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Editor's foreword

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Sponsor’s foreword

A note from the ASBFEO

Meet our judges

A big year for small business

Putting customers first reaps dividends

Top 50 Small Business Leaders 2018 | A-Z

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Welcome to this year's special report that celebrates the achievements of Australia's top small business leaders. The stories of

our Top 50 leaders’ journeys capture the dedication and never-say-die attitude required to turn an idea into a viable commercial enterprise, and the range of businesses those leaders head up illustrate the richness and diversity of Australia’s small businesses sector.

Some of our pioneers, such as Adelaide barber Goitom, have travelled halfway around the world to realise their dreams; others, like Melissa and Warren at Buckle, have taken a business that has been established for generations and ensured it remains relevant and profitable despite the changes and disruptors today’s technology has heralded.

From Carissa and Karyn changing the

way we work the land to Flavia and her nanosatellites that connect the billions of mobile devices around the

world, our report shows just what small businesses – the heartbeat of the Australian economy –

can achieve when their leaders allow their dreams to take flight, then work their socks

off to ensure those dreams are realisable, then realised.

Last year I was blown away by the warmth with which we were received at the Top 50 launch events we hosted, and the strength of those

small-business communities, around the country. Despite the incredible

diversity of business types the attendees represented so many of them knew each

other, and evidently support each other. I very much look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at one of our launch events taking place this month.


F or the most part, technology has simplified our daily activities in business and in life but as it continues to grow at rapid pace, a key consideration is how to

use technology to drive your business right now.With the government now discussing tax

relief for middle-income Australians, the timing is right for small businesses to explore new tech resources to enhance their operations. In light of this, Epson advises that the right choices don’t just boost your bottom line; they also protect the environment – a cause we’re fundamentally committed to.

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customer to create an improved end-to-end experience that saves time and uses less energy and resources.

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Tim LadhamsEditor, ISB

Craig HeckenbergGeneral Manager,

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O nce again it's time to celebrate small business success in Australia. The small-business owners featured in this year's Top 50 Business Leaders

have achieved the goal of every small-business owner – to launch, grow and thrive.

It really is an achievement when you consider that over 60 per cent of small businesses stop operating in their first three years. Success in small business means overcoming many challenges, but the rewards are worth it!

Small-business owners need to work smarter. This means taking the time to work on the business and not just in it; to identify improvements or changes that will give you the edge over your competition.

Cashflow and payment times are always at the top of the list of challenges. My office has done a lot of work on this since we opened for business two years ago, including conducting a major inquiry into payment times and practices.

While some late payments are a result of incorrect invoices, manual process errors and complex payment procedures, our Payment Times and Practices Inquiry found that government, and Australian and multinational companies purposely delayed and extended payments, sometimes to 90 or 120 days. Obviously small businesses can’t wait four months to be paid. They have to pay their staff and suppliers and even the ATO. As we know, poor cashflow is the primary reason for small business insolvency in Australia.

Although recent research shows an improvement in late payment times overall, it still represents a significant cost impact on small business. This is reflected in the amount of outstanding invoices for 2017, totalling $89.6 billion.

In one of his recent columns, Bernard Salt suggested a national campaign around #samedaypay, and it bears some

consideration. Bernard runs a small business and would very much like, after submitting a valid invoice, to be paid immediately. Online payment platforms and bank transfers make this possible. “The cheque is in the mail” is no longer an excuse for late payment.

Bernard’s is a fair request, which brings to mind two options worthy of further investigation – electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) and the New Payments Platform.

A recommendation in our Payment Times and Practices Inquiry was that governments encourage the

adoption of technology solutions, such as e-invoicing, to help businesses to facilitate

payment practices. We also recommended that government take the lead and move to pay small businesses in 15 working days. We are pleased that the Federal Government has agreed and will progressively implement this, with all departments complying by July next year.

The New Payments Platform, which was launched in February, will allow fast

payments – immediate payments – between banks and between banks and their customers.

As 2018 progresses, more banks, building societies and credit unions across the country will register to use the new platform. Money will be transferred instantly between accounts at different financial institutions, and payments made any time of the day, any day of the year.

This will no doubt make Bernard happy and no doubt the rest of the 2.1 million Australian small businesses, if they choose to participate in these new technologies. But unless the majority of big businesses move to payment times of less than 30 days, ASBFEO will be urging the government to legislate, as has occurred in the EU and Europe.

The small business leaders featured this year have no doubt mastered the cashflow and late payment dilemma, but it’s always good to get back to basics and remember the stepping stones to success.

Kate CarnellAustralian Small Business

and Family Enterprise Ombudsman

Celebrating small business success

Cashflow and delayed payments top the many challenges successful small-business owners should

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Chelsea FordFounder, Females in Food (New South Wales)

Chelsea only launched Females in Food in late 2016 but the organisation – that connects women and advocates their interests – is already making waves in the food and beverage industry.

The idea behind Females in Food came when Chelsea was working for such companies as Kellogg’s and Nestle. There were lots of great networking groups out there, however, none focused on the unique needs and challenges women in her industry faced. Allied to the under-representation of women at management level, Chelsea set out to create a community of professionals who provide guidance and advice.

Females in Food is based on the entrepreneurial notions of “iterate, iterate, iterate” and “fail fast”, underlining that accepting feedback quickly and producing professional content is key to success in such a fast-moving industry.

The regular events that Females in Food run and its burgeoning membership see Chelsea meet with small-business owners on a daily basis, giving her an in-depth understanding of the challenges that they face and the help they require to succeed.

Stacey HeadFounder,She Wear (Queensland)

The She Wear concept arose from the underwhelming options for women working in specialised fields and trades who need compliant, quality safety footwear, and Stacey’s first range of safety work boots designed and styled for women, along with a range of other matching workwear accessories, was launched in October 2013.

As a small-business owner, Stacey believes that it is extremely important to give back to her local communities and charities. In 2014, she released a specially designed limited edition boot for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and donated $10 for every pair sold; she also ran a campaign with “buy a bale” where $10 for every “she will” boot sold was donated to the charity that focuses on assisting Queensland farming communities suffering one of the worst droughts on record.

One of Stacey’s proudest moments to date has been She Wear being selected as the footwear of choice for the female contestants on TV home-renovation reality show The Block.

Tim LadhamsEditor,Inside Small Business (National)

Tim is responsible for all the content on the Inside Small Business website and in the quarterly magazine. He has come into journalism after a long career – including management roles – in hospitality, insurance and credit management, giving him significant insights into the way business works. His experience as a credit manager offered a first-hand experience of dealing with the issue that small-business owners repeatedly cite as their biggest challenge to staying afloat and prospering – getting paid by those to whom they have provided goods or services!

Tim now combines this business experience with a particular passion for start-ups and small businesses, a sector he is now fully immersed in and for which he is a passionate advocate. The highlight of his journalism career to date was the enthusiasm with which Inside Small Business was received by the small-business communities around the country during last year's Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report launch event roadshow, and he very much looks forward to meeting this year’s winners at the 2018 events in May.

Meet our judgest h e j u d g e s

11insidesmallbusiness.com.au – INSIDE SMALL BUSINESS

Diané RanckEducator and Marketing Consultant (South Australia) Diané has had extensive experience in the education sector across high school, vocational and university. Her geography teaching has led her to teach, research, write geography text books and consult in Papua New Guinea, Australia and Fiji. She has consulted in education, geography, health and women participation in Bali (for the UN), Fiji and the Middle East.

Diané worked at the Australian Embassy in Thailand as Education Counsellor for four years. Her diplomatic skills and international development led to further posts at the University of Sydney and, most recently, at Flinders University in SA.

Diané has had board experience on several not-for-profits and through her involvement with Brand South Australia, and experience with SMEs, both in mentoring young business owners and in marketing in the sector.

Diané has worked with various sporting groups, most recently with the South Adelaide Football Club and as President of the SA Snow Sports Association, working on governance, strategy and marketing. She is a passionate advocate for making theatre accessible to all, especially youth. She is a keen cross country skier and sea kayaker.

