The Australian business owners enjoying huge success overseas

These Australian business owners have hit the big time on a global scale, and are raking in millions of dollars. Here’s how they did it.

When Patrick Kidd walked into luxury superstore, Barneys in New York, armed with some of his personally-designed grooming products, he didn’t expect to become their latest stockist.

But the man behind the counter was enamoured.

“He told me Patricks (mens grooming products) would be ‘sick in Barneys’, then introduced me to the buyer. The product was in the store a few months later.”

After Barneys, contracts with some of the world’s biggest stores followed — Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Harrods, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcas and Selfridges.

“It’s harder to get into the majors in the US, but once you’re in, it gives the brand so much credibility.”

Patricks is just one of many Australian businesses doing big things in the international market.

According to Austrade, exporters generated $1.56 trillion in turnover in 2020-21, contributing $646.6 billion to the Australian economy.

Across a wide range of countries and industries, our exporters, are larger, more productive, more skill- and capital-intensive, more innovative and pay higher wages, Austrade said.

Marketing expert Assoc. Prof. Park Thaichon, who is part of a team exploring how Australian businesses can successfully expand internationally, said there were three main strategies for international success.

“Observe the behaviours of early entrants or early companies … understand the characteristics of key players … and establish dynamic capabilities, especially in relation to resource management,” Assoc. Prof Thaichon said.

“Australian products are known for their high-quality standard, being environmentally friendly, and being innovative products.”

Assoc Prof. Thaichon said iconic brands such as Boost Juice and Canva were good examples of sustainable and innovative business that have blown up overseas.

These Aussie founders have also hit the big time globally.

Patrick Kidd started up a men's grooming company 'Patrick's', which has made it big overseas. Photo of Patrick, Wife Aimee, daughter Sylvia & son Sash. Photo: Tim Pascoe

DEBBIE LAWSON, DHARMA BUMS

In 2013, corporate executive turned yoga teacher, Debbie Lawson decided it was time to introduce ethical and sustainable options into the activewear industry.

She and her business partner, Mat Guthrie, launched the business in the northern beaches of Sydney, with half a dozen designs focused on a combination of performance and sustainability.

The designs were a winner and the Dharma Bum brand is now sold in retailers around the world, including the UK, USA, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, Cayman Island and Sweden.

International celebrities have also spruiked their products, including TikTok sensation Charli D’amelio who posted a video of herself wearing a Dharma Bums crop top to her 148 million followers.

Charli d'amelio posted a video of her wearing a Dharma Bums crop top. Picture: TikTok

Dr GINNI MANSBERG, E.S.K SKINCARE

Dr Ginni Mansberg had faith in her evidence-based skincare products, but it wasn’t until she sent them to the hosts of the Today Show in America, that the world caught on.

Dr Ginni Mansberg. Picture: Supplied

“The Today Show featured our Ageless Microneedle Patches and as a result of being voted ‘Most Innovative Product’ on the segment, we completely sold out,” Dr Mansberg said.

“It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say our microneedle patches literally flew off the shelves.”

Now, the Sydney-based business employees 15 staff, including three internationally.

Dr Mansberg attributes E.S.K Skincare’s success to its core values of evidence, efficacy and integrity.

“It starts with products that are evidence based and just work,” she said.

“Quick delivery and products that feel great when being applied is a really important part of the experience.”

MATTHEW CRAIG AND SEAN PIERES, MINDARC

The founders of MindArc were initially focused on becoming the leading e-commerce solutions provider in Australia – in other words, being the best at enabling businesses to sell products or services online.

But networking at conferences in the US and South East Asia opened unexpected doors for Matthew Craig and Sean Pieres, allowing the platform to launch internationally.

Matthew Craig and Sean Pieres, Co-Founders at MindArc. Supplied

“We decided to set up a team in the Philippines … to allow us to access more work in South East Asia,” Mr Craig said.

“Our passion for technology is something we have from our senior leadership team all the way through to our development and implementation teams.”

MindArc has recently set up offices in Vietnam and Germany.

“We found these countries offered really great talent for our industry and allowed us to access clients in these different parts of the world,” Mr Craig said.

