STARTING a new business is never easy but starting a new business in a new country could prove quite daunting.
A free workshop aimed at cutting through the dramas for migrants will be held at Warwick TAFE on Thursday 26 March.
The Mi Start Southern Downs Migrant Workshop is free and will offer tips and facts on how to start up a small business in Australia.
Participants will meet other local business people and organisations from the Southern Downs who can help them along the way.
The workshop will offer practical ideas to help them succeed and afford them the opportunity to network with other migrants starting a small business.
One of those who will be on hand to chat to participants is Gaby Lobaton.
According to Gaby starting a new business is not unlike taking an adventurous trek to Peru’s Machu Picchu, with the qualities needed to ‘reach the gold’ being similar: optimism, resilience, creativity – and a backpack full of tools and resources to avoid the pitfalls and last the distance.
She is well equipped to talk about both experiences.
Gaby is from Peru and she is the co-owner, with husband Clayton Haynes, of the successful Pure Inca business in Palmerin Street, Warwick. Here, Gaby showcases exquisite Peruvian clothing and accessories that she imports directly from hand-picked artisans in her home country – ensuring that all items are ethically sourced, and without the presence of ‘middle men’ that can add layers of cost and reduce the payment to the artisans themselves. Alpaca clothing, organic pymg (cotton), semi-precious and organic jewellery and vibrantly coloured shoes bedeck the colourful store.
When Gaby is not busy greeting customers and managing her import business, she picks up the tools of her trade and weaves her own magic with elegant hand made jewellery pieces.
Gaby and Clayton’s business is a real success story, and they have learned a lot along the way.
In 2010, they began selling their wares from market stalls across south east Queensland. They visited festivals, including Warwick’s own Jumpers and Jazz in July, which made a huge impression on them. The next stage of the business was in shopping centres across the region until finally in 2013, they hung the Pure Inca shingle up at Warwick and haven’t looked back.
“We have customers that first met us at Jumpers and Jazz, they really like the products, so they come back to Warwick again and again just to visit the store,” says Gaby.
Warwick is a long way from Peru, and the business culture is very different here too.
“In South America, I could simply start up a stall and begin to sell my products,” explains Gaby.
“But here, I learned I had to get licences, insurances … . Phew. So much red tape. If you are not prepared for these things, your pricing structure would not allow for it, and you would perhaps not make a profit.”
Gaby is now set to share her experiences and knowledge – the ‘pure gold’ – with other budding entrepreneurs from a migrant background.
Thursday 26 March 2015
9am-2.45pm at Warwick TAFE, Dragon Street
Buffet lunch provided free.
For further information, call Mercy Community Services on 4617 7600 or Sue Hamlet on 0427 619 381.