Lexie WilkinsFounder,Lexie Wilkins Consulting (WA)

Lexie Wilkins is a people and performance consultant and a workplace culture expert. Perth based but working nationwide, she assists leaders and workplaces to achieve optimum organisational success through developing and embedding a highly engaged and motivated workplace team within strategic and performance-based environments.

The benefits of optimising the employee experience in order to achieve a culture of growth and innovation is her passion. Her work draws on a depth of knowledge gained as a senior leader and consultant within a diverse range of government and non-government industries coupled with formal qualifications in nursing, psychology, financial services and training and assessment.

As well as providing strategic business and people development assistance, Lexie is a speaker, facilitates programs, workshops and mentors leaders and teams who seek to create greater purpose both personally and in the workplace.

Lexie has sat on a number of government and non-government engagement and marketing committees and is a contributor to select media publications, including a regular column for Inside Small Business.

Ailsa PageDirector,AP Marketing Works (Victoria)

Ailsa is a small-business marketing specialist, professional speaker, three times author – her most recent title is Get Good or Get Off: A guide to getting it right on social media – and award-winning business owner of AP Marketing Works. Known as the marketing dynamo, Ailsa has helped thousands of businesses around Australia navigate the marketing maze and improve their bottom line.

AP Marketing Works has been helping small-business owners since 1999, focusing on getting the balance right for the many business owners who spend so much time working in their business that they don’t have the time, energy or know-how to work on it.

Ailsa has been a judge for the Telstra Business Awards and Women’s Awards and is a regular contributor for MYOB, The Pulse Blog and Inside Small Business.

Ailsa is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Marketing and State President of the Professional Speakers Association. When not inspiring small-business owners, Ailsa is playing gypsy cello, tap dancing or working on completing her final classical piano exam.

Meet our judgest h e j u d g e s


T he last 12 months have seen significant initiatives and legislation affecting small

business. Whenever you talk to small-business owners about the biggest challenges they face, or look at the results of the regular surveys and reports on the key factors influencing the sector, one thing always comes above all else – cashflow. The Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, has already talked about her Payment Times and Practices Inquiry in her foreword to this report, and Kate’s efforts in getting government and big business to pay the small businesses they are working with in a more timely fashion is absolutely fundamental to keeping the SMEs that are the backbone of our economy afloat. It will be interesting to see if the big end of town really does play ball and, if not, whether the government has the appetite to legislate, as Kate flags has been

Different government legislation has had mixed outcomes for the small business sector in an age of rapid and significant changes to the way it is governed.

A big year for small business

necessary in other jurisdictions.The Fair Work Commission-inspired

changes to the rates of pay for casual and part-time employees on weekends and public holidays – that came into effect on 1 January this year – have a direct impact on the pockets of small-business owners. If a recent experience of my own is anything to go by, this move has been far more of a hindrance than a help to local businesses. On the recent Labour Day holiday in Victoria my wife and I headed out to find some lunch: not one of our favourite local cafes or restaurants was open, and we ended up in a branch of one of the country’s most high-profile chef ’s restaurant “empire”, still having to pay a 15 per cent surcharge. Whilst it is, of course, vital that people are paid what they are due, it is just as important that a remuneration system is found that does not prevent local businesses from being able to open. The recent high-profile underpayment scandals in the franchise sector – think Domino’s, Caltex, 7-Eleven and others – are proof that small-business owners simply cannot remain competitive by complying with the regulations as they are today.

The Royal Commission into the banking industry should have a more positive outcome for small business, with a plethora of new funding options – many of which are accessible online and in quick time – now available

to small businesses without the collateral requirements traditionally demanded by the “big four” banks. Angus Sedgwick, CEO of SME FinTech cashflow provider tim (The Invoice Market), said to me recently, “The Royal Commission testimonies by some of the banks highlights the structural and fundamental issues of the Australian banking industry due to the long-standing oligopoly enjoyed by the ‘Big Four’. The emergence of alternative lenders and FinTech companies has brought much-needed competition to the lending market in Australia, particularly in the business finance sector. FinTech companies are becoming trusted partners, providing a range of smart and innovative cashflow finance products for SMEs that will offer access to capital quickly and help them to flourish and grow.”

The advance of technology is bringing about changes to the way we do business at an unprecedented rate, and with it a raft of new regulations small-business owners need to get their heads around very quickly. The digitisation of the economy means even sole traders now carry a lot of data about their customers and their suppliers, and it is crucial business owners familiarise themselves with the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme that is now in force as the penalties it will levy for non-compliance will break most small businesses.

By Tim LadhamsEditor, Inside Small Business

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T oday Kate Morris is a leading light in eCommerce, a tireless advocate for women who is persuading

the entire retail industry to re-assess its approach to gender equality and who expects to turn over $25 million this year. It was not always thus, however, here is Kate’s story of her journey working on a department store beauty counter to being the queen of cosmetics.

ISB: When and how did the idea for Adore Beauty come about?

KM: In 1999 I was a uni student in Melbourne, studying a business degree and working part-time as a promotional demonstrator for Clarins. Talking to other women, I discovered that they found the experience of buying beauty products in department stores intimidating and often came home with products that weren’t exactly right for them. I resolved to create a way of providing a better experience and realised that it would be more empowering for women to be able to make decisions from the comfort of their own home on the internet.

ISB: How did you turn the concept into a viable business venture?

KM: I worked out the minimum amount of money I would need to launch a website and buy enough product to service my first customers, and estimated I would need $12,000. As a student I wasn’t going to be able to get any money from a bank so I pitched the idea to my boyfriend’s dad, a small-business owner. He lent me the money and mentored me on the financial side of starting and running a small business

– managing cashflow, BAS returns and so on. In these days before broadband, social media and – most importantly for an eCommerce site – multiple payment gateways, it took a lot of time and effort contacting all the banks but one eventually offered me merchant services so I could take payments on my website.

ISB: So, now you have suppliers and a website, you just need customers…

KM: There was no money left in the pot for marketing, I assumed once you had a website people would come to it but things don’t work like that. I consulted a marketing lecturer at Monash Uni and drafted a media release. The early internet magazines were keen to cover the story – Australia’s first online beauty store – but the beauty magazines were a harder nut to crack, and in fact they didn’t come on board until we were really established, so I had to focus on providing a really great experience for my first customers. I wrapped the beauty products in tissue and put a Furry Friend or a Caramel Koala into every package – today it’s an individually-wrapped Tim Tam – and made sure I despatched every package on the day of purchase. The feedback on this approach, emails from customers saying how much receiving their package had made their day, sustained me in the tough early days.

ISB: What was the biggest challenge you faced in making the business really profitable and sustainable?

KM: In the early years I only sold Australian brands but customer feedback revealed I needed to offer globally-recognised products. I looked to distributors of these brands but at that time they saw the internet as a fad and a threat rather than an opportunity. I knew I had to get one major brand on board before the others would follow so I persevered. Eventually I “landed” Clarins, the company I had worked for in my student days.

ISB: Finally, what was the best piece of advice you have received you could pass on to those who are looking to launch their own start-up?

KM: Choose a business in a field that you are truly passionate about, and that customers will care about too. The first years will be really hard so that passion will sustain you, and the positive feedback from your early customers that you are genuinely making a difference confirms you’re on the right path – so, listen to your customers!

One of Australia's first online entrepreneurs has proved that not meeting your consumer face-to-face is no excuse for not focusing on customer experience in the eCommerce world.

Putting customers first reaps dividends

S M E g r o w t h s t o r y


Jolleen HicksAboriginal Insights, WA

Ngarluma-Aboriginal woman Jolleen Hicks drew on her background fostering the engagement of over 20 separate Aboriginal groups with leadership and business to found Aboriginal Insights in 2016. The organisation offers insights into the Aboriginal cultural world intended to lead to stronger partnerships, relationships, understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal peoples and their cultures, resulting in more respect between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

Jolleen, who is also a Director of Mawarnkarra Health Service in northern WA, is determined to narrow the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal families and non-Aboriginal families. “That gap is far too wide,” Jolleen says. “I know we need to do more, I also know that our staff works hard to provide the best health services that they can within the limits of health funding, and our Board is investigating ways that we can ‘do more’.”

