO
Can you offer a connection call or a get acquainted
Not everyone is comfortable on video, and you
don’t have to use it. But, it is a great way for people
to get to know you better (because they can see
your beautiful face) and for you to connect in a
call with prospective clients when they come
into your community? What about a preview or
educational call where you talk about what you do
and open it up for questions?
more personal way. There’s something powerful
about being able to see someone’s eyes and
HOST A WORKSHOP OR RETREAT
their facial expressions. It helps to build trust
and rapport, and people are more likely to buy
from those they trust. Video is a great way to
show up and connect with your people if you feel
comfortable being visible in this way.
Workshops and retreats are a great way to move
your online community offline. Retreats or
workshops may not be possible for everyone
at every stage of business, but your first one
doesn’t have to be something huge right off the
CONDUCT 1:1 CALLS
bat. You could host a retreat for 5-10 people in
an international location, or it could be a 2-hour
In the age of texting, I sometimes wish people
workshop for a few people in your town. There’s
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something really special about actually being with
someone in person. I love being able to feel the
energy of another person because it helps me get
an even better idea about who they are and where
they’re coming from.
HANG OUT ON ZOOM WITH A GROUP
BE VULNERABLE, SHARE FROM THE HEART
Even if you didn’t put any of the above options into
practice, there’s still a way to make connections
and build relationships through your vulnerability.
Just show up as who you are, share from the heart,
let people get to know the real you, and share some
behind the scenes of your life and business if you feel
This is a fun way to do an online workshop while
being on video. People aren’t always willing (or
able) to travel to a workshop or retreat. On Zoom,
attendees from all over the world can show up on
comfortable. Online marketing can feel surface-y
and unattached if we’re not careful. Sharing
something real, even in a post, is a great way to bring
the humanity back to online business.
video to talk to each other and the hostess. Even
though it’s long-distance it still feels more intimate
and personal.
SEND A GIFT
I am starting to see the shift in people. We’re
craving that real, in-person connection now more
than ever. Fortunately, there are many ways for
those of us with online businesses to show up in
a bigger way, connect, build relationships, and be
This is one of my favorite ways to stay connected
and show I care. The first coach I ever worked
with always sent a gift to her clients during their
program and inspired me to do the same. If you have
addresses for other people in your community (not
just clients) you could also send them a random
vulnerable with our communities, collaborators,
and potential clients online.
If you get stuck, ask yourself, what would make me
feel more connected? Do that.
gift. I have a colleague who sends care packages to
women in her community when she knows they’re
struggling with something or need a pick-me-up.
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 63

Ever taken a moment to appreciate the many ways
technology enhances your life? It may not be the
most glamorous reflection for your daily gratitude
practice, but I’m sure you’d agree – there’s much
to be thankful for. As digital technologies evolve,
they create opportunities for us to grow our
professions and expand our potential for success.
We now have the capability to be more connected,
more efficient, and more knowledgeable than ever
before.
For female entrepreneurs and business owners,
the real value of technology lies beyond the ease
of connectivity, the efficiency gains of automated
processes, and the convenience of ready access
to information. Digital technologies have given
us the freedom to pursue an online career of our
own design, and one which supports our chosen
lifestyle. In short, technology empowers you to
choose your own version of freedom.
As someone who escaped corporate life in 2015, I’m
one of the many women who decided to explore life
outside a traditional business career, crafting an
online career of greater diversity, flexibility, and
autonomy. It’s easy to dismiss the concept that we
live in a time when ‘anything is possible’, but after
transitioning from the public sector into a new
(and much improved!) life as a freelance writer and
yoga teacher, I know this to be true.
in the digital landscape,
you’re guaranteed to find
a dazzlingly abundance
of options.
Choose your own role
Unlike a bricks and mortar business, starting out
as a virtual entrepreneur or online business owner,
comes with fewer financial and legal risks, and
doesn’t require a significant start-up investment
of time or money. This isn’t to suggest that life
as an online business owner is always easeful and
serene, but that the availability, accessibility and
affordability of virtual platforms removes many
of the entry barriers experienced by traditional
businesses.
If you already offer services to clients or sell
products, it can be a relatively painless transition
into the online marketplace, especially if you
engage a designer to take care of the technical
details. If selling direct isn’t for you, you might
choose to share your expertise through a blog or
develop a series of workshops. The point is that
you get to choose the path you take, how much you
invest, and how quickly you’d like to reach your
goals.
When it comes to your
career there’s no one size
fits all approach and no
single path to success.
