“As a mediator, I help people in conflict to resolve their disputes with good results for everyone”
Ros Lockley of Communikeys started her business after her workplace underwent changes, including redundancies. She wanted to continue doing what she loved most – helping people resolve conflicts and find peace in their relationships. Her work as a mediator has allowed her to witness firsthand the positive impact of effective communication. After mediating several disputes that ended with the people involved expressing regret for not seeking mediation sooner she realised that teaching people how to communicate better could save relationships.
As a mediator and conflict coach, Ros guides couples who are on the brink of breaking up to find their best relationship. She offers mediation, one-on-one conflict coaching, Parent Effectiveness Training, the Save Our Marriage Experience program, and Workplace Conflict Management Training.
With years of experience in the legal profession, Ros is comfortable with conflict and views it as an opportunity for growth. She believes that, when handled with respect, conflict can lead to greater understanding and stronger relationships. Through her mediation services, Ros helps individuals and couples resolve disputes peacefully, improving communication and fostering healthier connections.
What Ros enjoys most about running her own business is the flexibility it gives her to work closely with clients. She believes effective communication is key to any successful relationship and is passionate about helping clients navigate tough conversations to find positive resolutions, particularly when it comes to family dynamics and children’s well-being.
Ros joined the HerBusiness Network in 2022 and has participated in several programs, including the Mastermind Experience and most recently the Growth Retreat in Port Douglas. She believes that being part of a network like HerBusiness, surrounded by like-minded people and gaining access to valuable education, is essential for business growth. Ros says the training and programs have helped her refine her marketing, gain clarity, increase her visibility, and make her offers more well-known.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Oprah Winfrey. She has created an empire based on looking out for ordinary people and creating greater awareness of mental health. Making money from doing good in the world!
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
I love being able to pivot and make decisions as I am working with clients. I had a client today who was crying because she didn’t really want to separate from her co-parent. We talked about the options of reconciling and separation. She now wants to discuss what option will work for their family in mediation. I don’t know where the conversation will lead but it is exciting to support them to find the best way forward for them and their children.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Marketing is a mountain more than a funnel (thanks Michelle Falzon).
- Plan for the year ahead so you don’t miss opportunities that you can only see with time and from a bird’s eye view.
- Focus on one area and don’t try to do everything at once. There are plenty of shiny objects, just focus on one!
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
Join a network where you meet like-minded people and receive education on how to thrive in your business (um, hello,HerBusiness!)
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
- Planning
- Budgeting
- Marketing
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
My ideal business would be me doing my thing from anywhere in the world. Having a coffee with my husband in Paris before running an online mediation then meeting up with him at the Musee D’Orsay and having dinner in a little restaurant at the base of the Sacre Coeur.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
The marketing and Amanda Farmer’s tips on getting famous from the Growth Retreat are solving my problem of getting known for resolving conflict and saving marriages rather than waiting until the relationship is already over. It has been so frustrating to tell people what I do and they respond with ‘I wish I’d known you BEFORE my partner and I separated!’
Learn more about Ros Lockley and Communikeys.
