Building Business Futures in Northern NSW
We started zarquelion in 2019 because regional Australia deserved better access to practical business education. Not theories from textbooks—real frameworks from people who've launched ventures, failed a few times, and figured out what actually works.
Why We Do This
Back in 2018, Ailsa had just closed her third café in Byron Bay. Not because it failed—it was actually profitable. But managing cash flow while dealing with seasonal tourism swings? That nearly broke her. The business courses she'd taken never covered the messy reality of bridging gaps between high and low seasons.
Around the same time, Dexter was consulting for small retailers across the Northern Rivers. He kept seeing the same pattern: great ideas, passionate owners, but zero understanding of unit economics or break-even analysis. These weren't lazy people. They just hadn't learned the financial fundamentals that make or break a venture.
So we pooled resources and started running weekend workshops in Lismore. Just practical stuff—building financial models in spreadsheets, understanding customer acquisition costs, planning for lean months. Word spread quickly because we weren't selling dreams. We were teaching the unglamorous skills that actually keep businesses alive.
Who's Teaching
We're not academic theorists. Both of us have scars from real business mistakes. That's probably why our approach resonates with people tired of generic advice.
Ailsa Thornbury
Co-founder & Business Strategy LeadSpent twelve years in retail and hospitality before pivoting to education. Lost money on two ventures before figuring out sustainable models. Now specializes in helping service businesses understand their true costs and pricing power.
Dexter Raeburn
Co-founder & Finance Education DirectorFormer accountant who got bored with compliance work and started helping startups build financial forecasts. Developed our core curriculum around scenario planning and sensitivity analysis—fancy terms for "what happens if things go wrong."
How We Actually Work
Start With Numbers
Every program begins with unit economics. What does one customer cost to acquire? What's their lifetime value? Sounds boring, but it's the difference between a business and an expensive hobby. We build models together using your real data—or industry benchmarks if you're just starting.
Plan for Reality
Best-case scenarios are fun but useless. We spend more time on "what if revenue drops 30%" than "what if we go viral." Our participants build three versions of every financial model: optimistic, realistic, and survival mode. That last one has saved several businesses during the 2022 floods.
Test Before Scaling
The pressure to grow fast destroys more businesses than slow starts ever will. We teach validation frameworks—how to test demand cheaply before committing to inventory, staff, or long leases. Several of our participants discovered their initial ideas wouldn't work, pivoted early, and saved thousands.
Build Financial Literacy
You don't need an accounting degree, but you absolutely need to understand cash flow statements and balance sheets. We demystify financial documents so you can spot problems early. When you can read your numbers weekly instead of waiting for your accountant's quarterly report, you make better decisions.
Focus on Margins
Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, and cash flow is reality. That's not just a saying—it's how businesses survive. We help you identify which products or services actually make money versus which ones just keep you busy. Sometimes that means killing your favorite offering because the numbers don't work.
Iterate Constantly
Your first business model won't be your last. Markets shift, costs change, and customer preferences evolve. We teach frameworks for regular review and adjustment rather than rigid five-year plans that become outdated in six months. Flexibility isn't weakness—it's survival.
Our Journey Since 2019
Started small with weekend workshops. Grew into something bigger without really planning to. Here's how it unfolded:
First Workshop in Lismore
Ran our inaugural weekend program with eight local entrepreneurs. Charged just enough to cover the room rental and coffee. Half the participants brought business ideas that needed serious rethinking—which was exactly the point.
Pandemic Pivot
Moved everything online when lockdowns hit. Lost some participants who preferred in-person learning, but gained others from across regional NSW who couldn't travel anyway. Developed our first structured six-week program during this period.
Expanded Curriculum
Added specialized tracks for product businesses versus service businesses. Turns out a café's financial model looks nothing like a consulting practice. Also started one-on-one coaching for participants needing deeper support with their specific situations.
Flood Response Programs
After the February floods devastated Lismore, we ran free emergency workshops on rebuilding financial foundations. Helped 40+ businesses assess damage, work with insurers, and decide whether to reopen or close. Not our proudest year, but maybe our most important.
Partnership Development
Started collaborating with local councils and business chambers to deliver subsidized programs. This opened access to people who couldn't afford our regular fees. Also meant dealing with more paperwork, but worth it for the reach.
Refining Our Approach
Spent the past year analyzing what actually worked from our first five years. Cut content that looked good on paper but didn't help participants. Doubled down on financial modeling and scenario planning. Currently developing new programs for late 2025 focused on regional digital businesses.