Starting a business is one thing. Building one that truly reflects who you are (your values, your culture, your vision) is something else entirely. This International Women’s Day, we’re spotlighting three Australian female business owners who are doing exactly that, and in the process, showing others what’s possible.
This year’s theme, Give to Gain, is more than a mantra. For women in business, it’s a way of life. One built on generosity, authenticity and the belief that lifting others up only makes the whole community stronger. We spoke with Belle Maartensz of Avant Studio, Sheri Skele of Bigi Nagala, Lou Holliday of Shimmy Shimmy Bang and Tamarin Howse of Better Tea Co about the journeys that brought them here, the work they’re most proud of and the wisdom they’re passing forward to the next generation of female entrepreneurs.
Avant Studio
Tell us about your business. How did it start and what do you love most about it?
I started my first business at 19, making women’s clothes in Sydney. After stepping away from that business 4 years later, I gained the experience and footing that I needed to take into a new venture that was Avant Studio. For the time between my businesses, I missed designing and channeling my creativity into a physical product. My favourite part of Avant is definitely designing the product and also visualising the art direction for our campaigns.
What experiences and achievements as a female entrepreneur are you most proud of?
Our first article in Harper’s Bazaar Australia was a “pinch me” moment very early on in the journey as I interned there when I was 15. In 2024 we collaborated with two gorgeous female entrepreneurs for community events in New York and Sintra, Portugal. I was extremely proud to launch and represent the brand on an international scale. Most recently, the opening of our first store in Manly, NSW after 6 years online has felt like a huge step!
What does this year’s IWD theme “Give To Gain” mean to you as a female entrepreneur?
Give to Gain feels to me like having an abundance mindset will get you further, quicker. I’m a big believer in the energy you put into the world is the energy you receive back.
Who are the women that inspire you, and what have you learned from them?
Personally, the women in my life, especially my mum, are my biggest inspiration. My mum taught me how to navigate life’s challenges with grace and resilience which has definitely helped me on my business journey.
If you could give one piece of advice to women looking to start their own business, what would it be?
I would say make sure you are aware of where your passion truly lies because that is what is going to provide the resilience and creativity needed to navigate you through the challenges of business.
Bigi Nagala
Tell us about your business. How did it start and what do you love most about it?
My business came to fruition through an innate pull to share more of my culture with the people around me and with the wider community. I felt a deep calling to create something that allowed me to share my personal stories and the way I see Country through my own lens. What I love most is that my work creates space for connection, it allows people to engage with aboriginal culture in a meaningful, respectful way, while also giving me the opportunity to honour my identity, my experiences, and the stories that shape who I am.
What experiences and achievements as a female entrepreneur are you most proud of?
One of the achievements I am most proud of is a mural I created for a children’s playground in a local shopping centre. Being able to see my own children connect with it, feel proud of it, and share that experience with our family and friends is incredibly meaningful to me. There is something powerful about knowing that the wider community can also feel connected to a local artist and a local story through that work.
Beyond individual projects, I am proud of building a business grounded in culture, integrity, and purpose. I am proud that I have created something that allows culture to be visible in everyday spaces, and that my work helps create connection, understanding, and pride within the community. Most of all, I am proud that my children can see that their identity, stories, and voices belong in every space including business, creativity, and leadership.
What does this year’s theme “Give To Gain” mean to you as a female entrepreneur?
To me, “Give To Gain” means leading with generosity, purpose, and authenticity. When you give your time, your knowledge, your culture, and your energy with genuine intention, what you gain goes far beyond business success, you gain trust, connection, community, and impact. As a female entrepreneur, I believe true growth comes not just from taking space, but also from creating it for others, and trusting that what you give will always return in ways that matter more than numbers.
Who are the women that inspire you, and what have you learned from them?
The women who inspire me most are the women in my community, the mothers, creatives, leaders, and Elders who carry culture, strength, and wisdom in their everyday lives. They show me that leadership doesn’t always look loud or visible, and that true impact often comes from consistency, care, and integrity. I’m also deeply inspired by my close circle of friends and other artists. Seeing their work, their ideas, and the way they share their creativity continually motivates me, reminds me of the power of community, and reinforces the importance of supporting one another as women building our own paths.
