#ig markets melbourne office

[fxasker-blog]

What Instruments Do Investex Offer Trades On?

What Instruments Do Investex Offer Trades On? Read More http://fxasker.com/question/5a0100aabda4fda8/ FXAsker

[tessmontyart]

2018 Year In Review

Another year, another review 💕(I actually typed most of this up before 2019 and then got distracted, whoops)

To put things short, 2018 has been AWESOME :D Exhausting and fast, but awesome.

I started it off pretty uncertain how things were going to go, dreading it would be a repeat of 2017′s boring TAFE courses and endless job rejections. But the miracle happened - a 2D animation studio opened up near me, I applied, did an animation test and got the job!

The job was a contract from 1st of April - 21st of December, so I spent the majority of my year going to work to animate characters for a really crazy but hilarious new kids show called Spongo Fuzz and Jalapena, due to air mid 2019 :) 

It was honestly the most fun job I have ever had and I can’t wait for the next project! 🎉 I have never been this exhausted in my life, though. 😅I had already booked a whole bunch of conventions before I got the job, and didn’t want to cancel them so I was working nonstop - Animation during the day and intensive convention prep every night. 

I also had the bright idea of creating a full colour 26 page comic -with a tight deadline - so I was madly working to the point I didn’t even have time for dinner half the time :’) I am sort of happy with the comic, but also kind of wish I never had the idea in the first place. 😅

I tabled at a ton of conventions; Melbourne Supanova, Central Coast ComiCon, Other Worlds Zine Fair, Sydney Supanova, SMASH and Canberra Gamma Con. If next year doesn’t go so well on the job side of things I’m hoping to add a few more conventions to that list - Brisbane Supanova, Oz Comic Con and Animaga to name a few. I’ve already booked Sydney Madman Anime Festival!

2018 was the year my partner and I celebrated our 4th year together, and he never fails to amaze me with his continuous love and support. I was too sick to attend the first day of SMASH, so he set up and ran the whole stall for me while I stayed at home. Same with Sydney Supanova, I was too bogged down in animation work and couldn’t afford to take the Friday off, so he set up and ran the stall for me on Friday, then we ran the stall together on the weekend. He also tended to my every need when I broke my toe, cooked all my meals when I was busy with work and even packaged + posted all my Etsy orders every day because I was always working during post office hours. He listened to all the problems I was having with my stall setup and helped make shelves and decorations to make it look and function better. I was getting stressed because my desk space was too small, BAM he bought me a brand new desk with plenty of storage. I was getting stressed that I had so much on my convention to-do-list and couldn’t keep track of all my project ideas, BAM, he sets up a whiteboard and helps me brainstorm everything so I can keep track of all my thoughts and ideas and what to prioritise for future conventions. I didn’t even ask him to do any of this, he just loves to help me and make me happy and I am forever blissed and happy to be able to spend my life with such a wonderful human! 

(Home made High Tea I made for him on Valentines Day) 

Arsty Highlilghts / accomplishments:

🌸I designed 9 cute Houseki no Kuni acrylic charms which have been doing really well at conventions!

🌸I also drew a cute series of ‘Sleepy Gem’ Houseki no Kuni / Steven Universe holographic prints, which I’m quite proud of 😊

🌸I created my 2nd enamel pin design, which already needed 2 reorders because they were so popular! ;w; I never knew I could make something that so many people love *sob* I’ve already planned to make these into a series! (already designed some deer ones, and thinking of doing foxes next ^_^ )

🌸I also tried getting gold foil prints done for the first time, which was pretty cool! I got the american sizes mixed up though so I might try for the bigger size next time :) (grainy photo cause its a screenshot from a video)

🌸I’ve been taking steps to make my stall look more ‘professional’, and got a really neat wooden sign made for me by my friend as_sweet_as_jasmine!

🌸I’ve started revamping my favourite series of posters - the Eevee Gijinka girls :) I plan to have them all done and ready for 2019s conventions! 

