Entrepreneur Stuart Wischhusen is the founder and CEO of multi-million dollar SIM packaging provider, bpak360 Ltd.
Bournemouth-born Stuart moved to Australia in 2004 and started the business from his home in Sydney.
Bpak360 Ltd has since gone global, with two further businesses here in Dorset and in California, US.
Stuart has recently moved to California with his family, but returns to frequently to run his business which is based in Christchurch.
Here are his top five tips for budding entrepreneurs.
1. Start your day right and the rest falls in to place
“I rise early in the morning – sometimes as early as 5:30am. Whether I’m in California or Dorset, the ocean is never far from my door so I try to make the most of it. There’s nothing like a morning walk along the prom and the fresh sea air to help you think and start the day right.”
2. Seize the moment
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. I’ve recently moved my family to the US where I have a business and though it might have been easy to put it off and wait for a ‘better time’, I’ve come to realise there’s no time like the present to change your life.”
3. Trust your instincts
“I’ve had to make quite radical, sometimes unpopular decisions to grow my business, but I’ve always trusted myself and work hard, which gives me the confidence to take risks, and I’ve been prepared to take the fall when things haven’t gone my way. I’m a hard taskmaster – but mainly on myself.”
4. Remember where you came from
“No matter how big your business becomes, it’s important to remember your roots – it will make you appreciate your success even more. I left school at 16 with limited academic prospects, but I managed to make more of myself than I ever imagined. I’ve recently reached out to the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), which helps homeless and other vulnerable people access the right housing, health, learning and work opportunities. I hope to work with the young people the charity supports in a mentoring or teaching capacity.”
5. Find a mentor
“Despite the challenging climate for business, there are always experienced, successful people who can offer a fresh perspective you may not have thought about. Reach out to them. Ask them for advice and consider it, but don’t be afraid to challenge opinion. My friend and mentor Celia Sawyer is an immensely successful interior designer – a totally different industry to mine, yet I credit the advice she gave me in the early days. It helped turn my business around.”
