South West Life

Perhaps it’s the little boy inside me but I still get a kick out of watching kids play the “whoopee cushion” prank on some poor unsuspecting soul. Another trick that never goes stale is the good old plastic spider. When I was a kid, a visit to the joke shop was top of the list when we had that extra “Christmas money” from the grandparents but I hadn’t been in a party shop for years until last weekend when I stumbled across Parties and Gifts at Nine in Donnybrook.

If you own a business and you feel like you’re trapped in a 50-70 hour working week then perhaps it’s time for a shift in perspective. No one would argue that owning a business is not hard work, it is. However, does that mean you have to burn yourself out on the road to success? The people from the Ferguson Valley Marketing and Promotions Inc would argue that it doesn’t.

The Margaret River Wine Region’s status as an essential destination for gourmet foodie enthusiasts has been confirmed with yet another accolade. The Australian Traveller Magazine today published its 100 Greatest Australian Gourmet Experiences with two Margaret River operators making the prestigious list. 

Give your business the wide exposure it deserves by entering the 2010 South West WA Small Business Awards. Previous entrants have achieved enormous success and recognition not only on a local level but also on a regional, state and national level.

Japan Oil, Gas and Metals Corporation (JOGMEC) recently announced a $2million joint exploration agreement with WA Company Doral who operate a mineral sands mine near Burekup.

Like many men I have an aversion to shopping ... except when it comes to hardware. I could spend all day and most of my credit-card limit in a hardware store with un-nerving ease. So when I heard reports of a new hardware and garden centre being launched in the neighbourhood my interest was piqued and I just had to check it out.

A close call for Yallingup resident Ray Datodi has inspired the development of an innovative bushfire warning system for use in the home.  The system uses satellite, then VHF radio transmissions and GPS technology to trigger household alarms in fire risk areas.

There are great ways to spend your evening and I’d found one of them. Sitting with my parents who I don’t see as often as I’d like, I was drinking in the ambience of a Cafe’ and talking about nothing in particular. The owner came to check we were enjoying the fare, and we got talking about business. Turns out that as well as a cafe, Chris owns and runs “Rural Cinema”.

Ever driven past those large blue signs and wondered what the Tourist Radio was all about? Barry Green was such a person. One day while driving he spotted the tourist radio sign and thought "why not tune in and have a listen?

It's kind of neat to find a story of a guy who finds things, distils the essence of what he wants, and then goes about making it happen. I've come round to talk to the guy who basically IS Totally Sound, and found not only a great business story but a few snapshots about the way the guy lives his life.