But in forging a career
You may decide to step straight into life as a fulltime
business owner, or perhaps a part-time gig
is more your style? The latter approach worked for
me. In fact, it’s eminently sensible to start your
business as a side hustle while you continue with
your ’day job’. It means you’ll have income coming
in while you build your business, freeing it from
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Embracing THE
POWER OF DIGITAL
TECHNOLOGY
Tracey is a creative freelance writer,
researcher, and content creator based
in Brisbane. She specialises in writing
compelling copy for clients who aim
to inspire, educate or create positive
change in the world.
TRACEY SARGENT
traceysargent.com
the pressure to make money straight away.
Design a lifestyle which allows you to prioritise
self-care
Even if you start working in your business in one
capacity, you’re able to change things up at any
stage you like. You might start out as a solopreneur
– working across every single aspect of your
operation, but later feel drawn to one niche within
your business. You can mix and match to your
heart’s content.
The ability to design your own career and by
extension your lifestyle, outside the constraints
of the traditional 9 to 5 structure, makes it easier
to prioritise all the things which are important to
you. Working long hours at a corporate job isn’t
necessarily a problem, unless the compromises
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you make for that extra work time, mean you start
sacrificing your health, happiness or sanity. When
things get busy and the days get long, it’s logical
for other parts of your life to suffer – you may
sleep less, stop exercising or make less time to
relax.
recognise and tune into this, you’ll work from a
place of understanding and know the best strategy
to employ – it might be to push forward or take
a break. You’re free to set your own boundaries,
determine your daily non-negotiables, and
ultimately craft your ideal working day.
I know how easy it is to get caught up in the swirl
Be ready to adapt and open to opportunities
of busyness - it used to be a state I’d champion
and applaud. But many of us, myself included,
now know better – the lack of sleep, exercise, or
‘you’ time, eventually leaves you feeling drained,
depleted, and incapable of delivering quality work
or living your best life.
Find and protect your energetic balance
I’m sure you’re familiar with the adage, ‘the only
constant is change’; it’s especially true online. The
exponential growth in digital technologies we’ve
experienced in the last few years alone, show us
just how quick and impactful those changes can be.
While managing your response to this changing
landscape may not always be easy, challenges can
also open you up to fantastic opportunities.
Running an online business means you get to
decide how much time and energy you wish to
devote to your career and your family on any
given day, week, month or season. You’re able to
structure your work time in a way that benefits
you – no permission needed to take time off or
negotiate around everyone else’s plans. This is
empowered freedom.
Unlike a traditional business, working online
means you can change strategies or change your
mind with much greater ease and generally with
less dramatic consequences. Think you’ve made a
wrong turn or a bad decision? When your business
exists virtually, nothing is permanent – you can
quickly pivot and try a different approach, even if
that means returning back to where you started.
On any given day, you also get to decide how many
hours you want to work and when those work
hours will fall. Perhaps you’re a night owl who
does her best work after dark? Or maybe you’d like
to squeeze in some productive time early in the
morning before the rest of the house wakes up?
If you’ve ever tried starting over in the corporate
world, you’ll know how challenging it can be. But
as a digital entrepreneur, you’re able to explore
diverse career paths, return to work on your terms,
and enjoy a greater capacity to reinvent your career
time and time again.
Pursuing life as a digital entrepreneur allows you
to respond to the energetic ebbs and flows of your
working day in a way that suits you.
Working for yourself in this way gives you a
greater awareness of your energy levels and how
your focus naturally ebbs and flows. Once you
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INTERVIEW
W I T H
Ellie Swift
Ellie Swift is a Certified Mindset & Marketing Coach, Social Media Strategist, Writer and
Speaker. She works with ambitious women who are ready to share their unique blend of
magic with the world and truly be seen, so that they can connect authentically with their
customers online. With a decade in digital marketing, Ellie combines her own experience
managing multi-million dollar marketing campaigns with her coaching skills to help
women grow and scale their heart-centred businesses.
ELLIE SWIFT
ellieswift.com
WHO IS THE ELLIE SWIFT BEHIND THE
BUSINESS AND THE BIO?
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND
YOUR WORK AS A MINDSET & MARKETING
COACH?
I’m a partner, friend, daughter, and sister. I’m an
introvert and extrovert in equal measures and an
INFJ on the Myers-Briggs scale. I’m a yoga-pantswearing
optimist who is equally as obsessed with
nature and technology. I’m driven, passionate,
and committed to personal growth and business
growth. I really love people, and I care deeply
about championing women and supporting them
to succeed in business.
