Harmony Tera is the founder of Swapp, an innovative membership platform that allows hair, beauty, and massage professionals to exchange their services using a points-based system.
With nearly two decades of experience in the beauty industry—starting as a spa and remedial massage therapist, then becoming a lash and brow specialist, and eventually a salon owner—Harmony saw a need for a more collaborative and accessible way for professionals to support each other.
Swapp was born out of her passion for building a thriving, service-based community where skill-sharing replaces cash transactions. As a proud Polynesian woman and entrepreneur, Harmony is dedicated to empowering women in business, creating opportunities for professionals to connect, grow, and thrive.
How has your Polynesian background and upbringing influenced you as a businesswoman?
My biggest example of Polynesian culture has always been my dad. He’s an auto electrician, and growing up, I watched him be incredibly generous with his time. Whenever a family member or extended family needed help—whether it was a tough job, an emergency, or they were stuck somewhere—no matter the time or how far away, he would drop everything to help. He never hesitated because, in our culture, looking after your people isn’t a choice; it’s just what you do.
I saw firsthand how powerful reciprocity is in our culture—whenever I needed help, those same people were always there for me, simply because of who my dad was and how he treated others.
That way of life shaped me deeply. When I specialised in beauty, I found myself doing the same—helping people, offering my skills, and building strong relationships through generosity and trust. That mindset became the foundation of Swapp.
I built Swapp to reflect the values I grew up with—giving and receiving, supporting each other, and thriving as a community. Instead of business being purely transactional, I wanted to create a space where professionals could exchange their talents and grow together.
You’re the owner of multiple beauty salons and a veteran in the beauty industry, what was it that attracted you to become an entrepreneur and then go on to build multiple businesses?
For me, trying new things and seeing what works has always been exciting. I’ve learned that the best way to validate a business idea is simply by launching it and seeing if customers come. I’ve been hustling since primary school—first with a hat rental business, where I rented out hats for $1 to students who forgot theirs, just so they could play outside at recess.
In high school, I upped my game, selling pre-written lines to students for $5 to help them cancel out their demerits (a true educational entrepreneur). And that entrepreneurial drive has stayed with me into adulthood, where I’ve launched and run multiple businesses (both successful and unsuccessful).
While it took me some time to truly love beauty (since I was a bit of a tomboy growing up), I’ve always had a passion for entrepreneurship. Back then, I didn’t know it was called entrepreneurship; I just knew I loved creating solutions and finding ways to bridge gaps—whether it was connecting a person who needed something with the thing they needed or discovering creative ways to make things work.
I was often called cheeky, rebellious, or obsessed with loopholes, and people would say that if I applied myself properly, I’d be successful. Now that I’ve had some success in business, I’ve realised that those traits – though once looked down on – were exactly the qualities that got me to where I am today.
One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I don’t like being limited or told what to do. I don’t enjoy having my day mapped out for me or being told how things should be done. It’s not that I hate authority, but I’ve often found that authority tends to underestimate me. I end up being far more productive when I have the freedom to create my own path and schedule.
I thrive when I can make decisions on the go, without a ceiling restricting my growth. That freedom has been a huge part of why I’ve built multiple businesses and why I continue to seek opportunities to create and innovate.
Why do you think it’s so important to uplift the community spirit, particularly in business?
For me, the most powerful form of community support is when people lift you up when you’re unsure or vulnerable. It’s easy to receive support when things are going well, but it’s the community that stands by you during the uncertain times, when you don’t have all the answers, that truly makes a difference. I was fortunate enough to have that kind of support growing up.
As a tomboy who didn’t know much about beauty services, I relied heavily on my family to be my “practice bodies” as I learned and honed my skills. I’ve waxed my sister’s skin off her arms, ripped half my niece’s eyebrow off (sorry!), and painted my dad’s nails countless times.
My family has always been there, cheering me on, voting for my businesses in awards, following and engaging with my social pages (you will find my mum commenting on almost every post of every business page I have – as a stranger), and even volunteering as models for staff training.
Having a community that believes in you, even when you don’t fully believe in yourself, is something I treasure deeply. It’s this kind of support that I strive to recreate for others. I feel a sense of duty to pay it forward because I’ve experienced firsthand the power of having people around me who have my back.
That’s why it’s so important to me to foster this supportive environment in my businesses, so others can experience the same sense of belonging, encouragement, and growth that I did.
You had to wear many hats when you started Swapp, how was that experience for you and what were some defining moments?
Starting Swapp meant wearing many hats, which I loved because I’m always eager to learn. Coming from the beauty industry, I didn’t even own a laptop until I opened my second salon, so I had to teach myself everything.
When I realised developing an app would cost more than I could afford, I decided to create my MVP myself. After completing it, I encountered issues with messaging and ended up rebuilding the entire app on a better-suited platform. This challenge gave me an invaluable understanding of my product, something I wouldn’t have gained if I’d just outsourced the work.
Next, I tackled social media. Initially, I hired a management company, but quickly realised I could handle it myself. I dove into researching trends, content strategies, and editing, which turned out to be a bigger challenge than developing the app!
Through all of this, I’ve slowly become the person I needed for my business at each stage. I didn’t know a lot of these roles even existed, but I learned to research what people in those positions do, what they study, and then start from the basics. The internet has been a great tool for this, and it’s helped me figure out what I need to learn to meet my business needs at the right time.
I’ve worked on a range of skills—app development, social media management, press outreach, influencer collaborations, branding strategy, customer research, and even project management. I’ve had to develop a deep understanding of not just the technical side of the business, but also how to communicate my brand, engage with customers, and grow the business in a sustainable way. I didn’t just focus on one area; I tackled everything that came my way – as it came.
It’s definitely been a slow process, but one that’s been incredibly rewarding. Each challenge has shaped me and my business in ways that no amount of external help could have.
What would you say to Black and Brown women who are looking to start their businesses but are holding back due to fear of failure and judgment?
The world has always told women of colour what to do, when to do it, and how much of it they’re allowed to do. But it’s up to us to ignore that. No one truly knows what you’re capable of except you.
In Australia, only 1 in 10 people start their own business. If you take that first step, you’ve already succeeded in joining that 10%. The entrepreneurial journey is long and often lonely, but the sooner you learn to tune out opinions and judgment, the easier your path will be.
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