🌸This was the year I got an iPad, so I could do digital art on-the-go. Honestly its helped me so much, and I can’t wait to be able to use it more (sorta didn’t get a chance to touch it while i was working!)

🌸I got Copic Markers for my birthday so I had a whole new medium to play with! These mixed with using a brush pen for inking really make my inktobers pop and I’m eager to draw more with them  :) 

🌸Speaking of Inktober, it was a huge accomplishment for me to put effort into a decent artwork every day this year! Usually theres a few dud ones when I lacked inspiration, but I somehow managed to make it work ;w; So when it came time to printing the books, theres 31 illustrations rather than 25 like the others :) Also the whole rainbow theme idea came from how cool I think it would look flipping through a rainbow book - so I managed to make that happen and couldn’t be happier!

🌸I passed 1000 sales on Etsy!! 😱As well as 1000 followers on instagram! Crazy right??

General 2018 highlights

🌸2018 was the year one of my best friends got married! I made cute little clay wedding cake toppers for her :)

🌸The year Owl City’s 7th album Cinematic came out!! All the tracks are so GOOD and exactly the sound all us hootowls were longing for. Also Be Brave is a tearjerker, in a good way. What an amazing human Abbey is to Adam <3 

🌸The year Spyro Reignited Trilogy came out!! It’s absolutely amazing, and I love every second of it. Every time I play it I just can’t help but stand there looking around at every detail because everything is just so gorgeous *_* And the nostalgia is so real.

🌸Not exactly a highlight but the year Tumblr went NSFW free, and lost hundreds of thousands of users 😂I’m still here though. Got a dumb tradition to keep up ya know.

🌸The year my work had a hilarious Christmas party where we had to dress up as a character from Spongo Fuzz and Jalapena. It was the first time I actually put effort into a cosplay by myself 😂(possibly the last) (wont put a photo up for embarrassing reasons)

🌸the year I broke my toe for the first time xD;; definitely not a highlight but a first! I couldn’t walk for weeks! it sucked!!! T__T

🌸The year my friend successfully funded his kickstarter for his own cartoon ‘Nurry Brothers Adventure World’ :D So proud of him. I’m gonna help him animate!

🌸The year Lano and Woodley reunited with their amazing show ‘Fly’!! I loved it so much I saw it twice :D 

🌸The year I tried doing Halloween for the first time - I bought a bunch of lollies and chocolates and decorations on my letterbox/door to let people know I was participating. I got 2 different groups of people at the door, 5 people all up 😂More than I expected tbh!

🌸I tried Ruby chocolate for the first time! It was ok .. just kinda tasted like berry yoghurt flavoured white chocolate though ;w; 

SO! What’s coming for 2019?

I’m not really sure at the moment, but I have high hopes for Cheeky Little Studios (the animation company I worked for) - so I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if any of their next projects get concrete start dates :) I’m not as terrified of the year as I usually am when its just one big question mark. I know I can make decent money through conventions and commissions in the meant time so I’ll just continue doing what I love! 

LAST YEAR I SAID:

“I am crossing my fingers for an animation job I applied for a while ago” - I GOT IT! :D

“I plan to do even more conventions. Hopefully I can get into Oz Comic Con!" - didn’t end up applying because I was busy with the job, but keen to try for 2019 :)

"I’m keen to apply for like Animaga in Melbourne, as well as Madman Anime Fest in Brisbane and Melbourne.” - didn’t end up doing so for the same reason above, but that might change this year :)

“I also want to make a lot more non-fandom things for market stalls, as well as a comic and zines!” - I made the comic, as well as 3 inktober zines and a cute ‘if I fits I sits’ cat zine! As well as a bunch of cute original enamel pin ideas and my whole inktober was original art :D 

“Hopefully I’ll hit 1k followers on fb/ig? :D that will make me feel important lol” - I hit 1k on instagram!! I felt very important xD

“I’m also hoping to go on a holiday this year." - I didn’t, for job reasons ... buuut I’m booked in for a cruise in Italy / Greece this September that I’m extremely excited for!

