OC Founder + Head Hustler
Pru Chapman is the Founder + Head Hustler at Owners Collective, a dedicated digital community and global online resource hub for early-stage entrepreneurs. Pru gets giddy supporting business owners to create meaningful, sustainable + profitable business. She loves nothing more than bulletproof coffee, her pooch Maverick, andd an empty mountain hiking trail.
Here at Smack Bang, staff hierarchy is about as welcome as a turd in a swimming pool. The thing is, we have a leadership system that works seamlessly, whilst being free of hierarchy and egos. It’s one that is...
If I had a dollar for every time someone told me about a bad experience they’d had with a business coach, I’d be too busy swimming in a room filled with gold coins to write this blog post. ...
Set up your account 8 years ago but haven’t looked at it since (except maybe to stalk the people who have stalked you)? It’s time to dive back into LinkedIn, and to take this platform seriously. We totally get...
In an increasingly online world, and in true Owners Collective style we’ve decided to ‘buck the trend’ and create our own place in this world; a physical space where our online community can come together and make magic happen...
How to choose the best keywords for your website So you want to get your SEO happening, get those juicy organic Google search rankings, outrank your competitors, and convert your search traffic into paying customers, subscribers, ad revenue or...
Imposter Syndrome, Yep – it’s real. Sitting on a gym floor chatting with the CFO of a publicly listed company, I had no inkling that I was about to have my socks blown off. It wasn’t the intense CrossFit...
3 Pinterest Pro-Tips to Transform Your Account into a Traffic Driving Tool For years our trusty friend Pinterest has been there when we needed to plan a new space, find fun activities for the kids, or to research a...
Podcasts to Fuel Your Purpose If you’re not filling your ears with reality-changin’ podcasts from around the globe right now, {sorry to be the one to tell you this} you are totally missing the biz-pod-volution. Podcasts are the newest...
Why Every Business Needs a Mentor Starting a business is surely for the certifiably insane. The ridiculous amount of hustle with no guarantee of any kind of security or long-term wealth. Wearing a million hats. The chance...
Pinterest, it’s quickly becoming one of our fave platforms… here are a few of the recent stats on its most popular pinning categories and the latest tools you’ll want to start using today! New collaboration tools for the events planner Pinners...
We’ve seen it time and time again; Community, or lack of, can make or break an organisation in it’s idea or startup phase. We all HAVE a community already without really knowing it, and that community is constantly having...
How To Start A Business In this guide we’re going to walk through the nitty gritty of starting your own business, so that you can jump in feet first and on track for epic success. In addition to this super comprehensive blog, you can get...
The first time we put our business out to the world, we we’re scared. Seconds before delivering our first event we were all white in the face because, we were scared. When we hit go on our first online...
Belonging. The weekend before last I got to spend the day with 35 incredible women for our first High-End Hustlers Implementation Day of 2018. We kicked off in the sun-drenched meeting room at the Smack Bang Designs HQ,...
Progress Over Perfection I’ve got a confession to make…. I used to be the ULTIMATE Perfectionist. Yep, right from when I was a kid. Everything had to be exactly right, there was absolutely no room for error in...
This week, we chatted to Adam Jelic, Founder of stationary brand Mi Goals. Adam is based in Melbourne and started the brand there in 2010 with the intention of empowering individuals to set and also achieve their goals – his products aim...
Setting goals is one of the most important and misunderstood aspects of business. You can use your goals to ensure that you’ll meet client expectations. However, that isn’t the end of the discussion. You can also utilize ‘stretch’ goals...
This week, we chatted to Amanda Grace, Director and Founder of Sydney Design School and Interior Design Online, two schools which are both leaders in Australian design education. Amanda is a creative powerhouse with a passion for education. She opened the doors of Sydney...
Ever copped a snowball to the face? It stings. I’ll tell you what else stings? Executing an epic marketing campaign that directs the right gang of customers to your website, but no-one purchases a g-damn thing. They don’t even...
This week, we chatted to Uldouz Van Eenoo of The Mothers Den, an amazing woman – CEO, business coach, women’s advocate, mum, wife, daughter, sister, food lover and a spin instructor… wowsas! Uldouz spared a few moments to have a chat about how she helps...
