From special education teacher to business owner making a difference in the NDIS space

A Friend of Mine by OAK Magazine

Kazz Rasmussen started her career a special education teacher, working in the classroom and consultancy. However, she soon realised that she wanted to make a bigger impact and provide more support to individuals with disabilities.

Kazz's journey to becoming a business owner began in 2016 when she took a year off teaching to care for her ill father. During this time, there was an upswing in parents seeking Kazz’s guidance to navigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Although she had no prior knowledge of the NDIS, Kazz decided to give it a try and never looked back.

Kazz & Co - an NDIS registered disability and special needs support service - now has over 30 staff supporting individuals with mental health challenges who are striving for a fulfilling independent life. The Bendigo-based business also offers tailored independent living programs and individualised support in educational environments.

What sets Kazz apart as a business owner is her empathy and genuine care for her clients. She understands the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and their families, being a mother of three, with one child diagnosed with autism. This personal experience has given Kazz a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the needs of her clients.

In this episode, Kazz shares her transition from school teacher to business owner. We discuss finding the role of an accountant, the importance of values, hiring staff, investing in business coaches and marketing for support and growth, imposter syndrome, as well as navigating the NDIS system.

You can read our feature story on Kazz in OAK Magazine Issue 13.

ABOUT OUR SPONSOR VIVIENNE CATE

Do you love the idea of taking the hard work out of shopping, knowing that someone else has curated for you endless apparel and homewares options that are high quality, often hand-made and always beautiful?

At Vivienne Cate, the focus is on natural fibres and a timeless, earthy style. You’ll find high quality clothing in classic styles; unique homewares such as cowhides and handmade ceramics; gorgeous aromatherapy-based skin and body products and so much more.

Karen, from Vivienne Cate, is all about connection and understanding what you need, and she offers a personal styling service by appointment.

Karen loves to support other regional women in business and has a wide network of talented friends from all over the country, whose work she stocks in store in the beautiful regional town of Yackandandah, in North East Victoria.

The Vivienne Cate website mirrors the charm of the bricks-and-mortar store, ensuring you can access the same carefully selected items with just a click.

Explore Vivienne Cate via the website or follow on Instagram.

ABOUT OAK MAGAZINE

This episode was hosted by Kimberley Furness, founder + editor of OAK Magazine. We are a proudly independent media publisher dedicated to sharing stories and amplifying voices of female change makers and women in business in regional and rural Australia. OAK is an award winning community ecosystem of print, digital, audio and events. We have demonstrated outstanding quality, innovation and impact through our print magazine, podcasts and audio version of OAK Magazine. OAK is where you will find in-depth chats and courageous conversations with women in business from regional and rural Australia.

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 podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy