Western Sydney’s young gamechangers taking on the world
They are bold, bright, full of life and leading the west to success. Meet the impressive people across western Sydney, aged under 30, who are doing the region proud.
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They are bold, bright, full of life and leading the west to success.
NewsLocal reached out to a number of impressive young people who are paving the way for the region to recognise their hard work and achievements.
Success comes in all different forms and it is present in all facets of our society from teaching to law, medicine, the arts and beyond.
Meet the young westies who have us excited for the future of the west.
Aonghus Stevens
This 29-year-old, who was born in Campbelltown and now lives in Richmond, is the CEO of two very impressive companies – Measure Australia and Asseti.
In layman’s terms, Mr Stevens is western Sydney’s ‘King of the Drones’.
His company Measure Australia uses drones to capture images, collect data for clients and harness big data to the fullest. The company specialises in laser surveying and enterprise-scale infrastructure inspections.
Mr Stevens also built and launched Asseti which provides close-to-real-time asset performance management for the built environment. Basically, he does mega-cool things with enterprise-scale drones.
The 29-year-old started selling drones at 16 so it seems he’s always had a knack for both tech and ‘the bizz’.
“At 16 I was an industrial drone retailer before drones were a consumer thing. They started at a price of around $50,000 back then,” he said.
Mr Stevens studied biology at university but kept circling back into the drone sphere.
Coming a long way from his teenage days as a retailer, Mr Stevens’ start-up shifted its focus from selling to using drones to map, monitor and film after noticing the rising interest in this sort of data from sectors like agriculture, mining and telecommunications.
“I always found technology interesting, enjoyed researching it and being hands on. My focus has always been on how drones are useful rather than the hardware itself,” he said.
“Drones can gather significant data and be useful for enterprises. Big data is becoming a buzz word for our customers and our role is to help facilitate that demand.”
The young gun is beaming about how far he and his businesses have come in a relatively short amount of time.
“I’m proud of the fact we can deliver data that is useful to some of the largest enterprises in Australia. Our growth is very strong. Seeing the team we’ve built brings a lot of satisfaction to me personally,” he said.
Mr Stevens encouraged young people out west to seize the opportunity that exists here.
“There is an enormous amount of opportunity out west with the airport and a massive amount of innovation in general,” he said
“Plus there’s a start-up hub being built in western Sydney.”
Aside from grabbing opportunities, Mr Stevens encouraged young people to follow their passions.
“My biggest tip would be make sure you love what you do if you want to build a business on your own. Starting out is always fun but there will be years of hard work,” he said.
“Having a strong passion or belief around something will get you through the long days and hard times. As long as you’re passionate, you can highlight opportunities and pursue them.”
Fatima Al-Kathmi
Strong, resilient, intelligent and brave, this 29-year-old Fairfield podiatrist is a force to be reckoned with.
Fatima Al-Kathmi came to Australia at the age of three, as an Iraqi refugee, with her mother, father and younger sister in 1996. Her dad and uncle opened up an Iraqi restaurant shortly after.
“We always went to Saturday Arabic school and ensured we spoke Arabic only at home so we don't forget our mother tongue,” Dr Al-Khatmi said.
Little did she know that speaking so fluently would allow her to provide effective healthcare to people who speak English as a second language.
Despite eventually opening up her own independent clinic, Dr Al-Kathmi didn’t always know what she wanted to do.
“Coming from an Arabic background, my dad always wanted me to be something big – a doctor, an engineer, a lawyer – but I didn't know what I wanted to do,” she said.
“I changed from IT, to research, to beauty, to childcare, and then podiatry. It was a long journey.”
Part of Dr Al-Kathmi’s journey was achieving all her goals as a single mother.
“It was a very difficult journey for me. I would have never been able to be where I am without my family,” she said.
“I came out of an abusive relationship in 2016, and my parents took me in and took care of both my son and I while I was going through this difficult time and trying to complete my university degree, so I can give my son a better life.”
With her parents and her brother helping with looking after her son, Dr Al-Kathmi completed her degree and now runs ‘The Foot Force Podiatry’ in Fairfield and has bright plans for the future.
“I would love to grow the business and have more practitioners working for me here in Fairfield,” she said.
“I’d also like to be a role model for other females in the west, or even from the same background as I, to pursue what they want in life.”
Dr Al-Kathmi’s advice for young people is to find something you love and never think anything is out of reach, sharing a high school memory.
“I remember our year 12 career adviser asked us to write down what we wanted to be,” she said.
“I told her I wanted to be an architect and asked her ‘how do I spell that?’”
“She responded so bluntly ‘you can't be something you can't spell’ but look at me now. I feel like I’ve achieved something better for myself. Being in the west, I grew up not having as much support towards tertiary education. It made me resilient and push more to get what I want.”
Ultimately, Dr Al-Kathmi says it comes down to passion.
“Find something you love to do and go with it. Don't let anyone tell you something is hard or impossible. If you put the hard work and effort into what you want, anything is possible.”
Nick Figliano
One genius idea. That’s all it took for this 24-year-old from Bossley Park to address a gap in the market that plagues prospective pet-owners across the country.
PETspot CEO Nicholas Figliano is the type of guy you want on your team, the type to get things done.
Describing his journey as an “unexpected whirlwind”, the young businessman was studying his dream course of finance and economics at UTS when his family decided they wanted a dog.
“While searching for one, it quickly became apparent how difficult it was to know who to trust. I came across countless unethical sources and was also lucky to avoid multiple puppy scams. The size of the problem shocked me,” he said.
Then Mr Figliano had a light bulb moment.
