From Overwhelm to Success: My Dad's Legacy and the Birth of My Business Coaching Journey

Recently, I participated in an online business community called The WiRE (Women in Rural, Regional and Remote Entrepreneurship) Fast-Track Program. As part of the program, I filled out an extensive form for their showcase series. It was a doozy! Completing that form prompted me to reflect deeply on my business origin story and the profound influence my late dad has had on me. I want to share this story with you.

My dad was a complex man, and many people never truly knew him. He was intelligent, sensitive, and a relentless problem solver. His honesty was both his strength and his chaos maker! Dad had a grand vision for his life. He aspired to be like Reg Ansett. For those unfamiliar, Reg Ansett was an iconic Australian businessman, and if you haven’t heard of him, I encourage you to look him up. My dad dreamt of becoming a "real millionaire" – not just on paper but with $1,000,000 in the bank by the age of 30. Sadly, he never achieved that dream and spent the end of his life living in a state of unnecessary poverty.

Why, you might wonder, did he fall short of his goal? Was it because he didn’t work hard enough, wasn’t smart enough, or wasn’t good enough? None of these reasons are true.

Dad was the hardest-working person I’ve ever known. He juggled long days and early mornings, at times managing a full-time physically demanding job while pursuing his passion project: a farming business. Farming, especially strawberry farming, is grueling and physically demanding work. Back then, there were no fancy trolleys to ease the back breaking work. Despite the hardships, he produced exceptional fruit and vegetables. To this day, I haven’t tasted tomatoes or strawberries as good as his.

So, why did a man who worked so hard never succeed? His biggest enemy was his internal world.

Dad lived in a prison of anxiety, overwhelm, and fear, which seeped into every aspect of his life and business. He struggled to ask for a fair price for his produce because he didn’t value himself. He was afraid of technology, avoided discomfort and letting go of what didn't serve him, and saw himself as a burden, refusing help from others.

This internal struggle took a severe toll on him physically, mentally, and emotionally, to the point where he contemplated suicide. Mental health and the state of your internal world are no joke. Watching someone you love suffer is heart-wrenching.

This experience taught me that your mindset can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy in business and life. I’m passionate about helping others because I’m tired of seeing people suffer when there are ways to support and improve their internal world.

This is the origin story behind why I am developing my Small Business Results Coaching service. I know that if my dad had access to the tools, techniques, and support that I offer, from when he started his business, nothing would have stopped him. With his incredible work ethic, he would have been his own version of Reg Ansett.

Love you, Dad. Even though your internal struggles caused chaos, you’ve inspired me to help others overcome theirs.