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Inspired by Australia’s wildlife, Mark and Leanne White have always found solace in nature – a value which is deep rooted through their family and work.
Walking along the main high street of Nannup, there is a noticeable palette of colours beaming out of the few windows that make up a gallery and a gift shop sitting side by side.
"Our business Wild Eyed Press has been running for 18 years with the theme of Australian flora and fauna” Mark introduced.
“We operate out of Nannup in the South West of WA. It’s an ideal location for us, as we own the Wild Eyed Shop selling Australian-made products and Leanne’s gallery next door displaying all her original artwork.”
Nurtured by nature
Wildlife is what drives Mark and Leanne’s creativity and led them to where they are now.
“We originally developed Wild Eyed Press because we have always been around the outdoors. We’ve always associated our children with the outdoors as well. So, it is centred around promoting Australian wildlife” Mark explained.
“It’s not just about drawing on our experiences with flora and fauna but bringing this into people’s homes and businesses throughout the country, so they don’t feel removed from nature and it’s there to see in front of them.”
Growing with help from the SBDC
The SBDC has been there for entrepreneurs looking to start up for over 40 years. Over time, more regional services have become available. For Mark and Leanne, seeking out the SBDC 18 years ago was a pivotal moment.
“Our first experience with the SBDC was in Albany, where we established Wild Eyed Press. They were great in helping us develop a plan to move forward” Mark remembered.
“Really you know, they were the organisation that directed us into training for accounting and all these other great business skills. The SBDC’s business advisory services were very important in the early days.”
“The results of contact with the SBDC are seen in where we are today, in how we are sustainable as a business,” Mark shared.
“Wild Eyed Press is now used as an example by the SBDC in Albany to show how to start a business in the creative industries with a good base, as well as staging up over a long period of time and maintaining a profit.”
Wild at heart, local by nature
Mark and Leanne see being a regional business as an advantage in their line of work.
“Running a small business in a regional area has it challenges but I would think that the positives far outweigh the negative” Mark revealed.
“You become much more locally focused and involved in the community, and they are proud to have you in the area, which is a great thing.”
“You build an identity with the other businesses supporting one another, and it’s fantastic that we get to employ people from the local community.”
“We also have services close to us, for example our freight we use to ship our products is only next door. Anything else we need for the business isn’t too far way.”
Branching out together
To get to where they are now, Mark and Leanne have worked diligently together to master their craft.
“The thing I’m most proud of is Leanne being the editor for all our work, and so the quality of the products is extremely high. She’s worked hard to deliver that quality consistently.” Mark expressed.
“Leanne and I are married, and we have quite different roles in the business. There are times when we must sit down and discuss our different ideas around deciding which way to go. I think that is normal and has got better over time – it’s not something that just happens overnight.”
Looking ahead, Mark is confident they have the right approach to sustaining their success.
“It’s important that you are flexible with your business plan. We generally have a plan set for 12 to 18 months ahead of product development,” Mark explained.
“We’ll continue to expand our product range over time and broaden our marketing a lot more than where we are today.”
More information
- Learn how to start and grow your own small business
- Read about how to choose suppliers for your business
- Access business advisory services in your region
- Explore our range of low cost business skills workshops
- Read more WA small business stories
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