“Seek helps people find legitimate jobs, it's time a similar platform existed for the pet industry, that made it safer and simpler to find your next pet companion from responsible breeding programs or adoption groups.”
Mr Figliano brought two co-founders on board, Joseph Commisso and Jeremy Lay, and soon after thepetspot.com.au was born.
The three men engaged with incubator community UTS Startups which gave them the resources to explore entrepreneurship.
Fast forward a few years, now PETspot now has a team of 10 and has launched Australia's first payment system which provides protection for pet transactions.
These guys have a lot to be proud of. They’ve added some impressive investors to the team including Glen Richards from Shark Tank.
They’ve won ‘Best University Startup’ in the state, as well as being recognised at the Sydney Young Entrepreneur awards by Business News Australia.
Most recently, the success of their app is what’s kept them on cloud nine.
“Through the launch of PETspot’s new app, web platform and our co-venture with Dogz Online, we have had over 250,000 inquiries for puppies/dogs and over 190 million in organic traffic,” Mr Figliano said.
The numbers aren’t just about the business, Mr Figliano is looking at the bigger picture.
“These numbers mean we are on track with our mission of improving animal welfare in Australia. By placing the spotlight on ethical sources, we can reduce the amount of demand puppy mills receive, ensuring our pets have a healthy and happy start to life,” he said.
The PETspot trailblazer sees himself at the company for the foreseeable future with his sights set on creating widespread change.
“Outside of PETspot, my dream for the next decade is to work towards establishing a venture capital firm that focuses on supporting start-ups from western Sydney or other areas with traditionally less exposure to business funding,” he said.
Mr Figliano has two sets of advice for young people out west.
“Be extremely mindful from a young age of what and who you surround yourself with. Your friend's mindset, the content you consume and the curiosity needed to continuously learn,” he said.
“The second piece of advice is to risk putting in the time if you truly believe in something. There’s no better time to make mistakes and learn than when you are young and have as minimal external responsibilities as you will ever have in your life,”
He also advised doing whatever you want, unapologetically.
“It's easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others and therefore being risk-averse and not having the confidence to dive headfirst into the unknown,” he said. “Once you do, you will realise how no one has it all worked out from the beginning and that with some persistence you can achieve more than you think.”
Esther Adeyinka
This 25-year-old from Gregory Hills is the ultimate boss lady.
A lawyer, businesswoman and an active participant on multiple advisory bodies, Esther Adeyinka is one highly driven woman with a versatile set of skills and deep ties to the west.
“I was born in Nigeria and moved to Australia with my family when I was six in 2003. During our first year in Australia, my family lived in the beautiful suburb of Bankstown and then we moved to the Macarthur region where I completed most of my schooling,” she said.
Ms Adeyinka graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Arts in 2019, securing employment soon after.
“After graduation, I worked as a judge’s associate in the District Court of New South Wales before beginning my current career as a commercial lawyer,” she said.
She currently serves as a youth member on the Multicultural New South Wales Advisory Board and advises the NSW Regional Director of the Department of Home Affairs as part of the NSW YouthReference Group.
However, Ms Adeyinka isn’t just a kick-ass lawyer and adviser. She’s also a businesswoman who identified a gap in the market while still in university in 2018.
“SHADIE BY EA was born out of my frustration with being unable to find nude intimates and hosiery that matched my skin tone in Australia,” Ms Adeyinka said.
As a result, her brand provides ethically made essentials and basics designed to reflect women of all skin tones and sizes.
“I spent three years working on the brand and recently launched it on 17 August 2021, receiving so much positive feedback about our products, processes and the brand’s ethos,” she said.
“Building a business is not easy and I’m really proud of how far the brand has come so far.”
Ms Adeyinka’s brand provides a range of products in signature shades across a size offering of AU 6 to AU 22 and also adopt ethical practices through all processes.
“Our pieces are considered and made with sustainable material. Any scrap material leftover from the production process is used to create accessories, the profits from which are used to plant trees around Australia,” Ms Adeyinka said.
“In our first week, we were able to plant over 30 trees, a testament to our community and the passion they have to create a positive impact in small but mighty ways.”
The future is bright for Ms Adeyinka’s ventures and, at this stage, she’s looking to go with the flow.
“No matter what I end up doing I’ve made a commitment to myself to always do things that are fulfilling and give back to others.”
“Currently, I imagine myself having built SHADIE BY EA into a successful business that has gone a long way to help our community feel seen and included,”
She wants to make a difference in both her local and wider community.
“I would hope to have made a positive impact in my career and to have continued being a voice in the community for others like me.”
Ms Adeyinka advises young westies to own who they are.
“Be very proud of where you come from. Your unique experiences, whether as a result of the suburb you live in or your family background, are all an asset. Because of your background and location, you have something unique and insightful to offer anyone and everyone,” she said.
Andrew Grech
Crypto is all the rage right now so it’s great to see westies paving the way for the rest of the country.
CryptoSpend CEO and co-founder Andrew Grech was born and raised in southwest Sydney, having gone to school in Bonnyrigg Heights, and attributes his communication abilities to his background.
“There's massive cultural diversity in the west which exposed me to a lot of different cultures from a very young age. It's helped massively in interacting with people locally and abroad because I have grown up understanding diversity, allowing me to interact with them at a higher level,” he said.
“Crypto itself is also more popular in the western suburbs than in the eastern suburbs. Having grown up there, it's great to see.”
While studying at UTS, Grech paired up with his now co-founder Richard Voice, after finding they shared a vision to make crypto spending available to everyday Australians.
