Mid-North Coast power couples revealed
They are partners in love, life and in business - meet the top power couples making a name for themselves on the Mid-North Coast.
Mid-North Coast
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They are at the top of their games in business, hospitality, charity and the arts – and they just happen to be partners in love and life as well.
These are the power couples of the Mid-North Coast.
LEE AND ANYA DIXON
These UK imports moved to Port Macquarie in 2009 during the height of the global financial crises seeking new opportunities after Lee was diagnosed with cancer.
Now the co-owners of real estate consultancy, DXN Solutions, the pair met while working in the British Army together, but soon found out something incredible about their previous lives as employees working at the same McDonalds.
“We both worked in the same McDonalds at Lord St in Liverpool, and we didn’t even know,” Lee said.
“We were working there at the same time as each other and didn’t even know.”
The two have been together for 27 years, have three daughters together, and have been in Port Macquarie for 13 years. Lee, who is now living cancer free, said his diagnoses was the impetus for the pair to pack up and move to Australia in search of something more themselves.
Read more about this dynamic duos work as the co-owners of DXN solutions.
JONATHON AND GEORGINA RYAN
Real estate beauty and sales brawn combine to give you Port Macquarie’s version of the Beckham’s, the Ryan’s.
Jonathon and Georgina Ryan, or Jono and Georgie, have been happily loved-up for nine years since their first encounter at a Holden Car Dealership. Georgie, looking for a new ute, found the love of her life instead when Jono took her for a test drive around town.
The pair have been married for nearly three years and live with Jono’s three children. Jono is the Mid-North Coast sales manager at Prime7, after having worked with Port Macquarie Holden where he achieved five, Top 5 winning Salesman awards, including the number one Holden Salesman Award. Georgie is currently an up-and-coming successful local real estate agent at Laing+Simmons, having previously owned her own interior design business.
This year she won the Gold Rookie of the Year Award and the Top six Income Producing Award. Previously “We are a successful loving duo because we only want the best for one another,” Jono said.
“We always have a positive attitude and love helping others to achieve goals.”
Their motto? “Enjoy life and who you share it with,” Jono said.
LEASA AND CHRIS HARRIS
This couple are the two-halves that form the Salty Crew Kiosk.
Leasa and Chris Harris have been working together since they met and have managed and owned hospitality businesses across Australia and overseas. Chris is a chef by trade and usually takes on the role of Head Chef / Front of House Manager while Leasa works the financials and marketing side of life.
The pair currently own Salty Crew Kiosk where Chris manages the day-to-day operations and Leasa takes on the HR, accounts and marketing.
“We have always had the same purpose and goals for our businesses,” Leasa said.
“We find it’s super important to have clear communication, when something is bothering us and we don’t agree we let each other know and work through it with an agreed outcome.”
The couple, who have two children, maintain a healthy and successful business partnership by adhering to a positive work-life balance.
Leasa said monthly date nights are a “non-negotiable” to keep their mental health in check and a holiday every three months keeps them refreshed and their minds clear.
“Simple things, but we feel super important for our business, relationship and children,” Leasa said.
“We also ensure we continue to evolve in both our businesses and personal lives, constantly reviewing and setting new goals together. “
ALISTAIR AND RENEE FLOWER
The team that are taking Port Macquarie’s drinking and dining experiences to another level are Renee and Alistair Flower.
Alistair arrived in Port Macquarie five years ago with the intention of only purchasing the Settlers Inn Hotel, but within five short years, has acquired a further five local hospitality businesses in the region.
These include the Lake Cathie Tavern, Hastings Hotel Wauchope, Fernhill Tavern, Beechwood Hotel and the popular cafe / bar on the Town Green, the Little Shack – which are all now part of Flower Hotels stable.
Alistair’s wife Renee, an engineer by trade, now works behind the scenes of the Flower Hotels business which is quickly evolving into a successful series of pubs.
Alistair was awarded National Publican of the Year and was awarded the business leader of year at local Port Macquarie Business Chamber awards in 2017. The Settlers Inn was awarded the best community Pub in Australia.
The pair have been married 11 years and share four children under 10.
HOLLY AND DAMIAN KING
This couple give a new meaning to the term - hot property - as a real estate husband and wife team working for McGrath in Port Macquarie.
Damian has two beautiful girls, Siena and Chloe, to a previous marriage and they now share a toddler of their own, Pippi, who is 17 months old.
This is the couple’s second marriage.
“Team King” are a successful, driven duo who regard their relationships with people as one of their strongest assets.
