Some news is simply too special not to share.

This morning, our very own Micaela Centenera, co-founder of The Little Capsule Co., was announced as a finalist for the 2027 Australian of the Year Awards in the ACT Local Hero category.

And while I could write a very polished piece about what an incredible achievement this is, I think this one deserves something a little more personal.

Because before there was TLCco, before there were thousands of little pieces of clothing finding new homes, before the community centre became the bustling little place it is today, there was Micaela.

And if you know M, you know she has never been particularly interested in being the centre of attention.

She's much happier quietly getting on with the job, usually doing about seventeen things at once, solving someone else's problem, finding a way to make something happen that probably shouldn't be possible, and making sure everyone else is looked after along the way.

It's one of the things I love most about her.

The woman behind the little green dot.

When Micaela and I started The Little Capsule Co., we had a pretty simple idea.

Beautiful children's clothing deserved more than one childhood. Families deserved a better way to buy and sell the things their little ones had outgrown. And perhaps, if we did things a little differently, we could create something that genuinely gave back to the community around us.

What we've built together has become so much more than a children's clothing store.

But here's the thing.

TLCco is only one small part of what Micaela does.

When she's not at Pearce, she's working alongside an extraordinary group of women at Canberra Circle of Women, helping get essential supplies directly into the hands of women and children who need them.

That work reaches from our own backyard to communities in the Philippines, including families living in some of the most confronting circumstances imaginable.

She's the person who sees a need and immediately starts figuring out what can be done about it.

Not because there's recognition attached.

Not because anyone is watching.

But because she genuinely believes that if you have the capacity to help, you should.

And then, somehow, she finds the time to do it.

More than a business partner.

I get to see a side of Micaela that most people don't.

The very long days. The difficult decisions. The juggling act of being a mum, a business owner, a volunteer and about a hundred other things.

The conversations about how we can do more, even when we're already stretched.

The moments where something doesn't go to plan, followed almost immediately by M working out another way forward.

And the enormous amount of heart that goes into the things nobody ever sees.

Building a social enterprise isn't always glamorous. In fact, most days it's anything but.

But there is nobody I'd rather be doing this with.

M has this extraordinary ability to bring people together, make them feel seen and turn a good intention into something tangible.

She's fiercely capable, wonderfully determined, deeply compassionate and, thankfully for me, has a very good sense of humour.

Because goodness knows we've needed it.

This recognition belongs to her.

One of the beautiful things about the Australian of the Year Awards is that they shine a light on people who make their communities better, often without ever expecting anything in return.

And I cannot think of a more fitting description of Micaela.

I'm not going to pretend she does everything perfectly. Neither of us does. We make mistakes, we learn, we occasionally have spectacularly ambitious ideas that require a rather large cup of coffee to unpack.

But what I can tell you is that she shows up.

For her family. For our little team. For the women she works alongside. For the families who walk through our doors. And for people she will probably never meet.

Again and again.

And I think that's what makes a local hero.

Not one grand gesture, but a thousand little ones that collectively make a very real difference.

A little love for the other local heroes, too.

And while we're celebrating our M, I also want to extend the warmest congratulations to every other nominee in the ACT Local Hero category.

Canberra is home to so many extraordinary humans quietly doing extraordinary things. People who give their time, their energy and enormous pieces of their hearts to making life a little better for someone else.

To be recognised alongside people doing such meaningful work is something truly special.

Whatever the outcome, every single one of you deserves to be celebrated.

What a beautiful reminder of just how much good exists in our little corner of the world. 💚

To our community, thank you.

If you've ever shopped with us, brought in a bag of outgrown clothes, donated something for one of our community projects, attended a Mamma Mingle or simply told someone about our little store, you've played a part in this story too.

You've helped us prove that a small business can be a vehicle for something much bigger.

That circular fashion can create genuine social impact.

And that a community of people choosing to do a little good, together, can achieve some pretty extraordinary things.

It's something Micaela has believed in from the very beginning.

And finally, to M.

I'm so incredibly proud of you.

Not just for this nomination, although I hope you take a moment to appreciate how bloody special it is.

I'm proud of the person you are when nobody is watching.

I'm proud of what we've built, what we've survived, what we've learnt and what we're still dreaming about.

I'm proud that our little business has your fingerprints all over it.

And I'm especially proud that the wider community is getting to see what so many of us have known for a very long time.

You're a pretty extraordinary human, M.

You'd probably tell me to stop making a fuss now, but unfortunately for you, I'm in charge of the website.

So here we are.

Congratulations, my beautiful friend. You deserve every bit of this recognition.

Love,

Jane x

Co-founder, The Little Capsule Co.