Shahna Smith, a Ngarrindjeri woman, has always aspired to run her own business. At 16, she asked her terminally ill mother to name the business she would one day establish. This led to the creation of Amplified Beauty. Her mother passed away two weeks later, leaving Shahna to pursue her dreams independently.
Determined to succeed, Shahna moved from Broken Hill to Melbourne and then Adelaide, gaining skills and industry knowledge. In 2021, after signing with Indigenous Business Australia, she launched Amplified Beauty in February 2022 at the age of 22.
“We launched three years ago and were the first Indigenous-owned beauty brand in Australia. While to a lot that was exciting, to me that was a lot of pressure, and it was actually quite heavy,” Ms Smith said.
Shahna is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the beauty industry by offering a wide range of products that address overlooked market gaps. She emphasizes that “culture is not a trend” but an identity.
“For me, representation in media (and in beauty products) shapes our belief system," Ms Smith stated. She believes leaders and brands should consider how their messaging influences belief systems for future generations.
NAB Business Banker Jakob Oosterbroek supports Shahna's business endeavors. “I want to be able to give Shahna the right tools to succeed," he said. He sees his role as more than financial support; it's about empowering underrepresented voices in business.
NAB is committed to supporting Indigenous businesses like Shahna's by doubling its lending commitment to First Nations businesses and community organizations by at least $1 billion through 2026.
For further details on NAB's initiatives, visit nab.com.au/indigenousbanking.