1. Jessica Mellor

The dynamo chief operating officer of Star Entertainment Group’s substantial and surging Gold Coast island complex at Broadbeach is on the up. Four years ago at just 31 she was made CEO of Aquis Entertainment which owned Casino Canberra. Now she oversees Star’s Broadbeach island entertainment and hotel resort which includes the existing Star Grand and Darling hotels, is constructing a third to house the country’s first Dorsett hotel with an approved $2 billion masterplan that will eventually see four more towers rise up. She is a frequent authoritative and insightful speaker at city events including the Gold Coast Bulletin’s Future Gold Coast forum.

2. Meaghan Scanlon

At the age of 24, this Aquinas College graduate and lawyer became the youngest woman ever to sit in Queensland Parliament after claiming the seat of Gaven for Labor. But she hasn’t stopped there.

After this year’s state election victory, Scanlon was appointed by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk as Minister for Environment, the Great Barrier Reef, Science and Youth Affairs - making her the youngest ever cabinet minister at just 27.

3. Zane and Omar Sabre

Founded three years ago, the brothers created personalised leather goods company Maison de Sabre to keep their family financially afloat after their father’s cancer diagnosis.

In 2020, they emerged as a pandemic success story, increasing global sales by 65 per cent since March. Zane says they now ship their products to 75 different countries on any given day and recently clocked $250,000 worth of sales in 48 hours over the click frenzy sale period.

4. Simon and Tahnee Beard

Fresh out of high school and working at Carrara Markets, Simon Beard probably wouldn’t have believed you if you said his future customers would include Snoop Dogg, A$AP Rocky and Cristiano Ronaldo. But an entrepreneurial spirit was sparked selling Schoolies merchandise on the Gold Coast, and before too long, Simon and wife Tahnee were establishing a business that would go on to become one of the world’s most renowned streetwear brands. The couple started Culture Kings in 2008 with a humble shopfront on the Gold Coast, which a decade later has exploded into a primarily e-commerce business with a VIP client base that includes some of the biggest names in music and sport. The company employs 500 people and operates eight shopfronts across the country.

5. Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic

Six years ago these childhood friends decided to create a teeth-whitening brand … four years later they made it to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 rich list.

Their brainchild, HiSmile, was born out of their observations of the oral cosmetics industry, and they noticed the absence of brand and focus in the market.

Nik, now 25, and Alex, 26, pooled their $20,000 savings, which soon multiplied, executed a savvy social media strategy and became two of Australia’s youngest self-made multimillionaires.

6. Tom Barry-Cotter

The 32-year-old is the brand director and design director at Gold Coast luxury yacht manufacturer Maritimo, founded by his father Bill Barry-Cotter. But Barry-Cotter Junior is more than forging his own path within the boat building success story - after a brief foray of his own into bespoke luxury yacht design with his own Elandra brand. At Maritimo he oversees all design and product development, it’s global branding and all the while continues to rack up world power boating titles including two prestigious XCAT trophies.

7. Sam O’Connor

As well as being the youngest LNP MP on the Gold Coast, Sam O’Connor shares something else in common with political opposite Meaghan Scanlon.

The Bonney MP was named Shadow Minister for Environment and Great Barrier Reef, Shadow Minister for Science and Innovation and Shadow Minister for Youth in the LNP cabinet shake-up following its election loss.

The 29-year-old has already called for a new science centre to be the city’s next tourist attraction.

8. Casey Lyons

Born and bred Gold Coaster Casey Lyons, 31, along with now US-based best mate Sam Webb, founded not-for-profit company LIVIN after they lost their best friend to suicide. Together the pair have changed the way many Australians understand mental health.

The company’s mantra ‘it ain’t weak to speak’ is spread through the development of cutting-edge education programs, trendy fashion apparel and powerful educational initiatives that raise awareness for suicide prevention. Saving lives never looked so good.

9. Tammy Hembrow

This Gold Coast girl rose to Instagram fame with her post-pregnancy body transformations, amassing a huge following that included the Kardashians.

With more than 11.8 million followers on her Instagram alone, Hembrow is perhaps Australia’s best known social media influencer.

It’s estimated that the 26-year-old can earn north of $55,000 for a post, on top of her clothing lines and fitness app.

10. Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden

It’s been a big year for the brand new Division 7 city councillor, who represents the suburbs of Arundel, Helensvale, Labrador, Molendinar and Parkwood.

