30 under 30: Trailblazers share their experiences of being small business owners in FNQ
From refurbishing an abandoned high school into a recreation centre to supplying designer wear for hire at affordable prices, the Far North is home to great business ideas and an even greater batch of young entrepreneurs.
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Starting a business equates to some level of financial risk, personal struggle and an unending list of to-dos – a scary prospect for some but more than a worthy challenge for others.
We love entrepreneurs for they see possibilities in place of risk, an opportunity for growth in an area of struggle and an unbridled enthusiasm towards a future only they envision.
From refurbishing an abandoned high school into a recreation centre to supplying designerwear for hire at affordable prices, the Far North is home to great business ideas and an even greater batch of young entrepreneurs making a mark in beauty, fashion, digital media, construction, fitness, automotives and more.
In this list, in no particular order, we shine a light on 30 of the region’s top young trailblazers enriching the community with their entrepreneurial spirit as they share their journeys, lessons and plans for the future.
Pip Buhler, 25, Cairns Property Clearances
Three years ago, Pip Buhler started a business revolutionising the sale of second-hand items by eliminating the need for storage.
“When older people are downsizing they offer a low price, items are taken away and sold on site for a high price,” she said.
“With our model at Cairns Property Clearances, we eliminate the need for trucks and storage.
“We go into the property, take photos, conduct item evaluation, list the items online, and make our money purely on commission after sale.”
The core aim for Ms Buhler was to reduce carbon emissions after she noticed the number of furniture and other items going straight to the dump.
The scalable business model has earned her six figures in “a small town” in less than three years and now she will share her knowledge acquired through trial and error at the Green Student Conference later in June.
“You can start the business with just $36, and it promotes sustainability – it is a win win for everyone and it makes more money for the owner.”
Ms Buhler started her first business at 17, which she sold at 19.
One of her early ventures was a babysitting business serving families, doctors and lawyers in an affluent neighbourhood in Auckland with a team of part-time nannies.
“People would constantly tell me I am too young,” she said.
“If I could tell my younger self something it would be what’s the worst that can happen?”
Ryan Melita, 29, RAM Recreational Centre
In November 2022, Innisfail entrepreneur and YouTuber Ryan Melita opened RAM Recreational Centre to provide a secure and enjoyable space for families and youth within the community.
“With Innisfail being a small town, I observed my friends, who had young families, frequently travelling outside of town on weekends to keep their children engaged,” he said.
“Given the increase in youth crime in our region, I felt a strong desire to contribute to the community that had provided me with invaluable support and growth during my formative years.”
Initially, Mr Melita shared his idea through a YouTube video and going by the community’s response and support, took the plunge despite the daunting prospect of high overhead costs.
“As my own boss, especially within a small company, the most challenging aspect is the sheer volume of tasks that land on my plate each day,” he said.
“I’ve learned the importance of effective time management and consistently remind myself of why I started in the first place.”
Mr Melita said he was exploring the possibility of acquiring land to expand and enhance the recreational centre in future.
Brett Farinelli, 22, Rebel Coffee
Open Monday to Saturday, Rebel Coffee is a popular joint for takeaway coffee, treats and a leisurely weekend brekky on Edith Street in Innisfail.
Owner Brett Farinelli’s tryst with the business began as a regular customer, when he would stop by the cafe three times a day.
“The previous owner one day told me he was thinking of selling and I was immediately interested,” he said.
“I saw the potential in the business and thought there was room for improvement by adding fresh food that was ready to go as most of our clientele expects the best coffee, consistency and fast.”
Mr Farinelli credited his success to the people working with him.
“I value my staff and treat them well,” he said.
“They are like family and this means they take as much pride in my business as I do.”
Bella Sinopolli, 29, Bella’s Boutique Dress Hire
Bella Sinopoli’s love for fashion and design combined with a desire to give everyone the opportunity to wear designer clothes “for an eighth of the price” led to the launch of Bella’s Boutique Dress Hire in 2020.
What started as an Instagram side hustle is now an Australia-wide online business, with local styling and trying sessions on offer in Cairns.
“As women, we only wear things once anyway,” Ms Sinopoli said.
A passionate fashionista from a very young age, she learnt to sew and studied designing and fashion at TAFE.
