The curious tale of Kate Brew and Kenton Valley’s One Fat Emu

After Kate Brew’s household virtually misplaced every issue contained in the 2015 Adelaide Hills bushfires, she knew it was time to have a look at her needs and lastly begin her non-public enterprise.

With 4 youngsters all beneath eight, Kate and her accomplice select to evacuate as the fireplace approached, pretty than maintain and battle to guard their residence in Cudlee Creek.

Their residence was fortunately spared by the flames, nonetheless the fires set Kate’s household on a mannequin new path.

In the aftermath of the fires, they offered their residence attributable to work commitments and moved to Ballan in Victoria. Within two years, that that they’d returned to the Adelaide Hills and bought Nether Hill Farm in Kenton Valley.

Located solely 45 minutes from the Adelaide metropolis centre, the Nether Hill Farm is a part of the thriving enterprise group. It’s one of South Australia’s oldest farms, courting as soon as extra to the 1800s, and its stone homestead is framed by majestic bushes and rambling gardens.

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A lesson in following your passions

While establishing Nether Hill Farm as a venue, Kate furthermore adopted one totally different ardour of hers. She based totally a web-based handcrafts and homewares retailer and named it One Fat Emu. This new enterprise allowed her to reconnect alongside collectively together with her lifelong love of textiles and craft – creating distinctive handcrafted homewares and aged yard objects made out of discovered and foraged supplies.

“I was at a crossroads in my life,” says Kate, who studied textiles after leaving highschool nonetheless then went into enterprise and selling and promoting and advertising.

“Living so faraway from city inside the Adelaide Hills, it didn’t seem viable for me to return to the workforce after we had our youngsters.”

Through her love of the pure world, she drew inspiration from fairly a couple of sources — resembling woodland areas and rusty farm sheds — to create new designs. Her objects furthermore mirror her sturdy love of foliage and flowers, whereas incorporating discovered objects and pure supplies.

“I’d felt the lingering need to begin out a enterprise of my very personal for a really very long time and it felt similar to the time was correct to adjust to that dream.”

Job No. 1: change the farm’s on-line picture

Nether Hill Farm already had an internet website, nonetheless it was “old skool, clunky and ugly.” To change it, Kate determined to start out out out from scratch utilizing GoDaddy’s Website Builder units. She wished to create a significant internet web page that showcased the farm and occasions folks might e-book there (like weddings).

For One Fat Emu, Kate furthermore constructed an eCommerce website that allowed her to simply create picture galleries, promote units on-line and course of funds. She furthermore used GoDaddy’s house set up service, whereas taking revenue of Online Store units to assemble her internet retailer.

Taking these steps allowed her corporations to thrive. Without them, she might be limiting her market and choices to develop the companies.

“If you’re not on-line at this time you’re really invisible to a lot of people,” Kate says.

Today, Kate believes that, “… a professional-looking website helps arrange your strong mannequin and credibility – even whenever you’re figuring out of your kitchen desk – whereas guaranteeing your prospects that they’re in good palms.”

On the as soon as extra finish, One Fat Emu’s eCommerce selections make it straightforward to report product gross sales, reconcile funds and observe the expansion of the enterprise.

“I’m nonetheless figuring out straightforward strategies to take benefit of of these choices, nevertheless that’s okay in consequence of it’s all about setting up your experience over time. No-one expects you to be an educated in a single day.”

Work from wherever

Kate constructed GoDaddy internet pages for each of her corporations, taking revenue of the built-in social media units to assemble a web-based profile. She used these units to assist unfold phrase of mouth all through the nation and internationally.

Her arduous work paid off. In 4 weeks she had her first two wedding ceremony ceremony bookings and observed rising product gross sales with One Fat Emu.

“My first One Fat Emu sale was to someone overseas in England and it merely blew my ideas – not merely that folk have been interested by my work, nevertheless that I’d work from home and merely promote my points internationally.”

With a mannequin new enterprise internet web page in place, Kate realized she might go from wherever.“I don’t should commute into city and be at my desk by a particular time every morning.”

In some methods, Kate now works further sturdy than ever. She usually sends emails after her youngsters have gone to mattress and works on installations into the sooner hours of the morning.

“Sure it’s troublesome – there’s no stress like having to work in course of guaranteeing a pair has the right wedding ceremony day – nevertheless I fully love what I do! I’ve in no way felt so content material materials.”

Additionally, Kate furthermore has the flexibleness to play the subsequent half inside the children’s lives. She has the liberty to take them to highschool and attend college reside efficiency events each time she pleases, whereas nonetheless specializing in work initiatives she’s obsessive about.

“People say ‘Do what you want and you’ll in no way work a day in your life’ – that’s so true,” she says.

Tips on planning your website

When planning what you are promoting internet web page, Kate recommends completely totally different comparable internet pages to see how they current themselves. “Don’t be afraid to borrow format and design ideas,” she notes.

In the start, Kate made the error of trying to cram an excessive amount of information onto every web internet web page. It wasn’t extended till she found that rather a lot a lot much less is usually extra.

“Initially, I tried to put an extreme quantity of content material materials on each internet web page of my website and it grew to grow to be very messy and cluttered – which isn’t good in the event you’re attempting to convey a means of magnificence and simplicity.”

Put your self contained in the footwear of new pals to your internet web page. Consider what launched them to the positioning, what they’re on the lookout for and how they’ll change by the absolutely completely totally different pages. From there, resolve the place you need them to enter your internet web page, what you need them to do subsequent and the targets it is important to obtain for what you are promoting.

Think concerning the tone it is important to set and the message it is important to convey about what you are promoting.

Another vital situation to contemplate is how photos impression your corporations’ first impression. “You need high-quality images with the identical aesthetic to current your website a relentless look and actually really feel, which helps promote your message,” says Kate.

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If you’re contemplating establishing an internet website for what you are promoting, Kate recommends taking the leap and studying as you go, pretty than aiming for perfection on day one.

“Many people keep once more in consequence of they’re nervous regarding the know-how, nevertheless it is going to most likely suggest they in no way actually get their good thought off the underside. Don’t be scared – with the very best devices at your disposal it’s simple to assemble an unbelievable website that brings your small enterprise to life.”