Hamish Cockburn had just started going through the daily motions required to get his café (The Corner Store) open for trading. After flinging open a window, he spotted someone outside.
That someone was Karen Monaghan. Karen was new to Perth, and still running on Melbourne time and that’s where it all began. Two-morning people with big ideas crossing paths over a coffee.
The more they talked, the more they realised how aligned their values were—both family orientated, and both committed to building up the community through business innovation.They wanted to make sustainable change. They landed on cups. More specifically, single use cups.In Australia alone, a billion of these cups go into landfills every year. Bringing your own is a good start but let’s face it, life happens and people forget.
Karen and Hamish realised they had to make a standard cup… to replace a standard cup. Their aim is to preserve the beautiful and simple experience of getting a coffee. Their mission is to redesign it so that it doesn’t cost the environment.
So, born from coffee and conversation, Our Kinds entered the scene.Our Kinds was developed by Karen and Hamish as a platform to sustainably problem solve. To create simple and innovative solutions by embarking on a journey to connect, learn, and grow with the people around them.
Gets it done. Whatever it may be. Karen is an agile leader who has traversed the business world and leant her skills to everywhere from fashion, to childcare, to automobiles. Leaves the heart in business while striving to take the ego out. Genuine desire to leave a positive mark is backed up with a track record of landing innovation.
Nuriah is a deadly force—who is also the Our Kinds resident advisor and creator. Her artistry is boundless and her energy is absolutely astounding. She can expertly recognise people's power (even before they know themselves) and lives and breathes all of her values.
Human. Father. Dreamer. Entrepreneur. Optimist. Sleeves up—always. Hamish is a café and industrial design company owner who found passion in creating seamless and functional spaces and products for his community. Aware of the future, driven to leave the world for the generations to come.
Joshua was scouted for an internship after Karen noticed him impressively leading a university project group. He is studying environmental science at Curtin University. Josh is interested in pursuing sustainable projects that will make mainstream consumer behaviour more environmentally friendly.
Artist and Big Thinker who aims to bring life back to its beautiful connected simplicity through his theory of ‘Carbonature’. Kim designs, sculpts, and creates carbon neutral art to engage all levels of the community (from local to global) in the bigger, and more sustainable picture.
Dave serves as an advisor to Our Kinds. He’s an executive leader, with over 20 years experience in the energy and business development sector. He has an absolute wealth of knowledge and is an integral factor in the ongoing success and proliferation of the Our Kinds movement.
A co-founder of a thriving IP firm, Nick values work-life balance and can also be found running, cooking, and connecting with his young kids through being a noob video gamer. Nick is a detail focused team player who is passionate about sustainability. Oh, and his kryptonite? Chocolate Milkshakes.
Renee is the sun. We believe her personal mission is to bring life and colour to the world around her. Apart from that, she’s got a study background in business and entrepreneurship and was raised by a pioneering virtual reality start-up turned franchise. She’s our resident fungi, flora, and fauna hobbyist and believes Our Kinds can help protect the environment that she loves.
Ash is an associate at Blue Rock and Our Kinds’ resident Lawyer, car enthusiast, and wunderkind (Ash won Anthill’s '30 under 30' award in 2017). He has a lively entrepreneurial background which enables him to analyse complex legal matters through a range of different perspectives.
Hailing from Ballarat (Go Miners!) Bevan is a business and accounting whiz from BlueRock. He latches on to all things science and tech related and can definitely tell you a thing or two about data. Bevan’s good at lending his mind to big ideas in order to give them that essential mathematical structure.
Veronica is somehow the life of the party and the most influential businesswoman in the room. She’s passionate about her work and is a highly experienced business and government professional. Veronica is incredible at mentoring, and fosters strong team connections through transparency and personal development.
We respect the earth on which we live and those who live here.
We believe in removing complexity and adding value.
Having great ideas is exciting. Making them real is even better.
We know where we are going, and we know how we are doing.
The problems might be challenging. Solving them is fun.
First Nations Australians are the original, and most experienced spiritual and physical caretakers of Australia. Their Sovereignty was never ceded, and we will pay respect to the First Nations Peoples, and the Traditional Owners of this land.
That respect extends to ensuring they have access to fulfil their role as ongoing custodians. Nuriah Jadai serves as our First Nations advisor and our vision is to work with her to foster a diverse and equal community.
