Entrepreneurship

At 19 years old, Chantelle Rogers joined her family’s transport business without knowing where it would take her.

Eighteen years later, she is helping lead the company alongside her brother.

But becoming a business leader was never part of a carefully planned career path. In fact, transport wasn’t even her first choice.

Chantelle had a passion for scuba and was close to completing her training as a diving instructor when her asthma brought that dream to an unexpected end.

With scuba diving no longer an option, Chantelle tried a few different jobs, before making the decision to join her family’s business.

That decision would shape the course of her career.

Starting from the ground up

Rogers Transport was founded by Chantelle’s parents, Gary and Val Rogers, with just one truck before growing into a company with 60 trucks; providing transport, logistics and warehousing services across Australia.

But Chantelle didn’t walk into a leadership role. She started in administration and worked her way into accounts and the warehouse before moving into operations. With every new role, she learned more about the business and the people who kept it moving.

Over the course of 18 years, Chantelle built her skills, gained experience and developed a deep understanding of the business her father had created.

In 2022 Gary stepped back from the day-to-day running of the business and handed the reins of leadership to Chantelle and her brother, Brad.

After years of working at Rogers Transport, she was now trusted to help lead and grow the business.

The biggest challenge? Building the right team

One lesson Chantelle has learned as a leader is that you can’t grow a business by trying to do everything yourself.

Delegation is an important part of leadership, but finding the right people is about more than simply finding someone who can do the job.

In the transport industry, there are many moving parts that need to work together. Having the right people in the right roles helps keep the business running smoothly, while finding people who align with the company culture and work well with the wider team creates a stronger foundation for growth.

Over the past years, Chantelle has built a strong and supportive team around her and she’s excited to continue growing it with people she can trust to help keep the business moving forward.

Then there’s motherhood

Just as Chantelle was finding her feet in her new leadership position, she took on another life-changing role: Mum.

Today, she is a mother to a busy two-year-old while also growing a transport business.

And if there is one thing she wants other women to know: Balancing motherhood with running a business is hard. Really hard.

There isn’t always a clear line between being a mum and being a business owner. Some days, Chantelle is focused on the business. Other days, motherhood comes first. And on many days, she is doing both at once.

Her schedule can change quickly. Plans need to move. And there isn’t always much time to stop and catch her breath.

But Chantelle wouldn’t have it any other way.

She genuinely cares about both her family and the business. She is passionate about what she does and wants to see the company continue to grow.

It’s a lot to juggle, but it’s a challenge she is willing to take on.

Making it work takes a village

For Chantelle, having a strong support network isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.

Her advice to other women, particularly mums considering leadership, is simple: be prepared and surround yourself with people who support and understand you.

At work, Chantelle has her father, Gary, and their COO, Josh to turn to for guidance, advice and a fresh perspective when she needs to talk through an idea or decision.

At home, she has a supportive husband who understands that work sometimes extends into evenings and weekends, with both sharing the demands of family life.

For Chantelle, success isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about having the right people around you to help keep you moving forward.

And with so much of her life centred around work and family, she’s also learned the importance of making time for herself.

For Chantelle, that’s baking, a creative outlet that helps her switch off, reset and recharge. Whether it’s decorating a cake for a family celebration or baking late at night after work, it’s a small but meaningful part of her life.

Building what comes next

Rogers Transport has already faced its share of challenges, including losing 11 trucks in the 2011 floods and 30 trucks in the 2022 floods.

Despite these setbacks, the business has continued to grow.

Now, Chantelle is looking ahead to the future. She is excited to carry on her father’s legacy and grow the company that all started from a single truck…

Connect with Rogers Transport

P: 07 3275 3664
E: he***@****************om.au

For Martin Turner, recruitment has never been just about filling roles. It’s about helping people find opportunity, guiding careers, and building connections that can genuinely change lives.

As one of the founders of TTG, Martin has spent more than three decades helping businesses find the right people and supporting individuals to step into roles where they can thrive.

Along the way, he’s navigated economic downturns, industry challenges, and delivered some of Australia’s largest recruitment projects.

His journey into business wasn’t part of a grand plan. After building a career in human resources and recruitment consultancy, Martin and a group of colleagues saw an opportunity to do things differently.

In 1991, four founders took a leap of faith and launched TTG. More than 30 years later, that decision has grown into a trusted recruitment business that has helped thousands of people and organisations find the right fit.

Riding out the storms

Like many long-standing businesses, TTG has weathered its share of challenges.

From the Global Financial Crisis to COVID-19, there were times when hiring slowed, projects paused, and confidence in the market dropped. As Martin explains, recruitment is closely linked to business activity. When clients slow down, hiring slows too. When confidence returns, recruitment picks up again.

One constant challenge throughout the years has been cash flow, particularly when working with large organisations that come with complex processes and longer payment cycles.

Despite this, Martin credits the team’s resilience and adaptability for the business’s continued growth.

A project close to home

While TTG has partnered with major organisations across Australia, one project stands out.

When Brisbane’s public transport network changed from Go Card to contactless payments, Translink asked TTG to help with the rollout. The team was tasked with recruiting 140 employees for a large customer engagement campaign.

For a relatively small team, it was a major undertaking. They interviewed hundreds of candidates, onboarded successful applicants, coordinated training programs, and provided ongoing performance management throughout the project.

What began as a single recruitment assignment grew into a trusted three-year partnership, a clear reflection of the team’s ability to deliver great results.

Helping people find their place

While large projects are rewarding, what keeps Martin motivated is simple: helping people find work they truly enjoy.

Many young professionals come to him unsure of what they want to do. Sometimes, they only know what they don’t want.

Martin enjoys helping them discover opportunities they may not have thought about and guiding them towards careers that suit their skills, goals, and personality.

For him, helping people build a career they love is the most rewarding part of the job.

Lessons learned along the way

After more than 30 years in business, Martin has learned plenty but one lesson stands out: don’t do it alone.

Building strong relationships with mentors, advisers, and trusted partners can make all the difference when challenges arise.

He also believes in the importance of delegation; surrounding yourself with capable people and trusting them to do what they do best, so he can focus on growing the business.

Life beyond recruitment

Outside of work, Martin has discovered a new passion: winemaking.

What started as a hobby is slowly growing into a business. He plans to obtain a wine licence and one day sell his own wines, with the profits going towards charitable causes that are close to his heart.

When he’s not in the vineyard, you’ll likely find him watching rugby on TV. A proud Welsh rugby fan, he rarely misses a match.

After decades spent helping others build their careers, Martin continues to explore new passions of his own. And if his journey has shown anything, it’s that great opportunities often begin with a willingness to take a chance.