As part of National Volunteering Week, we want to shed light on how our volunteers support small business owners like Loise Kondiak. Working with women like Loise, who came to the Apeketon Business Hub (an initiative of the partnership between ABV and Newcrest Mining) with the idea of starting a business, has been a privilege for our skilled volunteers. Through mentoring, supporting, and exploring the local market opportunities, ABV assisted Loise in taking her business idea to the next level.
Since our previous update on Loise, her businesses have grown exponentially. In 2019, she participated in our Family Money Management and Your Enterprise Scheme (YES) program, facilitated by our volunteer mentors. Through this, she acquired valuable knowledge to support her entrepreneurial journey. Alongside raising her family, Loise operates a bus service she funded through BSP Financial Group Limited, "my famous story is that I got help through a loan with BSP to get help to purchase my first bus, which got me started." Loise recently purchased another bus to do the public motor vehicle runs for the community, while her first bus still does the school drop-off and supports the mine during the shutdown.
She put the financial knowledge she gained from ABV mentors into action when future planning for her business "With the new bus, I thought of purchasing it earlier, but I saved first to manage the loan once I got it." Loise's entrepreneurial mind is always searching for ways to generate additional income to contribute to the bigger picture of her business plan. On top of being a successful businesswoman and mother, she is also the Financial Controller for Newcrest Mining.
Most recently, as another revenue stream, Loise also hires out a car alongside the buses. Loise says her next challenge is trying to invest. As always, she thoroughly researches before starting her new endeavour, "I want to understand the market before I jump in so I can make good decisions."
Loise Kondiak is a changemaker, and her success is blazing the trail for women entrepreneurs in the future. She had this to say for those wanting to start a business, "my advice is to start small and start somewhere, no pressure. Don't compare yourself to others; just because you see someone successful doesn't mean they didn't have to work hard first to get there."
#NVW2023 #TheChangeMakers Volunteering Australia (VA)
Image: ABV, CEO Liz Mackinlay with Loise Kondiak at the Apeketon Business Hub.
