A CORNUBIA family has turned plastic waste into purpose – and built a $30 million business.
Siblings Dean and Jaryd Leibbrandt, alongside Dean’s wife Tegan, founded their sustainable lifestyle brand Nakie in 2019 after growing frustrated by plastic pollution in local waterways.
Six years later, the family-run business has transformed more than 22 million plastic bottles into eco-friendly hammocks, blankets and backpacks, while planting over 2.5 million trees across Kenya and Madagascar.
For the Leibbrandts, success is about creating something meaningful and lasting.
“We don’t have any plans to sell the business, but our goal is to one day pass it on to future generations,” Mr Leibbrandt said.
“For us, legacy is about proving you can build something that makes a difference.
“For us, legacy is about proving you can build something that matters.
“Every product we sell means more trees planted and more plastic kept out of landfill – and that’s something we hope future generations will be proud to continue.”
The Leibbrandts’ story mirrors new research showing a generational shift in how Australia’s youngest business owners define success.
For nearly two-thirds of Millennial and Gen Z founders, leaving a positive community impact is the most meaningful legacy.
The Amex Australia research found that 53 per cent of small-business owners say leaving a legacy is important, rising to nearly two-thirds among Millennials/Gen Z.
Millennials prioritise community impact more than any other group, with 48 per cent saying it’s the most meaningful legacy.
About 39 per cent of Millennial owners have family working in their business – significantly more than other age groups.
More than half of business owners say trust is the main benefit of employing family.
And more than half of Millennial (55 per cent) and Gen Z (53 per cent) business owners say they want to pass their business on to family as a legacy.
