Nominate
Celebrating Australia’s best businesses
The 2017 Telstra Business Awards finalists represent the highest achievers in Australian business across a range of categories, no matter whether they’re new arrivals punching above their weight, or have already gained international recognition for their work.
Learn more about our finalists below, find out where they’re from, and discover what they’re doing to gain an edge ahead of the national Awards.
You'll need to have your Business Deep Dive entry form submitted on Awards Hub by 5pm AEST on the closing date, Tuesday 8th May 2018.
"Within our business we strive to solve our clients issues by introducing a product that is made from durable, reliable, quality material." Jack Vanderglas, Logistics Coordinator
For ABS Façade, it's what's on the outside that counts. Handling the design, engineering, fabrication, assembly and erection of custom facade systems, ABS Façade provides complete design-build solutions for the construction marketplace.
"We often work on projects that are full of unforeseen issues, so our ability to adapt and resolve issues swiftly gives us the edge when it comes to the client experience." Donna Stuart, Managing Director
A commercial interior fitout construction company, Adelaide Commercial Maintenance supplies and installs everything from skirtings to ceilings. The team also offers site supervision and project management services, as well as contracting other trades to streamline project processes.
"Interest in history, particularly among the younger generation, has been waning over the last decade, but we're confident enabling people to explore the paranormal will help to reignite the country's curiosity in its heritage." Alison Oborn, Owner
Running ghost tours, dark history excursions and paranormal investigations across eight of South Australia's most iconic haunted venues, including Adelaide Gaol and Old Tailem Town, Adelaide's Haunted Horizons Ghost Tours looks to bring the past screaming back to life for horror-hungry customers.
"Our biggest milestone is the reputation we have earned amongst Darwin’s medical community. The client referrals from plastic surgeons and oncologists who entrust Advanced Body Image with care of their patient treatments mean the most to me." Katy Sullivan, Owner
In 2000, Katy Sullivan opened Advanced Body Image, offering medically proven solutions for cosmetic concerns. In 2015, she opened Advanced Body Image & Spa Lotus Day Spa - Darwin’s first purpose-built day spa, cosmetic, skin and laser clinic.
"Our niche recruitment and HR consultancy solves workforce problems across all agricultural employers in regional Australia." Casey Brown, Managing Director
Born and raised in the country to parents who worked on the land, Queensland brothers, Luke and Casey Brown, were acutely aware of this struggle. In 2010, they started Agri Labour Australia, a recruitment agency specifically tailored to Australia's agriculture industry.
"Too often, business owners- especially family business owners- get stuck in the doing and lose sight of why they are doing it. We take them back to the core of why they are in business, help them clarify their goals and assist them to build business or investment platforms to achieve those goals." Andrew Mattner, Director
Altitude Advisory is on a mission to help people build and run better businesses. From a suburban accounting practice thirty years ago, the business has transformed to become a technology-led advisory company dedicated to giving business owners the focus, advice and tools they need to get their lives back.
"My own experience of trying to become a market trader was a very lengthy process, so we try to reduce wait period for our customers and have attracted a very loyal and returning customer base as a result." Monique Annetts, Owner
Monique Annetts was so frustrated by the complex process involved in securing a weekly market stall that she decided to organise her own outfit. With the first market a roaring success, Monique's network has now grown to include eight locations around the Sydney area, and has extended its repertoire to include a portfolio of local corporate, consumer and charity events.
"Amicus is Latin and means 'friend'. We chose the name specifically because we wanted to create a business that fosters friendship and teamwork amongst its colleagues, and that behaved as a friend, a coach and a true partner to its customers." Blair Cooke, Managing Director
Amicus Digital is a marketing and technology consulting business that specialises in helping organisations understand, use and take full advantage of the Salesforce Marketing Cloud software platform.
"As parents ourselves, we understand the bond that baby-wearing products can foster between a parent and child, so we wanted to create a range that would support this experience." Kellie Rakich, Director
Two mothers set up Ankalia Textiles, a company dedicated to producing Australian-made baby carriers and accessories. The business is now focused on becoming the leading Australian supplier of baby wearing products in the global market.
"We help clients to implement new technology solutions and update existing systems in order to expand their capabilities in mobility options, as well as manage and maintain effective strategies." Victoria Kluth, Managing Director
With their corporate project experience, the team behind technology consulting organisation, Araza, felt they had the skills required to help large organisations better execute emerging technologies and expand their product capabilities for better business benefits.
"Our volunteer programs support the education of children by developing skills in literacy and numeracy, providing caring adult role models, building aspiration and developing social skills in children who need additional support to learn and realise their potential." Kylee Bates, CEO
Each year, Ardoch recruits and trains more than 1,400 community and workplace volunteers to deliver programs to enhance the engagement and learning of children in disadvantaged communities.
"Arlo & Co responds to the growing trends and demands for personalised decor, particularly for newlyweds and style-conscious families with children." Gemma Holt, Owner
With a comprehensive range of unique and meaningful products, from customised cake toppers and name plaques to wall decals and bamboo wares, Arlo & Co is now one of Australia's fastest growing bespoke interior decor and gift companies.
"The beauty industry is constantly changing, and while that in itself is challenging the status quo, we like to push the envelope by providing a one-of-a-kind service. We go above and beyond the expectations of clients; nothing is ever too difficult for us." Angela Bristow-Sims, Owner
A beauty salon, day spa and specialist skin clinic, Aroona Day Spa provides a one-stop wellbeing shop for local residents. Specialising in problematic skin, from acne and pigmentation to premature ageing, Aroona endeavours to make quality skincare and treatment accessible to all.
"We provide our clients with access to safe, cutting-edge and cost-effective drone data, which digitises aspects of the physical world, for planning, analysis and a high-resolution archival record." Andrew Chapman, Director of Operations
Founders of the country's first nationwide provider of professional drone data services - Australian UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) - James Rennie and Andrew Chapman, and their team provide aerial mapping, survey, inspection and aerial photography services to more than 200 commercial and government clients across Australia, Antarctica and internationally.