Aboriginal Insights offers practical steps for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people designed to lead to better outcomes: the former through specific training and learning in areas such as health, education and community; the latter through promoting awareness of issues affecting Aboriginal people. “It is one thing to offer a service; it’s another thing to ensure that the service achieves its purpose. The key is successful engagement,” Jolleen says.

Goitom TekleAfrican Style Haircut, SA

When Goitom graduated from Flinders University he struggled to find a job in accounting. His entrepreneurial spirit sparked the idea of opening a salon for the growing number of migrants of African heritage coming to Adelaide, and the response when he opened the doors in 2012, having raised the money for the premises and fittings from friends and family, was overwhelming.

More than just a barber’s shop, African Style Haircut celebrates diversity, culture, and community.

“A lot of customers come to socialise and meet friends, especially on Fridays and Saturdays,” Goitom says. Building on its unique offering and point of difference that initially attracted people, the clientele has grown through word-of-mouth referrals – at events such as weddings, dinners and graduation functions – and social media.

The shop has become an Adelaide landmark, with Australian and international personalities visiting the salon when in Adelaide for its many festivals. However, Goitom gets most satisfaction through positive feedback and compliments from African international students that suggest his little shop contributes to the social wellbeing of the community. Goitom goes further in this regard by offering a number of apprenticeships to youngsters studying at local TAFEs.

t o p 5 0 p r o f i l e s


Pirra GriffithsAllerton Swimwear, NSW

Having studied design and fashion at Sydney’s UTS and run a design studio at a swimwear label, Pirra felt that there was a gap in the market for marrying fashion and functionality. Determined to do things differently in a field full of huge brands, Pirra launched Allerton Swimwear, designing luxury swimwear lines from recycled waste materials made only by suppliers with an ethical approach to manufacturing and how they treat their workers.

Pirra had originally intended to launch in Australia but got an order from a major US swimwear retailer and showed her first collection in Miami in August 2015.

The dearth of manufacturers in Australia meant some production having to go offshore – as ethics are so

important to Pirra she found a couple of Balinese suppliers producing high-quality garments from ethically produced material – most made from recycled fishing nets, plastic bottles and nylon carpets – in good working conditions. “As a small label it’s difficult to find manufacturers who are happy to ‘let you in’ and inspect what they’re doing, so I focus on working those few that do,” she says.

Allerton – Pirra named the business after her mother’s maiden name in recognition of her family’s support and encouragement – distributes internationally to major retailers in the UK, USA & NZ.

David McAuleyAndaha, NSW

Archer & Holland is celebrating its centenary this year, the jewellery store having opened on the corner of King William and Hindley Streets in central Adelaide in 1918. Its is a rare feat indeed for a small family business to survive so long, through the depression of the 1930s to the rise of stores selling cheap jewellery at heavily discounted prices during the 1970s and the 1980s.

Meredith and Bill have kept the business going strong by taking pride in the quality of their products and a dedication to good customer service that has remained the company’s

trademark for 100 years. As well as continuing the manufacture of exquisite jewellery on the premises, they offer remodelling and repair services, and also sell pre-loved and antique jewellery. “People love coming in and spending time looking at our special pieces,” Meredith says.

Members of the third generation of the family to run the business – Bill is grandson one of one of the two founders, Herbert Holland – they have 10 employees…and that brings in the fourth generation, with their daughter and daughter-in-law working with them.

Launched in July 2017, Andaha is an eCommerce platform for the foodservice industry that enables the buying and selling of goods through smart logistics, and helps cafes and restaurants to manage down their food costs.

Described by its founder, David, as a version of Amazon for foodservice, Andaha is a market access platform that makes it easier for businesses to promote their products in the notoriously difficult hospitality industry, with a number of added benefits. It is also a sampling platform, leveraging its unique logistics and warehousing infrastructure, and social communication methodologies.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for David: he initially employed the traditional sales strategy of people on the ground cold calling potential customers, a tactic he says “failed dramatically”. David worked hard to understand more deeply the selling cycle in hospitality, and repivoted the business, aligning with the interests of the different users and effectively engaging them, and packaging that knowledge into a mechanism that brand owners and manufacturers can use.

Having found “this start-up thing really very hard mentally” David is proud of the fact that he has devised a model that really works, and that is unique in the industry.

Meredith and Bill WhitingArcher & Holland, SA

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Stella HuiAzure Entertainment, WA

Since 2009, Azure Entertainment has been providing professional, experienced event and entertainment services such as stage productions, live events and cabaret and variety shows. Azure is also one of the go-to businesses for Western Australians hosting weddings, hen’s dos, birthday parties and so on.

Despite the success and respect Azure has gained over the years, the business didn’t have a smooth start. “Perth was somewhat of a small town,” its founder, Stella, says. “And my industry – performing arts and entertainment – was even smaller, it was very much about who you knew, rather than what you knew, so trying to get others to

overcome that mentality and accept us as a key player was difficult.”

Stella was confident of Azure Entertainment’s potential, nevertheless, and let the work speak for itself. She strived to make the business better and took calculated risks along the way, quickly moving on from what wasn’t working and innovating to create initiatives that did.

As a testament to Stella’s dedication to making it work, her leadership and her business skills, she was rewarded with the title of Optus Australian Businesswoman of the Year in 2016.

Franziska Iseli and Christo Hall Basic Bananas, NSW

Marketing educators Basic Bananas have been helping small-business owners to make the most of every opportunity and think outside the box since December 2009.

Franziska and Christo determine to go the extra mile, both figuratively – “What makes us successful is that we sprinkle 'fairy dust' onto everything we do and see how we can delight our customers at every touch point,” Franziska explains, and literally – recently Franziska was running one educational marketing workshop in Canberra on the same day that Christo was running a session in San Diego and their colleague Erik was doing the same in Calgary.

“We've always had a big vision of running our educational marketing workshops across the world, but when we were running simultaneously in three countries, I had to pinch myself a little!” says Franziska.

Today Franziska and Christo are helped by what they describe as an “incredible team”, but putting that together was one of the biggest challenges they faced. It took a few years, and Franziska says that they achieved it by she and Christo becoming much clearer about their vision and only hiring people who were as excited about the impact Basic Bananas was making as they themselves were.

Erica UrquiagaBaked by Erica, WA

Erica first discovered her love for baking and cooking when she was around 10 years old, though it was almost 20 years later that she decided to pursue her passion as a profession, culminating in the opening of her business Baked by Erica in 2016.

Erica’s cookies are unlike other traditional cookies. “I make soft, very moorish cookies which are smaller in size than majority of cookies in the market – so it is a bit of a mindful treat,” she says. Mindful of those unable to enjoy a lot of things others do due to allergies, Erica produces allergen-friendly varieties of the cookies, ranging from gluten-free to

egg-free and dairy-free.Erica readily admits her lack of

skills in sales and marketing when she started out. “I feared that my business would fail because of my lack of skills in this area, especially when it comes to the ‘hard sell’,” she recalls. She credits family and friends for giving her the confidence and belief in herself to overcome these doubts, support supplemented by attending workshops and networking groups such as Fusion Biz Babes and Females in Food.

Validation of her efforts came recently when Erica was invited to work with Kenwood at the De Lish Expo 2018 at Crown Perth.


goughBeernuts Productions, Qld

Founded in December 2006 on the Gold Coast, Beernuts Productions is an independent production company that produces and distributes its own movies, TV shows, audio productions, and books.

Beernuts’ point of difference – to keep things lean they have cut out the “middleman” and their content is only available from their website – is also the source of their biggest challenge. “If people don’t know we exist then they can’t enjoy our films, shows and books,” gough explains. To counter this a full-time marketing resource was employed, allowing gough and the rest of his team to focus on producing content. Beernuts only has five permanent employees, with actors, crew members, make-up artists and so on being hired as required.

