Spotlight: Skimp.com.au
Nett talked to Louisa Dahl of Skimp.com.au about the ups and downs of being a serial entrepreneur.
Why did you start a small business?
Skimp.com.au is the third small business that I have started. I love the flexibility that owning a small business provides and thrive on being in control of my own destiny. A small business suits my current stage in life and lets me work on what I am passionate about whilst hopefully building an asset of value at the same time.
What inspired you?
I’ve always been interested in running my own business and am driven by the potential return on investment and lifestyle opportunities that a small business can provide. I’m inspired by a good idea and the potential to take that to market and share it with others.
What’s the next step for your business?
Skimp launched only a few months ago so right now we are working hard to develop more partner relationships and build our business. We have plans to expand our offering in the next 12 months and have set ourselves some ambitious goals to achieve.
Which internet activities are you struggling with?
I have a background in online marketing so I’m fortunate in that I have been able to implement a lot of our online marketing personally. Our current challenge is around prioritizing all the potential improvements to our website whilst staying within budget.
What have you learnt about business online since you started reading Nett?
I really enjoy hearing stories of other small businesses, how they started and what their defining moment was. I’ve learned that every person takes a different journey and I also like hearing stories of other working mothers and how they have achieved great things in business.
What are the 3 biggest issues that Australian small businesses face at the moment?
Three issues that affect me personally are:
- Lack of big business support – I often come up against the chicken and egg scenario where we can’t prove ourselves to big businesses until we are dealing with more of them but often no one will take a chance. Even getting them to return a phone call can be hard at times.
- Financial Support – it’s very difficult to get funding or to have realistic funding options available in a reasonable time frame.
- Financial obligations – As a small business owner I spend a lot of time worrying about my tax and accounting obligations. I wish there were easier solutions to help small businesses keep appropriate records and meet obligations easily.
