Sunshine Coast business icons Shane and Matt Hepburn share secret to success

Growing up as obsessed athletes from a low-income home, the Hepburn brothers today run mega businesses. Read about their journey here.

From ocean athletes to iconic entrepreneurs, two Sunshine Coast businessmen and brothers say their success is underpinned by learning to become resilient after their dad trained them as surf life saving athletes.

The sibling duo are Matt Hepburn, 32 and co-founder of Your Mates Brewing, and Shane Hepburn, 37, owner of Good Bean Franchising, Old Bean Espresso, Pavilion Mooloolaba, and now 4 Pines Mooloolaba.

Before either opened a single business, the brothers were raised in a family of keen surf life saving competitors who trained 10 times a week with their dad getting them up at 4am for swimming training – even in giant swell.

Shane Hepburn, now a father of two girls, said he became resilient during training and competing as an athlete, which helped him build his business empire today.

“As long as I keep getting back up, I’ll beat everyone else,” he said.

Matt Hepburn said his success was also backed by learning to become driven and dedicated after years of competing in the sport.

On top of developing an athlete’s mindset, Matt Hepburn said another shared trait behind his and his brother’s success was their ability to be a jack of all trades within their respective businesses.

“When you have that trait, you never switch off,” he said.

While they’re both success stories now, Matt Hepburn said he and his brother – both fourth-generation residents of the Coast – didn’t come from a wealthy family.

He said his family had “little to no money” growing up but lived like “millionaires” as they were raised on and enjoyed the Sunshine Coast Recreation Precinct, which had a private beach where Steve Irwin used to surf.

After leaving paradise at home, studying university, and working overseas, Matt Hepburn said he met his now co-founder of Your Mates Brewing, Christen McGarry, in 2013.

Matt Hepburn said he was later inspired to launch a brewery by his older brother, Shane, who had already become successful in the business world.

“If he can do it, I can,” Matt Hepburn said.

Today, the two brothers say they don’t have a sibling rivalry in business, but support, inspire and give each other feedback – though they try to refrain from talking shop while catching up as a family.