"This is a totally new concept in Australia and has proven to be highly valued by patients and surgeons, as pain relief needs and stress experienced by patients is enormously reduced." Jessy McGowan, CEO
Barton Private Hospital offers a new model of care for Canberra and its surrounds. The hospital ward of ten beds is located in the five-star Realm Hotel, affectionately known as the 'MediHotel'. Patients are cared for by Registered nurses in a relaxing environment, with an a-la-carte menu prepared by professional chefs.
"Best Practice is a robust and scalable application that is affordable to maintain and is backed by ongoing professional support, allowing users to the get most out of their data." Lorraine Pyefinch, Director
When changes in legislation allowed doctors to create typed rather than handwritten medical prescriptions, GP Dr Frank Pyefinch was frustrated by the lack of software available to support the move. So he turned his hand to writing his own simple, Disk Operating Systems (DOS)-based programs. Twenty years on, his company Best Practice Software is home to BP Premier, a program used by 12,000 GPs across Australia and New Zealand.
"Big hART works across vast geographies nationally, including remote and isolated communities." Scott Rankin, CEO
BIG hART was established 25 years ago, in what was at the time the poorest electorate in the poorest state of the country. Set up as an innovative experiment to find new ways of dealing with disadvantage, the collective unearths cases of hidden injustice, working closely with those experiencing the issue to overcome it.
"Through Black Fire Restaurant we aim to support local farmers and agribusinesses, bringing our customers an experience that goes beyond just a great meal." Paolo Milanesi, Director
Backed by 30 years of hospitality experience, Paolo opened the doors to Black Fire Restaurant in 2014. A venue championing organic, sustainable and local produce, the restaurant garnered its name from its large open woodfire pit - the focal point of the space, where suckling lambs and pigs are roasted to bring a dramatic flair to patrons' dining experience.
"With algorithms that can identify what Australians want to buy and 700,000 units in-stock and ready to ship, Booktopia considers itself the Australian alternative to Amazon." Tony Nash, CEO
Starting out as a simple side line project, Booktopia is now Australia's largest online book retailer, serving 3.6 million customers nationwide. With an $80 million edge on its nearest competitor and having been voted 2016's Best Book Retailer of the Year, the company's success has been attributed to its ability to challenge the status quo of online retailing.
"Teenage parents demonstrate a higher propensity to premature births, postnatal depression, generational teen pregnancies and domestic violence. We champion a model of social inclusion to help teen parents build happy, healthy and skilled family units free from these challenges, impacting generations." Bernadette Black, CEO & Founding Director
A mum at 16, Bernadette Black encountered severe discrimination when attempting to continue her schooling. Not wanting other expecting or parenting teens to encounter the same experiences, Bernadette founded Brave Foundation, a charity that strives to strengthen the family unit and reduce the stigma around teen pregnancy.
"We believe in the awesome power of face-to-face learning and want to see people experience lightbulb moments." Nadine Zrinzo, Co-Founder
Everyone has a story to tell, and everything can be learnt. That's the mantra driving the team behind Bright Conferences, an educational experiences provider based in Queensland. Founded in 2010, Bright Conferences started as a corporate events company. It wasn't long before co-founder, Nadine Zrinzo, realised its unique opportunity to bring people together to discuss, connect, share and learn from each other.
"The Cancer Council of Tasmania’s programmes and services are developed to ensure that support can be provided for all cancers and all ages." Penny Egan, CEO
Cancer Council Tasmania is determined to make a difference through rolling out prevention programmes to educate communities about the lifestyle choices that could decrease their risk of developing cancer, providing high quality support services for those already affected, and investing in Tasmanian based research projects.
"We know our community loves our team, values our contribution to their healthcare, and trusts us to be their partner in health. That is the ultimate motivator for what we do." Elise Apolloni, Managing Partner
Capital Chemist Wanniassa has served the Canberra community since 1978 with extended-hours healthcare. A $300,000 renovation in 2015 transformed the chemist into a future-ready health hub with two medical-grade consultation rooms and cutting-edge pharmacy services.
"Cara House welcomes children, families, adults and professionals whose lives have been touched by trauma whether through their own experiences or through their work. Cara House is a safe place of healing and growth, steeped in a rich tradition of connection and hope." Mary-Jo Mc Veigh, CEO
Cara House is a trauma counselling service for children, young people, adults and families who have been impacted by trauma or abuse. As a trained trauma therapist and accredited mental health social worker, founder and director of Cara House, Mary-Jo Mc Veigh, sees child abuse as not a family issue but a societal one.
"Carbon Group is challenging the stereotypical stale accounting industry by providing business owners with the tools and resources to survive and grow in the market." Jamie Davison, Co-founder
As a young business owner who loves to travel, Jamie was hooked on the flexibility of cloud-based accounting platforms, and wanted to provide the same flexibility to his clients. Nathan wanted to bring back traditional accounting by taking a more proactive role within his clients' businesses, rather than simply completing tax returns. By forming Carbon Group, the pair has brought together the best of both worlds.
"We tackle the issue of ever increasing living costs by providing our members with the cheapest way to shop in Australia. We give cashback when our members shop at brands such as Woolworths, eBay, Virgin Australia, Amazon, Apple, booking.com and hundreds more." Andrew Clarke, CEO & Founder
Cashrewards is an online community with over 250,000 Australians earning rewards for shopping online. The brainchild of Andrew Clarke, Cashrewards was founded in 2013, with the vision to help families with the rising costs of living.
"Consumers need to have faith in the food they're purchasing, but despite boutique farming being one of the fastest growing industries in the world, it was almost non-existent in Western Australia." Linda Stanley, Owner
Purchasing a 70-acre farm, home to 1,000 sweet chestnut trees, Linda and John Stanley set about implementing a raft of sustainable and regenerative farming techniques to grow a crop that would meet their family's need for fresh, local and organic ingredients.