If I see one more Facebook Ad telling me how to make $30,000 in 30 days, I’m going to fucking explode. The ‘entrepreneurs’ peddling these kinds of ads need to be high-fived, with a chair in the face. ...
This week, we chatted to Lauren of The Blackline by Lauren, an incredibly talented calligrapher and hand lettering illustrator based in Sydney. Lauren spared a few moments to give us a glimpse into her fun and stunning world –...
Hands up if the thought of rewriting the copy for your website makes you want to hightail it out of dodge and back into Instagramland faster than you can double tap? Can I get a tap tap! I have been...
Fun fact: 53 percent of all Internet usage time in 2017 is spent on the top five social media platforms. 53 percent! These days, social media isn’t just an important part of the Internet – it is the Internet....
One of the most common New Year’s resolutions that people set is to work smarter, not harder. And if you’re a business owner, getting things done is incredibly important, as there are multiple people relying on you every day....
Capturing that perfect shot can take years to perfect but fear not! Whether you are shooting with your iPhone, digital camera, or an SLR, these tips from Zoe Scott of Saltwater Collective will ensure you captivate your audience and...
Do you have a serious brand crush? Tasha Wakefield of ocean-inspired and wanderlust loving Spindrift Collections, is loud and proud in her deep respect for legendary adventure brand, Patagonia. In one of Tasha’s favourite books, the Founder...
Hurling down the Italian freeway at 160 clicks an hour juggling a croissant in one hand, and my laptop in the other, I remind myself that I’m living the dream. I mean here I am, the peak of the...
I am the queen of winging it. I dropped out of uni at the age of 22, with zero degree, zero savings and zero experience. A little spark flared up inside of me that shouted, “Let’s start a design...
Let’s face it, the ride of business ownership is filled with more highs and lows than the most death defying ride of any theme park. And at times it can feel just like that, death defying! To combat this...
Ever wondered if or how brand collaborations could grow your business? Collaboration seems to be the hottest thing around right now, but how do you go about actually making one happen? We went straight to the source and interviewed Jess Ruhfus, Founder...
Do you have a secret obsession with TV chefs? Guilty! I do think a day is well spent if I have watched Jamie Oliver throw fresh herbs out of his perfect TV garden on a rustic bread board or...
Talkin’ about gut health has become more trendy than an Insta story of a turmeric latte after hip hop yoga. However if we turn back the clock just a few short years, wolfing down Probiotic drinks would have sounded...
We all know that video consumption and the integration of video into our everyday social media experience, has gone absolutely CRAY-CRAY-BANANAS in the last 12 months. From Facebook Live to Instagram Stories and then Live Insta Stories – it...
Last week at around 11am on Tuesday morning I found myself standing on Hymes Beach, piccolo in hand, with not an unread email in sight. At that exact moment I realised that I’d cracked it – the elusive three-day...
This week we go Behind The Hustle of The Honest Jones is the creative studio of Kristian & Amanda Jones, currently nestled in their seaside home on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. Amanda is a filmmaker, art director & dance floor...
The regional revolution has begun. As someone who wants to live amongst the gum trees and have my fix of the artistic, cultural, inspiration soup that is the city, I can appreciate the slow trickle of regional entrepreneurs...
You have invented time travel. {We know, you are the next Elon Musk!} You get out of your Tardis and voila – you bump into your future self 365 days from now and decide to have a casual...
An end of year interview with OC Maverick, Krista Jane Smith Sometimes when I’m running along the esplanade at the beach, sweatin’ like a Chrissy day roast, dressed head to toe in fluoro and rockin’ out to my...
From the world’s best directory to the next great social media channel, everyone out there is trying to get your attention. They’re all making big promises and broad statements but so far, your plans to launch your product or...
What does it really take to create a business that makes a social impact? Have you ever dreamed of what you could do through your business for your deepest, most passionate cause? This week we dive really deep...
7 Tips To Self Invest Like a Balanced BOSS. Let me give it to you straight: if you’re neglecting your health, you’re neglecting your business, because as an entrepreneur you are your business. Before you recoil from...
