Sisters Turn Vintage Locker Passion Into Eight-Figure Global Brand

Jess and Becca Stern founded Mustard Made in 2018 after Becca's frustration with impractical vintage lockers sparked the idea to reinvent them as functional home décor. Working with no industry experience and minimal initial capital of $25,000 AUD, the sisters invested in branding, samples, and a trade show booth in Sydney while managing the business across Australia and the UK with limited overlapping hours. Their debut at the Sydney trade show generated over $200,000 AUD in orders, validating their concept and prompting Jess to leave her corporate job six months later. The company has since grown to nearly 40 employees across three continents with eight-figure annual revenue. Key to their expansion were two strategic decisions: maintaining a commitment to timeless, intentional design rather than chasing viral trends, and implementing operational systems and processes designed for a much larger company from day one—a practice they call their "think x 10" rule. This approach has resulted in a nearly 30% return customer rate and a loyal customer base that continues to purchase nearly every product and color the company has ever launched.