At this year’s Red Dust All Staff Conference, we welcomed Fipe Preuss (Lolopō Phoebe) — Samoan founder of Living Koko, community advocate, storyteller and self‑described Koko Broker. Her work is deeply rooted in culture, identity, and the centuries‑old tradition of cacao cultivation in Samoa. For Fipe, cacao isn’t just a product — it’s a living connection to her ancestors, her family, and the communities that have nurtured her.

With a connection to some of the Red Dust team that dates back to 2015 during early logo work for Living Koko, and with many yarns about community programs, social enterprise, and the challenges — and joy — of building something that stays true to culture. It was a privilege to share with the entire Red Dust team Fipe’s journey and her growth as a leader and business owner.

This conversational session explored her story, her cultural grounding, and the powerful lessons she’s learned “walking in both worlds” — community and commercial.

Who Is Fipe? A Story of Identity and Connection

Fipe begins by sharing her family story — who her mob is, the land she draws strength from, and the cultural heritage that shapes every decision she makes. She speaks candidly about the importance of cultural respect, recalling confronting moments of cultural appropriation and why representation matters. Her background at festivals, community events and grassroots spaces helped shape the Living Koko journey that followed.

And then comes the line that always gets people smiling:  
“Some days I’d rather be a Koko Broker.”

It’s a light‑hearted way into a deeper truth — that simplifying her focus to supporting growers directly is often the most powerful thing she can do. After seven years of building a truly sustainable enterprise, she realised that buying more beans from community — and doing it consistently — has the biggest impact.

Learning to Walk in Two Worlds

One of the most grounding parts of Fipe’s story is how honest she is about the learning curve.

She speaks about alignment and values — and the moment she realised she had to balance the community‑focused heart of her work with the commercial realities needed to keep it alive. When her former business partner stepped away, she had to take on roles she’d never imagined, making decisions that were difficult but necessary for the health of the enterprise and the wellbeing of the communities she supports.

She shares stories of expanding products, navigating workshops, and understanding that sometimes people come for the “moon event” but stay for the cacao — and that this can create opportunities for awareness and deeper connection. She talks openly about-facing hard decisions, like engaging external experts and restructuring parts of the business even when it meant letting friends go.

It’s all part of the journey of growing something bigger than yourself.

The George Clooney Moment

In one of the lighter moments of the yarn, Fipe talks about the parts of business she doesn’t naturally gravitate towards — like promotion — and gives a nod to Glen, whose role in Living Koko makes space for different strengths.

We all have a role to play. -Fipe

Community Learnings

Fipe’s practical wisdom comes through clearly when she talks about community operations — from pre‑orders and shipping challenges to rising freight costs and the pressure of making decisions that affect everyone along the supply chain.

She also reflects on managing many moving parts: sales, marketing, operations, technology.

Her use of virtual assistants, automation tools, and systems for repurposing content highlights how small enterprises can stay sustainable without burning out the people behind them.

The Reality Behind Big Moments

When the ABC video about Living Koko aired, sales jumped from 200 kilos to 7,000 kilos almost overnight. It was a huge milestone — but also a reminder that big media moments don’t always guarantee long‑term stability. The pandemic shifted markets again, forcing recalibration and an honest look at wholesale versus retail models.

Fipe will share these highlights — and reality checks — so that our team can understand what sustainable community‑based enterprise really looks like behind the scenes.

Advice for Emerging Social Enterprise Leaders

Red Dust will close the yarn by inviting Fipe to share her advice for anyone starting their own community‑based or social enterprise. Her reflections speak to courage, patience, and deep listening — and the importance of doing things in a way that honours the people you come from.

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