Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 30

Guest: Jenn Donovan

Business Name: Social Media & Marketing Australia

Website: https://socialmediaandmarketing.com.au

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-donovan/

Topics Covered

/ From Law to Retail to Marketing: Building a Rural Business Empire

Jenn shares her journey from working in law to co-owning a kitchenware retail shop and eventually launching her own marketing consultancy. A late-night decision with a friend led to buying a store – where she quickly learned the value of listening to customers and adapting to market needs.

/ Born on the Border: Running a National Business from the Farm

Jenn operates her business from a farm near Mulwala, NSW, right on the state border. She talks about the pros and challenges of rural entrepreneurship – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the infamous "red line" lockdown cut through her living room.

/ Launching Social Media & Marketing Australia: From Domain Name to Brand

In 2018, Jenn founded her business after finding the perfect domain name by chance. With a no-frills approach, she built a service-based brand focused on coaching, speaking, and empowering small businesses to take control of their marketing.

/ The Power of Speaking: How Keynotes Became Her Main Business

Speaking now forms the largest revenue stream for Jenn. She shares how she books paid speaking gigs across Australia, from chambers of commerce to major conferences – like a standout 20-minute keynote in Esperance that required multiple flights and a 3-hour drive.

/ Creating a Movement: Buy From a Bush Business and Spend With Us

In response to drought and economic downturn in 2019, Jenn launched a Facebook group that grew to nearly 400,000 members. The initiative helped inject over $11 million into rural businesses and eventually grew into a full-fledged marketplace, Spend With Us.

/ Strategic Collaboration: Turning Community into Company

Jenn partnered with another founder to launch “Spend With Us,” offering regional businesses a platform to sell online – even if they didn’t have a website. She later exited day-to-day operations to refocus on speaking, retaining a stake as an advisor and advocate.

/ Leveraging Government Contracts and Digital Training

During the pandemic, Jenn saw an opportunity in government-funded business support. She created webinar packages and simplified the delivery for local councils – doing all the heavy lifting so they could say “yes” quickly. This created consistent income and long-term partnerships.

/ The Speaking Business Model: Outreach, Timing, and Systems

Jenn breaks down how she fills her speaking calendar through direct outreach, cold pitching and follow-up systems. She shares how she balances paid and unpaid gigs and uses strategy to get her foot in the door with larger events.

/ Rebranding and Personal Brand Clarity

Jenn is now separating her personal brand from her business. While Social Media & Marketing Australia is being positioned as a scalable asset with conferences and products, Jen Donovan is emerging as a speaker, author, and marketing educator in her own right.

/ Podcasting as a Business Engine

Jenn’s podcast, Small Business Made Simple, has been running since 2018 and serves as a top-of-funnel tool. She finds that most clients have listened before reaching out—creating instant trust and warming leads before they book coaching or speaking.

/ Writing the Book: Small Town, Big Impact

Jenn authored a book with 107 actionable marketing ideas specifically for rural businesses. It reflects her mission to show regional entrepreneurs that effective marketing doesn’t have to rely on big budgets or social media alone.

/ Lessons Learned: Mindset, Messaging, and Moving On

From overcoming self-doubt and tall poppy syndrome to recognising when to exit a venture, Jen shares candid lessons about leadership, mindset, and scaling a purpose-driven business in regional Australia.

References

• Social Media & Marketing Australia – socialmediaandmarketing.com.au


• Spend With Us – https://www.spendwithus.com.au


• Podcast – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX0x53Shqz3beTmb0991jEg


• Book – Small Town, Big Impact https://socialmediaandmarketing.com.au/product/small-town-big-impact/