Spending time by the sand and the sea is a day’s work for the McCormack family.
As one of the biggest kite and kiteboarding suppliers in Australia from the bayside suburb of Sans Souci, Kitepower’s success was purely driven by a passion for kites.
"I dream about it still - about kiting and kite flying most days and I just live for the wind,” says founder Steve McCormack.
However, starting up a kite business wasn’t a lifelong passion. Steve was an electrician before he opened the shopfront.
"I was just doing it for dollars and that wasn't a good motivation to run a business or your life, or to have a family.”
In an almost serendipitous moment, Steve bought a $50 kite from a trash and treasure market, and the boys were hooked on the hobby the moment the kites soared through the air.
Steve and Peace McCormack, owners of Kitepower. Source: Supplied
"We flew that kite and it dragged all of us around and we came back covered in sheep poo and we had a ball and it was sometime during that episode I realised I found what I needed to do."
That’s when the gears started turning for the inception of Kitepower. Steve had an epiphany to open up a store as they drove past a For Lease sign on a shop.
The price was right, and a storefront in Geelong followed with a limited offering of just 17 kites.
Now based in Sydney since the turn of the millennium, their Sans Souci store took a risk and explored a new market - kitesurfing.
"We kind of just stayed in our area of expertise and we just naturally grew. We promoted it as well but we were at the forefront.”
Kitepower offers professional kite surfing lessons between September and April. Source: Supplied
This grew the business and created a large and loyal client base, however, Steve says this business strategy wasn’t financially motivated.
“The money comes in sideways. If we keep going ahead with our passion, making sure people get the most out of this sport…they like what we can give them.”
“It is not just a financial exchange; it’s a knowledge and service exchange."
