Backtalk
28
Being an Entrepreneur in Australia
Q&A WITH DR SHOLA
P
eter Oyeshola Oyewopo is an African-Australian migrant medical doctor working in Western Australia. He has been living and
practising medicine in Australia for fourteen years, having relocated from South Africa, where he worked from 1997 to 2001. Originally
from Nigeria, West Africa, he and his family now call Australia home.
Dr Shola tells us about his journey to Australia, his experience as a General Practitioner (GP), and how he is giving back to the community by
mentoring new overseas trained medical doctors.
Why did you decide to come to Australia?
I emigrated from South Africa to Australia in June 2001. My original
plan was to move to the United States for my medical specialist training. However, I fell in love with Australia after watching the Sydney
2000 Olympics, and by a stroke of fate, a few colleagues who had migrated to Australia after the Olympics were very impressed and spoke
glowingly about their newly adopted country. I did not need more convincing after that.
I wanted to settle in a country where human rights and freedoms
were respected, have the opportunity to fulfill my potential as an individual, and realise my dream of starting a family. Fortunately, Australia
ticked all the boxes for me and I certainly cannot be happier with my
decision to settle in this great country.
What are the challenges one will face when starting a
medical centre business in Australia?
1. Finance: access to bank fund finance is of paramount importance
as you can not get started without adequate funds. Also, it might take a while to break even;
hence you need to have some reserve funds for the “growing
pains”.
2. Recruitment issues:
having a great team of
staff makes a huge
difference to a work
place so it is highly important to
choose carefully. Due diligence
should be undertaken and reference checks undertaken properly.
3. Location of the
practice is of utmost importance.
4. Statutory requirements: seek to understand Medicare, taxation obligations, work
choices/employment
conditions, as this will
stand you in good stead
in the long run.
5. Deciding whether
to buy an existing prac-
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tice or starting a completely new practice could be a challenge.
From your experience, what are the five mistakes most
entrepreneurs make?
1. Not doing their due diligence with regard to having a business
plan, and not having an understanding of the huge demands of running a business.
2. Finance issues: not securing enough funds to start and run the
business.
3. Lack of mentoring/networking to learn from the experiences of
others.
4. Poor work/life balance to prevent stress and burnout.
5. Complacency: not investing in both self/professional and business
development
What do you see as the main challenges discouraging
migrants being entrepreneurs, and what is your advice to
them?
1. Getting finance for their business ideas.
2. Navigating through red tape: governmental agencies, local council/shire regulations.
3. Lack of self-belief/confidence (fear of failure). My advice, never
give up. As the late Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser once quoted, “life wasn’t meant to be easy”.
Is there on essential tip that you would give to someone
considering being a GP?
Be prepared for a long career of hard work but very rewarding all
the same.
How does one get registered in Australia as a GP?
This will d \[