Tropique
Share
Small businesses are the beating heart of the Northern Beaches, driving our community with 32,905 local enterprises that create over 116,000 jobs.
Every month, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the incredible small business owners who make our community thrive. We’re all about learning from local businesses just like yours—whether it’s about your challenges, growth, opportunities, top marketing tips, or how you've overcome obstacles.
We’re eager to learn from businesses like yours! If you’re interested in sharing your story, inspiration, challenges, and tips with the Northern Beaches business community, we’d love to feature you.
In the spotlight
Dive in and get inspired. Explore inspiring success stories, uncover top tips, and gain valuable insights from our local business community.
Ashling O’Brien
Strength in community: Bringing innovation, wellness, and community connection to build a thriving business
Brad Younger - Sunburnt Space Co.
Meet Brookie’s rocket man — launching big ideas into space
Christo Hall - Basic Bananas Marketing
Paddle hard, position yourself right, and commit—just like in surfing, great marketing is about momentum, strategy, and making waves in your industry.
Claudia Clark - Cie Cie
Discover how Claudia transformed Cie Cie & Co from an online store into a successful bricks-and-mortar business built on slower fashion and sustainable growth.
David Stuart - Colormaker Industries
“We don’t just sell paint — we help people solve problems,” says David. That mindset drives everything they do, from product development to customer service.
Deon and Marine, Hang 10 Distillery
What started as a passion for distilling and a desire to reduce food waste has grown into one of the Northern Beaches' most innovative small businesses.
Gab Sutherland - Grab Social
How Gab Sutherland helps local businesses simplify marketing, build trust and achieve real results.
Hayley Clarke and Karen Platt - CandleXchange
What started as a simple kitchen table experiment quickly became a solution to a surprising problem: beautiful candle containers couldn’t be recycled, and millions were quietly heading to landfill each year.
Katie Brown Yoga
For 25 years Katie Brown has grown her yoga business by staying adaptable, consistent and deeply connected to her community
Kirin (Kiki) Tipping - LusciousKiki Cakes
Some businesses start with a plan. LusciousKiki Cakes, founded by Kirin Tipping (or Kiki, as the locals call her), started with inspo from her two eight-year-old nieces, a hand-drawn shop sign, and a whole lot of heart.
Krista Huebner - Basil Bangs
From a wedding gift idea to a global beach brand: How Basil Bangs reimagined the humble beach umbrella
Laura Bullock - Mode Pilates
Discover how MODE Pilates founder Laura Bullock grew a Manly studio into five Northern Beaches locations by listening to customers and building community.
Linda Goodwin
Dive into success: Building a small business with passion and purpose. Turning ocean love into a thriving business.
Lorna - Anchor & Arrow
Lorna shows how starting small, staying close to customers and building authentic connections can grow a successful and sustainable business.
Lorna from Anchor & Arrow Baby
How a local entrepreneur transformed a simple idea into a thriving e-commerce business.
Matt Young - Matt Young Electrical
Matt Young isn’t your average electrician. He’s a Northern Beaches local who has built his business from the ground up powered by strong values, trusted relationships, and a whole lot of hustle.
Megan from The Organized Life
Megan turned her natural love for creating order into The Organized Life, a thriving business on the Northern Beaches.
Nik Robinson - Good Citizens Eyewear
Building a business that turns waste into something people can wear every day while keeping purpose at the centre of every decision
Phil Jackson
Crafting success: how Vale Plastics turns challenges into opportunities for growth
Rebecca Bickerstaff - Tropique
Rebecca Bickerstaff turned her love of design into a thriving soft-furnishing brand right here on the beaches.
Samantha Sheppard - Hair by SJS
Samantha Jane Sheppard proves that in the hair industry, bigger isn’t always better.
Sarah and Sophie Co-founders - Wild Forager
Sisters Sarah and Sophie, co-founders of Wild Forager in Freshwater, share how they built a thriving floral sanctuary.
Sonia Stackhouse - Little Lane Workshops
After a life-changing recovery journey, Sonia Stackhouse created Little Lane Workshops to help others connect, create and find calm through art
The Biasi Family - Tony's Barber Shop
Behind the business is the Biasi family, whose barbering tradition spans seven generations - proving that while industries evolve, the values that underpin an enduring business never go out of style.
Tom Bennett - Bennett Surfboards
Tom Bennett is continuing a proud family legacy, taking the reins of Bennett Surfboards as the third generation to lead the iconic Northern Beaches business.
William Harkin - pawfetchers.com
For William Harkin, the inspiration behind Pawfetchers came from one of the most stressful moments he's experienced as a dog owner.
Zoe and Guy Co-founders - Pip Eats
Co-founders Zoe and Guy turned their love for their dog Pipsqueak into a thriving Northern Beaches business making fresh, nutritious meals and treats for dogs.