No degree, no worries: How to become a business owner instead

The necessity of tertiary education to establish a rewarding career is a datable topic amongst young Australians, particularly those who have enrolled in it. There are certainly strong points from both sides of the argument, however, what most people agree on is that the concept of ‘the workplace’ is changing, and that change was largely accelerated during the pandemic.

I was raised in a household that instilled a belief in me that my future would be shaped solely by my degree, a common fallacy that many of us were taught. This belief followed me as I started studying to become a lawyer, then a chemist, and finally a geophysicist. My HECs debt grew larger, and my mental health diminished. Like some kind of university Goldilocks, I told myself that if I didn’t find the right degree I would never succeed.

With all the fragmented education I was gaining, I never once imagined using it in a personal capacity and always envisaged working for someone else. While I sat in class doodling on my notebook, waiting for my friends to confirm our U-Bar meet up, I never thought those drawings would amount to anything other than a hobby. It wasn’t until 8 years later, that I would put aside my idea of a traditional career path and start thinking about building my own business and personal brand.