The Enterprise Forum, 14 October 2009

Roger established one of Melbourne's first retail bakeries in 1972, and turned this into the "Old-Style Bread Centre", that later became Brumby's. In May 1980, he started Bakery Delight with his wife Lesley and partner Gary Stephenson. As Bakers Delight, this then became the largest national chain of bakeries in Australia. The company now has over 700 bakeries employing more than 15,000 people who serve more than 2.5 million regular customers per week throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Bakers Delight continues to grow at over 6% in Australia, and targets a global turnover of over $600 million in 2009/2010 through local and international expansion. The company currently has 14% of the Australian market for fresh bread.

Bakers Delight has been recognised by the Australian Greenhouse Office Energy Management Award, and the Australian Retailers Association President's Award, among others.

"How I am growing my business"

Roberto Cardone, www.ciboespresso.com.au/

Roberto Cardone is driven and passionate, more than anyone else in Adelaide setting the style for people to eat, drink and relax over some of the best coffee in town. With three partners he opened Cibo Ristorante in 1996 which, took off like a Ferrari and has since spawned a tribe of "cibolini", the bright red Cibo Espresso licensed coffee bars that have picked off almost every desirable location in Adelaide and now in Brisbane. Somewhere in the midst of this, with two new partners he opened the multi-level Apothecary 1878, the Adelaide's most serious wine bar, built around 126-year-old chemist's counters. Still only 42, Cardone has packed a lot into 24 years of restaurant life. The son of Italian deli owners, he started out as a baby-faced waiter at the famed Rigoni's bistro in the mid-80s and then partnered in Caons Restaurant and then Grimaldis in the early nineties. He then shocked everyone when he quit the group after 10 years and later set up his own business, Scoozi in Rundle Street, "because I wanted greater control and to stretch for other horizons." In 1995 he asked his wife, Genevieve, over a coffee of course if she liked the former La Piazza Pasticceria in North Adelaide. She did. "Good, because I bought it today," he said. He then transformed it into Cibo, "it was all the things I hadn't done so far, a contemporary Italian trattoria with everything made on the premises; I wanted to make it the best, a beautiful place." Through all his experience he has now become the self taught marketing director of Cibo Espresso.

Mark completed his entrepreneurial studies in 2007 forming part of his Masters Degree in Management at UniSA.

Entrepreneurial drive led Mark to the creation of 'Manufacturing Focus Pty Ltd', a process engineering company for the manufacturing industry in 2005.  This business has been highly successful servicing both local and interstate clients, growing during this time to a staff of 14. 

Adam has been involved in entrepreneurial businesses in a wide range of industries. He has started, or been involved from the start, in several businesses including a record label and a national Motorsport team in Australia. He has helped small businesses in marketing, particularly in website development and promotion, and business development. Adam is undertaking his post graduate course focusing on Entrepreneurial business activities. He is currently developing his own business and is working as a Business Development Manager for a large multi-national company. Adam advocates that corporate entrepreneurialism is a vital part of successful management in any large organisation.

After completing the Bachelor of Management degree with a major in international marketing at the University of South Australia, Eva worked for Microsoft in Vienna, Austria, and Singapore for nine years. During her career at Microsoft, Eva was involved in establishing new business models, and launched new products, such as the global launch of Microsoft adCenter in Singapore. Eva recently returned to Adelaide and is completing Honours at the School of Management. Her research focus is on sustainable social enterprises, particularly the strategies that drive their business models and their ability to innovate. Eva plans to commence PhD studies in this area in 2010.

David McPhail

David MacPhail is a veterinarian with a strong interest in the business aspects of the veterinary profession. Having initially undertaken a Graduate Certificate in Management through Charles Sturt University, he went on to complete his MBA through the International Graduate School of Business (Uni SA) in 2008.

Although still involved in clinical practice, David has also established Vision Veterinary Business Consulting as a means of providing business consulting services to veterinarians around Australia. In addition, he is currently working in consultation with a South Australian computer firm developing and launching a new veterinary software system. David is a director of the Australian Veterinary Business Association and actively seeks to improve the business acumen and awareness of veterinary professionals with a strong focus on teamwork and customer service excellence.

A native of Scotland, David spent many years in Canada before migrating to Australia in 1990 with his wife and 3 children. True to form, his children have inherited the travel bug with one daughter in Paris, a son shortly heading off to Bordeaux for a six-month university exchange and another daughter planning a 12-month sabbatical working in Edinburgh!

Raul Chakraborty will finish the Master of Management, Entrepreneurship in April of 2010.

In September 2009 he started an online business venture to help people to read faster www.shaks.ws . He has also helped to develop and establish other business in different sectors, developing their marketing programs and strategies to maximise their market reach and revenues.

Raul is also an electronics engineer and is an active member of the IEEE.

Dennis Philipp

Dennis is currently enrolled in UniSA's Master of Management (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) program. He holds an undergraduate degree in Business Computer Science.

Dennis is passionate about Entrepreneurship and an active member of the Startup Club Adelaide. In his spare time, he tries to keep updated with cutting-edge information technology. In addition, Dennis develops software for small businesses.

This workshop was conceived and developed by Peter Balan, who is one of UniSA's academics in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation in the School of Management. He developed workshop materials, and was the Master of Ceremonies.  You can learn more about Peter on his UniSA homepage