James Anderson on Advice to Young Entrepreneurs & Professionals
James Anderson, 23-year-old Founder & Director of Bluestone Property Corporation, based in Melbourne. Helping everyday Australians purchase their first homes or add to their investment property portfolio through providing end-to-end service from property analysis, finance strategy, accountants, conveyancers, mortgage brokers, etc.
Clients stay with Bluestone for long-term property pathways, not just a single purchase.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with James, to know a bit more about his journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
James: I had the genuine intent of helping clients and I saw a business model that was going to help clients succeed by also offering a personalised and tailored service. Clients are not just a number.
Was also very eager to be my own boss which would allow for a better lifestyle and more control over how much I could service my clients.
Q. How did you get started?
James: Starting a business at 22 is no cakewalk. Nobody in my immediate family has started a business before so I had no clue what I was doing. I understood what was required to run the business so I took a few shots in the dark and spoke to the right people to get me on track to set up the business. I took it to step by step from admin to marketing and eventually was good to start operating at the end of 2020/start of 2021.
I was given no handouts from any family members or friends — I was all off my own back with an incredible amount of self-belief and drive.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
James: The biggest challenge was the fact that I had no clue how to start up a business or what was required. The way to overcome this was ensuring I was talking to the right people who were affiliated with the process (i.e. mentors, accountants, other people who have set up businesses, etc.)
I learnt that slow and steady wins the race — but you’re never really going to know the right path to take, so mistakes will be made and it's not something that is going to happen overnight.
This path should demonstrate to younger professionals thinking of going out on their own that you don’t need all the money in the world or anyone giving you handouts to start your own business. Seeking out the resources, slowly, will get you there and teach you along the way — which is important.
Q. What is the Most Memorable Thing You’ve Done Since you Started your Business?
James: I think the most memorable thing that’s happened to Bluestone was the 2021 Melbourne lockdown and how we overcame it (refer to the IBT article on Bluestone and how we overcame the lockdown). The fact that in our first year we thrived throughout the major lockdown that Melbourne endured was hugely rewarding to me and instilled to me that I can adapt to any climate if I focus hard enough on client service and “thinking outside the box”
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
James: Seeing the Sunrise — Justin Langer.
I think this book captures everything to do with mental toughness, persistence, enduring/facing really tough times, and bouncing back from slumps and gives real-life examples. I encourage all aspiring entrepreneurs to read this as there will no doubt be speed humps and downfalls along the way.
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
James: I’d like to be remembered as someone who was real. Not just a stiff commercial/transactional businessman/entrepreneur. I want people to really understand that my mission in life was to help people and have fun doing so, without being overly professional or transactional. This is something which I believe more and more of the younger generation are adopting as they come up through the ranks which is great to see. I encourage younger professionals to think about how they can embody this in their professional platforms.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
James: The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment.
A quote handed down to me from my late grandfather.
To keep up to date with James and his journey, connect with him on Instagram — @jimmyandersonn & @bluestonepc
