Samantha Wills, renowned Australian fashion entrepreneur and small business success story, is the face of the latest instalment of Optus’ Small and Medium Business (SMB) campaign.
Launching this month, the Believe Big campaign encourages Australian SMB’s to follow their dreams and ‘believe big’ as Wills once did.
“No one starts a business hoping to be small,” said Wills.
In 2004, Wills started out selling hand-crafted jewellery at the Bondi Markets and from these humble beginnings her business was able to expand globally.
Wills is the first Australian small business success story to be featured in Optus’ Believe Big campaign. Through the campaign, Wills is sharing her story and wishes to show other SMB owners that through determination and passion it is possible to achieve massive success.
“We filmed a campaign flashing back to 2004 through to my life now. I really want people to know the struggles and hurdles of finding success.”
Although she acknowledges that her naivety played a role in her abilty to push forward with her company, she said that she often thinks about how easier things could have been if she’d had formal business training.
“Every day I wish I’d studied business or management. But, I learn as I go. I might have learned the harder way on the job.”
Her business now has a turnover of $12 million a year, with 70 percent of revenue coming from Australia and the rest coming from the USA, Japan, France and Korea.
Speaking on her partnership with Optus, she said, “Without a reliable telecommunications support network, I would have never been able to grow my business in the way I did.”
“From selling goods online, advertising with social media or simply providing a way for customers to get in touch, connectivity is absolutely critical for growing a small business.”
“I’m delighted to be partnering with Optus to help share my story and show that through believing big in business, anything is possible,” said Wills.
Wills also chairs the Samantha Wills Foundation, which looks to empower women in business by providing them with advice.
“Worldwide, women own or operate 33 per cent of all small businesses. When women support women the possibilities are infinite,” said Wills.
The Samantha Wills brand now has a cult following and is stocked globally with offices around the world including Sydney, New York, Japan, Paris and Korea.
Rob Parcell, Managing Director of Optus Small Business said Optus is primed to position itself as Australia’s small business support network as it announced a renewed focus on small and medium business.
“We know that small and medium business operators face a unique set of business challenges and we’re committed to delivering a range of products and services that are tailored to meet those needs,” said Parcell.
As part of its suite of SMB support services, Optus provides eligible SMB customers with access to 24/7 support via its web chat team, fast-tracked queuing for selected mobile customers when they call customer service and access to a dedicated premium support team for those who bundle their eligible mobile and consumer grade broadband and office line or have with three or more eligible services on the one account.
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