Rebecca O’Hearn worked for many years on some on Australia’s best known magazines including FHM and Womens Day, with the publishing industry going mostly online Rebecca saw a gaping hole in the market and has started a blog – Smart. Casual. Classic. – which provides styling advice to women 45 and over. This is a demographic that is often overlooked, and yet is one of the fastest growing groups in the country – after working for many decades and now having adult children who are no longer dependent on them, these women have a bit of extra cash and most importantly, time to look after themselves.

Rebecca grew up in the West and now lives and runs her business in Parramatta. When she sent me a message prior to our chat, she started with “I love what you’re doing. I grew up in Toongabbie and am really excited to see the West being celebrated ” and so we instantly jumped at the chance to chat with someone who loves the place as much as we do.

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I just spent the afternoon in a refugee camp.

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Sometimes in life you get that lightbulb moment, that strike of lightning that says ‘Now is the time’. The Westies are thrilled to speak to Sharon Levy from The Haven, a women’s refuge located in Penrith, who received her lightbulb moment thanks to Yvonne Keane from The Hills Women’s Shelter. With only 50% of domestic violence sufferers being able to find a home – and that’s a conservative estimate considering a huge number of incidents go unreported , Sharon was left asking the question – where do the other 50% go and what could she do to help?  Continue Reading

Born in Ethiopia, Eden Dessalegn moved to Australia as a six year old. After many years of being uncertain of the path she wanted to take in life, Eden has created a business around the things she loves most – braiding hair and people.

The Westies chatted with Eden at her salon in Condell Park and, over a cup of tea, learnt how her path has been anything but straight and taking a step into the unknown has been equal parts scary and rewarding.  Continue Reading

Not that many years ago, Usman Iftikhar migrated to Australia, completed his Masters in Engineering Management, graduating with honours. Despite a double degree and plenty of experience in his field, he was unable to find meaningful work and his dream of a better life started to fade with every can he stacked on a supermarket shelf.

With nothing to lose other than a string of unfulfilling casual jobs, Usman decided he needed to change tactic and create his own employment. He signed on to take part in an social enterprise incubator that saw the birth of Catalysr; a business that supports migrants and refugees to start their own business and gives them the tools to get it done. Not only has it changed Usmans path, it has now changed the path for a group of Migrapreneurs who are going on to create change and contribute to society in ways they never even considered before beginning their migrant journey to Australia.  

Last month Usman was awarded Commonwealth Young Person of the Year presented to him by everyone’s favourite prince, Harry. Usman recently chatted with The Westies about how starting a business that helps others has helped himself the most.

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Visiting Liverpool you could easily think the main parts of the city are Westfield and Liverpool Mall, however the locals know it’s the lively lanes that connect the city from North to South where real life is being lived. Each lane has its own personality from music schools, to wedding planners, barbers and seamstresses. If you want to truly experience Liverpool, ducking down a laneway is the way to do it.

Identifying an opportunity to encourage a creative retail hub at the south end of the CBD, Liverpool Council has recently launched The Liverpool Pop Up campaign offering vacant shop fronts in Northumberland Street Arcade to start-ups, social enterprises, community groups or artists to set up a temporary retail shop.

The Westies chatted with Maya Brasnovic who has set up her shop Made:Here selling art and design pieces created by local artists, designers, crafters and makers about her inspiration for opening the shop and where she hopes it will lead.  Continue Reading

I normally avoid people trying to talk to me on the street usually they are trying to sell something; or make me feel guilty enough about something that I sign up to a have an amount deducted from my bank account each month to make that guilt disappear.

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in Parramatta’s Centenary Square with a little bit of time to kill, so thought I would have a chat with the woman standing in front of a sign reading Welcome Asylum Seekers, People Just Like Us. I steadied myself for the conversation which I was sure was going to end with me leaving my (accidentally misspelt) email address and making up an appointment that I really had to get to, however things went a little differently than I had expected. The woman I chatted to was Joyce Fu who was very inviting with a lovely smile. She didn’t have a well scripted story to tell me, just a warm invitation to learn more about her advocacy group People Just Like Us, who try to address the crisis of cruelty faced by people seeking asylum in Australia. The group, along with wanting the government to take action on its refugee policy, aims for Australians to see that asylum seekers and refugees are people. Just like us.  Continue Reading

Surviving as a small business is tough. Surviving as an independent record store is close to impossible. Running that business for over twenty three years is nothing short of a miracle.

Peter Curnovic has been working at Beatdisc Records for over twenty three years and has just celebrated 10 years as owner. When you consider more than 60% of small businesses shut their doors within three years of opening and 80% in the first five, then add into the mix that Beatdisc Records is located in an area with no dedicated live music venues in an arcade that you are likely to never stumble across without some good directions, as far a statistics go you have a bit of a problem on your hands .

Chatting with Pete, it became clear that his passion for music and community are the well laid foundations that have kept him in a business that not only survives but thrives. Beatdisc is an institution that deserves to be celebrated at every turn. First, read the interview, then pay yourself a visit to the shop in Parramatta – directions are below. This is one well kept secret that we need to start shouting from the rooftops.  

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March 10th 2018 marked the 10th year of Africultures Festival, a celebration of African culture in Australia. The festival was established to celebrate all things Africa, from sport (the Africultures cup was taken out by Ghana this year), to fashion, food and music. This huge one day event brings the best of Africa to Western Sydney, served up with a side of Australian flavour.  Continue Reading

Rachael Belle Myers and Matt Vella have a few things in common, they are both award winning filmmakers, they both live in Western Sydney and their other commonality – loneliness and isolation in their chosen profession of filmmaking. After meeting at an awards ceremony they decided it was time to do something about it and so The Western Sydney Filmmakers Hangout was founded. We chatted about how it got started, their shared passion for storytelling and staying in Western Sydney.   Continue Reading