December 8, 2024 • 20 mins
Gordon Cole is a Noongar man from Western Australia who is highly regarded for his leadership and contribution to the Aboriginal Business Sector in Western Australia and across the Nation. Gordon is the CEO of Cole Supplies, an award winning Business that specializes in supplying Workwear and PPE, Health, Medical and Industrial Supplies. Gordon is the Managing Director of G Cole Consulting, a firm that provides diverse services, such as Business Development, Mentoring, Coaching, Leadership and Strategic Indigenous Services. Gordon is a Director and co-founder of Blak Digital.
Gordon is exploring Renewable Energy, Water and Food Security and Financial Investment. Gordon is the Chairperson of the Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Gordon also plays an active role in community affairs. He currently occupies and has several voluntary positions across a variety of fields. Is a member of the National NAIDOC Committee and Director on First Australians Capital. Gordon has also been busy working on another new start with his sons. Blak Digital Pty Ltd. This a very proud moment for Gordon to be able to work alongside his sons. You can check out Blak Digital by following the link - https://blakdigital.com/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Podcast Unite our voices.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
We respectfully acknowledge the Wadjuck Newon people as the traditional
owners of the land in which the Mob was created.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Hi, I'm Crystal Kinsella. I'm a proud Jarwin and Brad
Drew woman, supply diversity expert and published author. Welcome to
Meet the Mob, a series dedicated to showcasing black excellence
and business. I get to interview deadly first Nation business
owners from around the country and learn about their white.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Today I'm joined by Gordon Cole from Coal Supplies. We'll
share with us he's white, why I got into business,
and why he does why he does so. To kick
it off, how's it going, Gordon? Tell us who you are?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Here's your mob. I'm Gordon Cole. I'm a Wajack Nola Man.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Traditional owner from Perth here, but also have connection throughout
in all our country and also into up north into
Yamoja Country up near Shark Bay area. So yes, my
moth is over here. And obviously I've also got mob
(01:25):
that are from England that I've met and also Sweden,
so I've got mob globally.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I guess I'd like a lot of our mob.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
You know, we've got ancestry in Europe in different places.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
I've got some German and Swiss, so yeah, I get that.
So tell me about your why you've been in business
a long time. You're kind of one of the ogs,
a legend entrepreneur. So what's your wife.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I got into business. I didn't plan any of this,
to be honest. I got into business after being in
the state public service and after about fourteen years I
left because just wasn't doing it for me, and I
got into business, and.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
So pretty much I haven't looked back, but it's what it's.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Done is probably given me the independence and flexibility that
I didn't have when I was working for someone as such.
So yeah, it's been interesting journey.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Well, what a lot of people wouldn't realize is that
we actually were in business together once upon a time.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yes, GPS.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I like to say it's going back some many years ago, yes,
And I think that was sort of after I had
sort of been trying to do things on my own
as a soul trader and then and with a brother
Dean yep and Cynthia. I remember, I think I was
here in Perth and we'd sat out and you said,
(02:52):
why don't you come and get on board with us,
and I did. I don't know, it must have been
for about six months, you know, kind of trying to
get some wheels churning.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And yeah, yeah, that was interesting.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And that particular company was born out of a delegation
that you and I both attended.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
That was in two twelve where we were at Supply Nation.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Well then it was Aims, but we went to the
US to Denver, Colorado for the n MSTC and in
that journey we met the late doctor Dean Jarrett.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Was on that delegation as well.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
We met Cynthia Dorington from Nova Scotia in Canada of
all places, and she was doing consulting. I was doing consulting,
and the late Dan Jarrett was doing consulting. So we
came together and created Global Professional Services International and we
started to do a number of things, and Dean was
driving a lot of that at the time. And then
(03:49):
I remember having a chat to him and said, I
was catching up with you, and I said, brother, why
don't we just asked it.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
To be our CEO? Go you what a great idea?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
And that's when we met and I asked you and
you said yes, and you came on, but I knew
we couldn't keep you because you're you're destined for other things.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
So it was good. It was a good.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Time, and it was also a time of a lot
of changes happening in business around the country and around
the world for.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You know, supply of diversity. So it was good time
and still good times. I guess you've.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Been on a bit of a journey, so from from
consulting under your own name and then building coal work
where to what is now coal supplies. Talk to us
a little bit about that transition because two very different businesses.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Absolutely, I came out of government at a time. I'd
always had an ABN since about ninety four, but I
didn't realize, you know, where that was going to take me.