“PLEASE BE KIND 2018, I’M BEGGING YOU 😱” - You were very very kind to me, 2018. 2019, please follow suit! 

(man this is the 7th year of review I’ve done. Can’t believe I’ve been on tumblr this long 😅)

[2017] [2016] [2015] [2014] [2013] [2012]

[jeremystrele]

5 Tips For Hiring A Dream Team

5 Tips For Hiring A Dream Team

Small Business

Fiona Killackey

Team TDF! Back row: founder and editor Lucy Feagins; advertising and sponsorship manager Chelsea Hall; graphic designer and styling assistant Ashley Simonetto; researcher and staff writer Miriam McGarry. Front row: managing editor Elle Murrell;  partnerships manager Alice Johnson; news editor Sally Tabart; and art director Annie Portelli. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

FIONA’S Quick Tips For Great Hires

1. Understand what’s missing

Many small business owners began their business after working in larger / corporate roles. For that reason, there is often a feeling they must hire to a similar structure i.e. a CFO, CMO, COO etc. Instead of following the status quo, small business owners should be setting some time aside to really consider what’s missing from the business in terms of experience, networks, knowledge and skill set. An easy way to do this is to create a Skills Matrix (a template for which you can download here.

Consider all the outputs your business needs now and for the future. List them in column A. Then work through whether or not your business and its current hires have the Skills (column B), Experience (column C) or Interest (column D). Review the gaps and look at what sort of role might encompass most of those things. Remember, just because someone has experience or skills in an area, it does not mean they’re interested in it enough to elevate your business.

2. Who do you already know?

Both Lucy and Paris suggest asking your own networks for referrals and recommendations, as it can uncover gold (see their thoughts below!). In addition to reviewing your personal networks, email contacts and social media, consider downloading your LinkedIn contacts. Many times people change jobs from the time we connect with them on LinkedIn, so it’s worth downloading this twice a year to see who you might know in the role you’re looking to fill,or who might be able to suggest someone for that role.

3. Get social

Gone are the days of posting a job ad on the major players’ websites. Savvy small business owners today are using social media and email marketing to find the best candidates. It makes sense to look for candidates who are already familiar with your business. You may wish to post on IG Stories, showing where they would work and even interviewing other staff they would meet about what it’s like to work in your office/studio. Likewise, sending the job description via your weekly email or newsletter is a great way to raise awareness and potentially encourage strong applications. These channels are free, and should be utilised in the first instance.

4. Embrace the interview process

While many small business owners get nervous themselves when conducting interviews, remember the reasons why you’re doing them. Don’t rush the process and don’t be afraid to hold multiple interviews, particularly for senior roles. At a minimum you should have one meet-and-greet interview to get a feel for the person and explain the role, a second interview where they present an example of their ideas for your business, ie a basic marketing plan, or an example of copywriting… and a third interview to introduce them to other members of staff. As the business owner you may not be the person working alongside them and it’s important to get a sense of how your team feel about the candidate.

 5. Start as you mean to go on

Clarity and direction is crucial for someone coming into a business. This means taking the time to consider 30, 60 and 90-day goals for their role. What do they need to achieve? Make this clear. Likewise, set the tone from the beginning for an approachable and pleasant work environment. This may mean leaving a handwritten welcome note or cupcake on their desk on their first day, or simply taking them out for a welcome lunch /breakfast. Small actions like this go a long way to build employee satisfaction.

Fiona Killackey is business consultant, author and mentor for My Daily Business Coach. You can sign up to her weekly email full of small biz insights and tips here and enrol in her brand new Marketing for Your Small Business online course here.

Dreams, goals, and things we’re getting done! Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Lucy and Elle at TDF’s meeting/lunch party table, made by Gordon Johnson, chairs from Thonet. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

You may recognise these beautiful shelves from Open House 2017 – thanks Gordy! Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Paris on set, and no she doesn’t always dress to match the location! Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files.