Previously a teacher of science and languages at The Southport School as well as a respite carer for children with disabilities at Orana House in Labrador, Cr Bayldon-Lumsden, 27, soon made waves in his new position after breaking ranks with the Gold Coast City Council over its controversial move to evict tinnies from Labrador and Biggera Waters foreshores.

11. Tani Bloudell

Whether it’s lending a hand at Mudgeeraba Special School, feeding the homeless with Homeless Connect or creating care packages for foster kids, this 24-year-old 2020 Harvey Norman Gold Coast Woman of the Year has made kindness a way of life.

Tani is currently East Coast fundraising co-ordinator, a volunteer for Radio Lollipop and was appointed as the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament Member for Mudgeeraba. Tani says she’s eager to get into politics - an arena that always needs more kindness.

12. Emily Skye Anderson

This social media wizard has amplified her super fit image into a lucrative business, amassing millions of Facebook followers, Instagram fans and dollars.

Now a mother of two at age 35, Emily Skye is known for her rigorous commitment to physical health and fitness and is devoted to body positivity no matter her shape or size.

13. Nick Crosland

When he plunged into business aged just 19, Nick Crosland had to contend with floods and the GFC.

But he didn’t just survive but thrive … with the 33-year-old now owning nine Highgrove Bathroom franchises with more on the way, as well as trying his hand at property development.

“I earned long service leave by the age of 28 … five years later and I still haven’t used it. Dedication pays off,” he says.

14. Lachlan Marshall and Jared Johnson

These long-time friends and real estate fiends recently moved house from Ray White Surfers Paradise to Harcourts Coastal.

The move will see them as equity partners in Harcourts Coastal Commercial, working with top gun Dane Atherton in this joint venture to explore commercial property opportunities.

15. Mike Kellett

This health food entrepreneur and former bodybuilder has become a heavyweight in the industry after launching his protein powder Macro Mike.

As well as being named a finalist in the 2020 Australian Young Entrepreneur Award, Mike recently launched a community gym in Burleigh to help ‘oddballs’ like himself.

But his Macro Mike products, including its peanut butter plant-based protein powder, have gone pure mainstream, stocked at 2000 outlets across Australia with sales soaring 300 per cent in the past eight months.

16. Mary Grant

Co-director and founder of McTaggart Grant Lawyers, Mary is an accomplished corporate and business lawyer as well as the president of the Young Professionals Gold Coast.

Born in Toowoomba and a country girl at heart, Mary now loves not just the Coast but connecting like-minded young guns to help shape the city.

And just to keep it balanced, Mary is also an avid touch football player and a member of the Palm Beach Touch Football Association.

17. Portia Large

Awarded an Order of Australia and a Miss Universe Australia finalist while still technically a teen, Portia is accustomed to achieving - and prolific. While studying business and marketing at university, Portia founded her first company, sourcing commercial talent for Southern Cross Austereo, before moving into television commercials and radio production departments.

The 26-year-old - who has body doubled in big budget movies including as a surfer for Blake Lively in The Shallows - is now a director at her own firm Large Media and Public Relations (LMPR), building and protecting business reputations for a range of luxury marine and property clients plus offering her services for good causes such as impressive spinal cord rehab centre Making Strides at Burleigh and paralysis cure fundraising. She also writes occasional opinion pieces for the Bulletin.

18. Sharine Duran

After launching her first start-up at age 22, it’s little wonder that Sharine, now 25, is powering ahead with her latest venture Adzurra.

A one-stop fashion app that features everything from apparel to beauty, the Adzurra app enables shoppers to search products based on location to purchase online, click & collect or reserve in-store. Adzurra’s aim is to digitise the in-store browsing experience so shoppers can search offline products from homes … think the Iconic for brick-and-mortar stores.

19. Carly Fradgley

As the founder and CEO of Baby Give Back, a charity that works tirelessly to collect and safety check essential baby items donated or purchased for families referred via social service agencies, Carly specialises in creating hope.

The 34-year-old mum of two stepped down from her career as a lawyer in order to concentrate full-time on the charity, which has grown massively since its inception four years ago.

20. Hayden McEvoy

After overcoming academic and personal struggles in school himself, former swimmer Hayden McEvoy, 29, wanted to relay the lessons learned to help the next generation succeed in life.

Founding A Team Tuition in 2012, the company specialises in ‘academic personal training’ and has experienced impressive growth in student numbers, staff and revenue.

McEvoy says his vision for the next decade is to expand Australia-wide and become ‘the most influential education entity’ in the Australian market.