Tag Archives: career advice Brisbane

The Green Rush. Why pay attention to this emerging industry?

01 May, 2018

A few days ago I heard something so exciting for our economy that I’ve felt compelled to write about it since. My partner asked me to watch an episode of ‘4 Corners’ that he’d recorded last week called ‘Green Rush’. We recently purchased a small number of shares in two medicinal marijuana companies and he thought it would give me some understanding of what is going on with the industry.

As I watched, rather than thinking about share values, I started to appreciate the possible impact of the medicinal marijuana industry for the Australian agricultural and pharmaceutical industries and our general economy. I couldn’t help thinking that this emerging industry may very well be the answer to many of the challenges Australia faces.

As a career coach, one of the approaches we encourage clients to consider is looking for emerging opportunities or occupations based on strategies such as research, gathering intelligence from our networks, attending conferences, reviewing media reports etc. Medicinal marijuana seems a perfect enactment of this strategy on a macro scale.

The ‘4 Corners’ episode explained that medicinal marijuana has been identified as a possible treatment for a range of medical conditions including epilepsy, insomnia, autism and chronic pain. There have been some promising overseas clinical trials and some Australian states are currently running clinical trials. The Federal Government approved the prescription of Australian-grown/manufactured medicinal marijuana in 2016 but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for patients. They have faced many barriers although the government has been working to reduce these, with some recent success.

When ‘4 Corners’ reported that the Federal Government had recently approved Australia exporting medicinal marijuana products I actually said out loud, “This could be the smartest thing the Australian Government has ever done.” Demand for the product is building, with consistently more and more countries considering or approving medicinal marijuana, and we have masses of land with ideal growing conditions, creating excellent circumstances to embrace this opportunity.

The medicinal marijuana pharmaceutical market is likely to present a lucrative export and domestic opportunity for the Australian economy, particularly given the reported shortages of medicinal marijuana worldwide. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, “By opening up the export market the government is hoping to improve the viability of domestic producers, thus securing supply for Australian patients”.

Let’s imagine for a moment that we can become the world’s leading producer of medicinal marijuana. That could reinvigorate our declining agriculture industry and generate significant revenue to invest into science, research, exploring additional new industries, skilling Australians for the future and providing support to members of our society in need. All potentially equating to additional job growth and worthy of our attention. As a career coach, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.

If you haven’t already watched it, I’d encourage you to take a look at the 4 Corners Green Rush episode and share it with others in your networks.

Could entrepreneurship be your answer?

27 February, 2018

Most of us have been led to believe the path we must take involves going to school to learn knowledge and skills then starting work for someone else. Whether it’s a large company or a small one, typically we are plan to become an employee.

What if there is another path we could be considering? What if the traditional path your mother and father took just isn’t appealing to you? What if you love the idea of working for yourself? Today’s global landscape, and the rise of the internet, has made entrepreneurship more feasible than ever.

Here’s three things we think you could reflect upon to work out whether you’re a good fit for being your own boss.

Personality Fit

Entrepreneurship is not for everyone and if your personality is one that is resistant to change and ambiguity, it may cause you to be very unhappy. Consider if you are ok with some risk, if you enjoy working hard and finding solutions, and if you are comfortable working on your own.

While no job is guaranteed and can be outsourced at anytime in today’s market, you are really relying on yourself when you are an entrepreneur. It can put you in some pretty stressful situations, so you need to be honest with yourself about whether or not you are prepared to deal with that.

A business idea

In order to become an entrepreneur, you need to have a focus for the business. No idea yet? Check out these 20 ideas from Australian Anthill for some inspiration.

If you have an idea already, have you thoroughly researched it? What’s happening in the industry? Who are your competitors and how are you different?

How much capital do you need to get your business going? Where will you find that money? Before jumping into working for yourself, make sure you have considered all the different angles. A good idea is to bounce your idea off someone who isn’t close to you. A life coach or a career counselor can be a great third party to ask you the right questions and give you honest feedback on your idea. Then you can take that feedback and adjust your idea accordingly.

Write a Business Plan

If you are seeking investment into your company you will likely need to provide investors with a detailed business plan.

Even if you don’t need additional funds for your business, mapping your plan out in a business plan is a great way to get specific with your idea and plans to make it successful. For a free template, try the Australian Government’s business.gov.au offerings as a starting point.

If you feel like running your own business would be exciting and fulfilling, give it a shot! Once you have a plan, put it into action. Connect with others doing what you’re doing. Consider a Chamber of Commerce or business networking group for support and professional development.

If you are currently working for someone else you could even try it out as a side business before making a full leap. The corporate world will still be an option if you decide entrepreneurship isn’t for you afterall. But the only way to find out for sure is to try.

Career Vitality won the Hills & Districts Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2016 and would be very happy to share the experiences with you on 0400 739 919 or judith@careervitality.com.au if you’re keen to explore this pathway.

How you can create the life you want

05 July, 2017

When you find something great do you want to shout it from the rooftops? That was exactly how I felt about goal setting after learning about it from TV personality, Julia Baker, and seeing it work in my own life. A group of our friends actually asked me to run a goal setting session on Fraser Island on the eve of 2017 and, although it was surprising, how could I say no? Everyone got so into it I also ran one back home for the Career Vitality community.

We’re now half way through the year and it’s been totally awesome to hear of the goals that have been achieved between the two groups. A friend recently shared about all the fantastic things that had been happening in her life before finally saying “it all really started with the Fraser Island goal setting”. This particular friend had been a little reluctant and sceptical when we started but she got on board and is now reaping the rewards. Another has said that her career has gone from strength to strength since the activity whilst, one of my private clients emailed to say he has reached his goals of placing in a sporting event and booking a trip to an overseas destination so far.

The process we used is fairly simple and you can read about it in a blog I wrote last year for Schoolhours. You don’t have to wait for a new year, you can start at any time, in fact there’s no time like today! This process is about manifesting what you want in your life (which obviously includes career). I sometimes find the process challenges those amongst us who like to take control and know that they are working on their goals. The risk with planning to the nth degree is that it can prevent you from seeing opportunities as they come up. Michael Wickett explains it really well in this Quote of the Day podcast – “Forget How, Forget How …”. For those who feel like they need a next level down plan, you can check out Zig Ziglar’s talk on the same podcast but PLEASE remain open to the opportunities that you haven’t predicted.

So what are you going to achieve in the next year? If you need any help on the career front, Donna would love to support you. Services include career advice, resume and interview coaching in Brisbane (and by telephone or skype nationally), and return to work workshops for mums. Call today on 0419 120 601.