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Nerelle Nicol commenced the NEIS program in June 2010 and is now running her own consulting and community engagement agency, N.Nicol Consulting. We sat down and asked her a few questions about her NEIS experience and the success she’s had since opening for trading.

What’s the best thing about being your own boss?
As your own boss you get to work from home, which means I have time to spend with my grandchildren — something that’s very important to me. I also have more flexibility and a better work/life balance than when I was in the workforce.

How was NEIS able to help you achieve your goals?
Had I not gotten into NEIS I definitely wouldn’t have made it. I struggled for six months trying to get my business established before starting the program. The things that make NEIS really work are the ongoing support you get, the fact that I know there’s someone you can turn to when you’re having trouble, and the DEEWR benefits mean that I know there is money coming in so I can focus on my business.

What did you like about working with Business Success Group?
It’s great to have local support and know that I can go into the BSG office. I feel like I’ve developed good rapport with the staff there, and to know that they’re always open to helping is reassuring. There’s also the external support and encouragement they provide – I would not have had the opportunity to do some of the things I’ve done, like attending the Cairns Chamber of Commerce dinner, without their help.

Do you think your level of success would have been possible if your NEIS experience was split between a separate training agency and a mentoring agency?
I believe that the process should be somewhat holistic, that there should be a shared understanding with everyone involved. Having everything run within one organisation really suits me – I don’t need to have all these other external people involved in what I’m doing – what you need as a business person just starting out is localised support and a central coordination point.

What’s made you most proud after opening your business for trading?
The biggest difference I’ve noticed is that people are contacting me, asking for me to send my information, wanting to be able to say that I’m involved with a project, instead of the other way around.

Where do you see your business going from here?
I know I have the opportunity to grow; I just need to know it myself and go for it. BSG offers more support than I even knew at the start of the program. I can’t let anything distract me and am ready to stay focused and really go for it in the New Year.

How has participating in the NEIS program changed your life in aspects other than your work?
You have to step back and take an objective look at yourself and what you’re doing, and that’s been really helpful to me. At some level you have to reevaluate yourself and your commitment to your business. You face challenges head on and know what commitment and discipline you need within yourself – believing in yourself and knowing you can do things and succeed is really important.

What advice do you have for future NEIS participants?
Starting your own business can be pretty scary — just go for it. Think about what you want, make a plan and get into the program. Keep up your dream and do what you want to do. I’m not saying it’s easy, you have to be disciplined and work hard – be realistic in what you want and know how you define your own success.

Find out more about the NEIS program at the BSG website, www.bsgroup.com.au