Spent years caring for family for free? 5 reasons to turn those skills into a paid business

You've got the skills. You've just never been paid for them — and there are paying clients nearby.

If that's you, here it is straight: what the work actually involves, what it pays, what it costs to set up, and how to start — from someone running the same business, part-time, in regional Tasmania.

1. You already have the experience

Appointments, routines, patience, knowing what someone needs before they ask.

2. Take those skills to paying clients

Family care itself generally isn't funded — but the same skills, delivered to someone else's family, are.

3. Families trust lived experience

More than they trust a certificate, most days.

4. Work when you can

A roster that fits around your own caring responsibilities — and those come first.

5. No medical training needed

Everyday support is companionship, meals, household help, transport and getting out.

Where to go next

Being straight with you. The hourly figures on this page are the billing rates from the official NDIS Pricing Schedule — the most that can be charged for that support. They're gross revenue, not take-home. Insurance, tax, super, travel and your own time all come out of it. And the income examples are Cathy's real numbers, not a promise about yours.

The free training is below — it's the honest version of how this works, in plain language, with nothing to buy at the end.