Hello
Hi, I’m Ghirija Jayarraj. For over 20 years I’ve worked across risk, compliance, and governance, but it has always been my dream to help small businesses.
I know firsthand the hardships owners face—having run my own restaurant and worked closely with not-for-profits.
Unlike larger organisations, small businesses don’t always have the same protections, yet they put far more at stake: heart, resilience, and hard-earned savings.
That’s why I focus on practical, tailored solutions that genuinely support survival and growth.
My goal is to give you peace of mind so you can focus on what you love—running your business.
My Story
My family, like many other migrant families in Australia, came here with a dream—to build a better life and make the most of the opportunities this country has to offer. My parents worked tirelessly to establish themselves, doing everything they could to ensure that my sibling and I had the best possible start in life.
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In my early twenties, while working as a tax accountant, my parents decided to open a restaurant. Driven by faith and determination, they invested their hard-earned savings into the business, unaware of the many risks involved. They had little understanding of overhead costs, risk mitigation strategies, or operational processes. Unfortunately, without proper risk assessment or planning, the business failed, and they lost everything. I was only 23 at the time, and witnessing this loss firsthand was both devastating and deeply instructive. It shaped the course of my life and career.
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That experience inspired me to dedicate my professional journey to understanding, managing, and mitigating risk. Over the past 20 years, I have built a comprehensive career across commerce—specialising in risk management, compliance, internal and external audit, tax advisory, and business administration. My work has taken me from London to India, and across Australia—from the private sector to government and, more recently, the not-for-profit and arts sectors.
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Through these experiences, I have seen that the smaller the organisation, the greater the risk exposure—often because small businesses invest their own hard-earned money and operate without robust risk assessment frameworks. Many entrepreneurs start their ventures with passion but little awareness of the potential pitfalls, learning as they go. For example, did you know that the average lifespan of a restaurant is according to federal and business papers is up to 4 years - In Australia, many restaurants take 2-3 years to reach consistent profitability, i.e. beyond just breaking even. and that it often takes the same amount of time to begin seeing profits? Most restaurants close before they ever reach that milestone. Profit margins in the restaurant industry in Australia are generally quite thin: average net profits are often in the range of 3-5% once things are stable. This is precisely the kind of loss that Small Solution aims to prevent.
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I’m Ghirija Jayarraj, and I bring over two decades of experience across diverse industries—including telecommunications, financial services, government, and the global arts sector—allowing me to design practical, tailored, and scalable risk management frameworks.
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Starting my career as a small business tax accountant and restaurateur, I understand firsthand the realities entrepreneurs face. This perspective informs my approach to helping businesses—both for-profit and not-for-profit—protect their financial assets, maintain compliance, and enhance operational resilience.
I’ve implemented frameworks aligned with ISO 31000 and AS45001 (OHS), guided organisations through Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and AFSL compliance, and led major system upgrades—such as the transition from Genesis to iGen—to improve efficiency and transparency. At Telstra, I deepened my understanding of regulatory obligations and reporting standards, while in the arts sector, I led governance initiatives connecting over 500 artists worldwide.
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In addition to my corporate and consulting work, I run an international arts initiative that, over the past decade, has engaged more than 500 artists across 10 countries, fostering cross-cultural collaboration, creative exchange, and governance development within the arts. This work has strengthened my belief that creativity and structure can coexist, and that sustainable frameworks empower artists and organisations alike.
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My consultancy approach is rooted in collaboration, clear communication, and sustainable strategy. I work closely with clients to identify risks early, develop robust controls, and build governance processes that grow with the organisation.
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Underpinned by tertiary qualifications in commerce, my practice is grounded in sound financial and governance principles. I’m known for my integrity, professionalism, and empathetic leadership, and I am passionate about empowering small businesses to thrive through knowledge and preparation—not chance.
Through Small Solution, I help businesses turn uncertainty into opportunity, ensuring they not only survive—but succeed—with confidence.
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