This episode of Take Me Somewhere has been recorded live in our mobile podcast van at the Riverine Plains Innovation Expo Field Day held in Yarrawonga on July 28.

Many successful small businesses start life from the kitchen table, and Sarah Armstrong’s story is no different.

Sparked from a conversation overheard at her parent’s kitchen table after a night of rain, Sarah developed the SparkDrop app - a digital platform to store rainfall data and share it with the community.

The land has been Sarah’s whole upbringing. Sarah’s father, his father Sparky and his father before him have been thriving and surviving in farming for over 100 years in Australia.

It's Sarah’s grandfather, Don "Sparky" Armstrong, who is the inspiration behind the app’s name. The app is a way to continue her family’s legacy and share her love for the land.

In this candid and unedited conversation, Sarah shares with us the beginning of her app, the cost of developing one, how she handled an email glitch during launch week, marketing tactics and the special bond she has with her dad and grandfather.

This episode was hosted by Kimberley Furness, founder + editor of OAK Magazine. OAK Magazine is a proudly independent print publication dedicated to sharing stories and amplifying voices of female entrepreneurs and women in business in regional and rural Australia. Founded in Bendigo, this quarterly publication is filled with expertise, insights and small business guidance from driven, inspiring and successful local women.

Stay social and connect with OAK Magazine on Facebook and Instagram.

For more inspiring stories, visit OAK Magazine website. Hosted by Kimberley Furness, Founder + Editor, OAK Magazine.

This episode of Take Me Somewhere has been recorded live in our mobile podcast van at the Riverine Plains Innovation Expo Field Day held in Yarrawonga on July 28.

Growing up in Indonesia and New Zealand, Jess Sampson did not see much of an Australian farm. But that is where she has carved out a career in agriculture.

Jess opened and successfully ran a chocolate shop for five years in Milawa before making the tough decision to sell so as to spend more time with her young family. She started in agriculture in early 2011 and loved every minute of it, working her way through administrative positions with Landmark in Wangaratta before joining the Farmers Business Network as an account executive and agronomist.

Farmers Business Network is a global farmer-driven digital tech platform that is on a mission to hand more power back to farmers, helping to make their jobs easier and their businesses more profitable.

Jess shares with us her journey into agriculture, how she felt selling her chocolate shop, the benefits of a having a mentor, how she managed to raise a young family whilst working and studying, and the importance of biosecurity and local manufacturing in Australia.

This episode was hosted by Kimberley Furness, founder + editor of OAK Magazine. OAK Magazine is a proudly independent print publication dedicated to sharing stories and amplifying voices of female entrepreneurs and women in business in regional and rural Australia. Founded in Bendigo, this quarterly publication is filled with expertise, insights and small business guidance from driven, inspiring and successful local women.

Stay social and connect with OAK Magazine on Facebook and Instagram.

For more inspiring stories, visit OAK Magazine website. Hosted by Kimberley Furness, Founder + Editor, OAK Magazine.

This episode of Take Me Somewhere has been recorded live in our mobile podcast van at the Riverine Plains Innovation Expo Field Day held in Yarrawonga on July 28.

There are many different pathways into a career in agriculture, as Chloe Dutschke, 28, and Stef Blake, 31, will attest.

Chloe’s love for animals influenced her university studies only to find herself drawn to the agriculture element. After university, Chloe found work on stations around South Australia and NSW. She is now settled with her partner on a large sheep station just outside of Hay, NSW. Chloe is passionate about young people in agriculture and how to support them in their journey.

Stef grew up on the family dairy farm in the western district of Victoria. Stef was initially enrolled in an arts degree at the University of Melbourne. After the first semester, Stef was questioning whether she really wanted to live in the city long term and how best to use her arts degree. And so, she transferred into agriculture. Stef believes there is a role for everyone in agriculture and wants to support young people on an exciting and rewarding career path in the industry.

Chloe and Stef work together at National Farmers Federation on the Ag Career Start program which is a 10-12 month gap year program to kick start young Australians’ careers in agriculture.

Chloe and Stef share their different journeys into a career in agriculture, introduce us to the unique and exciting Ag Career Start program including some early success stories, and what excites them most about the future of agriculture.

ABOUT OAK MAGAZINE

This episode was hosted by Kimberley Furness, founder + editor of OAK Magazine. OAK Magazine is a proudly independent print publication dedicated to sharing stories and amplifying voices of female entrepreneurs and women in business in regional and rural Australia. Founded in Bendigo, this quarterly publication is filled with expertise, insights and small business guidance from driven, inspiring and successful local women.

Stay social and connect with OAK Magazine on Facebook and Instagram.

For more inspiring stories, visit OAK Magazine website. Hosted by Kimberley Furness, Founder + Editor, OAK Magazine.