Annette | Photo Finish Photography | Ageless Over 40 Session - Celebrating Womens Portraiture
Annette and I met when she called to enquire about purchasing a photography session gift voucher from her team for her business partner, Noelene for her Christmas present.
Annette and Noelene ended up buying an Ageless Over 40 session for each other so that these two friends could have their photos together!! Both wanted to avoid the formal, professional look and have more of the fun, casual, smiling, content look. Think we nailed it there!!
Want to know one fun fact about Annette?? She leaves the skin on kiwi fruit to eat it 🥝
Want to find out more about Annette and her business, Lorraine Lea?? Read on below!! ⬇⬇⬇
1.) Where is your business located?
I am located in Glendenning, Western Sydney However, as an Independent Stylist for Lorraine Lea, we are able to operate our business from anywhere! We service clients from all over Australia via online shopping and social media platforms, as well as in person consultations with customers local to us.
2.) What services does your business provide?
We are in the Social Shopping Industry, offering a gorgeous range of high quality bedding, manchester and homewares that are exclusive to our brand. We offer direct shopping through a Stylist or our online store. What we love to do best is hold Home Styling Events where the Host of the event is rewarded with free and heavily discounted products of their choice, as a way of saying thank you for allowing us to share our range with their friends!
3.) When did you start your business?
I have been in business with Lorraine Lea since June 2014 and in 2017 promoted to Team Leader, now supporting and mentoring a gorgeous group of Stylists who each are their own small business with Lorraine Lea.
4.) Why did you start the business?
I was a customer of Lorraine Lea for a few years before starting my own business as an Independent Stylist. I truly adore the products and loved the idea of being able to get them at a HUGE discount all the time. I also had just left my managerial position in logistics, 3 months after returning to work from Maternity Leave.
I really needed to be able to earn a good income while managing a large household with my husband and our 5 kids! The thought of being my own boss was so appealing and in our business, the harder you work, the more you earn - so I loved the idea of no unpaid overtime like in traditional employment.
5.) Tell us a bit about yourself.
Growing up in a large family (being one of 8 children), I truly believe has given me the ability to remain calm at all times! Nothing much rattles me and people often say that I am the most calm and relaxed person that they know. The values of high tolerance and understanding of others that my childhood taught me has helped shape the way I service my customers in business today.
In my business, first class customer service and the best customer experience is my passion. I know from my own personal experiences as a consumer and customer, that in many instances good old fashioned service just doesn’t exist anymore. I love to leave my customers with the feeling that they have been cared for, that I have served them well and that I have helped them make the best choices for themselves.
I love a challenge and pushing myself to beat my own best.
Since starting my business, we have added 2 more children to our small tribe and life is busier than ever. But the “busy” keeps me sane and just pushes me to go bigger and better, at every opportunity.
Some people say I am a perfectionist, as I am very fussy when it comes to getting things done right the first time. Before my Lorraine Lea business, I dabbled a little in Cake Decorating. I was a self taught baker and decorator, creating masterpieces that I even surprised myself with! Making Novelty Birthday Cakes was my jam - but a Wedding Cake or something for a super special occasion I only did a couple of times… that perfectionist pressure was just a little too much for me! I know my limits.
My inner drive and motivation to succeed has seen me be awarded part of the top 20 selling Lorraine Lea Stylists in the country for the past 3 years and in 2021, placed 8th top seller nationally, out of approx 1500 Stylists.
2021 also saw me inducted to the Million Dollar Club, having sold $1,000,000 of Lorraine Lea products in my almost 8 years of business!
While I am humble, I am proud and can see our children picking up on some of my leadership language and traits. They make me proudest of all.
6.) Why should a potential client consider your business over others?
We stand by the quality of our products.
Lorraine Lea’s range of bedding, manchester and homewares is curated and created by our Merchandise team in Melbourne. Everything is made to fit Australian standard sizes, and 95% of our products are exclusive to our brand.
Having your own personal shopper and home Stylist has so many advantages. We can customise our services to suit your needs. Whether you’d like some social shopping with friends at your home or virtually online, or maybe you just need a one on one consultation to see and try samples and products in your home space, we are here to help.
Even when you self-serve and shop online, when you are connected to a good Independent Stylist, any incorrect choices in product or any problems you have with the products you've ordered can be explained, fixed and a solution found.
Customers simply cannot expect that type of service when purchasing homewares and bedding from a retail store.
7.) Who might your business appeal to?
Our products appeal to everyone - I mean everyone sleeps in sheets and needs a good bath towel - right? We have something in our range for every person, every budget and every space in your home.
We also offer the business opportunity to anyone who would like to come on board. With no sales or ‘linen’ experience required, you can be your own boss for a very small start up cost.
