Same-sex kiss causes uproar
A SKATING rink has “closed forever” claiming they’re worried for their staff after allegedly kicking a lesbian couple out for kissing.
Small Business
Secret behind $27m business
BEN Crowley went from bagging up products in his home to making $27 million a year — but says he would never do it again.
Shark Tank’s massive record $2.5 million fail
IT MADE headlines as the biggest deal in Shark Tank history, but after the cameras stopped rolling things quickly fell apart.
Cafe refuses to serve police
THIS coffee shop says it has a policy of “asking police to leave for the physical and emotional safety of our customers and ourselves”.
Uni student’s $1.5 million idea
AT JUST 26 and still at uni, aerospace engineering student Anastasia Volkova has already raked in $1.5 million for her start-up idea.
Tragic twist in Macca’s battle
A SYDNEY man locked in a David and Goliath battle with McDonald’s could wind up with nothing if the fast-food giant does this.
‘Macca’s totally destroyed me’
ALEX has been forced to sell his $800,000 home to fund a legal battle after he claims McDonald’s “destroyed” his business overnight.
28yo turns $250 into $1 million
KODY Thompson had “no idea” what he was doing when set out to earn some money on the side. Now he’s an accidental millionaire.
Cafe’s furious snub to UberEATS
A SYDNEY cafe won’t accept orders on the popular app because of how the food delivery service treats restaurants and drivers.
Franchise giant facing class action
HUNDREDS of disgruntled Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s and Donut King franchisees could soon lodge a class-action lawsuit.
CrossFit gym’s shocking video
ONE of three women whose video was posted to Facebook by an unremorseful gym owner has come out swinging.
‘I had to empty my kids’ accounts’
MICHEL’S Patisserie franchisee Robert Verni says he was forced to empty his kids’ bank accounts when his business collapsed.
Five tips to kickstart your business dream
IF YOU’RE back in the thick of the nine-to-five slog, dreaming of working for yourself, 2018 might be the perfect time to do it.
Banks’ brothel ban ‘a bit rich’
BROTHELS and sex shops are being discriminated against by banks which are in no position to rule on a business’ “morality”.
Meet Australia’s ‘Amazon family’
MELBOURNE schoolkid Matthew Burkitt is only 10 but he’s already selling his own products on Amazon — just like his mum, dad and siblings.
Unlikely return of the scrunchie
THEY had their heyday in the 80s and 90s but Aussie Belinda Bartholemew-Walsh is determined to bring them back.
Salim’s money woes get even worse
SALIM Mehajer is not having a great few months. He’s under ‘virtual house arrest’ and now his business empire has crumbled even further.
Why Sydney is a laughing stock
IF YOU thought lockout laws were ridiculous, get a load of these draconian laws. Businessman Mark Bouris has finally had enough.
Raking in $8k a day on Amazon
RENAE Bunster makes nearly $8000 a day selling products on Amazon — and she doesn’t need any help from Coles or Woolies.
Australia’s oddest milk bar forced to close
ONE of Australia’s few remaining milk bars, and probably the most ramshackle, has been shut down and the locals aren’t happy.
Airbnb is here for long-term stay
IT’S hated on by some for turning apartments into hotels and blamed for high rents and housing affordability, but short-term rental site Airbnb is here to stay.
Young Kiwis’ coffee ‘world first’
COFFEE lovers are saying “shut up and take my money” to 18-year-old Brianna Ellin and 20-year-old Josh Mittendorff.
Dodgy builder hit with six-figure bill
A BUILDER has been forced to pay a couple almost a quarter of a million dollars after he botched construction of their family home.
Salim’s bizarre career move
GUESS Salim Mehajer’s prime ministerial ambitions are on hold for the moment. His new business venture is far from politics.
Backlash for ‘gender specific’ flavours
A MELBOURNE gelato bar has been forced to apologise for creating “gender specific” flavours for men and women.
Toyota supplier fined $10m for rip-off
A SOPHISTICATED and “devious” rip-off scheme has come undone, with this Toyota parts supplier fined $10 million for price fixing.
Students fight to bring back hot chips
WHEN the school banned their favourite treat, these chip-loving students refused to back down.
The Airbnb listings making a motza
FROM an Ikea sofa generating $8000 a year to a luxury Sydney home making close to $250,000, Airbnbs are proving a massive money spinner for Aussies.
Vegan ice cream a huge hit
ALEX Houseman is an unlikely ice cream mogul. But from a small idea he’s hit the jackpot. And the result couldn’t be more hipster.
Aussie ex-Thermomix seller sues
A FORMER Thermomix contractor in Perth is suing the company, claiming her business was taken away without compensation.
Roxy wears $3k dress to Red Rooster
PR GURU Roxy Jacenko has been sprung ordering a greasy Red Rooster feed after a lavish shopping spree.
Domino’s pays $18,000 in fines
DOMINO’S is the first company to pay penalties to the consumer watchdog for allegedly not complying with the Franchising Code of Conduct.
What it’s like to work for Roxy Jacenko
ROXY Jacenko is on the hunt for a publicist to join her headline-grabbing firm — but this is no ordinary PR role.
‘Where’s my money?’: Workers rage
AUSTRALIA’S self-styled Willy Wonka, Adriano Zumbo, is facing claims his company has repeatedly failed to pay his workers. They’re furious.
Roxy cancels gig after kissing catch-out
DAYS after being caught kissing former lover Nabil Gazal while husband Oliver Curtis languishes behind bars, Roxy Jacenko has gone to ground.
Mum turns dinner battle into huge fortune
THIS is how a hardworking mother managed to channel her guilt and stress over feeding her fussy child into a multimillion-dollar business.
Blunder to cost YouTube billions
ONLINE video giant YouTube was on a colossal winning streak, but one bad move is expected to cost it billions of dollars.
McDonald’s new uniforms spark ridicule
FAST-food chain McDonald’s has dramatically changed its uniforms, and the results are scary. They look like something out of North Korea or Star Wars.
Chance to buy a $200,000 pub for $25
FORGET the meat tray. This entire Australian pub is up for grabs in a raffle that could change someone’s fortunes dramatically. We’ll drink to that.
The Aussie mum dressing celeb kids
LIV Tyler loves them. So does Zoe Foster Blake and Megan Gale. But the jumpers that Jessica Baird makes aren’t for adults.
How a daggy item made me $250K
QUEENSLAND mum Simone Taylor decided to give an ordinary bathroom item a makeover. Within two years she had made $250,000.
Kayla turned gym stint into $46 million
LEFT in charge of a gym by her absent manager, a teenage Kayla Itsines spotted a gap in the market. Now she’s rich beyond her wildest dreams.
Bikini empire: ‘One Insta post, it sells out’
THE founders of Aussie bikini brand Zulu and Zephyr started out with a suitcase of bikinis and $20,000 debt. Now they turn over $5 million a year.
‘It’s like it’s been napalmed’
BUSINESS owners say they’ve never seen anything like the destruction caused by Cyclone Debbie; some are ready to quit.
Awards showcase stars of education
DEPUTY NSW Premier John Barilaro says the state has paid the price for treating Vocational Education and Training as a “second chance pathway” in years gone by.
Washington restaurant sues Trump
HOW do you compete with a restaurant at Donald Trump’s hotel? Two Washington restaurateurs argue you can’t — and have sued him over it.
From truckie to vodka millionaire
MARKO Pavasovic was joking with a mate about a crazy idea. It was then they decided to turn it into reality and now they’re making a motza.
From $6.5K lotto win to $3M business
BUILDING her business, Robyn Exton had to fend off lecherous men after threesomes and even skirt the law. But it was a modest lotto win that really got her started.
Hanson supporters attack cafe owners
A CAFE owner and his wife fear the worst after coming under attack from a number of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation supporters.
Can a mentor help guide you?
A MENTORING relationship has made “a phenomenal difference” to the success of an Adelaide cafe.
Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/business/small-business/page/18