“I had my own label but pursuing that career would have led to relocation,” she said.
A decade’s worth of experience in retail, fashion and beauty, including management of a beauty studio and a store in Cairns Central, equipped Ms Sinopoli with a range of skills for her solo venture.
“When it is your own business, you can’t afford to pay everyone all the time,” she said.
“I do a lot of the work myself and it can be lonely.
“It is not an overly glamorous job though I work with a lot of beautiful things creating content and doing photo shoots, there is also cleaning and steaming dresses, doing admin and all of that.”
According to Ms Sinopoli, the core ingredient to her success is the effort she puts into marketing and creating her own content.
She also credited Instagram as her most powerful tool in attracting inquiries and creating a personalised connection.
Her plan this year is to focus on converting a portion of her new home into a showroom.
“As the mother of a five-year-old, it will allow me to work from home and be more flexible,” she said.
Rhiannon Innes, 28, Her Skin Studio
Rhiannon Innes was 21 when she started her career as a cosmetic nurse with a private plastic surgeon.
“It sparked my passion for cosmetic injectables and helping women feel confident in their skin,” Ms Innes said.
A desire to offer women high quality cosmetic injectable treatments with a more conservative and natural approach in a comfortable environment led to the start of her own skincare business – Her Skin Studio.
“I had developed a strong relationship with my patients and it was their support and trust that gave me the confidence to take the plunge,” Ms Innes said.
A challenging aspect of running her own clinic, according to Ms Innes, was the level of responsibility and accountability required along with “behind the scenes” work, seeing patients and having a life.
“One of the most rewarding aspects is the sense of fulfilment and achievement that comes from building something of my own and positively impacting patients’ lives.”
Building lasting relationships with clientele and other professionals in beauty and healthcare helped her provide comprehensive services and a great customer experience, she said.
“My dream for the future is to continually grow our knowledge, expand our services and staff so we can offer the local community more high quality and effective treatments.”
Brody Oxenham, 26, Manexo Media
As someone who always wanted to work for himself, Mr Oxenham studied business in high school and in university, and during his last semester founded Manexo Media – a digital marketing business.
A fully remote business, he works with one full-time employee in Brisbane and a team of contractors around Australia to provide digital marketing solutions for businesses that want to generate more customers by setting up high performing websites and “ads that work”.
“We try to understand their industry and build a strategy for the type of business,” Mr Oxenham said.
“We step in until they can hire can someone internally, which is the ideal outcome.”
According to him, the biggest lesson on this journey was focusing on providing “value for those you serve”.
“No matter what you are doing, you are helping solve a problem or you are not achieving the goal of your business,” he said.
Understanding how to juggle everything as a business owner and how to have a personal life and grow a business was another key lesson for him.
As a self-confessed introvert, networking events were way out of Mr Oxenham’s comfort zone at first.
“I really love it now and I’d say to others who may be nervous – realise you have a purpose to be in that room, and find networking events that suit you, find your tribe.”
Estelle Plant, 22, Dahlia Beauty Salon
Estelle Plant launched her beauty studio Dahlia Beauty on Mulgrave Road just last month to provide lash extensions, eyebrow and make-up services to the community.
“I like making people look pretty,” she said.
“Since I was young, I have done my mum’s make-up and hair.
“When I was 15, I worked for modelling agencies on their photo shoots and also gathered work experience at a studio.”
What started as a home-based venture with a few clients soon blossomed into a business dream for the Edmonton local, who acquired her salon space in March.
Ms Plant thanked her parents for their encouragement and support.
“My dad looked it up and found around 30 places that do lashes in Cairns,” she said.
“I’m not really worried though because whatever happens, it will all work out in the end.”
According to Ms Plant, there was a big demand for the services she offered, with many aspirants studying courses in beauty and looking for their break in the competitive field.
“In the future, I definitely want to give people an opportunity to work and help them get the job of their dreams,” she said.
Ms Plant continues to work as a disability support worker two days a week while growing her business.
Simone Pringle, 25, Western Road Clothing & Tack
Simone Pringle was 15 when she started working at AME Saddlery in Mossman after school.
Four years later, she officially bought the business and rebranded it as Western Road Clothing & Tack.
“We stock quality country clothing including, hats, boots and saddlery with a wide range of major brands,” Ms Pringle said.
