As home ownership continues to slip further out of reach, new data from QuickBooks suggests Australians are rewriting the “Aussie dream” — and turning to entrepreneurship instead with 66% of Aussies planning to start a new business or side hustle.

The 2026 Entrepreneurship Report from Quickbooks shows starting a business or side hustle is now the top wealth-building priority for Australians heading into 2026, ahead of savings, promotions or changing jobs:

• 41% plan to start a business or side hustle in 2026, making it the number one strategy for building wealth
• 66% are already planning or actively thinking about it, with 59% feeling a sense of urgency to start
• 46% say they’ll launch even if conditions aren’t perfect
• 66% are likely to use AI tools to help launch or formalise a business

Instead of property or risky investments, Australians are backing themselves. Over a third (36%) view cryptocurrency and (19%) find shares as the riskiest ways to grow wealth.

To bring the data to life, we can introduce you exclusively to Ali Beeck, a young Australian who recently launched her own lip balm business, Balmee, after deciding that building a business felt more achievable than buying a home. Like most aspiring founders:

• Ali started with personal savings, reflecting the 75% of Australians who plan to self-fund
• Ali launched it as a side hustle, mirroring the three-quarters of Australians planning to keep businesses alongside full-time work
• Ali navigated early financial uncertainty, echoing the 72% of Australians who say low financial literacy makes life harder

The research also highlights why this shift is accelerating:

• Median start-up costs sit at $20K, far below a property deposit
• 40% plan to grow their side hustle into a full-time business, many within 1–2 years
• Demand for low-cost tools, automation and financial guidance is a key enabler of growth

Together, the findings point to a clear narrative shift: Australians are now looking to invest in something they can control — their own businesses.

More details can be found here.