We have loved tapping into the experience and knowledge of our business advisors, who we have been working with very closely during this time and with the rollout of our grants program.
We have selected advisors which had areas of both common and differing focus and experience to provide our businesses with the best advice for their business.
Wendy Perry of Switch Start Scale and Workforce Blueprint shared her thoughts and expertise on how businesses grow and scale their business.
Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hey everyone, I’m Wendy Perry, MD of Workforce BluePrint; Entrepreneurship Facilitator at Switch Start Scale; Facilitator for Sea to Valley Startups; Chair & Board Member; Investor; Strategic Workforce Planning & Development; VET/TVET Expert.
How long have you been consulting and can you tell our readers more about your career journey?
When I was 28-29 years old I began the company, following roles in the public and private sectors, related to education, innovation, tech, women, learning and development, and this year I turn 50!
Beginning a career as an Australian Apprentice (trainee) in the South Australian state government, being quickly promoted to higher level administration roles and then working in a contact centre environment with Telstra, I have a strong client focus. Background includes business development, consultancy, training and assessing, leadership and management roles within private and public Registered Training Organisations in the areas of Traineeships and Apprenticeships (all industry sectors), Vocational Preparation and Business Services.
The youngest Educational Manager in TAFE in South Australia at 25 years of age, I established the first call/contact centre training facility in South Australia at the Institute, gaining sponsorship from numerous contact centre, technology and recruitment agency supporters. Whilst in this role, I was approached by the Industry Skills Board for Information Technology to manage the Women into IT&T project for South Australian Business Vision 2010. Linked to work within industry, the Department of Education and Children’s Services offered a position in a senior policy role with an IT&T industry focus in the secondary schooling sector. In January 2003, at the age of 29, a company was established called Wendy Perry and Associates Pty Ltd (trading as Workforce BluePrint and Switch Start Scale) and with the first client, Reframing the Future I undertook a project management role working with education, government and industry organisations from around Australia from 2004-2008.
Recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Education Studies (Digital Learning) from the University of South Australia, qualifications include a Master of Education (University of Tasmania), Vocational Graduate Diploma of Management (Learning), Advanced Diploma of Management, Diploma of Quality Auditing, Diploma and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, and Certificate IV in Small Business Management.
Can you tell us more about your consulting services as a grant and tender writer?
It would be hundreds if not thousands of grants, tenders, proposals, and programs that I have designed, developed and been successful in getting up for implementation.
Clients include business and industry leaders, entrepreneurs and social enterprises, female founders and diverse innovators, government agencies and not for profits, mature aged people who are self-employed or are looking to startup a venture, and scaleups with a local, national and international aspiration. This mentorship has taken me all around Australia and the world where she has hosted many international delegations and programs with connections across Africa, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, China, Ecuador, Fiji, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Spain, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, USA, Vietnam and Zambia.
We know that consultants can specialise in a variety of areas. Where do you see your agency sitting in this ecosystem, and how do you see your areas of specialty?
Mentoring & facilitation are strengths, working alongside entrepreneurs, founders, governments, individuals, industry sectors, organisations, regional development agencies, startups, scaleups, students & unicorn companies.
Areas of speciality includes Entrepreneurship & Innovation; Future of Jobs, Skills & Work; Strategic Workforce Planning; and World Class Education.
Working with Startups & Side Hustles, those who are Self Employed & Sub Contractors, Small Businesses, Scaleups and Standouts through Switch Start Scale:
* Promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship among all individuals by providing information and advice about entrepreneurship and starting and running a business to clients, community organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
* Providing tailored mentoring and assistance to individuals. This includes facilitating interactive engagements to provide information and advice (such as workshops and networking events) and providing mentoring assistance and advice.
* Linking and referring individuals to appropriate services that will help them start and run their own business.
* Developing and maintaining productive working relationships with key stakeholders.
The role in the ecosystem is as a connector and relationship builder, innovator, and leader, being able to open doors for clients locally, nationally, and internationally.
What are the main issues you see coming up time and time again for your clients?
Things that pop are for clients are confidence, knowing who to connect to and where to spend time, energy and effort, access to capital and resources, gaining information about how to start, and then how to scale up.
One important factor in business is knowing who is a good fit for your business - those people who you work best with and who you can help the most. Who do you feel you are able to work best with and help the most?
Open minded business owners and founders, that are interested in starting strong, diversifying and/or scaling up, in just about any sector, and I have many clients in agriculture, arts, education, disability, food and beverages, health and wellness, government, professional services, and out of the box areas.
What do you see as the biggest upcoming opportunities for businesses?
Opportunities are endless and coming up for the 2023-24 financial year is AUKUS, sister cities and other trade agreements (for example India and Indonesia), global capability and capacity development, national and international markets, especially in education or where you are an expert in a topic, diversifying to serve demand in the care sector and tourism, life admin type businesses including home, house, and garden services.
If there was one key message you wanted to give business owners, what would that be?
Business is important but not everything, enjoying what you do is key, and please don’t be too hard on yourself.
On a personal note, I enjoy travelling and reading, speaking and writing, growth, marketing and networking. Work Life Balance is important including mini breaks, visiting wineries, restaurants, farmers markets and tourist locations, as well as attending events, festivals and historical sites.
Learn more:
https://www.switchstartscale.com.au/
https://workforceblueprint.com.au/
https://wendyperry.com.au/
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Emma Grivell
Business Engagement Advisor - Urban Projects
E: egrivell@charlessturt.sa.gov.au