Running a home-based B2B business that services regional companies isn’t everyone’s idea of a growth strategy – but for Erika Kilburn (nee Vass) her connection to the community is exactly what makes EV Coaching and Consulting a success.
Based in the Central West of NSW and working largely from home, she has built a business focused on business development, market research and strategic social media for organisations west of the Great Dividing Range.
Her core work is helping companies understand their markets, communicate professionally and position themselves for major projects.
“The business development side incorporates market research, stakeholder and community engagement and how to build on it strategically,” she explained. “I look at what is currently being done, what the business wants to achieve and then planning for the next three to six months, while touching base with them regularly.”
Recent projects include market research for Darling Irrigation, which services Far West NSW, and strategic social media and content for civil construction firm Keeden Contracting.
And it was her connection with ICN Regional Manager Central West, David Norris, that helped her land both clients.
Initially, she reached out to David simply to understand the landscape and make connections. Over time, that relationship has helped turn a small idea into a sustainable business.
“I gave him a ring and I said, ‘I’ve got my own little business. I’d love to be able to meet up with you’,” Erika said, adding that she felt the projects in the works in the Central West showed regional capability that she would like to connect with.
That relationship led to introductions to local companies that David believed would benefit from EV Coaching and Consulting’s services.
“Genuinely, I wouldn’t be where I am today without David,” Erika said.
For Darling Irrigation, that service was mapping opportunities and relationships across a vast geographic footprint.
“They were looking at projects to tender across Far West New South Wales and close to Dubbo, looking at stakeholders that they could engage with, and industry events as well,” she said, “The best thing was the stakeholder part, I’ve never searched and researched so many people on LinkedIn before.”
With Keeden Contracting, her focus has been on professional, portfolio-style social media content that supports future tenders as much as it builds brand presence.
“My social media service is on a strategic level,” she said. “My focus is more on that portfolio base and projects so it’s professional, clean, tender-ready but it also has a story behind it as well.”
Crucially, she brings local knowledge to every engagement.
“Imagine hiring somebody from south-west Sydney who’s never been out to Molong,” she said. “I understand what’s going on locally, I know who to go to, and I know how to target that demographic as well. I’m not just an outsider looking in,” Erika said
Her service area is deliberately broad but distinctly regional.
“At the moment, my patch is regional New South Wales, from Tamworth to Albury, Lithgow out to Broken Hill, and everywhere in between.”
Through her ICN subscription, she gains visibility of upcoming work, understands which businesses might need support to become tender-ready, and can position her services where they’ll have the most impact.
For Erika, it all comes back to making sure regional capability is seen, understood and ready when opportunity knocks.
Find out more about EV Coaching and Consulting.