“We pride ourselves on personalised customer service and excellent product knowledge.
“We have recently brought out our own clothing line including caps and tees, keeping it minimal, modern and a little country.”
Growing up with cattle and horses, Ms Pringle said she had a natural love for the country lifestyle.
“I became passionate within the forever changing Western fashion industry and I just simply love and take pride with what I do.”
She recalled the fond memory of receiving her first online order from Victoria.
“No one actually prepares you for the feeling it gives you – that someone else is willing to support your little business, that doesn’t even know you,” she said.
“That was when I knew I could do this and there’s people out there, other than my small hometown that are willing to support my dream.
“Also, having Orlando Bloom in our shop last year was a very surreal moment.”
Ms Pringle said a greater presence at festivals and events such as Savannah in the Round with their pop-up shop was definitely on the cards in the future.
Josh Fidrmuc, 27, Dial A Vet
Chief executive and founder Josh Fidrmuc launched Dial A Vet in October 2022 as a way for pet owners to speak to licenced veterinarians anywhere anytime through the app.
Now in his fifth business, Mr Fidrmuc – an ex student St Augustine’s student who has also worked in the army and in banking – said an entrepreneur has more clarity and executes better with every project.
“If you are saving people time and money, your business will do great,” he said.
His latest venture had its origins steeped in the bonds of mateship.
“My friend rang me and said he needed to take his pug to the vet and as a uni student, without enough money in peak Covid, to drive an hour-and-a-half away was tough,” he said.
Mr Fidrmuc, used his tech field experience from previous ventures in building an on-demand telehealth platform to help more people with a similar problem.
“How do I get both pet owners and vets on the app was the challenge followed by more problems like getting everyone to use it and pay the bills,” he said.
The aim was not just to market heavily to pet owners but also partnering with employers to offer it as a benefit.
“We are really going to target large employers saying ‘you will reduce stress, increase productivity and reduce time out of the office’.”
He was grateful for the idea going beyond local boundaries to generate national interest and said it was a great time to invest efforts into finding on demand solutions to everything.
“With nearly 70 per cent of people in Australia being pet owners, we now find there’s actually more pets in people’s houses than kids.”
Cairns was a great launch pad for its opportunities in education, funding and most of all low cost of living, he said.
Ellana Pearce, 25, El Adrift swimwear
Ocean lover Ellana Pearce’s entrepreneurial journey started at the young age of 10, when she sold handmade jewellery with her twin sister on their family road trip around Australia.
“I loved the idea of meeting people and creating something beautiful that people could wear on their nature adventures,” Ms Pearce said.
Her serious foray into building El Adrift, a sustainable swimwear line made from repurposed waste from post consumer textiles, started during her final year of study in Animal Ecology.
“I researched a lot, I brainstormed, I did my best to remain open minded and took criticism with a grain of salt,” she said.
“I dreamt of creating and owning my own business, but didn’t want to contribute to the fast fashion industry.
“I was scared, nervous and part clueless, but I always knew if I didn’t try – the feeling of never knowing would be a lot worse than failing.”
By tapping into the power of social media and working part time, she was able to save money to make samples and designs, and eventually choose and purchase her first launch.
“There’s something so amazing about taking that first leap no matter how small it may seem to others,” she said.
A standout moment in her career was working on El Adrift content and her pitch for the Accelerator for Enterprising Women challenge during hotel quarantine following border closures in 2021 and making it to the finals.
Currently a Masters student in Marine Biology at JCU, Ms Pearce is saving up to purchase a sewing machine to make her pieces bespoke for a more personal touch and in line with her small business and sustainability goals.
Zoe Quintieri, 21, Zoe Maree Media
Zoe Quintieri of Zoe Maree Media is a videographer who shoots for clients from Mareeba to Mission Beach.
“I do mostly wedding videos,” she said.
“I also did the Wheelbarrow Race recently and I do marketing for businesses.”
Ms Quintieri started her company in 2020, right in the middle of Covid and has managed to thrive without much marketing thanks to word-of-mouth referrals in her home town of Mareeba, return clients and Facebook.
“When I finished school at 18, I worked full-time in real estate and did photos on the side.
“I never knew what I wanted to do but knew I was creative and didn’t want to work for someone else.”
