A look back at the milestones
that made Barefruit
Everyone remembers their first kiss, right? At Barefruit, we remember our firsts a little differently- the moments that shaped us into the full-service marketing agency we are today… I had lots of fun remembering these moments and there’s a lot more gold in the memory bank!
After 13 years,
here are 13 standouts:
1. First national campaign
Our first big campaign was for Byron Bay Coffee Company - a brand we loved (and drank often). We built a beautiful, multi-channel campaign across social, PR, video, print, and outdoor. It brought the essence of Byron Bay to life and put us on the map as a branding & marketing agency clients could trust.
See our work here.
2. First retained client
Horizon Motorhomes and Ballina Campervan & Motorhome Centre were our first retained clients, and the moment Claire went all in on Barefruit. They had no brand identity or digital presence, and we helped build everything from the ground up - logo, website & social media. It was a major turning point.
View the project here.
3. Opening our first proper office
After birthing Barefruit in 2012 at home in the dining room, progressing to the spare bedroom and then a stint of co-working in Lennox Head, we opened our first proper office in Ballina in 2015. It was a smallish space in the CBD that we quickly filled. We realised we’d outgrown it one day when we looked around and all the desks were full, and 3 people were hot desking in the meeting room!
4. First time saying no
Firing a client isn’t fun, but a toxic fit can hurt more than help. One of our biggest clients became our biggest misalignment. So, we trusted our gut and walked away. The moment we did, better energy-and better clients-followed.
5. Winning our first award
In 2015, we were named Best Home-Based Business and went on to win Business of the Year, Best Small Business and Employer of Choice. We were also finalists in the Optus Business Awards - twice!
6. Hiring our first Team Member
Lauren came to us from a café we worked with and stayed for seven years. She helped lay the foundations of the Barefruit we are today - a agency that genuinely cares about its people. Lauren came back from maternity leave and worked with us for 7 years, until a few years ago, she left to go into business with her husband – we obviously hadn’t put her off 🤣.
7. Hiring our first Creative
After getting my husband (Evan) to design a few things in the evenings, we realised we needed someone that really knew what they were doing. We made our first creative hire while we were still operating from the spare room – an ex-agency creative who had moved from Sydney. We used to have our weekly team meetings on a big table at a café in Lennox, where we’d work, eat and drink all day 🤣.
8. Surviving our first pandemic
In March 2020, everything paused. Campaigns were cancelled. We stopped paying ourselves and moved the team to home offices - delivering chairs and monitors in our cars. We offered free support to local cafes and retailers, keeping their marketing going during lockdown. We didn’t lose a single team member. It made us stronger, prouder and more resilient.
9. First agency pet
In 2022, Claire & Evan became the proud parents to Maggie, the French Bulldog with attitude (what Frenchie doesn’t!). Earlier this year, we added to our furry Frenchie family with Sylvie, and the two of them are the best mental health. While, Maggie and Sylvie are definitely the agency's favourite pets - they're not technically the first. A few years ago, we had a fish called Tits, who was awarded to The Impressive Team Star of the month.
10. Our First Work Experience Student
Ella joined us in 2017 from Trinity Catholic College. She returned five years later as a Junior Account Exec, grew rapidly, and left this year to chase new adventures. Future CEO material.
11. First ProBono Client
Not long after Barefruit was born, Claire became a founding board member of a small but mighty charity called Rafiki Mwema. Founded by her good friend Sarah Rosborg, Claire helped set up the Aussie arm of the organisation to raise funds for safe housing and therapeutic care for severely traumatised children in Kenya. What started as a safe house for 23 little girls has grown into a 14-acre farm consisting of 4 homes, a school, 75 children (boys and girls), a working farm consisting of cows, chicken and fresh produce, 45 staff and a whole lot of love.
Our team German Shepherds and Maasai guards keep them safe. In May 2025, Claire had the idea of a Vegas–themed event, that turned into Rafiki’s biggest fundraiser yet - Rafiki Royale. A sparkling night of casino tables, showgirls, sequins, and Elvis, with a special performance from Kenyan-born Bony (from Australian Idol). The event attracted sold 250 tickets and raised just over $56k (equivalent to a month’s running costs at Rafiki). It was a huge team effort, powered by volunteers (including a few Barefruiters).
It’s a night we won’t forget.
12. Our First Client to Go Viral
Back in 2012, just a year after One Direction were signed by Simon Cowell and the world (of teenage girls) was going wild for them, our friend, Lennox Head surfboard shaper Wayne 'Webby' Webster, unexpectedly caught the global spotlight. We got wind that 1D’s Liam Payne had been spotted surfing a Webster board, so naturally we jumped on Twitter. #1DWebsterSurfboards went off, trending at number 1 in Australia and number 2 worldwide – not bad ‘ey! Webby’s followers jumped by 1000 overnight and Liam even reached out to him for a custom board.
It’s the kind of PR moment money can’t buy, and we were thrilled to bring it to life for such a down-to-earth local legend. A surfboard, a boyband, and a trending hashtag - definitely one for the Barefruit history book.
We were deeply saddened to hear of Liam’s passing in October 2024, aged 31, and we’re grateful to have had this small connection with him. RIP Liam x
13. Our First Move Out of the Ballina Shire
In March this year, we packed up and left the Ballina Shire after 13 years. After struggling to find the right space locally, we looked a little further afield, and found our new home in Byron Bay. There’s something about Byron (and the Northern Rivers in general) that draws in great energy and creative talent, and we’ve felt it from day one.
The move itself was a full team effort. We hired a truck, loaded it and drove it ourselves, and made the move in one day. Call it a team-building exercise with a side of sweat, a bit of swearing and lots of belly laughs, especially when we ended the day at our new local, The Treehouse in Belongil. It’s been the best decision for our people, our culture, and our future.
We’re loving life in Byron and hope to stay a while. Don’t worry, we haven’t gone full Byron - still no egos here, and only a light sprinkling of linen has made its way into the office (so far) you're after website design, social campaigns, or a dedicated marketing team, we’re ready to grow with you - just as we’ve grown over the past 13 years.
