Biome founder, Tracey Bailey, is nominated in the annual AusMumpreneur Business Awards that celebrate Australia's most outstanding mums in business.
We'd love your vote under the "Retail Business Award" category. Look for Tracey Bailey, Biome Eco Stores on the voting page here > Thank you so much for your support!
Here's a little of our story that Tracey submitted for the awards, including some advice for other small business entrepreneurs:
About Biome: Biome began 12 years ago, the same year as my second baby girl. Our daughters have grown up only knowing Biome as a feature in our lives. I hope that experiencing their mother grow this fantastic sustainable and compassionate business has enriched their lives. After all, it is for them and future generations that we have undertaken this endeavour.
Today, Biome is a nationwide planet and people-friendly lifestyle community with our online store plus four physical stores in Brisbane. We employ a fabulous team of 25 people and provide a marketplace for hundreds of suppliers of responsible products, along with education about healthy, green living.
We are the only eco-store in CBD, "high street" locations in Australia, successfully bringing eco to the mainstream shopping arena.
What inspired you? Looking into the eyes of a creature that can not speak for itself, but is so close to human is breathtaking. Orang-utans are one of the endangered species that will disappear from our planet if we continue to disrupt the natural balance. Biome was established to help individuals change that course through their purchasing decisions.
Challenges? My greatest challenge has been the immense learning across wide disciplines. As the GM of a small business, you are often the head of every department from Human Resources to Marketing, Operations, IT and Finance. Until you can afford others to help, you have to do it all. I have devoted a great amount of personal time to teaching myself about all areas of business, and in particular, new technology, the internet and social media.
Achievements the past 12 months:
- We established a headquarters and warehouse which provides a central home for our team to be together, and I have moved out of home to the office.
- We opened our fourth store, this time in a major commercial shopping centre at Indooroopilly, and the response has been incredible.
- Despite increasing competition from both mainstream and eco-minded stores, we have grown sales by 40% through great customer service and community building.
- We have also grown to employ more staff, and educate more people about living gently on our planet.
- Choose an area that you love because only passion will fuel the countless unpaid hours that it takes to build a business.
- Set up support, ask for help, and give in return.
- Attend conferences and professional development opportunities. Many people are willing to freely share their expertise and you will need it!
- Build value in your business by writing into procedures everything that you do.
- Show your children that they are more important than the business.
