WOMEN IN BUSINESS MENTOR PROGRAM:

Helen Davis, Oh de Toilette

When Helen Davis of Oh de Toilette was considering franchising her business, the Women in Business Mentor Program provided the advice and support she needed to take the next step.

Oh de Toilette provides handtowels, toiletries, decoration and attendants to corporate and private events as well as gift packs and toiletry packs for tour groups. With a background in hospitality management, Helen successfully launched the business in Sydney but felt she needed more training in running a small business.

'The Women in Business Mentor Program offered an opportunity to fill in the gaps I was discovering in my experience.'

Helen was teamed with Katherine Groom of Signwave Australia, who was able to offer practical advice about the pros and cons of operating as a franchisor. As a result Helen was able to develop an appropriate strategy for building her business.

'I actually delayed this part of my business plan as a result of our conversations - having someone to bounce this concept off helped me realise I need to spend a bit more time on building my core business before developing the franchising side of Oh de Toilette. Having Katherine act as a sounding board allowed me to test my theories before putting them into practice.'

As a result Helen then focused with her mentor on techniques for improving sales, such as setting up a stand at a trade show and making the most of the opportunity.

'Katherine's advice about sales helped me understand where my sales technique needs a little work. I gained a better understanding of what to do to prepare well for a trade show and my briefing notes and stand design were influenced by Katherine's advice.'

Helen particularly enjoyed sharing the experience of running a business not only with her mentor but also with the other participants in the workshop. 'It's really empowering to connect with so many strong and inspiring women who share exactly the same issues and joys of owning your own business.'

Since completing the course Helen has focused her efforts on growing the business in Sydney and Melbourne, with plans to expand to Brisbane, Queensland and New Zealand and ultimately to a global franchise. She believes the Women in Business Mentor Program is invaluable to help women acquire the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in business.

'It's an excellent way of forcing you to work on your business - it would take huge amounts of discipline to do this kind of business analysis on your own and the program puts a manageable timeframe around conducting a thorough process. Having a mentor also encourages you to meet deadlines. If you use the system properly and set goals, knowing someone else out there is aware of them helps keep you on your toes.'

'I commend the Department of State and Regional Development for this initiative - I can't imagine what the landscape for female entrepreneurs would be like without it.'

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