31/10/2026
I wanted to share something a little personal with all my beautiful friends, loyal customers and everyone who continues to support Joshua Thomas Fashion.
Firstly, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU.
In February 2027, Joshua Thomas Fashion will celebrate its 15th birthday!
I started this business when I was just 19 years old. I was young, full of dreams and had no idea just how much this little business would become such a huge part of my life.
Almost 15 years later, I’m still here, still giving it everything I’ve got, still learning, still worrying and still fighting for something I started as a teenager.
Joshua Thomas Fashion is a 100% Australian-owned, Aussie-born business, and something I have poured my heart, soul and everything I have into.
I think sometimes people look at my business, see that I have multiple stores, beautiful displays and wonderful staff, and assume I must be doing incredibly well.
But the reality behind the scenes of a small business can be very different from what you see on the outside.
Yes, I have multiple stores. But one of the biggest reasons I continue to push forward and open new locations is because of my staff.
I absolutely love my team. They aren’t just employees to me. They’re people I genuinely care about, people who have stood beside me, worked hard and helped build Joshua Thomas Fashion into what it is today.
They have families, mortgages, rent, children and everyday living expenses, just like the rest of us.
And the thought of having to tell one of them that I can no longer provide them with a job absolutely breaks my heart.
I don’t want to lose them. I want to keep creating opportunities for them, keep them employed and give them a workplace where they feel valued and secure.
That is a huge part of why I keep fighting for this business.
But I also want people to understand something about small businesses.
Having multiple stores doesn’t mean I have endless money. Quite the opposite sometimes.
There are enormous expenses: rent, wages, stock, electricity, insurance and bills that never seem to stop coming. There is debt, financial pressure, sleepless nights and a constant responsibility to make sure everyone gets paid.
People often see the success, but they don’t see what it costs to keep everything going.
And there’s something else I’d really love people to understand.
We often have customers ask us for discounts or whether we can do a better price. And while I completely understand that everyone loves a bargain, sometimes I wish people understood just how much it costs to run a small Australian business.
We pay our rent. We pay our staff properly. We pay their superannuation, their leave entitlements, insurance, electricity and all the other expenses that come with running an Australian business.
Our prices aren’t just about making a sale. They’re about making sure we can meet our responsibilities, look after our staff and keep our doors open.
We love offering our customers a special deal when we can, but we simply cannot discount everything and still expect to survive.
Every dollar matters to a small business, and I hope people can understand that when we say we can’t offer a further discount, it’s not because we don’t appreciate your business. It’s because we have real costs and real people depending on us.
I’m not sharing any of this for sympathy. I’m sharing it because I think people sometimes forget what is really behind a small Australian business.
Behind our shop doors are real people, real families and real livelihoods.
Every time you choose to shop with us, you’re supporting something much more personal than a big corporate business.
You’re helping a local Australian staff member keep their job. You’re helping a family pay their bills. You’re helping an Australian small business keep its doors open.
And you’re helping me continue to do something I love, alongside a team of people who mean the absolute world to me.
I know times are tough for everyone, and I would never expect anyone to spend money they don’t have. But even recommending our stores to a friend, sharing one of our Facebook posts or simply telling someone about us can make such a difference.
I am incredibly proud of what we have built, but I am even prouder of the people who help me run it every single day.
Our stores might be small compared to the big retailers, but the hearts behind them are enormous.
As we approach our 15th birthday, I look back at that 19-year-old who started this journey with a dream. I never imagined the people I would meet, the friendships I would make or the responsibility I would one day feel for so many wonderful employees and their families.
There have been some amazing highs and some incredibly difficult lows, but I wouldn’t change the love I have for this business and the people behind it.
So, to every single person who has walked through our doors, made a purchase, shared a post or supported us over these almost 15 years, please know how grateful I am.
Thank you for supporting a 100% Australian-owned business.
Thank you for supporting local Australian jobs.
Thank you for helping me look after the wonderful people who work for us.
And most importantly, thank you for helping keep a dream I started at 19 years old alive.
Because behind every small business is someone doing everything they can to keep the doors open, not just for themselves, but for everyone who depends on them.
With all my love and appreciation,
Josh xx