"Chiropractic treatment should be tailored to the individual patient's needs, because happy customers create referral and repeat business." Dr Jono Dalla Pria, Chiropractor/Business Owner
Chirogenex is founded on the belief that care should never be standardised. Looking to offer the local community a service suited precisely to their needs, Chirogenex is the result of extensive market research, which revealed a local appetite for rehabilitative treatment for sport injuries, along with a more physically accessible provision for the elderly.
"We're passionate about building a generation of creators and makers, a generation of change-makers - students who see problems as challenges, and love to find and create the solutions." Benjamin Levi, Co-Founder
When tech entrepreneur, Benjamin Levi, realised kids were always asking him about how to build iPhone apps he suddenly had a light bulb moment. Teaming up with fellow entrepreneur and coder Pete Neill, they set up school holiday camps to teach kids how to build apps - welcome Code Camp.
"Corporate Catering by Mr Cappuccino is renowned for efficient event planning and administration, delicious food, quality Vittoria Coffee and remarkable service." Nicholas Pinter, Sales and Marketing Manager
According to the team behind Mr Cappuccino, the recipe for business success relies on the perfect mix of ingredients: talented staff, financial backing, and sales and marketing expertise that, when blended together, creates one of Canberra's most trusted names for corporate catering.
"We're different from other charities. Victorians trust us with confidential crime information and we deliver high-quality intelligence reports to Victoria Police. What's more, our media campaigns are shown to generate immediate, high-impact results and get arrests. All this is making Victoria a safer place." Cathy Rhodes, General Manager
Working together with the community, Crime Stoppers runs community crime prevention campaigns throughout the state and helps Victoria Police reduce crime levels.
"As a construction company we are constantly trying to find solutions for people to realise their homeownership dreams, within their budget." Justin Derksen, Director
CRUSADER HOMES build affordable houses in the Derwent Valley Region, working with clients to create their dream homes within their budget constraints. The company also specialises in ‘liveable housing’ – homes designed to meet the needs of their residents at every stage of their life.
"Our people are our strength! We provide some of the world's largest technology companies with a competitive advantage in the delivery of advanced hi-tech product development." Drini Mulla, CEO
DEK Technologies develops hi-tech cutting-edge software and hardware solutions across a diverse range of technology sectors. With offices in Australia, USA, Sweden, Vietnam and Italy, DEK's engineers work on products that handle over 40% of the world's daily mobile and internet traffic.
"We have successfully produced a liquid meal that can safely be consumed before surgery. We provide patients with the opportunity to be comfortable before surgery." Dr David Reiner, Director
Anaesthetist, Dr David Reiner, recognised that patients in hospital waiting to undergo surgery were 'hangry', which means being both hungry and angry at the same time. In collaboration with his wife Anna they set out to find a solution. The solution found was Dex. A calorie-dense complex carbohydrate drink that empties rapidly from the stomach.
"By working closely with our clients and continuing to invest in future technology solutions, we believe we can empower small and medium businesses to unlock the potential of digital technology for business success." Adam Laurie, Managing Director
Digital360 is a digital and technology business that delivers end-to-end solutions for small and medium businesses (SMBs) looking for market share growth.
"Dubbed 'The People's Safety Software', Donesafe opens the health and safety conversation to all workers, allowing clients to significantly alleviate the administrative burden of WHS and compliance." Matt Browne, Co-Founder
Seeing the alternative applications as jargon-laden and cumbersome, the founders on Donesafe set out to create a simple to use, entirely automated, end-to-end software solution. Counting Brickworks, Suncorp, IAG, Audi and McDonalds among its clients, Donesafe is gaining real traction across both the small and medium business and enterprise markets.
"Through our programs, we share the knowledge, skills and experiences required to empower disadvantaged young people to realise their potential." Dr Stephen Silk, CEO
Working with individuals aged eight to 22, Doxa provides a range of programs designed to give young people from challenging backgrounds access to positive life experiences, education opportunities and employment pathways. From outdoor education camps to its dedicated flexible learning School, the Foundation supports disadvantaged young people to achieve personal greatness.
"The two worlds of practice management and veterinary medicine require completely different skill sets, so we offer business management support services that allows the veterinarian partner to focus on pet care." Adam Russell, Director
Veterinarian Adam Russell, had heard stories time and time again about practice vets who had been promised a practice partnership, only for it to never materialise. Looking to remedy this common frustration within the vet community, he established and began to build the Dr Paws, a network of joint-venture veterinary clinics.
"The number of people living with special dietary requirements is increasing, as is our heightened sense of health consciousness. Our bakes mean people don’t have to give up the things they love in spite of their diet." Lucy Milwood, Owner and Director
Using only natural ingredients, the Drop Dead Bread range of handmade sweets spans the full free-from spectrum: dairy, gluten, nut, grains, refined sugar, artificial additives and vegan.
"In an environment where so much fashion is seen as disposable and at the whim of fleeting trends, ELK offers a head-to-toe wardrobe solution that can be worn across seasons." Marnie Goding, Co-Founder & Creative Director
Husband-wife team Adam Koniaras and Marnie Goding always knew they wanted to work together. Combining their technical and marketing skills with a shared love for design, they launched ELK in 2004. The independent fashion label creates a diverse collection encompassing apparel and accessories.
"Our goals are excellence in services, a profitable business with a strong moral social conscience, and providing more than your typical general practice, which we have achieved by offering specialised health services most practices do not provide." Dr Helen Moonen, Director
A cornerstone of the Fremantle community, Ellen Health provides medical and allied health services that strive to go beyond those offered by competitors.
"We've established a fast-paced manufacturing environment that can deal quickly with customer requests and convert these requests into orders and completion in a rapid manner while maintaining high quality concepts." Jason Kell, Managing Director
Enduraclad International manufactures and supplies a range of high-quality wear plate and tungsten linings to the mining, earth moving and quarrying industries, helping machinery last longer in harsh environments. Armed with just some basic hand tools and his life savings, Jason Kell grew the company from scratch.
