Odette Barry
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Articles by Odette Barry
What the Torres Strait climate ruling demands of business
At 2pm on Tuesday, I sat in my office, eyes fixed on a YouTube livestream as Justice Wigney delivered the . Outside, the sky was calm. My home, nestled on a hill, was warm and safe. But internally, I felt the floodwaters rise.
How to succeed in driving change in your workplace
From Future Super disinvesting from fossil fuels to Who Gives a Crap providing sanitation worldwide, businesses have a long history of driving social, environmental and technological change. Currently they are the most trusted source to drive global innovation, more so than governments, non-government organizations and the media. However, with this trust comes responsibility and expectation.
Odette Barry: Reach at all costs (or specifically a $10m phoney house)
By Odette Barry, founder of PR agency Odette & Co and host of Hack Your Own PR If the 21st century public relations landscape tells us anything it’s that the old adage “all publicity is good publicity” has had its day. Publicist and notorious PR, Roxy Jacenko, is feeling the consequences of that. Not only is she being savaged by her peers for the structurally deceptive $10 million dollar house giveaway, she is also coping flak for playing the victim in this real estate grift gone wrong.
The average age of a first-time parent is rising, but being a young mum should be supported
It feels as if the championing of this capitalist, white-centric version of motherhood has coincided with a decrease in the value we place on the responsibility of parenthood as a whole. Loading As birth rates continue to dramatically fall across developed countries, we have to consider the knock-on effect our social obsession with productivity has had on family planning, health and happiness.
Modibodi v Boody: Four PR lessons to keep in mind when clapping back on social media
LinkedIn isn’t known for producing beef. That’s Twitter’s domain. But recently an exchange on the professional platform got me thinking about the importance of managing your brand’s reputation in the big moments and the small. Enter Modibodi v Boody. ‘Wow David Greenblo not sure how to respond to this post, but after a year in the market and you finally got a customer who prefers Boody over Modibodi nice one.
Behind the making of the viral Heinz x Absolut collab
Jess Ruhfus, founder of brand collaboration platform, Collabosaurus and Odette Barry, founder of Hack Your Own PR were big fans of Gigi Hadid’s viral ‘Pasta alla Vodka’ recipe back in 2020. Three years later, they’re equally impressed by an inspired brand collaboration. Recently brand powerhouses Heinz x Absolut teamed up to release a limited-edition Tomato Vodka Pasta Sauce collaboration.
Why thought leadership is the key to unlocking public relations success for small business
As the old saying goes, ‘opinions are like elbows, everybody has one.’ You only need to go online to find yourself buried under an avalanche of hot takes. However, for small businesses or founders who want to build their profile, but don’t have an unlimited publicity budget, opportunity lies here. Offering up opinions through thought leadership is a gateway to building trust and authority with your audience.
How brands like Who Gives a Crap and Heaps Normal benefit from purpose-led PR
The saying ‘it is cool to be kind’ has never been more true. If you’re a business that wants to build visibility and secure media headlines, then look no further than your purpose and values when it comes to pitching your stories to media. Whether it’s due to the climate crisis, the pandemic or growing wealth inequality (or a mix of all three), more and more businesses are prioritising purpose alongside profit. No longer can businesses sit on their hands while the world burns.
Why your small business doesn’t need to rely on alcohol to create a social culture
Can you hear that? It’s the sound of another non-alcoholic can cracking open. Across Australia, sales of low and non-alcoholic drinks are exploding and every time you jump online, you’re confronted with yet another sobriety journey (guilty as charged). Before you call the fun police, organisations with less boozy work cultures find themselves more aligned with employees values and lifestyles, and in hot demand from media who want to learn more. I quit booze nine years ago.
To the business owners: The world is uncertain, but you can’t pour from an empty cup
Odette Barry, publicist and PR mentor at Odette & Co. Source: supplied. Hey there, business owner, I see you. I see you glued to the news, scrolling social media, soaking up the uncertainty, the horror of the world right now. The crisis unfolding in Ukraine, the floods in our own backyard. The suffering and chaos reverberate through your nervous system.
