Wollongong funpreneur Brett Baker is on a mission.
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The owner of five action venues who takes having fun at work and in business seriously.is launching a new consultancy called The Funpreneur.
Noting how many small business owners feel trapped Mr Baker wants to help them get their life back.
He knows they often work long hours and feel like they are going nowhere, with no-one to help or cover them if they want to take a holiday.
Best known for the entertainment and sporting venues, such as Hangdog Climbing Gym, Hangtime Trampoline Park, Revolution Laser Arena and Breakout Bar and Escape Rooms, Mr Baker has established a reputation for doing business differently.
He said when he tells people he has five companies and over 100 staff they invariably say "Wow, you must be busy".
"But I'm less 'busy' than most employees in a 9 to 5 job," he said.
Some 12 years and six entertainment venues after leaving BHP Billiton where he was a training and development manager Mr Baker is now sharing his unique approach and extensive experience as of coach of more than 15 years with other businesses.
With technology not setting any geographic boundaries he is already in demand locally and overseas.
"I already have a client in California. I can speak live with them with no interruption and show them things on the screen in a pretty constructive meeting," he said..
He knows how valuable a business coach was to him and is specialising in helping business owners and entrepreneurs create fun and freedom for themselves.
The client in California was a referral from his own coach who had previously told him he too should be coaching people because it was something he really liked to do...
"He had a client who needed some help with systems and processes. That was no my coaches specialty".
Mr Baker said everyone can benefit from such help.
"Even Mohammad Ali "The Greatest" had a coach," he said.
"You need someone you can bounce your ideas off who is going to give you the truth. Usually it is good to get someone who has done what you are trying to do. So why make all the mistakes someone has already made..It is a shortcut".
Mr Baker's vision is that building and growing a business should be fun.
"I have a blast bringing all these new businesses to Wollongong, but for some, business is tough. The to-dos, market changes, customer demands, staff problems, it can get to be overwhelming," he said.
When business is more stress than fun Mr Baker says it's time to look at automation.
"From marketing to operations, a lot of regular business processes tend to be very easy to automate, saving time and money, and creating real value. That's one of the key things I help business owners with straight away, to give them more time and less stress".
"Products and services changes but business is business. You still need all the same elements of profitability, legal has got to be right, your cash flow has got to be right and your systems and processes need to be worked out. But the elements that make up a business don't change".
Mr Baker said usually the foundation of how a business runs doesn't change a lot.so automation can handle many things the same for a whole range of enterprises.
"I always say to people the product is the tip of the iceberg. "People get focused on the tip but the rest of it is all very necessary. So I usually end up helping people with the rest of it. They are usually very passionate about their product but they are not that keen on doing the books. So I just show them ways they can do that a lot easier so they can get back to doing the part they like doing"..
Mr Baker wants to help business people run their own show and others with a business idea they want to get off the ground.
He specialises in teaching them the tools necessary to propel a business forward while also having fun and being able to take holidays.
He said he loves doing it because it is a nice feeling to help other people achieve their goals.
Services offered:
- Weekly Coaching Sessions
- Email support
- Phone support
- Templates & Processes
Website: www.thefunpreneur.com.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
