October is Indigenous Business Month, so we're getting to know 10 local First Nations businesses and the people behind them.
Trisha is just one of many First Nations business owners building something of their own in South Australia.
She runs Healthy Self Fitness from a studio in Adelaide's Brooklyn Park, on Kaurna Country. Personal training there is open to all women, while her guided hikes are specifically for First Nations women.
This is the Wakamin and Muluridji woman and mum-of-two's second career. Before Healthy Self Fitness, Trisha worked in business administration – "married to my desk," as she puts it.
"If you told me 15 years ago that I'd be helping other women get fit, I probably would have laughed," she says.
Concerns about her own health, alongside serious chronic disease diagnoses in her family, prompted her to start running in her 30s.
"I lost 25kg trail running on Country," she says. "It was such a phenomenal experience that I wanted to share it with others. Being out there, I really understood the healing power that moving on Country had. I noticed that there weren't other First Nations women in these spaces, so I set out and Healthy Self Fitness was born."
The business began in 2020, its name a nod to Trisha's own experience of healing through connection to Country.
Through her Walking on Country program, Trisha now helps other First Nations women explore the trails she's come to know so well. She's mapped more than 40 around Adelaide, with options for newcomers and tougher walks for women ready for a challenge.
"A lot of women think they can't do it," she says. "It can be hard to get them to come out the first few times. But after that, they're all pretty comfortable."
The women who join her come from different Countries across Australia. Trisha says the groups offer a culturally safe space to connect.
"It's a place where you can feel free of judgement as well. You can just be," she says.
The walks also make time for quiet: stopping, closing their eyes and listening to the bush. For Trisha, who grew up far from the trails she now guides, that time on Country has a personal significance.
"Even though it's not my own Country, I still have that strong connection with my ancestors," she says.
Other days are memorable for the challenge. On one hike, the women wanted to see waterfalls, so Trisha took them on a longer, harder route. By the end, everyone was exhausted and quiet, and she worried they wouldn't want to come back.
Instead, her phone filled with excited messages that afternoon – proof that "the hiker's buzz is real," she says.
"But it's not just about fitness; it's about being there for one another and supporting each other as well."
Alongside the walks and training sessions, Trisha handles everything from her website to the business finances herself.
In 2025, a scholarship through the state government's Women in Business Advisory Program gave her access to mentoring, online courses and networking opportunities as part of a First Nations cohort.
"I was very inspired seeing other successful Indigenous businesswomen," she says.
She's also a member of The Circle – First Nations Entrepreneur Hub at Lot Fourteen. Backed by the state and federal governments, it helps First Nations business owners access advice, make connections and find new customers.
Trisha says The Circle and its annual First Nations Business Showcase have helped her meet individual clients and connect with organisations.
She's now training up more women as guides so she can run more groups, with a men's program in the works too.
Her advice for other First Nations entrepreneurs with a big idea for a business? "Just take that first step … you don't have to know everything. There's a lot of support out there – I'm always happy to help, and I've met lots of others who are happy to be a mentor too."
Nine more businesses to get to know
Whether you're buying a gift, booking an experience or choosing a supplier at work, there are plenty of ways to support First Nations businesses. Here are a few more to explore.
1. SVVLO
Arrernte DJ and producer Matthew Sevallos, originally from Mparntwe/Alice Springs and now based on Kaurna Country, performs under the name SVVLO (pronounced Sav-Low), moving between contemporary First Nations music and underground, independent sounds. Book him for festivals, parties or work events, or enquire about music production and creative workshops.
Narungga, Adnyamathanha, Kokotha and Wirangu woman Rikki Wilson brings culture and connection into exercise through her Adelaide business, offering fitness, running, dance and breathwork sessions. Enquire about sessions for your group or organisation, with an emphasis on culturally safe participation.
3. Walking Together with Kaurna
Kaurna and Ngarrindjeri educator Drew Kilner helps lead this majority Kaurna-owned venture, sharing local culture through stories, language, games and experiences on Country. Schools, childcare centres and workplaces can book workshops and walks to learn more about the Country they live and work on.
Ngarrindjeri make-up artist Shahna Smith created this Adelaide-based cosmetics range with diverse skin tones in mind. It's best known for signature matte lipsticks and lip-care products. Shop online and, for a personalised gift, you can have a lipstick engraved.
Senior Kaurna man Corey Turner leads this Warriparinga-based practice, bringing Traditional Owner knowledge into architecture, planning and public spaces, including work on Adelaide's long-term city plan. Project teams can engage it for cultural advice, community consultation and design collaboration.
If your workplace needs some heavy lifting, this Port Augusta-based operator is worth knowing about. Owned and operated by a Traditional Owner group, it supplies cranes, rigging and transport services across regional and remote SA, from the Upper Spencer Gulf to the West Coast and Far North.
Yuin farmer Dominic Smith grows some of the native ingredients used in his skincare range on his Riverland property. It draws on Australian botanicals including finger lime, native rivermint and Kakadu plum. Shop the serums and facial oils online.
This First Nations-owned SA arts collective was founded by three First Nations women, and its work spans weaving, sewing, painting and digital art. It also showcases other emerging and established First Nations artists. Browse the work online or look out for the collective at markets and community events.
9. Platinum Civil Construction
First Nations businesswoman Kiara Rodgers owns this Adelaide-based contractor, working on roads, drainage, earthworks and pipelines. The company creates employment and training opportunities for First Nations people and women in construction. If your organisation is planning civil works, it's a potential supplier to put on the list.
Meet more businesses at the Showcase
The First Nations Business Showcase is on Wednesday 4 November, from 10am to 2.30pm, at Adelaide's National Wine Centre.
Presented by The Circle in partnership with the National Wine Centre, the event will bring together up to 60 First Nations businesses. For anyone buying goods or services on behalf of a business or government agency, it's a chance to meet suppliers and explore working together. Find out more and register to attend at The Circle's First Nations Business Showcase website.
This story originally appeared on The Post - a media partnership between the Government of South Australia and Solstice Media to inform young South Australians about the policies that underpin issues affecting their lives.