Despite all the success and fun gough has producing content, the proudest moment Beernuts has given him is the recent invitation to speak at Parliament House in Canberra on the matter of disability employment. This is an issue that is very close to his heart, as gough lost a great proportion of his eyesight when he was just 12 weeks old. Indeed, in 2010 he became the first legally blind person to write, edit, produce, direct and star in a feature film!

Carissa Wolfe and Karyn CassarBenmar Farm, NSW

Carissa and Karyn have been business partners for about 12 years, having co-founded together a couple of businesses in Portland, Oregon in the United States. Bennar Farm, the dairy business they started in December 2013, is their first Australian venture.

The duo set out to do things differently in the dairy industry. Unlike other dairy farms, Benmar Farm is home to a dual-purpose breed of cow that provides greater value as both a milk producer and a beef producer. The cows are also bred organically for the health and longevity of both the cow and the land. “We want to see a conscious

connection return between ‘we that eat’ (all of us) and the land, animals and farmers that our food comes from,” Carissa says.

Ongoing climate risks and situations no amount of risk analysis could have predicted have been overcome in no small part due to the synergy between the girls, which has been critical to everything they’ve done. “It’s the core fire under it all,” Carissa explains.

The business partners always seek to challenge themselves with a mindset and focus of “always learn, always analyse, always cross-apply, always challenge the answer ‘that’s how it’s done’.”

Melissa Gibson and Warren SandersBuckle 1922, NSW

Buckle 1922 is one of the few remaining clothing accessories companies that still manufactures locally in Sydney. The firm remained in the hands of its founder’s family until Melissa and Warren, who had worked at the company for some time, took it over in 2013 through a management buyout.

The pair sought to reinvigorate the brand, overcoming significant hurdles to do so.

“No financial institution was willing to fully back or support an Australian manufacturer in the fashion industry,” Melissa relates. They took a big risk, remortgaging their personal assets and, in Melissa’s case, taking a second

mortage on the family home.Those risks have paid off, with Buckle

1922 now enjoying success not only in Australia but also in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Melissa attributes this success to offering high-quality products at accessible prices, as well as the hard work of a team that has been put together on the basis of equality and cultural diversity: almost three-quarters of Buckle’s employees are female; almost two-thirds were born overseas; and over a half consider English as their second language. The approach has been rewarded with excellent retention – the average tenure is 14 years – and the value of experience that brings to the team.


Denyse McDonaldCurrong Comestibles, NSW

Currong Comestibles was launched, in 2012, to introduce Australian native flavours to a wider audience. Denyse enhances traditional recipes with unusual “bush tucker” flavours from native plants, herbs and fruits.

“When someone tastes our speciality cordials or chutneys they intrinsically taste the inimitable variation of indigenous flavours in recognisable recipes,” she says.

As a solo entrepreneur – Denyse’s husband works as an “offsider” on her market stalls (the products are also available via the company’s website and selected delicatessens) and she employs a casual sales assistant at larger events –with limited resources “has forced me to be more

resourceful and creative,” says Denyse. She networks with other business owners facing similar challenges through the Females in Food organisation that is helping her cut the perceived barriers to her progress down to size.

Despite monetary constraints limiting both the product range and distribution volumes, Currong Comestibles has won numerous awards up and down the country in their six years of operation, including two gold medals at the Australian Food Awards. “These are always ‘wow’ awards for us,” Denyse says, “as they are ‘blind tests’ and we’re being judged against some of the best artisan producers in the country.”

Emma LovellCozigo, NSW

When Emma flew with her five-month-old baby Aimee to introduce her to her grandmother in the UK, the constant to-and-fro of passengers, lights and noise meant that neither mother nor baby had any sleep on the flight. Emma determined to create a product far more effective than the standard bassinet.

Having drawn up endless designs and had no less than a dozen prototypes created, Emma settled on a model only for the initial bulk order to arrive from the overseas manufacturer totally unsaleable.

“It was heart breaking to see $25,000 worth of stock being buried in landfill and it was extremely hard to stay faithful to the idea as I had not yet sold a single item,” Emma says.

She persevered, nevertheless, officially launching CoziGo in April 2015 and stringent quality control measures and insurance are staples of the business. Since that early setback Emma has acted like a big business, patenting her product to stave off any copycat competitors.

Gaining an investor in Janine Allis on Shark Tank was a highlight for Emma – “It was amazing to realise that at least one other person except my husband also believed in the idea!” she says – as was winning 2017 Best Product in the Mother & Baby Magazine Awards.

Pete WilsonDetermined2, SA

Determined2 started out as a personal journey for Pete after he sustained a serious work injury in 2007 and reached a point where his physical recovery was as good as it was going to get. He yearned to work with people who were feeling the same way he did and take the attention away from all the things they couldn’t do and replace it with an exciting experience that made people smile.

The result is Determined2’s Immersion Therapy™, a world first service that liberates people from the day-to-day restrictions and offers significant physical benefits as they

can express themselves under water free of gravity.

Pete left school in year nine and has lived what he calls “a colourful life”, and initially struggled to believe that he could set up and run a successful business. Supported by wife Amy and two children and various mentors, however, he now employs four full-time staff, six casuals and has four or five volunteers at any one time, many of whom started out as clients, and last year was able to fund over $165,000 worth of Immersion Therapy™ sessions to people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford them.

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Denyse McDonaldCurrong Comestibles, NSW


Aldo GrechEssential Leadership, NSW

Aldo Grech turned the concept of a leadership consultancy inside out when he opened Essential Leadership in January 2000. “It is a journey from head to heart for those that understand that heart is essential for real leadership,” Aldo explains. “We focus of soft rather than hard leadership.”

Instilling this unique principle to clients has often been a great challenge but, ultimately, many of them go on to achieve “astounding results”, Aldo says, by “conquering the fear in the head by operating from their heart, their soul, their essence.” Indeed, the biggest hurdle of all for Aldo was his making his own journey from head to heart, one he says takes boldness and humility, something he impresses upon his clients.

Aldo does not only focus on those at the top of an organisation, believing that bringing out the innate leadership in every individual, whatever their role, improves their level of fulfilment and, thereby, their attitude to what they do, to the benefit of all.

Essential Leadership is a boutique business with a team of five people offering their unique service across five territories.

Laura Madden and Juanita MottramEve Renovations, Qld

Established in 2010, Eve Renovations is one of very few female-owned and operated construction companies in Australia, succeeding in doing things differently and standing out in an industry heavily dominated by companies run and staffed by men.

Being female-run means Eve Renovations has been the subject of both admiration and great scrutiny. Co-owners Laura and Juanita say that their biggest challenge has been getting themselves to be taken seriously by peers and professional organisations within the construction industry. They have had to prove themselves by gaining as much knowledge as possible and attain the

highest level of qualifications and licenses so that “no one could dispute that we had a place in the construction industry.”

Despite these challenges the business has managed to thrive, and Laura and Juanita make sure they celebrate the “little things” such as obtaining a new licence, winning a tender and graduating apprentices.

“We consider our biggest milestone to date as purchasing a dedicated space for the business, where our office, showroom, and warehouse are located,” Juanita says. Today Eve has three full-time employees, and up to 12 contractors working on projects at any one time.

Danny and Shane GramazioD&S Quality Meats, SA

Brothers Danny and Shane Gramazio were brought up on a farm by parents who then opened a butcher’s shop. The boys spent 13 years learning the trade before establishing their own business, D&S Quality Meats, in 2010 bringing countryside meats to Adelaide’s northern suburbs. “We are always looking to make our customers’ lives easier – everyone works so much these days but we all want to eat healthily and enjoy food so taste is more important than ever,” Danny says.

The early days were hard work – “you can’t buy experience”, Danny says –but every crazy Christmas, Easter and long weekend they got through made them stronger and better equipped for the next one. Eschewing the budget cuts their competitors in the city had been serving up for decades paid dividends, the boys doubling their turnover within 12 months which allowed them to open a second store: they now have six stores with nine full-time and 16 part-time employees, all of whom are northern suburbs locals.

Having their story open a 400-delegate annual small business event last year enabled the boys to take stock for a moment and realise that all their hard work is paying off and they really are getting somewhere.