"Our mission is to promote the Queensland energy, mining, renewable and telecommunications industries as a career of first choice, encourage investment in skills and training, and increase the number of skilled workers in the industry." Penelope Twemlow, CEO
Energy Skills Queensland's purpose is two-pronged: to provide Queensland's electricity, oil and gas, mining, renewables and telecommunications sectors with innovative solutions to ensure their strong and sustainable future, and to promote these industries as a career of first choice.
"Engage & Grow helps businesses create fully engaged employees in a matter of weeks by neurologically activating and motivating the minds of individuals." Richard Maloney, CEO
Where traditional leadership and engagement programs rely on training and workshops, Richard has created an all-inclusive group activation system, which is neurologically designed and proven to motivate individuals and teams. While it took time for businesses to warm up to this unconventional method, four years on, the global success of Engage & Grow speaks for itself.
"Today the motivation for Epilepsy Tasmania continues to be the desire to improve the quality of life and community participation of Tasmanians living with or affected by epilepsy. By increasing general awareness and understanding of the condition, we’ll reduce the stigma and discrimination that surrounds epilepsy within Tasmania." Wendy Groot, CEO
Epilepsy Tasmania is a not-for-profit association that has been improving the quality of life and community participation of Tasmanians living with, or affected by, epilepsy for over 40 years.
"We have revolutionised luxury bedding fabric with our world-first 100% Organic Bamboo Lyocell fabric. Customers who've slept with Ettitude sheets keep returning to us for more, because, as they say, 'Once you go bamboo, you can't go back to cotton'." Phoebe Yu, Founder and CEO
Drawing on her entrepreneurial instincts, an interest in sustainability, and environmental awareness, Phoebe Yu created Ettitude with the vision of offering luxury and ethical bedding essentials at an accessible price directly to consumers.
"Our products have a direct impact on the quality of healthcare received by patients in Australia and internationally. This is a very rewarding business and industry to be involved in." Penny Mcshane, Owner
Founded by a group of experienced healthcare business professionals in Hobart, Evomed scours the globe to find new and innovative healthcare technologies to develop and bring to market.
"The agricultural sector is not traditionally a technology-intensive field, but the Internet of Things is set to bring about a massive revolution in the industry. We're pioneering this technology race to enable the Australian horticulture market to adapt to this paradigm shift." Professor Vishy Karri, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman
In 2015, Vishy Karri founded Expert 365 to provide plant-centred irrigation solutions using IoT technology. Where existing irrigation practices are based mostly on experience and guesswork, Expert 365 provides farmers with facts about the current conditions of their farming production using real-time measurements.
"Our focus is on preventing disease, as well as treating it. We aim to empower people to optimise their health and take charge of their well-being." Dr Maria Boulton, Director
Disillusioned with the proliferation of the five-minute medicine approach, Dr Fiona Raciti and Dr Maria Boulton started Family Doctors Plus with the goal to empower people to optimise their health and take charge of their well-being.
"Through our innovative engineering practices, holistic design process and ambition to create a better future, we will become the leader in sustainability and emissions reduction across Australia." Randy Gadient, Managing Director
Specialising in clean power and sustainability, building performance and optimisation, asset strategy and planning, and risk management and facility audits, FG Advisory creates compelling business cases for investment in sustainability.
"The Margaret River is a region where people come to get away from the daily grind, so businesses like ours that promote relaxation and wellness align perfectly with that mentality.' Simon Tien, Managing Director
Focused on promoting overall wellbeing, Floating Euphoria offers sensory deprivation sessions in Dream Pods filled with water as dense as the Dead Sea, which allow customers to experience a feeling of weightlessness intended to alleviate physical and mental stress, improve sleep patterns, boost creativity and prompt the release of endorphins.
"Our clients are at the centre of everything we do. The solutions we develop are all about helping our clients succeed and we back this up with personal and local support." Dom Polegubic, Director
Starting out 15 years ago with one client, ForwardIT has grown to be one of the largest locally owned IT service providers in the Canberra region. Supporting around 200 local and interstate businesses, ForwardIT delivers a range of IT services and support to SME, education, not-for profit sectors.
"We're on a mission to provide women with shoe styles that make them feel confident and comfortable. The shoes hide the support and cushioning, as if they were undercover orthopaedic shoes disguised as fashion." Caroline McCulloch, Owner
FRANKiE4 provides fashion-forward, comfortable footwear to over 90 Australian and New Zealand stockists, and to the public via an online store and two concept stores in Brisbane.
"We were motivated to introduce an excellent standard of hospitality to the region and give visitors something to remember." Christopher Puccetti, Director
Nestled in the rural town of Sheffield, close to the World Heritage area of Cradle Mountain, Fudge’n’Good Coffee takes advantage of the local ingredients to serve an epicurean experience of fresh gourmet fudge and barista-made coffee in luxurious surroundings.
"G&M Cosmetics is a 100 per cent Australian owned and made business, which has been manufacturing and selling skin health remedies to national retailers for 20 years." Zvonko Jordanov, Managing Director
Renowned for its gentle and effective formulas that shun the synthetic chemicals and petroleum-based mineral oils commonly used by the personal care industry, G & M Cosmetics is now one of the fastest growing skincare brands stocked by Australian supermarkets, and attributes 50 per cent of its turnover to export trade.
"Our services bridge the valley of death between invention and business growth, by analysing the market, advising on IP and commercialisation strategy, identifying funding opportunities, promoting research-industry engagement, and providing marketing communications for our clients." Natalie Chapman, Managing Director
gemaker helps researchers, inventors, start-ups and expanding businesses bring innovative products and services to global markets by connecting them to strategic partners, funding and customers.
"By building an online clinic platform, that saves time and allows for better remuneration, we're able to attract more GPs into the sector." Dr Sebastian Rees, Co-Founder
Dr Troye Wallett and Dr Sebastian Rees experienced challenges related to the inefficient recording of medical notes, poor communication, lack of peer support and low remuneration. As a solution, the two doctors established GenWise Health in 2014, an aged-care specific online clinic platform that is streamlined and cost-effective.