I spent many years working in corporate agencies
in London, Sydney and Perth and, while I
loved marketing, I became progressively more
disenchanted by the structure of the corporate
world and my role within that. I was spending
more time playing politics than I was doing great
work, and I was exhausted. I’ve always been
spiritual, and as I grew and ventured through my
own personal development journey in my 20s, my
desire to do ‘good’ business increased. I knew my
soul wanted more than a corporate office.
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When I was 27 I completed my coaching
certification and coached developers,
photographers, designers and other coaches.
I quickly realised my
sweet spot was my
ability to tune in and
understand people’s
strengths and talents
and champion them to
succeed, as well as my
ability to support that
process through my
marketing skills.
I’m most proud that I’ve stayed really true to
myself and built a business that feels great to me.
There are so many coaches and consultants out
there and I knew that if I was going to succeed I
needed to stay in my own lane, cut out the noise
and take the best next step forward for me every
single day. I have immense self-belief, which I
attribute to my daily spiritual practice.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE HAD TO GIVE
UP ANYTHING TO SUCCEED IN YOUR
BUSINESS?
Absolutely. I believe that for every addition there
needs to be a subtraction.
ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU THEY HAVEN’T
MADE SACRIFICES FOR THEIR BUSINESS
IS LYING.
When I first started my business I was still
WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUR JOURNEY,
WHAT IS THE THING YOU ARE MOST
PROUD OF?
working full time as Head of Strategy for a private
agency (I know, I was crazy). I told my friends
and family that I wouldn’t be able to be as great a
partner, friend, daughter or sister for the next 6
My business has grown quickly, and very
organically, which I believe is because of my
marketing skillset that I already had. I always
encourage my clients to tap into their existing
skills, talents and life-experience when they
are starting their businesses. Very rarely are we
starting from scratch!
months to 1 year so that I could focus on building
the business. They were all really supportive and
understood because I was so open and transparent
about my goals and vision for my business. It
enabled them to feel invested in my success.I then
gave up an amazing corporate salary and all the
stability that comes with a fancy corporate job, yet
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proceeded to work harder in my business than I’ve
ever worked in my life. I’m grateful to have a very
supportive partner who has been there cheering
me on through all of it, and I wouldn’t change any
of it for a second.
I love my morning routine and am usually up
very early. I start my day at 5am or 6am with a
meditation, followed by yoga or a walk. We live
5 minutes walk to the beach in Fremantle and so
the ocean is a really big part of my life. I try to get
down there a few times a day to reset my mind or
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR THOSE
STRUGGLING TO GAIN A SUCCESSFUL
WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
get clarity on the latest strategy or launch I have
on.
I work from home and am at my desk by 7am or
I don’t believe in work-life balance - I prefer
to think of it as work-life integration. Balance
is unattainable, and the more we strive for that
perfect ‘balance’, the more we will feel like we’re
failing. I believe in creating structure in our lives
so that creativity and magic can flow within that.
8am. I have clients in the U.S that I see at 7am,
so it’s often an early start for me! I run my entire
business online which is really productive and
efficient because I never spend time travelling
between meetings. It also means I can travel
whenever I want, which I often take advantage of.
I like to take the time to plan out my week every
Sunday. I colour code my digital calendar so that I
can see what I have on – whether it be work, play,
self-care, exercise or time with friends and family.
Within that structure I can quickly see if there is
too much or not enough of one colour, and I do my
I also plan out my day based on when I’m most
productive. For me my creativity is at an all time
high until about 11am, then it spikes again from
6pm – 8pm, so I make sure I do my writing and
strategic work during those hours.
best to change things up before the week begins.
WHAT IS THE MOST CRITICAL THING
My tendency is to work more than I play, and
so carving out more time away from my desk
is something that I’m constantly working on
(although I’ll never say no to time outdoors or a
break for a glass of vino!)
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR
YOU’VE LEARNED?
Two words: just start. It doesn’t sound profound,
but all the successful people I know are massive
action takers and move forward even when they
don’t know if something is a good idea. You will
never know if you don’t take the next step forward.
DAY?
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When it comes to your business and brand, you
know it back to front.
A recent episode of The Big Bang Theory saw
Astrophysicist Dr Rajesh Koothrappali invited to
chat on the local news about a meteor shower.
The what. The why. The how.
