Ahead of the crowd: local businesses with big sporting ambitions

Major sporting events can create business opportunities beyond the stadium, from tourism and corporate gifting to coaching, content and partnerships.
Three Australian businesses are preparing in different ways, by investing in infrastructure, scaling production and building audiences.
Planning early can help small businesses make the most of future demand, especially when growth depends on capacity, relationships and visibility.

Major sporting events can create opportunities well before the crowds arrive. Meet three Australian businesses building for growth through tourism, manufacturing and high-performance sport.

Building a world-class cultural tourism experience

Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours

Where the dense emerald of the Wet Tropics rainforest feeds into the turquoise fringe of the Great Barrier Reef, the Mandingalbay Yidinji people are preparing for a tourism boom. For this First Nations-led tour operator based in Cairns, the pipeline of global events isn’t just a milestone – it’s a physical transformation.

“We’ve been working with all three tiers of government since 2015 to expand the business,” says Dewayne Mundraby, Mandingalbay

Dewayne Mundraby is helping Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours get ready for a new wave of visitors.

Yidinji eco-cultural tourism and infrastructure manager. While the first chapter was about laying the groundwork to welcome guests, the current momentum is far more ambitious: think boutique accommodation, sleek boat refurbishments and a whole new suite of eco-adventures designed to showcase the Mandingalbay Indigenous Protected Area.

“A grant from the Queensland Government’s Regional Tourism Infrastructure Fund has helped keep things moving,” says Dewayne. The investment ensures that the ancient stories of this coastline will be told from a world-class stage.

Infrastructure takes time, meaning the clock is ticking. “We’re predicted to have a massive tourist influx around the corner,” says Dewayne. “Once the new inclusions are online, we’ll be able to start appealing to our domestic and international markets.”

We’re building towards… an expanded workforce with additional vessels. We’re also building more connections with other operators and the local business community.

Taking an outback icon to a global audience

Tambo Teddies

The tiny town of Tambo, in central-western Queensland, was faced with a big problem in the early 1990s. “We had a big wool stockpile but the market crashed,” says Tambo local Alison Shaw (pictured above, right, with co-owner Tammy Johnson). “The little towns out here in the outback were built on the shearing industry and they were all dying.”

Tammy Johnson and Alison Shaw are taking Tambo Teddies, and Bunji the koala, from regional Queensland to the world.

The locals got together to brainstorm a solution and that’s how Tambo Teddies was born. “The idea was to save the wool industry and bring tourists to the town by making sheepskin teddy bears,” says Alison, who bought the company with two others in 2014. “The business put Tambo on the map.”

Now, Alison wants to take Tambo Teddies to the global stage. Enter Bunji (pictured below), a koala whose name means “mate” in Warlpiri language. Their strategy for growth includes capitalising on the booming sports tourism market, looking at the major events bringing fans and dignitaries to Australia. Their goal is to ensure Bunji is one of the keepsakes they take home to remember their time in Australia. “With so many spectators heading down under, we’d love to supply the massive visitor market but our niche may be corporate gifting,” she says. For Alison and Tammy, future growth is about big dreams with clear next steps and the right conversations.

Bunji the koala, who's name means "mate" in Warlpiri language.

We’re building towards… an expanded workforce with additional vessels. We’re also building more connections with other operators and the local business community.

Turning high-performance sport into business momentum

Pinnacle Performance Cycle Coaching

The world stage might be the ultimate goal but Dylan Lindsey and Jack Marshall (pictured below, from left) from Pinnacle Performance Cycle Coaching are already working with athletes with a shot at gold. “We prescribe and analyse performance and training programs for everyone, from athletes who race at the world-tour level in road cycling all the way down to weekend warriors,” adds Dylan.

Pinnacle Performance Cycle Coaching founders Dylan Lindsey and Jack Marshall are turning elite sport into business momentum.

The business is well-versed in making the most of the opportunities around sporting events. “The Tour de France and Tour Down Under are massive for us,” says Dylan. Having athletes perform well is the best form of publicity but that avenue only gets you so far. “You need to bring people on the journey so we’re big on content,” says Dylan. The team sees most traction on Instagram but has also recently launched a podcast.

“For us, it’s about letting people see what happens behind closed doors with the athletes we coach,” explains Dylan.

Over the next six years, Dylan and Jack will be measuring success by a couple of factors. “ From a broad business standpoint, we’d like to have people in major global events,” says Dylan. “So we’re striving to be more hands-on at the highest level of sport.”

We’re building towards… a safe and fun environment for people to thrive. That’s the easiest way to sum it up.

What small businesses can learn from them

For these businesses, growth isn’t only about waiting for crowds to arrive. It’s about preparing early, building the right relationships and knowing what makes the business worth seeking out.

Whether it’s investing in infrastructure, scaling production or bringing customers behind the scenes, each business is finding its own way to turn a major moment into long-term momentum.

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