EV Coaching and Consulting

EV Coaching and Consulting Practical business, career & social media support across metro and regional NSW. Trusted by regional businesses, Orange City Council, and Oberon Council.

EV Coaching and Consulting supports businesses, individuals, and organisations across NSW, from Sydney through to regional communities including Orange, Dubbo, Bathurst, and Albury. Founder Erika Kilburn brings a national media background (Sky News Australia, Nine News) together with hands-on experience across the workforce and training sector to deliver practical, personalised support in four core areas: business development and strategic planning, social media management, resume writing and career coaching, and tailored professional development workshops. Based in Bathurst and built on deep regional expertise, EV Coaching and Consulting now brings that same practical, no-nonsense approach to businesses and individuals statewide, delivered virtually, wherever you are. Book a free initial conversation to find the right next step for you.

I’m excited to share that I’ve been selected to be part of the Women in Clean Energy Engagement (WiCEE) program!I’ll be ...
30/09/2026

I’m excited to share that I’ve been selected to be part of the Women in Clean Energy Engagement (WiCEE) program!

I’ll be joining a group of 20 women from across NSW as part of this program focused on building skills, connections and capacity in community engagement within the renewable energy sector.

I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to learn more about the clean energy sector, strengthen my knowledge of socially responsible renewable energy development and connect with others working in this space.

The program includes the Socially Responsible Renewable Energy Development (SRRED) course through Griffith University and CPA, group webinars with renewable energy developers and engagement professionals, and mentoring opportunities between participants.

For me, this is about more than professional development.

It’s about understanding how we can better support regional communities through periods of significant change and opportunity, while ensuring community engagement remains at the centre of the conversation.

I’m excited to learn, connect, contribute, and see where this opportunity takes me.

A big thank you Community Power Agency and Women NSW for the opportunity, with the program funded through the NSW Government’s Investing in Women Grants.

Here’s to learning something new and continuing to find ways to support the communities around us!

I spent $7.85 fixing a $7 pair of shoes (down from $30, what a bargain). A couple of weeks later, the left side needed r...
28/09/2026

I spent $7.85 fixing a $7 pair of shoes (down from $30, what a bargain).

A couple of weeks later, the left side needed repairing so I bought some shoe glue.

At first, it made me chuckle. Why spend more fixing the shoes than I actually paid for them?

But then I thought about how often we do the same thing in business. Sometimes the solution costs more than the immediate problem.

You might need to invest in a consultant when you could try to figure it out yourself.

You might need to hire the right person when you could keep spreading the workload across your existing team.

You might need to invest in training, systems or strategy when you could keep doing things the way you've always done them.

The question isn't always: How much will this cost me?

Sometimes the better question is: What result am I trying to achieve, and what investment will actually get me there?

Because the cheapest option isn't always the most cost-effective option.

Sometimes you have to spend a little more upfront to get the result you actually want, whether that's fixing the problem, saving time, building capability or creating a better path forward (and noted for next time when buying shoes).

And yes, I did glue the shoes and they're still going.

If your business needs a little "shoe glue" right now, someone to help identify what's not working, work through the problem and find a practical way forward, that's where I can help. Let's have a chat!
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Slop, in particular AI slop. We see it, scroll past it, ignore it, or engage with it.Now, before anyone thinks I'm about...
22/09/2026

Slop, in particular AI slop. We see it, scroll past it, ignore it, or engage with it.

Now, before anyone thinks I'm about to jump on the 'AI is ruining everything' bandwagon, I'm not. I use AI, and it can be useful for research, brainstorming, structure, editing, analysis, information and getting through the nights when no one else is awake and I need to bounce an idea off someone.

What is AI slop? Merriam-Webster defines it as digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.

But to me, slop is content produced for the sake of producing content. It might look polished, sound professional and tick all the boxes, but underneath it, there's little original thought, experience, personality and substance.

When AI is used to mass-produce content, that's where I think we have a problem. There is a difference between using AI as a tool and using AI to replace the thinking, experience and personality behind your marketing.

