Yesterday, 12 UQIES students made the trip down the M1 to Burleigh Heads to visit Gold Coast–based HiSmile, an innovation driven oral-care company born in 2014. Founders Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic launched the business with just a $20,000 self-funded investment.
A Brief History of HiSmile
What began as a teeth‑whitening kit sold online, quickly captured attention through an incredibly well executed digital and influencer marketing strategy. Mirkovic and Tomic, both teenagers at the time, reached out to micro‑influencers in their Gold Coast community and then beyond, rapidly scaling the brand.
By 2017, they debuted on the Australian Financial Review Young Rich List; by 2018, they landed on Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia list. Their early focus on influencer content including campaigns featuring Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Conor McGregor helped them dominate social feeds across markets.
HiSmile have well and truly expanded their products to include flavourful toothpaste (chocolate, blue raspberry, cotton candy, mango sorbet to name a few) to electric toothbrushes and lip gloss. Hismile sold $300 million worth of product last year, and the brand now operates in major retailers like Coles (Australia), Boots (UK), and Walmart (US).
Today, HiSmile products are available in over 20,000 retail locations worldwide, from supermarkets to pharmacies and beauty outlets. 
Touring HiSmile HQ
The UQIES students toured HiSmile’s vibrant Burleigh headquarters which includes:
- A full kitchen, that includes space for daily communal lunches that bring everyone together.
- A studio, R&D lab, gym, sauna, and ice bath — amenities that speak to a wholistic employee environment.
- A warehouse where Australian online orders are packed and shipped.
Conversation with the Founders — Nik and Alex
In a session with co-founders Nik Mirkovic and Alex Tomic, students discussed everything from their viral campaign moments, from April Fools’ realness like the KFC‑flavoured toothpaste (a sold‑out novelty that captured global attention) to the company’s very beginnings which saw them license non-peroxide based tooth paste out of a university in Europe.
Culture and Innovation: The HiSmile Way
Key cultural takeaways included:
- Lunch as culture: Daily shared meals are more than sustenance — they’re the heartbeat of HiSmile’s in-person culture.
- Speed-up sessions: Monthly lunches randomly pair colleagues from different teams, and each person shares what they're working on and one challenge they're facing. This practice fosters collaboration, breaks down siloes, and empowers everyone to contribute across the business.
- The Swiss-Army-knife mindset: Everyone — from R&D to operations — is valued for their versatility and willingness to help anywhere, at any level.
- Don't overthink and over research - jump in and learn as you test, trial and explore ideas. This is something today they still encourage across the business.
These visits highlight the importance of students experiencing real workplaces, seeing how small ideas can scale into global businesses, and understanding that taking action is the first step—something the Ventures community makes possible by connecting them with the founders building the future.