Deborah Gordon has always been passionate about health awareness since she started out as a women’s health physiotherapist. So when she began managing her business- Bladder and Bowel Health Australia (BBHA), it was a natural pathway for her to want to apply principles of health promotion within a business model.
Being with BBHA for almost 20 years, she has worked hard on managing the organisation as a business and putting policies and procedures in place to run the organisation more professionally and efficiently. Through her organisation, she communicates that bladder, bowel and continence issues are something that can be fixed. It’s one of her pleasures to challenge the myth that incontinence is something people need to put up with, as they get older.
Just like many women in small businesses, she wears many hats. Despite it being overwhelming at times, her diverse role in the business is also what she loves. Being a mentor to her staff and students, working on projects and managing the business is all part of Deborah’s fun at work.
“It is vital in our organisation to apply the practice and principles of health promotion within a business model to achieve our aims and objectives and meet the needs of our clients.”
“Don’t wait for others to come good on their promises- if it doesn’t happen, move on and make progress elsewhere. Push hard to get what you need for your business.”
The advice Deborah wishes she had when she started her business:
- Learn to network: you will meet amazing people who are willing to help you.
- Build your business model earlier than later.
- If things don’t work out, move on to make progress elsewhere.
The advice Deborah would give someone thinking about starting his or her own business:
- If you have a great idea, then go for it. But remember to do your research and look for risks and opportunities. It’s important to tap into as much expertise as you can.
For Deborah, these knowledge areas and skills are essential for anyone starting in business:
- Finance, finance, finance! You need to get your head around cash flow, budgeting and being able to cover your liabilities.
- Managing human resources is also essential, as well as marketing your own business.
We asked Deborah to identify the problems in her company that HerBusiness membership solves:
“It allows access to great training and resources. It is good to know that you are not alone and that there are people out there who can offer support and advice (as well as other skills and expertise).”