In the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing's 2026 Benchmark Report, which surveyed 126 Australian Chief Marketing Officers and senior marketing leaders across 12 industries, 61% identified AI slop as their number one operational concern, while 32% identified brand damage as a concern.

These are Australian marketing leaders looking at what AI is doing to the industry and effectively saying: what on earth, where is this taking us?

Now, don't get me wrong, my graphic design skills are not the best. I use the same font, style, and honestly, I keep my graphics simple because the point isn't to create the most elaborate or polished piece of content. It's about what I'm actually saying. (And you won't catch me doing a trendy dance video anytime soon.)

Less noise, more human.

I'm not anti-AI. I'm just anti-AI slop.

If you want to build a social media strategy that doesn’t revolve around glitchy graphics, AI-generated everything and posting just to fill the feed, I can help.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Have we lost some of the old skool values of job hunting?When I was younger, there seemed to be a few unwritten rules wh...
21/09/2026

Have we lost some of the old skool values of job hunting?

When I was younger, there seemed to be a few unwritten rules when it came to looking for work. You didn't send an application and wait.

You followed up, picked up the phone, introduced yourself, walked into the business, spoke to people, asked questions, and made an effort to be remembered. But if you got rejected, you might ask: Can I ask what I could've done better? Not because you were expecting the employer to change their mind, but because you wanted to learn.

Now, the job market has changed. We have online applications, applicant tracking systems, recruitment platforms, LinkedIn, automated emails, and hundreds of people applying for the same position.

But I wonder whether somewhere along the way, we may have lost some of the human part of job hunting because applying for a job can become transactional.

Upload your resume > answer the questions > click submit > wait > automated email > unfortunately, you've been unsuccessful > next application > repeat.

But what happens when we bring back that human element: When you call the business, send a thoughtful follow-up email, ask for feedback, or stay in touch after you weren't successful?

Rejection doesn't necessarily mean you weren't good enough; sometimes it means you weren't the right fit, someone else had more experience, the business changed its mind about what it needed, there were 100 applicants and you were 101, and yes, there may be something you could improve on. But how are you going to know if you never ask?

I think this is where confidence comes into it: to be able to pick up the phone, introduce yourself, ask for feedback, and, most importantly, to hear no and try again. But sometimes people aren't doing these things because they don't know how.

These are some of the things I work through in my workshops, whether it be on a one-on-one basis, in a group setting, or through tailored workshops for schools, youth programs and community organisations.

If you want to know more, send me a message or give me a ring.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Ten years ago, I packed two bags, finished my internship with Rolling Stone Australia, jumped on a plane and flew across...
16/09/2026

Ten years ago, I packed two bags, finished my internship with Rolling Stone Australia, jumped on a plane and flew across the state to start what I thought was the beginning of my media career.

Destination: Broken Hill.

I had no car, no licence and no real idea what I was doing. But what I did have was a little yellow push bike, a determination to make a career in media, and the ongoing challenge of dodging magpies on my way to work.

I started a job as a journalist and breakfast announcer, and for a young me, it felt like I had finally made it. I was doing exactly what I had dreamed of doing.

I only lasted five months.

Not because I didn't love the work, but because the heat was something else. The temperatures exceeded what had been reported to me, and there was no air conditioning in the workplace. Turns out, there is only so much journalism one can do while slowly melting at a desk.

Looking back now, those five months were just the beginning of a much bigger journey.

Over the past 10 years, I've learnt a lot. Some lessons have been exciting. Some have been incredibly difficult. And some have been downright bittersweet.

I've learnt that:
• The path rarely looks the way you imagined it would, and sometimes the detours become the most important parts of the journey.
• Not every opportunity is meant to last forever. Leaving something behind isn't failure, and sometimes closing one door is exactly what allows another one to open.
• You can outgrow dreams, careers, people and versions of yourself that you once thought you'd never leave behind.
• The hardest chapters can teach you the most about resilience, strength and what you're actually capable of.
• Success isn't always about where you thought you'd end up. Sometimes it's about looking back and realising just how far you've come.

