♻️ Circular Hustle: Building a Brand That Lifts People and Planet

Discover How the Circular Economy Became My Launchpad to Impact!

As a proud migrant from India now living in Australia for more than 18 years now, I’ve always mentally converted every price tag into rupees (indian currency). It made me think twice about everything—and I know I’m not alone. Like many in migrant communities, I had plenty of ideas, but I felt stuck when it came to legal steps, costs, and knowing where to start.

While juggling a full-time job, I invested my off-hours into building the foundation for my side hustle—drawing wisdom from the “Profit Blueprint” and “Business Fundamentals” series. That season taught me how strategic thinking turns ambition into action.

I still remember years ago, during a visit to my hometown, Agra—a city known for its handicrafts and the Taj Mahal—I brought back stunning handmade pieces.

My plan?

May be sell them.

My reality?

I lacked the confidence and know-how to launch a business in Australia. Navigating legalities, figuring out costs, and deciding where to sell felt overwhelming.

So, those beautiful items became gifts. My idea was paused.

Exquisite handicrafts from Taj City-Agra showcasing intricate marble inlay work and decorative items

💡 Enter the Circular Economy Mindset

Later, after leaving my job and committing to my dream, I brainstormed 10 different business ideas I cared about. But every time, I ran into the same questions:

• How do I start legally?

• How do I balance supply and demand?

• How do I price things?

• Will I waste money, time, and energy?

That’s when a chance encounter changed everything.

A decade ago, Monika brainstormed and prioritised her ideas based on experience, passion, resources, and profitability to successfully launch multiple brands from scratch.

I found a retiring business owner—Clarry from Salta Imports—who imported from China and had an entire product setup, supplier network, pricing system, and loyal customer base. He offered to train me for 3 months.

Clarry ready to pass the torch to the next generation, surrounded by memories and stories of the past.

I didn’t start from scratch. I repurposed what already existed and added my own spark—dreaming of one day importing from India and building something unique.

The bustling scene at Monika's one-day store during the school fundraiser market, where people gather to explore a wide array of goods, reviving brands and promoting sustainable practices by saving resources, stories, and skills.

That’s the heart of the circular economy: reusing, relaunching, and reducing waste.

A 12-ton truck packed to capacity with efficiently loaded stock, illustrating resourceful re-utilization and teamwork in action.

🌿 From One Step to a Community of Stories

This became my first step toward building Deals Colony.

With growing confidence and popularity, Deals Colony evolved into a platform where I could blend my retail experience, social purpose, and entrepreneurial vision. What started as a side hustle grew into a community-centered model—empowering anyone fueled by passion.

A young entrepreneur takes part in a community event, presenting treats at the Hobby & Lifestyle booth during Deals Colony's 5th anniversary celebration.

One Brand. Many Stories. Powered by Ideas.

People from diverse backgrounds engage in vibrant discussions at a coffee meetup, fostering a growing community of shared ideas and opportunities.

A collaborative session where individuals gather to assist each other with launching new ideas and building their portfolios.

Today, I apply those same principles to revive businesses that are closing down or weighed down by the pressure to do it all—often without proper planning or strategy. I’ve repurposed the existing resources of over 20+ brands into fresh, community-driven initiatives, and personally invested in three businesses looking to sell.

Elevate your home decor with stylish and sustainable cushion revamps, discovering innovative methods to refresh and reuse premium brand designs.

Shelves filled with overstock fabric, organized for circular retail upcycle projects, creating opportunities for hobby-based skills development.

Grounded in circular economy principles, I’ve built a “one brand, many stories” model that ensures every skill, resource, and story has lasting value.

Celebrating unique finds at Deals Colony's School fundraiser, transforming surplus into cherished treasures.

Because I believe no skill, story, or resource should ever go to waste, everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue a passion-led path—whether through employment or self-employment.

Launch Your Dream Project: Get Assistance in Setting Up Your Hobby Business with Expert Guidance!

🚀 Want to Start Something Without Burning Out or Breaking the Bank?

You don’t need a warehouse or fancy pitch deck to start.

In my 6-Week “Build your winning idea” program, I’ll guide you go from dream to done with:

✅ Legal + business setup (Seed)

✅ Product & service design (Build)

✅ Pricing and testing strategies (Test)

✅ Branding, pitch, and launch confidence (Validate)

✅ Digital tools & sales page creation (Launch)

✅ Mentorship and done-with-you support (Thrive)

I’ll help you find suppliers, reuse what you already have, and offer real support—not generic advice, but insights from lived experience.

If you're a teacher, investor, community leader, or youth org, we can help your people build purpose-driven projects.

And if you’re solo, you don’t need a million ideas or big money—just passion and a community to back your dream.

Celebrate the launch of a dream project as a trial, where success is supported and failure is a shared learning experience.

Just like Clarry helped me, now you have Monika and the Deals Colony team in your corner 💛

👉 Sign up here or express your interest in the next intake.

Let’s build your passion project, together.