Tara Jacobson and business partner Amanda Cole are the co-founders of groei in 2019. Tara is the program director at groei – a business training program focussing on supporting female-led businesses.
Groei’s mission is to “provide anyone who has a business idea, side hustle, solo, micro, or small business with a learning environment that not only teaches the ‘what’, but more importantly the ‘how to’.“ Groei provides individual coaching, group coaching, cohort learning, access to industry advisors and specialists, and virtual self-paced micro lessons.
There are many women wanting to begin a small business where they have more control over the times and hours they work while juggling family duties and demands. This has been particularly so since the bushfires and pandemic during 2020.
Groei’s goal is to upskill these women, giving them on-line access where they can develop broader social capital, connecting with other women to build that better support. At the same time these women are learning about strategy and planning. They learn about structure and accountability which underpins the strategy and planning process to enable them to make better decisions around the profitability of their business, with less stress.
Many women signal their lack of confidence in starting a business. Groei can provide that support so necessary for a new business owner.
During the pandemic there were many women who took the opportunity to follow their dream and began their own business. Unfortunately, many of them lacked the skills and knowledge necessary to operate a profitable business. Groei’s goal has been to give women the business confidence to start a business, offering peer support and feedback to overcome what groei describes as the ‘imposter syndrome’, running the business as a business, not just a job.
The challenge during the pandemic was the ever-changing information and restrictions that affected more than just the business. Owners were constantly having to change direction as the landscape changed, facing more obstacles while still juggling kids, family, business needs, customers, and staff. Groei stepped in to provide the support necessary to continue running the business profitably.
Groei’s ultimate goal is to produce women who can confidently run strong, sustainable businesses. This will support rural and regional communities in Australia and New Zealand who have struggled in the difficult environment of a pandemic and post-pandemic world. Small businesses are still a vital part of the renewal of rural and regional areas, and women can play a critical role in building those businesses within a community.
As Tara Jacobson has said “Women learn differently to men. We learn better in groups, and we gain confidence when we see other women not only moving ahead but also supporting other women – the power of reciprocity”.
Ref: Madeleine Hislop. Women’s Agenda
This article has been prepared for information purposes only and is not legal advice. For legal advice regarding your specific circumstances, please contact WR Law directly on (03) 5499 6131 or by email at admin@wrlaw.com.au
