Welcome to the May edition of Movers, Shakers and Changemakers. Once a month we highlight our favourite enterprises in the social and environmental sector. These are businesses that are proving you can do good and make money.
Read on to hear the stories of some enterprises doing great things in the space. First up, a Melbourne streetwear brand changing lives.
HoMie
HoMie are helping to get young people off the streets. The enterprise, run by three guys out of Melbourne, design awesome streetwear. HoMie run two key programs alongside their streetwear brand. The first, their VIP Shopping Days, where those in Melbourne experiencing homelessness can go into the HoMie store and receive items of clothing, a haircut, coffee and food, 100% funded by profits from the HoMie store. The VIP days aim to promote connection, community and ultimately empowerment.
“If we don’t have a successful business, we can’t have an impact” — Nick Pearce, co-founder of HoMie
HoMie’s second venture is their Pathways Project. The project provides traineeships to young people who are experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk. The traineeships are undertaken in HoMie’s Fitzroy store where young people are trained, employed, mentored, and end the six month program with a Certificate III in Retail Operations. The trainees are then guaranteed employment with Cotton On. To date HoMie have helped 6 young people find secure employment. We love this project as it really proves that through running a successful business, you can change people’s lives. Watch Hayley’s story:
SHE Investments
SHE (support her enterprise) Investments was started to empower and support women business owners and leaders in Cambodia. 65% of businesses in Cambodia are run by women, but most are informal and small. SHE Investments are working to change this through their bespoke business development programs. They want to promote gender balance in the SME market in Cambodia by helping women to run scalable, sustainable and impactful businesses.
“Our vision is a world where investment in women entrepreneurs in developing countries is seen as opportunity, not charity” — Celia Boyd, Managing Director of SHE Investments
SHE Investments run programs that focus on the development of leadership skills and confidence; teach business leaders how to accelerate growth and impact; and provide general access to information, training, mentoring and financing. At present, SHE Investments are 50% self-funded, and work every year to grow this number. We love their commitment to helping change women’s lives through business, we also love their drive to be self-sustaining.
North Home
NORTH are combining local indigenous art with luxury homeware products. The enterprise operates out of the Northern Territory and work closely with three incredible artists from around the top end. NORTH’s aim is to contribute meaningfully to the preservation of pride and independence among Indigenous artists, while broadening the exposure and availability of their historically important artworks, that are often not seen in urban areas of Australia.
“A major element of NORTH’s mission is to create a way to share the stories and raw talent of artists from remote communities” – Crystal Thomas, North Home founder
Through purchasing the artwork produced by artists living in community, NORTH Home are providing income to Indigenous Australians allowing them to remain living in, and connected to, their communities. We love NORTH’s philosophy and commitment to bringing Indigenous art to the forefront of homeware design, and supporting people living in community.