Ten years on, I look back at that girl with her two bags, her little yellow bike and her ridiculously big dream, and I feel incredibly proud of her. She didn't know where she was going, she just knew she had to go. Sometimes I still think I don't know where I'm going, but I've learnt to trust the journey a little more.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

I like to people-watch. Put me somewhere with a coffee (preferably an iced long black with an extra shot) and a good vie...
16/09/2026

I like to people-watch. Put me somewhere with a coffee (preferably an iced long black with an extra shot) and a good view of people going about their day and I'll happily sit there observing.

And yes, I'm aware that sometimes my naturally rested face can make it look like I'm judging (although sometimes I question it), I promise I'm more curious than anything else.

I find it fascinating how people interact, what motivates them, why they make certain decisions, how they communicate, what influences their behaviour and how different environments shape the way we think and act.

Lately, I've been reflecting on how useful that actually is in business development as we're moving towards a world where more and more of our interactions are automated. There are chatbots answering questions, automated emails, AI-generated content, self-serving systems, algorithms deciding what we see, and processes designed to reduce the amount of human interaction required to get something done.

Now don't get me wrong, there is a place for all of it, as technology can make things faster, easier and more efficient. But I do wonder, in our rush to automate, we risk losing some of the things that make good business relationships work in the first place.

It means taking the time to actually talk to people, watch how they respond, ask questions, listen to what they’re saying, notice what they’re not saying, understand what matters to them and build trust.

Because business development is ultimately about people, and we can have all the data, analytics, automations and AI tools, but if you don't understand the people behind the numbers, you can miss some pretty important things.

If your business still believes that people want to feel heard, understood and genuinely connected, rather than simply processed through another automated system, let’s talk.

I’m interested in the people behind the business, the relationships that matter and the opportunities that can come from actually taking the time to listen.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Sometimes I think we've made social media far more complicated than it actually needs to be. Before algorithms, trends, ...
15/09/2026

Sometimes I think we've made social media far more complicated than it actually needs to be.

Before algorithms, trends, hashtags, reels, hooks, analytics and trying to work out what on earth the platform wants from us (sounding like a boomer here, but hold on), there was storytelling.

Storytelling comes down to a few simple questions: who, what, when, where, how, why. (I can hear the voices of my past lecturers drilling this into me from first year uni).

I recently had a phone call with a prospective client and, within the first 30 minutes, I had already come up with 8–10 story ideas that could be turned into content for their business. Maybe that's where the ex-journalist in me comes in because I'm on the hunt for a good story.

And that's the thing, a project, client result, behind-the-scenes moment, lesson you've learned or even a question your customers keep asking can all become content. Give me a conversation about your business, and I’ll probably start asking questions, digging a little deeper and looking for the angle that brings your story to life.

The problem isn't always that businesses have nothing to say; it's that they don't always recognise the stories sitting right in front of them.

Then comes the strategy because having content is one thing, but knowing what you actually want your social media to achieve is another. Your social media should have a purpose beyond simply posting because you feel like you're supposed to.

That’s where I come in.

If you think your business has “nothing to post about”, give me 30 minutes and a conversation.

The ex-journalist in me might just find a few stories you didn’t even realise were there.

And once we’ve found them, we can work out what they’re actually meant to achieve.

That’s the strategy piece. That’s where I come in.

HMU.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

I walked into Kmart recently and saw something that stopped me in my tracks. 2027 calendars and diaries. 2027. I'm still...
13/09/2026

I walked into Kmart recently and saw something that stopped me in my tracks. 2027 calendars and diaries.

2027. I'm still trying to work out where 2026 went (how are we even in September right now!).

But it got me thinking: have I actually hit the goals I set out for my business? Being the kind of person I am, I wrote out a whole list at the start of the year in the front of my diary.

Everything from documents I wanted to develop, services I wanted to rebrand, new ways I wanted to diversify the business, through to where I wanted to take EV Coaching and Consulting next. These were the things I genuinely wanted to achieve. And when I look back at the list, some of the things have been ticked off, some are underway, some have changed completely, and some haven't happened at all.

