We’re Nicole and Dewald – two newlyweds who traded tradition for a life on the road, driven by adventure and the dream of building something meaningful. If you’re reading this, you’re probably curious about the faces behind Budget 4x4 Life, so I (Nicole) wanted to take a moment to be real with you about who we are, how we got here, and why we do what we do.
Our Story – A Love That Started with a ‘Wave’
We both grew up in South Africa and moved to Australia at different points in our lives—me (Nicole) when I was 12, and Dewald when he was 17. Fast forward a few years to 2018, our final year of school. Dewald was from the Gold Coast, I was from North Brisbane, and somehow we ended up at the same South African event called a "Sokkie." What are the chances of us meeting each other—on the opposite side of the world, living in cities an hour apart, somehow ending up at the same event? Dewald sent me a friend request, and I—thinking I was super smooth—sent him a little “wave” on Messenger. And from there… well, let’s just say we both knew this was going to be more than a friendship type of thing. It’s been forever since day one.
One of my favourite memories? Dewald once tried to take his little Getz off-roading (yep, you read that right). We got stuck in the sand, but he still insists that he “just needed to go a bit faster.” If only those two teens could see us now—24, married, living in a caravan, and ready to tackle the whole of Australia with a business we’ve built from scratch. All glory to God, honestly.
(Springbrook, QLD October, 2018)
The Spark That Started Budget 4x4 Life
Dewald’s always had a love for adventure and budget 4WD mods. He was constantly working on his car, finding affordable ways to get out there and explore. It turned into a YouTube channel where he’d share DIY mods with other 4WD enthusiasts, and soon, people started asking where they could get the same accessories he was using. That’s when we realised… maybe there was something more here.
So, we took the plunge. Dewald started the business while we were both still studying full-time and working part-time, so things were definitely a little hectic! In the beginning, it was mostly Dewald running things, with me helping out on the side whenever I could. But as we started approaching graduation, we really took a step back to reflect on our goals—and it became clear that we both had a vision of owning a business together and working for ourselves. We didn’t have everything figured out, but the dream was enough, and we had faith we were heading in the right direction.
In May 2024, right before my uni graduation, I made the scary decision to quit my marketing job and join the business full-time. It was a huge leap, but for the first time, I felt like I was exactly where I needed to be. Just a few months later, Dewald did the same. Now, the business is our baby, something we get to grow ourselves, full-time.
Building a Business with Heart
From our tiny start, we’ve now grown to offer over 450 products, each one carefully chosen and tested by us. We are our own customers, which means if we wouldn’t use it, we won’t sell it. We’re even developing our own line of products now—something we never imagined at the start.
But growth also meant making big changes. We’re about to embark on our dream trip: a year-long lap around Australia. So, we spent months preparing—working with a small, carefully selected handful of trusted local Australian and international suppliers who help us keep things running smoothly. And recently, we also got my mum on board to help store and ship our best-selling accessories directly from Brisbane, alongside our other suppliers. We don’t mean to brag, but we’re lucky enough to work with some of the best in the market, and it’s these strong relationships that allow us to fulfil your orders while we’re on the road.
Our vision for the future? We’d love to find a place to call home somewhere along our travels, ideally with a couple of big sheds where we can keep expanding and maybe one day even rope in our future kids to help us run things. We want Budget 4x4 Life to keep growing in a way that’s true to who we are and the lifestyle we love.
Keeping It Real – Our Unique Way of Doing Business
So, what does “business on the road” look like for us? Our days are spent fulfilling orders, setting up shipments with suppliers, answering customer questions, managing emails, filming content, and testing new stock. Every order you place gets set up by us to be shipped directly from our trusted suppliers, which means you’re getting a high-quality product in a timely manner, even while we’re out exploring.
And look, we actually miss the days when we’d pack and ship each order ourselves—now our heads are constantly buried in a thousand emails making it all happen. But we run a tight ship here, and you can trust that when you support us, you’re supporting a business that puts its customers first. We’re all about making sure you have the best experience, and we’re grateful to have you along for this journey with us.
The Challenges and Lessons We’ve Learned
One of our biggest challenges has been finding a balance between life and business. We’re both so passionate about Budget 4x4 Life that it sometimes feels like it’s all we do and talk about! We’re working on giving ourselves some breathing room so we can enjoy life outside the business, too. It’s definitely a work in progress, but we’re learning as we go.
Another big challenge? We entered the industry at a young age and structured our business a bit differently from what others typically do, and I think this has meant that both of us have had to grow tough skin when dealing with suppliers or competitors who sometimes might try to bring us down for that fact. We’re both big “people people” and want to do right by everyone, and we sometimes take things to heart a little too often. Over the past few months, we’ve really learned to stand our ground, speak up, trust our gut, and just keep going.
We truly believe the industry is a better place when business owners support one another—there’s enough room for everyone to have their share. We’ve learned to keep our heads up, stay focused on our goals, and stay true to what we set out to build.
A Message to Our Community
We are so grateful for each and every one of you. Budget 4x4 Life isn’t just a business—it’s a part of us. We’re here to create something meaningful, for us and for you, our customers and friends. We’d love for you to follow along on our journey! Connect with us on social media, @budget4x4life, join our email community, or drop us a message—we’re always keen to connect with you guys!
