In early 2018, Scott McKeon and Will Scuderi were working on a university assignment when they noticed that a lack of screen real estate was slowing them down significantly. That night, Scuderi used a 3D printer to create a bracket that could attach a tablet to the side of his laptop – but both students knew there had to be a better way.

And they quickly realised that being able to fit an entire workstation into a small bag wasn’t just useful for study. As a keen traveller, McKeon saw how “a portable second screen would mean I could work from anywhere in the world”.

The super-thin Espresso monitor

Just over a year on, the Sydney duo had designed the Espresso Display – the world’s thinnest portable monitor – and McKeon, just 24 at the time, flew to China to personally assemble the prototypes.

At 5.5 millimetres thick, the Espresso monitor was slimmer than most phones and earned its name in that it was compact, increased productivity and looked at home on a cafe table. The rotatable screens now come in two sizes that have touch functionality, a sleek aluminium finish and can be set up in seconds.

Earning Qantas Points by doing business

Working with international suppliers for the first time carried significant risks but the American Express® Qantas Business Rewards Card gave the young entrepreneurs the peace of mind to proceed. And with no pre-set spending limit¹, the Card also provided the flexibility to make larger payments with confidence.

“We are a nomadic company; we source components from four different countries and sell in more than 20,” says McKeon. “So in order to visit the markets we sell in or visit the partners who help us design and create our products, we need to travel.

“Earning up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday business expenses has helped us rack up millions of points which will in turn help us grow the business.”

“Earning up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday business expenses has helped us rack up millions of points which will in turn help us grow the business.”

Riding a tenfold increase in sales

They also used the Card to pay for online ads that helped drive Espresso’s growth during the pandemic – in 10 months sales increased tenfold.

“For growing ecommerce businesses, one of the big things is how much you can commit to the ads that are generating your sales,” McKeon says. “Having up to 51 days to pay for purchases³ on our Card unlocks that cash flow and allows us to grow so much quicker.”

“For growing ecommerce businesses, one of the big things is how much you can commit to the ads that are generating your sales.”

As a result, the team has ballooned from “two uni students with a big dream” to more than 15 employees in just two years and the business ships to 20-plus countries through Espresso’s ecommerce portal and via retailers such as Amazon.

“Our sales have exploded now that everyone is adapting to hybrid and remote work,” says McKeon. “In a time of change and uncertainty, that one simple idea has been so useful.”

How the Card unlocks cash flow

“One of the best ways you can utilise the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card is to pay for your Facebook and Google ads,” says McKeon.

“It means you’re earning Qantas Points2 – which is always nice – but, more importantly, you’ve got up to 51 days to pay for purchases.³

“If you have a sales cycle that’s less than 51 days, it means you can pay for the ads and you could have already earned your profit in the meantime.”