'These are the 8 steps I followed to quit alcohol, for good. And you can, too'
For PR expert Odette Barry it has been seven years since she last drank alcohol. And for her, life has never been better. Here are the eight steps that got her there, and that helped her through seven sober Christmases. Because, yes it is possible to be sober during the silly season. As someone who doesn’t drink (anymore), I know that Christmas can be one of the most difficult times of the year to navigate. Through gritted teeth, we prepare meals in a kitchen full of heightened emotions.
After COVID-19, readers will want niche publishers more than ever
The models being touted by traditional publishing are broken. The future is nimble, highly connected outlets who aren’t afraid to keep lots of balls in the air. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that 2020 has been a helluva year for Australian media and publishing. A business model that was already looking pretty shaky has been knocked for six as advertising spend basically dried up overnight and has struggled to make a comeback. Does a subscriber model really save the day?
After COVID-19, there’s only one circumstance in which audiences paying for content will prevail
The models being touted by traditional publishing are broken. The future is nimble, highly connected outlets who aren’t afraid to keep lots of balls in the air. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that 2020 has been a helluva year for Australian media and publishing. A business model that was already looking pretty shaky has been knocked for six as advertising spend basically dried up overnight and has struggled to make a comeback. Does a subscriber model really save the day?
5 things business failure taught me about myself
The year 2019 started out with a bang. My team and I were bursting at the seams with hopes and dreams coated in rainbows and glitter. We had a steady workflow, a pretty healthy pipeline, a divine new workspace and a pool out the front. It was the stuff small business dreams are made of. But like most dreams, the storyline shifted quickly, became blurry, and our new year bang burst. My first mistake? I buried my head in the sand, dug in deep and hoped for the best.
How “Doing Nothing” Can Actually Boost Your Well-Being
Many of us are so accustomed to a packed schedule that when we finally find a bit of free time, we don’t always know what to do with it. With the pressure to be “always on” and the prevalence of hustle culture, it’s easy to feel bad when you have even a little time to dedicate to yourself. As a result, you can become too wrapped up in the guilt to actually enjoy it.
Coles' and Woolworths' collectables campaigns are a reminder to stop the greenwashing
Coles and Woolworths are playing upon human weakness instead of strength with their brazen greenwashing through their respective Little Shop and Lion King collectables campaigns. Instead of actually being sustainable, the supermarkets are concerning themselves with how they can appear to be more sustainable. What was all the fanfare surrounding banning the bag if it was only to be followed by a parade of tiny plastic figurines?
Get familiar with small business budgeting to guarantee success
Budgeting can be the difference between success and failure for a small business. Here, Nina Hendy speaks with local business owners and advisors for their tips and tricks. Setting a budget has been an important part of the success for Parcelpoint. In fact, budgeting has allowed the small business to pick key projects that will have the biggest impact, finance manager, David Agius says.
How to say no to emotionally draining clients
We can make anything look good. That’s how we roll, right? Here in the depths of PR and digital marketing agency land, we can polish products, sharpen services and master messaging so that mediocre services become high-end, and questionable thought leaders emerge as supreme experts in their field. But should we? We’re a small agency, built from the ground up, our foundations firmly formed on sleepless nights and fast-paced days.
The algorithm isn't our enemy, but a friend wanting us to do better
Recent reports suggest the current model of online journalism is broken. It’s a topic both Jim Waterson, media editor of The Guardian, and Kyra Hatzikosmidis, head of public relations at Red Herring, tackled recently, collectively begging the question – where can we turn, in today’s media landscape, to ensure our voice is heard and the algorithm plays nice? It’s a question we especially focused on when the social media gods waved their magical algorithm wands again early last year.
12 keys for a successful mentor-mentee relationship
A good mentor — and mentee — can be hard to find. If you’re going to willingly spend time with another person, the arrangement should be worthwhile and enjoyable for everyone. Given how much networking is now done in online spaces, having a real-life mentoring relationship with someone can be especially valuable and help people retain or develop interpersonal communication skills.
