By Luke Voogt
In just seven years Highton ‘mumpreneur’ Lisa Cowley grew Sproutwell from a full-time “Ebay business” into a thriving, multi-million dollar company.
Lisa opened her first display centre at Officer in 2013 after finding a niche in the greenhouse market.
“It’s basically the only outdoor greenhouse display centre in Australia,” the 39-year-old says.
“I could give you 20 different greenhouse photos and they would look the same, but they’re not.
“Customers wanted to come in and touch the products (and) actually see what they investing their money in.”
Sproutwell is now “Australia’s biggest greenhouse supply company”, she says. “It all started with a product container of about $25,000.”
Lisa’s rapid rise saw her make the final of the AusMumpreneur Award in 2016.
“It was an amazing experience to be up there with all those fantastic women who built their businesses from nothing,” she says.
“I think there’s still a bit of a perception of women at home with children. But all women can do this – have their own business.”
But Lisa has never been a keen gardener.
“It definitely didn’t come from a passion for growing for me,” she says.
“When I started this business, my sons were aged one and three – I wanted to still be able to contribute to the family’s income.”
Lisa was a new home consultant, while husband Clayton worked for a construction company.
When the business began, she taught herself the ins and outs of greenhouse gardening and how to drive a forklift.
“When we first started my biggest obstacle was freighting and storing these greenhouse products,” she says.
And Lisa’s eldest son is following his mother’s example.
“He’s keen to produce his own range of scooters,” she says.
“They’ve grown up with a mother who’s always run her own businesses. Although they’re young they understand they can do anything they put their mind to.”
The company opened its first warehouse in South Geelong in July 2016, which has become the company’s new headquarters.
The back-to-back winners of the Good Organic Gardening’s outdoor award now employ 11 people.
“For every year that passes, I become more excited and passionate about it,” Lisa says.
