Transcript
Despina Karatzias 0:00
Hello, I’m here with a wonderful Maxine Bentley from Our Past Times. Tell me a little bit about your beautiful business.
Maxine Bentley 0:09
Okay, so as we’ve been discussing, I consider myself to be a real toy shop. So that’s selling all traditional sell toys, toys, where you use your hands, you use your imagination, your learning skills, everything. So that’s what we’re all about from zero to 99.
Despina Karatzias 0:29
I love that you wrote in 99. Plus, now, you’ve, come as part of this Navii digital program in partnership with Wellington Shire Council, tell me what was your motivation and inspiration to put your head in the ring and apply?
Maxine Bentley 0:47
I didn’t know enough. I was trying. And I had no roadmap as to where to really go. I do a lot of small, short, small business courses and things like that to try and learn. And when I heard about this, and I read the details, I thought, I really, really want to get this. And I did.
Despina Karatzias 1:10
And I’m so glad you did. And I’m so glad we had the opportunity to connect today. Now about the experience, I have never seen you, I know you’ve packed it away. But I just love the way you unpacked your Digital Engagement Health Check (TM) report with your list either like you just spreadsheet, it’s brilliant. Tell me about that. Tell me about having that overview and having a report about all your digital assets how that was and then followed up with a one on one mentoring session.
Maxine Bentley 1:39
Okay, so when I received the digital report, I read through it, and highlighted sections on it. And I thought, oh, I need to find out more about that. Oh, yes, I know that that means do it. So that enabled me to create myself a little list so that when I came along today, I would have some questions and information that I needed to glean from, you know, we didn’t cover it all. But that’s alright, because there’s more time available to
Despina Karatzias 2:06
me is more time available. And tell me about your experience working one on one together after our session today.
Maxine Bentley 2:15
Brilliant, but I don’t think you can go home, I think you need to come to the shop. You need to come once I can sell your choice. Know you’ve actually given me some great, fantastic ideas. And it’s really invigorating for me to actually get out there and do all of those things. So it’s been completely valuable.
Despina Karatzias 2:39
Oh, fantastic. And in terms of the value based uses, this program isn’t just like this many other programs available to the small business community in and around the Shire. What would you say to those businesses,
Maxine Bentley 2:54
do it just anytime the door opens, walk straight through it and take every single opportunity there is because one of my beliefs in life has always been you can always learn at least one thing, even if you’ve been the same course over and over and over again. And it’s also with a lot of the small courses if you’re doing them in a workshop setting. There’s a lot of networking going on there too. And that’s a valuable tool.
Despina Karatzias 3:24
that’s very valuable as well. Well, this has been very valuable for me to meet you. We’re connected ourpasttimes.com.au is where you can see more about Maxine’s products and experiences and the stories in the main centre and the heart of sale. But we don’t need to be anywhere near Sal, although it’s such a beautiful place to be on this gorgeous day, spring day as well. But also you already down the you know, really down the path of your eCommerce trading, which is brilliant to see.
Maxine Bentley 3:57
Thank you. Thank you and watch out for my YouTube channel.
Despina Karatzias 4:01
I’ll be watching. Thank you, Maxine. Thank you, everyone.
