One of the biggest challenges facing iTaukei businesses is the difficulty of separating business finances from personal, family, church and vanua obligations.
This was shared by businessman Netani Kuila during the Indigenous Business Council Symposium in Lami last week.
He said businesses would struggle to grow unless there was a major “mind reset” in the way business was managed.
“We tend to mix business with family, vanua and church,” he said.
“Change of mindset, change of attitude, change of friendship. Where you are right now, it will never make you grow.”
Mr Kuila, 46, who runs Netani Kuila Enterprise, has been involved in crop, livestock, and poultry farming since 2002.
He identified a lack of knowledge and access to capital as two of the biggest barriers facing iTaukei entrepreneurs.
However, he said financial obligations to the vanua, church and family could also place pressure on businesses because the money often came from the same source.
“Church leaders need to understand. Separate business money from personal money. Pay soli from your salary as owner, not from business operations.”
Mr Kuila said the issue was not about abandoning cultural and community responsibilities, but about creating a clear separation between business operations and personal obligations to allow businesses to reinvest and grow.
He also called for greater emphasis on business education in schools, particularly given the number of students leaving the education system without completing their studies.
“We teach maths and English but not business. We need to teach iTaukei how to do business and understand the process.”
