Melbourne-based skincare brand Nobody’s Nobody shows what it really takes to scale internationally and why access to funding can make or break the opportunity.

Born out of frustration with the growing gap between quality and price in cosmetics, Nobody’s Nobody sells Australian-made skincare products that combine premium ingredients with formulations that promise results – all at an affordable price point, with no products over $30.

“I was sick of going into stores and my daughter buying one item for $130, when I knew it didn’t represent $130 of value or premium ingredients,” said co-founder and director Alanna Hinds. 

“This range is about being able to buy four or five products for $100 and getting a full skincare routine.”

After securing distribution in supermarkets across Australia, in 2025, Nobody’s Nobody landed a contract with Target to launch their skincare line in 1800 stores across the United States.

It was a move that would open up enormous opportunities – and challenges as well.

Purpose-led lifestyle brands with global appeal

The company behind Nobody’s Nobody, Stirling & Hinds, is no stranger to growth.

Stirling & Hinds was founded in 2020 by three Australian women with the intention to create high-quality, purpose-driven lifestyle brands at an accessible price point.

Their first brand was Green Nation Life, a plant-powered home fragrance and cleaning line available across Australian supermarkets.

Green Nation Life quickly received international interest and began exporting products across Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore.

While this early exporting experience provided a healthy foundation for the brand moving into new markets, it was an entirely different challenge entering the US market with Nobody’s Nobody.

Becoming somebody in the US

Exporting at this scale introduced longer and more complex timelines.

Products bound for the US required extended production lead times, followed by a five-week sea freight journey. Once they arrived, they needed to undergo up to eight weeks of safety checks and warehousing before hitting shelves.

On top of that, suppliers required upfront deposits and retailer payment terms extended well beyond delivery.

The result was a significant cash flow gap.

Stirling & Hinds needed to fund manufacturing, inventory and logistics months in advance – well before any revenue from US sales is realised. Without sufficient working capital, even a breakthrough opportunity like Target could become difficult to execute.

To navigate this challenge, Stirling & Hinds turned to Export Finance Australia (EFA), the Australian Government’s export credit agency supporting Australian businesses expanding into global markets.

Closing a finance gap

“Moving into the overseas market with the large retail order in the US, we approached Export Finance Australia,” says Alanna. “[They] were directly involved in helping us fund the stock we needed to get to America.”

Through EFA, the company secured a $350,000 Small Business Export Loan to help fund working capital requirements, including production, supplier deposits and shipping timelines.

This funding proved critical.

It enabled Stirling & Hinds to manufacture their products at scale, maintain inventory buffers and confidently meet Target’s delivery requirements. The loan also allowed the business to establish a team in the US to support ongoing operations.

“You need a strong team on the ground,” explains Alanna. “We now have more teams in the US than Australia… you really need that support.”

Rather than slowing growth or overextending resources, the EFA loan helped Stirling & Hinds execute its international launch of Nobody’s Nobody with confidence.

How your business can do the same

The experience of launching Nobody’s Nobody internationally highlights a challenge that many Australian businesses face: growth often requires significant upfront investment.

In fact, around 65 per cent of Australian trading businesses are currently exploring new international markets. Yet for many, access to working capital remains a large barrier to taking that next step.

EFA’s Small Business Export Loan is designed to help close these funding gaps, offering loans from $20,000 to $350,000 to support export growth.

Features such as a six-month interest-only period can ease early cash flow pressure. If your business is eligible for a loan, you won’t need to provide property or inventory security either.

You may be eligible for EFA’s Small Business Export Loan if you meet the following criteria:

• You have an Australian Company Number (ACN)
• You’ve been trading for at least two years
• Your annual turnover is $250,000 or more
• You’re a direct exporter or part of an export supply chain.

“We’re not a seed capital or grant provider and our loans must be repaid, therefore it’s businesses that have validated their offer and are trading that have the best opportunity to secure funding,” says Christopher Gianotti, EFA national director, product and SME lending.

“These can be small businesses too, you don’t need to be a large business to engage with us.”

Funds can be used flexibly, whether to fulfil an export contract, invest in inventory, develop new markets or grow overseas sales.

For businesses looking to move quickly on international opportunities, this kind of support can be a game changer.

Explore how Export Finance Australia could support your business growth.

This article is brought to you by Business Builders in partnership with Export Finance Australia.