And I just had that while I was working, and
because people starts to do different tasks or work for
them and do some speaking and other things. So I
(05:03):
used to get cash back in the day and I said,
they need to get an ABN. And I said, well,
what's that and then they explained it to me.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So I got an ABN.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
And so I used to do work whilst employed by government.
I used to do it my own time, so that
was my sort of foray into business, but not realizing
I was in business.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And then.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I went into a company. We were doing a number
of things and I thought, well, I want to do
more consulting on my own, and so I didn't do leadership,
mentoring and coaching and sort of strategic Indigenous services. So
it was there that that's what led me to the
conference in Sydney in two twelve. And from there I
(05:45):
went to that delegation in the US and I met
my current business partner and Mike Cheaman. He was with
another probably the first Indigenous work where supply company, and
he was trying to penetrate the WA market given.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
It was at a boom at a time.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
And so that was eleven years ago, so yeah, thirteen
not quite so yeah, ten eleven years ago. And so
we progressed from that conversation and about six or twelve
months lady wrung me and said, look, I'm out of
that other business and I'm looking for partner or someone
to start up to work where a PPE company, and
(06:26):
do you want to do it? I said, I'll do
some market research. So I looked around and there was
pretty much none here in Perth or West Australia of
any profile. So I just said yeah, So we started
from there. He and I just pounded the pavement, walking
down Saint George's Terrace and Perth, meeting with some of
the big oil and gas and resource companies and so on.
(06:47):
So that's how it came about. So we just started
off to work where Ppe and I didn't know nothing
about the industry. If I did, probably I wouldn't have
went into it.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
And when I quickly learned.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
And the thing with Mike was he had a very
good importing exporting a business and so on, and plus he'd.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Been in that industry with his previous company, so it
was a good fit.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
And I was able to get into companies and other
things that before the indigenous procurement policies, I had sort
of contacts through my consulting into these companies. So that
was how we started and we just grew from that
and there was you know, it took us a long
time really to get our foothold into that industry. But
you know, I probably took about six years, seven years
(07:32):
before I really started to collect a wage as such.
So it was really so my consulting always helped me
on the journey.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But my I always knew.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Would cold work where it would grow because we were
pretty hard working at it, and we'd sort of, you know,
been involved in a lot of discussions. But I was
always big on innovation and research because I was always
interested in, you know, the innovation side of you know,
the materials of what we're using and the sources and
(08:01):
where they'd come from, and how to you know, this environment,
all this ESG stuff that's.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Around now in a big way.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
We were talking and dealing with that way back when
we started ten years ago, and then we just sort
of trans.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Formed into coal supplies.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
And it was probably the period we started to talk
about coal supplies about twelve eight months before the COVID
pandemic hit. And you know, business has a lot of
hard work and a bit of luck, and I guess
that's what helped us. But we also attended a separately,
we attended this workshop in Noosa from a guy named
(08:40):
Simon Reynolds who's based in la and he talked about
business coaching and so on. So Mike and I attended
those sessions independent. Then we came together and we sat
down and we developed our strategy pretty much on a
plant and on reflection, we after five years, I think
it was four years, we actually hit every target set
(09:04):
on that plan, which was pretty amazing. So it was
then and then we diversified into.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
From work where Pepe safety, to.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Health, medical and industrial, and we did very well through
the COVID period or COVID products and solutions, so that
sort of set us on our way to now where
we had our booth at the trade show connect for
Supply Nation this year and I think we had about
(09:34):
four products if that were previously we had everything. And
so over time you learn and our business models changed
from retail direct sales to wholesale and you know, all
the third part of logistics. And we had an office.
