The ripple effect that small businesses create

Image of a crime fighting superhero on the streets of Williamstown wearing my handmade cape.

It started at the Monbulk swimming pool. I was dripping wet, awkwardly wrapped in a towel, nervously approaching other mums to ask if they’d like to join a little online group I’d started. I felt awkward and totally self-conscious, but something told me I wasn’t the only one craving connection.

That was the beginning of Mums of the Hills. What most people don’t know is that behind those early days, behind the Facebook group and the flyers, there was a small business (mine) quietly adding to our family's finances.

At the time, I was trying to get both of my kids into long day care (nearly impossible), while also chipping away at my master’s thesis. I couldn’t work regular hours outside the home, so I found creative ways to earn. I sewed and sold kids' costumes—superhero capes, dinosaur tails, fairy crowns. I taught crochet and sold my handmade items at markets and online. It wasn’t glamorous, but it made a difference.

And not just financially. That little side hustle gave me purpose, confidence, and the opportunity to connect with others. That side hustle paid for the kids' extra activities (those swimming lessons), it gave me the flexibility I needed and the motivation to show up—not just for my family, but eventually for the wider community.

Small businesses often get talked about in economic terms (jobs, revenue, etc.), but for so many of us, they’re about survival, connection, and possibility. They’re a lifeline. A launchpad. A way to contribute and care for our families.

In my case, my tiny costume-and-crochet business helped lay the foundation for Mums of the Hills. It taught me how to reach people, how to listen, how to build something from scratch. And more than anything, it introduced me to a network of other mums, many of whom were doing the same thing—juggling work, care, creativity, and community.

Small business isn’t just business. It’s community care. It’s problem-solving. It’s someone finding a way to earn while raising kids or caring for parents. It’s showing up at local events, donating time and products, or quietly supporting causes that matter.

That’s why Mums of the Hills is so proud of the amazing number of local businesses featured in our Business Directory. It’s packed with people who not only offer great goods and services, but who also put community first. We encourage everyone to keep this directory handy—whether you’re after a tradie, a cake maker, a kids’ party entertainer, or anything in between.

When you choose a business listed in our directory, you’re not just supporting local—you’re supporting a business that supports us. Each business directory subscription directly contributes to the funding of our community programs, helping us keep doing what we do best: connecting and supporting families across the hills.

So the next time you need something, check the directory first. It’s full of people doing their best, dreaming a little, and building something good—for all of us. And when you support one of those businesses, you’re helping keep this whole community ecosystem alive and thriving.

Because behind each listing is someone with a story not so different from mine.

I still think back to those early days—standing at the edge of the Monbulk swimming pool in my wet togs, nervously asking other mums if they’d like to join my group, while mentally ticking off the costume orders I needed to finish that night so I could keep paying for those very swimming lessons. It felt small, even a bit ridiculous at times. But those small, heartfelt actions—starting a conversation, sewing a cape, building something out of nothing—were the first stitches in something much bigger.

That moment became a movement. And like so many good things, it began with a mum, a dream, and a bit of faith in community.