Sarina Russo Group

  • News
  • 12 November 2019

When it comes to the education, employment and training sector, the names do not get any bigger than Sarina Russo. Sarina Russo Job Access has placed more than 69,000 people in jobs since 2015, while Sarina Russo Apprenticeships assists over 35,00 apprentices/trainees and their employers across Australia every year. These are just two businesses that form part of a world-wide leading recruitment and training network that employs over 1,000 staff operating across more than 200 sites.

So not only does Sarina Russo know about education, employment and training, clearly, she knows what it takes to build a business. We spoke with Sarina Russo about her path to entrepreneurship, including how she got started, why the Sarina Russo Group has been so successful, and the motivation behind her success.

It was humble beginnings for the Sarina Russo. In 1979 and with only $600 to her name and a $2,000 bank loan, Sarina Russo opened The Office Business Academy in Brisbane, a small typing school with nine students and two part-time staff. On graduation, Ms Russo promised all the students’ jobs and she delivered. 

These were but the first of many. Hundreds of thousands of single mothers, the mature aged, people with a disability, Indigenous Australians, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, the long-term unemployed, apprentices and students have now found employment through the Sarina Russo Group.

As well as Sarina Russo Job Access and Sarina Russo Apprenticeships, the network of companies includes Sarina Russo Apprenticeships, Sarina Russo Institute, Russo Business School, James Cook University Brisbane, Sarina Russo English, VOICE – Psychologists & Allied Health Professionals and Sarina Russo White House.

“If there’s anything that I can teach to my students and to my job seekers is that if you believe in yourself, no one else really matters,” said Ms Russo.

“I’ve been there, and I know what it’s like having no money, no job, no self-esteem, rejection. It’s my passion to help others.

“I was blessed that I had the capacity to take a risk not knowing where I would end up. I think, when you start a business, it really is all about self-confidence to ride the hiccups and waves of the unknown.

“You have got to have a good cash-flow business, with a really good margin, otherwise you have nothing. That’s being realistic and commercial. You also need to learn to be flexible.

“This is where my relationship with Nexia is crucial,” said Ms Russo.

Sarina Russo Group have been working very closely with the Nexia Brisbane Office for 28 years. 

Nexia Brisbane’s team is highly integrated within the Group, providing Audit, Business Advisory, and Corporate Compliance services, managing relationships at both operational and executive level.

“Our relationship is quite unique and is all about absolute confidentiality and trust.

“I set the bar high on the delivery of our accounting and assurance services, just as I do with all my staff and executive team.

“Part of the Sarina Russo Groups successes are attributable to our long-standing core Executive Team who provide the strong support to ride the highs and lows of running a business. 

“I would include Nexia Brisbane as part of this longstanding team,” said Ms Russo.

“I don’t think the old financial model of a business plan that you keep in the drawer for five or 10 years works anymore,” Ms Russo said.

“Businesses are being disrupted through technology and you have to be prepared to be flexible and to visualise what could happen through these disruptions. 

“Nexia understand this and has given me financial freedom and options on a bigger scale. 

“Through the group we’ve been touching people’s lives and I think that in a bigger scale now, our strong financial success means we are able to help more people.

“I look at any individual and I can’t help myself looking at their potential and their greatness and what they can become,” said Ms Russo.

Placing a strong importance on being a leader and helping her graduates progress in their career, Ms Russo is a passionate believer in the power of education.

Ms Russo opened her own University Campus when Russo Higher Education partnered with James Cook University in 2006.  More than 8,500 international students from 88 countries have graduated from the institution, an achievement Ms Russo said she is most proud of.

Sarina  Russo
Founder & Managing Director,
Sarina Russo Group 

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