Paul Cohen

Plan! Plan well, keep yourself open to opportunities and don’t overextend yourself. You also need to be good at what you do and then back it up with really good customer service. People really respond to that. If you don’t have that right, you may as well close your doors. In our case, we also focus on fast and efficient turnaround while offering really good value.

Start small and realise you have got to put in the hours at markets in the rain and have disappointing days. Work your way up so you’re constantly putting money back into your business. Don’t try to go full tilt from day one – work your way there slowly. I only ever intended to do one market a month, but it became quite popular and before I knew it, I was working in this shop. Keep your goals realistic in the short term, and every time you reach your goal set a new one.

Laura BennettBennie Bottles

Focus on the basics, the small things matter. Before you commit to running a business, do your research. Ask yourself if it is sustainable. You need to understand what is involved on many levels – you really need to know about the financial side of things and how much time you are going to need to put in. You need to be realistic about your capabilities and when you hit an obstacle, have faith that you will overcome it. The money will come. I think falling in love with your accountant is also important!

Paul SchmudeSportspower Armidale

Beattie: Hang in there, that’s a big one. Hang on while that horse is bucking and jumping around. Try and make friends in the local area – it’s great to have support. With networking, you can support each other, so getting those connections and friendships is important. Social media is a really big help in our industry, especially now because when people want to know something about a business, they often check Facebook. Have an imagination about what you can achieve, but also be able to bring some of your ideas down to a doable thing.

David: You must be very driven. Your business needs to be your passion. Try to find all possible avenues of getting the word out there for your product. If you can, think slightly longer term, then hopefully you can last the distance over the first five years. You need to be realistic about goal setting as well. And it’s good if you have family support and a good support network.

Beattie Alvarez and David AllanGranny Fi's Toy Cupboard

Chris: Love what you do but at the same time realise that it all doesn’t just fall into your lap. If you love what you do, you will be willing to put in the time to make it succeed.

Tarryn: Perseverance is important. For most people starting out in business, it doesn’t happen overnight. Have a good idea of what you want to achieve and make sure you get advice or look at how others have set up. Also, be willing to keep on learning – there’s always something new or a different viewpoint to consider. People who love what you do will find you.

Chris and Tarryn WalkerWalker Family Chiropractic

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You will get the ups and downs but if you’re doing something different that you care about, and you’re doing it well, people will get behind it.

Matt NearyLaneway Cafe

Make sure it’s really what you want to do. It’s always good to have some funds behind you when you’re starting out. I didn’t when I first started – I borrowed some money off my brother to get started, but it would’ve been better if I had that myself. The longer he was in the business, the more I had to pay him back.

Make sure you set up correctly when you start.

Having the right team is also really important. You don’t want to roll staff over. You have to look after them. Pay above award wages and make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for.

James McCannBones' Tyres

Paul Cohen

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