"Due to international demand for our innovative technology, we are seizing the opportunity to stretch the boundaries of our business operations and deliver our unique solutions to clients worldwide." Igor Stjepanovic, Founder
Igor Stjepanovic was working in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) sector when he spotted a gap in the market for independent geospatial professional services. So, in 2010, he created GIS People - a company that brought Australia's best independent geospatial experts under one roof.
"Glenco prides itself on being a differentiator in our market, by delivering superior electrical solutions, focusing on communication and providing a lifetime warranty on labour for an enhanced customer experience." Glenn Rosen, CEO
Setting out to improve the customer experience and service delivery in the electrical industry, today GLENCO offers a 24/7, year-round service for the property management, residential, and commercial markets in the Sydney metropolitan area.
"Today's business world requires organisations to constantly seek productivity gains. GlobalX continuously innovates to deliver our clients' new, smarter and more intuitive ways to work." Peter Maloney, CEO
Empowering productivity is at the heart of GlobalX's drive to disrupt Australia's $100 million-a-year legal software industry. It is an Australian organisation that develops and supports software workflow solutions for the legal, conveyancing, and allied business communities.
"Having a mix of service provision agencies was causing enormous disruption to clients' and carers’ lifestyles following discharge from hospital, so Golden Glow Nursing was established to address this gap." Joanne Kovac, Director / CEO
Finding there was no sole organisation in place to coordinate all of the services required to enable patients to make a smooth transition from hospital to home, Joanne Kovac and Maureen Schaffer created Golden Glow Nursing to manage clinical care in the home.
"Customers want top quality, Australian-made products with real country provenance. We solve that problem, distilling internationally award-winning whiskies, gins and liqueurs using the best Western Australian agricultural products." Cameron Syme, Founder
A craft distilling company of premium quality spirits, Limeburners now operates out of three iconic locations in Albany, Porongurup and Margaret River.
"We live in a world where every person and organisation is shouting to be heard, and it can be difficult for cause organisations to cut through. This is where we come in." Alecia Hancock, Director
Hancock Creative's range of training solutions focus on storytelling and digital marketing for cause-related organisations, helping them grow awareness, raise funds, attract employees and volunteers, and build impactful partnerships _ all on limited budgets.
"The original motivation to be the leaders in pet welfare, dog training and pet care services stands today, and has expanded to cater to the growing needs of pet lovers who can select from many different tailored services whilst enjoying the benefits of 24-hour care and emergency support by qualified pet care welfare staff and local vets" Andrew Biggs, Owner and CEO
Hanrob Pet Hotels offers a vast range of pet services, from dog obedience training, agility and grooming to luxury accommodation in suites with TVs and heated beds, across six facilities in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and Canberra.
"We don't accept being the same as every other construction materials testing company. Our aim is to always exceed industry expectations and go above and beyond to keep our clients' projects running on time and to budget." Luke Myall, Owner/Director
HiQA delivers testing and sampling for the construction, defence and mining industries anywhere in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Luke says HiQA is a young company with energetic leaders and team members who are not afraid to push the boundaries.
"His and Her Time is about real people enjoying their bodies for what they are, and becoming the healthiest, best version of themselves." Anna Liptak, Owner
While many health and fitness programs trade on the effects of unhealthy lifestyles, obesity and dissatisfaction with body appearance, His and Her Time focuses on happiness. By encouraging clients to prioritise their own happiness, participants naturally want to look after their own health and well-being.
"Hivint enables cybersecurity collaboration to share resources and solutions, rather than just locking them away." Nick Ellsmore, Chief Apiarist
Hivint founders Craig Searle and Nick Ellsmore believe "community-driven security" is the future of cybersecurity management. Focused on fundamentally changing the way cybersecurity professional services are provided and consumed in the Australian market, the duo developed SecurityColony.com, an Australian-first collaboration platform.
"We feel an inherent responsibility on our shoulders to elicit our customers' trust by delivering robust equipment when they need it that will last and function well after repeated daily use to enable their personal transitions. This trust is fundamental to our business." Andrew Penn, Owner & Director
Homecare Equipment Services helps people of all ages recover from surgery or illness, rebuild their confidence and maintain their independence by providing specialised equipment that helps them fulfil everyday needs, such as walking or general mobility, sitting down comfortably, taking a shower or going to the toilet.
"My philosophy is to encourage dancers of all skills, levels and body types and abilities, to dance. Dance is a wonderful way to express oneself, and helps develop cultural understanding and community awareness." Michelle Williams, Creative Director/Owner
In 2000, the enthusiastic Michelle Williams opened the doors to House of Dance Tasmania. What started as a one-woman show in a local hall in Hobart quickly expanded to meet demand and changing market needs.
"Hunting for George is an aspirational brand that brings unique products and personality to the Australian homewares industry. We are passionate about inspiring both men and women to take pride in their homes." Lucy Glade-Wright, Director
Founded by sisters, Lucy Glade-Wright and Jo Harris, Hunting for George is an online destination that makes your home awesome. The business puts strong focus on its community, and encourages honest communication, collaboration and outstanding service with consumers, suppliers and employees alike.
"Makeup is a global industry that crosses cultural and ethnic barriers. Through the art of makeup, our students have the ability to not only create incredible characters, but also inspire confidence in the people they work with." Michael Huxley, Director
The Huxley School of Makeup is a private, internationally-accredited education provider of professional makeup artistry courses. With its placements highly sought after, Huxley School of Makeup focuses on empowering students to - be inspired, be informed and be themselves.
"iBuild looks to address customers' primary pain points around housing affordability in Australia by providing prefabricated green buildings that are stronger, smarter, faster and cheaper." Jackson Yin, Director
A research and development journey to find fast and cost-effective accommodation solutions culminated with the creation of iBuild, a startup specialising in the design and supply of kit homes and prefabricated buildings.
