Samira Razak: At 22, I Became One of Australia’s Youngest Ever Entrepreneurs

POPSUGAR Australia is dedicating the month of September to featuring the next generation of inspired thinkers and courageous individuals who are building and manifesting a brighter future — because the next gen is unstoppable. We will deliver personal essays from young Australians who are making a name for themselves, as well as inspiring thought pieces and interviews with rising talent across different industries throughout the month. Find all of our pieces here, and if there’s someone you think is missing, email our editor so we can share their story — abardas@valmorgan.com.au.

My name is Samira and I’m a 23-year-old girl who grew up in Western Sydney. Like many from the area, I have a large family that I am proud to say is compiled of first and second-generation migrants. Though we did it tough, my childhood was a humbling start to life, one that has very much influenced the path I am now on.

My family of eight at the time squished into a tiny townhouse, and for many years, the ‘young girl bedroom’ I had dreamt of was a mattress in the corridor near the bathroom. Whilst this was far from ideal, it taught me to appreciate what I have no matter the circumstances. It also made me extremely ambitious, as well as willing to work hard to achieve the best life possible.

I knew that school was a pathway to be successful, have a better life and support my family. It was drilled into me early on in my life that I needed to get a high ATAR, qualify to be at the best university and then secure a ‘good’ job like a lawyer or doctor.

I put all my spare time into studying and I was accepted into law before I even received my ATAR due to my extracurricular achievements. My thoughts at the time: ‘I’ve made it!’.

Whilst studying at university, my brother and best friend were working in the community services sector. They would always share inspirational stories about helping some of society’s most disadvantaged. Though I saw the exhaustive and sometimes thankless job it was, it didn’t take long for me to also jump on board.

I worked for two different companies as a support worker. I took every shift I could whilst managing my studies. I consumed every aspect of the supports industry and quickly learnt how it operated. It was a very rewarding period for me.

However, my brother and I had a niggling feeling that more could be done. We would often spend hours late at night discussing innovative ideas that we believed could transform the supports industry and the experiences of those within it.

This work, my education and my upbringing built a fire and hunger in me to do more. A lightbulb moment struck, and I realised that being a lawyer wasn’t my passion; it was society’s construct of what it meant to be successful.

It was not an easy decision to make. I was scared to tell my mum. My family. They had been so proud and invested in me becoming a lawyer. To say she was not happy was an understatement. It’s not that she didn’t believe in and support me — she’s an encouraging and strong woman — but she wanted me to continue studying and to make the best life for myself, which she believed was possible by becoming a lawyer.

Regardless, I made the hardest decision of my life to date — I put my studies on hold, and my brother and I took a leap of faith and registered a business that is now known as Maple Community Services.

Mum looks back now and laughs. “I’m so happy you didn’t listen to me… that you followed your dreams. Because you might’ve not been in this position today if you hadn’t,” she said.

When I do look back at my journey to date, I have no doubt that the characteristics of ‘me’ added extra challenges and hurdles — being a very young woman, my ethnic background, my religion, along with wearing a scarf and the simple fact that I live in Western Sydney.

I’ve always felt judged by these parts of ‘me’ and as much as I don’t allow this to get to me, sometimes I do notice it affects me subconsciously. I become more reserved and insecure. Sometimes, I sit back and allow others to take control.

This was especially the case when we first started Maple Community Services. I remember being at our first National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Expo. It was so daunting. There I was, a 20-year-old ethnic girl in a scarf walking around trying to pitch Maple to people who had been in the game before I was even born.

These factors so easily could have stopped me in my tracks. However, to the contrary — they motivated me. I felt I needed to prove myself and prove these judgments wrong, and that made me work and push even harder.

From starting a business of two staff a mere three years ago, to currently employing over 250 people and providing high quality supports to over 550 clients in some of the most disadvantaged areas of Sydney, I’ve kept up that unstoppable motivation.

Undertaking the work we do, innovating the sector and transforming people’s lives are such rewarding things. But it has also been rewarding to see that others have recognised what we have achieved. I hope that inspires others — that a young woman from a humble beginning in Western Sydney has become one of Australia’s youngest ever ‘Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs’ in 2020 at only 22 years of age.

I don’t have any clichéd quotes to share about success. I think it’s very simple. Find what you love, what you believe in and put in the work. Surround yourself with people who will look after you and support you, unconditionally.

For me, one of those people is my mother. She has endured so much and always remains positive. She is truly a fighter who has taught me resilience. Another is my brother Abdul.

I’ll leave you with this: success isn’t easy. There will be many setbacks, and being a woman makes it that much harder. Every day there are hurdles to jump, and you must keep pushing through it all. But, if you persevere, that’s what makes you truly ‘unstoppable’.

You can find our more about Samira Razak and her work at Maple Community Services.