Australian Enterprise Awards 2026 | 31 whilst skills can be taught, the traits that really make a person thrive here are either in their DNA or they are not. This is why Art Shed has a culture-first approach to hiring. The kind of people who are chosen to wave the brand’s flag are those who will not hesitate to walk a customer to their car in the pouring rain, or spend 20 minutes avidly talking to them about the difference between hot press paper and cold press paper. The fact that many of the staff here are also artists, designers, students, or teachers in their own right also supports the creation of this exceptional and diverse environment, where people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels bring something unique to the table (or, more accurately, the paint-splattered counter). What follows is a warm, fast-paced atmosphere that is often chaotic but always respectful, with everyone’s needs accounted for. After all, Cindy knows first-hand what it is like to juggle work around a personal life. As the woman at the helm of this brand, having built it up and mentored a team around raising her family, Cindy strives to embody this grit on a daily basis, and she still walks the floor, picks stock, and answers emails. Every team member is known to her by name, and she ensures that leadership is deeply embedded in Art Shed’s day to day, not removed from the hustle and bustle and set in a glass office. This helps to keeps things grounded, and has led to thousands of five-star reviews and a community being nurtured. It is this that helps it to compete against the big-box corporate chains, those companies that think being unique is offering 100-day returns and same-day dispatch. However, Art Shed does this as well. Particularly since lockdown, these soulless providers have tried to cash in on art, flooding the shelves of supermarkets and other such stores with cheap paint sets and craft kits. Art is not just something grabbed alongside bread and milk each week. It is personal. Cindy and her team have built a business around giving more than just products; they offer expertise, encouragement, great service, and boundless joy. In the wake of these changes, Art Shed did not compete with the cheap. Rather, it doubled down on what has always set it apart. Cindy told us: “We don’t crumble. We create. We see challenges as the universe handing us a paintbrush and saying, ‘See what you can do with this’.” This was the case last year, when Art Shed hit a milestone that meant so much to Cindy and the team: reacquiring Art Shed in Brisbane. Cindy created and once owned the store, but it had since been operating independently for years. Integrating it back into the family was therefore more than just a business move, it was an emotional homecoming for Cindy, her girls, and the rest of the team. But more exciting than bringing it back is what it represented – a bold new chapter in Art Shed’s story, which is just getting started. 2026 is a year of growth for Art Shed, which is not only exploring interstate expansion, bringing the experience to more Australian creatives, but also growing the team, upgrading the technology behind its online store, and continuing to build its community – staying true to its roots with every step. Cindy declared: “No matter how big we get; Art Shed will always be led by people who live and breathe creativity. By a family who built it from scratch. By a team who believe in making art feel possible, for anyone and everyone.” “Art Shed succeeds because we’ve never tried to be what the industry expected. We’ve been a paint-covered rebellion against beige since day one, and it turns out that’s exactly what Australia was craving.” What’s more, behind the scenes, Art Shed operates with sophisticated digital systems, data-led strategy, and bestin-class ecommerce practices. More on the bold brand, unmatched culture, and human service embodied by Art Shed can be found at either its Melbourne or Brisbane locations, as well as its awardwinning online store, the link to which can be found below. Contact: Cindy Kent Company: Art Shed Web Address: https://www.artshedonline.com.au/
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