Troublesmiths

What Troublesmiths does

Troublesmiths is a social enterprise retail business headquartered in Hobart, Tasmania, that operates a 7-week job readiness program for young Tasmanians aged 15–24 facing barriers to employment such as mental health challenges, literacy or numeracy difficulties, early parenthood, and lack of credentials. The program, delivered in partnership with Workskills Tasmania and funded by the Tasmanian Government and Jobs Tasmania, combines hands-on work experience in retail and product manufacturing, one-on-one coaching, and 6 months of post-program support. Participants have cumulatively completed 53,570 hours of work experience and 386 have been supported, with 93% reporting increased job readiness and 75% transitioning to employment or further training.

The company monetises through three channels: (1) direct-to-consumer retail sales of handmade products — 100% soy candles, cold-processed soaps, lip balms, hand salves, bath salts, beeswax wraps, and apparel — via a physical store in Hobart's Elizabeth Street Mall and a Shopify e-commerce storefront, with individual items priced from $8.50 to $25 and gift hampers from $30 to $190; (2) B2B branded corporate gifting, where a named account manager (Megan) delivers customised candles, lip balms, and hampers to corporate clients; and (3) the Thrive Toolkit, a workshop-based employer training program co-developed with DisCo and delivered through industry partners such as Master Builders Tasmania, RACT, and the North East Chamber of Commerce. Underlying operations rely on small-batch artisanal manufacturing by program participants, partnerships with Tasmanian producers (Essential Oils of Tasmania for Hand Sanitiser, STREAT Coffee, House of Fudge, Copperpot, Eden Whisky), and a workforce of 8 employees.

The business model is structurally dual: a grant-funded social program (Tasmanian Government and Workskills Tasmania) underwrites the program operations, while product sales on Shopify and in-store provide a self-replenishing commercial lever. Distribution is exclusively domestic within Tasmania, with no stated geographic expansion plans beyond the state. The organisation is a non-profit subsidiary of Workskills Tasmania and does not pursue venture-style scaling, with growth measured in social outcomes (youth supported, hours of work experience, employment transition rates) rather than revenue velocity.

Name

Troublesmiths

Legal name

Troublesmiths

Website

https://troublesmiths.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Troublesmiths is a Hobart-based social enterprise retail business that runs a free 7-week job readiness program for Tasmanian youth aged 15–24, funded by the Tasmanian Government and Workskills Tasmania and supported by handmade product sales, corporate gifting, and employer training workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hobart

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of handmade artisan products (candles, body care, homewares, gift hampers) through a physical retail store and an e-commerce Shopify storefront. Revenue is transactional and one-time per product.
2. Branded Corporate Gifting: B2B sales of customised, on-brand corporate gift products (candles, lip balms, hand salves, bath salts, hampers, conference swag) to business clients for events, client gifts, and employee recognition. Revenue is one-time per order with potential for repeat corporate clients.
3. Social Enterprise Funding: Core program operations funded by the Tasmanian Government and Workskills Tasmania. The program is free for participants aged 15-24. This funding underpins the social mission and enables the retail business to operate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Troublesmiths is a social enterprise that manufactures and sells handmade artisan products—including 100% soy candles, cold-processed soap, lip balms, hand salves, bath salts, beard oils, and gift hampers—produced in small batches by young Tasmanians aged 15-24 participating in a free 7-week job readiness program. The business also delivers the Thrive Toolkit employer-training program and a B2B branded corporate gifting service, with revenue from retail directly funding the youth training mission.

Product overview

Troublesmiths is a social enterprise retail business that operates both an e-commerce store and physical retail location in Hobart, Tasmania. The core product portfolio consists of handmade goods produced by young Tasmanians participating in their job readiness program, including hand-poured soy candles (Candle in a Can), natural body products (hand salves, lip balms, massage oils, beard oils, hair oils, hand sanitiser), handmade soaps, and botanical bath salts. Additional products include apparel (t-shirts, hoodies), homewares (reusable waxed wraps, Tasmanian oak soap stands and platters), food items (STREAT Coffee, fudge, Copperpot Nuts), and self-care items (Coaching Cards). The company also offers curated gift hampers (The Gratitude Pack, Skill Booster Pack, Pathfinder Pack, Purpose Pack, Future Builder Pack) and services including a seven-week Work Experience Program for youth aged 15-24, the Thrive Toolkit employer training program, and branded corporate gifting services. Products emphasize local, natural, sustainable, and ethical materials with Tasmanian provenance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Candle in a Can