If you could give one piece of advice to women looking to start their own business, what would it be?
Trust yourself before you feel ready. You don’t need to have everything figured out, and you don’t need permission to begin. Start with what you have, lead with who you are, and build from a place of authenticity rather than perfection. Confidence grows through action, not waiting, and if you ask me, the most powerful businesses are the ones built on truth, purpose, and staying deeply connected to your values.
Shimmy Shimmy Bang
Tell us about your business. How did it start and what do you love most about it?
Once upon a time, I made baby accessories and my business name reflected that but over the years I changed, my business changed, and my babies grew up. So here I am, 6 years later making fun scrunchies and accessories as Shimmy Shimmy Bang. What started off as a sewing hobby has turned into one of the most fun and fulfilling things that I’ve ever done. I love that I get to sew and create from my home studio in Gunnedah NSW while doing all the mum things too.
What experiences and achievements as a female entrepreneur are you most proud of?
Funnily enough I’m most proud of the fact that I’m still around. I started my business when my babies were at home with me and while my business has evolved and our lives have changed over the years. I’ve worked hard to keep it chugging along when so many micro businesses have closed shop.
What does this year’s theme “Give To Gain” mean to you as a female entrepreneur?
I like to think that I live out loud through my business and social media and one of the most important things to me is encouraging women to embrace all that they are, no matter how they think they fit into the world. Finding my place as an elderly millenial, mum & creative in her 40’s in rural NSW has been an interesting journey. If I can give those women a little nudge to live out loud too, then I’m happy.
Who are the women that inspire you, and what have you learned from them?
This may sound incredibly cliched but I draw inspiration from the small business owners and creatives that I interact with on the daily on my socials. Being a micro business in rural NSW whose business lives and thrives online means that I’ve built the greatest connections with other women also navigating the online creative space. There isn’t enough time in the day to gush over how these women inspire me to show up every day and do better.
If you could give one piece of advice to women looking to start their own business, what would it be?
Just do the thing. There will never be a perfect time. Sure, get your ducks in a row but I’m still learning new things daily about how to operate as a sole trader and creative. Consistently showing up has been a game changer for me.
Better Tea Co.
Tell us about your business. How did it start and what do you love most about it?
Better Tea Co. started during a season of anxiety and burnout in my corporate career. I began blending teas in my kitchen as a way to calm my nervous system and create small rituals in my day. What started as a personal coping tool slowly grew into a brand now stocked in hundreds of stores across New Zealand and Australia. I love watching our blooming tea balls literally open in a teapot while conversations open around the table. That symbolism never gets old!
What experiences and achievements as a female entrepreneur are you most proud of?
I’m proud that I kept going. There were seasons of cashflow pressure, personal loss and major life transitions but the business still stands. Building something sustainable while navigating motherhood and grief has shaped me far more than any revenue milestone.
What does this year’s theme “Give To Gain” mean to you as a female entrepreneur?
“Give To Gain” reminds me that we’re all part of something bigger. Every time we donate profits, collaborate with another small business or support a fellow founder, we strengthen the whole network. Small businesses aren’t competitors in isolation, we’re contributors to culture, employment, and wellbeing. Giving time, sharing lessons and being open about the realities of entrepreneurship keeps the ecosystem honest and human.
Who are the women that inspire you, and what have you learned from them?
I’m inspired by women across generations. Older women who built careers and businesses when there were far fewer doors open to them. Women who shouldered responsibility without complaint, and still carved out independence on their own terms. Their resilience created space for the rest of us. I’m equally inspired by younger women entering business with clarity and boldness: women who are more comfortable setting boundaries, speaking openly about mental health and defining success on their own terms. Each woman carries something forward for the next. That perspective creates pause for me. It makes me think carefully about what I am modelling, what I am building and what I am giving to the women who come after me.
If you could give one piece of advice to women looking to start their own business, what would it be?
Own what makes you different. Your life experience, personality and perspective will shape a business no one else can replicate. If you find yourself thinking you’re “too much” or “too ambitious,” stop. You would never speak to a younger woman that way! So don’t speak to yourself that way now. You are capable. You are resilient. And you are exactly the right person to build your vision.
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