"Our mission is to make our customers' dream interiors possible, by taking on the high-end retailers to offer our customers timeless, craftsman furniture at affordable prices." David Light, Co-Founder and Director
Struggling to find high quality furniture at an affordable price point, the founders of Icon By Design saw an opportunity to turn the conventional supply chain on its head. By cutting out the middlemen, whose costs were driving up the price for consumers, they were able to develop a lean and nimble sourcing model that delivers craftsmen's creations direct to the consumer.
"We encourage the use of steel from Australian steel mills in an effort to help the country's economy. We have built strong relationship with our suppliers and are proud that nearly 100% of the steel we manufacture comes from within Australia." Daniel Ffrench, Managing Director
ID Fabrication supplies, manufactures and installs steel structures across Australia. Building everything from bridges to architectural structures, ID Fabrication was a major player in the redevelopment of the Port of Brisbane in 2012 and, most recently, building the structure for the Adelaide Festival's Riverbank Palais barge venue.
"IGTC® is on a mission to reduce health care costs by pioneering procedural medicine. We believe, in the future, many elective in-hospital surgeries will be replaced by outpatient procedures as we do in our clinic." Dr Arockia Doss, Founding Director & Interventional Radiologist
Arockia and Josephin Doss are on a mission to keep people out of hospital. In 2009, they set up a specialist interventional radiology clinic to provide tertiary medical care in outpatient facilities. The IGTC® radiologist clinically examines, listens to all patients and reviews imaging findings to obtain the correct diagnosis prior to non-surgical, minimally invasive medical procedures.
"Australian-based with global reach, Impact Innovation enables organisations to design and implement effective innovation systems that drive differentiation, competitiveness and growth." Brian Ruddle, Managing Director
More than a decade ago, Brian Ruddle recognised a huge chasm in service delivery for enterprises needing help with innovation pipelines and turning their ideas into significant income. Impact Innovation Group was established to meet this need and to challenge the accepted thinking of how organisations should innovate and be successful.
"We often hear of the spectacular failures of IT systems, such as organisations being hacked and data breached. Our mission is to solve these problems before they happen. We provide experts in the IT testing discipline to identify and eliminate organisations IT systems shortcomings." Nathan Bligh, Director
Nathan Bligh and Scott Cleburne recognised a strong market need for experienced IT testing professionals. Spurred on by this need and the desire to make testing a respected discipline, the duo jumpstarted their own professional IT testing services firm, Informatech.
"We know first-hand the damage that skin cancers can do to individuals and their families, so we work closely with high-risk groups to educate the Australian population on safer sun behaviours." Ashley Dionysius, General Manager
A charity committed to building public awareness about the benefits of early detection and prevention measures, the Karlee Adams Foundation runs an education program designed to change Australia's sun exposure habits and reduce cases of skin cancers nationwide.
"We believe consumers should have a greater choice of beautiful products that also align with their lifestyle and values, so we offer a manicure and skincare range for people who value ethics and sustainability as well as beautiful design." Anna Ross, Director
Growing up in rural New Zealand, Anna Ross felt a profound connection with the environment, but struggled to find cosmetic products that aligned with her values of ethical manufacturing. So she set about instilling those values into her own venture - Kester Black, an Australian beauty brand that looks to redefine the industry standard for cosmetics.
"With acupuncture, we offer a fast and effective way to achieve dramatic and sustainable improvements in our patients health. Because we help trigger the bodies built in healing mechanisms, we can help solve health issues that other branches of medicine are unable to resolve." Kal Ientile, Director and Registered Acupuncturist
Ki Acupuncture is a clinic with a difference. With a team of highly trained registered practitioners, the Canberra-based clinic prides itself on providing customised treatment plans that blend traditional medical wisdom with cutting-edge medical research.
"We ensure the daily lives of parents, siblings and the wider family, carers, teachers, school mates and friends are all impacted positively by the improvements made in the behaviours and abilities of a single child." Joanna Buttfield, Founder and Executive Director _ Clinical Operations
Kid Sense Child Development was born in 1998 and has since become one of South Australia's primary private providers of centre-based paediatric occupational therapy and speech pathology services.
"We're getting people outdoors and enjoying nature while experiencing restaurant-quality food. We love seeing families setting up picnics in the park and socialising in the beautiful Queensland weather instead of sitting in an air-conditioned establishment." Dylan Pires, Owner
Growing up across Australia, America and Canada, Dylan and Katrina Pires have been cooking up succulent chicken wings ever since they can remember. When the food truck industry kicked off in Brisbane, the couple decided to ditch their day jobs to launch a mobile wings restaurant, King of the Wings on Wheels.
"My goal was to create a long-lasting product that was fun, cheeky and put a stop to blokes walking around in underwear that has more holes in it than a golf course." Rob Rand, Founder
For years, Rob Rand harboured a quiet hatred of poorly made undies and travelling three hours to the nearest shops to buy a new pair. Figuring that other Aussie blokes might also be wanting to get the mundane out of buying new undies, in 2014, he set up a subscription underwear club and called it KNOBBY. His inkling must have been right, because KNOBBY now delivers underwear to tens of thousands of members worldwide every month - for just $20.
"Kontrol4 helps businesses reap the benefits of the Cloud, smartphone and tablet revolutions. With simple mobility solutions, we help them create mobile workflows and streamline their operations to become more efficient businesses." Marcus van Enk, CEO
With the vision to help businesses run more efficiently, Kontrol4 delivers mobile technologies for field-based employees that streamline business processes, job scheduling, forms capture, project management, safe work practices, and, ultimately, reduce the administrative burden of paper documentation.
"Our core business as a chipping contractor is providing the Southern Hemisphere with sustainable and certified wood fibre to meet the needs of an expanding population." Phillip Dohnt, Managing Director
Now a fourth generation family business, L.V. DOHNT & CO. Pty Ltd is a revered name in the forestry industry, with a reputation for providing the Southern Hemisphere with sustainable and certified wood fibre to meet the needs of an expanding population.
