Stephen went from overwhelmed to aiming high with Self-Employment Assistance

Stephen knew what it took to run a business.

He had done it before, owning and operating one in Karratha, Western Australia, for several years.

But after personal circumstances forced him to close-up and relocate to Perth, starting again felt like a mountain he wasn't sure he could climb.

When he was referred to APM for Self-Employment Assistance by his Inclusive Employment Australia consultant, he arrived excited but quickly hit a wall.

Stephen was eager to get his trailer repair business up and running, but he would need to clear a few hurdles to make it a success.

"I felt overwhelmed with the things I didn't know I needed to do to get started," he said.

"I really struggle with computers."

Ashley, his Self-Employment Assistant consultant from APM, didn't hand him a manual and wish him luck.

He started with the basics.

Together they worked through legal requirements, registrations, licences, insurance, and the accounts he would need to get up and running.

They looked at where he could cut unnecessary costs and how to track whether his marketing was actually working.

Then came something Stephen hadn't expected.

Ashley introduced him to AI tools, and that changed the game.

Suddenly, the ideas that had been hard to explain were easier to articulate.

Promoting his business felt less daunting.

New ways of working became possible.

"APM and consultant Ashley really helped me to overcome my challenges with IT, taught me how to use AI, talked me through all the legalities, pitfalls, to set up marketing and assess when it was effective," he said.

When Stephen started the program, he was hoping to generate a modest income and keep things small.

Now he is aiming for full employment and a higher income.

His mindset has shifted too.

He understands that mistakes are part of the process, not a reason to stop.

"APM and consultant Ashley helped me to realise that while there were many things to do to get the business started and viewed as overwhelming, breaking them down made it manageable," he said.

Stephen's story is a reminder that starting over is hard, but it doesn't have to be done alone.

If you're thinking about starting your own business and want support to make it happen, visit Self-Employment Assistance to find out more about the program.