Flavia Tata NardiniFleet Space Technologies, SA

Despite having only 20 employees, Fleet Space Technologies is a genuinely pioneering business that is transforming the future of industries from space by launching a world-

first constellation of nanosatellites to

ubiquitously connect the world’s soon-to-be-

online 75 billion devices.Rocket scientist Flavia,

who launched the business in September 2015, says that

once live, this network will create a digital nervous system

that covers the planet, creating a world more connected than ever before.

Flavia says that starting a space business in a country with no space agency was hard, but that bringing the community together and creating the support needed has turned her greatest obstacle into her greatest asset. “Australia is going to become an important hub for space tech,” Flavia predicts.

2018 has already provided massive highlights for Fleet Space Technologies, from the launch of their first satellites to the deployment of their first trials and commercial partnerships.

“It’s all a dream come true,” says Flavia. “We started with a crazy idea which is now becoming reality, and what was real for us is slowly becoming true for others as the benefits of building IoT connectivity from space to improve the world are becoming apparent.”

Peter FoottFoott Waste and Recycling, Vic

Foott Waste and Recycling started its operations in July 1992, providing waste disposal and recycling services across a large swathe of northern Victoria.

Such a business requires heavy and specialised equipment such as trucks, bins, and waste disposal equipment, and Peter says sourcing the capital to invest in such items was the biggest challenge he faced in getting the business off the ground. He persevered, however, with high levels of reinvestment ensuring consistent organic growth.

This success has enabled the business to expand its operations and capabilities. Peter established

a new waste and recycle processing facility in 2007, and the recent acquisition of a much larger 48,000 square meter greenfield site will see the construction of a larger and more sophisticated waste processing facility that Peter envisages will be the most significant such operation outside the metropolitan areas.

Peter puts the longevity of the business down in no small part to a focus on attracting and retaining an exceptional staff and client base based on values of “locals with locals”. Peter says that this philosophy “is part of our greater aim to strengthen our relationships with the local community”.

Lorraine GnanadickamFood St., NSW

A former cook and a self-professed foodie, Lorraine Gnanadickam co-founded FoodSt. in August 2015 to help bring home cooking to the gig economy, empowering passionate home cooks to earn extra income cooking from home and helping busy people eat better.

In order to overcome widespread perceptions about home cooking, FoodSt. abides by the highest standards in food quality. Lorraine involved food safety regulators early on in the process to create a safe and commercially viable system for the business, thereby ensuring its sustainability.

The aim is to create Australia’s first and largest network for home-cooked food. “It’s thrilling to know that so many people are excited by the concept and want to see it succeed,” Lorriane says.

The highlight for Lorraine is seeing cooks and customers connect to help each other. Whether helping them stress less about their dinner or earning well-needed income by cooking from home, the feedback has been that Food St. – which has three full-time employees – is making a difference in the everyday cycle of people’s lives. “That is so satisfying,” says Lorraine.


Cameron SymeGreat Southern Distilling Company, WA

Mandy ElliottHi-vis Kids, Qld

In 2008 Hi-vis Kids became the first company to launch a range of kids' high-visibility safety shirts. Motivated by a family member who was involved in a motorbike accident, Mandy realised there were no other children’s safety shirts available. Living in a mining area, Mandy saw that kids would have fun being able to dress like mum and dad at work while being more easily seen and, therefore, safer. “After all, our kids’ biggest role models in the early years are mum and dad!” says Mandy.

Mandy and her husband saved every penny they could for a year, taking on second and third jobs to cobble together the $20,000 they needed to get the business off the ground. Having done that, they then needed to ensure the quality of their garments. "It took a few months and multiple factory visits until we got it right,” Mandy says.

That range has grown through Mandy working to understand her customers’ needs and innovating to meet them. “We’re constantly testing fabrics, incorporating additional UVP50+ products, kids’ fishing and swimming garments, hats and new designs,” she says.

Mandy’s efforts were rewarded with a nomination for the 2014 Townsville Chamber of Commerce Young Business Person Award.

Growing up in WA’s north-east wheat belt, Cameron enjoyed hearing stories of distant relatives in Scotland who gave up the whereabouts of their own illegal distillery to use the reward money to start a new one. The story sowed the seed of a desire to run his own distillery, a feat he achieved with the establishment of the Great Southern Distilling Company in November 2004.

The long ageing requirement for whisky makes it a tough economic proposition, with the need to invest significantly in capital equipment and operating costs for many years before there’s a return. Cameron adopted sustainability and Harvard “smart business”

principles, and has a 50-year strategic planning methodology that formulates decisions based on the long-term gain.

Among a number of awards the company, which today has 14 employees, won the “Best International Craft Whisky” award from the American Distilling Institute. The standout for Cameron, however, was being appointed as the supplier of whisky to a regiment of the Australian Army he has long admired and considers as heroes. “To be able to give something back and for our business to acknowledge people’s significant contribution to our society, that is my proudest achievement,” Cameron says.

Ann and Jeff RossHive Haven, Qld

Ann and Jeff farmed both honey and native bees as a hobby and,

seeing a gap in the market, officially registered Hive Haven in August 2014. During the 2013 heatwaves they lost their native bees so they experimented with different hive building materials and in December 2017 successfully

manufactured their first innovative native bee hives,

specifically designed to combat hive overheating and enable

sustainable harvesting of food-grade native honey and cerumen.Knowing their bees were now

safe, the couple are moving onto the

commercialisation of native honey.Hive Haven focuses on delivering a solution

to the global decline in the pollination of food crops. “Customers purchase our honey because they know we respect our bees and honour their honey through gentle harvesting and processing methods, "Ann says. “Native bees are in rapid decline. When people purchase Hive Haven native honey the profit goes directly into building a new and viable agri-business for Australia.”

Anne recently showcased her native bee hive at the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA), with The Abu-Dhabi Food Authority paying for their travel and accommodation. “It’s a real confidence boost to have the hive recognised outside of Australia,” Ann says.


Jo Harris and Lucy Glade-WrightHunting for George, Vic

Launched in August 2010, Hunting for George is a homewares and gifts eCommerce business that has built a passionate and loyal customer base, leading to the brand being named Independent Small Retailer of the Year in 2017. “We do more than just retail, we are storytellers,” explains co-founder Lucy. “We seek to connect with our customer on a personal level, and that authentic interaction is what builds passion and loyalty.”

Their rapid growth initially created challenges for Jo and Lucy, with a 300 per cent revenue increase in their fourth year requiring them to bring

on extra staff for the first time, a move that left the girls questioning what their own roles should be. “As most-small business owners will understand,

you’re used to doing all roles of the business instinctively,” Lucy says. “That is fine when it’s just one or two of you, but not when you have a team requiring

leadership.” The advice of a business coach helped them resolve the issues and made them more confident leaders.Lucy says that business owners are usually too busy to stop and appreciate what

they’ve achieved, but that they take great pride in being recognised by their industry through the awards they have won.

Antonette GolikidisLittle Innoscents, Vic

When Antonette had her first baby she sought skincare products that were chemical-free but discovered there was only a very limited number that were difficult to find, too expensive, or weren’t what they said they were. “I was so tired of ‘pretend’ organic companies misleading consumers with marketing strategies promoting ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ claims without having formulations that abide by those claims,” Antonette says.

So, Antonette began making products in her kitchen and spent 10 months perfecting the ingredients. She formulated a nappy rash cream, massage lotion, body powder and other products, launching Little Innoscents in October 2017, the range formulated to relieve conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.

Spreading the word was initially difficult but Antonette believed in the power of storytelling in getting potential customers to relate to her brand, making them more likely to support it. “Storytelling can have a huge impact on a brand and larger companies’ expensive and aggressive marketing campaigns no longer dominate the market,” she says. “Small businesses that tell a story are emerging as power houses.”

This year Little Innoscents have been involved in an acquisition that Antonette is confident will see its organic growth accelerate.

Alyx StewartKee-Moh Snacks, Vic

Alyx experienced the devastating effects chemotherapy and radiotherapy have on food and the enjoyment of it when battling breast cancer, losing 45 kg during her treatment. “They alter patients’ taste buds and appetite,” she explains, “and induce conditions such as nausea, constipation, and mouth ulcers.”