All the tools, training, support and love is provided. Yes love - we are just like one HUGE Lorraine Lea family. The business opportunity appeals to everyone who is looking for an opportunity to build something for themselves, rather than looking for a ‘real’ job.
It can be the ultimate side hustle for an extra income stream or the most “UNREAL” job you’ve ever had, with unlimited earning potential and freedom and flexibility that you've never known before!.
Lorraine Lea offers so many extra rewards and recognition, just for putting yourself “All In” to your business! We are talking amazing cash bonuses, free trips, free product… it is incredible! Not sure there is any other small business you could run where someone hands you a cash bonus for reaching YOUR OWN TARGETS!
8.) What’s your price range? Can you give some examples of products and price for any potential customers?
We have so many products in so many different sizes…. Queen Size Quilt Cover Set $169- $199 Queen size sheet set $160 - $399 we offer something for every room, every budget.
… and we do offer the opportunity to score huge discounts by having a home styling event
9.) What is your usual turnaround time?
From order to delivery, 7-10 days
10.) How has your experience with your business been so far? Were you nervous or worried before? How did it turn out?
My main means of business when I first started up was in person styling events, so yes I was VERY nervous at the start. Having not worked in sales OR manchester before, it was quite daunting. I guess that determination streak in me pushed me through my comfort zone when I realised that I was actually the most qualified person in the room at my events, I was the one person who knew the most about our products!
Practise and experience soon helped me become the confident and ‘slightly’ outgoing woman that I am today… I now regularly share video of my demonstrations with the Australia Wide field of Stylists to use in their social media spaces… It’s safe to say I am no longer camera shy
11.) What are some of the difficult aspects of your job? (e.g. difficult client, keeping up to date with blog/marketing, etc). How did you deal with it?
Most difficult part of business for me is organisation.
I know with just a little bit more structure to my day, I could work a lot smarter and turn out even bigger results.
Having such a busy life, still with 3 kids under 10, and 4 older, I find I work “on the fly” most of the time. But it works for me. I’ve learned to accept that I need to bend and flex to the needs of my family AND my business.
We are fortunate that even though as a Stylist I am my own boss, there’s no overheads, no stock to buy and store or orders to pack and deliver. All of that is done at Lorraine Lea’s warehouse for me. They even summarise all of my financial info for me!
Currently with business almost 100% online, it fits in very well with my busy family life… being able to catch up with ‘work’ at any time of day and from any place I need to on my phone… it is just so easy. It is so easy that with all other life stuff going on, I personally sold $213,000 of Lorraine Lea in 2021!
12.) What would be your advice to someone thinking of engaging your services?
DO IT!! You will most likely be surprised at how the right sheets for you, the perfect fitting pillow, the right mattress toppers and covers and quilt help you sleep SO MUCH BETTER!
I often say - my towels make me smile, because they really do! They always look inviting, ready to give me a comforting cuddle after a long hot shower. My towels are thick, fluffy and thirsty - just the way I like them. But if you’re not into that, we have lots of different thickness and different textured towels too… each to their own.
13.) What’s the best client/job you’ve had so far? Can you describe what services you provided, what their feedback was and how it made you feel?
There are many stand out moments, but this one always comes to mind…
I have a client who I met right at the beginning of my Stylist days, almost 8 years ago.
Only a little while ago, she reached out for help because her hubby wasn’t sleeping in the bed. He found the couch was more comfortable and his back was just too sore in the mornings after sleeping in the bed. So for months he’d been sleeping on the couch.
I suggested to her that they should try our Mattress Topper as it would provide some cushioning to help support hips and knees while side sleeping and comfort and a bit of extra support to fill the curve of his lower back when sleeping on his back. She let me know about a week after delivery that he was sleeping back in the bed!! I now call that particular mattress topper ‘The Marriage Saver’
I love to help people get a better night's sleep by upping the comfort and healthiness of their bed. It is so important for physical and mental health.
14.) How can people contact you?
Phone 0405463196
FB messenger m.me/nette.lette
Thank you Annette for sharing your story with us today and congraulations on your amazing achievements!! You’re so passionate about your business and customer service and I can definitely vouch for that from experience!!
Do you or do you know anyone who would love to participate in our Ageless Over 40 portrait sessions?
Our Ageless Over 40 sessions go beyond just the traditional headshots and includes:
1️⃣ 1 hour Hair & Makeup by our professional hair and make-up artist so you can look your best and feel amazing!💋
2️⃣ Transformative 60 min photography session with photographer Olivia Sutton. 📸
3️⃣ Posing direction: Olivia helps guide your posing throughout the session.💃🏽
4️⃣ Multiple wardrobe changes, multiple poses and backgrounds.👗
5️⃣ A Private Image Reveal Session to review your session when your
images are ready!😍
Our next Ageless Over 40 portrait event is on 22 March 2022 so don’t hesitate to contact us for a chat or you can book directly on our website below.
