#13 Developing Bali Abundance 

Bali Abundance made the big move to 13 Hercules St Tullamarine to hopefully grow the business, it was getting busier and I was struggling to keep up with everything.

I decided to get someone in to help with the accounts and to do my BAS to take some more pressure of myself.   Jeff helped in the warehouse and Arlene with Dispatch and Sales.  My niece Kristy who was studying joined the team part time to do our Ebay listings.

It was very much a family affair with either friends or relatives working for me.  Especially on container day, it was whoever I could round up for the day, even mum would help out.  

 In 2014 my daughter Tess wanted to leave her job and join Bali Abundance.  This was great for me as I needed a break I was often still working late at night to keep up with everything.  Tess  worked 5 days a week so I taught her everything and she was very competent and could run my business no problem without me being there.  Tess has great customer service skills as that is what she was doing in her previous job. 

This then made my Bali trips so much easier as normally I would run my business from Bali.  Waking up early morning to check the computer before heading of to shop all day. 

When returning home after shopping all day for Recycled Teak Furniture, Four Poster Beds and Doors I would shower for dinner.  Taking my computer so I could continue  my work at one of my favourite restaurants which would become my Bali Office for the night.   I would work until closing and then take myself home and off to bed and up early to repeat the same process again.   Many customers would picture me sitting by the pool sipping cocktails and comment on what a great job I had.  This was not the reality and some trips I did not even have time to get in the pool.  I loved it though I am in my happy place on my scooter going through the rice fields and small villages sourcing unique hand carved products. 

Tess could now run the warehouse and I just needed to check if I had any emails from  her.  I could now focus on sourcing my Bali Furniture, Homewares and hunting for Bali Doors.

I loved finding Vintage Balinese Doors they are my true passion.  I just love the true character and feel of the old teak wood and the vintage carving is just divine.   

We could also now open 6 days a week while I was overseas sourcing furniture where previously the warehouse would only open a few days a week when I was overseas.  This really took some pressure off me and it was now time to take some time off.  

I had been working so hard for so long that I realised I did not know how to stop.  If I was not working I felt guilty and really did not know how to relax. I think I had such a fear of failure at the start that I just constantly worked,  This is a common story for a lot of business owners.  I remember one day I just took myself to the beach and took photos to send to Tess to prove I was not working and was so proud of myself for taking time out.  I am still not so good at taking time out…. I am a work in progress lol….   

Now that I could slow down a little with Tess helping out I found I had constant headaches.   On my time off which should have been my "me time" I  was consumed with going to massage, accupuncture and the osteo trying to get rid of my headaches.   Eventually I went to the doctor who did a scan and then said I needed an MRI.  When I returned for the results of the MRI I was told I had a lot of white matter on my brain and that I had had a mini stoke.

This was a pretty scary thing to be told as you are then high risk of a major stroke.  I had just booked a much needed holiday to India with 2 friends Dina and Julie so now I was unsure whether to still go as I did not want something to happen to me overseas.  I decided stress was the possible cause so I needed a holiday.  I went on this amazing adventure it was just perfect we had so much fun and India is just such an amazing colourful country that just is full of surpises.  You feel like you just get carried through India...

With Tess running my business for the first time I could relax we had very little internet connection so I was forced to just let go of my business.  I had lots of ayurvedic treatments and did meditation whenever possible. 

 My headaches were gone by the end of the trip and I felt amazing!!  Upon returning back to  Melbourne and back to my life the headaches returned so I realised this was possibly caused by stress so knew I needed to take better care of myself.   

On that trip to India we met a clairvoyant who told me I would come back to India for business.   I did not believe this at the time as I felt shopping in India would be quite difficult and did not have a clue where to start.  A few years later this worked out to be a reality as I have now imported 3 containers from India and was about to leave on a trip to India to source Furniture and Doors when Covid hit the world.  Of course this trip is now on hold until I can safely go to India again.  I love the Indian  furniture and especially the Indian Vintage Doors and feel that the Balinese and Indian Furniture compliment each other and work so well together.  

Upon returning I went to a specialist who told me I had not had a mini stoke but had white matter on my brain and that I had to find ways to stop my busy brain.  My friend Dot and my daughter decided I needed to do a 10 day Vipassana Silent Retreat.  This was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  Total silence for 10 days and meditation from 4am to 8pm daily.   I do believe it helped reboot my brain and I now meditate regularly and do yoga and walk and try to eat healthy to look after myself.   If I do get a headache and my usual busy brain stress I know how to stop it by doing all of the above things.

The warehouse was going well and in 2014 we were nominated for the Hume Business Awards.  We went to this evening not even realising we were finalist.  Anoop from the Hume Council said you know you are finalists and you could win this. 

I was really surprised, we were up against Telstra so I thought we had no chance when they called out the winner  "Bali Abundance" Arlene Tess and I nearly all fell off our chairs.  We jumped up to the stage to collect our award the three of us in disbelief that we had won our first award.   This was a really nice way to finish the year of 2014.

Click the link below to watch our utube video: