Whanu Binal Program lifts Paul’s crane business to new heights
Published:07 April 2021

CQUniversity and Arrow Energy are helping Paul Olsen make his business the best Indigenous crane hire business in Australia through the Whanu Binal Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program.
Paul Olsen wants his
Brolga Cranes business to be the best Indigenous crane hire business in
Australia and CQUniversity and Arrow Energy are helping him achieve that dream
through the Whanu Binal Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program.
Launched in July
2020 and created for Indigenous entrepreneurs, executives, managers and
Traditional Custodians, Whanu Binal offers participants a chance to build upon
their business and entrepreneurial skills through a virtual yarning space,
Indigenous learning styles, experienced mentors, and the opportunity for
networking with peers and business accelerator organisations.
Although the program
partnership with CQUniversity is new, Arrow Energy has run Whanu Binal in various forms
since 2013, with the goal of supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
businesses and individual workers in its operational footprint.
Paul is the Managing
Director of Brolga Cranes in Gladstone and participated in the first program
delivered in collaboration by Arrow Energy and CQUniversity in 2020.
Paul grew up in
Gayndah and belongs to the Wakka Wakka mob.
“I decided to
participate in the Whanu Binal Program to learn and gain further information to
become a successful entrepreneur,” he said.
“The (method of) delivery
was exceptional. I wish I had access to it when I first started my business 12
months ago.”
He said the
mentorship he received helped him personally and professionally.
“The biggest help I
received was to learn to take time out and look after my mental health - to
learn to switch off from business to family,” he said.
“From a professional
stand-point I learned how to interact and look at other avenues and approaches
and to always refer to my business plan.
“I also learned to realise
that there is always help available no matter what help is required.
“I hope to build on
my experiences, and I plan to build this business to become Australia’s premier
Indigenous crane hire service.”
He said the Whanu
Binal Program provided the tools and guidance to start a business from bottom
up and insight into what achievements can be reached.
This year’s Whanu
Binal program will centre on ‘Bringing the Mob Forward’.
The program not only
enables participants to access content anytime, anywhere on any device, but
also to build a professional support network.
In collaboration
with CQUniversity and Arrow Energy, closed media pages enable mentoring to be
approached in an innovative environment to cater to current travel
restrictions.
Whanu Binal is open
to Indigenous current business owners or those who have a business idea to
develop.
The first Whanu
Binal program for 2021 is now underway but expressions of interest for the next
program which will commence in mid-2021 are now open.
People interested in
learning more about the program or submitting an expression of interest can
visit www.cqu.edu.au/whanu-binal-indigenous-entrepreneur-program.
CQUniversity also
invites Indigenous alumni to apply to become program mentors. Those interested
can visit the website or contact alumni-enquiries@cqu.edu.au.