Remote Internet Connection Making Regional Businesses Prosper

Imagine running a thriving multi-million business while living in the laid-back countryside. Sound too good to be true?
Meet three thriving Aussie business owners (showcased by the Sydney Morning Herald) whose success are aided by the reach of the internet, through business operations and online marketing .
First is Nick Haddow, who operates a successful organic cheese business right in the heart of Bruny Island, a small island south of Hobart, only accessible via ferry. The raw milk cheese, true to the taste of Tasmania, is highly recognised by international foodies and is being exported in the United States.
The milk cheese, now known as a “must try” on Bruny island, had built up demand in other parts of Australia. Nick Haddow addressed this by creating a huge network centered around a Cheese Club, a group of cheese delighters helping expand the product’s commercial reach.
In addressing the geographic challenges of shipping cheese withín its shelf-life for the best taste, Haddow linked up with logistics and distribution networks to deliver the cheese perfectly anywhere in Australia.

“It’s pretty easy to package up a pallet of cheese and sell it to one customer. But we’re selling direct to our biggest brand advocates and we’ve built a relationship with them, which takes a whole lot more time and resources within the business”

Aussie businesses can also go global by targeting audiences through social media.
For Joanne Knobel, who started a successful honey business in the Queensland outback, the internet proved a huge leap for the startup. Through social media online promotions, Knobel soon found the online market buzzing about her organic honey through beehive farming.

“I’ve used mostly Instagram and Facebook to promote our brand. Visual images are very powerful, so we’ve focused on that most recently. This focus has bought us sales from all over the country and overseas. We’ve also got a few retailers on board, sell at markets in the Central Highlands and deliver to homes locally,”

-Knobel to SMH.com

Imagine leaving the grind of the corporate career and moving out of town to start a dynamic business, rewarding in  self-fulfillment and work/life balance. That is the case of Michelle Ford, up and coming business owner from regional Australia.
Leaving behind the corporate life and founding a business recognised by her community, Ford is among regional business owners leading the charge for recognition of regional industries that innovate and overcome location challenges.

“You don’t have to live in a city to run a successful business. I’m so proud of the fact that we are a successful business in a regional location. It truly feels like a massive achievement,”

In the age of internet and connectivity, location is no longer a barrier.

“SMEs in regional and remote locations across Australia have an opportunity at their fingertips. The internet and digital tools are opening up many new windows for businesses to expand their offering to target new markets and locations, not just in Australia, but internationally.”

-Regional Australia Institute CEO Jack Archer, quoted by SMH.

Internet accessibility for the regional and rural Australia is helping change lives and making businesses grow, with initiatives such as the National Broadband Network (nbn^®) connecting all of Australia to broadband by 2020 through a mix of technology. Built for the diverse geographic landscape of Australia, broadband technologies such as new Sky Muster^® satellite internet connect even the most distant business through affordable and reliable internet that sets the stage for growth.
The nbn^®’s Sky Muster satellite brings better satellite internet connectivity to regional Australia. To get onboard Sky Muster, call Activ8me today 13 22 88 or visit: https://activ8me.net.au/internet/skymuster