Having worked in IT for many years, I developed a passion to help business succeed by technology, especially in the healthcare space. 

I first started Zeno IT to provide the infrastructure to help my clients grow. I thrive on the challenge of consulting and advising clients on the right tech and solution to power their business and drive it forward. 

We service many different organisations, from professional services, medical, multinationals to ASX small caps. Over the years, as we expand we have built a team of IT experts to integrate emerging new technologies - ERP, internet, e-commerce, mobile device; my role has also changed to become IT Manager / CTO for these companies. I never stop learning, even starting an MBA which helped raised my knowledge in other areas like finance and marketing. 

I have a keen passion in Healthcare. Many years ago, we distributed a UK practice system which  gave us fantastic insights in how established practice operate and more importantly we they want. 

When a member of my family needed care from various healthcare professionals, I experienced a real disconnect between practitioners and patients.  So alongside my co-founders and some of Australia’s most respected practitioners, I set about reinventing practice solution with Zavy360. 

I recognise the challenges people face every day in their home or workplace. I want to help make a difference by providing solutions, using the best tech and service talent available.

Gerald Chow

Anagenics Limited

Anagenics is a publicly listed beauty, health and wellness company. An integrated beauty and wellness community bringing together people, businesses and investors with a shared passion for long term success.  We create and distribute innovative, specialised consumer brands via a holistic omnichannel strategy focussed on driving profitable growth, maximising opportunity and building a portfolio of premium brands.

Chief Executive Officer & Director

Anagenics (ASX : AN1) is a publicly listed international beauty health and wellness company.

Non Executive Director

Karen Matthews Business Growth

I‘ve seen many well-meaning plans around organisational change fail because the process stops once the new website is launched and the topline plan is written. 

The critical step of selling it into the team, getting buy-in and alignment across the business, is completely missed, so it does not and cannot ‘stick’.

This is where I come in with my three-step, no-BS process to implement business growth: Demystifying the Road to Change. (See my About section👆)

There are four main ways I work with clients👇.
 
1. CEO & EXECUTIVE TEAM COACHING
A personalised program is designed to support the CEO and Leadership team through a facilitated, collaborative planning process to create a clear roadmap for long-term growth.
 
2. MENTORING
One-to-one support and guidance for the CEO, GM or anyone in the organisation looking to develop or fine-tune their leadership skills. Mentoring is typically a good option for a small owner-operated business to strategise for growth. 

3. CONSULTING
One for leaders whose business isn’t humming the way they would like and need someone to get under the hood and see what can be done to fix things. 

4. SPEAKING
I regularly deliver no-BS keynote presentations, webinars, and workshops for businesses. Topics include Leadership, Planning Growth, Change Management and the Power of balancing heart and head to create kick-ass contemporary companies. 

Which one will work for you? Let’s connect and chat.

p: +61 419 218 635
e: karen@karenmatthews.com.au
w: karenmatthews.com.au

Business Growth & Change Consultant

Leadership Collective Australia I Executive Peer Roundtables

I facilitate 6 energetic and thought-provoking meetings over a year. We focus on supporting and encouraging one another to lead as impactful Executives

Chairperson

Freedom Furniture

Despite 30 years of operation, with stores across the country, one of Australia’s largest and most iconic furniture retail brands was losing market share and had lost what was once a strong and unique market position.
A disengaged team, resulting from an apathetic and inert culture driven by process and administration systems, had lost its mojo.

Key Achievements: Case Study: https://karenmatthews.com.au/case-studies-national-retailer 
✨ Developed a 3year retail strategy including simple retail KPI’s, reporting and accountabilities.
✨ Year on year sales and bottom-line growth.
✨ Design and implementation of new Interior Decorating business arm – part of brand repositioning and revenue growth strategy.

What I learned: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Cultural fit and alignment are everything!  Now I was ready to leave my Executive career behind.

Retail Director

Karen Matthews Business Coaching

After leaving Ella Bache I elected to take 18 months out of the workforce with my 2 young children and started a boutique advisory business providing strategic and operational expertise via project work to businesses in need of turnaround, growth or repositioning.  

Key Achievements : 
✨ Complex industry analysis and feasibility study for a prominent public fashion business as part of their strategic growth plan.
✨ New Department Store business model for an established beauty business.
✨ Speaking and Workshop facilitation - Successful Retailing, Leading Change, Brand led strategic planning, Franchising, Turning a Passion into a real sustainable business. 
✨ Private Equity Initiative - developed 3-year strategy for a beauty industry roll-up including detailed business planning, financial modelling and return on investment scenarios, raised $2m seed capital.

What I learned: I knew I had a skill in the Advisory world but was not ready to give up the Executive path (yet!).

Director

Ella Baché

A 54yr old business that operated purely on love, loyalty and family, was in decline. Low margins, flat sales and increasing costs resulted from absent strategic and operating plans, and no meaningful governance, reporting, performance focus, KPIs or accountability. 

