"Always a better way”: The mantra that fuelled E-Bisglobal's 35-years in business

Starting as a one-man operation in a family lounge room in Sydney, print management and marketing company E-Bisglobal has grown into a worldwide operation with offices dotting Australia’s east coast. 

In 2025, the business celebrated 35 years of helping its loyal customers. The business began by offering print marketing services, helping other businesses with their bespoke print, branded merchandise and more. 

Always on the hunt for new opportunities, E-Bisglobal was unfazed by the market’s transition to a digital economy. To meet changing client needs, the company developed the proprietary procurement software it used to manage supply chains into its own software product, ZOOL® which supports industry-agnostic procurement needs. 

Its unique, intelligent design enables users to set their own procurement rules – a huge bonus for government agencies and socially conscious enterprises with strict supply guidelines.

The success and longevity of the business rests on the shoulders of both its founder, Paul Freeman, and his children, Catherine Gibson (now sales and marketing director) and Will Freeman (General Manager), who both began their careers working odd jobs for E-Bisglobal in their summer holidays.

Carrying on a family enterprise for three and a half decades is no mean feat. Paul and Catherine shared the four guiding principles that helped them achieve their milestone for this majority Indigenous owned-and-operated business.

“Fear of failure can be a driving force”

Starting a business can be nerve-racking at the best of times – for Paul, the decision to start E-Bisglobal came under very hard circumstances. Late in the 1980s, while at a Christmas party for his then employer, Paul was quietly warned the business was expecting financial troubles and he came to suspect his job was no longer secure. 

After years to-ing and fro-ing on the idea of going into business for himself, this shock revelation provided the jolt he needed to jump into action. As it transpired, it was the right decision; his previous employer went under less than two years later. 

But in those early days, with a young family to care for, running a new business was a frightening endeavour. Rather than shying away from the challenge, however, Paul rallied his family behind him and used that fear as his motivation. 

“We had $5,000 cash. We emptied the kids’ money boxes – which they still laugh about but they're going to get paid well and truly – and I got a licence to sell real estate,” Paul explained.

For the next six months, Paul spent every weekend “sitting under a beach umbrella selling land” and used this income to support his family while he built up enough cashflow to make E-Bisglobal his full-time focus. 

Without realising it, lifelong innovator Paul helped to pioneer the ‘side hustle’ as a means of supporting his longer term goals well before the advent of Uber and AirTasker.

Although it was difficult, Paul understood the value of turning the scary feelings that came with opening a business into a positive.

“When it comes to branding, it’s got to be quality”

New business owners might be tempted to cut costs wherever possible. In some instances, this is the right decision, leaving cash on hand to fund more important growth opportunities or keep operations ticking over for an additional month or so. 

But when it comes to client-facing products, services and materials, quality is king. 

“In the early days, the letterhead we printed on was probably the most expensive paper you could buy. It was silver, it was called pinstripe, and it was rippled and trendy,” Paul said. 

This was a way to demonstrate to prospective clients not only what the business was capable of, but helped to establish their brand. Why tell someone in a letter that E-Bisglobal stands for quality when the stationery itself demonstrates that commitment? 

“Be the company people can trust”

In addition to helping win clients, this approach cemented E-Bisglobal’s reputation as a trustworthy operator, one that could be depended on in tough times. 

Paul recalled one instance in which an occasional client’s usual supplier had gone into receivership and was unable to fulfill an urgent order. That client turned to E-Bisglobal with a seemingly insurmountable challenge: to procure 65 million custom made envelopes with split deliveries nationally and a tight non negotiable deadline.

By tapping into the business’s vast supplier network – and the good will they’d generated along the way – E-Bisglobal was able to meet the order.

That level of commitment has in turn led many of E-Bisglobal’s partners to extend that same courtesy to them when needed. 

“In 1994, we had a bad debt that almost took the business under, after one of our clients collapsed. I thought we were going to lose everything. I wrote a letter to our suppliers explaining our situation and asking if we could extend our payment terms to 90 days,” Paul said. 

“All but one agreed to these new terms until we got back on our feet. The message there is that for someone starting out, always treat your suppliers with respect and trust and they might give you the same back.”

“There’s always a better way”

From the very inception of E-Bisglobal, Paul has always maintained that no matter how good a product or service is there’s always a better way to do it.

It was this idea that prompted him to offer online ordering for business cards – making his company one of the first in the country to do so – and to develop the innovative suite of technology solutions.

It’s also what has helped keep the business so competitive through the seismic shifts that have reshaped the print marketing industry as the internet and computers continued to evolve and improve.

In recent years, a number of order transactions are now processed through E-Bisglobal’s secure online platforms which provide clients with a self service experience to manage local area marketing, bulk warehouse items, branded merchandise and apparel. This has allowed the business to focus on more specialised and tailored products like sustainable packaging and online solutions that simplify local area marketing campaigns for clients.

Paul has taken care to impress the importance of always looking for a better way on his children, and Catherine is continuing to innovate the business and inspire young women in her position as a role model for Indigenous Australians in that same spirit.

“The leadership team and I are really focusing on process improvements, taking a step back and looking at where we can achieve workflow efficiencies,” she said. “That’s where we’ve really made a lot of traction, and I think now we’re really starting to see some of the rewards.”

Supporting First Nations businesses into the future

Last year Catherine took part in The Black Magic Woman and ANZ Partnership Series podcast. The podcast is an opportunity for Indigenous business leaders to share their insights. Catherine and E-Bisglobal are also proud to support First Nations businesses by connecting them with clients through their printing network.

“We’re really trying to bolster First Nations businesses through the procurement piece. We’re not manufacturing anything, so we’re onboarding other suppliers – including other First Nations businesses or disability enterprises – that’s what we’re really trying to encourage,” she said. 

“We want to nurture those relationships because when contractor clients come to us, they’re not just working with us, but through our supply chains.” 

For First Nations businesspeople looking to start their own business, Catherine’s advice is, ‘Don’t wait for perfect; start with what you have and learn as you go”.

Explore your own growth pathways

Thirty-five years in business is a tremendous milestone, and there’s no reason why your business can’t enjoy the same longevity. Your ANZ business banker can help you pursue new growth opportunities and develop your business over time. 

Reach out to an ANZ banker today to find out how we can help you achieve your long-term business goals.