“We had a plan which we continue to deliver on to this day – from launching the Cryptospend brand originally, to then launching an app where people can transact, and then through to launching Australia’s first Visa-back crypto debit card, which has made crypto more accessories to everyday Australians,” Mr Grech said.
The pair have shared many outstanding moments along the way including partnering with Visa.
“We’ve had large milestones like successfully achieving two major capital raises with our fantastic investors and now having a broad customer base of loyal Cryptospend followers.”
“Partnering with Visa and Novatti to launch the first Visa-backed everyday spending card with crypto was also a very significant achievement for the business.”
Mr Grech said he was looking optimistically towards the future.
“I’m hoping that Cryptospend continues to grow and prosper and that cryptocurrencies as a whole are part of the everyday fabric of Australia’s monetary system,” he said.
“I want to be able to employ a whole lot more people and contribute to today's society and all the world's problems that are arising, as I feel very passionate about this subject in general and love to help and inspire others.”
Also on the cards for Mr Grech, in the near future, is a wedding planned at the end of next year after he recently got engaged to a fellow westie.
“Further in the future, I hope to have established a family with kids of my own and be dedicated to raising them the right way. Family life is really important for me and I want to have a good balance between working life and family life,” he said.
For all those keen, young westie entrepreneurs – Mr Grech has the following words of advice:
“If you have a vision and a dream go for it. Don’t just think about it, set out a plan, cut off people who are dragging you down, you end up being the product of your associates in most cases. Aurround yourself with the best people and help each other achieve your ambitions.”
Natasha Galvin
Penrith born and bred engineering-whiz-turned-psychotherapist, Natasha Galvin has always been academically talented.
After graduating from St Marys Senior High School, the now 28-year-old scored a co-operative scholarship and went on to study Civil Engineering at UTS.
As part of her scholarship, Ms Galvin started an internship with construction company, John Holland and worked on the South West Rail Link Project.
It was during this time however that she lost her father, Thomas Galvin, to suicide. Mr Galvin served the Penrith community as a police officer and sergeant for 20 years.
“His death had a huge impact upon my life and this really triggered my passion for mental health. I learned about how the construction industry especially has a terrible mental health track record and I tried my best to participate in initiatives such as Mates In Construction to help make a difference,” Ms Galvin said.
After studying in Arizona, USA for a semester, Ms Galvin became more active in social justice issues and received the Zonta International Engineering Prize for her work.
She continued working in construction for Burton Contractors, Lendlease Engineering and then back to John Holland.
“I worked on the new M4 bridge over the Northern Rd at Penrith, Western Sydney Airport, Sydney Metro (Victoria Cross Station) and WestConnex,” she said.
Then, Covid hit and Ms Galvin’s life took an unexpected turn and she shifted from construction to psychology.
“During the height of Covid I could really feel the impact it was having on the mental health of the wider community,” she said.
“My partner and my best friend are both clinical psychologists and it was at this time we decided to start a practice together where we could offer bulk-billing to people.”
“With most clinics people get a significant rebate back from Medicare but for people living paycheck to paycheck, it‘s impossible for them to be able to turn up to their appointment with the money needed in the first place and this is a real barrier for people.”
Ms Galvin and her team opened Blackbird Psychology in Parramatta and told NewsLocal that 90 per cent of what they do is bulk-billing so they can help people who wouldn’t otherwise have been able to access mental health services.
Part of what drove Ms Galvin was the stigma around the west.
“Growing up out west and hearing the things some of my old engineering colleagues had to say about the western suburbs, a lot of “poor people” jokes, really gave me a focus and drive to provide this accessibility for people,” she said.
“We also be sure to include in our website that we are LGBTI+ friendly and a good portion of our client base is LGBTI+ young people who often struggle to find safe and accessible services.”
Seeing the immense impact the clinic has had on her community, Ms Galvin decided to go back to university to get her Masters In Counselling so she can register as a psychotherapist and work at her own practice.
“There were a lot of balls to juggle during that time as I was still working as an engineer, running my business, studying my masters and going on a weight loss journey all simultaneously,” she said.
“At the beginning of this year I was able to leave my engineering role for good in order to pursue my new career in mental health and I know I have done the right thing. My family and I went through some significant suffering with my dad’s death and if I can help prevent that suffering for even a single person it is absolutely worth it.”
Blackbird has a planned expansion towards the end of the year with the clinic aiming to double its number of therapists.
“Over the next decade I want to continue to provide and improve these accessible services for people and increase my own knowledge and experience so I can make as much of a positive impact as I can on people‘s lives,” Ms Galvin said.
Ms Galvin has some words of wisdom for kids out west.
“In coming from the west you bring your own strengths, skills and ideas that people from other backgrounds or areas might not have. To quote Oscar Wilde ‘Be yourself; everybody else is already taken’.”
Firas Hammoudi
Liverpool mover-and-shaker Firas Hammoudi is all about keeping things fresh and contemporary at his chic legal practice.
Having started as a paralegal 11 years ago, the 29-year-old has come far in a relatively short amount of time having worked as a solicitor at law firms in Circular Quay and Martin Place before opening up his own practice.
“In late 2017, I took the leap of faith and Circle Bridge Legal was born. It was my passion for western Sydney that led to my realisation that Liverpool was an obvious location for our headquarters,” Mr Hammoudi said.
Fighting through the Covid outbreak, Mr Hammoudi is proud to say his business survived all the lockdowns and he’s since returned to a revamped office space and was the recipient of an award.
“In late 2021, Circle Bridge Legal completed a modern, artistic and unique fit-out in the heart of western Sydney. This new office speaks to our aspirations for the future,” he said.
“I was delighted to have been recognised as a finalist for the 2021 Peacemakers Awards in the Commercial Law and Family Law category.”
