Four years ago, I joined the team at Athelstone Newsagency, where the staff have ended up becoming more like my second family. There is a time for everything, and sadly (maybe happily for Paul) as of last week, Paul decided it was time to retire the store.
I am extremely grateful for the opportunities and mentorship afforded to me working at the Newsagency. It has helped me develop as a person, honing my skills including confidence, problem solving, management, teamwork, leadership… Just to name a few. In my four years, I’ve realised that Paul has taught me, most importantly, patience and how to help others prosper; by providing them with a non-judgemental and encouraging environment to learn, fail, and then ultimately succeed and grow. As sad as I am to see this chapter of my journey close, I believe life has a way of delivering you opportunities disguised as challenges. For me this is an opportunity to take the skills and lessons, so generously provided by Paul, and incorporate them into how I approach my business and daily life.
One of the driving forces to me starting my own business is through my involvement in small family and community businesses such as Paul's, I have seen how Marketing and incorporating technology can seem prohibitively expensive to outsource or just plain overwhelming to do yourself; making it restrictive for established or up and coming small business owners. Others have had a simplistic view of marketing, with the view that posts on social media are your free meal ticket to instant recognition and brand awareness. However, I view a more holistic approach as vitally important to the health and growth of your business.
To my family at Athelstone Newsagency, you have made the last four years very special and I can't wait to see where you go from here. And to Paul, happy retirement! 🥂🍻
