Around one in three Australians would like to own their own business with young Australians leading the way.
Whether it's a a small venture to feed your family or a high-growth startup, our hunger to make a mark in the business world is only growing.
With Global Entrepreneurship Week being celebrated at meetups around the world right now, My Small Business asked three business leaders in Australia a simple question: "what is the one thing you can do if you want to be your own boss?" Here's what they said.
Justine Flynn, Co-founder and Brand Director at Thankyou
![Justine Flynn Thank You](http://web.archive.org./web/20170107013409im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/r/2/v/w/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1479316920928.png)
"Start by knowing your 'why' then from there you can figure out your 'how.' At Thankyou and for me personally, our motivation and 'why' is a world without poverty. From an impact perspective, that means giving people access to basic human rights like water, sanitation, food and health care. From a business perspective, it's creating great product that's as good if not better than what's on the market, so we can make as much money as possible to give towards ending global poverty.
"You should also start by setting up strong business values that you believe in. At Thankyou our values are more than words in an employee handbook, they are our anchor. When you're faced with a tough call, it's easier to make a decision when you know what your values are.
Trent Innes, Managing Director, Xero Australia
![New Xero Australia managing director Trent Innes will replace Chris Ridd.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170107013409im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/0/j/c/z/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1452060960834.png)
"Be laser focused on what you want to achieve and what success look like for you. What are the milestones? How will you measure your financial performance? Then use these metrics to clearly define your go-to market strategy, including the pricing, distribution and operating systems you will use. It's amazing how many incredible ideas and products fail due to not understanding how to take them to market.
"And lastly, be prepared to exit and fold, but don't give up. Remember that most successful entrepreneurs have failures behind them. True innovation lies in our ability to question, challenge and keep moving forward."
Lisa Messenger, Founder of The Collective Hub
![Lisa Messenger, The Collective Hub](http://web.archive.org./web/20170107013409im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/r/2/v/x/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1479316884865.png)
"If your most valuable asset is your mind, then allocate funds towards it in a formal way. If you don't, it won't happen and an entire year will fly by without you attending something life-changing. Instead, be brave — even if it's visualisation at this point — and allocate a specific amount to yourself and your mindset when you are allocating funds for the next financial period. Call it something wacky like 'mindset investment' if you want — whatever is necessary, but the key is to do it.
"If you're looking for creative breakthroughs, fresh innovation and fist-pumping success for your business or department, it almost always starts at the top. So let curiosity be your guide and invest in conferences, education, courses and any chance for solid, helpful peer-to-peer interaction. Your business (and mindset) will thank you."
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