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Grants and Gears: Why This Cycling Business Owner Says It’s All Worth It
Alice Boogert owns Lifecycles Byron Bay, a small business she and her husband have been running in Northern New South Wales for the past eight years. Like many business owners, Alice’s journey hasn’t followed a straight line, but it’s led her to the perfect place for her business, lifestyle and family.
It’s a decision they’ve never looked back on.
“We initially started as a tourism company because my husband had been a tour guide overseas,” she says.
“We both love the cycling industry, so when we moved to the Northern Rivers, we decided to make it our business and lifestyle.”
Accessing Grants Start With Knowing What Exists
Earlier this year, Alice attended a Female Founder Festival, where much of the conversation centred about raising funds, applying for grants and finding a financial edge.
One key tip that stood out to Alice was to check the Resource Hub on the Enterprising ME website for business development opportunities.
“I found some great resources there, which led me to the NSW Government website (Grant and Funding Finder),” Alice says.
“They have a grant search tool that filters by eligibility, and that’s where I came across the SafeWork small business rebate.”
Why She Recommends It
“This grant applies to so many small businesses. It covers things like specialist lighting to keep staff safe, slip-proof mats, and safer handling of chemicals. The eligibility list is quite broad, so it’s a great place to start for applicable businesses.”
Alice was able to cover the costs of a PowerLift hydraulic workstand that lifts the bikes they are working on to an ergonomic height.
Cycling, Community, and Connection
Being a woman in the cycling industry has been overwhelmingly positive for Alice.
“It’s such a community-driven space – whether that’s working with a club, with local parents and kids, or with everyday cyclists,” she says. “That kind of environment fosters women really well.”
Running a business in a regional town comes with its fair share of quirks. Deliveries take longer, the weather doesn’t always cooperate and resource access can be challenging. But for Alice, those trade-offs are worth it. What stands out most, she says, are the customer relationships – the familiar faces, the genuine conversations and the strong sense of community that make doing business feel personal and rewarding.
“In a city, you don’t get the same connection. Here in Byron Bay, cycling is so quintessential to the lifestyle that we meet people from every part of the community. Every person who walks into our shop, we treat like family.”
Looking for your own business boost?
Start with Carla, our AI Mentor and Business mentor. Carla helps you find grants you’re eligible for, discover new business opportunities and get personalised, practical advice, all in minutes!
Explore even more tools and programs in the Enterprising ME Resource Hub, let Carla point you in the right direction first.