This was a great opportunity for him as a radio
interview was how Neil Degrasse Tyson began his
When it comes to showcasing and promoting your
brand this is where it can become a little difficult.
You’ve set up your Social Media and leads are
generated, objectives are being met and then you
receive an email; “Hi, we would love to speak to
you about what you do and how you established
your business on Boss Mode Radio. “
career. However, in true Raj form, his arrogance
took control of what little time on air he had.
He used those valuable minutes to start “beef”
with the popular scientist and not showcase his
amazing facts and knowledge, which was how
Degrasse Tyson was able to launch a stellar career
in the media in the first place.
Panic sets in. You think to yourself, “I’ve never
been on radio before. What the hell do I even say?”
Many Big Bang Theory fans would know of Raj’s
nature and mannerisms, but if this was reality
and you heard someone do something like this
Getting yourself (and your brand) behind the
microphone can be a massive boost to both.
Kicking butt in your on air interviews and podcasts
will do amazing things for you, but only if you
on the radio you would think they were either a
giant pain in the backside or someone who loved
themselves way too much. And this is where selfindulgence
has taken away from their message.
work it.
It’s important to remember the old saying – for
So, where do we begin? Do you want to know what
my number one rule is? No one cares what you ate
for breakfast, how you got invited to some fancy
event, or where you take your dog for walks!
Radio has been around longer than TV and yet it
still managers to captivate the masses to this day.
Why? Because it understands it’s audience, goes
with the changes to the industry and makes their
listeners feel special. And that is the key.
every 10 “You”, Use 1 “I”.
Whilst being a part of a group is great on social
media when it comes to the radio, your audience
wants to feel like they are having a one on one
conversation with you. Why do you think the
Talkback radio format has been able to sustain
themselves for this long? Their audience
regardless of the time of day, feels like they can
relate or be heard.
When you start talking about you all the time,
without bringing the story back to the audience
and how they might be able to relate to what
you are saying, you are then perceived as selfindulgent.
For example, here’s how I’d start a segment (and
often do!)
“Good Morning and welcome to Boss Mode Radio.
I’m Demelza Leonard, I hope YOU are having a
wonderful morning. Today on the show I’d like
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DEMELZA LEONARD
bossmoderadio.com.au
to share with YOU how to overcome anxiety when
being on air.
listener feel like I want to share their story and talk
to them.
Have YOU ever struggled with that? Would YOU
like to share YOUR story and how YOU overcame
it? Let’s chat and YOU could win a year’s
subscription to Roooar Magazine.
Even as a guest, use stories and anecdotes that
bring the audience back to what you are trying to
say and not just being all about you and what you
do.
Now, before we get into our show today, have YOU
heard the latest from… “
Plan now, have a couple of rehearsals, and prepare
to be a rock star on the microphone (and not
just because you can do a killer rendition of Pat
Here, I’ve used “I” and “me” only where
Benatar).
necessary and have really focused on making the
WIRED
F O R
SOUND
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 73

LORRAINE
HAMILTON
coachschool.academy
COACHES
CORNER
with Lorraine Hamilton
“My clients are doing my head in! They are
always asking for extra advice on things I don’t
even specialise in and then when I charge for it
they question it. HELP! How can I teach people
what I do?”
This is a tough love moment - if your clients
are behaving badly, then it’s likely because you
have allowed them to. But don’t worry, there
is a way out. It just requires some short term
pain for long term gain. Before we get started
I want you to know that you are not alone. It’s
natural for us to begin our business with few
boundaries because of our passion for our work
and desire to get those first few clients through
the door. Congratulations on getting to the point
where you can no longer accommodate the extra
requests and freebies! Now is the time for some
very clear boundaries though. Until you are clear
on what you will and won’t do, and for how much
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though, your clients won’t be clear.
Write down exactly how you want to be spending
your time, what you will do and what you won’t.
Are there additional fees for extras, and if so what
are they? Once you have that crystal clear, then get
that into your service agreement stat! Having a
clear agreement is the easiest way to instill good
boundaries between you and your clients.
getting more done in a day (unless you are
procrastinating, which I’ll cover shortly), it’s more
about prioritizing what needs to be done.
Most business owners are creative and have a
million and one ideas.But that doesn’t mean that
they are all winning ideas! Learning to prioritise
the tasks that are going to take you closer to your
vision for your business is the key. There’s a reason
that organisations invest in their vision, mission
With regards to your existing clients, you can issue
them a new agreement by informing them that
your success means that you have had to review
your terms. If that is bringing fear up for you,
lean into it. This is your growth moment in your
and values - it informs their decision making
process. When you are super clear on why you are
doing what you are doing, you can prioritise your
tasks much better. So step one is get clear on why
you are in business.
business, and you are stretching and laying out
what you need in order to do your best work. You’ll
look back on this moment fondly in the future.
