Highlighting the Inner West’s best entrepreneurs.
Brisket burgers that can’t be beaten 
The team behind Barlow & Co, the popular Canterbury Foodies Market Stall, has delivered on fan’s requests to see more of their awesome brisket burgers. The slow-cooked sensations are now available six days a week at Barlow & Co’s permanent home on 156 William St, Earlwood.
Given Earlwood is slightly south of the Inner West, we may soon be calling it the Texas of the Inner West, as it is now the home of the traditional Texan inspired brisket burger by Barlow & Co.
The Texans love their brisket “cooked low and slow”, and that’s exactly how Barlow & Co do it – cooking the meat for 16 hours until it’s succulent and falling apart.
Barlow & Co
156 William St, Earlwood NSW 2206
ph: 8321 8887
When innovative design is hard to find 
Erica Stewart is not your ordinary mum. Not only does she raise three beautiful children (aged 6, 12 and 14) with her husband, but she is also the founder and CEO of Hardtofind, Australia’s leading, award-winning curated online marketplace celebrating fun, innovative design from the best small creative businesses in Australia and all over the world.
Erica identified a gap in the ecommerce market for a shopping site where you could find only the best quality, most unique items. This discovery led to Erica launching Hardtofind in November 2008 as a side project. She then used her maternity leave in 2010 to make the business a priority. It was during this time she realised the true potential of the idea and decided not to return to her day job in media sales.
With curation at the heart of what Erica does, she brings together an expertly sourced global community of cottage industries, independent studios and hole-in-the-wall retailers with people looking for something different – and creating a much more personal maker-to-customer shopping experience via the Hardtofind website.
Today, the site has become one of the nation’s favourite online retail destinations, and lists thousands of products from more than 2,000 sellers across the world. The business now employs 26 full time team members and has a customer base of over 400,000 people.
As the mastermind of Hardtofind, Erica has appeared as a thought leader on television for Sky News, Channel 7’s Kochie’s Business Builders and The Morning Show. She has also been featured in various publications including the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, BRW, NAB’s Business View Magazine and Commonwealth Bank’s Women in Focus Magazine, and was named one of the seven entrepreneurs to watch in 2016 by The Sydney Morning Herald.
When asked for one single tip of the trade, Erica says, “You just have to trust your gut instinct and keep going.”
Website: www.hardtofind.com.au
Facebook: @hardtofind.com.au
Instagram: @hardtofind_
Breaking the silence around infertility 
The Pink Elephants Support Network is a brand new charity providing a vital support network for women and their partners who have experienced miscarriage or infertility.
It was created when Founders Gabbi Armstrong and Sam Payne met through the shared experience of recurrent miscarriage. With Gabbi having also experienced infertility, they both know all too well just how isolating infertility and miscarriage can be.
Despite many celebrities opening up about their journeys, infertility and loss are still very much taboo topics shrouded in silence, which is shocking considering that, statistically, one in four pregnancies will end in miscarriage and one in six couples are struggling to conceive.
To better understand the needs of women, Gabbi and Sam held focus groups and online research, and found that more than 50 per cent of women received little to no support after a pregnancy loss. The Pink Elephants Support Network was set up in direct response to this.
Sam says: “Our purpose is to support, nurture and empower women through their journeys, to provide them with a central hub of reliable and up to date information, to give them a space to have their journeys heard and to have contact with others who truly ‘get it’.
“We’re building our online presence to open up the dialogue around infertility and miscarriage, after discovering that most women felt invalidated in their grief after a loss.
“We believe strongly in the power of a support network. Our motto is: whilst infertility and miscarriage are individual journeys they should not be walked alone.”
This year, The Pink Elephants Support Network is launching miscarriage care kits into clinics to support women and their partners. Support resources are already available to download on their website, the guides include how to support a friend, a partner and what to say to a friend experiencing a loss.
The Pink Elephants Support Network would love Ciao readers to share the links below with anyone who may have been touched by miscarriage or infertility. If you have been affected directly, please register to become a subscriber (free) and share your journey to help break the silence.
facebook.com/pinkelephantssupport
Instagram /pinkelephantssupport
Contact: support@pinkelephantssupport.com
Look successful and stylish with S I A H 
Inspired by individuality and the positive optimism of successful women from all walks of of life, S I A H campaigns are poised to compliment, empower, and in turn inspire S I A H women to live, love, play and travel in timeless and effortless style.
Launched in 2016, S I A H is an Australian-owned fashion brand that challenges the traditional boundaries between fashionable and professional womenswear.
The collective team at S I A H are passionate about creating and delivering dynamic and versatile collections to cater for busy women who seek effortless sophistication and glamour.
From the first sketch to the final cut, the S I A H team pursue the importance of creating progressive designs, with a clear focus on essentials that encapsulate simplicity, elegance and structure.
We provide overnight express shipping in Australia, and four day express shipping to New Zealand.
Shop our limited edition winter collection on www.siah.cc
Lulu Manna for the modern woman 
Lulu Manna is unashamedly unique. Australian made and not dictated by trends, the label values quality and timelessness, and this ethos shines through its collection. Although impeccably made, the brand is about much more than just physical garments and aims to promote style and confidence through its beautiful pieces.
Marianna Papas is the creative force behind Lulu Manna and her versatile designs are intended to inspire modern women to explore their own personal style and feel comfortable in their own skin. Following the brand’s creation in 2014, Marianna has refined and launched her own range to cater for all body types while retaining an easy-going, relaxed aesthetic.
Growing up as a competitive ballroom dancer, Marianna had an early fascination with beautiful clothes. Her ballroom gowns were a team effort; she carefully sketched the designs and her grandmother lovingly stitched them. So began Marianna’s love affair with fashion and textiles. She went on to study at fashion college and now has over a decade of experience in the business, having worked for a well renowned local fashion textile company as well as a major Australian fashion label.
Lulu Manna honours the close relationship Marianna shared with her muse and adored grandmother, Anna. The name was also influenced by her own childhood nickname, LuLu. Ignited by such humble beginnings and close Greek family ties, it’s evident why Lulu Manna has a personal feel which can be seen from the intimate customer service experience to the brand’s warm signature style.
All Lulu Manna pieces are lovingly curated and created
for the individual.
Lula Manna can be found online at www.lulumanna.com.au.
Stockists include:
The Back Room Designer, 1/65-69 Nelson St, Rozelle Acquire@DESIGN, Shop 2/445 King St, Newtown
Shop online for Mother’s Day to receive a 15% discount on purchases by using promo code CIAO15
Makeup by Shae Macintyre 
Shae Macintyre is a makeup artist of 15 years experience, across Australia and New Zealand for fashion, editorial and bridal makeup.
Based in the Inner West, Shae also operates as a professional makeup trainer and specialises in private tutorials and corporate workshops.
Shae is also affiliated with the ethical, French professional brand, Serge Louis Alvarez.
To contact Shae regarding makeup
services, please email enquiries to
ladymacmua@gmail.com