"At the core of my business is the ambition to help customers build confidence, by providing safe, effective, and innovative solutions across every aspect of skincare." Kim Tran, Founder
Completing extensive training, Kim Tran became one of Australia's first dermal therapists and, at just 19, opened her own skin care clinic, La Belle Peau, providing cosmeceuticals skincare, paramedical skin treatments and beauty treatments.
"We cultivate courage and self-belief through mentoring and financial support for Australian girls and women who have a dream and need assistance achieving it." Layne Beachley, Founder and Director
Inspired by her own experiences, Layne Beachley set up the Aim for the Stars Foundation, a community of male and female champions who support women on their journey to achieving their dreams. Providing scholarships, financial grants, mentoring and inspiration to empower women to invest in their future, Aim for the Stars has a 450-strong alumni.
"Love To Dream has designed a three-stage sleep system and accompanying garments that help babies sleep better from birth to four years of age." Hana-Lia Krawchuk, Director
Believing there was a safer and more effective way to swaddle babies, Hana-Lia developed a line of garments that would allow babies to sleep safely, soundly and more comfortably. The result has been a true sleep revolution, with Love To Dream's shaped swaddles, sleep suits and sleep bags now among the most successful items in Australia's infant products industry.
"The Maree Pigdon Sewing Centre and online sewing courses aim to foster a love of creative design and show people how to make beautiful clothes like a professional." Maree Pigdon, Owner
Having started sewing aged six, and making her first made-to-measure evening gown at 14 and her first bridal gown by 17, Maree Pigdon, likes to think she was born with a needle and thread in hand. Wanting to share her passion with like-minded creatives and show others how to sew professionally, Maree began teaching classes in dressmaking, fashion design and step-by-step garment construction, online and at her eponymous sewing centre.
"The Mark Moran model has flipped a very established, conservative and highly regulated sector on its head to deliver consumer-oriented and community-led design and development." Evette Moran, Co-Founder
Mark and Evette Moran strongly believe that old age can be the happiest time in life. Taking this philosophy and combining it with their experience in business and design, they set out to create lifestyle spaces that enrich lives and provide the ultimate standards in aged care, retirement living and wellness in nurturing and uplifting environments. The result is Mark Moran Vaucluse, an intergenerational ageing and wellness hub that is fully integrated within the broader community.
"We offer industry-relevant training, delivered in innovative and technology-centric learning environments to ensure future students go on to meet their employers ever-evolving business needs." Gary Coonar, Managing Director
Melbourne City Institute of Education (MCIE) is a vibrant and innovative training organisation which helps local and international students fulfil their career goals. Through on-campus and workplace training, MCIE enables students to acquire new skills, build their self-esteem, and ultimately increase their contribution to the Australian economy.
"We aim to give our customers a health solution for every situation, by offering a high service value proposition that can aid them in improving their overall wellbeing." Michael Spartalis, Director
Family owned and community driven, Michael's Health Care Chemist, is a business built on a combination of professional services and personable staff. Comprehensive consultation and advice services delivered by highly-trained pharmacists run in tandem with traditional prescription-related services in an effort to provide customers' health with the time and focus the business believes it deserves.
"We're the laboratory that other laboratories use to tackle difficult analytical problems." Debbie Hughes, Co-Owner
Microanalysis Australia is a materials characterisation consulting laboratory. Since starting Microanalysis Australia in 2008, Rick and his wife Debbie have carved out a niche helping clients across a diverse range of industries to understand their products, solve processing issues and fully characterise their material.
"We have built our business on putting customers first, and delivering an end-to-end compliance solution that makes their job of staying compliant as easy as possible." Andre Borell, Founder and CEO
Mobile Test 'n' Cal Australia Pty Ltd is an onsite, high voltage testing, calibration, inspection and repair service. The mobile labs provides a convenient compliance solution to clients across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, ranging from power stations, large hotels, schools and shopping centres to water treatment plants and regional councils.
"We offer an affordable solution to resolving mould issues with minimal disruption to lives and workplaces, creating healthier living and working environments for our clients." Gerard Murtagh, Managing Director
After research revealed the majority of mould removal options in the Brisbane area to be expensive, time-consuming, overly invasive, or a combination of all three, Gerard was inspired to come up with an easier, more affordable solution. Enter MouldMen - a company disrupting the industry by guaranteeing they will investigate the cause, remediate the mould and provide a mould prevention plan all within 48 hours of the initial enquiry being made.
"Mountain Bikes Direct is our response to the shift in consumer buying habits - low overheads, great partnerships with our suppliers, streamlined systems and a focus on addressing customers' needs by being online only." Jen Geale, Co-Founder
Michael Geale and Tim McCullough decided to transition their retail business to a pure-play e-commerce operation, called Mountain Bikes Direct. Making it possible for riders to buy from an Australian retailer at a globally competitive price, Mountain Bikes Direct is dedicated to countering the issues customers often face when purchasing from an overseas retailer.
"Until we find a cure - and we've made incredible progress towards that - we will devote our attention to ensuring we are completely and utterly aligned with the needs of people with MS." Dr Matthew Miles, CEO
In Australia, one to two people are diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) every day. This is just one reason why MS Research Australia is on a mission to accelerate research towards the prevention of MS, establish better treatments and ultimately find a cure.
"Muscular Dystrophy Association adopts the philosophy that if you are a member of the Muscular Dystrophy community, you should be able to receive information and support within a caring environment, regardless of where you live and what type of dystrophy you have." Boris M Struk, Executive Director
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) provides support and advice for these families, from the moment of diagnosis throughout their journey with MD. The charity is one of the biggest donors to the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, where the National Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre is located, and the charity sponsors a dedicated team of scientists who are working towards treatments and, ultimately, a cure for MD.
