Growing your idea

When Ted Tolfree and Shey Newitt arrived in Melbourne from New York in 2013, they developed a plan to launch a quick, fresh and healthy lunchtime option for the corporate crowd on Collins Street. Their dream turned into a reality with Crisp Salad. Within two years of opening, the idea had grown to become four stores located around Melbourne.

How did they make it happen? How did they grow their idea into a profitable business model? They used a healthy mixture of architects, designers and technology consultants. In other words, they made the most of the expertise available. 

“I think it’s vital to have a group of people around you who are going to assist in your business,” says Ted.

“We have some fantastic partners. We’ve got some great designers, some great architects, some great chefs. And we see Telstra as a great partner, looking after our technology.”

It’s a sentiment expressed more and more by businesses across the country, particularly when it comes to online technology. A Deloitte Access Economics’ report, Connected Small Businesses, found that small and medium-sized businesses with high levels of digital engagement are 50% more likely to grow their revenue than those whose engagement is low. Then consider this finding from the 2018 Telstra Small Business Intelligence Report: 62 per cent of customers won’t consider a smallbusiness if they can’t find it online, yet 50 per cent of businesses still don’t have a website.

Of course, there’s no point having loads of hardware and software without the support of a clear and achievable digital strategy. The right people, the right devices and digital platforms, and the right business and marketing strategies all working together can lead to remarkable results for a small business or startup.

For Crisp Salad, that meant getting in someone who can take care of the tech so they could do their thing. Thousands of business success stories around Melbourne and Australia rely on outstanding teams of people and effective use of technology that make everything easier [RK1] . Remember, digital growth requires a digital plan and in many cases the help of some great partners.