The new emotional workforce allows you to bring your personal life to work
“We are in the wilderness—it’s hard. You can’t belong when you are betraying yourself.” Brené Brown, SXSW 2019 The guru of vulnerability Brené Brown spoke so many wise words about the merging of work and personal life at this year’s SXSW conference, but this quote in particular struck a chord with me — coming after an especially tough time for several of my small team’s members, due to break-ups, fertility challenges and a family cancer diagnosis.
A Mentor Can Be the Key to Your Success — Here Are 12 Ways to Make Sure You Both Benefit
A good mentor — and mentee — can be hard to find. If you’re going to willingly spend time with another person, the arrangement should be worthwhile and enjoyable for everyone. Given how much networking is now done in online spaces, having a real-life mentoring relationship with someone can be especially valuable and help people retain or develop interpersonal communication skills.
No $8m fine for CBA but it felt punished
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia could have faced $8 million in fines for misleading advertising but felt a $300,000 community benefit payment was punishment enough. The financial services regulator effectively asked CBA’s CommInsure if it was happy with the proposed action over misleading statements in website ads that broke the law. CBA and its insurance business only formally acknowledged its ads were misleading in the banking royal commission on Thursday.
Dynamic Business Podcast: Vu Tran
Dynamic Business has launched its new podcast series! We were lucky enough to have a chat with GO1 co-founder Vu Tran about mental health and his experience being both a doctor and a startup founder. Click below to listen to the podcast. Enjoy!
The current threat landscape for SMBs
There is no doubt that cyberattacks are on the rise in the Australian Small to Medium Business (SMB) ecosystem. According to a 2017 survey by Webroot, 96% of SMBs in Australia believe their business will be susceptible to external cyber security threats this year. Even though they are aware of these threats, 71% of respondents admit they are not prepared to address them. So why are businesses failing to invest the time and budget into protecting themselves against cyberattacks?
Woolworths faces class action on downgrade
Woolworths is facing a potential $100 million class actionWoolworths is facing a potential $100 million class action launched on behalf of investors whose shares lost value following a shock 2015 profit downgrade by the supermarket giant. The class action, brought by lawyers Maurice Blackburn, alleges Woolworths breached continuous disclosure obligations and engaged in misleading conduct by giving profit guidance that couldn’t be met.
Let's Talk.. Networking
Networking is a term that comes with small business. It is incredibly important to network and important to have a good steady network. Getting out of your comfort zone and mingling in different circles could mean a new client or business partner that you never would have met before. Networking can be instrumental to the growth of your business. Dynamic Business asked experts how networking has accelerated growth in their companies. If you think networking sucks, you’re probably doing it wrong.
Why SMBs are under pressure to comply with data breach laws
Small and medium sized organisations are increasingly under pressure to comply with the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme, which came into effect in February of this year. This comes as a surprise to businesses with a turnover of less than $3 million, as the legislation applies to organisations with a higher turnover that are subject to the Privacy Act.
Aidan Clarke: From neckties to apparel
Aidan Clarke is the Co-founder and CEO of Melbourne based apparel brand Sa1NT and is the founder of successful athletic apparel brand 2XU. You could say that Clarke is really making is mark in the apparel space. Sa1nt created the world’s strongest single layer denim (up to 500x stronger than regular denim, and offering 75 metres slide distance protection for riders), with the aim of creating clothing that offers the highest level of protection without compromising on aesthetics.
How to cross cultural divides in business
Whether you’re importing, exporting or dealing with international partners, learning how to build a cross-cultural relationship is an important skill. Here’s Steve Layton, founder of Sofa Brands’ tips on preparing for an overseas business deal. Australia is a small economy in worldwide terms and sooner or later most businesses here will need to deal with suppliers, customers or partners located overseas.
