The eTail Australia Conference 2025, held on February 25-26 at the Sheraton Grand Sydney Hyde Park, brought together retail innovators, thought leaders, and industry experts to explore the evolving landscape of ecommerce. Among the standout sessions was the “Founders’ Stories” panel, a candid and inspiring discussion featuring three remarkable Australian business leaders: Janine Leghissa, Founder of Taleeta Fashion and Desiderate Jewellery; Rob Rand, Founder of Knobby; and Steph Say, CEO of HoMie. Moderated by Jordan Gibbons, Commercial Director of Payment Consulting Network, a seasoned founder himself, the panel offered a raw, unfiltered look at the entrepreneurial journey—its triumphs, challenges, and the lessons that define success in today’s competitive retail environment. This session provided a treasure trove of insights into resilience, strategic growth, and the human elements that drive thriving businesses. 

Founding Stories: From Necessity to Vision 

The session kicked off with each panellist sharing the origins of their ventures, revealing the diverse motivations that sparked their entrepreneurial journeys. Janine Leghissa’s story was one of necessity turned innovation. Facing financial hardship and a chronic illness, she began selling personal belongings on Facebook to support her family. Spotting a gap in the market for affordable, durable jewellery aimed at women over 35, she pivoted to designing pieces that balanced quality and accessibility. “It wasn’t bootstrapped—it was, ‘You make money, or we don’t eat,’” she quipped, highlighting the gritty determination that fuelled her rise. 

Rob Rand took a different path, driven by a vision to disrupt the mundane world of underwear. Launching a subscription model over a decade ago, he faced scepticism about its viability. “People thought it was crazy,” he recalled, but his belief in the future of subscriptions—coupled with a desire to inject creativity into an overlooked category—propelled Knobby to ship over a million pairs annually worldwide. His story underscored the power of persistence and foresight in shaping a niche market. 

Steph Say, the only non-founder on the panel, brought a unique perspective as CEO of HoMie, the streetwear label and social enterprise founded by Marcus Crook and Nick Pearce. Born from a desire to address homelessness in Melbourne, HoMie evolved from a Street Store concept into a streetwear label that reinvests profits into programs supporting young people. Steph joined after the founders stepped back for personal reasons, inheriting a mission-driven business with a clear purpose: to empower youth affected by hardship. Together, these stories showcased the spectrum of entrepreneurial triggers—from survival to innovation to social impact. 

Overcoming Challenges: Money, Learning, and Trust 

The panel didn’t shy away from the hurdles that tested their resolve. For Janine, money—or the lack thereof—was the biggest obstacle. Starting with a single gemstone purchase, she bootstrapped her way to growth, relying on free online resources to master ecommerce and SEO. “Google was my friend,” she said, emphasising the importance of rapid self-education in a field she initially knew little about. Her resilience shone through as she navigated health setbacks, including a year in a wheelchair, yet still grew her business in a tough economic climate. 

Rob grappled with educating consumers about subscriptions at a time when the model was nascent. Building trust was a steep climb, especially post the era of restrictive phone contracts. “We had to spend extra marketing budgets just to convince people it was okay,” he explained. Technical challenges, like developing custom platforms, added complexity, but Rob saw competition—like Netflix—as allies in normalising subscriptions, a strategic mindset that paid off. 

Steph highlighted the scaling pains of a purpose-driven business. Joining HoMie after years of under-resourcing, she faced the challenge of balancing growth with impact. “It’s about considered growth,” she noted, rejecting the temptation to chase rapid expansion at the expense of sustainability. Her focus on investing in a skilled team underscored the need for expertise to amplify a mission without losing its soul. 

When Jordan asked if they’d start their businesses again knowing the challenges, all three affirmed their commitment. “Hands down, of course I would,” Janine said, citing the pride and control entrepreneurship offered. Rob echoed this, admitting the grind required hunger but was worth it for the long-term rewards. Steph, reflecting on HoMie’s founding team, emphasised the community and impact that made the struggle meaningful.

Balancing Growth and Profitability 

A key theme of the discussion was striking the delicate balance between growth and cost. Rob cautioned against “throwing people at problems,” advocating for root-cause analysis over hasty hiring. “Know your numbers,” he advised, pointing to tools like labour efficiency ratios to maintain a lean, healthy operation. Outsourcing, he added, could be a smart alternative to in-house staffing, offering flexibility without redundancy risks. 

Janine took a procedural approach, hiring her first employee to free herself from packing orders and focus on scaling. “If you’re telling them what to do every minute, it’s a waste of money and time,” she said. Her solution? Detailed procedures and policies that empowered staff to work independently while delivering exceptional customer service—a differentiator for Taleeta Fashion. 

Steph’s lens was shaped by HoMie’s social mission. She inherited a lean team and made strategic investments in expertise to boost profitability, ensuring profits could fund impact programs like VIP shopping days and employment pathways for youth. “It’s about considered growth,” she reiterated, prioritising stability over aggressive targets to safeguard long-term success. 

Culture and Strategic Direction 

Maintaining culture as businesses grow was another focal point. Steph kept it simple: a clear strategy with staff input ensured alignment. “As long as we’re all rowing in the same direction, we can overcome growing pains,” she said. Rob stressed stripping away superficial perks to focus on core values, embedding them into daily operations. “Repeat them every day,” he advised, noting accountability—peer-driven, not just top-down—kept Knobby on track. 

Janine anchored her culture in a golden rule: “Treat customers the way you’d like to be treated.” Procedures supported this ethos, enabling staff to resolve issues—like replacing a damaged ring—while educating customers, fostering loyalty and trust. Together, the panellists highlighted culture as a bedrock for strategic direction, blending accountability, empathy, and purpose. 

Final Thoughts: Advice for Aspiring Founders 

As the session wrapped, Jordan asked for parting advice. Janine’s was succinct: “Just go for it.” Rob urged delegation: “Leave yourself time to grow everything else.” Steph flipped a bad piece of advice—“when in doubt, don’t”—into a call to action: “Give it a crack. What’s the worst that can happen?” 

For Payments Consulting Network readers, this panel was a masterclass in entrepreneurial grit. From Janine’s bootstrap tenacity to Rob’s subscription innovation and Steph’s purpose-driven leadership, their stories offer actionable lessons: embrace rapid learning, balance growth with profitability, and root your business in a strong culture. As payment solutions continue to shape retail’s future, these insights remind us that behind every transaction lies a human story of vision and perseverance. 

Share your thoughts with ross.mcintyre@paymentsconsulting.com 

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Payments Consulting Network was a media partner of eTail Australia 2025 which was recently held in Sydney. We are also supporting eTail Asia 2025 happening on May 14-15 at Equarius Hotel, Sentosa, Singapore. Check out the latest agenda for this upcoming event. Register now!

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Author: Ross McIntyre, Associate, Australia, Payments Consulting Network

Ross McIntyre has over 15 years of experience in data science, financial analysis, and the preparation of business cases, proposals, and strategies. His experience includes business case lead on several end-to-end supply chain reviews, commercial lead on high-level pricing strategies, profit worker design for retail, and business case support for large corporate deals.

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