I closed it down here I thought, you know, I'm
paying money for this office when really I could be
doing it at.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Home and a mobile.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So, you know, so we had We've got a different
business model that works. So it's been a really good journey.
And my children, I've got four children and four step
children and two grandsons. But my four children at various
times over the journey have been involved in the business
as well. And also Mike's sister in law, she was
(10:19):
also involved in the business and his brother. So we've
had family involvement and so it's been really good and
it's been a lot of hard when I say, but
it's truly emerged to be a sort of leading indigenous
supply company.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Now, Yeah, like you.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Said, it was you know, a little bit of luck.
And I remember that kind of that evolution through through
COVID and seeing I think I was seeing is on
LinkedIn promoting that you were getting the face massing. You know,
that's just responding to responding to context, responding to the market,
which is so great. Nice to hear you mention your
(10:58):
kids and your step kids and your grandkids. And I
noticed you We're in Black Digital and this is a
new venture. Yeah, anyone talked just about that.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Yeah, well Black Digital was born out of I've always
had the idea of you know, I mentioned innovation earlier,
and I've always sort of thought about, you know, the
tech spase, but I've never I didn't really understand it
and probably still learning, I guess. And the thing was,
I remember going through COVID and my consulting business and
(11:27):
like a lot of our businesses here and around the
country and you know, others in a throughout the world,
those that had a people based business like consulting and
doing workshops almost stopped overnight. So my consulting business pretty
much stopped in that regard in terms of contact with people.
But I was doing work in myle consulting, assisting assessment
(11:50):
and doing stuff on business analyzing the the health of businesses.
So I was doing a bit of that, but it
was only around if you had a product that was required,
which was like this COVID product and solutions that really
got us through that period. But it was there that
I realized there were five things I identified was and
(12:14):
this is what I've focused on going forward, is around
food security, water security, health, communications, and technology. Because when
you look at that period, Zoom for example, I think
prior to pandemic hand ten million subscribers. At the height
of the pandemic, they had two hundred and twenty million subscribers.
(12:34):
Some watching all this stuff. So then one day I
just sent a text to my son who was working
in the government, and said, look, Black, did you are
you in? And he comes back. I was expecting to say,
what's that and he goes yes, And then a few
weeks later he rang me said I've resigned. I said, oh, congratulations,
(12:55):
and he goes, well, he said, I thought he was
going to tell me awful because I've got a mortgage
and I've got kids, and I got this. I said, nah,
I said, you'll be right. I said, we'll just get
on with it.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
And we've done. And so we've just bought a youngest son.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
That was Nathan, my oldest one, but just want my
younger son, Jared, into the business as well. So he's
come on as a digital strategist. So he's twenty four,
he's at UNI and he's come and do work with us.
So you know, they're the future, I guess. So I'm
getting involved. And interestingly, tomorrow I leave to spend Nathan I,
(13:28):
who's my business partner, but my son, were actually going
to Silicon Valley tomorrow to you know, visit I mean
a Microsoft and Tesla and others. We're going over there
and also going to Denver because of some of the
startup technology stuff. So we've also and I took Nathan
(13:48):
to the NMSDC last year in New Orleans, so he's
got exposed to a global area of supply diversity and
it was really eye opening and overwhelming for him.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
But I said, look, this is where. So when you
hear and Perth or wherever you.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Are, you know you're part of a bigger movement and
part of a bigger business picture. So don't ever get
despondent about things.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Just keep going. And that's sort of the mattress.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
So Black Digital will and we slowed it down, actually
we slowed it down a lot because we're going along
and us say look, let's just do a bit more
research and look at how the industry across all Australia
the world is going.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
And also in Perth. So it's been it's been fantastic
so far.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
So we're about twelve months in but or maybe must
but we're just taking it slow and we'll build it
over time.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
So it's going to be interesting.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You're a great role model for your kids and so
great to hear, you know. And I got to meet
Nathan in New Orleans last year. But yeah, for him
being able to have that exposure for you to go
into business with him, and yeah, exciting to be going
in Silicon Valley which is fantastic.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Absolutely, And also over there he met he's a big
NBA fan and he spent twenty minutes with Magic Johnson.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
The exal La Lake is Superstar. He came around the corner.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I don't know where he went, but he went off
and he said, I'd just spend twenty minutes with Magic Johnson.
