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 – Never stop improving and celebrate your mistakes

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Hosted by HerBusiness

On air:

3 May 2016

Laurie McDonald is the Founder and Managing Director of Canberra Furnished Accommodation, an award-winning business that provides customers with flexible, short-term living accommodations. The company, which started in her home in 2003, has grown to encompass over 50 locations in the Canberra area.

In this episode of herBusiness, Suzi Dafnis interviews Laurie about a few of the strategies for success she shared during her induction into the 2016 Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame.

Listen to the interview to hear more about:

  • Making efficient systems and procedures for your company
  • Leading by example
  • Networking and seeking out mentors in the face of uncertainty
  • Celebrating and learning from mistakes
  • Keeping on top of the business end of things
  • Kaizen and the art of continual development
  • The necessity of downtime, and making peace with your to-do list
  • How to deal with self-doubt (without being blindly optimistic)

Read Laurie’s inspiring story and her strategies for success.

Read Laurie’s strategies for success in the 2016 Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame Keepsake Booklet. Download the eBook here.

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About the host

Suzi Dafnis

Hi there. I’m Suzi Dafnis, CEO at HerBusiness. My BIG passion is helping women business owners to grow and scale their business, so that they can create their ideal lifestyle and make a difference in the world. Every day I am inspired by the more than 30,000 amazing women (and men!) in our community and I love finding the best education, mentors, and resources from around the globe, to help them get the skills, knowledge, and support they need to succeed. It’s been my privilege to lead HerBusiness (formerly The Australian Businesswomen’s Network) for the past 23 years (two+ decades – WOW!) because, whilst I’ve enjoyed success in business, I’ve also experienced the highs and the lows – sometimes you can feel on top of the world and in control and other times you can feel isolated, exhausted and stuck. What has made the biggest difference for me has always been having great people around me and having a lifelong commitment to learning. That’s why I am so passionate about the work we do here at HerBusiness – providing a Connection Network for women in business to get the mentors, contacts, referrals, knowledge, and skills they need to grow their confidence, make more money, build their businesses, expand their network and create the lives they love. My entrepreneurial journey started in the spare room of my Sydney apartment in 1994 when my business partner and I started a boutique events company that represented speakers and authors from the USA, here in Australia. Over the years I’ve grown multiple multi-million dollar businesses in the events, publishing and education niches – with teams in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. Not everything has worked and there has been a degree of trial and error, and a lot of bumps in the road. But I have always had a strong commitment to always surrounding myself with great mentors and like-minded peers – a Connection Network that I can depend on and who can depend on me to be there for them too. I truly do what I love, every day.  

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About the guest(s)

Laurie McDonald

Laurie McDonald

Award winning business woman, passionate property investor, serial renovator, interior designer, skier and world traveller who describes herself as “always playing catch up at work because I was playing catch with my kids”. Laurie’s adult life began at 16 when she found herself homeless and decided the only way was up. Since then she’s married the man of her dreams, grown 2 humans, driven a semi-trailer, danced with a prince, founded 3 business’, renovated 34 properties, constructed 2 houses, furnished over 100 properties, built a double digit investment property portfolio and been inducted into the Australian Business Women's Hall of Fame. Living in her owner-built architecturally designed dream home in Canberra with her husband, 2 sons and adorable puppy Max makes Laurie a living testament to her personal motto of ‘if you can dream it you can achieve it’. Laurie is a proud Ngunnawal woman whose loves are property, interior design, small business and resolving issues affecting our traditional owners. As well as directing her business, Canberra Furnished Accommodation, Laurie sits on the board of the Canberra Business Chamber and provides interior design and furnishing services in between managing and renovating her investment properties and mothering her 2 sons.

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