IN PRACTICE: How To Hire Great Staff

Two Melbourne-based small business owners who have successfully been able to hire – and importantly retain – great staff (if we do say so ourselves!) is our own founder, Lucy Feagins and Paris Thomson, founder of SIRAP – who we have had the pleasure of working with multiple times over the past decade. We asked Lucy and Paris for their top tips on finding, and keeping, great staff.

What’s been the process of hiring at your small business? How has this changed since you first began?

LUCY: Initially, when my business was in the early stages, my first few hires came through word of mouth and recommendations from other small business owners within my network. For instance, Lisa Marie Corso, who was my first full-time employee and my right-hand-woman for five years, connected via a mutual friend, and we met for coffee… and a casual job quickly become a full-time hire. It was at a time when my business was so small and so unstructured, I didn’t really know what I needed – I just knew I needed help! Lisa quickly made herself invaluable and was a huge part of the early growth of TDF.

These days, my business is a little bigger and the hiring process more structured. When hiring I advertise on our social media channels, and on LinkedIn.. and sometimes on The Loop. It’s a fine balance – you want to reach the best possible candidate, but you don’t want to cast the net so wide that you’re wading through 100’s of applications.

A big part of ensuring the right people apply, is being really clear in the job description about what the role entails and what you’re looking for.

PARIS: For me, hiring staff is the most challenging aspect of running a business. In our line of work (film production) it’s so important that our team represent the SIRAP brand, and with that comes the eye and the skillset, but also the presentation, the ability to professionally liaise with clients on set and also play well with the rest of the team. When I started the business almost six years ago I had freelanced for a few years before, and the only staff member was myself! I’ve been fortunate to have organically grown the business over the years and through that, hired a team who I’ve had the luxury of working with on a freelance basis before offering them a full-time position. Now, the business has other demands which require a faster approach to recruitment, which means that we don’t often have the ability to have a freelance arrangement with prospective staff before hiring them – it’s a much more structured approach.

After posting the job on creative recruitment sites like The Loop, across our social channels and spreading the news via word of mouth, we request a CV and reel on application. We shortlist and invite successful candidates in for a panel interview with myself and some of the team to ensure we can bounce thoughts and opinions between each other, making notes along the way. We look for presentation, attitude and communication skills. From there successful candidates will be invited to participate in a small practical assignment such as producing a short piece of film content with our team, to get an understanding of how they approach a job, how our personalities play together, and how they work ‘on the tools’. We narrow down to 2-3 candidates, speak to their references and either make a final decision or if we have any questions, have one last meeting or phone conversation together to discuss any other elements around the role, experience or approach.

The offer is then made and the deal is done!

What has been the biggest lesson you have had to learn when it comes to hiring great staff?

PARIS: Make notes straight after the interview, don’t schedule too many interviews back to back in one session, and trust your gut on your first interaction with the candidate – this will be indicative of the first impression that your clients will likely experience with that person, too, and this will reflect your brand.

What advice would you give to small business owners looking to hire (non-virtual) staff for the first time? In your experience, is it better to look for skills match or personality fit?

LUCY: I’ve always been a believer that personality fit is as important as skill set. Because people can be trained and learn a lot on the job, but if someone doesn’t fit in personality-wise, that will always be a challenge.

I would say when hiring for the first time, hone your job description; make sure it really accurately reflects the role and the workplace. Then, advertise the position, give 2-3 weeks for people to apply, and give yourself time to go through every application and respond to people personally.

If it’s a role with specific skills required, consider having shortlisted applicants perform a ‘test’ before the interview stage. If it’s a writing role, I give them a little assignment to see how they respond. You want to have a final shortlist of no more than about 5-6 people for the interview stage.

I interview in a very casual way, it’s more of a chat. A lot of it is intuitive; I just know when I meet them if they have the right ‘vibe’! The main questions I ask myself are: Do I think this person can do the job that’s on offer? And, will they fit in with the team? I realise that sounds a bit wishy-washy, but I would say I’ve been super happy with every single hire I’ve ever made, and I have never had to fire anyone! If anything, often people I hire for casual or part-time roles are so amazing that I end up finding a way to make them full-time!

