Successful businesses are often run by people who are very good technically who then develop the ability to work in a team before becoming leaders in their own business.
This question was recently addressed by our European colleague John Willcox-Jones. We’ve shared his insights here because they’re very relevant to Australian businesses.
The Mining Support Services sector is a major part of Australia’s business landscape - worth $14.4 billion in 2025 and employing 38,000 people. The sector as a whole is flat with IBIS predicting modest growth of 1.5% over the next five years, following a recent decline. Volatility remains high, driven by commodity price fluctuations.
Warren Buffett has been influencing the world of investing and business for decades. The annual Berkshire Hathaway letters have become an institution, solidifying Buffett’s status not just as a great investor but as a leading finance and investment writer. Nevertheless, even Buffett has to step aside eventually — and that moment comes at the end of this year, at the age of 95.
To say we live in a different world at work than the workforce I joined in 1980 is a huge understatement. Many of the changes have been necessary and very welcome. Nevertheless, we are seeing significant and quite rapid increases in the administrative burden with increasing responsibility placed on business, which disproportionality burdens small business.