East Timor and Iraq veteran Dane Christison credits business insurer Morgan Appleby for enabling his business venture to go from Business Untouchable to Mission Possible.
Dane is the founder of In and Out Fitness, dedicated to enabling optimal transitions for serving and former defence personnel transitioning from conflict zones to Civvie Street.
In and Out Fitness’s piece de resistance is its online coaching program, Post War Survive to Thrive, the world’s first self-development and coaching program specifically for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dane’s insurance challenge was to get cover for a world first when insurers by their nature are known to be risk averse and view ‘new’ with wariness.
Enter Morgan Appleby of Alleviate.
Dane reckons Morgan Appleby’s ex-Digger instincts came to the fore. He understood Christison’s business needs as well as the importance of In and Out Fitness’s mission — even Australian veterans’ services acknowledge at least two deaths every week due to suicide
Morgan spent a significant amount of time with us to really understand what we were doing and how to articulate that to the insurers. When you mention PTSD to an insurance company they usually run for the hills. Morgan’s knowledge of the program and his own experience in business and in the defence force enabled him to get this over the line.
“In getting the business insurance we needed, Morgan has given me and the people I work with security. He’s enabled us to move forward on our mission to help others take control of their lives positively,” Christison says.
In and Out Fitness works with clients in Australia, the United States and Great Britain with global expansion dreams fuelled by enquiries worldwide.
Roger Bright, businessman and coffee bean master roaster, was known to lay awake at night with ‘what ifs’ running through his head in the early days of his Queensland business Supreme Roasters.
His sleeplessness had nothing to do with the caffeine coursing through his veins and everything to do with the risk management and insurance cover.
And with good reason. Australians annually spend about $1400 million is that figure correct? on hot drinks—more than half of that on coffee. It’s a fiercely competitive market with some 1500 Australian roasters vying for consumers who are increasingly discerning about brand loyalty. Plus the Yatala-based master roaster uses a lot of gas in producing its ‘God in a cup’ product.
“I worried about fire, about our operation burning down,” Roger says. “Would we be covered in the event of fire and would we be able to get back to business?”
Enter Morgan Appleby from Alleviate Risk Management and Business Insurance. He didn’t just talk with Supreme Roasters about the business needs: he spent a fair amount of time with us on site and identified a potential insurance loophole that could have cost Roger dearly. Different materials were used in construction of the three units combining to make the roasting plant yet only one was identified in the insurance note. That disparity could have cost Supreme Roasters its claim.
Morgan Appleby also understood that getting back to business was more than plant, equipment and income for Roger. “Six families rely on this business directly and another 150 cafes are part of the Supreme Roasters family, loyal to our product and relying on us for their livelihood,” Roger says. “I needed to know that, if something bad happened and we needed to start over, even if it took 12 months, they’d be okay too.”
Morgan’s eye for detail has ensured appropriate insurance cover is now in place. Likewise Supreme Roasters has the cover needed to return to business with ‘family’ relations intact.
In addition to Morgan’s insurance knowledge, his general business knowledge, breadth of experience and academic qualifications have been invaluable to us.
Retail specialist Peter Clark is a man who has helped many Australians get more out of life.
Supporting him and helping him to realise his latest customers’ dreams is his risk management and business insurance adviser Morgan Appleby of Alleviate.
“Morgan has the in-depth experience in liability insurance to manage the complex insurance needs of Adreno,” says Peter of the underwater adventure retailer that is an importer, retailer, distributor and adventure tour company.
“I need to know for the benefit of our customers as well as our financiers and business partners that if something goes wrong, insurance will pay out.
Morgan spent a considerable amount of time in the business with Management gaining an indept understanding of our business model, revenue streams and exposures. With this knowledge and being a Spero himself, enabled him to articulate our business structure to assess the suitability of various insurers to oversee our risk transfer arrangements.
“Our customers pursue (some may say) risky, definitely
adrenalin-pumping, recreational activities: namely spearfishing and scuba diving.
“They rely on us for their products. We’re importing goods and reselling. If there’s a fault, we have some liability and need to be covered for it. Alleviate ensures that is so.”
Peter Clark, one of the 1980’s founders of Crazy Clark’s, the Australia low-cost discount variety chain, became Adreno’s general manager two years ago.
In that time, the business has tripled in size; adding three destination warehouse-style outlets in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to its online presence.
