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Leadership is not a solo activity, so share the load
Divorced with 5 kids, and launching a startup, Karen Porter thinks that there are a lot easier things to do than run a business. Nine years later her business is worth 7 million plus, and she has a boatload of experience about what works and what doesn’t. She has very practical tips on what it takes to work through the tough bits of business.
👉🏼 Want to share your experience? Ask a question? Share a resource? Jump on our podcast Facebook page here.
Why you should listen: leadership skills for small business
How sharing problems helps the team step up and buy in
How to balance compassion for someone you fire and looking after the business - an essential leadership ability
Why getting to know your numbers is a game changer
We explore leadership mindsets in business
How business is a great game you can play
The moment Karen realised she was running a ‘real’ business
Putting her hand up to run in the next Federal election as a candidate for the New Liberal party in the Eden Monaro electorate
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SHOWNOTES:
Links:
Karen’s Eden Monaro candidate facebook page
About CEO Karen Porter
Leadership skills and start-up with CEO Karen Porter
Karen Porter had the opportunity to work for both Local and Federal Governments over a 22 year period and her 4th and 5th pregnancies led her to become a small business owner with her then husband in the construction industry.
In 2011 their marriage broke down and Karen decided to pursue the double glazing side of her business on her own. The business grew from a virtual start up to a multi-million dollar business. Karen has been recognised for her achievements through both the Telstra Business and Women's Awards, had the honour of being named Canberra Business Woman of the Year and also the National Women in Construction Award as a Business Professional.
In recent years, Karen has judged the awards that she has won and is currently a Board Director of the Master Builders Association and President of the Bredbo Progress Association where she lives. Three of Karen's five children work in her business and she is currently on the pathway to being a Candidate in the next Federal Election.
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Related episodes on leadership skills
E159 - How to build a successful business in a competitive market - with Co-Founder, Sarah Rajic
E157 - How to be a Measured Risk Taker with Stuart Althaus
E134 - My biggest failure was needing to be right - Marene Allison, CISO Johnson & Johnson
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About your podcast host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is one of Australia’s leading experts on people stuff - the stuff that gets in our way of producing results, and the stuff that lights us up. She works with the growers, makers, builders to make people stuff fun and practical.
Zoë is the author of four books: Composure - How centered leaders make the biggest impact, Moments - Leadership when it matters most, Loyalty - Stop unwanted stuff turnover, boost engagement, and build lifelong advocates, and People Stuff - Beyond Personalities: An advanced handbook for leadership. People Stuff was awarded Book of the Year 2020 by the Smart WFM Australian Business Book Awards.
Zoë is also the producer of The Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast.