Build it here, take it anywhere: Why Poseidon Animal Health won Business of the Year

Almost nine years ago, Linda Goldspink-Lord was working through some health challenges of her own. She started researching gut health, changed her own diet, and felt the difference it made. Then came the thought that started it all: if it could help her gut, what about her horses?

That question, worked through with her partner Peter Lord, has grown into Poseidon Animal Health, an Illawarra-founded animal supplement company now reaching customers across Australia, New Zealand and the United States.

This year, that journey was recognised at the Illawarra Business Awards, where Poseidon was named Business of the Year, alongside wins for Excellence in International Business and Excellence in Medium Business (21 to 99 employees).

For a team that hadn't entered the awards for several years, and had never won one before, three awards in one night wasn't something they were expecting.

"We were really just taking the opportunity to share our story with the local business community," said Sean Blake, head of e-commerce at Poseidon Animal Health.

"We expected that we might become finalists for one category, but then to win two categories, and then Business of the Year, is beyond our expectations."

When you’re living and breathing a business every day, it’s easy to lose sight of how far it’s actually come. Growth tends to feel gradual from the inside, a few more customers here, a new hire there, which is why moments like these awards give businesses the chance to step back and reflect.

That feels even more significant in the current climate. With cost-of-living pressures affecting households and businesses alike, continuing to grow, hire and earn customers’ trust isn’t a given. 

"Personally, it means a lot that the local Illawarra community are willing to recognise a company they maybe haven't heard of before, but someone who is actually making a big impact in the lives of the customers we serve," Sean said.

"The call-out and the shout-out we got was really special."

Local doesn't have to mean small

Sean sees Poseidon's success as part of something bigger happening across the region. For a long time, the Illawarra has carried a certain reputation, south of Sydney, more industrial than innovative, a place people commute out of rather than build something big in. It's a perception Sean thinks is well out of date.

What he sees instead is a growing group of ambitious, purpose-driven founders, willing to take risks on businesses with a genuine story behind them. In his view, that story is worth more than a big name or a flashy office, it's what makes people want to come to work, and it's exactly the kind of business he's drawn to supporting.

Poseidon's growth hasn't happened overnight. The business has gradually built a customer base, expanded its team and entered new markets, with thousands of horse and dog owners now sharing their experiences with the brand.

Behind that growth are years of listening to customers, building trust and having people willing to recommend what you do.

And you don’t necessarily need to leave the Illawarra to do it.

From a factory in Unanderra, Poseidon Animal Health is reaching customers on the other side of the world. And while technology makes that possible, the foundation of the business remains surprisingly traditional: create something people value and earn their trust.

“If you have a great product, and you’re able to communicate with your vision and show that your product is quality, or your service is reliable and trustworthy, then slowly but surely you’ll gain the trust of customers,” Sean said.

More countries, more animals

The next stage is already taking shape.

Poseidon is looking at expansion into Canada and potentially the Middle East, while customers are asking about products for animals beyond horses and dogs – cats, camels and even birds have made the list.

It’s a long way from Peter and Linda trying to help their own horses nine years ago. 

But there’s a lesson in Poseidon’s journey that other Illawarra business owners can take with them, and it comes back to where the company started: know why you’re doing it, listen to the people you’re trying to help, and keep going.

“Listen to your customers deeply, because if you’re serving your customers in a way that builds trust and long-term relationships, and you’re continually responding to customer feedback and sharing your story with the same passion and determination you had on day one, then the sky’s the limit,” Sean said.

For Poseidon, “day one” was two people wondering if they could help their horses feel better. 

Nine years later, that question has travelled from Unanderra to customers around the world, and brought Business of the Year back home to the Illawarra.