Top news snippets of the week
This week was a big week for small businesses. An Israeli tech company prepared to get ASX listed, an Australian inventor spoke about creating luxury mittens and there was no return to business tax cuts. Dynamic Business gives the top snippets of the week. Israeli technology startup Security Matters is planning to list on the ASX via an initial public offering (IPO) on 13 September 2018 at an indicative market cap of AUD $18.5-$20 million.
Why an agility ethos is crucial in times of change and uncertainty
The ability for quick action and effective on the spot decision making is a critical skill for leaders to possess in this fast-changing business world. With this, agility is the oft overlooked trait that can assist businesses stay on top of customer demands and challenges. However, perhaps now more than ever, employees and organisations need to be agile to effectively accommodate changes on the fly. But building an agile environment takes time.
No return to business tax cuts: Frydenberg
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says tax cuts for big businesses won’t be revisited, but cuts for smaller businesses could be accelerated. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the shelving of the tax cuts after they were blocked by the Senate, but his successor Scott Morrison has yet to signal his approach. “We’ve made it very clear those big company tax cuts, we’ve left those behind,” Frydenberg told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.
Top news snippets of the week
This week was a big week in the startup and small business world. Shoes of Prey has stopped taking orders, Australia’s most trusted brand was announced, Foodora was ‘chased’ by the tax office and much more. Dynamic Business has chosen the best news snippets of the week. Shoes of Prey has put a pause on operations. Co-Founder Jodie Fox announced the news on Instagram. She said the business started off with great early signs but struggled to “truly crack mass-market adoption”.
Shoes of Prey has put a 'pause' on operations
Shoes Of Prey, high profile Australian startup, has paused business operations to “actively assess” if they will sell the company or reboot with “major changes”. Co-Founder Jodie Fox announced the news on Instagram. She said the business started off with great early signs but struggled to “truly crack mass-market adoption”. “Just like every company, behind the scenes, we faced struggles. While all the indicators and data were positive, we were not able to truly crack mass-market adoption.
Vodafone, TPG to become $15b telco giant
Vodafone Australia and TPG Telecom have agreed to merge into a single $15 billion telecommunications firm in an effort to more effectively challenge telecoms giants Telstra and Optus. The two companies on Thursday confirmed to the ASX they plan an all-scrip, merger-of-equals, following discussions last week. Under the deal, TPG shareholders will own 49.9 per cent of the group, with Vodafone Australia shareholders owning 50.1 per cent.
Land a new business in 4 easy steps
Looking for new businesses to work with isn’t always easy. Every decision carries risks. Persuasion, when well-performed, helps you strike the right note with efficient communication when you really need it most. Find the fine line to balance with the art of persuasion and transform it into your best ally. Connectivity and trust: Take the time to co-collaborate with your potential clients and understand what is beyond the initial scope of their project. What do they really want to achieve?
Live eftpos present Get Started
A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member to earn Qantas Points for business. A one-off join fee of $89.50 including GST normally applies, however this will be waived for Live eftpos black customers that join via https://www.qantasbusinessrewards.com/liveeftposfree. Membership and Qantas Points are subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions. Qantas Points for business are offered under the Live eftpos black Terms and Conditions.
Lets Talk... Perspective | Dynamic Business
If you could turn back time would you do anything differently? Hindsight can be both a negative and positive thing- we learn from our mistakes but we also wish we didn’t have to make that mistake in the first place. But, founders continuously grow and learn as time goes by and mistakes are often the best ways to learn important lessons. Dynamic Business asked founders what they would do differently if they turned back time?
How to make the most of Facebook Live
Social media is undoubtedly a cost-effective way for businesses to raise their profile and engage with their audiences. Facebook, with its 2.23 billion active users, is just the platform to enable brands to build authentic connections with their customers and Facebook Live is the content type that users find most engaging. The difficulty can be in keeping on top of newer format types, like Facebook Live, and knowing how to use them in a way that captures the interest of your audience.
