Leading with purpose

“Aboriginal businesses play a huge part in creating a circular economy,” says Sara Stuart, Founder and Director of Printing with Purpose. “And that helps families and makes communities stronger. We don’t just create jobs or opportunities—we support their health and wellbeing.” 

When Sara started her business six years ago, she was determined to build something more than a commercial printing company. Her vision? To create an enterprise that honoured her heritage as a First Nations woman, while proving that cultural values and commercial success aren’t just compatible—they can be powerful. 

That vision led Sara to partner with Australian Unity, an organisation that shares her focus on Real Wellbeing. As their relationship matures, both are discovering the benefits of genuinely supporting each other. 

A “safe space” for women 

While “blending culture, community impact and commercial value” was important, Sara’s ambitions went deeper still. She wanted to establish a workplace where women—especially First Nations women—could lead without limits.  

“I wanted to create a safe space, not only for First Nations women but also for women in general,” explains Sara. “So many times in my life, including working in large corporates, I’ve been stereotyped for being a woman or being a First Nations woman.” 

Today, Printing with Purpose is Australia’s largest First Nations female owned print company, with their partner they employ approximately 30 staff across Sydney and Melbourne. Women hold all core leadership positions, and the company is “changing the narrative” about what it means to support other First Nations– and female-owned businesses. 

“We create impact with people’s print spend, which then creates change for the Aboriginal community, but also for women who want to work in the print industry,” says Sara. “We’re a safe place to do that.” 

It’s this combination that drew the attention of Australian Unity, an organisation equally committed to supporting and empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. What started as a procurement relationship more than 18 months ago has evolved into something far more meaningful.  

Building meaningful relationships 

Karl Whatham, Head of Sourcing at Australian Unity, explains that the organisation’s relationships with Indigenous businesses have grown significantly since launching its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in 2016. 

“It’s really about backing Indigenous businesses and empowering them economically, while building relationships with them as suppliers,” says Karl. “Over the past seven or eight years, we’ve discovered there are so many creative and innovative companies out there that we can work with.”  

The connection between Australian Unity and Printing with Purpose began at a trade show in Melbourne. When Printing with Purpose won the Registered Business of the Year award at the 2024 Supply Nation Awards, it confirmed to Australian Unity that this was a partnership worth pursuing. 

“They are a female-owned and Aboriginal-managed company that just really inspired us,” says Dee Venrooy, Group Vendor Governance and Performance Manager at Australian Unity. “Printing with Purpose creates positive change across Aboriginal communities. Partnering with them means we’re forging something deeper than a typical supplier–vendor relationship.” 

Dee adds that Indigenous businesses, such as Printing with Purpose and Muru Office Supplies, tend to reinvest their profits back into their communities more than any other type of business, delivering Real Wellbeing where it’s needed most.  

Myth-busting 

But building these partnerships hasn’t always been straightforward. One of the biggest hurdles? Changing assumptions about Indigenous businesses. 

“Early on, we would hear: ‘It’s going to cost more’. That seemed to be the biggest myth we had to bust,” explains Karl. “We don’t hear that much anymore because we’ve well and truly proven that’s not the case.” 

Sara has faced these misconceptions firsthand—and she's determined to shift them. “Don’t just come and speak to us about your NAIDOC week printing,” she says. “Aboriginal businesses are competing in a commercial landscape and we want to create value.” 

It’s a sentiment Karl echoes. For Australian Unity, meaningful partnerships mean engaging with Indigenous businesses for their full capabilities, not just culturally specific work. And it means committing for the long term. 

Personal journey, generational impact 

For Sara, the drive to prove what’s possible is rooted in a childhood where she was repeatedly told what she couldn’t do. She is driven to rewrite that story, not just for herself, but for the next generation. 

Growing up in the foster-care system, Sara received little encouragement—one teacher even told her that “people like you don’t become physios” and she’d be “lucky to stack shelves”. 

Rather than wallow, Sara used that experience as fuel. 

“My generation will be the first in my family where we’re actually going to have intergenerational wealth,” says Sara. “I’m the first one that owns a house—well, the bank owns it—but I’m the first to do that. I’m the first to finish year 12 and go to university." 

She describes winning a scholarship to Harvard as “life-changing”. For a child who grew up as a ward of the state, opportunities like these don’t just change one life—they’ve shifted the trajectory for Sara’s four children and generations to come. 

Now, Sara wants organisations to follow suit and create opportunities for Indigenous businesses. She’s seen firsthand how genuine commitment—not tokenistic gestures—enables Aboriginal businesses to grow and scale. 

“Build relationships, not transactions, and invest for the long term,” says Sara. “When businesses have our back, that allows me to do things like go to the bank and ask for a line of credit, or hire more people.” 

“First Nations businesses aren’t looking for a handout. We’re asking you to come to the table.” 

It’s a simple ask, but one that creates profound change—not just for individual businesses like Printing with Purpose, but for entire Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.