2020 has taught us all some valuable lessons on overcoming adversity. We’ve been pushed to adapt to new standards and rethink how we do business. Despite all this uncertainty, we have been amazed by the stories of resilience and success from our clients this year. It’s clear that when we focus on our goals, instead of our obstacles, we can all achieve great things – no matter the circumstances.
This is exactly what we want to focus on here at Lumi. We’re here to celebrate the success stories and inspire other small businesses to THINK BIG. In this series, we will share stories and insights of some of the amazing small businesses we are proud to work with.
Just like our client Marg from Outback Educational Services, whose business focuses on upskilling people in regional Australia with their IT, in addition to publishing Bush stories.
THE IMPACT OF COVID19
Because of the restricted numbers, as part of the new social distancing rules, group events had become financially unviable for Outback Educational Services. Therefore, the company was required to come up with alternative opportunities to make their business thrive again.
ADAPT AND DIVERSIFY YOUR OFFERING
Outback Educational Services wanted to expand their business into equine training and provide online meetings & courses for rural skills and publishing.
In order to do that effectively they needed a business loan, which Marg says is usually very difficult to get from traditional lenders when you run a small outback business.
At Lumi, we look at things differently. We were inspired by our client’s mission and could see from their bank data that they had coped admirably during COVID. Through our funding they were able to lease the property required for the equine and rural skills training. They could also purchase the relevant equipment they needed to diversify their range of skills training and ultimately expand their business.
DARE TO SUCCEED
Marg told us “Don’t be afraid to embrace change!” when we asked what it took to take the leap. She describes their business as a brumby – resilient, adaptable, caring.
The reality is that if the business hadn’t gotten funding, they wouldn’t have been able to lease the property nor could they source suitable horses for the equine training. They would have even needed to work other part time jobs to make ends meet.
TOP TIPS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS
Finally, Marg shared with us her top tips for business success in the current climate.
- Know your community (clients) and put altruism before opportunism.
- Sometimes it’s wiser to complement rather than compete with a similar business.
- Don’t be afraid to embrace change nor to learn from others.
- Seek constructive criticism.
- Never settle for less than your best.
We hope this success story has inspired you to THINK BIG for your business. Feel free to reach out, if you want to discuss opportunities for small business loans with our lovely team of experts here at Lumi.
Your Lumi team
