Age no business barrier
Young business woman: Lucy Mertens opened her first business, Lucy May’s Cafe in Korumburra when she was only 21-years-old, and has many more dreams and goals for the future.
LUCY Mertens has already achieved what most people strive to do by their mid-30s, but you can be guaranteed the 22-year-old hasn’t finished kicking goals just yet.
While most of her friends were planning birthday parties, Lucy had a different agenda going into her 21st year – she opened her first business, Lucy May’s Cafe in Korumburra.
Although some people may wonder how someone barely out of high school managed to get her own business up and running, it was a no-brainer for the passionate business woman, whose love of cooking started at a young age.
At only nine-years-old, Lucy would often wake her mum early on weekends asking for the gas oven to be turned on so she could bake a cake, a request that was quickly followed by “Do you and Dad want bacon and eggs or pancakes for breakfast?”
Growing up in Phillip Island and attending Newhaven College, Lucy admits she was never too good at schoolwork and her interests were focused elsewhere.
“I’m dyslexic, so I wasn’t really good at the reading and writing and struggled a little bit,” she said.
“I started my Certificate One in Hospitality when I was in Year 10 and did Certificate Two in Year 11, then after I finished Year 12 I started a chef’s apprenticeship on Phillip Island at the Island Foodstore.”
During her first year as an apprentice, Lucy found she was a natural at the counter, interacting with customers.
“I only completed one year there because I realised I was better suited to the front of house and dealing with people; not so much cooking out the back and slaving away!” she said.
“I then studied event management and hospitality management while I worked at the San Remo pub for a year, then started my Diploma in Hospitality Management in 2011.”
Lucy said during her studies, everything started coming together and the idea of running her own cafe started to become a reality.
“I’ve always been such a hard worker and knew I could definitely do this,” she said.
“The opportunity came up to buy this space and I started running the cafe while I was still at school. It worked really well because a lot of what I was studying I could put straight into practice.”
Just after Easter last year, Lucy May’s was officially opened.
Lucy puts her success down to having confidence in herself and plenty of experience, having worked in cafes and restaurants all over Phillip Island since the age of 14, as well as having good mentors and helpers along the way.
She now manages 10 part-time workers, including younger kids working on the weekends and has recently signed on a trainee.
“I remember being younger and working, so I focus a lot on good training so they always feel confident in their workplace and well skilled.”
Lucy said it’s taken a long time, but the business has continued to grow, and she continues to add her own flair: a collection of golden frames scattered on the wall, carefully placed paintings, a vintage bicycle and a hot pink coffee machine all add personality to Lucy May’s.
“I love that it’s mine and I can put my own little taste and style on everything, and that people enjoy it,” she said.
“We started off with the idea I was just going to be cooking different things every day, but then we developed the breakfast menu, because my favourite meal is breakfast and I like it anytime of the day,” she said, with everything available cooked from scratch.
Lucy said she loves owning her own business; however the fear of failure does taunt her from time to time, “but so far it’s okay!”
“I’ve got really supportive parents and I’m extremely confident in myself; I’ve gone through all the training and know the right way to do things,” she said.
“In a way, it does feel so much better because after working hard all day, you know you’re benefiting yourself and your own business. It’s going to help me out in the long run.”
Lucy’s eagerness to learn is persistent; she recently began a cake decorating class “just to keep myself busy”, and is an actively involved member of the Southern Women’s Business Network.
So what’s next on the agenda?
“I thought maybe a second business by 22 since I had my first by 21! I don’t know,” Lucy laughed.
“I just want to build this place up to reach its full potential.”
“I’ve definitely got more goals. The one I’m focusing on at the moment is just the cafe and I want to build this place up to reach its full potential.”
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