Alycia Edgar established The Roaly Group when she first saw a gap in the market for accountants who aren’t your typical accountants. Her company provides clients with the services of an accountant, as well as those of an operations strategist. By helping business owners understand what their numbers mean, The Roaly Group aims to find solutions to improve businesses. Not long after she started her business, Alycia joined the Australian Businesswomen’s Network (ABN) and participated in the MentorNet program. With the support of the ABN, Alycia was able to develop a clear structure going forward. Based one and a half hours from Melbourne, Alycia is a long way away from other like-minded businesswomen.
“Although I attended networking events locally, I never felt like I found my people – people that I really connected with,” she says.
After discovering social media, Alycia was able to overcome some of the challenges that came with working from a regional community. The accessibility of social media allowed her to develop relationships with people all over the world and to learn about new technologies. For Alycia, these global connections have led to a range of professional and personal opportunities, and social media is now her favourite way to network. Her team has grown from two to six members in the space of six months to support the business’ growth spurt. Alycia also uses cloud systems to manage daily tasks wherever she is. With clients all over the country, technology is crucial in maintaining a high standard of service. As a regular blogger for the ABN’s herBusiness blog, her profile has lifted significantly; she has also presented on webinars and recently represented the ABN as part of the Small Business Festival in Victoria. Alycia’s partnership has helped her increase her face-to-face presence at events that she wouldn’t have attended otherwise. She is also the co-owner of networking group, Biz3228, which will be holding networking events and workshops in 2013. Her advice to women looking to start their own business in a regional or remote community is to network as much as you can. If confidence is a factor, find someone who is currently in business and ask him or her to be your mentor – many established business owners are more than happy to assist anyone just starting out!F
For more information on you can connect, learn and grow, regardless of your location, learn more about the benefits of membership.
