2010 Tasmanian Winners - Telstra Australian Business Awards

Catnip Cattery was conceived when Lionel and Narelle Brown could not find suitable high-quality boarding accommodation in Tasmania for their cat family. Tapping into the increasing popularity of ‘pet parents,’ Lionel describes the business at Old Beach in Hobart as an exclusive, feline-only resort for the discerning cat. Their success has been driven by continually delivering exceptional customer service and care of the cats. Catnip Cattery has always priced its service significantly above the competition and introduced many extras such as playtime, local and imported treats, thermostat controlled heating, night lights and themed ‘suites’. With occupancy rates at 84 per cent, Lionel says he has learned not to be afraid to increase prices if service is exceptional. Ninety per cent of new clients in the past year were from referrals and the owners are looking to expand by applying their animal care philosophy and services into other markets.

“Believe in your dream, monitor your progress and make improvements as you go” - Lionel Brown, Director.

The consumer’s appetite for higher level results from beauty salons is stimulated by magazines and the internet, according to Kim Digby, owner of the InSPArations Day Spa in Spreyton near Devonport.

She says clients expect experience, knowledge and the latest treatments. In 2003, with those factors in mind, Kim bought an older hair salon with a plan to transform and expand it into a modern salon incorporating all services.

In 2006, she opened her shiny new premises and in 2008 extended to a complete day spa with new equipment and rooms for hydro fusion body treatment, facials, pedi spa, colour therapy, skin rejuvenation and other services. Kim calls her day spa the most relaxing place on Tasmania’s north-west coast, promising to exceed client expectations and stay ahead of her competitors by offering new procedures, the latest equipment and advancing the skills of her nine staff.

“I had a dream and I have made that dream become reality with hard work and a passion for my industry” – Kim Digby, Owner

Adam Brooks was a middle manager in the mining and resources sector in Central Queensland when he identified a gap in professional services. He founded Maintenance Systems Solutions to meet a lack of onsite maintenance planning and SAP support within the resources industry. In less than six years, the business has flourished from a concept to an employer of 160 people. It is expanding from its Port Sorell head office to a training centre in Perth and premises in Townsville, Texas, Canada, London and New Zealand. Some of Australia’s biggest resource companies use its consultants in maintenance strategies and systems development.

Over time, the business has added reliability and maintenance management system integration, software development and logistics to its core business. It is the launch of these new services that the former Navy apprentice says keeps his company unique and ahead of his competitors.

“We are maintenance and software experts. Essentially, we created a new service” – Adam Brooks, Chairman.

A love of travel and web technology inspired researchers from Insight4, a Hobart-based software development and IT consultancy, to develop an online answers service to travel queries. After validation and system development their “crowd-sourcing” of travel advice concept attracted an AusIndustry COMET grant and won a wildcard entry into the CeBIT Webciety in 2009. This was commercialised in 2009 as Travellr. It is just one of the innovations to come out of Insight4’s Emergent Technology Group, a dedicated research and development group led by one of Insight4’s founders, Ian Cumming.

Another of Insight4’s commercialised products is QikTimes, an innovative web-based timesheet application for small businesses and professionals. It allows workflow management and timesheet tasks to be performed with more convenience, speed and efficiency using a unique drag-and-drop style calendar interface.

“Insight4’s research and development encourages employees to put their skills to the test on an international level.” – Richard Roff, Marketing Manager.

Tasmanian life while running his own custom-designed re-locatable home business for three decades. A former director of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Tourism Council of Tasmania, Tony has actively supported the Scout Association, Rural Youth and Junior Chambers of Commerce, charities, sports clubs and Tasmanian Devil Research. This community support extends to Park Homes, which has taken on unskilled workers who have become major house builders. Its move in 2007 away from caravan park cabins to conventional housing, albeit still factory built, provided more jobs for Tasmanians - up from seven to 70. Park Homes is expanding its products by developing village living for the over 55 market, beginning at Geilston Bay in Hobart, and is involved with government and council planners over joint venture developments of affordable housing for Tasmanians.

“Our community activities are linked to the development of Tasmania.” - Tony Park, Managing Director.