The Lebanese legal young gun said the west had a considerable influence on his development.
“Western Sydney is an inclusive society and this has naturally taught me how to engage positively with people from differing cultures and traditions,” Mr Hammoudi said.
Going forward, Mr Hammoudi sees a bright future for his firm in the epicentre of the west.
“I continue to lead Circle Bridge Legal to new horizons into the future,” he said
“Our vision is to be a household name and through the law, help people living in western Sydney realise their potential.”
Mr Hammoudi encouraged young westies to reach for the stars.
“Western Sydney presents endless opportunities for those that look for them,” he said.
“Our youth need to defy the unicorn expectations that are often cast upon people living in Western Sydney and to embrace their background and culture in gaining success. Western Sydney is not different, but unique.”
Nicole Fahey
PR Queen Nicole Fahey is building her empire in Penrith and slaying the local marketing industry.
The 29-year-old, who grew up in Cambridge Park, has always been obsessed with all things media.
“As a child I was a news-obsessed, advertising lover who would watch the news every night from the age of 10 and question the ads for toys during the Saturday Disney show ad-break each week,” she said.
Ms Fahey accepted an early placement into a Bachelor of Communications at Western Sydney University with a major in Public Relations and Advertising and completed multiple internships in Surry Hills before being selected to complete an MFA (Media Federation of Australia) Internship at one of the largest media agencies in Sydney.
Her portfolio was impressive from very early on in the game.
“From this early agency experience, I was already working in the field during my degree and graduated already deep into my dream role as a media planner and buyer at Carat in Sydney,” she said.
“My first client was Woolworths Supermarkets (the largest in Australia with an ad spend of $240 million). So, by the age of 21, I already had major client experience under my belt such as Campari, Unilever and Woolworths Supermarkets.”
The advertising trailblazer climbed the ladder for a couple of years before the commute became too much to bear and she noticed a gap in her hometown for high-end agency services out west.
“From that moment and the ripe age of 24 with nothing to lose, I knew my calling and got started in early 2016 with Local Edge Marketing,” she said.
She hasn’t looked back since.
“For over the past six (almost seven) years, I’ve been able to grow Local Edge Marketing into Penrith’s original full-service communications agency servicing businesses with everything from large-scale strategic media campaigns through to public relations, copywriting, digital marketing management, content creation, design, web development and more,” she said.
Ms Fahey really is superwoman having recently added another job title to her list.
“I can now add to my list ‘working mum’,” she said.
“I’m passionate about women in the workforce being able to be both and have the best of both worlds. I didn’t take maternity leave and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The proud westie has recently expanded her team to seven and is excited to see her agency continue to flourish.
“As I now head towards the next milestone of 10 years in business, the agency will always be a focus for me and be a part of my life,” she said. “I have a few plans to expand and would also love to pursue further business avenues as well as build my professional media commentary portfolio. That’s the dream.”
Ms Fahey’s advice for fellow young westies is to get things done.
“The only thing in life that can truly set you apart, and ahead, is your work ethic. Understand that you need to show up and work hard each and every day to succeed.”
“Where you’re from means nothing. Fight the stigma of the west, prove your worth and show up. They will soon listen.”
Katrina Trinh
They say education is the passport to the future and this 21-year-old Cabramatta local is making it accessible to all that seek it.
Katrina Trinh has always been passionate about her field.
She told NewsLocal she remembered being an eight-year-old and teaching her younger sisters what she learnt in primary school. She later went onto high school and helped her fellow students by hosting study sessions and rallying for teachers to run after-school homework programs.
Then, her business venture began.
“As soon as I graduated high school, I decided to use my experience to help the students that were going through the exact experiences as I was. I began private tutoring, meeting kids from all walks of life and realising that everyone’s situation is unique, and more importantly, not everyone has the tools to succeed despite being eager,” she said.
“After a year of private tutoring, I decided to take it one step further and turn this private tutoring venture into a business. This included taking the leap to create a business name, use the space I had available to me and begin looking for tutors that had the same drive and vision that I did.”
Ms Trinh now runs a successful and ever growing tutoring business in Cabramatta called Elevate Training College.
She credits her work ethic to her background, with her parents having come to Australia as Vietnamese refugees in the 1980s.
“Despite hardship, my uncles are in health professions as doctors and optometrists and my mum owns a successful beauty salon in Cabramatta,” Ms Trinh said.
Ms Trinh’s parents divorced at five-years old, leaving her mum with no savings and three girls to look after.
“Being present was difficult but we grew to understand the hardship, as she would later have to bare the burden of looking after three elderly in our family as well as work three jobs in order to keep up with the mortgage and bills,” she said.
“This incredible work ethic demonstrated to me was definitely one of the core reasons I was driven to pursue a business that strives to help children gain the tools they need to succeed, as some families may not have it easy.”
Despite her academic riguour, with her family’s circumstances, Ms Trinh’s mum was unable to take her and her siblings to selective high schools and better ranked schools so they opted to stay at Cabramatta High School, just behind their family house.
Ms Trinh has recently completed a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) at UNSW, graduating in May.
With university done and dusted, she’ll now commit herself to building her business based off what she’s learnt in her degree.
“We are looking to renovate our new space soon and we’re excited to offer new classes and find keen tutors to join our team,” she said. “I’m working on creating a business model that incorporates the theories and concepts that I have learnt in my degree, applying it to tutoring in order to create a unique and effective method of learning.”
Ms Trinh has wider ambitions surrounding her love for education.
“I can see myself travelling to third world countries annually, offering voluntary education services to children and showing teachers how to apply psychological principles for their lessons in the future,” she said.