PARIS: If your first hire is the first person (apart from yourself) joining the business, you will likely work closely with them; personality is important but you need to focus on what skills and value they are bringing to your business too, and how these will help you reach that next milestone.

If hiring for a business that already has an existing team, skills are important but ensuring the person is a team player and that their attitude will work well with the others, is really important. Remember – a candidate’s personality is about working well together, not partying well together!

SIRAP are looking to hire a Senior Videographer/Director. Find out more here.

[trade12reviews-blog]

Asian Stocks Higher on US Tax Reform

Asian stocks rose on Monday, as investors were optimistic that a plan to reduce corporate taxes would pass, aimed at boosting the economy of the United States.

In Japan, Nikkei 225 rose 1.47%, as trading houses and banks jumped. Tech and automaker blue-chips sectors also gained, but several construction names slid. Toyota gained 2.86%, Sony was up 2.88%, and SoftBank soared 1.75%.

Japan’s Obayashi Corp dropped 0.07% following headlines that Japanese prosecutors are likely to raid the company’s offices as part of a bid-rigging investigation. Construction companies involved in the probe also plunged. Taisei Corporation dropped 1.63%, Shimizu Corporation was down 0.49%, and Kajima Corporation fell 2.51%.

The country’s November exports climbed 16.2% on year, above the 14.6% forecast by analysts. It was the 12th straight month that exports have gained, according to sources.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.58%, while mainland indexes were mostly subdued. The Shanghai Composite was down 0.13%, and the Shenzhen Composite lost 0.53%.

Korea’s Kospi edged higher by 0.17%, with Samsung Electronics rising 1.15%. However, steelmakers were lower with Posco down 1.95%, and Hyundai Steel fell 3.68%

Automakers’ shares were weak in the broader Kospi index, with Hyundai Motors down 0.65%. Sources reported that Hyundai workers at Ulsan factories would be on strike on Monday and Tuesday after the company failed to meet their demands for a raise in wages.

Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 climbed 0.68%, thanks to resource stocks boosting the overall index. Rio Tinto jumped 1.23%, while Fortescue Metals rose 1.13%. Banking stocks were also higher as ANZ increased 2.3% after the bank announced it would buy back up to $1.15 billion shares on-market.

Australia’s Aconex’s stocks jumped more than 40% after the cloud collaboration company announced it had received $1.22 billion acquisition offer from Oracle. Oracle has offered A$7.80 per share, which was a 47% premium above Aconex’s Friday closing price.

The US tax reform has been the major factor for this year’s surge in global stock markets. The reform will likely cut corporate taxes to 21% from 35%. Furthermore, Republicans intend to pass the measures by the middle of this week.

It is expected that the tax reform plan would boost corporate profits, triggering share buybacks and higher dividends payouts.

“The tax vote has turned from being a ‘probably’ to now looking like a ‘certainty’,” said Chris Weston, chief markets strategist at IG in Melbourne. “By and large, the fact the tax reform should be signed off, shows Congress can function and the market finds relief here.”

Want to get updated on the latest news about the stock market? Subscribe now at Trade12. We will let you know the latest happenings about forex, commodities, and economies.

[bridalpearlnecklace-blog]

Rio Tinto said last March that it is conducting a strategic analysis of its diamond business.

This included the possibility of selling it, in the same way as it was announced by BHP Billiton.

BHP successfully completed the sale of its business in April last year to Harry Winston, now called Dominion Diamond.

Rio is one of the world's largest diamond producers, with its fully owned Argyle mine in Australia, 60 percent of the Diavik mine in Canada and 78 percent of the Murowa mine in Zimbabwe.

"We regularly review our facilities to ensure that they continue to be in line with Rio Tinto's strategy to work with large assets that have a long life and are able to expand," the company's then executive director for diamond mining and minerals Harry Kenyon-Slaney (Harry Kenyon-Slaney).

