From Waste to Worth: How Mia Built Skipping Stones Refillery With Self-Employment Assistance
When Mia returned to Australia after more than 20 years overseas, she was shocked to see how little progress had been made on reducing waste. Wanting to be part of the solution, she began building Skipping Stones Refillery, a business that helps people make everyday sustainable choices.
Mia’s journey towards sustainability was shaped by her years abroad.
“After 21 years of travelling and working abroad in industries like education, oil and gas, and hospitality on cruise ships and ski resorts, I’d seen my share of mass-produced waste.”
After years working on projects around the world, Mia realised she wanted to create something of her own that could make a real difference.
By the time she joined the Self-Employment Assistance Program, Mia had already done her research and was almost ready to launch, but she knew she needed extra guidance to bridge the gap between idea and execution.
The Challenge: Getting Ready to Launch
“The program gave me a lot of clarity and inspiration to tackle details I hadn’t fully thought about,” Mia said. “Things like planning, target audience, finance, procurement, liability, social media, and marketing.”
One of the biggest lessons was learning how to explain her business clearly to others.
“Getting my head around a clear and concise value message was important, because what was obvious to me, wasn’t obvious to everyone else.”
The Solution: Learning and Support
Through the Self-Employment Assistance Program, Mia gained structure around her ideas and the practical knowledge to turn them into a business.
She learned how to plan properly – moving beyond the excitement of her idea and focusing on the nuts and bolts of running a business.
Workshops gave her tools to better understand her finances, refine her marketing, and think through risks like liability and procurement.
“I found it really useful to go through each topic in detail, especially the ones I wouldn’t have thought about on my own,” Mia explained.
Equally valuable was the community around her.
“I liked being around like-minded people going through the same challenges,” she said. “The tasks helped keep me moving on the less-fun parts of creating a business.”
The Results: Skipping Stones Refillery Today
Mia launched Skipping Stones Refillery in September 2020. Today, the business continues to attract customers who share her passion for reducing waste.
“I have a full-time job, so my business runs purely on conviction of my values,” Mia explained. “My customers aren’t consumers in the traditional sense – they’re people committed to making the world a better place with their daily decisions, and I enable that. That keeps me motivated.”
Her efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. In 2025, Mia attended the WA Waste Sorted Awards as a finalist in both the Waste Champion (Individual) and Innovation (Business) categories, receiving Highly Commended recognition in each.
The event was also an opportunity to reconnect with others from her Self-Employment Assistance course, a reminder of how the program continues to inspire and support people well beyond launch.
When asked what she’d say to someone thinking about the program, Mia is clear:
“I’d tell them to do it. Even though I’ve had education and experience across industries, I was still really impressed by how much I learned. The program supported me through things I couldn’t have imagined, or wouldn’t have prioritised.”
Now’s Your Turn
If you’ve got a business idea and want the tools, support, and confidence to make it a reality, Business Foundations’ Self-Employment Assistance Program can help.
With 12 months of mentoring, training, and resources, we’ll guide you from idea to launch – just like Mia and Skipping Stones Refillery.
Learn more and apply today: https://selfemployment.businessfoundations.com.au
