2 min read
Mandi Gunsberger is the founder of Babyology, Australia's largest digital publisher for parents with a social media following of 1.2 million on Facebook, which she sold in 2017. She is also one of the facilitation team for our new Discovery program.
This April, she launched Shutdown Shoutout to help profile businesses that are going above and beyond during COVID-19. We spoke to her about motivation, coping with COVID, and her advice for young entrepreneurs.
Thanks for your time, Mandi. What got you into entrepreneurship in the first place?
“It was a natural progression for me. My dad was a true entrepreneur, always coming up with ways to make money so we could put food on the table. He owned a record store, was a magician and clown at kids parties and was a music teacher. I have run 3 businesses over the last 15 years and I launched my first one at 23 years old.”
What do you wish was around in the world of entrepreneurship when you started?
“All the platforms and tools you can use to run a business efficiently and in a cost-effective way. Looka Logo generator, SurveyMonkey, MailChimp, Squarespace and so much more!”
What’s your best advice for young people getting started in the world of entrepreneurship?
“Always be constantly evaluating where you are and where you want to be and be open to pivoting. Have a thick skin. Be tech savvy. And make sure you have a supportive and solid network.”
How do you stay motivated?
“I tend to focus on what I am doing and not worry too much about the noise coming from other competitors in my space. I use very simple metrics to keep me on track rather than a long, complicated business plan and forecast.
In my most recent business, the two metrics I was focused on daily, monthly and yearly were revenue and unique views to the website. If these two numbers were going up, I knew we were heading in the right direction and this kept me and the team motivated.”
How are you feeling about the current COVID-19 crisis and what advice would you give to young people in the face of this global challenge?
“It's too early to tell the full impact this crisis is going to have on the world. I think all we can do is stay positive, think outside the box with our businesses, look after one another and to be kind and patient until the virus is behind us.
That’s why I started Shutdown Shoutout – this is a time when human kindness matters, so I wanted to share some of the amazing things that businesses around the country are doing to support the community.”