"The prospects for the diamond market look very positive, given the rapidly growing demand and the lack of new deposits, which limits the supply. We have a business that gives valuable and high-quality diamonds, but given its scale, we are considering whether we can create more value through another ownership structure, "he said.

"This process may take some time. We seek to inform shareholders of any important developments and at the same time encourage employees and governments in the countries where we work, that this is normal business practice, "Kenyon-Slainey further reported.

At the time, market strategist Stan Shamu of IG Markets, working in Melbourne, said that it made sense for Rio Tinto to get out of the diamond business, because the company needed to focus on increasing costs for other major projects.

The main business of Rio was iron ore and copper.

Last year, iron ore brought Rio 78 percent of net profit, while diamonds accounted for only 2 percent.

And, having spent more than 14 months to "weigh their options," Rio Tinto said that it decided to cancel plans to sell its diamond portfolio or bring it to the stock exchange.

"In the medium and long term, market realities for diamonds will remain strong, fueled by the growing demand for luxury goods in Asia and the continued high demand in North America," said Rio Tinto Diamonds & Minerals CEO Alan Davies ).

"We have facilities for the production of valuable and high-quality diamonds, which have good opportunities to benefit from these positive market prospects," he noted. "Having considered a number of alternative options related to owning property in the long term, we came to the conclusion that the best way to get the maximum benefit for our shareholders is to keep the company's data."

The British news channel Sky News said earlier this month that Rio and its advisers at Morgan Stanley, the Wall Street investment bank, plan to raise hundreds of millions of pounds by issuing a separate listing of the diamond unit, after the search for an external buyer failed to obtain a specific offers.

Nevertheless, the new chief executive officer of the company Sam Walsh (Sam Walsh) made it clear earlier this month which path the company most likely could choose.

"It's just not a market day in the market, I would be perfectly happy to hold this asset," he said in London, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Observers believe that the mining company's decision to refuse to sell its diamond portfolio was due to the company's inability to attract new potential investors.

"They were not a persistent seller, but if they got the price they wanted, the diamond business would be sold," said analyst David Lennox of Fat Prophets Resources, which is quoted by the Australian portal Perth Now.

Reuters also cites the CEO of Ausbil Dexia, Paul Xiradis, who said that the current situation in the resource sector is difficult.

"The market would prefer Rio to sell (diamonds) ... But if you can not reach the right price, there's no point in acting harmfully just to achieve some goal," he said.

Rapaport reported that the outlook for the Chinese luxury sector was down because of a weaker economic growth in the country, while India's domestic market is under pressure from a weak rupee.

Despite all this, for the first five months of this year, India imported rough diamonds worth about $ 7.3 billion.

This is 10 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

De Beers recently reported that prices for rough diamonds at this time in 2013 increased by an average of 4-6 percent, while Russian ALROSA noted that its rough diamond prices increased by about 5 percent this year.

Last year, Bain & Co. Predicted that world demand for diamonds will grow by an average of 5.9 percent per year and its volume in 2020 will reach almost $ 26 billion.

It also predicts that rough diamond supplies will increase by 2.7 percent per year to a volume of about 157 million carats.

Given such positive predictions and poor proposals for its diamond assets last year, there is no doubt that the voice of reason convinced Rio not to sell the diamond business.

Matthew Nyaungua, Editor-in-Chief of the African Bureau of Rough & Polished

http://rough-polished.com/ru/expertise/78889.html

[fxasker-blog]

Can I Open More Than One Account With hkt?

Can I Open More Than One Account With hkt? Read More http://fxasker.com/question/d09d5a07ee0df75a/ FXAsker

[jeremystrele]

Going Global · Georgia Perry

Going Global · Georgia Perry

Small Business

Fiona Killackey

Georgia Perry RULES at getting product noticed globally! Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Inside Georgia Perry’s bricks-and-mortar store, KIOSK. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

Studio details. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

‘The hardest thing has always been accepting that I can’t do everything… taking on too much and burning yourself out is not good for anyone,’ says Georgia. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Product notes and sketches by Georgia. ‘I really liked the idea of creating something just because I felt like it – not because I’d been commissioned by a client,’ she tells. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

Georgia at KIOSK, which opened on Smith Street, Collingwood, earlier this year. Photo – Amelia Stanwix for The Design Files.

