Sacha Colbourne

Every month the Spotlight is put on a select Australian woman who has either excelled in her career, and/or has established a successful or potentially successful business. Highlighted in Spotlight are business profiles, answers to useful career questions as are some quirky personal points.

Spotlight is designed to give us all inspiration and confirm that anyone can make his or her business dream or that promotion a reality...

This month read on to find out all about Media Personality Sacha Colbourne
SACHA COLBOURNE

Profile

Name:
Miss Sacha Colbourne

Company name:
The Topaz Dream
Phone (03) 9372-8766 or 0409 72 8766


Career Profile

Sacha Colbourne began her own business, The Topaz Dream when she was 18 years old (1993), manufacturing natural Aromatherapy products.

By 1997 Sacha had created nearly 300 different products selling them via Party Plan.

In 1998 Topaz was approached by a business to manufacture the same products but instead of under The Topaz Dream brand, they wanted the chance to have their own brand of Aromatherapy products. Topaz took the risk and the idea began to flourish Sacha's business. Topaz Dream has now become a manufacturing wholesaler.

9 years later Sacha's business now services many businesses with this idea of giving individual business the chance of having their own brand of Aromatherapy products. Not only do Topaz clients include Hair Salons, Beauty Therapists, Nail Technicians, and now other Party Plan Companies, but Topaz now distributes these products to companies as corporate promotional gifts. Clients include Banks, Casino's, Tabaret and Pokie Venues, Charities & Real Estates companies. The possibilities are endless.

3 Years ago Sacha was asked to speak to some young people about starting their own business; Sacha enthusiastically enjoyed this experience and began speaking to a variety of young people about business and her favorite topic of conversation, Self Esteem. As time went by Sacha realised that this was now her passion in life, to inspire young teenagers, especially girls. She wanted to show them that they can have anything they want in life and that their imagination is their only limitation.

As if Managing Topaz Dream and speaking to teens about self-esteem and business is not enough, Sacha also facilitates 'Youth 2 Youth' workshops for young people about economic empowerment. And lastly, but certainly not least, Sacha now has her own program called 'Girls Making Self-esteem' where she teaches young women about self-esteem while also showing them how to make their own natural skincare.

Sacha wants to make a difference to the lives of young people, she says, follow your passion in life, have fun and always believe in yourself.

Occupation/Title
- Company Director of the Topaz Dream
- Founder of Girls Making Self Esteem
- Victorian Facilitator of Youth 2 Youth Programs
- Motivational Speaker

State
Victoria

Age
27

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Keilor, the council would say it was, "the best little country in town" and it is. I loved growing up there; it will always be home to me. That's where my mum and lots of my friends still live.

What was your first job.
My first job was at McDonalds, out the back making burgers. The only good thing about it was that they gave you a discount on the food after your shift.

What did you want to be when you where growing up?
I can't really remember, but I do recall saying to my family that I would be a police officer and arrest anyone who would make me eat eggs. (My grandmother made me eat eggs for breakfast, Yuck, and I still don't eat them now)

What qualification do you need to perform your job now?
I have done lots of different courses in Aromatherapy and Marketing to get Topaz Dream going, but for the work I do with young people I have spent a lot of time developing my public speaking techniques.

How did you get to where you are now?
Lots of hard work, long hours, plenty of research, heaps of dedication and persistence and an endless amount of belief in myself that I can do it!!!

What are you really proud of personally?
I am really proud of the journey I have taken to discover myself. I have become a spiritual person which has made me able to look at myself as well as others for what and who they are with out any judgments.

What are you proud of professionally?
I am so proud of the fact that I have started my own business and have kept it going through many tough times. I have involved myself in so many different activities that I have now found my passion in life, that is motivating young teenagers to be everything and anything they want to be.