“Germany … allows us to provide better 24/7 coverage due to the time zone difference as well as access to solid engineers and developers and a gateway to the European market.”

STEVE OWEN AND PAUL O’BRIEN, AIRPHYSIO

Respiratory issues, such as asthma and persistent coughing, are a common medical concern in Australia, and overseas, and this nifty device makes breathing much easier for those suffering.

But despite the efficiency and durability of their mucas-clearing, lung-expanding device, AirPhysio founders Steve Owen and Paul O’Brien couldn’t pique the interest of the Australian market.

AirPhysio co-founder Paul O'Brien said Australia was slower to catch on to his product than the rest of the world

“The overseas markets offered 10 times more opportunity and a market which was more open to our product,” Mr O’Brien said.

America was the first country to jump on board, followed by UK and Canada. AirPhysio is now sold in 106 countries and growing monthly.

“Our product is more durable, our product has different versions for different lung capacities, and we’re made in Australia,” Mr O’Brien said.

“When we first started marketing AirPhysio, no one really knew about our type of products including GP doctors. “Our marketing strategies generate hundreds of thousands of searches for our brand globally per month.”

AVA CHANDLER-MATTHEWS AND BEC JEFFRED, ULTRA VIOLETTE

Ultra Violette founders Ava Chandler-Matthews and Bec Jeffred describe their products as Skinscreens, because they are a mix of skincare and sunscreen.

While Australia has a solid understanding of the importance of sunscreen, it was a small order from SpaceNK in 2021 that saw Ultra Violette’s international explosion.

Ultra Violette founders, Ava Chandler-Matthews and Bec Jeffred

“They placed a really cautious order which we sold out straight away and then due to demand, we ended up having to send them our full year’s forecast in the first seven weeks,” Ms Chandler-Matthews said.

Ultra Violette is currently the number six skincare brand in SpaceNK, and is also in Harrods, Liberty of London, Sephora and Cult Beauty online.

“In 2022, we entered five markets across South East Asia – Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and The Philippines – and in March, we entered over 400 Sephora stores across 15 countries in Europe,” she said.

International influencers have helped, including British beauty expert Caroline Hirons calling out Ultra Violette as Brand Of The Year.

FLETA SOLOMON, LITTLE GREEN PHARMA

Born of a desire to help children with uncontrollable seizures, medicinal cannabis producer, Little Green Pharma’s break into the overseas market superseded anything founder, Fleta Solomon ever expected.

Fleta Solomon of Little Green Pharma (ASX LGP), an Australian vertically integrated medicinal cannabis business. Supplied

“The Germans had legalised cannabis for medicinal use and this market was experiencing a surge in demand. At the same time, there was a gap in the domestic production of cannabis,” she said.

In 2020, Little Green Pharma became the first Australian company to successfully export a commercial shipment of medicinal cannabis.

“Through our presence in the market we identified a major growing facility in Denmark which was about to be put up for sale,” Ms Solomon said.

“We ran some due diligence and the facility ticked all our boxes. It gave us the ability to bring in our strict growing and manufacturing processes while significantly expanding our production capacity.”

Little Green Pharma was recognised at the 2022 Australian Export Awards as the winner in the International Health category, underlining the importance of its work overseas.

Beyond Germany, Little Green Pharma has supplied medicines to a government-backed trial in France and been awarded an Italian government tender for the supply of cannabis flowers into Italy.

JEFF CHEETHAM, SDI ROBOTICS

While SDI Robotics still has an office in Australia, more than 90 per cent of its tooth restoration products are exported overseas to more than 100 countries.

Jeff Cheetham, SDI founder and Chairman. Picture: Supplied

“SDI knows that dentists want easier, higher-performing products for their patients. And SDI has successfully ingrained these needs into the launch of its tooth restoratives, tooth whitening and dentistry equipment,” founder Jeff Cheetham said.

SDI won the 2022 Victorian Exporter of the Year Award and the 2022 International Health Award.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see successful before and after photos from dentists as far away as Finland, Brazil and Asia,” SDI CEO Samantha Cheetham said.

Originally published as The Australian business owners enjoying huge success overseas