From made redundant to your own business.
Practical, plain-English guides for Australians who have been made redundant and are wondering whether now is the time to work for themselves.
Being made redundant is a shock. It can also be the first time in years you have had the time, the payout and the reason to ask a big question: could I run my own business?
The Redundancy Pivot is our series for people standing at that crossroads. We won’t tell you to quit job hunting and chase a dream. We will help you work out, calmly and with real local data, whether a business makes sense for you, which one, and how to start it without burning through your payout.
GrowOnline can complete every one of these steps for you, effortlessly. From researching your local market and competitors to setting up your website, Google profile and marketing, we take care of the work so you can focus on your next chapter.
What you’ll find here
The first 30 days
What to do before you spend a cent: your final pay, your payout, your budget and the conversations to have at home.
Is self-employment for me?
An honest look at money, risk, time and temperament, plus ways to test the idea on the side first.
Turn your old job into a business
Contracting in your trade, consulting in your field, or buying a franchise. How others have made the move.
Test your idea locally
Who your competitors are, what they charge, what their customers say and who lives in your area.
Money and paperwork
ABN, GST, business names, insurance and structure, explained simply, with links to the official sources.
Your first 10 customers
Google Business Profile, a simple website, local groups and the network you already have from your old job.
Latest articles
- Talking to your partner and family about starting a business after redundancyHow to prepare for, and calmly have, the conversation with your partner and family about starting a business after redundancy, and agree on ground rules together.
- How long will my payout last? Building a runway budget for your new businessA step-by-step guide to building a runway budget, so you know how many months your redundancy payout can support you and your new business.
- How redundancy pay is taxed in Australia, and what it means for your business budgetA plain-English guide to how redundancy pay is taxed in Australia, including the 2026-27 tax-free limit, and how to plan your business budget around the real number.
- Your first 30 days after redundancy: a calm plan before you start a businessA week-by-week plan for the first month after redundancy, so you can get steady, understand your money and test a business idea before committing your payout.
- Should I use my redundancy payout to start a business? An honest checklistAn honest, practical checklist to help you decide whether to use your redundancy payout to start a business, and how to protect your money if you do.
Get The Redundancy Pivot every Monday
One practical guide in your inbox each week to help you go from made redundant to running your own business. Free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Before you spend your payout
Our articles are general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. How your redundancy payment is taxed, and what you do with it, depends on your situation. Start with the official guides from the ATO on redundancy payments and Moneysmart on losing your job, and talk to a licensed adviser before making big decisions.
Test your idea before you spend your payout
Tell us your business idea and suburb. We’ll send you free, localised research on your competitors, prices and local demand, with no pressure to buy anything.
Free research into your business idea
