Collins Hume talks with Rachael Warburton at Byron's iconic Dr Moose T-shirts.
Australia's oldest t-shirt shop, Dr. Moose, was established in 1995 and has grown into a well-loved worldwide brand.
Giving customers a free hand in designing custom made shirts and accessories that represent their own unique individuality has been Dr Moose's ethos for years and made it a longstanding iconic shop, synonymous with the world-famous Byron Bay experience.
Rachael Warburton, Dr Moose's new co-owner, hails from an idyllic Blytonesque corner of England called Clitheroe but grew up as a kid in Australia. In her beautiful accent, she explains how she backpacked her way to Byron, found herself working at Dr Moose, and fell in love with a bloke and a business.
"I realised how much I loved the creativity of my job," says Rachael. "The owner wanted a change and agreed to sell when his other business took off."
That was in 2016 and Rachael knew how good Dr Moose as a business was - she had been managing it for five years and had already done her due diligence working in the shop. But she knew she needed professional advice to make sure her calculations stacked up.
"Kelly Crethar was fantastic. She helped us assess the business sale price by evaluating the offer and confirmed correct price for us."
"We're not formally trained in business. We knew there was a business opportunity but we needed Kelly to help us navigate the process."
"Everything in the business is brilliant. Kelly helped us set up a trust and she recommended getting wills to help us with asset protection. She guided us through the whole process and it wasn't stressful. It's good to have peace of mind."
Expansion streams coming Rachael has not stood still in her new role as business owner. Since taking ownership in 2016, she has personally grown 500 Facebook Page Likes into a staggering 14,000!
But doing the groundwork with Kelly has given Rachael itchy feet.
"I want to grow the business so our next step is planning with Kelly for our future financial needs," says Rachael. "That means looking at how we can get new machines, revamp the website, engage an agency for social media and move forward to be more successful online as well as keeping our brick and mortar store for visits."
"We've got a huge cult following and a real 90s feel. It's important that we keep that vibe."
Working with Collins Hume to help structure what they want to do with their future forms a huge part.
"From helping us when we bought our first property to navigating tax on cryptocurrency, Kelly has been our go-to for years."
"She is accessible, knowledgeable and just a great guide for those of us who need to be directed on how to do things smartly," Rachael added.
Dr Moose is a tight-knit, innovative and creative team of committed Moose Techs, flying the flag for creativity everywhere, all from Byron Bay. Check out their uniquely designed clothing and accessories at https://drmoose.com.au/.
Copyright 2021. Collins Hume Accountants & Business Advisers Ballina & Byron Bay NSW