For fellow westies looking to make it, Ms Trinh has the following advice.
“We are often stuck inside a box that people from the rest of NSW place us in but that should not limit who we want to become and the things we want to achieve. Dream big, and don’t let anybody tell you that where you come from dictates where you will end up.”
Jaideep Kaur
Businesswoman Jaideep Kaur, 29, could give Shark Tank a run for their money with an impressive list of businesses under her belt including a cosmetics line (Jai Kaur Cosmetics), makeup and hair company (GlowbyJK), Health Practice (JK Speech and Health Services) and a family businesses (Lurnea Liquor).
Out of her array of achievements Ms Kaur is most stoked about running her own practice, having started it seven years ago, despite some senior health professionals suggesting against it.
“Now we have one of the largest allied health teams in the Cumberland district and we‘ve just won the health improvement award in the local business awards,” Ms Kaur said.
Ms Kaur attributed her success and hustle mindset to those who came before her.
“My parents migrated to Australia with literally $20 in their pockets. My mum and dad made so many sacrifices for my brother and I to succeed to where we are today,” Ms Kaur said.
“I would always look at other children who took things for granted like going to the Easter Show, visiting zoos and having family dinners out. When we were younger, we would often have to take care of ourselves and that is where my hustle mindset truly started. You must work smart and hard to get to what you want.”
And if anyone works hard, it’s Ms Kaur as she runs a range of businesses while still working as a full time speech pathologist.
“I practice full time as a speech pathologist, manage a large team of allied health professionals and run online businesses to support my goals of challenging the beauty industry.”
“I also support my parents with their business ventures. I am hyper-organised and really try and achieve something new everyday, even if it‘s something really small like learning a new recipe. Being a business woman and having a family life is doable you just must learn to manage your time on the right things.”
Ms Kaur is looking forward to being part of the imminent shift in Australia’s beauty industry too.
“There‘s one thing on top of my list and that’s challenging beauty and health industries to start accepting more people for who they are,” she said.
“With many of my business ventures I still feel like in Australia we‘re so insulated with the same perspectives. I definitely think there are big shifts in culture coming our way and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Ms Kaur encouraged young people out west to stay grounded.
“In the real world it‘s about what you do and want you can do. Dream big, the world is full of opportunities, take every opportunity you get to learn new things, you’ll thank your older self for it.”
The Yannopoulos Brothers
This brotherly duo is set to take the construction world by storm with their humour, grit and undying work ethic.
Peter and Steven Yannopoulos, 29 and 25, are entrepreneurs to be reckoned with in their own respective rights.
The two brothers, who are currently Concord-based, have lived across the west and know the area well to be equipped with local knowledge which supplements their business ventures.
Peter Yannopoulos has had a passion for property for as long as he can remember.
“My obsession with helping my parents choose our next family home from a young age, combined with frequent local and international travelling, led to a passion in property,” he said.
While the brothers don’t have a history in property management, they have inherited their business smarts from their mother and mortgage broking matriarch, Mary Yannopoulos, who runs Skybridge Capital.
Having started Manticore Projects six years ago with friend – Nathan Jammal – the Yannopoulos brothers have big dreams for the property company, with Peter taking inspiration from one of the biggest and best in the business – Meriton – who he worked for prior to starting the company.
While the business is still arguably in its infancy, it boasts some pretty stellar achievements.
“We’ve developed a successful holiday home company in Berry NSW, completed many developments over the years where people have either purchased from us or are leasing from us and have completed over 50 childcare acquisition deals,” Peter Yannopoulos said.
Peter has his sights set on luxe projects in the near future with nine high-end holiday homes in the pipeline over the next five years.
“I want the business to maintain consistency so we can start focusing more specifically on a luxury holiday home portfolio,” he said.
“We have a new brand releasing soon called ‘Linnaeus Collection’ which will provide high-end holidays homes, developed and maintained by us, for our guests enjoyment all year round.”
Despite the luxury dreams, Peter Yannopoulos is extremely down to earth with his main goal being serving customers with the best of holiday experiences.
“Kudos to those who dream of being billionaires but for me it‘s not about the money. The enjoyment of building and seeing a product come to life is key. As a result of that, I can spoil myself and my family with what comes from that,” he said.
One of Peter’s favourite things is working alongside his brother.
“Steven and I work together very closely. We both wouldn’t be where we are without each other. Coming to work every day is a little bit easier because my brother is always there with me.”
Peter Yannopoulos advises young people to pave their own paths.
“Take advice from people but use it how you see fit. Everyone is different and all paths lead to different places. Do not be afraid of failure along the way,” he said.
While Steven Yannopoulos works alongside his brother, he’s also pursuing his own ventures.
The handsome influencer and well-known TikToker is currently finishing off his degree at Western Sydney University with dreams of becoming an educator.
An advocate for mental and emotional wellbeing and personal growth, the young scholar is paving his way as a mover-and-shaker in both the social media and education realms.
“I want to keep growing so I can make an impact on people. It’s just about moving forward and staying creative,” he said.
While the stud has a colourful online presence, he leads a busy life and will often be caught between work, the gym and spending quality time with those close to him.
While social media and brand deals are still on the cards for the 25-year-old, his current focus is on working alongside his brother and wrapping up his degree.
“I’m excited to see where we go. Manticore isn’t just a construction company, it’s a versatile enterprise that caters to a wide range of queries which is why we’re perfect for complex chain projects out west,” he said.
“Right now, I’m living pretty low key on the socials and, especially while I’ve been off uni, I’ve really enjoyed working with my brother. He’s very driven and wise beyond his years.”
