Your Business: Laterpreneurs - Gaye Miller, Harris and Miller

Gaye Miller, co-owner of Harris and Miller. Photo / Supplied

Can you tell me about your business?

Harris and Miller provides small businesses with administration support and training. Our focus is on the business owner/manager and making sure they have the tools they need to run their business. We're a husband and wife team; I have a particular interest in training people, and my husband helps with administration support and strategic planning. We're also able to call on other trusted help when we need them, but we're looking at bringing on staff in the new year as we grow the business.

What's your background in terms of business?

I had a successful administration and bookkeeping company before starting our family. Before that, I was in a training role with a large insurance company and enjoyed that a lot. My second business was 100 percent focused on the internet - we were even around before Facebook - and it was focused on family travel around New Zealand.

So what motivated you to set up Harris and Miller at this stage in your life?

It was due to a total rethink about what we wanted in life going forwards. I wanted to share my experience and passion with other small business people, and for my husband it was about having a career change from aviation.

What are some of the challenges you've encountered being a laterpreneur?

The area we work in is very 'tech rich', particularly around understanding how to use social media in a small business. There's also been a big move to small business services being based in the cloud, and I think knowing how to use them within your business is important.

There's a strong perception that as an older person, though - and we're both in our fifties - that I don't have an up-to-date and deep knowledge of the online world. This came across many times when I participated in the Auckland Startup Weekends, where others just figured I didn't know anything about the online area. I probably should have told them that my internet company was a finalist in the New Zealand Internet Industry Awards.

I feel that other family commitments come in to play as well. As a young person you're out there building your career, but when you're in your fifties you're thinking about putting your children through university and, in our case, supporting elderly parents. You also have a very small window to recover if you get it wrong.

How about some of the benefits, though?

Experience, experience and experience. Being somewhat older in the internet area where we work can make it easier to impart knowledge to older business people, and I train at a pace that allows people to absorb the knowledge they need. Having some life experience and previous business experience means we have a better appreciation for what is involved in getting started in a business too.

Overall, though, we've found that once people know you're knowledgeable and are able to help they're very open, whether they're young or old.

Are there any specific resources or sources of support, particularly as a laterpreneur, that you've found helpful in setting up this business?

I'd say create an advisory board, because you'll be amazed at the number of talented people you know. One of the joys of being a laterpreneur is that your colleagues and friends have a lot of experience too. I was fortunate to have Steve Bayliss - the ex-general manager of marketing for Air New Zealand - on my advisory board with my second business, and that experience made me realise how important that support is. It's something we've also taken on board with our current business.

What's a key piece of advice you'd have for someone else considering setting up a business at a later stage in life?

Have backups, because as an older startup entrepreneur you have less time to recover if you get it wrong! Your money and time may also be stretched with commitments to children and elderly parents, so be realistic about what you can achieve. Be honest with yourself about where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and call upon family and friends as they can help fill those knowledge gaps.

www.harrisandmiller.com