He had teased in his eyes and I'm like, what
are you crying for? He said, I just met Magic Johnson. Say,
if he was doing what he was doing previously, he
would never had that opportunity. Say, it was good seeing that.
And my youngest one has come on board in the
last couple of weeks and he's just yeah, I could
see he's already started doing research and different stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
So it's yeah, it's good.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
So it's fantastic. You are the chairperson of the nong
Chamber of Commerce. See how important are Aboriginal chambers of commerce?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Oh, They're massively important. What I'm seeing is and it
was interesting because it was that conference in Denver in
twenty twelve where I met a lady from a Mexican
Chamber of commerce. And pretty much chambers of commerce do
all the same stuff, but there's two things she mentioned
to me was around the cultural philosophy of what they
(16:00):
do and the family focus they have, because if you know,
culture is pretty much similar to ours in terms of
the principle and values or family. So I came back here.
We just started the long our Chamber of Commerce and
it's been a massive journey. That's been around five six
years in terms of its legal constituted body, but we've
(16:20):
been on a ten year journey and eleven year journey.
So it's but those chambers that there's actually a wave
starting to occur in Australia with a network of Chambers
of commerces. So it's really something that you know, ten
years ago whatever, just they weren't as prevalent as are now.
So they're very much part of the business landscape. And
(16:42):
we have about five hundred and forty members now, so
we're climbing at a rate of about two two a week,
so truly significant. How it's sort of increased.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
So what does the future hold for you? Not like
and what's the legacy piece? I mean, I think your
kids are part of that.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Yeah, yeah, what is that for you? I mean one
of the things I've started to look at now is
and this is about you know, you go. It's funny
because one of them mob saw me one day and
they said, hey, where you got the car from?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
I said, I bought it, and they said how do
you buy it? I said, well money, that's where you
got money. Said, I'm in business, what it's good business?
I said, well yeah, I said. You go into business
to make money. So I'm in business. I'm making money
and I buy. Well how do I do that?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
So well, we explained ABN and explained business stuff and that,
and I said, oh, this is better than working for
someone else, I said, where. It's not for everyone, I said,
but you get into business that provides you a lot
of opportunities and stuff. So but what I started to
look at now in recent times is around a lot
more international trade and investment. So how do we get
(17:53):
our people on a global scale? But how do we
further invest back into our business community and startups? And
so I'm start to look at investing back into our
startups and helping average and or business growth. So that's,
you know, one of the areas I think that's as
(18:13):
we in business become successful, mature greatly in business, then.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I think it's about that give back stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
So some people are foundations, some people are other means,
But I like to in that space. I tend to
do a lot of things that are sports based, whether
it's football or netball, or I think where young people
are able to get further opportunities in life and stuff.
So now I mean with the Chamber, we're looking at
establishing innovation hub around digital technology, so there'll be one area.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
That we can invest in.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
And what I'm also seeing here is a lot of
our business are starting to talk about becoming corporate partners
to our Chamber, but also to other initiatives out there.
So there's a real shift in because we're getting to
positions now we're able to support out more, better and
a lot more, you know, financially.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I think that's where the future is.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
And taking our people you know, to a mindset or
thinking you know, and acting globally as.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Well, that is the future.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
And yeah, you've got a lot of wealth of experience
and knowledge to share. So look, it's been great to
have a Yarn with you today. If you've got one
kind of final message for those that are watching this
and maybe aspiring to be in business, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I'd say just go for it and don't worry about
anything else. Just keep a laser focus and go for
it because you just never know where it will go
and you'll get there. Trust me, you'll get there. Work hard,
and you'll get luckier. Thank you, thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
So there you have it.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I hope you've enjoyed the latest episode of.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Meet the Mob.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Thanks for listening to today's episode. If you love it,
please share it on your socials. With your mob, let's
help amplify as many Indigenous businesses as possible and get
everyone supporting each other. Thank you.
