With over 20 years’ experience launching and growing brands in Australia and internationally, she provides valuable services through The Wonder Co. Laura’s specialties are marketing, PR and branding within the Tech, Tourism, Retail, F&B and Lifestyle industries.
For more details, visit the website here.
Here we sit down with Laura to learn a bit more about her journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
Laura: It wasn’t planned at all. After being made redundant from my last role as the APAC Marketing Director for Yelp I got back to all the consulting requests that I had previously declined, mostly to just drive some income so I didn’t eat through my redundancy payout. Within a few months, I had enough work to be full-time, so it showed me I should start my own business, and it was time to get a company name.
Q. How did you get started?
Laura: The business has grown very organically from the start when it was just me. In less than a year there was too much work for one person, so I hired my first team member, and every year we’ve hired a new full-timer. The offering has always been the same, branding, marketing and PR with a strong focus on social media. But we’re constantly evolving our work for clients under those categories based on new platforms, design trends and more.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge?
Laura: Predicting revenue and balancing that with staffing is always the hardest part.
Q. What is the most memorable thing you’ve done since you started your business?
Laura: It would have to be a draw between all of the success we have created for our clients, and seeing The Wonder Co team grow.
We have successfully launched so many brands, and helped so many businesses increase their awareness, sales and locations through branding, marketing and PR. That has been very rewarding to see, but I also think building such an incredible group of people at The Wonder Co who are very dedicated to creating great results for our clients, and are such a pleasure to work with is also something I’m really proud of.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Laura: Profit First by Mike Michalowicz. It helps you look at your business’s finances in a whole new way and can show you at a macro level how much money you should be making as a business owner and how much you should and should not be spending on each element of your business eg rent, staffing, etc.
Q. What are your top 3 favourite online apps, tools or resources and what do you love about them?
Laura: Trusty Xero is something I am always looking at. I’m in our Profit & Loss a lot, and I also really like their Business Snapshot which gives a good indication of profit margins and year-on-year data. Social Media Examiner and Marketing Mag’s e-news I always read, and head to their websites regularly to make sure we’re across any platform and industry updates
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Laura: Very broadly speaking, almost all of our clients are looking to drive sales or audience numbers as an ultimate goal. We do this in a way that delights their customers and we have fun in the process.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Laura: It sounds cliche, but follow your gut. It’s taken me a while to realize that an initial hunch about a potential client or staff member is usually more often right than wrong.
To keep up to date with Laura and her journey, connect with her on Instagram.
