Suzanne Hoyne spent 20 years in International Branded Businesses as their CFO. Now she’s taking all that experience and is on a mission to empower entrepreneurs to build and grow a successful business, focusing on profit and having the time to enjoy a life they love.
Tell us in your own words how you would describe your business.
I coach and mentor product-based entrepreneurs on how to build and grow a successful business, focusing on profit first.
The tools I gained from 20yrs in CFO roles in international branded businesses such as Adidas, Country Road, Hole Proof, and Sleep Maker, I applied to grow my own business, SOL Breads, which became a multi 8 figure business within 13 years. Now I use all the lessons I learnt to mentor other entrepreneurs on how to grow their businesses to 8 figures and be highly profitable.
What was your key driving force to becoming an entrepreneur?
The more successful I was in my corporate career the less I actually enjoyed it. I love the challenge & hustle of building businesses. It's truly my passion, so I decided to try it for myself with my husband & our journey with SOL Breads began. Once we achieved our wildest dreams for SOL Breads I wanted to help other entrepreneurs achieve the same.
In the years of owning your own business, what stands out as one of your most memorable moments?
After about 3yrs in business, getting our SOL Breads products in Woolworths was definitely a highlight. We would go in at least twice a day in the beginning and we’d get so excited when we saw our bread in someone's trolley.
In my coaching business, one of my first clients was a single Dad making $39,000pa, fast forward 2 years & his business is now making a profit of over $800,000 pa. What’s more important than the money is the confidence this has given him in all aspects of his life. He’s now remarried and is a hands-on father to his 3 girls.
What’s been your biggest ‘A-ha’ moment since starting your own business?
While building SOL Breads I took my business background for granted & it wasn’t until my unofficial first coaching clients went from making a loss to making $100k in about 6 months that I realised how unique my background & knowledge is and I should really share it. That’s when I decided I wanted to coach full-time.
Prior to becoming a business coach and mentor you were in the corporate world and living in Melbourne. What were some of the key factors that played a part in, one, your tree change and two, leaving the corporate world behind?
When my mother passed away it really made me reassess what I wanted to do with my life. On paper, I had a really successful career, but I started assessing what really made me happy and I questioned ‘’am I really going to do this for the next 20 years.” Luckily my husband was feeling the same, so we were probably having a midlife crisis haha.
We both really wanted a change and a challenge. Moving to Byron Bay was the easy part because we really loved our holidays there and we already had a house, so we packed up our dog and moved. The first year of SOL bread was really hard financially and emotionally but we have never regretted our decision for a minute.
As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career? Have you been confronted with gender-related roadblocks in your career?
I’ve certainly seen gender-related roadblocks, but personally, I built a really successful career and was a CFO in a $350m business in my 30s before starting our own business, so I was extremely fortunate to work for people who were promoted on merit irrespective of gender.
I’ve also built 2 very successful businesses, so I can honestly say that gender has not been a barrier in my career or businesses.
But I also focus on what I can control and am extremely solutions focused, so I don't waste time worrying about barriers I can't control, I just focus on finding a way around them.
In your opinion, what are the three most important habits to be a successful entrepreneur?
Passion - care the most
Obsess about your customer
Being solutions focused
What's one thing every woman should know about being successful in her career and life? The most important thing is knowing what makes YOU really happy and going after that. I believe knowing what you actually want and why, which has certainly changed for me over the years, is the most powerful thing in both your career and life.
In your opinion, how can women stand in solidarity with each other?
I believe we all need business buddies, so I think it's really important for women to belong to a group of like-minded entrepreneurs that support each other, celebrate the wins, be there when times are tough, and also offer support and advice that only other business owners understand. That’s why I run a retreat once a year for my clients, so they can all meet in real life and build lifelong business relationships.
What’s on the horizon for you in 2023?
2023 is a really big year as we sold SOL Breads in Jan 2023. So I’m planning a course on how to price physical products to optimise profits, a podcast, a retreat for my 1:1 clients, and a lot of travel with my husband to make up for the holidays we’ve missed together.
Location: BYRON BAY | NSW Website: suzannehoyne.com.au Instagram: suzannehoyne
Facebook: Suzanne Hoyne
Photography: Abbie Melle