Sarmuhabat Singh
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Little Big Shed is a social enterprise inspired by my RMIT EMBA research on Victoria’s recycling crisis. It transforms the waste industry by repurposing discarded materials into functional structures and community spaces. We connect people through shared tools, DIY resources, and circular economy platforms that allow locals to trade, build, and collaborate directly—strengthening communities and reducing reliance on large corporations. By enabling access to equipment, skills, and space, we empower individuals who may otherwise lack such opportunities. At its core, Little Big Shed is about sustainability, empowerment, and creating a grassroots economic model that values people, purpose, and the planet.
My motivation for Little Big Shed came directly from my Executive MBA research at RMIT, which explored the recycling crisis in Victoria. I was struck by how much valuable material ends up in landfills—not due to lack of need, but because of broken systems. I wanted to build something that addressed waste, empowered people, and reconnected communities. That’s how Little Big Shed was born—a social enterprise that uses repurposed materials to create shared spaces, tool libraries, and a platform for locals to trade skills and resources.
The impact has been real and measurable. We’ve diverted over 20 tons of usable materials from landfills and supported more than 50 community projects—from tiny houses and backyard studios to tool-shed classrooms and farm outbuildings. Our pilot platform has enabled over 250 micro-transactions and exchanges, helping local creators build income while reducing environmental waste.
What’s most powerful is seeing how people feel proud again—not just about what they’ve built, but how they built it: sustainably, together, and with purpose. One of my proudest moments was meeting a single mother who used salvaged timber from our network to build a creative workspace in her backyard. Today, she runs a thriving home-based business. That’s the kind of full-circle empowerment we aim for—where a recycled piece of wood becomes part of someone’s future. Little Big Shed is more than a project—it’s a mindset. A belief that sustainability, community, and the local economy can thrive together. And that belief was shaped and strengthened by my time at RMIT.