General News
8 May, 2024
Lisa Gorman to share experiences at business breakfast this month
SOUTH West Victorian fashion icon Lisa Gorman will share her entrepreneurial expertise over breakfast in Camperdown later this month.
Corangamite Shire Council’s growth and prosperity team will present the event at Excuse Me Katie’s on Thursday, May 30.
Ms Gorman founded the Gorman brand in 1999, as a one-woman operation from her share house with her sewing machine.
Holding down two additional jobs across the five years to follow wasn’t just about funding the start-up.
It was also a time to explore different career options and test her craft as a business concept.
Ms Gorman said she is looking forward to the event in Corangamite Shire.
“I’m looking forward to sharing my experience of growing up in rural Victoria, conquering the very thing I speculated could never have happened,” she said.
In recent years, Ms Gorman undertook two of her most comprehensive collaborative projects with artists from marginalised backgrounds.
One is the Mangkaja project with Indigenous Artists from Fitzroy Crossing, and the other is with Arts Project Australia in a collaboration with neuro diverse artists.
These projects opened up ideas and activities around working together as a community, from individuals to businesses, to celebrate diversity and learn in some very interesting and unique ways that have a ripple effect well beyond the collection itself.
After 23 years at the helm of the Gorman Brand, Ms Gorman has moved on to pursue her other passions, including sculpture, a research project and yoga teaching.
Mayor Kate Makin said she will speak about growing up in rural Victoria and inspiring others from home.
“We will hear about her amazing 20-year business journey from a one-woman operation in 1999 to having 40 stores across Australia,” she said.
“Lisa strongly believes that great things come to your business when you diversify, trust and learn through collaboration, and that organisations should never underestimate the power and reach of a good collaboration.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for business operators to learn practical steps and strategies to grow their business by diversifying and reaching wider audiences.”
The event will be open for all Corangamite businesses and residents to attend.
Light breakfast items will be provided in a grazing style, along with coffee, tea and juice.
Tickets are $20 from Humanitix at bit.ly/3wo8kCP.
The event will be held at Excuse Me Katie’s, 243 Manifold Street Camperdown, on May 30 between 7.30am and 9am.