I have been trading at the markets for about 4 years now, I have found its a great way to meet customers, sell my products and promote my brand, Spindrift Collections. Markets have a great community of fellow stallholders...
This week we have the privilege of meeting an entrepreneurial husband and wife super-couple, Lisa and Josh Thompson of The Farm Wholefoods, who are not just taking on the world’s health food industry, but raising a small human with...
Have you ever seen those people, public speaking, on video, on social media, or even in real life – who just ooze self confidence like a giant magnet of sparkling boom-town charisma and thought – how do they do...
This week, we find out more about resident OCer, Manly Creative Director of Saltwater Collective and Agency Game-Changer, Zoe Scott. She spared a few minutes in between growing a booming biz, hiring more staff in-house and being a mum-on-fire...
There’s a calm that washes over you as you arrive in Byron Bay. The sky appears to open up, the warm, salty air starts playing with your hair and there’s an immediate urge to kick off your shoes and...
This week, we ran away on the adventure that is entrepreneurial life with Co-Founder and Creative Director of Misadventures Magazine, Zoe Balaconis. A woman whose obsession with the outdoors and travel saw her fill a serious niche in the...
Last week I totally lost it. It wasn’t quite as bad as a toddler at 4.30pm in the middle of the Coles frozen aisle, but it was a migraine, 3 days out of action and a headache hangover...
A QUICK GUIDE TO LIFE AND HAPPINESS According to Raju, our tuk tuk driver. Varanasi, India. Steph: My God. Varanasi is crazy Raju. This is chaos. Raju: It’s ok. No hurry, no worry. Keep cool in your inside....
This week, we got massively inspired by the creative work of silversmith extraordinaire, Alison Jackson. She shares her world of making and the passion she has for being in her workshop tinkering on a new jewellery, tableware and commissioned...
5 Tips to Create A Truly Powerful Brand on Social Media {prepare to take the red pill and enter the Matrix} Forget what you thought you knew about creating a truly powerful brand on social media. We...
On any given day, there are meetings to attend, HR issues to deal with, never-ending emails to reply to, taxes to pay, supplies to order, unpaid invoices to follow up and insurances to update. Sorry, I was so bored typing...
What does it really take to make it when the bar is set so high? This week we grabbed the Health Bar Queen, Jen Thompson from Naked Paleo to learn more about the how of running a successful food...
Let’s agree on one thing straight off the bat – ‘finding your purpose’ is not a final destination. It’s not a one off act, or the final stop on the train trip to enlightenment where we retire to...
Top 5 Money Tips For Startups {that are not what you think} You are terrified of living on baked beans and toast, making a new home in the park across the road from your now sweet inner- city...
Behind The Hustle :: Tracee Annetts, Handsome Citizens Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. Do you ever dream of living by the ocean, morning yoga classes, endless travel, coffee...
She is the little ol’ Jersey girl who has not stolen the hearts of entrepreneurial women around the world. We have willingly thrown them at her with such gusto, that it must be rainin’ some serious hot-blooded, beatin’,...
BEHIND THE HUSTLE Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. Would you like to rock stylish fashion with purpose? – This week we travel across Australia and Vietnam to share the...
What do you think is the number one limiting self belief that holds back entrepreneurial women from achieving the success they desire, according to a leading expert in mind training? I am not good enough. Insert –...
BEHIND THE HUSTLE :: Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. This week, we tracked down the talented designer, branding genius and entrepreneur, OCer Tracey Gobey from The Bootstrap Assembly, based in...
How to Start A Movement “Boring ideas don’t spread,” Seth Godin, Tribes. It starts with a passing comment in a regular conversation. Nothing life altering, just someone sharing an idea they have within them, with someone else....
Jacqui Pretty is the Founder of Grammar Factory, a Melbourne based publishing company that turns entrepreneurs into authors, and the author of Book Blueprint: How any entrepreneur can write an awesome book. She and her team have worked with over...
Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. This week, we delved into the fascinating world of ethical jewellery with Natasha Wakefield, of Spindrift Collections, a biz woman who has not only...
Morning coffee so strong it may give me slight brain damage. Check. Breakfast consists of what is left before groceries are delivered, which this morning is Maca powder, stale brown rice and chilli sauce. Check. Toddler unimpressed...
Yes, you can use video to sell your products and services online. The moving image, music, words and branding have a powerful impact and that’s awesome. But what if video could do more than just sell your products...
BEHIND THE HUSTLE :: Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. This week, we managed to hold down the creative, energetic force that is Sarah O’Brien, Founder of The Whole...
Like a ripped Bondi Rescue Life Saver/Reality TV Star hurtling towards us at warp speed, last week Instagrammers were thrown a personal flotation device of a different kind. Instagram Stories. The latest battle in the social media...
BEHIND THE HUSTLE Sharing your start-line stories to inspire your why and dig deeper into your how game. This week, we tracked down the beach-worshipping print designer and entrepreneur, OCer Shyanne Clarke from Printsea, based on the Sunshine Coast,...
A simple + powerful lesson learnt on my European adventure Last week in Tuscany I made a new life long friend, Riccardo. Riccardo is a photographer and he happens to be one of the best marketers I have...
Are you reading every startup blog you can find really late at night, with that nagging feeling that if you don’t give your big business idea a chance now……… it may never actually happen? Guilty? Stop reading, {except...
Keeping A Healthy Mind In The Daily Grind Alarm. Snooze. Get up. Work. Home. Dinner. Bed. Repeat. In a world where our roles, our tasks, and up to 90% of our thoughts are repeated on a daily basis, what...
Do you have a rockin’ business idea? You’re desperate to give it some wings, but you feel like you don’t know where to start, let alone if it’s even possible? STOP dreaming out the window of your 9-5 RIGHT NOW! It...
Earlier this week I found myself on a flight from Sydney to Byron Bay, eagerly anticipating my organic, kale infused, dolphin milk smoothie, when I picked up the in-flight magazine to be met with yet another article about an...
A few years back I spent my birthday crying on the steps of the Opera house. I was overworked, overwhelmed, and no matter how hard I tried, I seemed to be moving as fast as my Mum’s ‘over 60’s...
You’re a busy business owner – I get it. I’ve got to be honest with you though – you’re wasting a lot of time, yes many hours on basic administration tasks simply because you’re not organised. It’s a big...
Tenacious, creative and inspiring are three words that people use to describe Sarah Thornton, Co-Founder of The Finders Keepers, and we couldn’t agree more. From what started off as a humble project of passion shared with friend and Co-Founder...
I see it too, that perfect image. Sitting by the pool, sipping a cocktail, secure in the fact that the benjamins are rolling into your bank account while you soak up the sun – the dream of a 100%...
Unlike that Christmas tree taking pride place in your living room right now, your Entrepreneurial Mojo doesn’t need to die a slow death over the holiday period. In fact, a little time off is hands down the best investment...
When it comes to brainstorming I can’t stress enough the importance of generating crap ideas. I often say to participants in my brainstorms “Give me five crap ideas now!” The request for crap ideas is not only unexpected and...
I spend a lot of time trawling the world wide web, (and web it is!) for info and inspo, but mainly for homespo. When I stumble upon a great website I often find it hard to contain my excitement, for this does not...
‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression.’ Who was it that said that? Socrates? Einstein? Beyoncé? Aside from the fact that cliché sayings make me want to dip my face in boiling hot lava, this...
90% of information sent to the brain is visual The average person reads only 20% of text on a website page Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text Content with visuals gets 94% more total view Crazy...
#1. Branding too early In our experience, clients who come to us thinking they need branding – when they have not taken the time to focus on the business model, customer discovery and vision building first – end up...
Give this woman a tall weak latte and she can take on the world! With a kick-ass business completely built on her terms, a little man, an international client list and intuition on her side, Krista Jane is one hellava...
It’s dating but different. Meet Jess Ruhfus the brain and blonde behind the exciting new platform Collabosaurus. I had the pleasure of meeting Jess just a few months back as Collabosaurus was being born. It’s only early days but...
‘Everyday I’m Hustlin’, is labelled across the candle that sits front row centre of my desk each and every day. I was given it for my birthday, and it pretty much has me picked to a tee (big tick...
A few years back I was perusing the streets of Mona Vale on Sydney’s Northern Beaches (as one does), and I chanced upon what looked like from the outside, a little stationary store. However once I stepped inside I...