‘I never planned to turn this into a business in its own right,’ starts Georgia Perry from her Smith St KIOSK store, ‘but things progressed quickly, which meant I had to “level-up” and learn things fast so I could make the most of the opportunity.’ That business is Georgia Perry, a colourful and bold accessories and design brand, that’s become one of Melbourne’s go-to for unique gifts (often to one’s self!).

Originally trained as a graphic designer, Georgia began experimenting with small product runs in 2014. ‘It was just before Christmas when I first had the idea to supplement my studio practice with some small products’ the designer explains. ‘I’d been working as a graphic designer/illustrator for about seven years and I really liked the idea of creating something just because I felt like it – not because I’d been commissioned by a client’. It was only after sharing her product creations with her friends via social media, that Georgia realised the potential that existed. ‘Miraculously things started to sell! I was shocked, excited and a little under-prepared!’

Grasping the opportunity, Georgia set about teaching herself everything she could with regard to retail, profit margins and marketing. ‘I’ve taught myself literally everything from calculating profit margins and navigating import taxes to using accounting software and creating line sheets, purely by Googling stuff! It’s often the quickest way’. It was at this time Georgia also launched her online store, enabling items to be seen and purchased by people across the globe.

‘At first I did everything myself. Designing the products and packaging, researching, manufacturers and prototyping, shooting and editing product photos, listing products online and maintaining the website then hand-writing (!) address labels and taking everything to the post office!’ Georgia admits. While handling orders online was stressful at times, especially during the peak Christmas season, it was when stockists began approaching Georgia, that she realised she needed help. ‘The hardest thing has always been accepting that I can’t do everything… taking on too much and burning yourself out is not good for anyone.’

Six months after launching, Georgia enlisted her good friend Zoe to help out. ‘At first, it was just for a few hours and then gradually it became more and more. Now, nearly three years later we have a team of five and Zoe is still working with me as my Wholesale/Studio Manager’.

Within those three years, Georgia Perry has grown from a small product run for friends to a successful global business with her 130 stockists of the brand ranging from Colette and Le Bon Marché in France, through to Nordstrom and Kin Los Angeles in the US. ‘Initially I never even planned to wholesale at all, but after a few accessories began to get some press I started getting approached by stores.’ Admitting she knew ‘literally nothing’ about wholesaling, Georgia was forced to up-skill for a second time.

‘At first, I would spend many long nights on the couch with my laptop, compiling spreadsheets of cool stores I wanted to stock with. It was very time consuming (scouring the internet, finding buyers emails etc.) but I realised the value that wholesale would bring – both financially and in terms of getting my product in front of a wider audience, so it became very important to me early on.’

Educating herself via her own networks as well as online forums and articles, Georgia was able to create her own wholesale terms — ‘just a single A4 page with things like payment terms, how we would ship orders, what happens if something goes missing etc.’ – as well as a wholesale price list (using Google Sheets). She used ‘online margin calculators to try and work out a sweet spot where we’d still make enough from wholesale for it to be viable’ and drew upon her graphic design experience when creating ‘well designed selling tools — clear photos of the products, an easy-to-follow price list and a PDF lookbook’.

Given the popularity today of Georgia Perry, the brand regularly receives invitations to stock in places across the globe. So, how does she decide which ones are the right fit? ‘Before we agree to stock with anyone (both in Australia and internationally) we have a quick form that the store needs to complete which includes things like social media handles, which other brands they stock etc. This definitely helps us get a better picture of who they are and whether it’s a good fit… Above all, it’s ensuring the stores we work with have values that align with ours, and we trust them to represent us well.’

For those looking to get stocked overseas, what advice would Georgia give? ‘Firstly, buyers are always on the hunt for cool new products to fill their shops with. You could be doing them a massive favour by reaching out and showing them something they haven’t seen before. If you can get them to open an email, you’re halfway there.