Podcast Unite our voices.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
We respectfully acknowledge the Wadjuck Newon people as the traditional
owners of the land in which the Mob was created.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Hi, I'm Crystal Kinsella. I'm a proud Jarwin and Brad
Drew woman, supply diversity expert and published author. Welcome to
Meet the Mob, a series dedicated to showcasing black excellence
and business. I get to interview deadly first Nation business
owners from around the country and learn about their white.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Today I'm joined by Gordon Cole from Coal Supplies. We'll
share with us he's white, why I got into business,
and why he does why he does so. To kick
it off, how's it going, Gordon? Tell us who you are?
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Here's your mob. I'm Gordon Cole. I'm a Wajack Nola Man.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Traditional owner from Perth here, but also have connection throughout
in all our country and also into up north into
Yamoja Country up near Shark Bay area. So yes, my
moth is over here. And obviously I've also got mob
(01:25):
that are from England that I've met and also Sweden,
so I've got mob globally.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I guess I'd like a lot of our mob.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
You know, we've got ancestry in Europe in different places.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
I've got some German and Swiss, so yeah, I get that.
So tell me about your why you've been in business
a long time. You're kind of one of the ogs,
a legend entrepreneur. So what's your wife.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
I got into business. I didn't plan any of this,
to be honest. I got into business after being in
the state public service and after about fourteen years I
left because just wasn't doing it for me, and I
got into business, and.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
So pretty much I haven't looked back, but it's what it's.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Done is probably given me the independence and flexibility that
I didn't have when I was working for someone as such.
So yeah, it's been interesting journey.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Well, what a lot of people wouldn't realize is that
we actually were in business together once upon a time.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yes, GPS.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
I like to say it's going back some many years ago, yes,
And I think that was sort of after I had
sort of been trying to do things on my own
as a soul trader and then and with a brother
Dean yep and Cynthia. I remember, I think I was
here in Perth and we'd sat out and you said,
(02:52):
why don't you come and get on board with us,
and I did. I don't know, it must have been
for about six months, you know, kind of trying to
get some wheels churning.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
And yeah, yeah, that was interesting.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
And that particular company was born out of a delegation
that you and I both attended.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
That was in two twelve where we were at Supply Nation.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Well then it was Aims, but we went to the
US to Denver, Colorado for the n MSTC and in
that journey we met the late doctor Dean Jarrett.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Was on that delegation as well.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
We met Cynthia Dorington from Nova Scotia in Canada of
all places, and she was doing consulting. I was doing consulting,
and the late Dan Jarrett was doing consulting. So we
came together and created Global Professional Services International and we
started to do a number of things, and Dean was
driving a lot of that at the time. And then
(03:49):
I remember having a chat to him and said, I
was catching up with you, and I said, brother, why
don't we just asked it.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
To be our CEO? Go you what a great idea?
Speaker 4 (04:01):
And that's when we met and I asked you and
you said yes, and you came on, but I knew
we couldn't keep you because you're you're destined for other things.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
So it was good. It was a good.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Time, and it was also a time of a lot
of changes happening in business around the country and around
the world for.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
You know, supply of diversity. So it was good time
and still good times. I guess you've.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
Been on a bit of a journey, so from from
consulting under your own name and then building coal work
where to what is now coal supplies. Talk to us
a little bit about that transition because two very different businesses.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
Absolutely, I came out of government at a time. I'd
always had an ABN since about ninety four, but I
didn't realize, you know, where that was going to take me.
