Now the Echuca woman is more than ready to walk the walk – hopefully all the way to the stage as an Australian small business champion after her company – Talk Smart Training – was named a finalist in this year’s awards.
Dawn only launched her business in May 2017 but the honours and awards are now rolling in.
Already a winner of the GMCU Allianz Campaspe Murray Business Awards for people’s choice and best home based business; this is her first national nod.
Dawn specialises in mobile first-aid training, taking her fully equipped van across the state – and beyond – to teach people how to save a stranger’s life.
“The whole point is, after my class people will walk away with a complete set of knowledge and confidence to save a life and I feel pretty good about that,” she said.
“If I fall down on the street, I’m happy because if I trained someone around me I know they will be able to help.”
They say necessity is the mother of invention and this business is no different.
Born from frustrations of life in the bush, Dawn’s business cuts through the usual regional barriers to come to anyone, anywhere and at a time which suits them.
“Any training courses I wanted to attend were hours away and finding the time and money to attend them was too difficult. I just knew there had to be a better way,” Dawn said.
“I saw a need and so I filled it.”
Her personal motto is: “If you can dream it, you can do it”.
From answering the phones to cooking the books and taking the training, she can do it all – and she does.
“I got an Australian business number, partnered with a training school, spent $1000 on equipment and threw myself in,” she said.
Dawn is not new to the business world – originally from Berriwillock, she married a grain and sheep farmer and moved to Birchip, where she ran the farm with her husband until 2006.
The next adventure for Dawn and her family was managing a holiday park in Ballarat for three years before returning to her local area.
Dawn said she loves being her own boss and believes it suits her personality.
“I’m down to earth, I connect with people but I also say it is how it is.”
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