I don't necessarily see that as a failure. I'm a solo business owner, covering a massive state, while trying to network and be present both face-to-face and online as much as possible. A lot of my work happens when the rest of the world is winding down.

I'm predominantly a night owl, spending hours writing market research reports, fixing up resumes and cover letters, developing business documents, researching industries and keeping an eye on what's new, changing and trending so I can continue to bring relevant ideas and support to the businesses and people I work with.

There's a lot that happens behind the scenes that people don't necessarily see, and sometimes you simply can't do everything at once.

So, with 2027 calendars already appearing on shelves, I'm taking a moment to look back at the list I wrote earlier this year. Not to beat myself up over what I haven't achieved. But to recognise how far I have come with my business, reassess what matters and decide what comes next.

Because there's still time left in 2026, and sometimes you don't need a new year to start working towards new goals. You just need to start.
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Today is R U OK? Day. A day that reminds us to check in with the people around us and ask a simple question that can som...
09/09/2026

Today is R U OK? Day. A day that reminds us to check in with the people around us and ask a simple question that can sometimes mean so much.

So, I thought I would answer that question honestly. Some days, I'm okay and other days I'm not. I've been saying it for months, but this is definitely not the year of the fire horse for me (I'm looking forward to the year of the fire goat in 2027).

This year has been one of the hardest years for me in terms of realising what I can control, what I can’t, and what I need to change. Sometimes I need to find the capacity to fit everything within a reasonable window. Sometimes I need to slow down (and that's hard for someone who is a go-getter and doesn't take no for an answer). Sometimes I need to change direction.

Then there’s technology. Sometimes I feel like a bit of a boomer trying to keep up with how quickly everything is changing. I genuinely wonder whether AI could eventually replace the knowledge and skills I’ve spent years developing through education, experience, dedication and hard work.

In the words of Billy Ocean, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going" and I remind myself that I can bend without breaking even when it feels like I'm at breaking point. I can pivot, reassess, take one small step forward (even the slightest movement is still movement).

R U OK? Day is a reminder that checking in with someone doesn’t have to be complicated. Ask your friend, check in on your family member, message your colleague, sit beside someone who might be struggling, and when you ask, really listen. Sometimes people don't need an answer. They just need to know that someone noticed, someone cared, and someone was there.

We all have our good days and difficult days, and sometimes the person who looks like they have everything together is quietly trying to hold everything together.

So today, check in. R U OK? And if the answer is no, remember you don't have to have everything figured out today.

If you need support:
Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636
Lifeline - 13 11 14
R U OK? - ruok.org.au

🌱

After spending half of last month in hospital, I had a lot of time to slow down, reflect and think about what comes next...
09/09/2026

After spending half of last month in hospital, I had a lot of time to slow down, reflect and think about what comes next (genuinely felt like my health was a Bold and Beautiful season).

Sometimes, when life forces you to pause, even when you don't want it to, you get the opportunity to look at things differently.

As winter comes to an end, I’m genuinely happy to see the back of it. It feels like the right time for a fresh start, renewed energy and some exciting changes for EV Coaching and Consulting.

There has been a lot happening behind the scenes, including a growing number of clients completing resumes, cover letters and other professional documents, with additional services soon to be added to the website.

I’ve also been reflecting on how I can best support businesses at a time when costs are tighter and every investment needs to provide real value. I’m currently open to new clients for business development and social media management, helping businesses build their presence, connect with their audience and identify opportunities for growth.

I’m also looking at expanding my services beyond regional NSW and supporting clients across the wider state (watch this spaceeeee).

And with spring here, I’m looking forward to getting back out there, building connections and being open to new networking opportunities, collaborations and conversations.

Sometimes renewal isn't about starting again. It’s about taking everything you’ve learnt, recognising what matters and moving forward with a clearer sense of purpose.

Here’s to spring, new opportunities, renewed energy and whatever comes next!

A little housekeeping too: my contact number has changed and can be found below - DM's are always open too:
0435401211
[email protected]
www.evcoachingandconsulting.com

Address

Bathurst, NSW
2795

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61476013568

Website

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