And I just had that while I was working, and
because people starts to do different tasks or work for
them and do some speaking and other things. So I
(05:03):
used to get cash back in the day and I said,
they need to get an ABN. And I said, well,
what's that and then they explained it to me.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
So I got an ABN.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
And so I used to do work whilst employed by government.
I used to do it my own time, so that
was my sort of foray into business, but not realizing
I was in business.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
And then.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I went into a company. We were doing a number
of things and I thought, well, I want to do
more consulting on my own, and so I didn't do leadership,
mentoring and coaching and sort of strategic Indigenous services. So
it was there that that's what led me to the
conference in Sydney in two twelve. And from there I
(05:45):
went to that delegation in the US and I met
my current business partner and Mike Cheaman. He was with
another probably the first Indigenous work where supply company, and
he was trying to penetrate the WA market given.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
It was at a boom at a time.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
And so that was eleven years ago, so yeah, thirteen
not quite so yeah, ten eleven years ago. And so
we progressed from that conversation and about six or twelve
months lady wrung me and said, look, I'm out of
that other business and I'm looking for partner or someone
to start up to work where a PPE company, and
(06:26):
do you want to do it? I said, I'll do
some market research. So I looked around and there was
pretty much none here in Perth or West Australia of
any profile. So I just said yeah, So we started
from there. He and I just pounded the pavement, walking
down Saint George's Terrace and Perth, meeting with some of
the big oil and gas and resource companies and so on.
(06:47):
So that's how it came about. So we just started
off to work where Ppe and I didn't know nothing
about the industry. If I did, probably I wouldn't have
went into it.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
And when I quickly learned.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
And the thing with Mike was he had a very
good importing exporting a business and so on, and plus he'd.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Been in that industry with his previous company, so it
was a good fit.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
And I was able to get into companies and other
things that before the indigenous procurement policies, I had sort
of contacts through my consulting into these companies. So that
was how we started and we just grew from that
and there was you know, it took us a long
time really to get our foothold into that industry. But
you know, I probably took about six years, seven years
(07:32):
before I really started to collect a wage as such.
So it was really so my consulting always helped me
on the journey.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
But my I always knew.
Speaker 4 (07:40):
Would cold work where it would grow because we were
pretty hard working at it, and we'd sort of, you know,
been involved in a lot of discussions. But I was
always big on innovation and research because I was always
interested in, you know, the innovation side of you know,
the materials of what we're using and the sources and
(08:01):
where they'd come from, and how to you know, this environment,
all this ESG stuff that's.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Around now in a big way.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
We were talking and dealing with that way back when
we started ten years ago, and then we just sort
of trans.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Formed into coal supplies.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
And it was probably the period we started to talk
about coal supplies about twelve eight months before the COVID
pandemic hit. And you know, business has a lot of
hard work and a bit of luck, and I guess
that's what helped us. But we also attended a separately,
we attended this workshop in Noosa from a guy named
(08:40):
Simon Reynolds who's based in la and he talked about
business coaching and so on. So Mike and I attended
those sessions independent. Then we came together and we sat
down and we developed our strategy pretty much on a
plant and on reflection, we after five years, I think
it was four years, we actually hit every target set
(09:04):
on that plan, which was pretty amazing. So it was
then and then we diversified into.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
From work where Pepe safety, to.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Health, medical and industrial, and we did very well through
the COVID period or COVID products and solutions, so that
sort of set us on our way to now where
we had our booth at the trade show connect for
Supply Nation this year and I think we had about
(09:34):
four products if that were previously we had everything. And
so over time you learn and our business models changed
from retail direct sales to wholesale and you know, all
the third part of logistics. And we had an office.
I closed it down here I thought, you know, I'm
paying money for this office when really I could be
doing it at.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Home and a mobile.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
So, you know, so we had We've got a different
business model that works. So it's been a really good journey.
And my children, I've got four children and four step
children and two grandsons. But my four children at various
times over the journey have been involved in the business
as well. And also Mike's sister in law, she was
(10:19):
also involved in the business and his brother. So we've
had family involvement and so it's been really good and
it's been a lot of hard when I say, but
it's truly emerged to be a sort of leading indigenous
supply company.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Now, Yeah, like you.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
Said, it was you know, a little bit of luck.