In 2020, Ms Quintieri moved to part-time work, which allowed her to focus on photography.
“There came a point where I felt I was getting pushed out of my job, when a new manager came in,” she said.
“I remember thinking – (it) feels like they don’t really need me here and maybe that's a sign I should focus on photography.”
Around then, she met her partner who as an experienced creative was able to help her out with setting up a website, invoicing and other professional advice.
Ms Quintieri, who is entirely self taught, said she has learnt a lot just from YouTube.
“Because of photography being so personal, no one has asked about qualifications,” she said.
“Your works and portfolio speak for itself.
“I have my own style, even when I have worked with other people like Toby Stanley and photographers in Dimbulah because we are all creative, there’s more community than competition.”
Mitchell White, 25, MW Brows And Lashes
Mitchell White was just 21 when he started his salon, MW Brows and Lashes, on Sheridan Street in 2019.
“I have always loved eyebrows but my journey officially began six years ago when I was working as a receptionist at a brow and lashes salon that used to be in the city,” he said.
His attendance at a BrowDaddy masterclass in Melbourne was a “light bulb” moment in his career.
“I was asked to be the model and got my brows cosmetically tattooed in front of over 100 cosmetic tattoo artists,” he said.
Four years into the business, Mr White is putting the word out to bring more members on board for the first time, in the hope of expanding the team.
“We will also be adding cosmetic tattooing for brows and lips to our services very shortly,” he said.
Heidi Healy, 28, La Belle Lash and Cairns Beauty Bar
Heidi Healy started her career in the lash industry in 2016 and a few years later established her lash business, La Belle Lash, after recognising the demand for high quality lashes.
“In 2019, I expanded my focus to education, specifically empowering young aspiring business owners,” she said.
“Finally, in 2021, I proudly founded Cairns Beauty Bar, a nurturing space where women in the beauty industry can unite, collaborate and foster meaningful business relationships.”
With over seven years of experience, her one piece of advice for aspiring business owners is to believe in themselves and their vision.
“Stay committed, embrace challenges, and never stop learning,” Ms Healy said.
“Surround yourself with a supportive network and be open to seeking guidance from mentors who can help you navigate the entrepreneurial journey.”
A daily ritual she swears by is practising gratitude and reflection through meditation and journaling.
“Starting each day with a positive mindset and appreciating the opportunities and challenges helps me approach my work with clarity and determination,” she said.
Rural ambassador for the Cairns Show this year, Ms Healy dreams of not just growing her own business but also empowering youth and women in business.
“I aspire to make a meaningful difference in my community by actively participating in local causes and volunteering where I can.”
Cassy Markus, 29, KUS Culture
KUS Culture is an Australian hair care company founded in 2018 by Cairns based entrepreneur Cassy Markus.
“I manufacture my own hair care products,” she said.
“I get them made in an organic factory in Brisbane but do my own formulations so I’m just trying to make the world better one strand at a time.”
Ms Markus said starting in Cairns was crucial in her journey as a businesswoman because of the support and community.
“Even the salons I stocked, there is such a great community aspect here,” he said.
A fully online business with wholesale supply, Ms Markus said e-commerce is where business is at right now.
“I have to show up on socials every day but I love what I do,” she said.
“Across all platforms, you have to have a presence.”
Her ability to be both extroverted and introverted and good public speaking skills have been a strength, she said, along with an undying passion and love for what she does.
“There is no balance to be honest but you need to know when to turn it off.”
Bodhi Peacey, 28, Optimum Electrical NQ
For almost a year now, Bodhi Peacey has been running Optimum Electrical NQ, providing normal electrical, solar and airconditioning services in the Tablelands.
“I used to work for another company but they closed down,” he said.
After its closure, Mr Peacey started his own venture which has been good, exciting and a little stressful.
”We have got two workers – a tradesman and an apprentice,” he said.
“What’s exciting is seeing your own growth and that if you work hard, you get your own dividends.”
According to Mr Peacey, an important quality that has served him well in his short time as a business owner is patience.
Eva Condullas, 23, Hair by Eva
Eva Condullas was 21 when she opened her hair salon Hair By Eva in Atherton, after an even earlier start in the hair industry at 14.
“Being able to start my own business was always the goal,” she said.
