The Times Australia
The Times Magazine

.

Aussies are juggling jobs and starting quirky businesses to make extra cash



Brand new research* has revealed 67 per cent of workers aged 18-24 in Australia want the opportunity to work overtime or extra shifts in efforts to increase their take-home pay to help with current costs of living. Whether it’s a photography gig on the weekend or tutoring on a weekday, it’s clear that Aussies are willing to work hard to earn extra cash in the current climate.  

As a young female business owner, at just 19 years of age Shavonne Stengle from The Flower Crowd in Brisbane knows what it is like to forge her path as a small business owner in a tough economic environment.

Beginning to bloom

Shavonne dove deep into the unknown, starting her floristry business at just 15 years old, selling bouquets of flowers at her local weekend market. Every Saturday along with her mother and sister, Shavonne would wake at 3am in order to get the best possible spot for her stall.

Shavonne took up a floristry course alongside high school and each week she created amazing arrangements as part of her studies. Not long after, she began supplying flowers to her local IGA store, and began to rapidly expand her business. 

Shavonne recognised very early on that customer relationships would be key to growing her business, and took care to develop a rapport with regular customers at the store. The manager of one of the IGA stores she supplies has since become an important mentor to Shavonne, sharing his small business expertise and encouraging her growth as a business owner.

Now at 19, her blooming business has just onboarded its second employee to fulfil her delivery commitments to a network of local grocers across Brisbane. Just three years into running The Flower Crowd, Shavonne makes over $100,000 per year and is looking for new ways to expand her business.

Empowering her business side

Shavonne used her fears to her advantage to become a successful business owner and wants to see more entrepreneurs empowered to start their own businesses – particularly young women. It wasn’t always roses however, in the beginning the business and administration side of things was a challenge for Shavonne. 

When she started out, she says her accounts were “all over the place” and she was using a system that wasn’t fit to support the speed at which her business was growing. “I was still learning all the business skills and with that I made quite a few mistakes.”

After a while, a family friend recommended Intuit QuickBooks. “She raved about it, so I started using QuickBooks and what I love about it is it actually grows with your business. In the beginning I was mainly just doing simple quotes, invoicing and receiving money and QuickBooks made that so much easier. Since then I’ve learned to tag and track my calendar and understand what parts of my business is making money and what could work better. I wouldn’t actually use anything else. It’s simple and really straightforward.”

Her business was growing so fast that she rebranded to The Flower Crowd earlier this year and made the decision to bring on two full time employees. When she took on her new employees she added QuickBooks Payroll powered by KeyPay, to streamline her Single Touch Payroll compliance with the ATO.

The software calculates her employee’s super and leave payments and ensures they are seamlessly paid. It’s one less thing for Shavonne to worry about as she navigates being a boss and gives her time to grow the business she loves.

Methodology 

This Qualtrics study was fielded in August-October 2022. Respondents were selected from a randomized panel and considered eligible if they live in Australia, are at least 18 years of age and working full-time. The total number of respondents was 1,020 respondents. 

Times Magazine

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

How much money do you need to be happy? Here’s what the research says

Over the next decade, Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire[1]. The Tesla board recently proposed a US$1 trillion (A$1.5 trillion) compensation plan, if Musk ca...

NSW has a new fashion sector strategy – but a sustainable industry needs a federally legislated response

The New South Wales government recently announced the launch of the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy, 2025–28[1]. The strategy, developed in partnership with the Australian Fashion ...

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...