The journey to entrepreneurship started for Aboriginal woman Dr Karen Demmery with a strong desire to help First Nations women deal with trauma after battling drug and alcohol addiction herself.

The Proud Wiradjuri Nemba Barkinji woman said she recalled the moment when she had to get clean.

"I was standing in the lounge room one day talking to my son and I said something to him and the look on his face said, 'Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" she told National Indigenous Times.

"So, I left town, got clean and began my decades-long healing journey. I realised that there was limited support available for people dealing with trauma, so I started Burbirra to help other people, especially women, to heal their trauma and live their best life."

The 100 per cent Indigenous-owned and operated business delivers impactful training and development programs specialising in trauma and healing, cultural awareness, and essential soft skills across a broad range of government agencies and for-purpose sector organisations.

As part of her journey, she took on numerous different jobs in the public service, however, none of these were the right fit. After getting fired from several of these jobs she realised that many women she worked with were dealing with similar issues in dealing with trauma and that they needed help.

She knew it was time to work for herself.

Dr Demmery said she started out working from her Brisbane loungeroom having no idea what she was doing.

More than four years later, the Queensland-based business has grown from her loungeroom to employing five staff.

"Having no idea what I was doing in the business was tough," she said. "But through a lot of trial and error and several setbacks we now have a business which is flourishing."

"At Burbirra we understand and care about people. Our Mental Health and Trauma training impacts lives and heals generations."

Dr Demmery knew the business model was a great idea but said "The best kept secret doesn't bring in cashflow".

She had to overcome several barriers and challenges to get the business off the ground.

"I knew the product I delivered was amazing and life-changing, but there was marketing, sales, networking, systems, accounting, tax, and lots of other things I had no idea about," she said. "I still am not great at half of those things but I have amazingly great humans around me who help me out with those.

"I didn't know anything about business, and not having anyone who would break down the steps for me, so I had to figure a lot out myself and I drove other people mad by asking thousands of questions to try and figure it out.

"And an amazing thing happened, the more I showed up and asked people who knew more than me for help or advice, the more they shared with me."

Dr Demmery's journey towards getting a PhD in "Women Conversations, Yarning, Connection" is extraordinary given she got kicked out of school in year 9.

She started doing a Cert I, II, III and IV, two diplomas, and a grad certificate on indigenous trauma and recovery practice, Masters Indigenous Health, before completing her doctorate.

The 53-year-old's persistence and drive have paid dividends after being nominated for Indigenous Businesswoman of the Year at the upcoming Supply Nation Diversity Awards.

"I am nominated with two amazing trailblazing sistas who I am in awe of," she said.

"I love seeing us all win. Showing up is winning, so if me being a bit more visible helps another sista to get the confidence to show up, that's the win right there."

Dr Demmery said it was important that more First Nations women were becoming more prominent in the business world.

"I am all about helping advance economic sovereignty and personal fulfilment for women," she said.

"We might need to learn the fundamentals of business structure and processes, but we know how to connect and care.

"If a woman can make an extra $500 a month that adds to her family's ease of buying food, fuel or footy boots, then we should all be championing women to get involved.

"I got kicked out of school in year 9 and I am the shyest person you could come across, so if I can do this, any of my sistas can."