“An opportunity arose for me purchase a little shopfront and as soon as I saw the space, I knew it was perfect and it could be something special.”
According to Ms Condullas, her salon is a true representation of herself, allowing her to grow as a stylist and express her creativity freely.
“I think one of my stronger attributes as an entrepreneur is that I truly care for my clients,” she said.
“It’s important for me to really get to know my clients and develop good relationships with everyone who walks through the door.”
Despite putting in massive hours, her business hardly felt like work due to her love for the job, she said.
“I also think setting consistent goals to keep improving within my business and skills keeps my passion alive, which as a stylist is super important.”
Ms Condullas’ long term goal is to expand and has not ruled out opening another location.
“At this stage I am loving where I am at with my business and couldn’t be happier with my wonderful clients and now friends that I get to pamper every day,” she said.
Simon Cropper, 29, Cropper Construction
Mission Beach local Simon Cropper started his own business providing a range of construction services in 2017.
“There was a bit of risk at the start about getting work in a small town,” Mr Cropper said. “But then there was a fair bit of work going on and a customer base.”
Working in a small town where he grew up himself gave him the advantage of a client pool and word-of-mouth publicity.
“But if you do the wrong thing too, word gets around quick so we have to go that extra mile,” he said.
His biggest lessons as a business owner were the importance of communication and organisation.
”Letting your clients know even if it’s something minor,” he said.
Mr Cropper’s plans for the future were to grow his business around the Cassowary Coast.
“I don’t want to branch out statewide,” he said.
“Having a work life balance is very important for me.”
Chloe Hadley, 25, Wolf & Co
Chloe Hadley was an 18-year-old first year apprentice when she bought and created “classy and sassy” hair salon WOLF & CO.
“That was in 2016,” she said.
“I’m now 25 and in my 8th year as owner with five hairdressers from abroad.”
Ms Hadley said she loved every minute at her studio and thanked customers, staff and family for keeping the business going, in turn making her dreams come true.
“In the last two years, we have moved to a venue three times the size in a big beautiful salon on McLeod Street,” she said.
Persistence was her biggest lesson in all of these years of being a business owner.
“You’re going to fail and you’re going to make mistakes but you are going to succeed harder and stronger when you get through it,” she said.
“Pursue something you are passionate about and you will love every single day.”
Her advice was to never give up, never stop trying and never follow what anyone else is doing.
She credited owning her own business with opening up amazing opportunities to connect with “outstanding” hairdressers and business owners to bounce ideas off and boost creativity. “Meeting so many amazing people every single day keeps me inspired to see where the next chapter for us will go,” she said.
“We have had so many amazing opportunities to connect with fundraisers, charities and sponsorships over the years.”
Ms Hadley’s future goals are to capitalise on growth, support other local businesses in the community and create opportunities for jobs and education for future generations.
Alanna Brennan, 26, The Lucky Duck and Loud Mouth Media
Alanna Brennan is the founder and owner of two businesses in Cairns – The Lucky Duck and Loud Mouth Media.
The former is a gifting business while the latter is an all purpose media company.
“The Lucky Duck started because I love gifting and I was bored of the same three – chocolate, wine and flowers,” she said.
Born out of a desire to make gifting creative, special and thoughtful, the fully online business started nearly two years ago.
“I do local deliveries and have an e-commerce store, that is how people can customise or get a pre-made gift box.”
A remarkable moment in her journey so far was when the chief executive of a domestic violence prevention and awareness group called and purchased a gift box for her colleague and then called to ask if Ms Brennan could create 26 gift boxes for her entire team.
“That gesture restored faith that I am doing this for the right reasons,” she said.
Her goal was to serve the demands of all income classes.
She lauded the support of locals and shared how organic word-of-mouth advertising was so successful, she had not spent a single cent on Google Ads.
The idea to start Loud Mouth Media came from Ms Brennan’s hairdresser.
“She had a client who asked whether I do social media as a business and in that moment I didn’t but then knew straight away that I should,” she said.
“So, Loud Mouth was born.”
Her passion for online marketing, being a socialite, business and branding has helped create great brand exposure and “loud” results for her clients, she said.
“There’s a billion consumers out there, endless problems to solve, and I want to be part of that challenging but oh, so rewarding journey – one business at a time.”
