Bondi Chai's director, Melissa Edyvean takes Food mag's Q&A and sheds some light on the joys and challenges of running your own food brand.
Name: Melissa Edyvean
Company name: Karmer Pty Ltd
Title: Director
What are your primary roles and responsibilities in your job? Give us a day in your working life.
Day-to-Day management including: financial management; budget control; product supply management; logistics management. Everything else not specifically allocated to an employee or outsourced!
What training/education did you need for your job?
A Doctorate from the University of Life! Management software; graphic design software; financial control management (minimal formal education, mostly on-the-job)
How did you get to where you are today? Give us a bullet point career path.
- Various casual jobs – several years
- Office assistance
- PR/marketing director
- Graphic designer/publisher
- Various casual jobs – 1 year
- Company director/co-owner of own PR/Marketing consultancy – 4 years
- Creator/co-owner Bondi Chai Latte – 7 years
What tools and/or sofware do you use on a daily basis?
- MYOB
- Excel
- Outlook
- Word
- Google Chrome
- Logistics management software
What is the one thing that you are most proud of in your professional life?
Guiding and creating (where necessary) every facet of a business from start-up to national and international success which continues to exceed our business and lifestyle goals
Biggest daily challenge?
Keeping on top of "growth pains" – meeting demand spurts; keeping debtors to a minimum; tracking down 'missing' product deliveries!
Biggest career challenge?
Expanding my skills, thinking, 'comfort zone' and energy capacity to stay ahead of a rapidly growing business.
What is your biggest frustration in your job?
People who don't do what they say they will (sometimes even in writing) – eg pay an invoice, delivering product to a promised schedule or buying our product.
What is the biggest challenge facing your business?
Rapid expansion on too many fronts.
Is there anything else about your job you want Australia to know about?
Every minute, every ounce of energy and every dollar I commit to our business (and there's been lots) has been – and continues to be – returned in spades. In other words, it's all worth it.
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