And I remember that kind of that evolution through through
COVID and seeing I think I was seeing is on
LinkedIn promoting that you were getting the face massing. You know,
that's just responding to responding to context, responding to the market,
which is so great. Nice to hear you mention your
(10:58):
kids and your step kids and your grandkids. And I
noticed you We're in Black Digital and this is a
new venture. Yeah, anyone talked just about that.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
Yeah, well Black Digital was born out of I've always
had the idea of you know, I mentioned innovation earlier,
and I've always sort of thought about, you know, the
tech spase, but I've never I didn't really understand it
and probably still learning, I guess. And the thing was,
I remember going through COVID and my consulting business and
(11:27):
like a lot of our businesses here and around the
country and you know, others in a throughout the world,
those that had a people based business like consulting and
doing workshops almost stopped overnight. So my consulting business pretty
much stopped in that regard in terms of contact with people.
But I was doing work in myle consulting, assisting assessment
(11:50):
and doing stuff on business analyzing the the health of businesses.
So I was doing a bit of that, but it
was only around if you had a product that was required,
which was like this COVID product and solutions that really
got us through that period. But it was there that
I realized there were five things I identified was and
(12:14):
this is what I've focused on going forward, is around
food security, water security, health, communications, and technology. Because when
you look at that period, Zoom for example, I think
prior to pandemic hand ten million subscribers. At the height
of the pandemic, they had two hundred and twenty million subscribers.
(12:34):
Some watching all this stuff. So then one day I
just sent a text to my son who was working
in the government, and said, look, Black, did you are
you in? And he comes back. I was expecting to say,
what's that and he goes yes, And then a few
weeks later he rang me said I've resigned. I said, oh, congratulations,
(12:55):
and he goes, well, he said, I thought he was
going to tell me awful because I've got a mortgage
and I've got kids, and I got this. I said, nah,
I said, you'll be right. I said, we'll just get
on with it.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
And we've done. And so we've just bought a youngest son.
Speaker 4 (13:07):
That was Nathan, my oldest one, but just want my
younger son, Jared, into the business as well. So he's
come on as a digital strategist. So he's twenty four,
he's at UNI and he's come and do work with us.
So you know, they're the future, I guess. So I'm
getting involved. And interestingly, tomorrow I leave to spend Nathan I,
(13:28):
who's my business partner, but my son, were actually going
to Silicon Valley tomorrow to you know, visit I mean
a Microsoft and Tesla and others. We're going over there
and also going to Denver because of some of the
startup technology stuff. So we've also and I took Nathan
(13:48):
to the NMSDC last year in New Orleans, so he's
got exposed to a global area of supply diversity and
it was really eye opening and overwhelming for him.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
But I said, look, this is where. So when you
hear and Perth or wherever you.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Are, you know you're part of a bigger movement and
part of a bigger business picture. So don't ever get
despondent about things.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Just keep going. And that's sort of the mattress.
Speaker 4 (14:13):
So Black Digital will and we slowed it down, actually
we slowed it down a lot because we're going along
and us say look, let's just do a bit more
research and look at how the industry across all Australia
the world is going.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
And also in Perth. So it's been it's been fantastic
so far.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
So we're about twelve months in but or maybe must
but we're just taking it slow and we'll build it
over time.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
So it's going to be interesting.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You're a great role model for your kids and so
great to hear, you know. And I got to meet
Nathan in New Orleans last year. But yeah, for him
being able to have that exposure for you to go
into business with him, and yeah, exciting to be going
in Silicon Valley which is fantastic.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Absolutely, And also over there he met he's a big
NBA fan and he spent twenty minutes with Magic Johnson.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
The exal La Lake is Superstar. He came around the corner.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I don't know where he went, but he went off
and he said, I'd just spend twenty minutes with Magic Johnson.
