Aniwan woman Sarah Hyland argues a strong financial foundation is not just good business practice, it is an act of self-determination.

Recently named 2025 NT Young Chartered Accountant of the Year by Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ), Ms Hyland is using the recognition to call for greater investment in financial literacy and practical capability to help Indigenous businesses grow and thrive.

Her work is grounded in a simple truth - economic empowerment begins with stability.

Through her dual organisations, Together Business Australia and Together Academy, she has built a connected model which not only provides professional accounting support but also empowers Indigenous business owners to understand, manage, and take control of their finances.

While many programs focus on workshops or one-off training sessions, Ms Hyland says real capability is built through consistent guidance and hands-on support.

"Workshops and training have their place," she said, "but financial capability often starts with remediation, not learning.

"Many Indigenous businesses we meet cannot begin to build capability until they have caught up, fixing past records, reconciling accounts, and understanding where things went wrong. You cannot build stability on top of confusion."

Her approach addresses a key issue in the Indigenous business ecosystem - the gap between opportunity and readiness.

Although entrepreneurs are increasingly accessing grants, contracts, and procurement pathways, she warns without proper financial systems, those opportunities can quickly become risks.

Ms Hyland has seen businesses unintentionally fall into debt or compliance issues simply because they did not fully understand how GST, income tax, or grant reporting requirements operate.

"Too many Indigenous business owners fall into crisis not because their ideas fail, but because the system fails them," she said.

"Small errors like misunderstanding how GST and income tax interact can snowball quickly into debt, penalties, and shutdown."

Ms Hyland believes the solution lies in prevention, not repair.

Together Academy focuses on early intervention, reaching business owners before problems escalate and supporting those already in financial distress to find a way forward.

However this kind of support, she notes, is often overlooked and underfunded.

Ms Hyland is also calling on philanthropic organisations, grant makers, and corporate partners to rethink how they support Indigenous enterprise.

"Grant makers and funding bodies also have a responsibility to make sure the businesses they support have access to good tax and structuring advice," she said.

Funding, she argues, should not unintentionally create harm by triggering tax liabilities or compliance pressures that emerging businesses are unprepared to manage.

Her recognition as NT Young Chartered Accountant of the Year is more than a personal achievement - it signals a shift in how Indigenous business success is being defined.

It is no longer just about creating enterprises, but building businesses that are resilient, compliant, and capable of long-term growth.

Her message is clear - if Australia wants Indigenous businesses to thrive, it must invest in the foundations, financial literacy, advice, and reliable systems.

"If we want Indigenous businesses to thrive, we have to invest in what sustains them, not just what starts them," she said.

In an economy where Indigenous business is one of the fastest-growing sectors, her leadership is a reminder that empowerment starts with knowledge, and sustainability starts with strong financial roots.

Real change requires shared responsibility. Government, corporate partners, philanthropy, and community all have a role to play in ensuring Indigenous entrepreneurs are not only given opportunities but are properly equipped to succeed when those opportunities arrive.

That is why the Together Academy has launched the Resilience Fund - to support business owners in crisis, to stabilise those on the brink, and to give aspiring entrepreneurs the financial tools they were never taught but desperately need.

Contributions go directly towards mentoring, financial recovery support, and capability-building programs that help businesses stand on their own.

More information about the Together Academy's Resilience Fund is available online.