Inspired to provide a solid financial foundation for his children, Butchulla/Woppaburra/Gunditjmara man Jesse Green launched apparel, promotions and signage company Yilay in January 2020. After surviving the challenges of the pandemic, the business has gone from strength to strength and is now helping inspire other First Nations people to start their own business.
When Jesse first launched Yilay, he had no idea he'd been starting out in a time of such incredible uncertainty and upheaval.
"I just happened to go out on my own on January 1st, 2020," Jesse said.
"So a few months later, as we know COVID hit, and for an apparel, promotions and signage business when there's no sports, there's no events, there's no conferences, people aren't even working in the office so they don't need uniforms - it was a very testing time.
"But to come out the back end of that I feel that there's nothing really that can stop me from this point," he said.
Owning his culture
Being an artist himself, Jesse was originally inspired to start the business when he learned the two biggest businesses in the industry at the time weren't Indigenous owned.
"Being Indigenous artwork, First Nations artwork, this is a space that our mob should be controlling," Jesse said.
"It's a cultural thing, it's something that we should have the reins on," he said.
With such an intrinsic link to the work he's producing, Jesse has a unique approach to how he treats the art and artists he works with.
"A big thing we try and do is maintain the cultural integrity of the artwork," Jesse said.
"We have a bit of a saying in the business; our artwork doesn't fit the template, we make the template fit the artwork.
"We don't like any of the story being missed, especially important parts that the artist is trying to depict.
"So that's where I think the difference comes in, and that's because we have a probably a better understanding of the story and what's being told."
Family comes first
The other big reason Jesse wanted to get into the business world was to be a role model for his children, and to ensure they had a solid financial foundation for their future.
"I wanted to set the business up so then my children can have some intergenerational wealth, something to build a platform on," Jesse said.
"It's theirs to do with what they want and then they can take it from there.
"That's something my family and grandparents weren't able to pass on. And I think a big difference in this country between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people is we haven't had that platform to start from.
"Banks wouldn't look at an Indigenous person in the 70s, or 80s, it was hard enough to get a home loan, let along to run a business.
"I think a lot of non-Indigenous people don't realise that Indigenous people wanted to start businesses back then, but they weren't allowed to."
As well as setting up a brighter future for his own family, Jesse also works hard to help other people in his community get a good start in life.
"A big thing of mine is not having a staff that just come in and do the jobs – I want to be able to try and elevate them as well," Jesse said.
"I know at some stage we would probably have to employ a few non-Indigenous crew, but my end game is to keep it 100% operated and owned as long as I can, and fill positions with mob."
Forging connections
While Jesse's perseverance and hard work has gotten the business to where it is today, he's also received support from fellow First Nations businesses that he's met through Indigenous Business Connect. Indigenous Business Connect host regular networking events that provide opportunities for First Nations business owners to forge meaningful connections between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, industry partners and government support.
"To present and talk about my business, where we've come from and what we're hoping to do, I think that really connected with a lot of the people that were in the room on that day," Jesse said.
Jesse is also a passionate advocate for using the network to get advice and support from more established businesses, while at the same time giving back and helping others who might be starting out.
"I think Indigenous business, if we as a community help each other out, that's where we're gonna see much more success," Jesse said.
"One of our laws in Butchulla is if you have plenty, you must share.
"So it's not just about elevating yourself, it's about trying to bring everyone else along with you.
"And for Indigenous communities that's what we're all about, that's part of our culture."
Giving back
One piece of advice Jesse is happy to pass along to other First Nations business owners is to get an honest opinion from someone who will give it to you straight.
"You need those people around. You can't just have the yes people around you going, 'you're killing it!'. That's not going to help you be better," Jesse said.
Jesse's other advice is to ask questions, and try not to get too disheartened if the answer is sometimes no.
"One thing I've learned is the worst answer you can get is no. You're going to get more nos than yeses, especially in the early days. It's gonna be a bit of a hard slog, but your persistence will get you through."
More information
Paving the Way – the First Nations Training Strategy outlines a range of initiatives designed to support the training and skills development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Targeted and culturally-appropriate mentoring is facilitated through programs such as Mentoring for Growth , TAFE Queensland's One Business program, and Indigenous mentors who provide one-on-one assistance to new and emerging businesses to help build their skills and capability.
Last updated 10 November 2023