Michael Black
You may recognise his painting from a large-scale building on Ada Ave, Brookvale or elsewhere around Sydney.
Old Toongabbie local, 25-year-old Michael Black, has always had a wild imagination which prompted an art career to spurt basically as soon as he was able to draw.
He was encouraged through the later years of high school to push further with his creativity, painting especially, and ended up studying a Fine Arts degree at UNSW.
Like most artists, soon after uni, Mr Black found himself snagged in a creative rut.
“I went on to work in the design industry as a graphic designer and was pursuing art on the side. Not totally loving all of the things in the graphic design world, I missed getting my hands dirty and making art,” he said.
“So I reached out to a public art consulting agency called authority creative and got a bit of work with them. This really gave me an insight into the industry and I met a bunch of artists who were doing it full-time as a career.”
Seeing other people do what Mr Black dreamt of gave him the inspiration to do it himself,
“From that point on I had such a desire to paint as a job,” he said. “Right now, I definitely have a bunch to learn but I feel like I’ve got my groove and really love the work that I’m producing.”
Mr Black is currently working on an art show called ‘Sacred’ which will be exhibited in The Rocks from March 31 as well as a number of other new projects.
“I’m not trying to look too far out in the future but I’ve got a vision of where I want my art to go and my career,” he said.
“I would love to connect with some overseas galleries and paint bigger walls.”
To the young artists out west, Mr Black encourages them all to dive head first.
“Embrace it all,” he said. “The west is such a cool culturally diverse area that you don’t get in any other part of Sydney. Don’t be afraid to explore an area that is outside of your norm and have fun.”
Yasmin Arkinstall
Classical singer and music teacher at Penrith Conservatorium, 26-year-old Yasmin Arkinstall, has the west tapping their toes to her every tune.
Having completed a Bachelor of Music the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Ms Arkinstall has worked to leave her mark in her field of expertise through her passion for storytelling through music and education in vocal sciences.
“I continue to sing and research into vocal pedagogy across a range of styles to this day. I really enjoy teaching students of all ages and different cultures,” she said.
The Lalor Park local has an impressive list of achievements for someone who’s lived for just over a quarter of a century.
She was selected as one of eight soloists in Penrith Conservatorium’s 2020 Young Artist Program “Street Notes” and was also awarded a grant by the Australia Council For the Arts alongside composer, Dr Eve Klein, to create an operatic, autobiographical work that Ms Arkinstall will perform in 2023.
Ms Arkinstall has also garnered her fair share of media attention with her talents.
“I have sung for and been interviewed by Studio 10 in 2018, 2019 and 2021 and have shared my journey with the Australian Women’s Weekly and CutCommon magazine.”
“In 2019, I sang as a soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major and Handel’s Messiah at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.”
She even performed solos at the 2003 Schools Spectacular when she was eight-years-old, the 2013 UWS campaign launch for then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard and was in the top 10 in NSW for the 7 News Young Achiever Awards in the NSW/ACT Community Services category for her mental health and disadvantage advocacy in 2019 and 2020.
Currently working on a one-woman show while tutoring piano and vocals privately, Ms Arkinstall said she saw herself continuing to build a holistic relationship with music.
“ I would like to keep putting myself out there for performance opportunities and most importantly, enjoying my singing rather than having a purely clinical, mechanical relationship with it – a common trap to fall into with classical training,” she said.
“I hope I can pass the joy of singing and music-learning on to my students as well.”
Ms Arkinstall encouraged young western Sydney musos to keep at it.
“Keep working on personal development and looking out for new opportunities,” she said. “Being resourceful is such a great skill to practise, and if I didn’t put myself out there or keep an eye out for the latest artist call-outs online, I wouldn’t have received many of the offers I’ve been lucky to get.”
Blake Tatafu
Blake Tatafu, 29, is a proud Wiradjuri/Dunghutti (Aboriginal) and Tongan man who has been involved with a number of Indigenous causes including working closely with Stolen Generation survivors and promoting intergenerational healing to communities across the country.
The Penrith local holds a wealth of experience, knowledge and is wise beyond his years.
He has worked with the Healing Foundation over the past decade to implement concepts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing and intergenerational healing to communities across Australia, including Stolen Generation survivors.
“The amount of knowledge I have learned from my Elders across country has helped me shape a better understanding of myself as an Aboriginal man and more meaning to the work I do,” Mr Tatafu said.
The 29-year-old was also accepted into the National Indigenous Youth Parliament Program where six representatives from each state and territory gather to learn about the functions of our parliamentary processes.
During this program, Mr Tatafu was elected as the Indigenous Youth Prime Minister by his peers and tabled a speech about the epidemic of suicide in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Mr Tatafu represented Australia in the Commonwealth Leadership Programme in the United Kingdom.
“It was a surreal experience,” he said. “This task force was set up over two months across Scotland and England by HRH Prince Charles. I was completely immersed in this insular space with young leaders from across the Commonwealth to work on global issues that affect young people.”
He was also one of ten Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People from across Australia to work exclusively with Headspace Australia to develop a national campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.
More recently, Mr Tatafu has been admitted to an Aboriginal Affairs NSW Project Advisory Committee and begun working on a $20 million legacy commitment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in western Sydney:
“Not many people can say they got to work in a $20 million project,” he said. “In the two years in this role, I was a part of an incredible local and state team to work alongside community, attaining their needs and goals that would allow young people to thrive in their communities through education, employment, STEM, arts and culture.”
Mr Tatafu currently resides in Penrith and is the senior project officer at Kimberwalli, the Aboriginal Centre for Excellence based in Whalan.
