Success isn't always about being a millionaire
BY KERRY ANDERSON
MENTION the word entrepreneur and immediately it conjures up an image of an expensive suit residing in a capital city and clocking up a $1 million plus annual profit.
How wrong you can be!
In essence entrepreneurs are problem solvers who create a new product or service and, in the process, their own income and often employment for others. Maybe the label “entrepreneur” isn’t as commonly used in the bush but, trust me, they are here.
I’m not sure where the $1 million requirement came in, maybe just the criteria for an exclusive club membership? Once a myth is repeated enough times it becomes real in public perception although I’m relieved it hasn’t made it to Wikipedia yet.
As business people can attest, being self-employed is not always a bed of roses. Many a business owner has looked enviously upon their employees walking out the door at knock off time and banking a regular wage. Especially when starting out, sometimes the most positive thing we can find at the end of a financial year is to break even or a tax write off.
All this could be considered woeful by some people as one small business owner recently discovered in a rural town.
With great conviction I told this particular young person that they should be proud. Not only had they created their own income but they had provided employment for others.
So what if a huge profit wasn’t recorded? Every day their skills are growing and like any good long term investment, the full benefit will one day be enjoyed.
In the meantime, be proud if you are paying your own way and creating employment for others. Not everything is measured in profit!
KERRY ANDERSON: A businesswoman, philanthropist and community advocate from Central Victoria, Kerry Anderson is passionate about rural and regional Australia. She works with small businesses and rural communities to help them embrace opportunities.