Page 30 - Tropic Magazine Issue 11

Straw No More
Age
Molly 9
Law Solutions
Age
Ranjit 37 but were now in a cycle where they Steer
were losing a lot of money.
Regardless of this, they got up and
Singh pushed themselves and their business Talent / Sparking action on plastic
onwards and upwards each and every
day.
Is there a supportive culture in Cairns straw waste
for young entrepreneurs? Is the Passion / To save the Great Barrier
Talent / Doing deals across "establishment" doing enough to help Reef, one straw at a time
continents and cultures young people in business?
Passion / Delivering commercial Some days, business feels like you are She may only be nine years of age, but
solutions for local, domestic and on a battlefield. The daily attrition can Molly has started something of a local
international clients take its toll. Thankfully, there are revolution. She launched the Straw No
many people and events around More project with the lofty aim of having
Tell us about your work history Cairns to assist young entrepreneurs. single-use plastic straws removed from
I have been a lawyer for 16 years, The guys at the Space have been doing school tuck shops in Cairns. In between
starting my career with MacDonnells the heavy lifting in bringing amazing presenting a talk as Australia’s
Law in 2001. This was followed by a speakers to Cairns for years. Whether youngest ever TEDx speaker, Molly’s
stint at WGC Lawyers for 7 years. For it’s due to our colloquial regional campaign has so far convinced more
the past 7 years I have been running nature, but over the years I have found than 90 schools around Australia to ban
my own law firm Law Solutions on that I could pick up the phone to just straws. She was named Cairns Regional
McLeod Street with over 12 staff, about anyone around town and they Council’s 2018 Young Woman of the
most of whom are under-30. were willing to help with general Year for her inspiring efforts.
What and who inspires you in your business advice.
work and business? What do under-40s have to contribute
Starting your own business is to the future of Cairns?
daunting at the best of times but There are so many great future
doing so during the height of the GFC business leaders coming through in
in 2009/2010 would be what some Cairns in what could arguably be the
would say is the very definition of biggest boom in the city’s history.
craziness. What I did find was that in What we need to do individually and
the tougher times, Cairns has a great collectively is give these people the
culture of supporting people who are platform to do things their way. That
“willing to have a crack”. My clients platform could include positions on
and many business people around Boards and Committees as well as
town were a great source of partnering them up with some of our
inspiration because many of them senior business leaders to pass on
had made a lot of money previously their knowledge and experience.