What’s in a name? Everything, according to Aspire42’s Chief Marketing Officer Paul Winslow, who said the Aspire component is self-explanatory. As for the 42?

“It was taken from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in which the number is said to be “the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and everything,” Winslow said.

This is no ordinary company with an ordinary name. Aspire42 operates a raft of services including consumer leasing, an e-commerce company, a local expert platform, commercial finance and allied health products, and wallet pay. Essentially, if there is a human need, Aspire42 aims to provide a solution.

Winslow said the company was originally conceived as a consumer leasing business with offices in Melbourne before it acquired a Radio Rental operation in South Australia.

Aspire42 Chief Marketing Office Paul Winslow

A relative newcomer to the Gold Coast, it opened its Arundel head office in January 2023, lured as part of the State Government’s $520 million Investment in Queensland program.

Last year, Queenslander Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick told State Parliament that Aspire42’s move was “strategic” and would allow the company to elevate its business to new heights.

Over the next five years, Aspire42’s operations on the Gold Coast are slated to deliver 280 new, full-time jobs. These include roles in executive and finance, marketing, a centralised administration team, procurement, fulfilment and information technology development and technology innovation.

Aspire42 believes its move to Queensland will underpin its drive to be one of Australia’s leading diversified corporations, allowing it to capitalise on a range of domestic and international opportunities.

“We always had big ambitions to grow a lot further. We knew we wanted to build a big corporation so we started looking at where we’d like to be based,” Winslow said.

“Queensland just stuck out. We found the Queensland Government very helpful to deal with and the City of Gold Coast very helpful to deal with. We were encouraged by their support and proactivity.

“The Gold Coast is something that’s a bit different and has an untapped market. The weather is not the reason, but it does help.”

Winslow said aside from the myriad work benefits, there were plenty of lifestyle attributes to entice other companies to set up shop on the Gold Coast.

“The Gold Coast is an up-and-coming place with a great lifestyle. When I’m at the office I set my alarm early, jump in the sea and I’m ready to go for the day,” he said.

“There’s a shorter commute and you can work hard during the day and enjoy the lifestyle of a big city. With everyone I talk to there’s a different kind of pace of life here.

“On our 6^th floor you can look out one way and see the Hinterland and the other way and look towards the sea. When you are in a big city all you can see are the buildings. Here, there’s the feeling of space.”

The view from Aspire42’s head office