With so many incredible local businesses on the Gold Coast, one begins to wonder: how did they all come to be? In our series, ‘The story behind…’, we chat with local founders and owners about how their business started, their biggest learnings and their tips for other self-starters.
This time, we caught up with Gold Coaster (turned Tasmanian) Georgia Allison, founder of Shoreline Australia. Read on for our chat.
When did the idea for your business first come about? And how?
The idea for Shoreline Australia was actually born through a bold decision to completely change my life in 2023. I was living in Canada with a successful event business, The Collection, for four years, about to be engaged, and had what many would consider “the dream life”. I realized that despite it all, I was deeply unhappy.
It was a pivotal moment that led me to do the unthinkable – leave everything behind and seek happiness on my own. I moved back to Australia in 2024 with the idea to set up shop back in my home town, the Gold Coast. However, I decided to try a new venture in Tasmania, where I spent the year rebuilding my foundation there.
It was the catalyst that led me to building Shoreline Australia. My vision was to create a company where I could inspire and teach others – men and women – that sometimes we need to take the road less travelled to reach our full potential, grow and discover our absolute selves. I discovered how powerful it was to bring people together and hold events that inspired change in unique, fun and thoughtful ways.
Where did you start?
I’m a clarity gal, so I allowed the first four months of building Shoreline to get incredibly clear on the vision, branding, target audience and most importantly- where I saw its growth potential. As I was the newbie in town, I took that time to network and find my footing amongst the community, especially in the event business (hello DM’ing random entrepreneurs on Instagram!).
This led to me forging fabulous business relationships. They gave me a strong foundation to further launch Shoreline into the community when it was ready for its first event. There was no initial business income, so I relied solely on personal investment, long hours into the night and my knowledge of what it took to pull off a new event, from running them previously overseas.
What were some of the challenges you faced in the beginning? How did you overcome them?
Self-funding is always a challenge in the beginning. You’re battling the ‘hey let’s make this event totally awesome, unique, and beautiful!’ vision with a less than $1000 budget. It can be tough! In these moments, entrepreneurship calls for creativity – you need to think outside the box to make magic happen. Thankfully, Launceston was a town with eager industry leaders who were willing to share their resources for decor, finding the perfect space to host and ideas on how to market the first event in this specific town.
What has been your biggest learning since starting the business?
Entwining my ability as a medium into the Shoreline business has been a huge journey – more so for me personally. Stemming from a hereditary ability on my mother’s side, I truly claimed my gift only a year or so prior. Growing up I was a beacon for the weird and wonderful, my childhood was spirits pulling my hair, having my duvet ripped off me in the middle of the night and trying to avoid my friend’s haunted homes. I shut down my gift all throughout my schooling years and beyond, until the beginning of 2023 when I felt ready to reconnect with it once again.
From there I began doing readings for friends and paid clients. Now I offer them within Shoreline via one-on-one sessions and at our pop-up events. They certainly bring people together in a completely new way and help me hold space and teach individuals by tapping into them. It allows me to truly understand, protect and nurture their energy whilst we go through these transformative events. It also means everyone feels completely safe and held the entire time, on a mental and energetic level.
And what about your biggest ‘I’ve made it’ moment?
Truthfully, I feel I’m yet to have that with Shoreline, however my ‘moment’ as an entrepreneur certainly came when we gained nationwide media coverage on The Collection in Canada. We ran a series of fashion events called ‘Innisfil Fashion Market’ and had vendors travel from all over the country just to attend. It solidified in me that I can not only create an impactful business, but a successful one too.
What does a working day in your life look like?
Starting your day with the right energy is everything! I personally do not sleep with my phone in the bedroom, and won’t touch it until I’ve woken up, made a coffee and completed my meditation. This allows me to really home in on setting the right intention for each day AND allows me to sit in a feeling of success for everything I’m about to achieve. Tapping into a strong vision of what I’m after, and being in the energy of that, has had incredible results in my personal and professional life.
From there, it probably looks quite boring to an outsider! Lots and lots of hours between my notebook and laptop spent planning the next event, working on expansion, meetings, admin tasks, etc.
So, where to next? What’s in the pipeline for your business?
2025 is looking to be a huge year for Shoreline! We are actually in the process of developing a self-expansion game for people to do in the comfort of their own home. Bringing in the teachings from our in-person events, I wanted to create a self-development game that allows everyone to do these crafted activities either by themselves, with family or friends.
These next six months are pre-production, with our sights on a July 2025 launch.
What is your biggest tip for local business owners?
Instinct over intellect, always! Both are required, but instinct must come first in any decision professionally or personally. Ask yourself, ‘How does this decision make me truly feel?’. Spend time knowing when your gut is telling you yes and no.
In alignment with that, don’t be afraid to make changes in your business – no matter how big or small – for long-term success. Be an absolute sponge in the life of business, and learn, learn, learn! Whether it’s teaching yourself new skills to benefit expansion, gaining further knowledge in your industry or simply connecting with like-minded individuals.
