Shark Tank Season 3

Shark Tank will be back for its third season on Channel TEN commencing on June 20. Tuesday nights at 8.40pm after Masterchef.

This season I’m sure you will find yourself yelling at the small screen – either encouraging us to invest or advising us to run a mile…. There are plenty of twists as each of us play a game of cat and mouse with each other, not wanting to give away our position too early.

Businesses Supporting Businesses

There are close to 2 million small businesses in Australia — what a wealth of resources amongst them. When I consider the conversation about disruption and large Global players entering Australia — I was thinking back to the old Made in Australia campaign. What would happen if every small business in Australia chose to purchase only from other small Australian businesses… interesting.

One of the greatest challenges that businesses face is sourcing, and retaining, customers. Competition is tougher than ever before and for each small business, becoming an expert in marketing, sales, finance, people and leadership is almost impossible.

I have always said that starting a business is easy, the hard part is growing that business and consistently delivering positive customer experience.

So… with the end of financial year fast approaching we chose ‘Businesses Supporting Businesses’ #SB2SB as my theme for June. I believe that when small businesses support other small businesses and keep it in our ecosystem, by buying locally within Australia, we truly can impact the livelihoods of our entrepreneurial peers.

For instance in my own business, in the past 15 years RedBalloon has delivered more than 3.5million customers to its 1500 ‘things to do suppliers’. When a business owner buys a RedBalloon voucher for client gifts, supplier gifts or employee gifts – they are giving to a little piece of Australia. That spend is helping thousands of other business owners who are in turn employing tens of thousands of Australians within the RedBalloon ecosystem. If we as small business owners procure from other local businesses we have a real shot at not just sustaining each other but helping others grow.

Since the launch of our start up Wrapped.com late last year, we are on the trajectory to put our similar know how to achieve the same for small manufacturers of innovative products. I have seen first hand how difficult it is for companies to get their products ranged in the big retailers. If you’re wondering how a business owner can get their product to market? Well, it takes expertise to get website traffic and that is what we have created with wrapped.com — we do it on behalf of our suppliers and partners.

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value – Albert Einstein

Let’s end of financial year on a high by purchasing from other Australian small business – that way everyone wins.

See you on your screens soon…

Image: Courtesy of Network Ten.