G’day L.A! The Aussie business owners conquering the Californian capital
As the home of Hollywood, Los Angeles has long been synonymous with dreams and ambition.
Be it on the glittering silver screen or in the field of pioneering tech innovations, L.A is a magnet for those driven to build, create, and ultimately, make it big. And the latest crop of wannabes are of the true blue variety.
From shaking up the fitness scene and lighting up the city with custom neon designs, to bringing Aussie style cafes to the masses, these Australian entrepreneurs are carving out their own slice of the Californian dream.
Custom Neon
For Geelong-born entrepreneur, Jake Munday, the traditional classroom wasn’t an environment in which he thrived.
“I struggled at school and was unaware at the time that I had dyslexia,” he told realcommercial.com.au. “However, after I left, it was in the workplace was where I began to thrive. My mind was constantly buzzing with ideas on how to scale and streamline operations.”
This confident, go-getter attitude however, sometimes bumped heads with the status quo and so – inspired by his father, uncle, and grandfather who were all entrepreneurs – he went out on his own.
“I knew I wanted to be my own boss,” said Mr Munday. “Over the years I started many businesses and each one has taught me invaluable lessons.”
Custom Neon owners Jake and Jess Munday. Picture: Supplied
These successes prepped Jake his next big business idea, which was sparked unexpectedly when he and his wife Jess were decorating their son’s nursery.
“We spotted a gap in the market while looking for a neon sign for our son’s nursery,” he explained.
What followed was a period of testing a side hustle with a tiny initial investment of $250. Within three months, the couple were selling $10,000 worth of signage per week.
Launched in 2018, Custom Neon creates personalised LED neon signs for both personal and commercial spaces.
“We started small,” said Mr Munday. “Testing demand through targeted Facebook ads on a tight budget ands the response was immediate and promising. This trial phase helped us confirm the U.S interest in our products before we fully committed.”
Without a great deal of effort the web traffic and orders stateside snowballed and a move to open up there felt like an organic move.
“L.A seemed like the perfect fit for our brand’s aesthetic and consumer base,” said Mr Munday. “It allowed us to offer local sales and customer service, strengthening our relationship with clients who appreciated having a team in their time zone.”
Certainly a movie to Tinseltown upped the celebrity factor with the brand lighting up events, including The Grammys and the Olympics, but it wasn’t without its challenges: “Expanding to the U.S came with its set of difficulties, from understanding legal regulations and employment standards to navigating cultural differences and job expectations.”
However, in a mere seven years the husband and wife duo have seen their fledgling business transform into a global brand, turning over in excess of $10 million each year. And, reflecting on this success, the high-school dropout has no regrets.
“Looking back, I have no regrets about expanding to the U.S,” said the 35-year-old co-founder. “I am not sure we necessarily needed an office in such a prestigious area of L.A – that has been a huge drain on our bottom line when we first opened there. But we have since moved to a more affordable location.
“Looking to the future, we’re looking to broaden our reach, with plans to manufacture in other major US cities and potentially explore markets in Europe to keep pace with the growing global demand for unique LED neon signage. It’s an exciting time!”
STRONG Pilates
When Melbourne-based marketing and fitness entrepreneur, Michael Ramsey, broke his ankle he had no idea that this injury would lead to a life-changing business idea.
“I discovered Pilates during my recovery,” said Mr Ramsey. “But while I loved the benefits, I wanted more intensity from the workouts. A friend showed me the unique ‘Rowformer’ machine on Instagram (a reformer bed with a rower on the end) and I travelled to the U.S to try it. Very quickly I realised its potential.”
Teaming up with friend and fitness guru, Mark Armstrong — a fitness expert with over 30 years’ experience as a personal trainer, athlete development coach and gym owner — the pair managed to secure the exclusive Australian distribution rights for the Rowformer machine, and STRONG Pilates was launched in 2019.
Since then the pair quickly expanded from Australia into the U.S. And though their U.S launch kicked off in Texas, L.A — given its long-standing association with wellness and fitness — was always on their radar.
Strong Pilates co-founder Michael Ramsey. Picture: Supplied
“Los Angeles was always a hotspot for us as it’s a city that perfectly aligns with our vision and has a thriving fitness scene with a real appetite for innovative, boutique fitness,” he said. “We’ve now grown to over 80 studios across 11 countries, with more than 26,800 active members and 800-plus instructors globally.”
With studios popping up across the globe and a strong uptake in the U.S market, aligning with the growing popularity of Pilates, Mr Ramsey believes their Aussie roots offers something different.
“We bring a distinct Australian approach to the U.S market,” he said. “From our innovative technology to personalised touches like our signature eucalyptus-soaked towels at the end of each class. We bring a laid back Australian attitude yet a determined focus to lift each other up in our fitness journeys.”
Looking back, the move to the U.S feels like a no-brainer for the pair.
“Our only regret is not having done it sooner!” said Mr Ramsey. “The future is all about further expansion. Both Mark and myself will move to the U.S this year to drive operations forward and we will be rolling out more U.S studios to expand on our offering.”
Great White
Sydney-based serial entrepreneur, Sam Trude, had no set plans when he made the move to L.A’s Venice Beach with his Californian wife in 2010. But, soon after landing, he saw a gap in the market for an Aussie-style high-quality, relaxed, all-day dining concept and Great White was born.
An all-day café concept and lifestyle destination located steps from Venice Beach, on the bustling Larchmont Boulevard in Larchmont Village, on the iconic Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.
The concept combines laid-back Australian Café culture with the West Coast Californian lifestyle for a highly curated blend of food and beverage, architecture and design, art and culture, and beyond.
“From the outset our focus has been on creating an environment that champions fresh produce prepared with thoughtful simplicity delivered in an easy-going, friendly way,” commented Mr Trude.
“With an emphasis on community, gathering and conversation each Great White venue has been carefully selected for its neighbourhood setting and welcoming indoor-outdoor layouts that are intentionally visible from the street.”
Great White owner Sam Trude. Picture: Supplied
Setting up shop in L.A had its challenges, particularly navigating the cultural nuances, said the entrepreneur.
“Apart from the obvious challenges with permitting and industry specific labor laws, etc. the biggest challenge was understanding and adapting to the cultural differences. We learned very early on to listen to the customer.”
Trude believes their Aussie approach to hospitality resonates and is a key component of the brand’s success.
“Something we love about the hospitality industry in Australia is that it is welcoming, honest, laid-back, and full of personality,” he said. This is something we strive for across all our locations.”
Now, eight years since the first Great White venue opened, the 42-year-old us looking to expand further across L.A. Reflecting on the journey, he emphasises the importance of patience.
“This country continues to surprise us and present opportunities not available anywhere else. Being patient has, by far, been our biggest virtue.”
Convicts
After attending university in the U.S, Sydney-born Peter Maiden made the decision to remain stateside rather than return to his roots.
“I moved to New York after graduating for my first job at Rolling Stone Magazine,” he told realcommercial.com.au.
This experience on a fast-paced media title helped equip the entrepreneur with storytelling skills that he would use within his own venture. Launched in 2015, Convicts is a creative studio that creates content, advertising, and original films.
After rapidly gaining a client base of high profile brands, L.A became a natural next step for the business and in 2017, he and his co-founders made the decision to expand west.
Convicts owner Peter Maiden. Picture: Supplied
“I first went to L.A as a break from NYC,” he said. “I called it my ‘New York City rehab’. It was a perfect city to move to — a mix of Australian culture and ‘big city meets beach and chill vibes’. We also had a good client base there, plus great talent and production crews are in L.A, so it made sense for us to be there.”
While the L.A office is a hub, the headquarters remain in New York, which initially presented some logistical challenges. However, the strong Aussie expat community in L.A provided a supportive network. Since setting up shop, Covicts has grown and gained recognition for its work and the brand continues to grow.
“We continue to expand into different regions — including Australia this year,” said Mr Maiden. “And we continue to love the opportunity to experience other cultures and companies and share their stories.”
