“Our marketing strategy is a simple one: satisfied clients are our best marketing tool.” – Julie-Anne Smith, Owner.

Julie-Anne Smith bought an existing beauty salon in Launceston eight years ago and turned a passion for make-up and working with women into a successful business in a competitive field. Ambiance was the first salon to introduce micro-dermabrasion treatment in Launceston. Under her ownership, she introduced hot stone massage, spa pedicure chairs and a cosmetic doctor. Julie-Anne has grown Ambiance’s staff numbers to five and exceeded industry growth while expanding her business premises. She invested recently in using social media to communicate with her increasingly younger customers about business developments and products. With a client base of more than 2000, Julie-Anne says she never wants a customer to feel like a number and that the strength of her business comes from treating every client as an individual with respect and appreciation. Most new clients are referrals from existing clients and receive a ‘Welcome’ letter with two vouchers for repeat business.

“Jump Tours is David in an industry filled with Goliaths. Jump’s success comes down to the creation of a cult-like following among its predominantly young customers.” – Greg Price, Managing Director.

Greg Price established his wilderness-based adventure tour company Jump Tours in 2007 with a second-hand van and a vision of creating an affordable way for backpackers and budget travellers to see Tasmania. He believed there was an opportunity to promote Tasmania as an edgy, youth-focused destination, without which no trip to Australia would be complete. Greg said Jump Tours minimised formality and maximised fun with its small group tour model. The Mornington business has grown from a one-man operation to three full time staff, three vehicles, three tour products and holiday house accommodation on Tasmania’s west coast. A former backpacker himself, Greg introduced self-catering, an innovation that was attractive to travellers happy to cook for themselves to save money. In 2009 Jump Tours was described in Lonely Planet’s Australia Guidebook as “a cheeky start-up making a big impression on the backpacker scene.”

“Plants Management Australia guides plant breeders by taking plants from concept to consumer.” - Chris Sargent, Director.

Plants Management Australia (PMA) is a horticultural licensing and marketing company that acts as a domestic and global agent for independent plant breeders. PMA manages the introduction of new varieties of top selling perennials, ornamental trees, shrubs and Australian natives in the competitive horticultural industry. Director and co-owner Chris Sargent said their portfolio of plant varieties has increased from 30 to 250 with about 150 in market and the remainder in commercial trials. PMA works with 160 Australian growers, compared with only two in 2001, and has 30 partner agents around the globe. Chris said PMA, located at Dodges Ferry east of Hobart, specialises in maximising the financial rewards of a new variety and ensuring a royalty stream for the plant breeder. Each plant requires trialling, assessment, intellectual property protection, establishing grower networks, marketing and ongoing development and management.

“A major part of our success is the consistent delivery of high standard martial arts skills taught in a friendly, fun environment.” - Stuart Clayton, Owner.

Owners Tracey and Stuart Clayton established Tasmanian Wing Chun Academy in 1998, running three martial arts sessions a week in a school hall. They now offer 53 classes a week in Wing Chun Kung Fu, mixed martial arts, jiu jitsu and kickboxing and student numbers have grown from 40 to 213. In 2002 they purchased their own premises in West Ulverstone and in 2010 established a gym and built multi-purpose rooms for child care and classes. Bonus private lessons have been introduced recently for all new and existing students. The Tasmanian Wing Chun Academy diversified in recent years through an affiliation with the Australian College of Sports Development. The Academy offers accredited courses in sport coaching (martial arts) and fitness (personal trainer), qualifications not available from any other martial arts school in Tasmania.

“We create a world that is beautiful, uplifting and inspiring. It reminds us of simpler times – a place where dreams might just come true.” - Gillie Anderson, Director.

The Faerie Shop in Hobart’s Salamanca Arts Centre promotes the joy and magic of the faerie world to the young and the young at heart, according to co-owner and director Gillie Anderson. Established in 1994 and purchased by its current owners in 2004, The Faerie Shop is a retailer of fairy and fantasy merchandise including its own-brand products. The shop specialises in running children’s parties, celebrating more than 100 of them a year in the shop or at other venues. Saturday storytelling sessions and Faerie and Pixie School classes that include ballet, music, craft and face painting are other popular activities. Gillie said The Faerie Shop’s success was based on being a truly interactive business in which young children participated in creating their own experience. The Faerie Shop is a founding member of the Children’s Business Association of Tasmania, whose aim is to inspire young hearts and minds through quality children’s services.

