MiTraining student, Kelly Williams, combined starting her own micro business with her studies to launch a thriving retail store, Pascoe Tales.
Kelly Williams was a music teacher by trade and made the change from a long-established 25-year career teaching in schools into the uncertainty of starting her own business.
A native of Pascoe Vale in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, she was inspired to start her own small business after spending many a weekend passionately visiting makers markets far and wide and realising there was nothing remotely similar in her own local area.
However, like many, the challenge for Kelly was deciding to move from a secure teaching career. She needed to equip herself with some real-world business skills fast.
Knowing that online study was going to fit best with her lifestyle, Kelly enrolled in a Certificate III in Micro Business Operations through MiTraining (now called BSB30220 Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business) which can be completed online at your own pace over 12 to 18 months.
"The flexibility provided in the online qualification has been invaluable. I knew I needed flexibility and was looking for a course that I could fit around my teaching schedule,” Kelly said.
"I was still teaching at the beginning but had plenty of time in the school holidays to study, once the business started I was able to slow down my study to accommodate the demands of running the business."
Kelly felt lucky to be setting up her business at the same time as studying the course as it covered all the basics she needed to get started.
“I particularly liked how the information was presented in such a clear way and explained absolutely every term, and was directed at the beginner,” she said.
"I feel like it gave a complete picture of running a business from planning and strategy building through to financially running the business day-to-day, and now I can build on that knowledge with experience."
Following invaluable input gained from subjects in the qualification, Kelly refined her business idea into an eco-lifestyle store with gifts, workshops and eco-lifestyle products.
"The eco-lifestyle portion of the Pascoe Tales came last as when I opened, I just had a small range of eco-friendly products…but they were so popular I expanded the range, and it's now a third of the business!"
"The team at MiTraining are experienced professionals in the business world which provided me with real-world, practical and honest advice about how the business operates. The order of the subjects is the same order of steps that you should follow to set up a business, so I had the right information the whole way. I have absolutely no doubt this course prevented me from making a lot of mistakes. I was also able to hold professional and informed conversations with all the stakeholders involved."
Today Pascoe Tales is a thriving retail store with lots of repeat customers. As well as surviving the financial challenges of the current retail environment, Kelly said she is looking forward to the year ahead and, "the task of turning survival into prosperity and further refining the skills she has learnt from her study with MiTraining”.
Check out the Pascoe Tales website.
Inspired by Kelly’s micro business success story?
If you're considering starting a micro business contact MiTraining to find out how the BSB30220 Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and New Business could propel you on your way to small business success.
