Episode 1: Steve Plarre

Friday 28 January 2022

I want to bake free!

We’re kicking off Season Two of the Retail Therapy podcast with this fantastic chat with Steve Plarre, CEO of Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses, an award-winning family business with a proud history dating back over 110 years. Ferguson Plarre is an iconic business, famous for its cakes, pasties and pies and a great case study for small business success.

Steve and Paul discuss:

Becoming a viral sensation during lockdown
The history of Ferguson Plarre
The benefit of franchising
Growing up in a family business
The secret to a perfect pie
Developing new products inspired by global food trends
Dealing with lockdowns across 87 Victorian stores
Growing with your values intact

Season Two

Season 2: Trailer

We are thrilled to announce that Season two of the ARA’s Retail Therapy podcast is launching next week. This season, we’re looking at small business. Small business is big business. 95% of our members are small to medium businesses – the backbone of the Australian economy – and we are proud to represent the interests of these businesses.

Listen now

21 January 2022

Episode 2: Amanda Rose

Did you know that about 38% of small businesses in Australia are owned by women?

In this episode of Retail Therapy ARA CEO Paul Zahra speaks with Amanda Rose, a powerful advocate for women in business. Amanda is the Founding Director of Western Sydney Women and Founder & CEO of Small Business Women Australia.

Listen now

11 February 2022

Episode 3: Bruce Billson

Paul Zahra sits down with The Hon Bruce Billson, Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman as he candidly talks about his career, how he’s championing the sector, the issues that motivate him to keep fuelling the engine room of the economy and some important mental health resources to support small and family businesses, an area extremely important to Bruce and his team.

Listen now

25 February 2022