Smart move: Private Media snaps up Pinstripe to dominate the small biz scene

Big news in the Aussie small biz and startup world: SmartCompany publisher Private Media has snapped up Pinstripe Media — the team behind Business Builders (yep, that’s us), Startup Daily, Flying Solo and Your Money & Your Life.

What does this mean for you, our readers? More stories, more opportunities, more ways to get the advice, inspo and community support you need to grow your business. All while keeping the familiar, trusted brands you know and love.

“Small and medium businesses, startups and scale-ups generate more than half of Australia’s GDP and employ most Australians,” said Will Hayward, CEO of Private Media.

“But they’re still largely underserved by traditional media. We’ve both been focused on informing, inspiring and supporting this community for over a decade. This combination allows us to do so at a greater scale, with more resources, and across more platforms.”

The deal brings together two like-minded media networks with a shared passion for helping Aussie entrepreneurs succeed. Not just through journalism, but across TV, social media, events, podcasts, video and creative services.

AJ Koch, managing director of Pinstripe Media, said the merger is about scaling impact and unlocking opportunities.

“We’ve always believed in building authentic relationships with Australia’s business community. By joining forces with Private Media, we can deliver even greater value to clients and audiences and unlock new opportunities for our teams. This is an opportunity for our people to do their best work at an even greater scale.”

Importantly, Business Builders, Startup Daily, Flying Solo and SmartCompany will all retain their unique editorial identities and voices, but there’ll be more collaboration and bigger storytelling firepower behind the scenes.

Startup Daily’s long-time editor Simon Thomsen is pumped about the next chapter.

“Most of my 30 years in media have been spent building challenger brands and I’m a huge fan and reader of SmartCompany’s excellent journalism,” he said. “Every day I’m faced with more stories I want to tell than I can get to. With the Private Media team by our side, I know we’ll have bigger, stronger and more diverse stories for our audiences.”

And what does this mean for Business Builders, Flying Solo and our community?

Cec Busby, editor of Business Builders and Flying Solo, described the merger as a win-win for small businesses and startups..

“We’re bringing together the best of both worlds. Two passionate publishers with serious street cred in the small biz and startup space, uniting around a shared mission: to back Aussie entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Whether you’re just getting started, scaling fast or flying solo, you can still expect the same practical advice, real talk, and inspiring stories you love. The big difference? We’ve got even more muscle, more reach and more ways to support you than ever before.”

After 25 years in the business, Pinstripe founder, David Koch, confirms he will continue as a presenter and strategic adviser across the network.

With this move, the combined group becomes Australia’s largest independent media network focused on the small business and startup sector, offering a one-stop shop for brands and advertisers who want to connect with this growing community.

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