Background
The 2019–2020 Australian bush fires were the worst the world has ever seen devastating the bushland. Our national icon, the koala, nearly became extinct.
Side Hustle
A few years ago I painted some animals on my daughter’s wall. So I started a side hustle. I converted the animals into printable characters then sold them on Etsy. Every dollar earned went to helping injured koalas. To launch it, I designed a Fire Fighting Koala, which people loved. After seeing its popularity, I released a smaller, cheaper sticker, which sold out before they were even printed. Not only did it raise money for the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, it also got featured on radio and in magazines – becoming a symbol of hope for Australian wildlife.
