Carol Jones
The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies
- Director
Retailing
About Me - My Biography
Greetings Her Business Members from rural Australia,
My partner and I design and make textile products that are simple solutions for difficult problems. We have 400,000 customers in 30 countries around the world who think our products are the best thing since sliced bread. The icing on the cake is that all our products are made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability. We are renown for our simple solutions that work. When others don’t.
Designers and makers in rural Australia of The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies, my partner and I did what everyone said we couldn’t do. We built a worldwide business from broke. From our remote rural property in the Central Tablelands of NSW. Australia. Before the internet. Before email. Before call waiting. Came to our rural village.
Me. And my partner. Victor Pleshev. Lost everything in Paul Keating’s 1992 ‘recession we had to have’. Our home. Personal possessions. Two businesses. My market research consultancy. And Victor’s architectural practice. 16 staff. Cars. And avoided bankruptcy by entering into schemes of arrangement. Agreeing to pay off our debts. Because it’s the honourable thing to do.
We escaped our inner city life in trendy Balmain NSW. For a rural life in the picturesque hill country in the Village of Ilford. Where we could afford to live. And where we could reinvent ourselves.
Poor as church mice. With no road map. No idea as to what to do. We set out on a new path.
Our journey down the Yellow Brick Road found Victor designing textile products that solved problems. And discovering they were popular with the public.
Our signature product, the Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover. Was designed for his mother. As a gift only. To help her with her ironing when she was recovering from a stroke.
If you design one product well. People want more. To date, we’ve designed 7 products.
The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover
Every product was designed to fill a need for someone.
And have 400,000 customers. In 30 countries.
Our story is featured in Bernadette Jiwa’s newest international best selling book ‘Hunch’. I’m the Ironing Whisper. On page 73.
Business is a tough gig. But we’ve carved out a lifestyle that’s the envy of our friends. And customers.
We are known for the quality of our products. And customer service.
We are so committed to keeping jobs in Australia. And helping others. That all our products are made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability.
We now have an Australian Makers page on our website. That features Australian made products. Because our customers told us they wanted more businesses like us to buy from. So we search for them. And when we find the best. We feature them. As a service to the men and women who buy from us.
I joined Her Business to meet you. I drive an hour – one way – to buy a litre of milk. So the tyranny of distance that rules my life, precludes get-togethers on a regular basis in real life. So I’m hoping to make friends with you in cyberspace.
And on the phone. If that’s a device that you still use! I have no mobile reception at my rural property, so texting is out for me. I’m still very attached to my landline.
I live in a 35-year-old modest farmhouse on 54 hectares in the beautifully picturesque hill country of The Central Tablelands of NSW. My house is surrounded by a 2-hectare country garden. Which we developed from scratch in 1996. 110 trees now surround the house. 200+ fragrant roses ramble along the fence line. Honeysuckle grows along the roof line of our house. Thousands of fragrant shrubs in huge garden beds provide abundant food and nectar for our bird population. We have more than 110 species of birds that fly in. And fly out. Of our garden every year. So much better than the 5 species that were here when we arrived in 1992.
Every morning at sunrise, I go for a walk on my property. With my camera. And post one photo every morning to my social media accounts.
I have 34 years experience in running my own business. And would love to share my knowledge with you.
According to my partner, Victor, I’m also a perennial student. I have 3 university degrees. And have embarked on yet another journey. To be the best saleswoman in the world. So I’m in training! Studying every day from masters around the world. Books. Videos. Online training courses. I have a great deal to learn. But it’s my most exciting venture yet.
I love sharing. So if I can help you at any time, please let me know. I’m just an email. Or a phone call. Away.
I’d love to meet you.
Until then. Take care,
~Carol❤
PS. Ring me anytime. 02 63 588 511.
My Expertise
What am I good at?
- I’m a natural at customer service. It’s in my DNA. I have customers on my database who have been buying from me since 1994. Because I let them know how much I love them. Every time they buy. And in between.
- I make sure that every parcel they receive from me feels like they’re opening a gift. To them. From me.
- I love solving problems. And finding ways of doing things that most people don’t think of.
- I’m a ninja at staying focussed. And keeping at something until it’s finished.
- If I find that I’m not good at something. And it’s something I need to do. I search online for information that will make me good at it.
- I’m naturally friendly. And love meeting you. And finding out about you. And playing matchmaker if I know someone that you want to meet. Or who I think should meet you.
- Something that I’m especially good at is knowing what to do when I run into a brick wall. As I’ve run into many of them in my years in business. And how to get myself out of those dark, scary, blind alleys. As I’ve been down too many of them. And how to pick myself up when knocked over. I’ve been down for the count more than once.
- Life is never fair. But we’re always in control of how we play the cards we’re dealt with.
My Passions
- Running my business. Always number one.
- Keeping jobs in Australia.
- Buying Australian before buying imports.
- Helping people.
- Learning new things.
- Working in my hectare of country garden.
- Baking. I love working with flour. And looking like the scullery maid at the end of it all.
- Going for a walk on my property every morning at sunrise. Rain or shine.
- Sitting down in the evening. Before dinner. And sharing a drink with my partner. To talk about our day. And whatever else comes to mind.
- Talking to anyone who will have a conversation with me. In shops. On street corners. Waiting in line at the supermarket checkout. To cure boredom. It’s amazing the things I learn from the man and woman in the street.
- I love technology. I’m more than computer literate. And indulge in any software that will make my business. And personal life. Better.
- I’m a keen amateur photographer. I take hundreds of digital photos every morning. In real life, I can’t help myself. In my mind, I frame everything I see.
My Interests
- My business
- Baking
- Cooking
- Photography
- Gardening
- Reading
- Learning
- Listening to music
- Walking
- Keeping abreast of world events. I read 9 digital newspapers every day.
- Learning to play the harmonica
- Looking for new things to become interested in!
How I Can Help Other Members
I love sharing what I know. I’ve been in my own business since 1983. I’ve learned a lot. I’d love to use my experience to help you. No strings attached. Just the pure joy that comes from giving.
Why I Became a HerBusiness Member
To meet you. For no other reason.
My Member to Member Offer(s)
I would like to meet members who I can partner with to make exclusive offers to my customers.
My signature product, The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover, on average, lasts about 5 years. So it’s a long time between drinks. I have 7 other products that are also long lasting.
These are the demographics of my customers. Based on my product range. And what I know about them.
They iron. So therefore they wear clothes.
They live in a house/apartment. Some have two houses. And some have chalets in ski resorts. True!
They cook. And garden. And make quilts.
They travel.
They have pets.
They’re mature. 45+ up to 90 years old.
Up market. QC’s. Judges. Doctors. Accountants. Solicitors. Politicians. CEO’s. A few BRW Rich List members. Butlers and housekeepers in big houses in Australia. Some celebrities. Senior executives. As well as men and women who have really well paying jobs.
They range from parents with young children. To retirees. To devoted grandparents.
50% are men. 50% are women.
They’re loyal. Many have been on my database since 1994.
I am in regular contact with them by email.
And they despair of not being able to find/buy enough superior products made in Australia.
This is the link to my website, The Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover And Other Goodies. And what I do. https://www.interfaceaustralia.com/wordpress/.
My criteria is: made in Australia. Available online. Easy to form a joint venture.
If you can help me by helping them, I’d love to hear from you.
You can ring me, Carol Jones, in rural Australia on 02 63 588 511. Or email me at interfaceaustralia@bigpond.com.
It will be a pleasure to meet you. ~Carol❤
