TWO decades spent in investment banking and private equity gave Joe Stevens leadership and financial skills, but did not prepare him for the issues he would face as a small business owner.

Mr Stevens, who had headed Standard Chartered's private equity arm for a decade until the bank wound up the division in 2016, now runs local gourmet grocery Little Farms, which focuses on natural and organic produce, most of which is imported.

He was roped into the business in 2018 by one of Little Farm's original founders, Justin Reis, whom he knew from his time in private equity.