The final day of the Cairns Crocs – we got there. Just, for some. The great thing about this industry I believe is its entrepreneurial spirit and that is my focus for the final day’s sessions.
Guest reporting by former journalist, Rochelle Burbury, Principal, Third Avenue Consulting
There are so many thriving businesses started by talented people in this industry because they had the courage to back themselves and step into the unknown. After all, independence is freedom.
And I am privileged to be one of them – although I do wish (with the benefit of hindsight of course) that I had done it a decade before.
There is also nothing like the freedom having your own business gives you. Not just the freedom to run your own race but the freedom to make choices that really align with your values.
This was really brought home for me listening to three speakers yesterday – Chiquita King from Cocogun, Laura Cibilich from RUN Aotearoa, and Clive Burcham from Compadres.
So much of what they said resonated with me – and I’m sure so many others in the audience who are lucky enough to have their own business.
And it’s values at the core that have shaped each business but also, interestingly, contributed to their success.
King started Cocogun after not agreeing with decisions made at her large agency around people. So she decided to create something that put people first. And guess what? It works.
It was the same for Burcham who was “sick of working for the man” and has since created more than a couple of successful businesses. I loved this: “Value is about relationships, experiences and wisdom versus income.”
After all, we work in a people business, so we may as well all look after each other.
Sure, having your own business is like riding a rollercoaster – and for many business owners, including me, is marked by personal trauma and adversity. But as the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.
So here are the best pieces of advice I took from these sessions (and, if you’ll indulge me) a couple of my own. If you are thinking about starting a business – take all of these on board.
From Cibilich: Do not be afraid to say no (it’s hard to say no when it’s your own business, but if your gut says no, you know the answer). And – no one will care about yourself as much as you.
From King: There comes a point in your career where you have to back yourself and understand what you’re truly capable of. And, people who love what they do are free – have the courage to take risks, it’s remarkable what you learn about yourself. Plus, you’ll find yourself unsubscribing from some types of behaviour (at my business we call this the “grief to profit ratio”…)
From Burcham: Love equals time – for your children and your staff. If you miss moments like regular school drop offs – your business plan sucks (after having a business partner who made things like this really difficult, I could not agree more, so I left). And – the right people can fuel your rocketship.
To these gems of wisdom, I would add: have integrity in everything you do, have the courage to question what you don’t believe in, and have mutual trust and respect in your people and your clients.
If you do launch your own business, believe me, you will never look back.
Finally, congratulations to all the Hatchlings winners – it was heartwarming to see how supportive the crowd was of this batch of talent and how excited they all were just to be in the room. Imagine if all the Hatchlings, in a few years’ time, decided to come together and launch their own business? Just get out of the way – as that would be spectacular.