He is also completing a postgraduate degree at Sydney University in Indigenous Health Promotion (Social Emotional Wellbeing) and sees himself actively working within Indigenous initiatives for the rest of his career.
The impressive young activist encouraged youth from the west to ditch the stigma.
“Do not ever believe or buy in to the stigma that being from the west is a bad thing or that it limits your worth,” he said.
“I really want young people to know that in western Sydney, everything you need is at your feet. Seek out new experiences and learn to laugh at yourself, it will do you wonders.”
Clarissa Sempel
Hardworking. Resilient. Brave. Disciplined. There aren’t enough words that can describe the drive and success of this 28-year-old lawyer from Campbelltown.
Clarissa Sempel was the eldest of seven children and was familiar with life in a low socio-economic bracket.
“Neither of my parents had steady jobs when I was growing up and I took on a lot of responsibility in supporting my parents and siblings,” Ms Sempel said.
Her family was hit hard by tragic circumstances near the end of Ms Sempel’s high schooling.
“My father passed away from suicide when I was 16 years old. This was in my final year of high school, and I spent a lot of time supporting and helping mum during this sensitive transitional point in our family life,” she said.
As a result, Ms Sempel told NewsLocal she got a relatively low ATAR but despite this she went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Wollongong.
She then went on to do law at CQ University while working full-time.
“Most of my income from work during this time went to my family to support my mother and siblings, as my family is extremely important to me. I wanted my siblings to have everything they needed to succeed at school and in life,” she said.
Ms Sempel joined Access Law Group in 2016 as a personal assistant and now works there as a practising lawyer and associate.
“I maintain a strong focus on helping people, whether providing guidance and emotional support in the workplace, or advocating for mental health awareness through the various non-profit organisations I support,” Ms Sempel said.
Ms Sempel looks forward to progressing in her industry and hopes to one day open her own business.
These are Ms Sempel’s words of wisdom to the youth of the west.
“If I could give any advice, it would be to just keep working towards achieving your goals.”
“Remember to take tiny steps – set small goals, and that taking a step backwards doesn’t mean you should lose sight of your dreams.”
Harry Truong
Real estate agent Harry Truong is the kind of person you want on your team.
The 24-year-old real estate young gun moved to Australia, from Vietnam, in 2012 and went to Marrickville High School, later graduating with a Finance and Management degree from UTS.
Mr Truong hustled from day one, spending two years at Ray White in Cabramatta as a property consultant but he knew that his passion lay in the sales sphere.
“After being in real estate for two years I had decided to branch out on my own and opened my current business named VinaOpera Real Estate,” Mr Truong said.
“Vina symbolises the Vietnamese community and opera is the most iconic symbol of Australia,” he said. “I am of my roots and wanted this to influence my passion, helping not only Vietnamese but Australians with my wisdom to provide them with any real estate needs.”
Mr Truong and his business partner have worked long hours everyday to deliver a real estate agency that is wholeheartedly committed to its locals.
Initially starting with two members, the company has now expanded to eight and is projected to grow further.
Despite the fact he’s only walked this earth for less than a quarter of a century, Mr Truong has collected a number of accolades in his field.
Mr Truong has hopes to expand his empire over the next decade.
“I’m looking to expand into the brokerage and the development industry. It’s never too late to explore your potential. The sky is the limit,” he said.
Mr Truong encouraged youth to explore and embrace rejection.
“Always do what you want to kick start your career, there will always be room for mistakes,” he said. “Never give up if you have a dream to do something that you are passionate about.
“When I was at the start of my career, rejections and doubts were my best friends but never once did I let myself feel less than anyone. There are secret opportunities in every failure.”
The BurgerHead boys
Three 20-something burger kings, who double as fine dining trained chefs, came together their love for food into a restaurant chain that delivers the best burgers in the west.
Josh DeLuca, 29, and his two friends Richard Borg and Tim Rosenstrauss noticed a gap in the market for juicy, satisfying burgers and decided to fill it.
Mr DeLuca, in 2013, discovered what a wonder burgers could hold after travelling through Sweden and trying a burger at Flippin’ which inspired him to pursue the burger trade.
Returning to work at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Sydney, he met Mr Borg and the two youngsters, 21 and 20 at the time, decided that opening up an eatery was the way forward so they began testing recipes and spotted a gap in the market out Blacktown and Silverdale way, where they were raised.
To learn how to manage front of house work at his own diner, Mr DeLuca went back to university and he did a degree in Business with a double major in Hospitality Management and Accounting while Mr Borg opened ‘Master’ in Surry Hills.
Within one month of opening, Master received a chef hat, a huge deal in the restaurant world.
That’s when Mr Rosenstrauss joined the narrative, as a front of house member at Master.
Fast forward to February 2016, the three men had their first official business meeting at El Jannah in Blacktown.
After a couple of bumps in the road, the boys eventually found a place to call home in Penrith and signed the lease in 2016. They haven’t looked back since and have become a staple of the food scene out west.
Catherine Madziva
This 24-year-old beauty queen brings just as much intellect to the table as she does elegance.
Marsden Park Catherine Madziva, was crowned ambassador of the Miss Sahara pageant after entering the competition in 2019.
Ms Madziva recently finished up at university with a Bachelor of Social Work and has since worked in the policy sector at the Western Sydney Community Forum.
Originally from Zimbabwe, where she spent the first five years of her life, she moved to western Sydney and set up base with her family in the Hawkesbury region.
“We first lived in Hawkesbury and contrary to what you would assume as it’s a predominantly white area, the people were so welcoming of me and my family. I had such a positive upbringing there,” Ms Madziva said.
The west has also played a key role in Ms Madziva’s life.