Quantifiable outcome

• 386 young people supported to achieve their goals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Workskills TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkskills Tasmania is the primary delivery partner for the Troublesmiths program. The organisation facilitates the job readiness program and provides access to work skills training and first-hand experience running a retail store. 'Troublesmiths is delivered by Workskills Tasmania.'
• DisCocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisCo (disco.consulting) specialises in transforming people, teams, and organisations by building capacity for workplaces to flourish. Co-hosts the Troublesmiths Thrive Toolkit sessions with Troublesmiths, providing the training content and facilitation expertise for employer-focused workshops on leading young people.
• Master Builders TasmaniaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMaster Builders Tasmania has worked with Troublesmiths through the Thrive Toolkit program. Represents one of the industry partners benefiting from practical tools and strategies to better engage young employees in the construction sector.
• RACTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRACT (Royal Automobile Club of Tasmania) has engaged with the Troublesmiths Thrive Toolkit program as an employer looking to better support and lead young staff. Represents the tourism and automotive sectors.
• North East Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe North East Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Troublesmiths through the Thrive Toolkit, using the program to equip local employers with practical tools and strategies for engaging young employees in the North East Tasmanian business community.
• Essential Oils of TasmaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEssential Oils of Tasmania manufactures the Handy Hand Sanny hand sanitiser product just outside of Hobart. Products use Tasmanian Lavender and Flinders Island Rosalina. The partnership produces a differentiated, locally-made sanitiser that is then hand labelled and processed in-store by Troublesmiths participants. 100% of proceeds support the Troublesmiths program.
• Eden Whisky (Wellington Park Distillery)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEden Whisky, distilled at Wellington Park Distillery in the foothills of kunanyi (Mount Wellington), provides their premium Single Malt Whisky for inclusion in the Future Builder Pack hamper. Featured as a signature product highlighting Tasmanian provenance.
• Community Youth JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung people engaged with Community Youth Justice create the Tassie Oak Upcycled Bread and Cheese Platters and Soap Stands. These products are handcrafted from upcycled Tasmanian oak hardwood, combining sustainability with skill-building for justice-involved youth.
• House of FudgeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHouse of Fudge (Hobart, Tasmania) supplies their signature dark chocolate fudge, featuring an adorable Tassie Devil design. The fudge is gluten-free, award-winning, and featured in Troublesmiths' gift hampers (Skill Booster Pack, Pathfinder Pack, Purpose Pack).
• CopperpotminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCopperpot supplies small-batch, gourmet roasted almonds seasoned to perfection over open flames in signature copper pots. Featured at Salamanca Markets and included in Troublesmiths gift hampers as a premium Tasmanian food product.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Biome: Australian online and physical eco-friendly retailer curating sustainable household, personal care, and gift products. Comparable as an Australian specialty gift/eco-body-care retailer, though Biome operates as a curator of other brands' products rather than a manufacturer with an embedded employment mission.

Direct peers

• Thankyou: Australian social enterprise consumer-goods company selling body care, baby care, and food products with 100% of profits directed to global poverty alleviation. Comparable as a mission-embedded Australian retailer using everyday artisan/consumer products to fund social impact, with multi-channel distribution.
• HoMie: Melbourne-based social enterprise fashion retailer that employs and supports young people facing homelessness or disadvantage, with retail storefronts and an e-commerce channel. Closely mirrors Troublesmiths' combination of youth employment, retail storefront, branded merchandise, and social-mission positioning.
• STREAT: Melbourne-based hospitality social enterprise providing training and employment pathways for disadvantaged youth while operating cafes and catering. Highly comparable to Troublesmiths as a youth-employment social enterprise that funds programs through product/retail revenue. STREAT coffee is also stocked in Troublesmiths' gift hampers.
• The Bread & Butter Project: Sydney-based social enterprise bakery that trains and employs refugees and asylum seekers while producing and selling artisan baked goods. Directly comparable operating model — combining hands-on product manufacturing with a vocational training mission, retail sales channel, and impact narrative.
• Who Gives A Crap: Australian social enterprise selling household paper goods with 50% of profits directed to sanitation and hygiene non-profits. Comparable as a digitally-native Australian social enterprise that turns consumer product sales into sustained social impact funding, with a strong e-commerce-first model.
• Etiko: Australian fair-trade and ethical apparel brand using organic cotton and ethically sourced materials. Comparable on ethical/sustainable product positioning and Tasmanian-aligned small-batch handmade values, though operating primarily in apparel rather than body care/gift hampers.
• Good Cycles: Melbourne-based social enterprise operating retail bike shops and a courier service to provide training and employment for young people facing barriers. Directly comparable model: retail venue as the operational vehicle for a youth-employment program, with e-commerce and corporate/institutional partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Aesop: Australian-founded premium natural body care brand (now owned by L'Oréal) offering hand salves, lip balms, candles, and grooming products in the same categories as Troublesmiths. Comparable on product category (hand salves, lip balms, candles, beard oils) but operates at a much larger global scale without Troublesmiths' youth-employment social mission.
• Lush: Global ethical cosmetics retailer offering handmade soaps, bath bombs, and body care with a strong social/ethical stance and in-store retail experience. Comparable on handmade soap and body care product category plus an ethical-brand identity, but operates at significant global scale rather than regional social-enterprise scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/troublesmiths
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/troublesmithshobart
• Instagraminstagram.com/troublesmiths

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Troublesmiths