On recovering herself, Alyx set about specifically designing foods to help cancer patients maintain their nutritional well-being, launching Kee-Moh Snacks in May 2017.

Alyx was worried her venture was too small to warrant a manufacturer making the number of products she initially needed, spending a lot of time on the

phone and getting plenty of knock backs. She had a breakthrough by reaching out to people running similar businesses. “I was astounded, and continue to be, at how willing people are to help out another business owner –it’s very humbling that people actually want to see you succeed,” Alyx says.

Being a sole operator enables Alyx to quickly incorporate what customers are asking for, adding new product lines constantly based on their needs. An appearance on Today Extra last year generated an overwhelming public response. Alyx says, “I still get goosebumps knowing that my idea and products are helping thousands of people.”


Kathy and Ross ElliottLittle Vintage Bar and Van, Vic

The Little Vintage Bar and Van began operations in 2014, Kathy and Ross offering beautifully-restored vintage vans for hire for corporate events, weddings and other special celebrations, as well as event styling services.

This is a business without a “bricks and mortar” premises, operating in north-western Victoria, South Australia, and – within just six months of launching – Darwin. The future looks brighter than ever, with Kathy and Ross constantly receiving enquiries from across the country for their services.

The biggest hurdles they faced in the early days were obtaining insurance – the itinerant nature of their work meaning

theirs is far from a standard business model – and pricing their services competitively. The first they overcame with the help of a specialist insurance broker, the second by providing unique services, such as a BYO bar service.

“We have a 'can do' approach to exceeding clients expectations,” says Kathy, who credits much of the business acumen she has gained to the Small Business and Marketing Workshop training program she attended in Mildura. The couple have become leaders in their field, custom building mobile bars to meet market demand and assisting new operators to develop their business model by referring clients to them.

Adam CallenMade in Katana, SA

Starting out in Adelaide 16 years ago, creative digital

agency Made in Katana now also has an office in Sydney and is going international with a branch about to open in Los Angeles. With a focus on creating digital

solutions for local and international clients

who wish to capture a greater audience, founder

Adam puts the company’s success down to lean and agile

business operations and a shallow hierarchy, that enables them to be

able to adapt quickly to the constantly changing business conditions and opportunities that typify the creative industry.

Made in Katana’s most notable achievement to date has been launching the Triple J Hottest 100 voting platform in 2016, in collaboration with the ABC and Triple J. Considered to be the world’s largest youth voting website, Adam admits the project puts a lot of pressure on the business due to the intense public scrutiny it engenders and the barrage of potential hackers towards the site. “Being able to finish the project each year is always a sigh of relief,” Adam says.

Building on the their offering and diversifying income streams has mitigated against the biggest challenge so many small business face – cashflow, especially during holiday periods.

Georgina Wilkinson and Gary RogersMargaret River Hemp Company, WA

The Margaret River Hemp Company has been operating since 1995, all the while educating consumers about the difference between industrial hemp and the connotation that springs to many people’s minds: marijuana. And, having waited 20 years to be able to do so, Georgina and Gary have now been able to add foods to their offering, after the Australian government legalised hemp foods in November last year (becoming, along with New Zealand, the last countries in the developed world to do so).

Georgina and Gary take pride in the fact that theirs is

a unique family-run business, managing with just eight employees to have a vertical integration system in place that sees them farm the hemp, process it, turn it into the products they sell – clothing, bodycare, foods, textiles and bedding – and then get those products to market.

Gary recently leveraged his long experience in the hemp industry to successfully finish building Western Australia’s first hemp home, and sees a great future for the material in the construction industry as we look to sustainable buildings made from renewable resources.

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Ronit Robbaz-FrancoOpen Table, NSW

Ronit’s journey has taken her from her native Israel through Asia to Japan, down to South America, across to India and thence to Byron Bay. Ronit absorbed a great deal of the cuisines of the places she visited, and once settled in Australia she determined to start her own catering business.

Since launching in 2003, Open Table has provided the catering for thousands of events on all scales, from intimate gatherings to the opening of Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast a few years ago when she coordinated the feeding of 1000 guests.

Open Table’s success comes down,

according to Ronit, to the philosophy of the business. “Service to others is what motivates me to do better, be it my clients or my workers, allied to the love for what I do,” she says.

Ronit makes point of keeping up with changes in marketing, particularly the rise of social media. “I still find it at times challenging. I had to take few courses, increase my online presence, learn about social media, open up different platforms and engage with my potential clients. It is an ongoing process as the marketing tools change rapidly,” Ronit says.

Alex GrantMyriota, SA

Launched in November 2015, Myriota has developed satellite Internet of Things (IOT) technology to connect the huge numbers of devices around the planet at low cost. Its platform supports tens of millions of tiny, long battery-life, low-cost transmitters sending data to a constellation of nano-satellites, without the need for expensive gateways, ground stations or terrestrial antennae.

Myriota’s founder Alex says that initially it was difficult attracting early customers and foreign investment. “There were many instances where companies who we thought should be interested in us were non-committal purely because we were an Australian start-up,” he explains.

To overcome this Myriota behaves

as a global company that just happens to be headquartered in Adelaide, rather than a small Adelaide company looking to expand overseas. This meant attending overseas conferences and focusing on global opportunities.

In March this year Myriota announced a US$15m Series A funding round with a global consortium of high profile investors that included Australian VC firms and global players including Boeing HorizonX Ventures and Singtel Innov8. This is the first investment outside the United States for Boeing HorizonX Ventures.

“To have the strategic backing of companies such as Boeing validates the hard work we have done to get the company where it is today,” Alex says.

David Chitty and James LeggeOtherside Brewing Company, WA

A craft brewery business based in Fremantle, the Otherside Brewing Company was established in 2016 by a group of friends in the music

industry who shared a love of good beer.David and James, the brewery’s co-founders, believed that trying to

do things differently was their means to standing out as a business. “Everything we do needs a point of difference to distinguish us from

a busy market,” David explains.Starting out in a capital-intensive business with not a great deal

of money meant lots of hard work and belief in the vision for David and James, thereby attracting the right people to invest and support the plan. Testament to their efforts is the fact that the “gypsy brewer”, as they put it, has become a successful craft beer brewery with 10 full-time employees and counting that is now building its own permanent facilities, all in the space of just 18 months.

The new brewery, a converted 1000 square metre warehouse in Myaree, will have a cellar door where visitors can try out the boys’

session ales, lagers and pale ales, all of which are preservative-free.



Pat and Sam CawfieldPearlCraft, Vic

PearlCraft is a 70-year-old business whose ownership has changed only twice throughout its history. At the helm now are the husband-and-wife team of Pat and Sam, who acquired Pearlcraft when the previous owners wanted to retire in 2015.

PearlCraft takes pride in being truly niche – it is the only business in the country that offers steering wheel restoration using pearl and marble. These are not cheap resources, so Pat says keeping an eye on cashflow is their most significant ongoing concern, and one that they manage by buying the pearl and marble in bulk and by sourcing cheaper and more effective packaging material.

Pat and Sam have an established, loyal clientele but never rest on their laurels, always keeping an eye out for new customers. “With social media you can pretty much reach out to anyone,” Pat says.

The most gratifying aspect of Pearlcraft for the couple is the people they meet along the way, the unique nature of their service making them the go-to people for anyone who is looking for it. “We have all sorts of customers,” Pat says, “from the famous to the guy around the corner.”

Frank Samson and Corinna SteebPrancing Pony Brewery, SA

Craft brewer Prancing Pony Brewery was established in 2012 with Frank as lone full-time employee and head brewer, and Corinna – and another casual employee – initially helping out at weekends. Today Prancing Pony has 17 full-timers on the brewing side of the business and another 12 in their Taphouse restaurant.

