Australian Entrepreneurs You Should Know
Australian entrepreneurs featured in this article serve as an inspiring reminder that any individual can use their passions to start successful businesses. While some founders boast impressive capital-raising credentials, others have built profitable enterprises solely with personal capital.
It was heartening to witness how, despite all of 2021’s challenges, most businesses listed had continued to thrive and expand.
Ilhan Omar
Australian entrepreneurs form the core of Australia’s economy, contributing one-third of GDP and two-thirds of jobs. They’re driven by a passion for their business and an ambition to make an impactful difference, yet remain resilient enough to put in the hard work needed to make things work despite any difficulties that arise – evidenced by finding novel approaches for solving issues even when faced with obstacles.
Australian entrepreneurs from varying backgrounds share one thing in common – an infectious passion for business and a drive to realize their goals. Furthermore, these successful businesspeople possess strong community involvement; always searching for ways to assist others; becoming role models to young people while often even creating their own foundations to aid youths.
One of the primary challenges faced by entrepreneurs is finding suitable funding and partners, with partners who understand their vision and are prepared to commit fully. Such partnerships can prove extremely advantageous both for themselves and their company.
Over time, there have been a number of entrepreneurs who have fallen prey to poor financial management and gone bankrupt as a result. Yet some managed to overcome their debts and turn back into profits once more by discovering new revenue sources or expanding their businesses; some even began offering free services so as to attract more customers.
Ilhan Omar is a Somali-born American politician representing Minnesota’s Fifth Congressional District as part of the Democratic Party and is the first Somali-American woman ever elected to Congress. Born and raised in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to Minneapolis with her mother and father after they emigrated from Mogadishu in 1995, Omar earned her BA in Political Science & International Studies at North Dakota State University.
Recent findings of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor indicated that Australian entrepreneurial attitudes and activities lagged behind those seen in the United States. Promoting entrepreneurialism during times of economic difficulty is critical as it can drive economic growth while creating job opportunities.
Mel Perkins
An effective business isn’t built overnight – it takes hard work and dedication from those involved to reach success. Australian entrepreneurs have achieved such results using their entrepreneurial abilities; many have persisted with and refined their ideas until they became realities, eventually becoming industry leaders.
Melanie Perkins, cofounder and CEO of design software company Canva, is one of Australia’s most notable young entrepreneurs and the third richest woman. Despite enduring investor resistance to her investment plans, Melanie managed to build Canva into one of its leading design software providers; its success stands as a testament to her hard work.
As a teenager, Perkins displayed entrepreneurial qualities. At 14, she started her first small business selling handmade scarves at local markets. Subsequently, she attempted to become a professional skater by rising early every day for training – although eventually decided not to pursue this route and instead focus on business instead.
Fusion Books was her inaugural business venture; it was a yearbook publisher which proved immensely successful and allowed Perkins to develop her portfolio of skills. While working for Fusion Books on Australia Day in Perth, Perkins met Cliff Obrecht who would eventually become her husband – their initial meeting brought out both of their shared love of travel!
As they launched Canva, they encountered some resistance from investors and potential backers. Investors were uncertain about backing an upstart founded by two female founders from an obscure country without an established tech scene – especially since neither were Stanford graduates preferred by venture capital firms.
They persevered nonetheless and developed an easy-to-use online graphic design tool – Canva. Canva was later valued at $40 billion, with Perkins and her husband pledged to donate most of their fortune.
Jan Pacas is another outstanding Australian entrepreneur who founded Mad Paws, an online pet services marketplace that allows users to locate local dog walking and pet sitting services as well as essentials like food and insurance for their furry friends. Mad Paws made it into Australia’s Top 50 Young Entrepreneurs list demonstrating its ability to adapt quickly to changing consumer needs.
John Obrecht
John Obrecht is an Australian entrepreneur with several successful companies under his name and an impressive investment portfolio that spans Australia and worldwide. One of Australia’s best-known entrepreneurs, he made his fortune in tech. Together with Mike Cannon-Brookes, he co-founded Atlassian Software Company; later founded Supernova Gaming; and holds an extensive investment portfolio.
Many successful Australian entrepreneurs share a passion for their businesses and are willing to take risks in pursuit of creating a better world through innovation and technology. It is these characteristics which define great entrepreneurs.
These Australians have proven that success as entrepreneurs is possible even in times of great adversity. When the Covid-19 pandemic forced many music festivals and events in Australia to close down, The Untitled Group stood strong as an artist agency, nightclub, and live stream provider – their success proving that having a great idea accompanied by perseverance is key to entrepreneurial success.
There has been a marked change in attitudes toward entrepreneurs. Once viewed with distrust, modern-day entrepreneurs are seen as rebels ready to challenge established corporations and shake up the status quo. Although entrepreneurialism requires hard work and dedication from its participants, those passionate about their ideas who take a risk and pursue this career path often reap many rewards in return.
The Australian economy is flourishing and many of Australia’s top entrepreneurs have established highly successful businesses. Many started from humble beginnings but have used their entrepreneurial skills to overcome hurdles and obstacles along their journey, creating a better world with each new idea they pursued. If you are curious about entrepreneurship, take our free course Introduction to Entrepreneurship which will teach everything necessary for beginning your own venture.
Amy Allis
Janine Allis of Boost Juice is one of many Australian business influencers using their platforms to shed light on Indigenous and Black Australian entrepreneurs. A campaign launched this year by The Creative Co-Operative and racism awareness and education platform One Love Australia features prominent business influencers interviewing emerging Australian entrepreneurs via virtual interviews, such as Canva chief evangelist Guy Kawasaki interviewing Jirra Lulla Harvey of Kalinya Communications who is Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri, while Boost Juice founder Janine Allis hosted startup founder Sarah Agboola for virtual meetings via video chats.
Janine Allis is an internationally successful mother-of-four entrepreneur and holds one of the largest juice bar franchises worldwide with outlets in multiple countries. She has received various retail, franchise, and business awards; in addition, she authored multiple books on entrepreneurship. Furthermore, Janine maintains an active and healthy lifestyle by practicing yoga five days a week.
Allis will join Lord Sugar and Nick Bell as judges of this season of Celebrity Apprentice, helping contestants discover their inner entrepreneurs while competing in epic tasks to raise funds for charity. The show premieres Sunday, May 22nd at 7.00 pm both on Channel 9 and 9Now.
