Friday, March 29, 2024

How’s business?

Recent stories

The stronger our Maldon businesses – the stronger our Maldon community – the stronger our Maldon.
Maldon Inc members openly share their thoughts and experiences.
#1 of a series: Lindsay Callaway, Warral Maldon

Barry Robinson, President Maldon Inc., Tarrangower Times

“Warral Maldon is a fifth-generation honey business based in Maldon that produces and packs honey to a world-class standard. We also do large-scale crop pollination services around Victoria and Southern New South Wales. Our headquarters are at 35 Boundary Road, employing 12 amazing staff. I’m proud to say some staff have been with Warral Maldon for more than 20 years, and some approaching 10 years with an average staff retention rate of seven years.”

So, how’s business? 

“Business is strong, team morale is great and honey sales are steady. The crop-pollination playing field has changed a little with the finding of the varroa mite in New South Wales, causing the border closure between New South Wales and Victoria. That has caused a lot of difficulty in servicing our clients in New South Wales and getting our bees home from New South Wales.

It was a bit of a trigger though. In business, you either embrace challenges, or they suffocate you. In tackling all those border closures with the powers that be, my 30-plus years of full-time beekeeping came in handy – not only for my business but also (as it turned out) in supporting the bee industry. 

And there’s nothing like a business challenge to discover I’ve been living in a ‘bee bubble’. The varroa mite border closures forced me to step up. I found myself getting onto a lot of industry boards and committees and really embracing the challenges rather than feeling swept away by them.” 

‘A successful business is the sum of many things.’

Well, I guess in coming out of Covid, I was in a bit of a holding pattern waiting for the ‘weather to clear up’ before making any high-end business decisions. 

I can’t really explain exactly what transpired to make me shift focus and get a whole new lease of life for my business. It’s been the sum of many things, I think. It’s like a… without sounding too weird about it… it’s like the force of nature triggered a power switch inside me… I’m not fully aware what happened, but now I’m just going for it. 

‘Sometimes you have to take constructive feedback on the chin.’

(Laugh) Well, I think for honey and beekeeping, it’s been quite interesting because in the last 10, 20 years, we’ve improved a lot in terms of our food quality. We’ve had the onset of industry standards, with some packers like Warral Maldon accepting the challenges required. As a result, Warral Maldon has now been recognised for meeting global food standards. So, my answer to that would be to not look at constructive criticisms or corrective actions or third-party suggestions as offensive – rather, to look at such things as an opportunity to improve and grow. So as hard as it can be, sometimes you get constructive feedback that hurts. And sometimes you must take it on the chin and get better. 

‘Businesses have more in common than they do differences.’

I take my hat off to anyone who opens a business – a trader, a tradie, a service business, a primary producer, an accommodation business… It’s not easy and often we put it all on the line.

However, in business, as in life, behind the veil, there could be family loss, marriage breakdowns, financial struggles, finding staff and wages, meeting rents, and obtaining council permits… businesses have more in common than they do differences. I tilt my hat to all the local businesses in Maldon.

‘Competition smartens up your act, attracts more people to Maldon.’ 

I’ve been in Maldon for 18 years in terms of living in the area.  My factory’s also been here for 10 years, so I’ve always been impressed with Maldon. It seems like just about every second weekend, there’s something going on, and I certainly take my hat off to those behind all those things. Maldon has an edge to it, and we can all add something to it.

I’ve certainly been looking to find that difference or that edge my customers are looking for. Competition smartens up your act, attracts more people to Maldon.

I guess my business is in a state of continuous renewal, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly… a metamorphosis. You’re in a constant flux of improvement. It’s like accepting that something can always be better. It’s a good thing to channel without it being a constant critic. It’s more of a positive slant, you know, ‘What you’ve done is good, Lindsay, but let’s keep going’ sort of thing. 

To become a member or join a sub-committee: maldon.org.au or email maldoninc.org.au.

Tarrangower Times 5 May 2023

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 5 May 2023.

KEEP IN TOUCH

Sign up for updates from Australian Rural & Regional News

Manage your subscription

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

For all the news from the Tarrangower Times, go to https://www.tarrangowertimes.com.au/