Noosa big businesses: Owners reveal the key to their successes

From surfboard shapers to skincare gurus and developers, the brains behind Noosa’s big businesses have revealed where they started and how they created their empires.

Successful Noosa business people Tom Offermann, Saya McDermott and Thomas Bexon.

From surfers who turned their hobby into a living wage to the brains behind a sustainable skincare brand and developers – Noosa has no shortage of business success stories.

Amid lockdowns, supply shortages and tourists being turned away throughout the Covid-19 pandemic these businesses have not only survived but thrived.

While these businesspeople come from a range of industries they have some things in common: They had very humble beginnings and worked hard.

Thomas Surfboards

Noosa board shaper Thomas Bexon pictured at the Noosa Festival of Surfing.

Thomas Bexon started shaping boards as a teenager in his mum’s garage that were “pretty terrible”.

Today under the brand Thomas Surfboards Mr Bexon is exporting his traditional single-fin longboards and fish-style surfboards to about a dozen countries.

This year he also plans to open a store in Bali.

Mr Bexon studied social science and community work but after a few years he realised it was not what he wanted to do long term.

“I got into hospitality and I was at the point where I kept trying to get out of shifts so I had more time to make surfboards,” he said.

“My understanding boss at the time gave me a nudge and said ‘you should do this as a real job’.”

He said his then girlfriend and now wife, Kim, supported him as he and business partner Jake Bowery launched Thomas Surfboards in 2008.

Now anyone who surfs Noosa National Park points will recognise the brand.

They shape up to 50 surfboards a week with 40 per cent exported overseas, mainly to Japan.

Over the years Mr Bexon has turned down outsourcing manufacturing to overseas to ensure the quality of the surfboards remains the same.

Every part of the manufacturing process is done in Noosa.

Saya Skin

After selling skincare at Eumundi Markets for several years Saya McDermott was presented with an opportunity she could not resist.

The graphic designer, turned pilot, now skincare guru had made products for herself, friends and family for several years before she realised it could be a successful business.

While working as a commercial pilot Ms McDermott had to decide if she wanted to take her skincare range to new heights with the help of a local-based manufacturer.

Saya McDermott is the founder of Australian organic skincare brand Saya Skin. Picture: Timothy Birch

“It involved huge costs upfront to me – or I could continue flying,” she said.

“But the business here really just pulled me and it was a no-brainer.”

The Australian-made organic skincare business is turning over a seven-figure profit and stocked in some major retailers including online giant The Iconic.

The Noosaville-based mother of two said her success followed years refusing to take no for an answer.

“There were a few times where I thought ‘am I doing the right thing’,” she said.

“Cosmetics is highly competitive but we started getting a lot of traction from customers, right from the start we had such a loyal following.”

Ms McDermott’s advice for aspiring businesspeople was to identify weaknesses and delegate.

“When you start a business you’re doing everything, you have 20 hats,” she said.

“For too many years I tried to do a lot of things myself where I could have delegated and it would have made things happen a bit quicker.”

Altum Properties

Altum Property Group directors Rob McCready and Alex Rigby have been a driving force behind numerous Noosa developments.

Their work on the $170m Parkridge Noosa residential development in 2017 landed 179 apartments of one, two and three bedrooms.

The pair first bought the five-hectare parcel of land on Resort Drive in 2015.

Altum Property Group's Alex Rigby and Rob McCready have revealed plans for new residential unit developments at Noosa Heads.

This year the duo is developing 54 residences at Eumundi Noosa Rd.

The apartment complex, The Whiteley, has already hit the market with prices starting at $740,000.

Within the first two months the project recorded more than $30m in sales.

Sales manager Jeremy Gilmore said the lack of brand new, quality stock under the $1m mark in Noosa was driving most of inquiries and sales.

Offermann Real Estate

For almost 30 years Offermann Real Estate has been the go-to agency for prestigious property sales within the Noosa region.

Owner Tom Offermann said 2021 was a record year with more than $800m in sales recorded.

A conversation with a real estate agency principal sparked his interest in the industry and he began working for them in 1986.

In 1992 he was ready to start his own business.

Tom Offermann of Tom Offermann Real Estate which generated in excess of $800m in sales in 2021.

Offermann Real Estate launched in a corner building at Noosa Sound and six years later doubled in size.

“We grew into the high end market and by the year 2000 we were firmly entrenched and established in dealing with prestige Noosa property,” Mr Offermann said.

In 2002 another office was opened in Hastings St and the business continues to experience annual profit growth.

“What enabled us to do that well was by having really experienced staff,” Mr Offermann said.

“We’ve had staff who have been with us for more than 20 years.

“We’re fortunate that a lot of the clients we met 30 years ago we’re still doing business with and sometimes we’re helping their children now.

“That’s very satisfying.”

With Noosa’s median house price at $1.85m it is home to some of Queensland’s most expensive properties.

“I remain very positive about Noosa … there’s still a backlog of buyers wanting to purchase and move,” Mr Offermann said.

“There is now this influencing affect where people who have made the move are influencing their friends and relatives who also want to make the move.”

He said the key to running a successful business was to be involved in the community.

The business is a major sponsor of Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club and Noosa Coastguard.

Ogilvie Group

Brent Ogilvie owns some of Noosa’s most iconic restaurants including Rickys River Bar and Restaurant, Locale Noosa, Wood Fire and Grill and Aromas Noosa.

The Ogilvie Group also owns the 250ha Maravista Farm at the Noosa Hinterland which provides organic and heirloom produce for the restaurants.

After 15 years in business Rickys recently took on the neighbouring site, formerly Japanese restaurant Wasabi, to double in size.

It expands its river frontage where the restaurant already had a jetty so guests could arrive via ferry, water taxi or gondola.

Mr Ogilvie also owns several Hastings St properties with his high-profile business partner Philip John Bacon.

They purchased a retail property in the French Quarter Resort for $2.7m in November 2005.

Sum Yung Guys

Dylan Campbell, Michael 'Moe' Rickard, Matt Sinclair and Jeremiah Jones are the owners of Sum Yung Guys.

MasterChef runner-up Matt Sinclair partnered with his chef and hospitality friends to open Asian fusion restaurant Sum Yung Guys – and they haven’t looked back.

Recognised as one of South East Queensland’s most popular businesses, last year it expanded to a larger Noosaville location.

It marked a new era for the business with a sleek and sophisticated fit-out at the former Pizza Hut and Thai restaurant site.

But it hasn’t been without challenges amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In December the restaurant had to close for one of its busiest weeks after one staff member tested positive to Covid-19.

Due to close contact rules at the time 23 staff members had to get tested and isolate.

Originally published as Noosa big businesses: Owners reveal the key to their successes