Sharman Vickery, 26, Sharman Vickery Coaching
Born and raised in Cairns, Sharman Vickery runs a nutrition and fitness coaching business to provide education and structure to her clients’ lives in order for them to succeed long-term. “The biggest reason why people can’t maintain their results is a lack of education and that’s where I come in,” Ms Vickery said.
One-on-one check-ins, PDFs and guidebooks, example meal plans and a like-minded community to connect with were all part of the package for clients
“I also provide in-person sessions and bimonthly workshops (Ladies Learn to Lift) for any ladies who are new to the gym, wanting to perfect technique and feel confident walking into the gym and I do these out of Anytime Fitness, Manunda,” she said.
Starting a business in a city known to you definitely had its perks, according to Ms Vickery, in terms of client referrals and a network of support as clients.
“I’m not sure I’d have that if I had moved to a bigger city where I know nobody,” she said. “Starting a business in a city I’d lived in for 23 years and having connections with people to help me out when I needed it definitely helped a lot – and still does.”
Her biggest piece of advice to budding business folk was to adapt or get left behind and to focus on creating products for your customers, instead of finding customers for your products. “And my personal favourite, which I learned working at McDonald’s for a near-decade, is take care of your customers and your business will take care of itself,” she added.
The 25-year-old is currently pursuing a bachelors degree in Sport and Exercise Science and aims to continue growing her business by adding value to existing services.
Ms Vickery plans mentor other coaches once she finishes her degree.
“I will look into helping them get their systems set up, creating courses on various topics such as nutrition, programming, anatomy, etc. to help those wanting to learn more and add value to their own clients’ experience too.”
Toshandai Fejo, 20, Bulurru Yibi Art
20-year-old Toshandai Fejo is a full-time artist under her own business Bulurru Yibi Art.
She works Monday to Friday as a teacher’s aide and is also a cultural worker delivering cultural workshops to local kindergartens, workplaces and at community events.
“The hardest part about running my business is just finding the time to sit down but when any inspiration or free time comes I tend to jump on it straight away,” Ms Fejo said.
Blessed with community and a village of family and friends around who continued to show utmost respect and support, Ms Fejo said she appreciated the support.
“For the future, I hope to see myself and my family opening a cultural centre on Mamu Yabala (country), providing more opportunities for young local youth in my community, especially young Indigenous women,” she said.
“Opportunities like jobs within the centre assisting with workshops, looking after country and providing housing for the kids on the street.”
A recipient of a Cultural Award as part of the 2023 Australia Day celebrations, Ms Fejo said
she had been working closely with the Innisfail community and Cassowary Coast Council, providing digital artworks for future signage and partnerships.
“I have recently returned from Canberra where I attended Wiyi Yani U Thangani (Women’s Voices) which was an important summit that highlighted the critical role First Nations women play in building cohesive communities that prioritise care, safety, and wellbeing,” she said.
“I hope I’m just as courageous and passionate like my matriarchs before me to carry these values and lessons on.
“So many mixed emotions were felt sitting, listening and learning among so many beautiful, smart, strong black women.”
Ned Blackman, 26, BLACK Ned Blackman Building
Malanda resident Ned Blackman started his own building and construction company working in new homes, residential properties, in renovations and concreting after an apprenticeship and many years of experience in the field.
“There is a bit of risk going out on your own, but if you know what you are doing, it’s fine,” he said.
Word of mouth was a big asset and according to Mr Blackman, sincere efforts guaranteed good outcomes.
His ambition and proactive attitude in taking on new challenges have served him well in his journey so far, he said.
“Plans for the future are to get a couple more employees on board and keep growing the business.”
Gordan Peters, 29, Astute Financial Cairns
Gordan Peters had been running a Telco store as business manager for four years when he realised he wanted to do more to help people.
“As someone who wasn’t familiar with the ins and outs of finance growing up, my desire was to provide financial education to individuals to enhance their lives and give them a leg up,” he said.
“I was introduced to two owners of a smaller lender here in Cairns.
“Not having any expectations or experience in the industry, I connected with them and fell in love with what they were doing.”
Subsequently, Mr Peters joined Astute Finance, a larger brokerage, and three years later established his own mortgage broker business under the Astute umbrella.
“My mission is to assist people in realising their dream of owning a home in Australia, with a specific emphasis on aiding first-time homeowners and those seeking to refinance,” he revealed.
