The Team

Meet the wonderful people who bring our ideas to life.

Yasmin Grigaliunas

CEO and Co-founder
Yas is the CEO and co-founder of World’s Biggest Garage Sale. In 2013, she stepped away from her full-time position running a multi-million dollar sales department to pursue designing and executing solutions for the circular economy. Since then, WBGS has diverted 4.3 million kilos of unused items from landfill through the activation of dormant goods in the community.

Read more about Yasmin

Michelle Loveday

Special Projects
Michelle is the Chief Operating Officer for Worlds’ Biggest Garage Sale. Michelle is a seasoned business entrepreneur, she has successfully run a boutique consulting business for more than two decades as well as a furniture hiring company for events. Michelle knows first hand the importance and value of a circular economy and in her role with WBGS she leads the operations and logistics teams in resource recovery and product stewardship back into the market.

Favourite moment at WBGS
That’s an easy one, it’s the people. Working with such a lovely and passionate group of individuals.
Eleanor Swanepoel

Sales Lead
Eleanor leads the Sales Operations for World’s Biggest Garage Sale. With over a decade experience in running her own business, Eleanor loves the challenge of business development and thrives on process and achieving big-hairy-audacious-goals. Eleanor is a natural communicator and leads the sales team in best practice customer experience and relationship management. Having spent 11years in a developing nation, where efficient repurposing of products is the norm, it was close to her heart to become part of a social enterprise passionate about educating Australian consumers on circular practices.

Favourite moment at WBGS
During my first week I watched Yas give an astonishing amount of her very valuable time to one of our special abilities team members like she has all the time in the world. I was just in awe seeing a woman steer this massive ship as CEO stop and explain a process to someone who needed the extra attention. I knew at the moment I had made the right decision.
Nicolette Minnie

Strategic Marketing
Nicolette leads our strategic marketing effort. A founder in her own right, Nicolette understands how vitally important a commercially aligned marketing strategy is to finding values aligned customers and partners. Nicolette was involved in the creation of the WBGS rebrand back in 2015 and she will lead the creation and introduction of our sister brand Circonomy™ later this year.

Favourite moment at WBGS
Listening to Yas explain how she came up with the reason to transform the boring old Supply Chain terminology into Surprise Chain. That was gold, especially the facial expression.
Naomi Kroll

Marketing and PreSales Specialist
Naomi is the Marketing and preSales Specialist, she is a rare creative mind and responsible for ensuring that every product that is sold is presented in the best way possible. Naomi’s deeply rooted personal passion for sustainability and circular practices means she has been a long time admirer and supporter of WBGS. She defies the saying by being a true jack of all trades, master of ALL.

Favourite moment at WBGS
I love being surrounded by colleagues who have similar values and passions as me – personal growth, authenticity, creativity, reducing waste, and advancing sustainability.
Emma McCourt

MARKETING COORDINATOR
Emma McCourt is the Marketing Coordinator at World’s Biggest Garage Sale. She brings five years of experience in marketing and retail to her role at WBGS. Emma is highly skilled in marketing, branding, strategy and communications, and she’s currently completing her PhD in Consumer Behaviour & Marketing Science to study consumption habits and loneliness in consumers. In the context of WBGS, Emma is using her talents to start a conversation on the meaningful ways to extend the value of the goods we buy and engage new audiences in the circular economy.

Favourite moment at WBGS
I’ve loved to see the Circular Economy Futures events really grow over the last two years! We have built a community of intelligent, aware and creative people who are passionate about finding new ways to create a better future for the world. It’s amazing to hear everyone’s perspectives, learn from our guest speakers and meet new people.
Amy Stay

Accounts and HR Administrator
Every start-up entering the scale-up phase needs an Amy in their corner. In her role at WBGS she is across a broad array of administrative, HR and accounting functions. She is more often than not the one person people go to when they don’t know where to find an answer. Amy is a graduating business student with wisdom and calmness under pressure that far surpasses her years. Amy is often the first person new hires will engage with, so just a hint, she gets really excited when there is a good cover letter included.

Favourite moment at WBGS
My favourite moment so far has been knowing that everyday when I go to work I am contributing to the beginning of Australia’s Circular Economy and saving valuable resources from ending up as waste in the ground.
Tara Edgar

Special Projects
Tara is one of our Special Projects leaders. With over 12 years events planning and management experience across multiple industries as well as the UK; Tara now leads WBGS’s team of inhouse upholsterers and sewers in giving products a second life and repurposing elements into new creations. Tara is gifted in understanding and bringing a customer’s vision for their new shop or office fitout to life. A serial volunteer by nature Tara has always felt compelled to give back to the community or planet and has been a member of many well known charitable organisations.

Favourite moment at WBGS
Making table centrepieces from entirely reclaimed materials for the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards. They looked amazing on the night and it was a real team effort.
Andrew Bate

Special Projects
Andrew is one of our Special Projects leaders. During his recently completed MBA degree, Andrew used his experience in logistics to create a plan which supported the vision for operations and partnerships that would enable WBGS to grow and scale both nationally and internationally. Andrew leads our business partnership opportunities in particular focussing on how WBGS can accelerate product recovery, stewardship and the reduction of unwanted goods in landfill.

Favourite moment at WBGS
Being part of creating a business model that is revolutionary, nothing like it exists, it’s very exciting.