Dynamic Small Business - Finance Issue July 2004: LIFE IN THE FAST LANE by Rebecca Spicer

Transport and logistics might not be the most glamorous industry, but in just five years Helen Jarman has made her mark on this traditionally male-dominated field, building Infoactiv Logistics Solutions into a multi-million dollar company.

Looking for insight into the day-to-day life of Helen Jarman, DSB tracked her down in Dubai, on route to Zurich where she would attend a Young Entrepreneurs Organisation conference. In her role as managing director of Infoactiv, Helen is always on the go, but she found time to share with us the highs and lows of breaking into a somewhat "complacent" and male-dominated industry, with little more than vision and a lot of passion.

"Without those two things, no amount of capital or silver spoon beginning will see you through the difficulties," she says.

It was experience gained working in the transport and logistics industry - managing accounts at a major domestic airfreight company that enabled Helen to embark on her own business venture. "I managed my clients in a way that no other employee did. I made all those clients feel like they were the only one. In doing that, I came to understand their supply chain needs, appreciate their business requirements, what their expectations were from the industry, and what was not being met. Plus, I developed excellent business relationships with them, through trust and honesty, and I think women have something unique to add in this way.

"It was here that I developed my template for the business - how our CRM (customer relationship management) would function, what our company's ethic would be, what unique IT systems and technology we would use to mobilise our supply chain reach, including a huge emphasis on people. At 27, I was ready - at least in enthusiasm and vision - and I believe the market was ready for our concept.

ZERO TO MILLIONS

Starting out with no capital, assets, clients or resources, Helen has managed to develop her vision into a successful company which now boasts over 16 staff and a client list featuring high profile names such as Hewlett-Packard (HP), Cisco Systems and Bell Potter Securities.

However, despite this success, Helen doesn't recommend starting out the way she did - with nothing! "I wasn't able to get finance initially and I worked huge hours," she says. "We obtained an office and proceeded to set up all the processes and procedures, suite of services, company profile, vision statements, company structure etc - all when we had no employees or clients."

Nevertheless, in the first year Helen secured some ad hoc jobs, managing trade shows and events or HP and some other major organizations, which still continues today. "Our other clients' business started to pick up when we won a major tender with a multi-national company, selected from nine other established logistics suppliers. Our concept was new, it was a niche market solution, and it was what the customer was looking for.

"Today the company had evolved into a true Lead Logistics supply chain management company, one that offers flexible, IT-based logistics solutions."

SURVIVING SETBACKS

Helen says being a woman and tackling an industry that is traditionally resistant to change, were some of the biggest hurdles to overcome.

"This industry is male-dominated mainly because logistics doesn't have the wide appeal to women that other vocations may," she says. Helen has broken through this male trend and was recognised for her success last year when she was awarded the Westpac Business Owner Award at the 2003 Telstra Businesswomen's Awards. "I am very proud to have received this prestigious award. I am also very humbled by it and excited. I never expected to win and I don't think women give themselves enough credit for what they have achieved. I believe women are more powerful than they realise and this needs to be channelled and developed."

"The award has given Infoactiv Logistics a level of credibility, recognition and profile that I have not necessarily achieved in the last few years, despite all the good work and pioneering we have tried to do in the industry and generally in the community."

Dealing with transport companies was another major setback because she was asking them to deal with what they perceived to be another third party.

"The resistance was high and the attitude was somewhat negative. In many ways even today we struggle to define our concept in a way that reflects what we do, for the customer and also to the carrier or forwarder who considers an Infoactiv-style solution to potentially be a threat - a competitor.

"In the Australian domestic market, there is resistance to change... many domestic service providers focus too heavily on their own little piece of the puzzle and may not necessarily work in partnership with other companies to achieve the global supply chain solution their customer are asking them to create. The industry is also somewhat incestuous and that is not a good attitude, where outdated ideas and thinking keep circling around and new ideas are blocked."

PEOPLE FOCUS

Helen believes she has overcome these hurdles, and attributes the huge growth of the business to offering somewhat new to the industry with a big focus on customer service.

"Our commitment to our customer defies what the industry standard is, and we work very hard towards removing what can be a sentiment of complacency within the industry and the standards that it sets."

In developing the template for her business, Helen also placed an emphasis on people internal to its operations - in particular, recognising each individual's work and personal effort, "politics free".

"I have every confidence in my staff, which is why they work for Infoactiv. They are an incredible team and they can respond to management continually raising the bar. There is a fair amount of pressure at times so they need to be completely confident, capable and resourceful and, most of all, they are totally empowered to make their own judgement calls. The company has invested in its senior management, and we continue to develop the team to reach an even distribution of work among management and staff."

Having this confidence in her staff gives Helen the flexibility to be away from the office when needs to be. Despite her busy schedule, traveling interstate or overseas attending meetings and conferences, Helen is still very much involved in the day-to-day running of the business - always focusing on its growth.

This focus has made perfecting a work/life balance a little difficult. "I can be very flexible about how and when I work," she says. "I don't necessarily work from the office, or even work during the business week - it depends on where my energy flows or where the business requires me to be. I travel a lot and take my family with me always, I spend a lot of time with my friends and family and am mentoring colleagues close to me. It is really only now that I can focus on health and social life outside of work, thanks to the progress we've made and the Infoactiv team we currently have."

According to Helen, running her own business is "being totally free to be creative, make changes, put ideas into motion and continually evolve in ways one can't do in a corporate environment. Being able to see the bigger picture and directly shape that, as well as make it all happen even at the most granular level; it's a job description that beats all others."

For more information on Infoactiv’s products and services, please email info@infoactiv.com.au

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