Seasonal worker returns home with entrepreneurial vision

After years of working overseas, Waisiki Dau is now returning home with more than just savings.

He carries a renewed sense of purpose and a plan to build a better future through business.

Mr Dau, one of the seasonal workers deployed to Australia under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, is among participants who recently completed a three-day business training aimed at helping seasonal workers transition into entrepreneurship.

For him, the training was not just educational, it was transformational.

“Over the past three days, I have learnt important basics about business,” he said, reflecting on how the programme reshaped his understanding of what it takes to succeed.

At the heart of his learning was a simple but powerful concept, business is about meeting people’s needs, it is understanding customers and ensuring their satisfaction is key to building something that lasts, he said.

Mr Dau said, the importance of planning, saying many aspiring entrepreneurs fail because they start without clear goals or direction.

“It is important to have a clear idea, set goals and make a plan on how to achieve them,” he said.

One lesson that stood out most was the difference between cultural practices and business discipline.

In Fijian communities, borrowing and offering goods on credit is common but Mr Dau said this mindset can weaken a business if not managed carefully.

“In our culture, borrowing is normal, but in business, you learn to say no because you want your business to grow,” he said.

He said that avoiding unnecessary credit and maintaining control over profit and loss are critical to keeping a business sustainable.

Beyond financial discipline, Mr Dau stressed the role of customer service, noting that trust and respect are essential for growth.

He also pointed to hard work, honesty, and good management as the foundation of any successful enterprise.

The training has given him clarity and confidence not just to start a business, but to do it right.

Mr Dau now hopes to turn his ideas into reality, using the knowledge gained to create opportunities not only for himself, but for his family and community.