Business Profile: Strawberry Communications, Johanna Baker – Dowdell

Strawberry Communications owner is as sweet as its name suggests. Johanna Baker-Dowdell is a business owner and a mum. She enjoys the freedom of running her own business from home and take care of her young family.

Johanna has also set up a business with a friend, Stanley & Nelson making delicious cupcakes which are now in high demaand.

Learn more about Joh and why she generates such amazing publicity and loves her business.

1. Name; Johanna Baker-Dowdell

2. Occupation/ business: Strawberry Communications and Stanley & Nelson

3. Position: Owner and Co-Owner

4. Country of Residence; Australia

5. email/contact/ website: Johanna@strawberrycommunications.com.au, http://www.strawberrycommunications.com.au

Twitter handle/ Facebook/ Linkedin/ YouTube page: @JohannaBD @stanleynnelson,  https://www.facebook.com/StrawberryCommunications https://www.facebook.com/stanleyandnelson, au.linkedin.com/in/johannabakerdowdell and http://www.youtube.com/user/JohannaBD

6. Give us your elevator pitch. What does your business do? Strawberry Communications generates amazing publicity!

1. Why did you start your business? I wanted to find something I could do from home with a newborn that used my existing writing and PR skills so I started freelancing and soon it grew into a business.

1. What’s your passion? Writing, travel and sampling amazing food. When I can combine the three I’m in heaven!

9. What do you love most about running your business? Being my own boss means I can work from my favourite café if I want to, setting my own hours around my family commitments and being picky about who I’d like to work with.

10. What are three difficulties you face in running your business?

1. Cash flow
2. Time management
3. Switching off

11. What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone starting their own business?
    1. Don’t wait until the website/business cards/pitch is perfect, just start and make changes as you go, because if you wait for perfection you will never do anything.
    2. Factor in time for you every day, even if it’s just enough time for a drink in peace, because you don’t want to lose who you are amongst the busy-ness of running a business and a life.
    3. Have fun doing what you do because it will consume you!

12. Tell us, with an anecdote, why your business has changed your life? I didn’t always see myself as a business owner, or even a mother, but I became both when I turned 31 and now can’t see myself any other way. After freelancing for several months I organised day care for my eight-month-old son to attend a business mums networking event and while there speaking with other mums in business it dawned on me that I was actually running a business. I stopped at the Department of Fair Trading on the way home and registered my business name (the form had been filled in and sitting in my handbag for months).

13. How do you manage a work/life balance? Sometimes not well, but I make my business work around my family which means I walk my son to and from school every day and work during school hours and then again after my sons have gone to bed if I need to. I make sure I have time at the weekend, particularly Sundays, to spend quality time together.

14. What movie most inspires you in running your business? Up in the Air was a good reminder for me about what is important in my life.

15. The best book to read before starting a business or when running a business? The upcoming Business & Baby on Board business mum bible, of course!

http://strawberrycommunications.com.au/books 

16. Your favourite inspiration/ motivation/ business quote? “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” ~ Albert Eistein

17. The 4 words that best describe your business? Creative, storyteller, broadcaster, connector.