My name is John Athian. I am 26 years old and I am the owner/operator of Amalgamated Plumbers, which I set up in 2014.

I am originally from South Sudan but lived in a Kenyan refugee camp for 12 years. I came to Australia when I was 12 with my cousins. I stayed with an Australian family, who I now consider family, shortly after moving here. In 2007, we applied for visas for my mum and four brothers. These were approved and my family and I went back to Kenya to bring them to Australia.

I worked in Kenya from a young age doing plumbing and working with plumbers. When I came to Australia, I went to school but didn’t feel like I belonged there. In year 10 I left to do an apprenticeship in plumbing.

I started working with someone who was a lot older – an older boss who was looking at retiring – and learning from them. I was not afraid to ask for help or to tell people what I wanted to… regardless of how outrageous it may be for my age!

I never considered my age as being an issue because when you show this confidence in yourself, people do too.  I grew up in a place where age was irrelevant if you needed to cover responsibilities and because of this it has never been an issue for me.

But, I did have to overcome some challenges setting up the business and sometimes age was a factor for others. Being young makes gaining the trust of clients even harder. It has shut down doors as people believe you lack experience or discipline to finish a job. I’ve also experienced some discrimination due to my race. When people speak to a “John” over the phone and then I appear at their door, it’s sometimes a little surprising for some people.

My personal goals are tied to my business goals. Mostly, I would like to pay it forward and be able to offer other young people the opportunities I’ve had.  Business-wise, I’d like for my business to be well-established with steady growth and have a good group of people working with me.

It was always my dream to have my own business, because it means I’m not dependant on anyone else. One of the main reasons I operate my own business is because I’ve taken opportunities which came along and made the most of them and I’d encourage others to do the same.

To other young people who have aspirations to set up their own business, I say don’t be afraid to ask for help. Be patient and start when you’re ready.

John shared his story with us for Queensland Multicultural Month, in celebration of week one’s theme: the value of diversity. For more information on Queensland Multicultural Month, please click here.