One of the country’s leading laser eye surgeons, Dr. Cory M. Lessner is the epitome of an American success story.

And it seems he was always destined to head down the same career path.

“From the age of two, my parents said to me that this is what I should do,” he says.

"I have an uncle who is an opthalmologist, and when I was nine I began reading one of his books and decided I would be an eye doctor.”

Becoming an architect was a childhood dream come true for Melbourne designer Amnon Weber. While most children were dreaming of becoming firemen, superheroes or football players, he found himself constantly penning houses and buildings in his spare time.

Twenty years later, Mr Weber heads his own award-winning architecture and design firm, specialising in utilising cutting-edge technology for high-end residential and commercial projects. He still thinks back fondly on his high school days where he would put pen to paper and sketch out drawings.

Owning an overseas property has been made easier thanks to one-of-a-kind Melbourne lending firm Loans USA.

The Sandringham-based company was founded by entrepreneur Stephen McClatchie in 2010, supplementing multi-property investment lending firm Loans Australia.

Loans USA provides finance options for purchasing American properties, which are now increasingly affordable after a dramatic drop in the US market.

There's a freedom associated with riding a bike. whether it is a push bike, race bike or motorbike, the open air and speed provides a thrill that exists from childhood to adult life. Chris Reynolds has intimate knowledge of that freedom and it is his inherent sense of freedom and adventure that led him to buy the Australian division of global powerhouse Champion System.

Chris is nothing if not opportunistic. When his wife was offered a trading position in Hong Kong, Chris contacted Champion System, who had been supplying the wares for a bike wholesaler with whom Chris was working in Sydney.

He understood the industry, had the runs on the board and it was clear that Chris was a ‘go-getter’. It meant the powerbrokers in Hong Kong had no hesitation in hiring him.

How long did you have that business for? What size did it grow to? What did you sell? What were the biggest challenges with having a business that size? Do you love fashion? Who inspires you?

I worked as 12-year-old in my family business, a family shoe store called Plaza Bootery. At a very young age, I was exposed to business and cash - as teenager, that made a great impact on me. I was groomed to take over the family business but left it to pursue my own venture, opening my first shop next to the family business. It was called Plaza Too and sold only women's shoes and accessories.

You have to get people who have a similar desire to produce what you want to produce.

Hospitality is a tough industry: long hours, high level stress and difficult customers. You have to love the industry to be involved, especially if you are running the back of house, which presents its own challenges. These challenges include equipment maintenance and cleaning. Keeping equipment in top working order can be expensive and if something breaks down, there may be a long wait for a technician.

You have to get people who have a similar desire to produce what you want to produce.

Hospitality is a tough industry: long hours, high level stress and difficult customers. You have to love the industry to be involved, especially if you are running the back of house, which presents its own challenges. These challenges include equipment maintenance and cleaning. Keeping equipment in top working order can be expensive and if something breaks down, there may be a long wait for a technician.

Peter Doonan tells us the story behind Steel Supplies Charters Towers and how the company stood tough during the Queensland floods.
 
It took me quite a few weeks to chase the super-busy man behind the Top End’s favourite steel supplier company. Yet, when I got on the phone with him, I was in for a sweet surprise: Peter Doonan is a down-to-earth person who has struck the right cord when it comes to starting and managing your own business.

The challenges of 2011/12 have been more worrying than ever before. There are some real reasons for this. Italy and Spain are in preparation to sell debt amid concerns that Europe's fiscal crisis is infecting bigger economies, debt levels are more than 25% higher than the Great Depression and the US - well, we are all aware what is going on there.

For many small business owners, we are now down to the business end of the year. To make a dollar or for some, to survive another year.