Press Releases
For Immediate Release: 28 April 2026
From Corporate to Curated: One Woman’s Reinvention After 50 Inspires a New Chapter in Rural Entrepreneurship
Eumundi, Queensland — After decades in corporate life, Karen Hobson never imagined her greatest professional challenge would come not from doing the work, but from trying to be considered for it.
After leaving a successful career in training and leadership, Karen encountered a reality many experienced professionals quietly face — despite her depth of expertise, senior salary history and proven results, securing interviews became unexpectedly difficult. In a market often focused on younger hires and lower salary expectations, she found herself confronting the invisible barriers many women over 50 know all too well.
But rather than retreat, Karen reinvented. Together with her husband, she made a bold life shift — leaving Brisbane for the hinterland community of Eumundi to create The Eumundi Trading Co, an online business inspired by farmhouse living, botanical traditions, garden culture and collected curiosities.
What began as a response to uncertainty has become a purposeful new chapter — one built not around corporate titles, but creativity, resilience and self-determination.
“I realised I could keep fighting to stay relevant in a system that seemed to overlook experienced women, or I could build something of my own,” says Karen. “The Eumundi Trading Co became a way to secure my future, stay challenged and create something meaningful beyond corporate life.”
Rooted in slow living and thoughtful sourcing, the business reflects a growing movement of midlife reinvention — where experience becomes an asset for entrepreneurship rather than a barrier to employment.
Karen’s story also shines a light on a broader issue often under-discussed in Australia’s workforce: age bias, particularly for women in senior professional roles, and the increasing number of people creating second careers on their own terms.
For Karen, the move to Eumundi was more than a tree change — it was a mindset shift.
“There’s life after corporate,” she says. “In many ways, this chapter feels braver, more creative and more aligned than anything I’ve done before.”
Today, The Eumundi Trading Co continues to grow as both a retail brand and a reflection of that reinvention — proof that midlife can be a beginning, not an ending.
About The Eumundi Trading Co
The Eumundi Trading Co is an Australian online store inspired by farmhouse living, botanical wisdom and garden culture, curating thoughtful goods for the home, garden and slow living.
Media Contact:
Karen Hobson
The Eumundi Trading Co
www.theeumunditradingco.com.au
The Eumundi Trading Co
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release: 14 April 2026
Bringing traditional living back to life
Eumundi is a town where creativity, craftsmanship and community have long defined the local way of life. Karen Hobson is building a business grounded in a return to simpler, more intentional living.
As the founder of The Eumundi Trading Co, Karen draws inspiration from the region’s rich heritage and the enduring influence of the iconic Eumundi Markets. Her vision is centred on the belief that everyday life can be more meaningful when it is rooted in growing, making and preserving — rather than convenience and consumption.
What began as a small passion project after stepping away from corporate life has evolved into a thoughtfully curated brand offering home and garden essentials designed to last. Each product reflects a commitment to quality, functionality and sustainability, encouraging customers to be more considered in their purchasing choices — thinking not only about how something is made and where it comes from, but also its longevity and how it will ultimately break down.
Karen’s background and love of homemaking, gardening and cooking are woven through every aspect of the business. More than simply selling products, her business promotes a way of life that values self-sufficiency, craftsmanship and a deeper connection to both land and community.
As interest in slower, more sustainable lifestyles continues to grow across Australia, Karen has found a loyal following among those seeking to live with greater intention. Quietly and purposefully, Karen is helping to bring traditional living back into modern homes — one well-made, thoughtfully chosen item at a time.
Visit: www.theeumunditradingco.com.au
The Eumundi Trading Co
“The Eumundi Trading Co. was created to bring beautiful, practical homewares, kitchen tools and garden accessories that make everyday life a little more joyful and connected to nature”.
Discover our range of hand-picked farmhouse style homewares and kitchenware perfect for any home. Prefers the outdoors? Check out our range of quality Esschert Design garden tools and accessories. Thoughtfully chosen. Planet friendly. Local.
For more information contact:
Karen Hobson, Owner
The Eumundi Trading Co
0450 552 736
karen@theeumunditradingco.com.au