He had teased in his eyes and I'm like, what
are you crying for? He said, I just met Magic Johnson. Say,
if he was doing what he was doing previously, he
would never had that opportunity. Say, it was good seeing that.
And my youngest one has come on board in the
last couple of weeks and he's just yeah, I could
see he's already started doing research and different stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
So it's yeah, it's good.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
So it's fantastic. You are the chairperson of the nong
Chamber of Commerce. See how important are Aboriginal chambers of commerce?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Oh, They're massively important. What I'm seeing is and it
was interesting because it was that conference in Denver in
twenty twelve where I met a lady from a Mexican
Chamber of commerce. And pretty much chambers of commerce do
all the same stuff, but there's two things she mentioned
to me was around the cultural philosophy of what they
(16:00):
do and the family focus they have, because if you know,
culture is pretty much similar to ours in terms of
the principle and values or family. So I came back here.
We just started the long our Chamber of Commerce and
it's been a massive journey. That's been around five six
years in terms of its legal constituted body, but we've
(16:20):
been on a ten year journey and eleven year journey.
So it's but those chambers that there's actually a wave
starting to occur in Australia with a network of Chambers
of commerces. So it's really something that you know, ten
years ago whatever, just they weren't as prevalent as are now.
So they're very much part of the business landscape. And
(16:42):
we have about five hundred and forty members now, so
we're climbing at a rate of about two two a week,
so truly significant. How it's sort of increased.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
So what does the future hold for you? Not like
and what's the legacy piece? I mean, I think your
kids are part of that.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Yeah, yeah, what is that for you? I mean one
of the things I've started to look at now is
and this is about you know, you go. It's funny
because one of them mob saw me one day and
they said, hey, where you got the car from?
Speaker 2 (17:14):
I said, I bought it, and they said how do
you buy it? I said, well money, that's where you
got money. Said, I'm in business, what it's good business?
I said, well yeah, I said. You go into business
to make money. So I'm in business. I'm making money
and I buy. Well how do I do that?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
So well, we explained ABN and explained business stuff and that,
and I said, oh, this is better than working for
someone else, I said, where. It's not for everyone, I said,
but you get into business that provides you a lot
of opportunities and stuff. So but what I started to
look at now in recent times is around a lot
more international trade and investment. So how do we get
(17:53):
our people on a global scale? But how do we
further invest back into our business community and startups? And
so I'm start to look at investing back into our
startups and helping average and or business growth. So that's,
you know, one of the areas I think that's as
(18:13):
we in business become successful, mature greatly in business, then.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
I think it's about that give back stuff.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
So some people are foundations, some people are other means,
But I like to in that space. I tend to
do a lot of things that are sports based, whether
it's football or netball, or I think where young people
are able to get further opportunities in life and stuff.
So now I mean with the Chamber, we're looking at
establishing innovation hub around digital technology, so there'll be one area.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
That we can invest in.
Speaker 4 (18:46):
And what I'm also seeing here is a lot of
our business are starting to talk about becoming corporate partners
to our Chamber, but also to other initiatives out there.
So there's a real shift in because we're getting to
positions now we're able to support out more, better and
a lot more, you know, financially.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I think that's where the future is.
Speaker 4 (19:05):
And taking our people you know, to a mindset or
thinking you know, and acting globally as.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Well, that is the future.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
And yeah, you've got a lot of wealth of experience
and knowledge to share. So look, it's been great to
have a Yarn with you today. If you've got one
kind of final message for those that are watching this
and maybe aspiring to be in business, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I'd say just go for it and don't worry about
anything else. Just keep a laser focus and go for
it because you just never know where it will go
and you'll get there. Trust me, you'll get there. Work hard,
and you'll get luckier. Thank you, thanks so much.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
So there you have it.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
I hope you've enjoyed the latest episode of.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Meet the Mob.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Thanks for listening to today's episode. If you love it,
please share it on your socials. With your mob, let's
help amplify as many Indigenous businesses as possible and get
everyone supporting each other. Thank you.
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