From National Aged Care Leader to Small Business Owner: Jennifer Grieve’s Story
Jennifer Grieve isn’t your average business owner. With more than 50 years of experience in aged care and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards, few have spent as much time refining their skills in the space.
However, even with decades of experience, kickstarting her business Elliwise presented new challenges, which she embraced with the help of Business Foundations’ Self-Employment Assistance program.
The Challenge:
After decades of experience in the aged care sector, Jennifer was ready to set out on a new adventure that would provide her freedom and autonomy. Starting her own business was an obvious next step, but like many entrepreneurs, she hadn’t yet planned how to shape her lifetime of ideas into a sustainable business.
“I knew that I wanted to set up a business because I liked the idea of having the freedom and autonomy to work for myself. I had a whole lot of ideas, and my colleague had described the Business Foundations course as one that would support me turning all those ideas into a viable business concept,” Jennifer shared.
The Solution:
Jennifer joined the Business Foundations Self-Employment Assistance program seeking a way to turn her vision into something tangible, and that’s exactly what she found.
With a combination of business training, coaching, and practical tools, Jennifer took her initial concept and crystallised her vision until it became a clear business model.
“I arrived here with a whole lot of ideas, and I knew basically what I wanted this business to be about. I wanted this business to be about older people taking control of the next chapter of their life by having a holistic plan.”
With a combination of academic rigour and real-world practical learning. Each session that Jennifer attended built on the others, providing her with the tools she needed to refine her ideas.
“It was like small blocks that became the foundation, and then brick by brick you get to the roof, and then you’ve built your business house.”
She highlights the 12 months of coaching available with the program as the most valuable component. Surprisingly, she only learnt of this valuable asset after having enrolled into the program.
“Working with a Business Foundations coach was almost like the icing on the cake. Our monthly meetings meant I stayed on track. They were encouraging, gave me confidence when I was feeling doubtful of what this was all going to end up like, and kept the momentum of learning flowing.”
The coaching wasn’t just an asset to help her complete the program, but has since continued to benefit her with building, refining, and launching her Elliwise with confidence.
“You think that when you complete the course, you’ve got it all together, but what you don’t realise until you are out there trying to move into the next stage is that you really need that support. I found the coaching to be a really worthwhile part of the course.”
The Results:
Now with a successful business thriving, Jennifer credits the combination of structured learning and practical planning as key elements that have helped her get to where she is today.
After completing the Self-Employment Assistance Program, Jennifer launched Elliwise, a business that blends her decades of leadership in the aged care space with a new approach to supporting the elderly and their families.
Elliwise is built with the vision of bringing dignity, respect, personal choices, and compassion to aged care. These are the same values that earned her a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 WA Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards. Jennifer is empowering individuals to take control of their own journey through ageing.
“I understand how important it is to plan ahead, and I created Elliwise to apply all the lessons I have learned over the years, and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Jennifer is proof that there’s always room to start a new chapter in your life’s journey, even after 50 years of providing important aged care on a national level.
Elliwise wasn’t just about starting a business; it was also about grasping freedom and autonomy while still bringing care directly to those who need it the most.
“Don’t procrastinate further, go and explore what Business Foundations has to offer, and if you think it may suit you, go ahead, as it most certainly would suit you. It’s just about having an idea, having a passion for turning that idea into something more tangible like a business, and Business Foundations will give you the framework, tools, information, and post-course mentoring that will get you there,” – Jennifer Grieve
Your Turn: Ready to Start Your Own Business?
Whether you’re just starting out your business journey or looking to take decades of experience into something new, like Jennifer, the Self-Employment Assistance program can help turn your career dreams into reality.
Reach out to Business Foundations today to learn more about the training, coaching, and support available.