Step 2 is to break your tasks into bitesize chunks.
The smaller the task, the less likely you are to avoid
or procrastinate over it. I usually chunk my tasks
Setting and maintaining boundaries is a sign of a
mature business owner, and it will make your life
and work all the more enjoyable.
into activities that take 2-5 minutes each. There
is a time investment in creating such a granular
list for sure, but the payoff is that when you sit
down to actually start working, you have far more
awareness of what you can actually get done. We
There is always more to do. I can’t seem to get
everything done - it’s all too much. How can I
get more done in a day? I mean, I have the same
number of hours a day as Beyonce and she’s
ruling the world.
Ah, Beyonce does rule the world, but she doesn’t
do it alone. There are a couple of pieces to this
puzzle, one of which is delegation or outsourcing.
I don’t know a single business owner who regrets
outsourcing, so that is definitely one way to get
more out of your day. If you are not there yet
though then let’s look at how to work with what
you have got. As business owners there is such
a lot to do, and that to-do list is neverending,
often set ourselves up to fail by expecting far too
much from our time. When you have really broken
down your projects and tasks into those bitesize
actions, you begin to realign your expectations and
priorities. Besides, it gives you way more things to
cross off your list, and who doesn’t love the feeling
of achievement that that gives?
Finally, realise that you will likely never get
everything done, and be OK with that. By
prioritising what you need to do in line with your
vision, mission and values you can be sure that the
most important things are getting your attention,
and you will see forward movement towards your
goals.
right? I don’t think that the problem is necessarily
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 75

CUPPA
COPY
with Jay
Crisp Crow
Jay Crisp Crow is the owner of a strange name
and a copywriting business focusing on website,
conversion, and advertising copy. She also teaches
brave business women bored of boring to write copy
that sells all their things. Jay regularly speaks and
teaches in Perth and online on everything copy and
words - jazz hands included. She lives in an 85 year
old cottage in the wilds of the Perth hills with her
Viking husband, clever children, and far too many
geese.
JAY CRISP CROW
crispcopy.com.au
76
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20

Just when you thought copywriting was all about
the words, I’m going to break your heart. You’ve
already heard the rants about copywriting being
different to content writing but there’s more. Yep,
I’m going to add extra layers of expectations - like a
grandchildless Mother in Law at Christmas dinner.
Good copy.
Conversion copy.
Copy that makes
your ideal client get
itchy in the clicky
finger.
That copy is considerate of a lot of things: brand
storytelling, tone of voice, content and visuals,
but also user experience (UX in copy lingo), reader
psychology, and * gasp * tech.
menu bars, on forms, and on buttons.
Here’s truth: no one wants to subscribe to your
newsletter. Literally, zero people want another
bleeding email in their inbox to deal with. Nope,
nada, zip. So writing:
SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER
is boring. And also offputting. And not in the least bit
enticing to, well, anyone.
But switch that copy up to outlining a benefit to
being on a newsletter? Well, then your microcopy
starts working for you.
Microcopy has the ability to bring a shiver of delight
and a quick smile to your reader. It can also reassure
them with brand promises (like not selling your
email to cowboys when someone does subscribe).
Write (and design) your microcopy in a way to make
your reader do something, but also be entertained,
and you have a winning conversion copy combo.
So, how can we make tech be our worker bee when it
comes to excellent copywriting and user experience?
Firstly, we can go over and above with our copy
skills. We’ve spent hours and weeks and millennia
working on our header copy, hooks, headlines, and
brand statements. The top of our pages are sweet.
But have we looked at the little stuff? Have we given
our microcopy some love?
Microcopy is the little bits of writing often ignored
by website builders but extremely powerful to those
who read it. It lives in tiny spots - footers, above the
The great thing about the microcopy/tech marriage
is they play nicely together. You can test how your
microcopy is performing using a huge array of tech
options and then tweak to see if something works
better. Bonus: not as onerous to rewrite a button like it
is an About page.
(Anecdotal proof: do you know how many emails I
get about the microcopy in my footer about stealing
my words and a threat of teenagers and kittens?
I’m not joking, by the way. I will send them to your
house.)
ROOOAR MAGAZINE - ISSUE 20 77

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