“This business is about people, and we deal well with people,” Holly said.
“We are great at marketing homes, and work well together with buyers and sellers. We are both naturally competitive.”
Holly said the pair pair are tenacious and ambitious, having set themselves goals to aspire too.
“Being slack or just plotting along isn’t in our DNA,” she said.
“We are always looking at ways of improving so our clients stay happy with what we do.
KRISTY AND STUART KOSTALAS
Two of the Mid-North Coast’s top medical professionals just so happen to also be husband and wife.
Kristy and Stuart Kostalas have been together for 13 years after they met at Royal North Shore Hospital both working as training doctors. They’ve been married for 11 years and now have three children.
Both share the same offices but do very different jobs. Kristy is a Cosmetic GP and Stuart is a Gastroenterologist.
“We always joke that between us both we have people sorted from top to literal bottom,” Kristy said.
“We think success requires so many facets; luckily we both have a genuine drive to support each other’s passions.
“Over the course of our time together we have undertaken many new challenges; further degrees, speciality training, children, and a move to Port Macquarie for our career and the building of several medical businesses.
“But what underpins us both is that we each want the other to succeed. We try to find balance between work and family time so that we can focus on each other as well as our patients. We know we are blessed to have been given many opportunities, and consider our real success is our happy marriage.”
Kristy said a healthy respect for each other’s passions and talents allows them to remain inspired by each other.
“Neither of us minds telling the other when they are wrong either so that helps to keep us grounded.”
LISA WILLOWS AND TRAVIS FREDERICKS
Lisa Willows and partner Travis Fredericks are a music and entertainment team who own record store Dark Alley Collectables.
The passionate muso’s, who are also behind Howling Moon Blues Festivals and Vibez in the Vines, have been together for five years. Lisa also owns a Public Relations business, and Travis plays as an acoustic musician in a local punk band.
When they aren’t making, promoting or listening to music together they’re working their day and night jobs - Lisa as a marketing manager for Lifeline Mid Coast and Travis as a senior nurse at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
They’re also keen volunteers.
“We both like the same things, we never fight and constantly discuss things,” Lisa said of their success as a couple.
“We are both deeply committed to our businesses and our relationship – so combining both, seems like a natural, organic thing and it works for us.
Our working and personal lives are deeply intertwined – and through this we find energy, optimism and together we are determined to live life to the fullest.”
ELLEN AND PETER CREPAZ
Peter and Ellen Crepaz have been together since they struck it lucky on their blind date back in 2004. They were married in 2006 and renewed their vows in beautiful Hawaii back in 2017.
The couple moved to Port Macquarie in 2015 from Sydney to give our their two sons Toreno and Alessandro the best life they could. The joys of living the Mid-North Coast life reminds them of their Mediterranean heritage.
“We both go to our day own day jobs, but every night we work together on our community group page Port Macquarie EaTs,” Ellen said.
“We help each other with research and growth. We have recently been working on two new projects to expand from a Facebook group to an App that will be like a directory for our local town to Eat drink and explore our region.
“The other new and exciting project will be our new Podcast called “You have to sit down to eat this”.
The key to their success as a happy, loving couple is believing in each other’s ability to succeed.
“Enjoy what you do and make sure you have a laugh along the way,” Ellen said.
“We always think of the bigger picture and support each other. Behind every great partner is the other partner holding you up.
“Make sure you always give credit to each other. You celebrate the highs together and work on the lows together. Some things in life are to simply test us. As a team we are unstoppable.”
KRISTY HOPWOOD AND BEAU SOUTH
Kristy and Beau met in June last year and became partners in life and business from the word go.
Kristy previously worked for Corrective Services NSW and NSW Fire and Rescue, but took on a role in Beau’s roofing business when they met.
She also runs a successful homewares business called “Coastal Homewares.”
Beau has worked in the roofing industry for seven years and spent much of 2020 volunteering his services for the elderly, cleaning homes that were affected by bush fires assisting with debris removal for safety from embers.
“I gave up my time to join his business this year,” Kristy said.
“We now have over 50 jobs going at any time. Beau has always needed someone to help him manage his business and grow it step by step. I am able to use my report writing skills, business management skills and a certification in finance to manage the business.
Our common goal is helping people, and giving back to the community. That is what drives us. We are so proud of what we do, and treat every client as family.
We work seven days a week and dedicate our whole lives to our community.
Much to her surprise, Beau proposed to Kristy three months ago in a helicopter.
“It was a complete surprise and we actually asked my mother to go and help him pick a ring.
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