The Tall and Short Poppy Perspective: What We Can Learn from the US Mentality

I love Australia. I’m a proud Australian and will always call myself one. But that doesn’t exempt us, or myself, from criticism - particularly when it comes to our attitudes towards business and innovation.

I never used to see an issue with the Australian mindset toward business and innovation. We’re generally relaxed, value stability, and aren’t particularly known for taking big risks. But after working with people from the US over the past few years, especially in the last two, I’ve come to realise just how far apart our mindsets are.

Americans are bold. They take risks and are willing to put everything on the line when it comes to innovation. They back themselves with real investment, and their startup scene is unmatched. In contrast, many of Australia’s brightest entrepreneurs are forced to look overseas to find funding and support for bold, high-risk ideas. Culturally, we still tend to cut down the tall poppies, especially the ones that bloom the strongest. I've seen this attitude in classrooms, workplaces, and even in social settings. Risk-taking is too often met with scepticism or outright discouragement.

While we do have an emerging startup and venture capital scene, it still lags behind our US counterparts. I’ve had the chance to be part of this space and have met some incredible people, but the scale, ambition, and risk appetite just isn’t there yet. That’s why companies like Gilmour Space excite me. Seeing Adam Gilmour speak at the Sunrise Startup festival last year was genuinely inspiring. It was proof that we literally have the potential to reach for the stars and break the current mould.

I’ll admit, I’ve been guilty of criticising risk-takers myself and I've become more aware of this tendency lately. Maybe I’m a natural pessimist, but recognising it has made me actively try to unlearn it. The hustle you see from people in the US is impressive and to many Australians it seems over the top or even crazy. The idea of working relentlessly for outsized rewards isn’t really part of the traditional Australian dream, which tends to focus more on stability and ownership.

This isn’t just anecdotal, Australia is the world’s 14th largest economy by GDP, yet ranks 93rd in economic complexity, out of 133 countries. Our economy has become high, fat, and lazy off the back of the mining sector, without evolving into a value-adding economy. That’s not to say Australians are lazy, we absolutely aren’t. But we don’t do enough to support our scientists, engineers, and innovators.

We’ve produced world-changing innovations such as Wi-Fi, Google Maps, cochlear implants, and polymer banknotes, there clearly is talent and creativity here. However, deliberate action such as the defunding of the CSIRO remains in my view as one of the single most damaging policy decisions for Australia. Politics aside, it was a short-sighted move that will have massive consequences for our current and future generations.

There are so many talented Australians, and there are brilliant incubators, programs, and communities doing the work we need to evolve. But demanding action solely from the government shifts the responsibility and is just another pointless blame game. It’s also on us, as individuals, to support one another in taking risks, to champion innovation, and to back big dreams, no matter how ambitious they may seem. Australians are doing amazing things all over the world and if we can concentrate that talent to bring it home - we have a real chance to transition from a resource-dependent economy to one built on innovation. I'm optimistic that we can and will make it happen.