Huw Bennett, Queens Park NSW
Words by Lauren Powell
Images by Andrew Butler
Located just a stone’s throw from Sydney’s iconic Centennial Park, Huw shares the three-bedroom terrace that he describes as “eclectic” with his wife and fashion PR maven, Holly Garber, their two daughters Violet, four, and August, two; and the family pet an 11-year-old Jack Russell-mix, Dash.
With a demanding schedule running Worktones a uniform supplier to the hospitality industry which sells aprons, accessories and bespoke uniforms Huw couldn’t think of a better place to unwind and call home. We visited Huw and his family in their single level terrace and found out why it’s their perfect retreat.
What is your favourite item in your home and why?
All my prized possessions live in our garden shed and include a whipper snipper and a high-pressure hose. The garden is my happy place and I've set about reshaping it in several stages. We're still in the early stages... 
All my prized possessions live in our garden shed and include a whipper snipper and a high-pressure hose.
What do you love about the neighbourhood you live in?
We live across the road from Queen's Park which is the gateway to Centennial Park and so many wonderful green spaces. Locally, we have some many great locals making great things -- a lot of which is food focused like Iggy's Bread, Three Blue Ducks, Vacanza Pizza and Ruby's Diner in Waverley.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I spend some time in our office (we have a little shop front in Randwick that used to be an antiques store) and we do some manufacturing locally so once a week I'll do the rounds to visit, collect, drop off or test new jobs. We try to do a lot of face-to-face as we have a lot of variety within our offering which means lots of visits to clients and lots of offers of coffee -- have to keep the coffee offers in check. 
What influences your work?
Myself and my employees come from the system of clothing manufacturing -- our day and job is about trying to find new techniques that are sustainable, clean and beneficial to the environment. Our influence is trying to be our best at all times, and doing good by making product that's impact is felt through aesthetics.
Myself and my employees come from the system of clothing manufacturing -- our day and job is about trying to find new techniques that are sustainable, clean and beneficial to the environment.
What is the most satisfying part of your job? I guess seeing our product working in the flesh. As our customer base grows I'm forever amazed at the number of talented and smart people in the industry -- having the ability to work with these guys is highly satisfying. 
With two young children, how do you juggle and balance business and family life?
It's a trick. Being that it's my own business I try to remain flexible. My team understand and we try not to work long hours regardless, as that just sucks. When we're busy it's hard as I'm constantly thinking about a delivery date, detailing on a project or anticipating someone's feedback. The flipside is that the kids keep me grounded, and as above, help influence and motivate me daily.
What do you do when you're feeling uninspired?
Go surfing, watch a movie, walk the dog and avoid all contact with customers. 
What is your morning routine?
I generally wake just before the kids so I'll check the football (soccer) scores and news from the previous night. We have a disjointed breakfast as a family and then it's off for school or daycare drop-off. Occasionally I'll take my youngest daughter for an early walk to grab a croissant and coffee -- I love this.
What is your bedtime ritual?
We go to bed pretty early, but before that I'm either engrossed in some terrible Netflix mini-series or desperately trying to immerse myself into a book I don't really like.
What are you most looking forward this year?
Some stability. Last year was about growing, adding systems and processes to help steer the ship. We now have a platform to work from that allows us a little bit more certainty, which is a nice feeling.
See more from Huw here.