“The west has brought rich experiences to me, not just in food, but in engaging with people from all over the world,” she said. “It is a perfect representation of the world at large. Growing up out west has fuelled my natural interest in people and passion for my profession, social work, and ensuring that people thrive wherever they are.
“Western Sydney has shaped my drive for creating spaces and policies that enable people to thrive not just in the region but beyond. I will always be grateful for my time here and the lesson I have learned.”
Right now, Ms Madziva has her plate full of commitments. She’ll be the Miss Sahara ambassador until the next beauty queen is crowned in May 2022, she’s continue her work in social policy and strive forth with modelling and advocacy in the beauty space.
The future looks picture perfect for this passionate changemaker.
“I see myself as a businesswoman and having more of my work centre around African women living in the diaspora. I could also see myself writing a book,” she said.
The Miss Sahara ambassador said she was excited for young people growing up out west.
“This is such a great time to be growing up in the west. There are so great mentors,” she said.
“Get involved in your local community. If you want to do music, there are so many artists and producers, fashion. so many designers and photographers. Anything you want to get into, you can find it in the west. The amount of talent being cultivated and showcased, is unreal.”
Bernadette Fam
Actor-turned-theatremaker, 24-year-old Bernadette Fam, is western Sydney’s stage darling for a reason.
She studied to be an actor but hit a bit of a road bump on her journey.
“After graduating I found that I wasn‘t passionate about any of the roles I was seeing on stage. That’s when I decided I wanted to learn how to make my own work as a theatre maker,” she said.
“I started doing interdisciplinary theatre-making with the Originate program at Q Theatre and quickly fell in love with it. After that I chased any opportunity to also learn about writing, directing and dramaturgy as they filled my creative soul up.”
However, Ms Fam felt herself getting frustrated again.
“The majority of mainstage and independent theatre I was seeing still didn’t reflect the Australia I grew up with and knew,” she said.
“This is when I joined forces with Leila Enright, she taught me how to produce and we created Green Door Theatre Company.”
Now her vision is clear and her path is carved.
“My purpose in this industry is simple: I work to see the Australia I see outside my window every day accurately represented on all stages in Australia and for their stories to be as celebrated just as much as their upper class or systemically privileged counterparts,” she said.
During her time in the creative industry, Ms Fam has made some massive power moves.
In 2018 she received the Young Creative Leaders Fellowship for Create NSW which she says was a “pivotal moment” as an emerging artist.
Ever since starting Green Door, Ms Fam has powered through projects despite the pandemic swings at the arts industries.
“Every single work we put on I come out of it as a better creative and a better person,” she said.
“Also with Green Door, I just finished up directing Chewing Gum Dreams by Michaela Coel. The creative process I went through with my incredible performer Masego Pitso is one I will never forget.”
It seems the 24-year-old powerhouse is not planning to slow down anytime soon.
“I also work part time as Creative Producer at Critical Stages Touring and just came back from a one week creative development for Sunlit by JoJo Zhou where I got to work as dramaturge and director.”
In a decade’s time Ms Fam sees herself as a head of New Work or an artistic director of a company that specialises in new Australian work.
The passionate theatremaker encouraged young westies to embrace what they have.
“Working in the city is great fun but do not take for granted the opportunities locally around you,” she said. “Western Sydney is full of so much colour, richness and incredible displays of the human spirit that you cannot get anywhere else. Embrace it. Learn from it. Celebrate it.”
Emergency frontliners: Firefighter Cameron Collins and paramedic William Edwards
If anyone deserves to be recognised in the world right now, it’s those who have been on the front lines as our nation has battled the pandemic and an array of natural disasters from floods to fires and beyond.
25-year old firefighter Cameron Collins, of North St Marys, spent his teenage years pursuing a professional football career for the Penrith Panthers but at 20, he shifted his sights to firefighting.
“This journey led me to an opportunity in an indigenous pathway program called ‘Indigenous Fire and Rescue Employment Strategy’ which after a roughly 24 month training program led me being fortunate enough to be offered a job with Fire and Rescue NSW as a professional firefighter.”
Mr Collins encouraged youth to see rejection as redirection.
“For me the key achievement in my life so far was my ability to fail at one career which I invested so much into, then be resilient enough to refocus myself, find a new path and work my way through it to put me in the position I am today which is a successful representative of the Indigenous Fire and Rescue employment strategy and becoming a firefighter.”
Blaxland paramedic William Edwards, 28, has also been on the frontline.
Having completed a Bachelor of Health Science (sport and exercise), he was the first person in his family to attend and complete university.
“I have gone on to further my studies in a Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology (rehabilitation) and Diploma of Paramedical Science,” he said.
Mr Edwards was also the recipient of the Blue Mountains Health Trust scholarship in 2013 while at university, allowing him to complete his studies and serve his western Sydney community working as a NSW Paramedic.
“In 2020 I received the NSW Ambulance Commissioners Certificate for my assistance as the NSW Liaison Officer during the 2019-2020 bushfires in the Western Sydney Nepean Blue Mountains area,” he said.
“Additionally, I was fortunate to receive both the NSW Premiers Emergency Citation and the National Emergency Medal for the 2019-2020 bushfires and my assistance during this time.”
You may even have spotted him out at the floods.
“Recently, I have performed the role of NSW Ambulance Liaison and Forward Commander during the major flooding that occurred in the North Richmond area.”
Mr Edwards encouraged young people to be courageous.
“You are on your own path and do not compare yourself to others. Everyone is on a different journey and at different stages of life,” he said.
“It is important to be happy with yourself and measure your actions, thoughts, and words only against your own values and integrity.”
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