To stay ahead in a highly competitive and fast-changing industry Prancing Pony focuses on quality and innovation. They also ensure they stick to their story and take their customers and stockists on the journey with them. Corinna believes their philosophy of “work hard, play hard” has helped them attract “super good” people to work for them. “We like to think that we look after our people well and that they in turn look after our customers well, so the outcome is good for all parties concerned,” she explains.

Prancing Pony beers have won accolades both at home and abroad. Its India Red Ale beer won the Supreme Champion Trophy in a competition London in 2016. ”The win has been a game changer for us and resulted in market entries that we would most likely not have achieved without it,” Corinna says.

Anna HopkinsProtein Bread Company, NSW

Anna used to run a café in Darlinghurst and PT sessions on the side, and many of her PT clients were cutting carbs out of their diet and the café clients were eschewing the menu options with bread. Anna started experimenting in the café with low-carb, gluten-free bread ingredients, and they were so popular she sold the café in 2014 and started the Protein Bread Company.

The business has grown steadily since

then, an achievement Anna attributes to her intuitions. “We assess each opportunity as it arises, and if it has merit, change our tactics,” she explains. “Our emotional awareness guides us to making the right decision 99 per cent of the time. If something feels right, I'll back it 200 per cent until I'm proven otherwise.”

Anna’s biggest challenge was finding reliable team members for the business. She

eschewed senior people used to big budgets and unused to the resourcefulness needed in a small business, focusing instead on junior to mid-level people with passion and energy for what she was doing, and her mission – inspiring people to make better food choices, helping them to feel and be their best – to train and inspire. These efforts have paid off as team members are now taking on senior-level roles and are driving the business forward.


Laura FuriosiRashoodz, Qld

In 2008 Laura was a teacher. Her daughter was constantly pulling her hat off so she started playing around with attachable swimwear designs that would keep her hat on her head and protect her from the sun. When other mums commented on what a great product it was Laura had some made up and started selling them at markets around Brisbane. That was the beginning of Rashoodz swimwear, an enterprise that today exports its products and earned Laura the 2017 AusMumpreneur of the Year award.

Laura believes her success is driven by the fact that she’s a mum who knows what mums are looking for,

and she maintains a loyal following by involving her customers in activities and events and even in choosing new designs.

The biggest challenge has been learning the rules and regulations and business customs in the countries she now exports to. “It has been a very steep learning curve, but enjoyable all the same,” she says.

The images and videos of a flash mob of over 100 babies at the beach wearing Rashoodz swimwear went viral and reached worldwide news. “This helped me spread the message of sun safety for children to the whole world,” Laura says.

Alison Valenti and Sophie MusumeciReal Entrepreneur Mums, NSW

Former insurance underwriter Alison and change-management consultant Sophie came together in August 2016 with a mission to build a global business that inspires women to go after their dreams and smash their goals. They have created a supportive community for entrepreneur women who all have each other’s backs, providing a safe, collaborative and non-competitive space for members to meet regularly and grow their business profile and network.

Since 2016 they have grown nine communities across Sydney and Adelaide with 140 members. They are launching in Melbourne and Brisbane in early 2018 and plan to

expand the network globally in 2019.The girls’ biggest challenge has

been growing the business outside their local area, which is vital if they are to hit their goal of 100 communities globally in five years. “If you want to grow big then you have to think big. We knew we needed to invest more time, money and learn like never before,” Sophie says.

To achieve this they have connected with experts in scaling a business, online advertising and marketing campaigns and social media. “After testing, failing and trying again we now know that we have the right business plan,” Sophie says.

Kate Engler and Simon ThorneSavage Panda, Vic

Most so-called “custom” snowboard makers ask customers about a limited range of variables including height, weight, footsize and overall ability, and instantly produce custom specs that are not custom at all, but one of their standard options. Since May 2017, however, Australian snowboarders have had a genuine custom option thanks to Savage Panda.

Kate and Simon follow in the footsteps of the great surfboard shapers, understanding each customer’s needs and boarding style – through consultations for both the board and its artwork – and personally designing each board that is then made by a master craftsman.

Kate and Simons’ biggest challenge was finding the best possible equipment and materials, given the “small (almost non-existent) size of the Australian snowboard manufacturing industry” as Kate describes it. They sourced machines and materials from the US, Canada, Austria, Japan and Germany and then shipped it all to Australia so they could get started.

The money, time and effort invested in the business has paid off – the lightness, flex and responsiveness of their boards has attracted a former Tour de France winner and current Olympic snowboarding coaches among the many customers the core team of four, plus four designers used on a contract basis, have created boards for.


Kym ClarkShe's Empowered, Qld

She’s Empowered provides workwear specifically tailored for women whose roles require durable, hi-vis clothing, and includes a comprehensive range for pregnant working women.

A sole trader, Kym focuses on product design, retail and trade sales and the financial side of the business, outsourcing the manufacture of the clothing, PR, advertising and maintenance of her website.

Kym concentrates on her niche, and the fact that it promotes the welfare of women working in the industrial sector. “I’ve never wanted to be the biggest, just impactful,” Kym explains. Being hands-on in all facets of the

business is key. “I think this gives my customers an added level of buy-in and investment into the brand,” she says.

In the early days a much larger competitor displayed a carbon copy of her product on their website, temporarily throwing her off balance as she

felt there was no way she could compete if bigger brands could simply copy everything she did. Kym fought back through an innate understanding of her

market, a passion for her product and the ability to tailor and respond to the market, and has succeeded in carving out a sustainable chunk of the market.

Ian UgarteSmall is the New Big, Qld

Ian is a serial entrepreneur having set up 23 small business over 23 years, and he founded community-based property company Small is the New Big in 2013 to provide affordable housing by building smaller self-contained homes. The business is also in the vanguard of retrofitting existing homes and is showing others how they can do the same.

“We build the largest houses in the world, at an average of 246 square metres, and only 2.5 people live in them,” Ian says. “We have 12 million empty bedrooms in Australia.” Small is the New Big is designed to create great outcomes for the community, for residents and for investors while at the same time taking pressure off the Government housing issue.

This has been a cathartic enterprise for Ian. Previously he had only been interested in making money, but he realised that alone didn’t make him happy. Focusing on ensuring that community should be put first gave him his energy back. “Our motto in Small is the New Big is it needs to make SENSE before it makes dollars. It needs to benefit community first and then it has to make money. It must do both,” he says.

Sarah Bloom and Jan SlaterSimply Rose Petals, Vic

Mother-and-daughter team Jan and Sarah take pride in having founded Australia’s first rose petal farm in 2004, in so doing pioneering an industry that now supports hundreds of rose petal farms providing rose petals for weddings.

Things were very different at the outset, however. “I remember going to our first bridal expo and speaking to around 2000 brides, none of whom had any concept of what to do with rose petals. Rose petals weren’t seen in Australian wedding magazines and they weren’t used to depict romance,” Sarah says. Wind the clock forward and Simply Rose Petals now supplies shows like The Bachelor

and Dancing With The Stars.

Innovation continues to be the business’s cornerstone and they have released a number of world-first and Australian-first products developed through research, trialling and anticipating market trends. One Hollywood-based event planner recently declared their rose petal cannons as the “hot new idea” in the wedding industry.

Their raw material is not easy to produce, challenges with cool freight and a disease in

the water system causing consternation. By trialling drying techniques and rose varieties they were able to overcome these problems and within a couple of years had scaled up to 6000 rose plants that are solely for rose petal production.


Helen AndrewSpare Harvest, Qld

Spare Harvest offers a unique solution to the significant issue of food waste by enabling members of the community to connect, share, swap, or sell their resources with one another.

“The spirit of connection is at our core, with people and the environment at the centre of our ethos, not the resources or profit,” Helen says. “We want people to meet, have a conversation and share a mutually rewarding experience.”

Making Spare Harvest a success has not been without its challenges. Working by herself, Helen was struggling to prioritise objectives and to achieve manageable growth. She gives credit to the volunteers who join her in times of need and help build capacity, as well as other service providers she has engaged when the need arises.

Since it started operations in 2016, one highlight that stands out for Helen – the journey of her leftover glass jars and excess cucumbers: she shared them with a friend, Merryl, who transformed them into pickles she donated to a local charity, who then gifted them to struggling farmers in Western Queensland.