“The major lesson we've learned is the need to be flexible but to have clear goals in mind – backed by our desire to continuously improve every day.” - Heidi Modrovich, Co-owner.

Heidi and Nick Modrovich operate a chain of clinics across Tasmania that provide hearing assessments for adults and children and specialises in hearing aid fittings for adults. The two audiologists bought a Hobart business in 2007 and have expanded both the range of services and their locations – the business operates five permanent clinics in Hobart, Rosny Park, Kingston Beach, Launceston and Devonport and a dozen visiting sites. Heidi said their success was driven by providing honest and realistic advice on rehabilitation to hearing impaired patients, promoting it as a positive step in regaining their lifestyle. They have embraced the latest technology and developments in their field so that patients have access to world class clinical practice. Establishing a new clinic in Kingston Beach has allowed the couple to focus its efforts in the Kingborough area where there are limited services. The business is expanding its Launceston premises due to local demand for greater patient access.

“We worked hard and today we run a successful business – we learnt that you start small, work together and steadily grow.” - Max Baker, Owner.

M & J Baker is a family-based produce growing business that began more than 47 years ago on a farm at Kindred on Tasmania’s North West Coast. It’s grown from a small business with two staff to a successful, award-winning supplier and employer of 18 full time equivalent staff. M & J Baker Farms grows, packs and supplies potatoes, cabbages and cauliflowers to food giant Woolworths for sale in Tasmania and potatoes to four mainland states. It also grows various crops for other clients on its original property and three adjoining farms that have been purchased over the years. Director and owner Max Baker says adding a recipe with a map of Tasmania to its pre-packed potatoes drives customers to buy local produce. The business was nominated on several occasions for Woolworths Produce Supplier of the Year before winning the Award in 2005, an achievement that no other Tasmanian business has matched.

“The company became known for being contactable 24/7 and customers were satisfied with being able to speak to the person that made the decisions and could give honest and direct answers.” - Margaret Thurlow, Director.

Tas Petroleum was established by Grant Thurlow in 2005 to take on the major petroleum suppliers. The independent fuel wholesaler purchased one rigid fuel tanker and employed one driver to transport petrol and diesel throughout Tasmania. Soon a second driver was required and in 2007 the Tas Petroleum office moved out of home when business premises were purchased in Invermay. As Tas Petroleum’s respect within the industry grew, in 2008 it was appointed state distributor for Mobil lubricants and two years later it became the Tasmanian hired carrier for Shell. Tas Petroleum now has 16 employees, 11 trucks and is looking for property in Devonport and Hobart from which to distribute lubricant products. Director Margaret Thurlow said timely and reliable service along with a competitive price was key to gaining customers and providing customer satisfaction has driven Tas Petroleum’s success.

“Our key points of difference which set us apart from our competitors in Australia and internationally are our continuous personal communication and professional marketing expertise.” - Chris Sargent, Director.

Plants Management Australia (PMA) is a horticultural licensing and marketing company that acts for independent plant breeders in introducing new plant varieties across the globe. The number of breeders and plants that PMA represents is increasing each year – director and co-owner Chris Sargent said the business works with 160 Australian growers, 30 international partners and has a portfolio of 250 plant varieties. Chris said PMA’s plant labels, fact sheets, advertising and multimedia are all recognised as among the best in the business and its presentation of the 'story' behind each plant to the horticultural media is groundbreaking in the industry. In the past two years PMA has employed graphic design and web staff and it is about to launch new design services to the market. Chris said PMA specialises in maximising the financial rewards of a new variety and ensuring a royalty stream for the plant breeder.

“Our connections with the community, schools and welfare providers create a positive perception of our Academy and this maximises enrolment and referral business.” Stuart Clayton, Owner.

Stuart and Tracey Clayton believe social responsibility goes hand in hand with the teaching of martial arts and speak to clients and schools about self-defence being part of the solution to anti-social and violent behaviour. Training for at-risk high school students in two local community programs is provided from the gymnasium at the Clayton’s Tasmanian Wing Chun Academy in West Ulverstone. Stuart also participates in a boys mentoring program at Reece and Penguin High Schools. The martial arts school raises funds for Ronald McDonald House’s Camp Quality and offers its services to the Central Coast Council’s Trial A Sport school holiday program. The Academy accepts Year 11 job placement students, opens its gym to a local junior basketball team and its multi-purpose room to a “Get Active” program. Stuart said it is important to give back to the community because the Academy could not exist without local support, adding that connections made generate positive word-of-mouth advertising.