Meet Samantha Finnegan: Founder of Madebox and MadeMart

Samantha Finnegan is the visionary behind Madebox and MadeMart, two innovative businesses dedicated to supporting Australian small-batch producers. Madebox.co offers premium corporate gifting solutions by curating high-end gift boxes filled with locally sourced products, fostering meaningful connections between businesses and their clients or teams. MadeMart.co provides an online marketplace that enables these talented producers to reach a wider audience, ensuring they receive the exposure and revenue they deserve. 

Discover how Samantha’s entrepreneurial journey is reshaping the way we support small businesses and connect with authentic, local brands.

What’s your business called and what does it do?

I run Madebox and MadeMart, two interconnected ventures that support Australian small-batch producers. Madebox.co specialises in premium corporate gifting, curating high-end gift boxes filled with locally made products, helping businesses connect meaningfully with their clients and teams. MadeMart.co is our online marketplace, providing a direct-to-consumer platform for these producers, ensuring they gain wider exposure and sustainable revenue. Both businesses champion small-scale makers, giving them a larger platform to thrive.

When did you start it, and how long did it take you to make the decision to launch?

Madebox was born in response to the devastating bushfires of 2019-2020 and then subsequent COVID lockdowns to help Australian producers survive tough times. Using my background selling B2B partnerships, I reached out to my corporate network to sell in boxes and make it easy for big business to show their support for small businesses. MadeMart.co, the natural evolution of this mission, was launched in 2024 to create an ongoing revenue stream for these makers beyond gifting. The decision to launch both came instinctively—I wanted to use my skill set and connections to bring these two groups together – it can be lonely running your own small business, so it’s nice to know someone is in your corner.

What’s the hardest part of being a business owner?

Balancing long-term vision with daily execution. When you're building something from the ground up, you’re constantly switching between strategic big-picture thinking and hands-on problem-solving as well as the wearing of many hats. Managing cash flow, navigating uncertainty, and ensuring sustainable growth while staying true to our purpose can be challenging.

The best part?

Seeing the impact we create. Whether it's a producer landing their biggest order yet, a corporate client raving about the authenticity of our gifts, or a consumer discovering their new favourite local brand—those moments make it all worthwhile.

What’s surprised you along the way?

How much people crave connection in their purchases and how people have evangelised with our brand. Consumers and businesses alike don’t just want a product; they want a story, a sense of meaning behind what they buy. It’s reinforced our belief that brands with heart and purpose have a real advantage in today’s market.

The achievement you’re most proud of?

To date, we’ve helped distribute over 300,000 small-batch products into the hands of new customers—many of whom would never have discovered these makers otherwise. Knowing we’ve played a role in supporting Australian businesses to grow and thrive is something I’m incredibly proud of.

Go-to mantra?

"Do good business, and business will be good to you." Purpose-driven work creates long-term success (I hope!) – and satisfaction.

Where to next?

MadeMart is set to expand through partnerships, a subscription model, and fundraising initiatives like the MadeMart Community Fundraising Box, which will help grassroots organisations raise money while introducing more consumers to our producers. Think a modern version of the old-school chocolate drive. We’re also scaling our corporate gifting and wholesale programs, ensuring small-batch makers have more paths to success. Ultimately, we’re building a platform where every purchase directly supports the local economy and our regions, and we’re just getting started.

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