Helen says, “It’s tremendously rewarding and exciting watching how our community is using the Spare Harvest platform to make a positive impact in their local communities.”

Glen TanonefStanding Fork, WAMobile hospitality industry Standing

Fork takes pride in being a “green” caterer. This not only entails employing environmentally-friendly practices and using environment-friendly supplies and equipment, it also references the healthy, organic food that they serve up.

While the business began only in 2017, Glen is not new to the hospitality

industry, having already established a catering business in Darwin in 2006,

which also serves as the parent company of Standing Fork.

Glen had to overcome a major setback when his food trailer was stolen and he had to discontinue operations for a few months

until he was able to get together the funds for a replacement. Since getting going again in November 2017, however, Standing Fork has built up leads and bookings, and Glen has taken the new van to local food festivals and major events on the WA calendar such as the Buddah's Birthday & Multicultural Festival (April 2017), WA Day Festival (June 2017), Joondalup Light Festival (November 2017), and the Australian Beach Games in Bunbury (February 2018).

Glen is delighted to have been able to travel Western Australia experiencing the different festivals while continuing to share and develop healthy and organic food for people to enjoy.

Mark BollenSussex Squire Wines, SA

Mark and his wife Skye had a dream of making premium wine, and in 2014 started working a plot in the Clare Valley, in so doing becoming the fourth generation of his family to farm in the region – his Great-Grandfather and Grandfather had reared Angus cattle there.

The Sussex Squire ethos is putting a lot of passion into what they do, and taking of pride in presenting their wines and talking about them to those who walk through the cellar door.

Being in a fairly remote spot, off the main route through the valley, was a concern, so Mark and Skye invested time in meeting and talking

to the Clare Valley wine and tourism community. “We were rewarded with some tremendous support from local restaurants, hotels, cellar doors and the Visitor Centre,” Mark says, “which helped promote our brand and refer visitors in the Clare Valley to our cellar door.”

Mark’s biggest highlight to date was winning three major medals at the 2017 Clare Valley Wine Show. “The warm and generous congratulations we received from the Clare community was almost a bigger thrill than winning the awards, it was a very special day for Skye and myself,” he says.

Founded in 2016, the Splendid Egg is collaboration of three farming families producing and marketing premium-quality pastured free range eggs.

The Splendid Egg purchases product directly from the farm and then packages and markets the product, allowing the farmer to concentrate on egg production and managing their hens under strict guidelines with regard to regenerative farming practices.

As a joint venture, the families share ideas and help one another to grow the business, an ethos that has been successful – all three

farms have seen production increase faster than originally anticipated in response to increasing customer demand. They have already added one more farming family outside the direct collaborative supplying eggs to the business to meet that demand, with the anticipation of adding more in the near future.

The increase in demand is also proof that the biggest hurdle they originally faced is being overcome: “For our business the education of consumers about our product, and the benefits it offers them, is a

challenge,” Sarah explains.Their efforts have been recognised by the

SA business community, with Sarah being been nominated for Women in business Entrepreneur of the year and a Small Business award, and the business winning the Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness award 2017.

Helen YostThe Tradettes, Qld

The Tradettes became Australia’s first female plumbing company when it opened in April 2012 with a vision of providing workplaces in which the safety of people and protection of the environment is an absolute priority, while creating opportunities for females to pursue a career in a traditionally “male-dominated" industry.

Being the first of its kind created quite a stir and some unsavoury responses, but Helen turns the negatives into positives. “One of our biggest obstacles was a recent online attack by cyber-bullies,” she explains, “however, we turned that attention, and subsequent national media coverage, into an opportunity to highlight that we are a proud, local small

business, pushing to make change in an industry that has ingrained stereotypes and gender ideals.”

Helen is proud that The Tradettes have helped numerous young women realise their dreams of entering a male-dominated trade, have been publicly recognised through a number of industry awards, and have been asked to work with government departments and industry organisations to bring about positive change in our industry. Her biggest highlight, however, was the appointment of Sarah, a third-year apprentice, as Master Plumbers Association Queensland's first Apprentice Ambassador, leading the way for support and change in the industry.

Sam PaiorThe Growing Space, SA

The Growing Space is an enterprise dedicated to providing support for people with disabilities and their families. “We deeply believe in the values of inclusion and in genuine choice and control for the people we serve,” Sam says. “We’re working toward a world where people with disability have all the same opportunities as everyone else.”

Offering disability-related advocacy and support services since June 2013, every team member either has disability or is a carer of someone with disability. Sam doesn’t consider herself a “business person” – “I had a pretty solid marketing career but I

was ultra-terrible at keeping consulting records and billing people,” she explains – but now she has help with billing and bookkeeping and concentrates on doing the work she loves, things are much smoother, and more money is coming in.

Seeing young disabled people start their own micro business through Growing Space ideas and referrals gives Sam great satisfaction, but her very proudest moment was watching a video by the Dad of a 15 year old with autism who’s been working on using a communication device use his talker to say “I love you Dad” for the first time. “I cried that day,” Sam recalls fondly.

Liam & Sarah BrokenshaThe Splendid Egg, SA



Erin BrowneTinka the Label, Vic

Tinka the Label started as a part-time hobby business whose bespoke jewellery generated such interest that Erin packed in her full-time job and made Tinka her sole focus in October 2015, sales increasing four-fold since then.

Erin learnt how to make costume jewellery as a child on the Gold Coast from two elderly neighbours and makes all Tinka’s pieces herself in her home studio, dedicating 20 hours plus a week to designing and creating the jewellery.

Although Tinka has its own website which Erin uses as a retail site, she had to get out and about to get her brand noticed. “I started online so getting discovered is like finding a needle in a haystack,” she says. “Whilst we are living in the digital age, people still appreciate having the opportunity to see and touch products.” Erin had stalls at a number of Melbourne’s markets as she looked to establish her brand and still participates in as many events as possible to personally engage with her customers and listen to their feedback.

Erin employs three casuals basis to assist with events and outsources other projects, such as photography, to other small businesses and freelancers so that she can focus on design.

Katie LiewThe Underground Collaborative, WA

After travelling to Africa for two months and spending time in poverty-stricken areas, Katie returned to Perth angry and deflated with the state of the world, determined to find a way for “little me”, as she says, to change it for the better.

“I was (and still am) committed to international aid, but at the same time I knew, for me, charity was to begin at home,” she says. That determination manifested itself in The Underground Collaborative, a venture Katie has been working on full-time since November 2017 that provides employment pathways and housing solutions for the homeless, at-risk and disadvantaged.

The Collaborative’s first initiative is coffee carts that Katie will train women from domestic violence and other life-crisis backgrounds to run. “We will provide delicious coffee, amazing customer service, and consistency – much like other popular and successful cafes, but we are a for-purpose organisation, existing to make a difference,” Katie says.

Kate has found starting a business as a solo entrepreneur is incredibly tough, but attended and joined as many relevant networking events and Facebook groups as possible, through which she was able to connect and surround herself with like-minded people who act as a support system and as mentors.

Mark KraulisU Pull It, SA

Today U Pull It is the largest self-service automotive dismantler in South Australia. Starting out in 1998 on a single site, developed on vacant farm land in Adelaide’s south with one salesperson and two stock controllers, Mark doubled the size of business within four years and today U Pull It is on three sites employing 35 people in management, administration, sales, marketing, stock control, equipment operation and truck driving roles, enabling the business to recycle over 800 vehicles a month and have around 3000 vehicles in stock at any one time.

Mark is recognised as a leader and innovator in the automotive recycling industry, having significantly invested in developing systems, procedures and equipment to deliver a sustainable decontamination recycling process for used vehicles.

Due to investment in the latest fluid evacuation technology, Mark’s team are able to remove oils, transmission fluid, air-conditioning gas and fuels cost-effectively and safely dispose of them before the vehicles go into the yard. U Pull It now recycles over 83 per cent of every car that enters their yards. They are also innovators when it comes to pricing: each part type is the same price, no matter what make, model or manufacturer.

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