Since starting out on his own, Mr Peters said he had learnt the importance of reaching out to experts in his field.
“There will always be things that you do not know how to do,” he said.
“Whether it is related to accounting, marketing, or networking, ensure you surround yourself with like-minded people and mentors.”
Jo Mueller, Mueller Automotive
Jo Mueller of Mueller Automotives said disenchantment with a previous job made him want to be his own boss and led to him starting a business as a mobile mechanic.
His advice to others aspiring towards self employment was to never give up.
“When it gets overwhelming and you feel like quitting, that is when you get your sh*t together and push through,” he said.
“That is the only way to success.”
Mr Mueller’s plans for the future were to get a larger workshop for more space, better parking and more free time to enjoy the fruits of his hard work.
Ryan Davies, 23, Tropix Mobile Detailing
After nearly five years of working in IT, Ryan Davies decided to branch out into an area offering more stimulation and landed on an innovative idea to make cars look immaculate.
“I had a lot of equipment and so decided to start a mobile business out of my vehicle, which ran for three months,” he said.
Tropix Mobile Detailing, an in-house and mobile car detailing service, focuses on making rides look great with paint correction, ceramic coating and a popular base service of full maintenance detail among others.
He then invested in a purpose-built ute and is now wrapping up his first financial year as a small-business owner.
“I would say time management and remaining consistent have been big lessons,” he said.
“Word of mouth is good but it’s also good to invest there.”
While an airconditioned office was nice, Mr Davies did not seem to miss his former nine-to-five life and was focused on building his enterprise.
“In our industry, there’s a possibility of mishaps happening and I have found that being willing to rectify that goes a long way,” he said.
Katie Wilson, 27, At The Art Garage, Yungaburra
At the Art Garage provides quality art materials to hundreds of artists in the region, space for exhibitions and collaborations, as well as regular after-school classes and NDIS work.
Owner Katie Wilson praised the support of the local Yungaburra community and the Atherton Tablelands as the reason for the studio thriving as an art hub, a decade in.
“At the Art Garage was the brainchild of Jo-Ellen Bouttell and Debbie Doidge,” Ms Wilson said.
“In 2013 they opened the studio and I worked for them before they sold the business to me a few years later.
“I was 19-years-old and dived headfirst into the challenge of running a retail art store and gallery.”
The “golden egg” for Ms Wilson was nurturing a sense of community around creativity, she said.
“Every second person I meet is creative in some way, a woodworking shed down the back or spare room set up for textiles or a treasured travel journal.”
According to her, the studio did more than simply sell paint – it was a way of connecting like-minded people.
“I decided early on to not offer online shopping, an almost laughable choice in this day and age, just so that customers can be present in the studio when purchasing supplies,” she said. “We get to chat and discuss projects, techniques, and new materials. Creativity weaves a wonderful cobweb.”
Ms Wilson said she hoped to take a part of At the Art Garage on a road trip, as a portable shop/workshop collaborating with regional artists.
“There are big old stretches of dusty road between communities in FNQ and often the art education is quite isolated.”
Carla Barletta, 29, FNQ Fitness
Exercise physiologist Carla Barletta was working at a physiotherapy business in Atherton when she was approached by the owner for a sale.
“We were six months pregnant with our first child and the physiotherapy business was going through a rough patch when we acquired it so it was definitely not great timing,” she said.
Looking back at that phase, it was riddled with challenges for Ms Barletta and her partner who welcomed two children within two years of business which they struggled to sustain through a global pandemic.
However, the pride is immense for them today when they see how their business, FNQ Health and Fitness, has grown since.
“Initially, it was just me and a pilates instructor and now I have a team of 13 which includes personal trainers, exercise scientists and physiotherapists,” she said.
“When you are able to provide a service to the community, that’s rewarding.
“It outweighs all the challenges.”
Being in a small town, Ms Barletta said she had a great support network through doctors and allied health professionals.
Hard work and dedication have kept her in good stead for the journey, she said.
“I’m a headstrong sort of person, I just kept saying I’ve been given these challenges because God knows I can handle them,” she said.
“I had a three-week-old baby and had to take 5am classes.
“My husband would drive me down for it and looking back it is all so crazy.”
