Diem Fuggersberger is driven by her past experiences and losses. The refugee weathered literal and financial storms to get to where she is – the owner of Berger Ingredients, an ingredients and spices company which turned $8 million in the past year.
The first storm she faced was as a child, when her family fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon. Her and 400 other people squeezed into a tiny boat and headed for Indonesia. Pirates intercepted their boat, and stole their possessions.
It only got tougher. Before the refugees arrived on shore, they hit awful weather that nearly capsized their boat. To this day, Diem still has a fear of water.
Going through such trauma at a young age means Diem fears little else. “I learned never to give up, and failure’s not an option.”
Diem's mother and aunty at the refugee camps in Galang Island, Indonesia. Source: Supplied
This was apparent in the second storm she encountered in 2009, when her and her husband Werner’s $27 million company collapsed, putting 120 staff out of the job. They weren’t expecting the Global Financial Crisis to strike as hard as it did. She believes the company expanded too quickly, which is a common issue many new business owners mistakenly believe to be a good thing.
In 2010, Diem took the reins and created Berger ingredients. Banks were reluctant to provide loans to her, but Commonwealth Bank was so impressed by her story that she managed to secure a $50,000 loan, as well as an invitation to a women’s networking function. There, she managed to get chatting with a banker and secured a $350,000 loan.
Since then, her business has grown exponentially, and Berger Ingredients will soon be expanding to baby food and ready-meals. Diem says she's learned from her business endeavours.
“I’m targeting more of a niche market, a boutique market. I want it to grow nationally, [but] I want it to grow slowly and organically.”
Want to find out the secret to small business success? Tune into #BizSecretsSBS at Sundays 5pm on SBS, stream on SBS Demand, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
