Sydney business hardtofind specialises in sourcing unique, top quality, lifestyle and fashion finds from small businesses in Australia and around the world.
Bringing more than 40,000 products onto one carefully curated site, the business has seen sales increase by 100 per cent year-on-year since first starting out in 2008.
Owner and CEO Erica Stewart says the lack of access to unique products prompted her to start the business while working at a publishing house.
"I used to see beautiful products coming in for photo shoots that stylists had found from some little out-of-the-way place and I was inspired by the products and thought, 'I've got no idea where to find these'," she says.
hardtofind has started holding markets once a month, in addition to their online trading. (Supplied) Source: Supplied
"So the idea of being able to bring them all together on one platform was hatched and I started hardtofind."
Erica says the marketplace was simply a hobby for the first few years, and it wasn't until she was on maternity leave with her third child that she realised the business's full potential.
"I had a newborn at home who did nothing but sleep and eat, so I could focus on the business," she said.
Having spent $40,000 from her mortgage to set the site up, Erica made the tough decision to leave her national sales job, and focus completely on hardtofind.
Erica Stewart started hardtofind as a hobby before concentrating on the business after having her third child. (Supplied) Source: Supplied
"I decided not to go back to my publishing role and say goodbye to a big salary, which was a big leap of faith considering I had three kids," Erica said.
From the humble beginnings in her children's playroom, she moved to a share office and was able to hire her first employee.
Now, she has 26 staff and an office of her own in Sydney.
hardtofind is an online marketplace with sellers from all over Australia and the world. Source: Supplied
Erica's newest venture is holding "offline marketplace" events, where customers can meet and buy from sellers directly.
"We've had our third market and are planning to roll them out more regularly from now on," she says.
"We are a family-run business so the idea of creating a family community event made a lot of sense."
Dutch stall holder Jesse Jongen is one of many vendors with hardtofind, selling handmade leather goods such as aprons and wallets.
He says since being with hardtofind, he's noticed a big jump in sales from the online store and market events and boosting his business's bottom line.
hardtofind vendor Jesse Jongen. Source: Supplied
"hardtofind supports boutique and quality products," he says.
"There's a lot of trash and replicas online so that's why hardtofind buyers are loyal and know they'll get a good product."
Erica admits small businesses can get lost online, which prompted her to start an academy giving business owners support and advice on how to navigate the field.
And it's an area she will use to continue to grow the business and attract new sellers.
"We bring in experts in retail, social media and photography to help them understand how to do it and why it makes all the difference online."