Secondly, buyers are insanely busy people so you want to do everything you can to make it easy for them – eliminate barriers like long boring biographies, low-res product photos or not including a wholesale price list.’ Next, says Georgia, is to ‘make your selling tools clear, concise and easy on the eye. If you can’t do it yourself, enlist a friend who can take some product photos or help design a lookbook for you… We only started investing in photo shoots last year, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.’

Most of all, says Georgia, just don’t be afraid. ‘The absolute worst thing that can happen is they say no. That’s it! Don’t die wondering!’

Deep into the gifting season, celebrating their new physical store and and a recent third birthday, Georgia Perry is one busy lady. So, what’s next? ‘We opened our own retail store, KIOSK in August so we’re really looking forward to our first Christmas with a physical space. Other than that, we have lots of new products and ideas in development for next year – the dreaming and scheming never ends!’

Shop Georgia Perry and KIOSK  online or drop into the Kiosk store at 77 Smith Street, Fitzroy, VIC.

Georgia Perry and her vibrant inspiration board. Photo – Caitlin Mills for The Design Files.

TIPS FOR GETTING STOCKED OVERSEAS

1. Know Your Audience

When you know your audience completely, you’re able to understand what sort of retail experience they want – regardless of where in the world they find themselves. Is your target audience more likely to spend time in the main shopping areas of a city or are they the type to venture out to lesser known, smaller boutiques or galleries? Will they want to find you in major department stores or will they think negatively of your brand if that happens? Which publications (online and print) will they be devouring and which shops are regularly featured in those publications? Who’s following the stores you’d like to be stocked in and could they become new audiences for your brand to be exposed to?

2. Do Your Research

Once you have a solid understanding of your audience it’s so much easier to begin your research into the most suitable stockists for your items. When looking at a potential stockist, review the about us pages, understand what drives their business, the team and the values behind it. Follow and engage with them on social media and look at the way they represent their existing brands. Digest media about the business and, if applicable, set up Google Alerts so you’re up to date with any news about their store/s before you go in with a pitch.

3. Embrace The Boring Bits

As Georgia states, it’s the boring bits that can trip you up when stocking internationally, so it’s crucial to embrace these elements from the start. From getting legal contracts in order, through to understanding the best freight carrier for your products and organising bar codes, it’s the “boring bits” that will save you the most heartache (and time!) later on. If need be, look at getting legal or financial assistance before making any long-term agreements. Local government sites, as well as global payment companies like Paypal can be a place to start accessing further information about selling globally.

4. Make An Impression

In my very first job, as Editor of Fashion Journal, I had a guy drop by the office wanting us to push his t-shirts in a shoot. It was 2004 and he was making them from home in Melbourne, but had them stocked in Colette in Paris. When I asked how he had managed to get Colette he said he had packed up the t-shirts with a huge amount of “Aussie” chocolates (Freddo Frogs, violet crumbles etc.) then spray painted the whole delivery box to Collette bright pink with glitter. Now, compare this to a stock standard brown box that gets delivered. Which one would cause more intrigue in the Colette buyer’s office? If you’re going to bother to send samples, think outside the box to ensure it’s a memorable (IG-worthy) experience for the recipient. If you’re contacting them via email in the first instance use tools like Headline Analyzer and Google Alerts to aid in open rates and relevancy, and consider the best time (in their zone) to send it.

5. Support Your Stockists

One of the best ways to ensure stockists remain fans is to show them you care. This could be as small as sending the buyer a card for their birthday or creating a how-to video guide for selling/merchandising your products. You may also want to invest in professional photography they can use on their own social media or write articles they can use on their blog. You should invest the same amount of time, if not more, retaining stockists as you do chasing them in the first place.

  Fiona Killackey is a business consultant and the founder of My Daily Business Coach, providing information and education for starting and growing a creative small business.  Need help with your Marketing? Fiona is running a full-day workshop on Marketing for Your Small Business Saturday 16th December at General Assembly, Melbourne.