First and foremost, I am wife and Mum of 3 gorgeous girls. I have totally created my business around my family life. I have found this pretty easy to do because I absolutely love my work. I work odd hours, early mornings, weekends, nights so I can spend time just hanging out with the family. It is so important to have a work life balance that I can cope with. Which leads me to talk about my story.
After studying marketing and business management, I went on to an extensive career working with big organisations in fields of sales and marketing. I have worked for large brands like Qantas airways where I spent many years learning the ropes of sales, marketing and market research. I have also worked in Government departments where I helped large regional tourism organisations and small businesses with their marketing. It was doing all of this that I realised that the basic marketing principles big business uses can be very easily adapted to small businesses.
I formed my own consultancy where I started to work with small businesses like bed and breakfast operators, shops and retail outlets, farm stays, small regional food producers and horseback riding operators just to name a few. I also worked with Government, regional and local councils to help educate the local businesses about marketing. I did this all through workshops and developing marketing plans for small businesses.
I had a stint of going back to work for a large organisation ‘part time’ after I had my twins. I discovered quickly that part time was really a full time job crammed into 3 days. I realised that I am definitely not a super Mum, I just couldn’t cope with the demands of a large organisation and managing my family. I was stressed, my family was stressed and I thought, what am I doing here? I thought, there must be something easier for me to do.
So, I went back to doing what I love best, being a happy relaxed Mum. And I reignited my consultancy helping small businesses with their marketing, researching and marketing travel and working with not for profit organisations.
Leave A Reply (2 comments So Far)
Bronwyn White
159 days ago
Hey Patrick
Was great to meet you. Yes, 3 daughters is a worry….I though you were a bit grey for your age. Bron
Patrick Zuluaga [PMZ Marketing]
160 days ago
Hi Bronwyn,
It was great meeting you yesterday at the Inner West Business Expo at Homebush!
I noted that you have 3 daughters as well same here.
Let’s keep in touch.
Patrick