Ms Barletta deemed herself a people pleaser and said she would always expand services according to what people need.
These include outreach clinics and more exercise physiology and rehab based classes.
Monica Avolio, 27, Bellezza Beauty Bar
What started as a school-based apprenticeship at 14, became a full time job in beauty for Monica Avolio by the time she was 15.
After working from home as a beauty therapist for nearly two years, the high demand convinced her to move out on her own and at 21, Bellezza Beauty Bar was born. With the help of her mother Rosanna Avolio, who supports customer service, she has built a thriving business in Mareeba.
Ms Avolio said it was her daughter’s outstanding quality of work and dedication to go above and beyond for customers that made her stand out in an otherwise competitive market.
“She will go late into an appointment if it means mastering it the way she wants,” she said.
“The high quality she holds herself up to exasperates me sometimes but as a parent, I am so proud of her.
“She has done well for herself, buying her own house and car, and is constantly excited to bring new stuff on board.”
The beauty bar which offers nails, waxing, massage services will soon be adding cosmetic tattooing and more to its services.
Maisie Cetinic, 28, Circuit Tree Mobiles And Technology
After being in the mobile repair industry for six years, Maisie Cetinic decided to branch out on her own.
“Mareeba has a great community spirit, and they always try to support local small business first before looking to source what they require from larger retail chains,” she said.
“As long as you look after your customers, they’ll keep supporting you.”
An important takeaway for her after all these years in business was success does not happen overnight.
“It requires a lot of time and dedication to run a business that is successful,” she said. “Especially in its infancy, you need to be prepared to give up a lot of your personal time in order to get your business running well.”
Ms Cetinic and her partner have recently opened a second business called Circuit Tree Electrical Solutions following two years of operating Circuit Tree Mobiles and Technology.
Alana Jackson, 23, Lansi’s Burgers
Alana Jackson started her burger business as a “pop-up” styled takeaway shop in April 2021, subletting a space in Joey’s Cafe in Mission Beach.
“Since then we have expanded into a larger venue of our own and introduced a liquor license,” she said.
The 23-year-old Mission Beach resident’s passion for hospitality had its humble beginnings in The ShrubCo where Ms Jackson served burgers and worked under the two “best” bosses (Sam and Luke) ever.
“At the age of 18, they could see I was keen to learn more and gave me a chance to prove myself and learn their business inside and out,” she said.
TheShrubCo. unfortunately closed as a result of Covid and her bosses decided to explore other avenues, which is when Ms Jackson was offered an exciting opportunity to take over.
“I decided that with the support of my family, friends and Mission Beach locals, I had to take a chance on myself and just go for it,” she said.
A challenging aspect of working for herself was managing a work/life balance and not becoming totally consumed by work, she said.
A rewarding aspect was getting to put together a team and provide them opportunities to grow making the business more successful with their cheer and hard work.
“My advice to anyone wanting to start their own business venture is to remember there are always going to be people who doubt you and you are never going to be able to please every single customer and not to let that dishearten you.”
Ms Jackson said future plans involved continuing to improve Lansi’s Gourmet Burger Bar in Mission Beach and even possibly open a second location.
Micah Hart, 29, The Social Impact and Hart Creative Co
From a career in live production and concerts to providing content creation and digital marketing services, Micah Hart’s entrepreneurial journey began in 2020.
“After working overseas with an events company doing similar work and launching a production company, my wife and I decided to come home and create a similar opportunity here to help local small businesses,” Mr Hart said.
The Social Impact offers professional marketing services for businesses in Cairns and have followed with a network of businesses offering a range of services, including content studio Hart Creative Co, the largest photo & video studio in Cairns.
“I think the biggest challenge facing content creation at the moment would be keeping up with the latest technology,” he said.
“It’s an exciting time to be working in this space and every week we are adapting and making the most of the new tech constantly becoming available.
Special Mentions:
Barney Swan, 28, of Mossman-based ClimateForce
Zachariah O’Shannessy of Pyramid Shine Automotive Detailing
Raine Ward, 22, of Port Douglas-based business Maker
Any young business owners we might have missed who deserve to be on the list? Let us know at editorial@cairnspost.com.au
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Originally published as 30 under 30: Trailblazers share their experiences of being small business owners in FNQ
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