She’s trained teams at the United Nations, Google, Nike, and the BBC on how to keep their competitive edge in a busy market in driving innovation from the inside, to creating cultures where creativity and innovation flourish. According to Nicole Velik ,...
If you’ve been lucky enough to spend any time in the Byron Shire and love an exceptional eating experience you’ve no doubt had the pleasure of visiting Harvest Cafe. Nestled in the quaint little town of Newrybar in the...
I recently had the absolute thrill of interviewing Lara Allport + Simon Barrett of The National Grid + The Drawing Arm, two of my all time favourite Business Owners. These two are not only incredible creatives, but have build,...
OC: TELL US ABOUT SEEKER LOVER DREAMER AND WHAT YOU DO ZW: Holy cow that’s a good question! I’ve been trying to define Seekerloverdreamer since I started it. Basically I’m about authentic communication. Bring a brand into that mix,...
It was by pure chance that I came across Peter Yealands and Yealands Family Wines. My father was touring around New Zealand’s South Island a few years back visiting the local vinyards when one winery, and in particular, one Wine Maker really stood out. Not...
If there’s one thing that we absolutely DIG, it’s supporting the Creative Community. So it just made perfect sense that our paths intertwined with Tim Boreman and Matt Pike of North Journal. With their home base firmly rooted on Sydney’s Northern Beaches,...
Some brands grow on you like a colony of E. Coli on a room temperature steak. Others however, lose their lustre and begin to fade as time goes on. A strong brand is one that evolves and keeps up...
I think that there’s no better feeling than coming home to delicious, healthy meal cooked for you. Shame our families don’t always pick up on that! But one woman that has is Bianca Monley of Eat Fit Food. Initially...
Dream up the summer gone, basking in the sun on the golden sands of the beach in Byron Bay, and no doubt the gorgeous roundie by The Beach People will come to mind. Fast becoming an Australian icon, these...
On today’s blog we have pocket rocket Krista Jane giving her top tips on sleeping like a baby…or not…She’s got a toddler + a banging business so there’s no one more equipped to give out this advice! Over to you KJ...
If there’s one woman that totally rocks living on purpose, it’s this one, Lola Berry. Nutritionist, Author and part time fairy, Lola continually inspires us to be the best version of ourselves. Her cook books ‘The 20/20 Diet Cookbook’...
OC: TELL US ABOUT THE NATIONAL GRID AND WHAT YOU DO. LA: The National Grid is a Graphic Design Studio built to design and refine your brand. We are a team of fiercely talented designers who pour everything we...
OC: TELL US ABOUT THE NATIONAL GRID AND WHAT YOU DO SB: The National Grid is a Graphic Design Studio based in Sydney. We work on designing & refining brands with all the thought & effort we can give....
OC: TELL US ABOUT VITAL ADDITION AND WHAT YOU DO DH: Vital addition exists in order to assist small to medium business owners achieve their business goals. we give them total financial piece of mind by removing the headache...
Meet Our Mavericks :: Tess Robinson :: Smack Bang Designs Her boyfriend once said that she’d be either retired or dead at age 30, and we reckon he had it just about right. As the Founder of not...
OC: TELL US ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND WHAT YOU DO SS: I’m a Success and Business Coach for women coaches, creatives and wellness practitioners at serenasandstrom.com. I’m also the creator of impactfulselling.com. My mission is to elevate business owners to powerful leaders...
OC: TELL US ABOUT LITTLE HOBO PROJECT AND WHAT YOU DO TA: Creative Project Management, Developing & Consulting for independent professionals, brands and projects in the new business environment. That is the fancy way of saying we do all...
OC: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO Pru: In my world, I see business is a vehicle for fuelling a purpose filled life. So I fill my days in the best possible way – working with entrepreneurs,...
The Vision is the most important set of words in any business. Most simply, it defines why the business exists. It is a unifying statement that tells the world “if we achieved everything we ever set out to achieve, this...
Kick start your empire with our
ESSENTIAL BUSINESS CHECKLIST
This includes EVERYTHING you didn't learn at business school, checklist style. We've slimmed it down, sharpened it up, and are ready to deliver it straight to your inbox.