For this month’s Business in Focus we will be interviewing Sydney Solvents a local family business located in Penrith. Sydney Solvents manufacture and supply premium quality cleaning and hygiene products at affordable prices. The cleaning products are manufactured to exceed industry standards and supplied directly to the end-users. From Hand Cleaners & Sanitisers to Commercial Chemicals & Solvents they have the products to fit all needs. Given the precautions we need to take in today’s environment these guys have you, your business and your home protected.
Who is your advisor?
Katina Beveridge
How long have you been receiving business advice from the WSBC?
Sydney Solvents, is only new to the Western Sydney Business Centre, we started our Journey with them, around 4 months ago. We have been dealing with Katina who has been providing some onsite training for us. When Katina is onsite, she certainly lifts our team to strive for getting better results and improving our performance and our public appearance.
What was the main struggle you identified within your business?
The main struggle Sydney Solvents faced was marketing, we needed someone to teach us what to do and what not to do, we needed to know the basics, structure, planning social media tips and tricks. We needed to bring this in house so we could adapt and change on a constant basis to the market or to new markets as things are always changing.
What were things you implemented that had a big impact on your business moving forward?
With Katina’s help we now have a structure with our everyday marketing, knowing what we are going to advertise, in the weeks coming up she has also found many ways to help out with our business including taking over from a SEO company that was under preforming to our standard since herself and her team have taken over, they have increase revenue. This has worked well for us as Katina has a through understanding of business as she her self is invested in our business and we are not just another customer to her.
What advice would you give to other small businesses in the same situation?
If you are unsure or need help with anything, you are not going to know the answer to the question without asking the question, I would say to not be scared asking for help, and not fearing failing, without failing there is no growing and moving forward. Business is becoming more and more niche in lots of areas from products to software to staff, it is not like the old days you need to be able to adapt and adapt quickly you need to be across everything. The only way you can successfully do this is to get people that our passionate and want to do the work, there goal must be to get results and put the business first.
Set some time in your diary aside for certain actions/ jobs that need to be done either on a daily/weekly/monthly basis, don’t deviate from this. You also need to set time aside to look at results as well and see if what you have done has worked, been financially viable, been time managed well. This will then set you up for a pattern where you can continue on reaching your goals
What are your business goals for the future?
Our business goals for the future, would be increasing online orders, finding our customers the right product for all there solvent and chemical needs.
Final words:
Although we have only been with WSBC for 4 months directly with Katina we can already see an improvement, in our online marketing and our day-to-day business. We have had customers say the material sent out is really good and they like it. Our rate of “unsubscribe” from marketing material has decreased.
