Business
How LGBTIQA+ owned businesses find customers, finance and support, and how their circumstances differ in regional areas, in family businesses and in migrant and faith communities. We report what the available evidence shows and identify where Australian data is missing.
All business pieces
AnalysisNo Australian study examines family businesses and LGBTIQA+ people in migrant and faith communities
Permanent migrants are more likely than Australians overall to earn income from their own business, and in Private Lives 3 LGBTIQA+ people from multicultural backgrounds reported less acceptance from their families. This analysis finds that no Australian study has examined how those two facts interact within the family firm.
ExplainerNetworks, fairs, festivals and directories for LGBTIQA+ business owners in Australia
The networks, fairs, festivals and directories available to LGBTIQA+ business owners in Australia are spread across states, organisations and formats. This explainer sets out what each type of channel offers, which kinds of business each is likely to suit, and the other certifications and mainstream support that LGBTIQA+ owners can use.
AnalysisRegional LGBTIQA+ business owners sell to a smaller market with less anonymity
Almost a third of Australia’s small businesses operate outside the capital cities. This analysis reviews the evidence on LGBTIQA+ people in regional areas and finds that a smaller customer base gives owners less anonymity when deciding how visible to be, while regional Pride festivals bring real but irregular commercial benefit.
AnalysisLGBTIQA+ owned American small businesses obtained less finance, and Australia has no comparable data
The first national survey in the United States to identify LGBTIQA+ owned small businesses found that they were less likely than other firms to receive the finance they applied for. We have found no comparable Australian data, so whether a similar gap exists for LGBTIQA+ owners here cannot be established.
AnalysisOut at Work found few lesbian, gay and bisexual workers were open with customers
A 2018 national study by Diversity Council Australia found that 49 per cent of lesbian, gay and bisexual workers openly discussed their identity with colleagues, compared with 9 per cent with clients or customers. This analysis considers what that difference means for LGBTIQA+ business owners and for the design of any system that recognises LGBTIQA+ ownership.
AnalysisEmployment outcomes are poorer for trans and gender diverse Australians, and self employment is barely measured
Australian surveys consistently find that trans and gender diverse people are more often out of work and on lower incomes than other Australians. Only one source identified in this review reports how many are self employed, from a sample too small to rely on, and none establishes whether self employment is a choice or a last resort.
