Five Australian founders share their 2026 strategies, from tripling trainer networks to launching medicinal teas. Discover why slow growth is winning.
What’s happening: From opening new retail locations and tripling professional networks to launching wellness brands and hosting international retreats, these entrepreneurs are building businesses that reflect their deepest convictions whilst maintaining meaningful impact in their industries.
Why this matters: Female-led startups continue navigating significant challenges in Australia’s business landscape. These founders demonstrate how strategic planning, authentic leadership and community-building can drive business growth despite systemic barriers.
Five Australian female founders are redefining what business growth looks like in 2026. Their goals range from physical expansion to market penetration, from tripling networks to launching new product lines.
Yet what unites them is a commitment to building businesses that align with their values, support their communities and create lasting impact beyond profit margins.
Building a jewellery empire with education at its heart
Talitha Cummins understands the power of storytelling. After spending over 20 years in television journalism, she co-founded The Cut Jewellery with her uncle Craig Blizzard, who brings more than 50 years of diamond industry experience to the business.
The company recently marked a significant milestone with the opening of its second location in Sydney’s CBD. “We recently launched our second location in the iconic St James Trust Building in Sydney’s CBD, which was incredibly exciting for our team,” Cummins says. “At the same time, we’re focused on growing our presence in the US market.”
But it’s not traditional advertising driving this international expansion. Instead, Cummins is leveraging her journalist’s instinct for compelling content. “We’ve seen a significant increase in organic traffic and enquiries from the US, largely thanks to the educational video series we run on Instagram,” she explains. “It’s been amazing to see how strongly that content resonates, and we’re eager to build on that momentum in the year ahead.”
The strategy reflects a broader shift in retail, where authenticity and education build trust with consumers seeking transparency about their purchases, particularly for significant investments like engagement rings and fine jewellery.
Tripling a network through data and determination
Jen Dugard has set an ambitious target for MumSafe in 2026: triple the number of certified trainers in her network, with particular focus on Queensland. It’s a goal grounded in both opportunity and necessity.
MumSafe connects mothers with fitness professionals trained in pre and postnatal exercise, addressing a gap where 77 per cent of Australian women become mothers yet the fitness industry provides limited specialised training. The market need is clear. What sets Dugard’s approach apart is her commitment to evidence-based decision making.
“My top goal for 2026 is to triple the number of MumSafe Trainers in our network, with a strong focus on Queensland, so that MumSafe becomes the obvious choice for both trainers who work with mums and mums who want a trusted, highly qualified trainer,” Dugard says.
Her strategy combines refinement with courage. “I’ll achieve this by doubling down on what works and being brave enough to change what doesn’t,” she explains. “That means tightening our message to clearly show the value of becoming a MumSafe Trainer, building stronger partnerships with key industry bodies and gyms and supporting our trainers with the business skills they need to grow.”
Data drives every decision. “Personally, I’m committed to constantly challenging my own assumptions, staying close to the data and testing and measuring every strategy until we have a repeatable, predictable model for sustainable growth.”
It’s an approach that reflects lessons from successful female entrepreneurs who’ve scaled past the million-dollar markthrough understanding their numbers rather than relying on gut feelings.
Redefining beauty through nervous system safety
Joni Hodson-Ilias is on a mission to transform how facialists and beauty professionals build their businesses. As founder of Facelift Facialist, she’s expanding her impact globally in 2026, but not through traditional business mentoring alone.
“My top goal for 2026 is to expand my impact globally as a business Mentor and Trainer for Facialists and beauty professionals, helping them grow thriving, sustainable businesses from a place of nervous system safety and alignment,” Hodson-Ilias says. “I also want to guide the industry toward more ritual-based treatments, not just fluffy facials, so that every client experience feels like a sacred, healing moment.”
Her philosophy stems from a deeper understanding of the industry’s potential. “This is my goal because I truly believe treatment rooms are where deep healing happens. They’re not just spaces for skincare but spaces for connection, regulation, and transformation. I want to support practitioners in feeling confident holding that level of depth, so they can create real change for the women they serve.”
To achieve this vision, Hodson-Ilias is pursuing both inner and outer work. “Personally, I’m embodying the version of me who’s already living this. Making sure my body feels safe to hold that level of expansion,” she explains.
Her strategic approach encompasses multiple channels. “Strategically, I’m connecting with new audiences through collaborations, podcasts, global masterclasses, in-person trainings, and hosting a Bali business-expansion retreat in November 2026.”
The Bali retreat represents a growing trend amongst female entrepreneurs creating community-focused experiences that combine business education with personal development.
Launching a midlife wellness revolution
Meaghan Dobinson is addressing a gap in the wellness industry with her comprehensive approach to midlife health. As founder of Your Pilates Class, she’s building a programme that goes beyond exercise to encompass nutrition, supplementation and cellular regeneration.
“My goal for 2026 is to bring awareness and an achievable health programme covering exercise, nutrition and supplementation, and regeneration from a cellular level for women approaching mid-life,” Dobinson says. “My programme focused on looking and feeling strong, lean and youthful, getting off glp1 medication and building back muscle and getting back their glow while keeping the weight off, and experiencing optimum clarity, energy and well-being.”
Currently, Dobinson operates from her private studio, providing detailed nutrition and supplementation programmes that include advice on peptides for anti-ageing and better sleep. She’s planning to expand her reach with online one-on-one training and comprehensive nutrition programmes.
But 2026 marks a significant product launch for Dobinson. “In 2026, my medicinal tea and superfood brand, Mura Organics will hit the market, all-naturopath designed for my programme to incorporate into everyday life, for skin, vitality, sleep and overall good health and well-being.”
The launch of Mura Organics represents a strategic move to provide clients with practical tools they can integrate into their daily routines, supporting the comprehensive approach Dobinson advocates for midlife wellness.
Leading with energy and purpose
Tess Brouwer has learned hard lessons about growth. As co-founder of Awake Academy, she’s committed to building her business from the inside out in 2026, prioritising alignment over speed.
Brouwer co-founded Awake Academy with seven-time world champion surfer Layne Beachley after recovering from a spinal cord injury that required two operations. That experience profoundly shaped her approach to business.
“My goal for 2026 is to keep building Awake Academy from the inside out. I want to grow slow, stay aligned, and truly practice what I preach,” Brouwer says.
The company has expanded into vitamins, T-shirts, a top-three podcast, and major corporate programmes, partnering with organisations including KPMG, Coles, The Iconic and AIA Vitality. Despite numerous opportunities, Brouwer emphasises measured growth.
“We have expanded into new products and platforms, including vitamins, T-shirts, a top-three podcast, and major corporate programs. There are so many exciting opportunities, but my focus is on doing it well, not fast.”
Her philosophy stems from experience. “Over the years I’ve learned that real success doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from staying steady, leading with energy, purpose, and integrity. Every decision I make this year is guided by one simple question: Does this create more connection, more calm, and more meaning?”
This single question acts as a filter for every opportunity that crosses her desk. It’s a decision-making framework that keeps the business aligned with its core mission whilst protecting Brouwer from the burnout that plagues many entrepreneurs.
“Awake is growing in reach, impact, and heart. And I’m growing with it. Because the way we build matters just as much as what we build. Living and leading this way keeps me grounded in the truth that practising what we preach is not just important, it’s everything.”
What unites these five founders is their rejection of growth for growth’s sake. They’re building businesses that serve specific communities, solve real problems and align with their personal values. Whether through educational content, data-driven strategies, holistic wellness programmes or conscious expansion, these women are proving that sustainable business growth in 2026 requires more than ambition.
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