Do you have a claim to fame you would like to tell us about?
Last year I was the center page model for the Melbourne Herald Sun Newspaper for international No Diet Day.
It was an article about the media recognizing plus size women. Doing the modelling shoot down Collins Street in Melbourne was so much fun, everyone was looking at me and I had people treating me like a queen, fixing my hair and makeup every 5 minutes. The day the photo went in the paper I was so shocked about how big it was, it was half the size of the center page. I didn't think that the photo turned out that well, in fact it wasn't the best photo of me at all. (It was alright, but I have seen better.) When I got the paper in the morning I was so embarrassed, I rang my best friend Joleen and told her to go get the paper and see the photo. As all good best friends are she rang me back listen to me whining, and told me how beautiful I was anyway. I then spent the rest of the day getting phone calls from so many different people that had seen my photo and told me how gorgeous I was. So it all turned out to be a great day after all.

What do you class as your biggest career achievement?
I suppose it would have to be being a businesswoman. When I first started nobody took me seriously, everyone thought I was so young and had no idea (and I didn't), but I now have people take me seriously and now they ask me for advice. That feels good! I am not a 'no-body' anymore.

How many hours a week do you work?
About 50 to 60, but work is on my mind 24/7
In fact all I think about is work and food!

Where would you like to be in ten years time?
I would like to be travelling around the world speaking to all different types of young people about self-esteem.
I would also liked to have spent some time in the Northern Territory with young Aboriginal girls. There is so much domestic violence in those areas, I want to help these girls break the cycle.

What advice would you give to somebody embarking on their first business or aspiring to achieve extraordinary career goals?
You have to do what it takes to become successful. Its not going to come knocking on your door. Get out there and experience as many things as you can. Be motivated, have fun, make your work part of your playtime. Only do what you love, don't waste time on things you hate. However, don't forget you still have to do what it takes to get there, so every now and then, when you do need to do something you don't like, remember you are doing it to get you to the place you want to be.

What is the best piece of advice anybody has given you?
Failure is success turned inside out.
You never really fail; there is always something good coming out of everything.


Femail's Fast Facts

Who living or dead would you most like to invite to dinner and why?
Oprah Winfery. I tape her shows every day and when I come home at night and watch the days show she is part of my relaxation time. I feel I have so much in common with her.
I have learnt so much from Oprah. She makes me want to be a good person who can change the world.

Can you name a movie that actually inspired you?
'The Kid', starring Bruce Willis. It is a movie about being an adult and having the chance to meet yourself as an 8-year-old. What would you say to yourself and would the 8 year old be proud of the person they had become? That's a scary question.

Do you recall your favourite toy as a child:
I was a Barbie freak. I had the car, the boat, the house, the campervan and of course even Ken.

What are you reading at the moment?
I am reading a book called Odd Girl Out by Rachel Simmons. It's all about the aggression of girl bullying and how to empower girls not to do it.

Is there a talent/attribute you wish you had?
I wish I could play an instrument and sing better than I do. I think when I have children I am going to be one of those mothers that takes its kids to heaps of different types of activities. When you're a kid you learn so much easier.

Which song transports you to another place when you hear it and why?
Celine Dion's 'Because you loved me'! I dedicate that song to my mother. She has had so much faith in me all of my life. Mum has made me the strong person I am today.

Your favourite place in the world, and why?
It would have to be New York, I just loved it there. Other than Keilor, it's the only place I feel at home. (How bizarre, they are worlds apart from each other)

What is your idea of the perfect Day?
The perfect day is going out to lunch with my mum, then we would go off to the movies and after the first movie, we perhaps see another movie. Then go back to mums and have a few of my close friends come over, order a wood oven pizza, sit around all night having those unreal girlie chats.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you read the words 'John Howard'?
"Nerd"
Sorry to say this but the leader of our country has no personality, and when he does show us a tiny bit of himself, he's a nerd. We just don't know anything about him. I love politics, but he never shows us he is a normal Austalian. The only thing we see of him that is personal is that he goes jogging in the morning.

Can you tell us 5 things required for a happy healthy & enjoyable life (important to you)
- My Mum
- My Best Friends
- My Dog
- Laughing and heaps of fun
- Good tasty food

- Oh and I love good movies (Sorry that's six!)

Are there other related careers to your chosen career:
Well I would like to do some Media/TV/Radio work to boost the motivation of young people.


- Michelle Palmer