Australia's most trusted brand announced
Australia’s most trusted brand has been announced and it’s non other than supermarket giant ALDI. For the second survey in a row. According to a new survey revealing Australia’s top ten brands with positive net trust scores (NTS), Aldi is #1 and Bunnings is ranked #2, followed by Qantas #3 and the ABC #4. These are the findings of the latest Roy Morgan Net Trust Score Survey – conducted in July of this year.
Foodora 'chased' by tax office
Food delivery service Foodora is being pursued by Australian authorities over unpaid tax and superannuation, according to the Transport Workers Union. The Australian Tax Office and Revenue NSW are both investigating the company which recently pulled out of Australia, the union said on Tuesday. “Not only were Foodora ripping off riders for years it has now been confirmed they were ripping off taxpayers,” national secretary Tony Sheldon said in a statement.
Lets Talk... Perspective | Dynamic Business
If you could turn back time would you do anything differently? Hindsight can be both a negative and positive thing- we learn from our mistakes but we also wish we didn’t have to make that mistake in the first place. But, founders continuously grow and learn as time goes by and mistakes are the best ways to learn important lessons. Dynamic Business asked founders what they would do differently if they turned back time?
Simon Duffy: The founder changing the male skincare scene
The idea for male skincare company Bulldog was born in 2005 when founder, Simon Duffy, noticed that there were no straightforward skincare options that were made for him. Looking at the shelves, there were products he used, but no products he loved. Bulldog is now a flourishing business and making it’s mark in the FMCG sector. Dynamic Business had a chat to founder, Simon Duffy, about creating a successful FMCG company, managing competition and advice for those who want to follow suite.
Analysts say new PM Scott Morrison is 'good' for economy
Scott Morrison will be Australia’s 30th Prime Minister after defeating Peter Dutton in a ballot to replace Malcolm Turnbull. The treasurer will take over the top job after Turnbull called a spill of the party’s leadership positions in a meeting in Canberra on Friday. Morrison has been given the thumbs up by analysts, who say the outcome of today’s leadership vote is positive for the Australian economy.
Your people and your data - getting the best value
With the inexorable rise of digital technologies in the workplace, organisations now have the ability to capture, store and process vast amounts of information. This data can provide huge insights into the people that work with the company. From analysing shift patterns and sickness trends to understanding individual employee skillsets and strengths, organisations now have almost endless information at their fingertips. With this deluge of data, comes an opportunity that can’t be ignored.
Telstra NSW Business Awards winners announced
Online book retailer, Booktopia, has been named the 2018 Telstra New South Wales Business of the Year. The $115 million business started in 2004 by Tony Nash, Simon Nash and Steve Traurig began as a side project on a $10-per-day budget. Today, it’s 160 staff serving four million customers. CEO and founder, Tony Nash, says that while Amazon markets itself as ‘the everything store’, Booktopia focuses on its strengths by being one thing to one specific group of customers.
How to attract customers when your business isn't exciting
When it comes to consumer engagement, dentists are up there with funeral operators and lawyers, with many people only using their services when absolutely required. But how can a business attract customers when its offering isn’t typically thought of as a pleasant or exciting one? I’ll show you how with these five top tips. I don’t need to tell you just how much better it is to have repeat customers than to have to attract many new customers who do not come back.
The dynamic headlines of the week
This week in small business news, unions were “deeply concerned” about Flight Centre allegations, small company tax cuts could get fast tracked and we had a chat with the no-sugar queen. Unions say they’re “deeply concerned” about claims of the underpayment and bullying of staff at travel giant Flight Centre. The Australian Services Union on Thursday said they had raised the issues previously with the Fair Work Ombudsman but more evidence had been brought to light in an investigation by the ABC.
Why business owners need to delegate
It’s a well-accepted fact that small business owners wear many hats, especially in the early stages of their venture. But if they want to grow faster, they should play to their strengths and wear one hat more than others, writes Phoebe Netto. There’s a pervasive belief that it is the lot of small business owners to be accounts, the marketer, the receptionist, HR, the researcher, the salesperson, the IT expert, and more – plus whatever skill led you to starting your own business in the first place.
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