Key Achievements: Case Study: https://karenmatthews.com.au/case-studies-franchise-sme
✨ Full business transformation – strategically, operationally, financially and culturally, across Retail, Wholesale, Franchising, Manufacturing and the EB College business arms.
✨ Developed and launched Australia’s first skincare franchise.
✨ Sales and margin growth - exited Myer, launched franchising, investment in college and product     development.
✨ 2 years post franchise launch – restored profitability, cash flow positive.
✨ Resurrected RTO as core business – strategic repositioning, 380% increase student capacity, improved educational offer and significant profit improvement.

What I learned: my blend of purpose, vision and integrity was effective and proved you can build an ambitious, performance driven and enduring business around brand, values and a strong purpose led story. The power of business transformation for long term growth. Brave, collaborative, and empathetic leadership. Franchising for the right reasons. 

Recognised with several significant awards - 2004 NSW Telstra Businesswomens Award, 2005 NSW Franchise Woman of the Year, 2007 National Franchise Woman of the Year.

CEO & Executive Director

GUESS?, Inc.

A stagnated family business reliant on a capital-intensive retail store strategy had no Plan B. Its stores were overflowing with products from parent brands, and there was no strategic scope to shift to a new way of doing business.

Key Achievements: Case Study: https://karenmatthews.com.au/start-up-family-business-transformation
✨ Developed and implemented 5yr strategic plan for a new business subsidiary – brand and product development under license. Spearheaded growth for what was a stagnating retail distribution business.
✨ Wholesale sales +$20m in 4 yrs.
✨ Year on year gross margin and bottom-line improvement.
✨ Negotiation and management of all license agreements for brand portfolio including Guess, Ann Taylor, Isaac Mizrahi, Bill Blass and Brooks Bros
✨ Established and led international team – Sydney, Italy, Hong Kong, New York; driving strategy, design, sourcing, manufacturing, supply, sales and marketing.

What I learned: My metier was retail, product and brands mixed with business growth, new business development and performance

General Manager (VP) Licensing (FJ Benjamin Fashions - Guess License)

MYER

Started on the graduate trainee program which led to various buying roles across women's fashion accessories and haberdashery (1987-1989)
Relocated to Melbourne (1990) as part of the decision to centralise all buying and marketing functions and at the same time transferred into marketing (a very new concept in the world of Department Stores). At the time I made the decision to move back to Sydney, I was Marketing Manager of Women’s Fashion and Women’s Accessories (including Cosmetics).

Key Achievements:
✨ My natural collaborative/coaching style of leadership style started to emerge, and I was able to integrate foreign (at that time) marketing concepts into the Buying function without intimidation or cynicism from the traditional buying mindset. 
✨ Margin impact via educating teams on the value of marketing high margin products.
✨ Introduced the idea of promoting stories rather than product both through marketing and in store. 

What I learned: I love that retail offers a balance of pace, rawness, and creativity, plus a focus on performance and results.   
I was a natural and influential leader, and buzz words didn’t work as well as my own no jargon, no BS style. I love that I could make marketing make sense.

Buying and Marketing Management

Does this sound familiar? 

You run an established business and are committed to levelling up to the next stage of success. BUT the way the company operates at the moment won’t allow it. 

Growth strategy documents end up stuffed in a drawer because it’s too challenging and overwhelming to get the ball rolling and get everyone’s buy-in. The team returns to working ‘in the business’, and things stay stuck. 

In my experience, seven out of 10 businesses sit here because the change process needs structure, focus, realistic timelines, constant feedback loops, flexibility and someone outside the business to help pull all this together to make it happen.

That’s why I developed a dynamic, focused, and flexible three-step, no-BS process to help CEOs implement business growth; it’s called Demystifying the Road to Change, which is also the title of my book. 

My no-BS approach is built from my experience working with many CEOs and my life in the corporate trenches in senior leadership teams. At Ella Bache, I designed and led a dynamic change culture that inspired the team and the business to greatness. Unfortunately, my time at Freedom was the opposite. 

I learned a tremendous amount from both roles. I know the pressure leaders face, and I want to show them how to balance head and heart to navigate change and growth and ensure their business is set up for the long haul, no matter what changes are thrown in their path

My no-BS process? 

1️⃣ Reality Check: The good, bad and ugly of where the business sits concerning purpose, values, mission, etc. Have we lost the heart of the organisation along the way? 

2️⃣ Decide and Act: We create achievable one-page plans that won’t end up stuck in a drawer. We also build in KPIs and communicate the vision to get buy-in from top to bottom.

3️⃣ Make it Stick: We imbed a fluid and agile planning process into the DNA of the business. No BS, no secrets, and no surprises as the leadership team inspires everyone along on the journey. 

Traditional planning doesn’t work. You will likely end up with a to-do list as long as your arm and no people, time or energy to create lasting change. 

I love turning good businesses into great businesses, and I come with a no-BS guarantee. I’ll tell you the truth, not necessarily what you want to hear. Together, we’ll evolve what you have into a purpose-led, high-performing business with an aligned, accountable team - set up for long-term success.

Want to know more about how we can work together?

p: +61 419 218 635
e: karen@karenmatthews.com.au
w: karenmatthews.com.au

taplio

The Battle

Gerald Chow

Karen Matthews

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