"Australia is poised to take part in the Internet of Things revolution, where machine-to-machine communications will drastically change the way we work, live, learn and play." Tom Rayner, Business Development Executive
brainchild of Dr Alex Grant and Dr David Haley, and the culmination of three years' research with the University of South Australia, Myriota has developed a new class of satellite connectivity to provide access to small amounts of data, from any location on the planet, at a very low cost.
"We're a dance college that produces professional dancers and has paved the way for a contemporary Indigenous dance to be shared globally." Kim Walker, CEO
The National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) Dance College has been Australia's premier Indigenous training college since 1976, with a proud tradition of producing the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers. A member of the Commonwealth Roundtable for Excellence in Arts Training (Arts 8), the college provides training from Certificate III to Diploma level which is free of charge to Developing Artists who come from Australia's regional cites, urban centers and remote communities.
"We are committed to providing high-level service and quality products to ensure optimum productivity and efficiency for businesses." Stuart Green, Director
Neveco Business IT Solutions is the human interface to information technology for small business, providing a mix of products and services including hardware, software, CCTV, wireless communications, cloud-based storage and more.
"We have created wonderful turnarounds in young people's lives. A shy young lad who was being bullied recently told us he not only learnt how to cope with the bullies from what he learned at camp, but went on to do community work, walked the Kokoda Track and graduated as a paramedic. Many similar examples of positive program outcomes have been fed back to us over the years." Ben Brauer, President
In 1999, Ben Brauer established New Beginnings, a charity dedicated to boosting self-esteem and instilling sound community values in disadvantaged and at-risk young people.
"We aim to change our patients' perception of dentistry into a positive experience, so that they are proud to call our practice their own, and want to refer family and friends." Dr Keith Hengpoonthana, Dental Surgeon
The team at Newington Dental Care strongly believes that modern dentistry is all about providing life-changing dental care and exceptional customer service. A family-owned and operated business, Newington Dental Care has a consultative approach to appointments. The practice will always discuss a range of treatment options for dental problems before going ahead with any procedure.
"Nexus enables lawyers to collaborate and enjoy the benefits of working in a big firm, without the restrictions traditional practices impose, creating a more rewarding and productive practice structure." Jacqueline Keddie, Business Manager
Three years ago, Nexus Law Group took the traditional law firm model and turned it on its head to create an entirely new category of practice in the legal industry. Its embedded contractor model organises a national network of independent specialist lawyers around a central hub office in each jurisdiction, connecting individuals via a unique practice system, OpenLaw.
"NIOA is able to adapt more quickly, assemble more attractive and innovative solutions, offer more intrinsic value and provide higher levels of support than our competitors in the field of arms and ammunition." Robert Nioa, Managing Director
Frustrated by the service he received as a competitive clay target shooter and hunter, Bill Nioa began exploring the possibility of establishing his own ammunition distribution business, founded on providing exceptional levels of customer support.
"We had a real desire to bring high quality veterinary services to regional and remote NT, improve animal welfare and use our skills to build and grow a small business." Dr Sam McMahon, Owner
Northern Territory Veterinary Services provides animal care across the Northern Territory, with two full-service practices located in Katherine and Alice Springs.
"Australian shoppers crave substantiated information about environmental claims, cruelty-free testing and product performance, so Nourished Life is founded on delivering trusted personal service and products to an environmentally conscious community." Irene Falcone, Founder and CEO
Nourished Life is a blog that talked openly and honestly about 'green' products. It gained such popularity, it blossomed into a $20 million turnover retail brand, which today sells thousands of healthy, sustainably sourced alternatives across the personal care, beauty, home, health and fitness sectors to conscious consumers globally.
"We go to the Nth Degree for our clients, in our service delivery, and to support our staff." Andrew Neville, Founding Director
Nth Degree Engineering Services is a multi-disciplinary consultancy offering services in engineering, project management, integrated management systems, business support, auditing, environmental planning and building design. Established in 2011, the Darwin-based consultancy continues a family history of engineering spanning more than a century.
"One of the most common barriers to health is motivation, so we focus on delivering experiences, support and resources that keep people excited, interested and engaged - wherever they are." Joy McClymont, Founder
Determined to create a new norm in remote, rural and regional areas, Joy McClymont established Off The Track Training to inspire healthy fitness and nutritional habits, regardless of location or lifestyle. Not only does it offer the support of an interactive fitness community, her program doesn't require special equipment or internet access to take part.
"My proudest achievement was seeing Over The Moo roll out to more than 500 Woolworths stores in March 2017. It represented the 'coming of age' for Over The Moo." Alexander Houseman, Founder and Head Honcho
As a lactose intolerant ice cream lover, Alexander Houseman struggled to find ice cream that ticked the boxes of catering for his requirements while also being reasonably priced, creamy and just a little bit indulgent.
"Our fresh, innovative approach gives our client's an edge when it comes to selling, buying and renting their properties. In building value-added, high-trust relationships with our clients we’ve proven we can deliver unsurpassed results." David Parry, Director
Wanting to prove that it is possible to buy, sell and rent properties in an honest and authentic way, Parry Property strives to eliminate all of the stresses that surround real estate-related transactions.
"Real knowledge transfer is difficult to monitor and measure, so by using our pre and post-course systems, we enable clients to accurately report how personal development is helping to achieve business objectives." Curtis Chappell, Director of Marketing
PD Training empowers enterprises across Australia, New Zealand, America, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines. The company offers a combination of instructor-led training, micro-learning, eLearning, personality profiling and team development workshops across more than 200 topics.
"With the Play Pouch, all building blocks are mixed together, which encourages children to put down the instruction booklets and build freely from their own imagination. Pack up is also achievable for the kids." Kate Campbell, Co-Founder/Director
As parents finding themselves constantly clearing up a rainbow sea of plastic building blocks and worrying about choking hazards, Kate Campbell and Kate O'Donoghue decided to fashion a storage solution that would maximise creative play and minimise mess. And so the Play Pouch was born; a portable, durable and stylish pouch designed to keep every last block together.
"We understand and manage stress points through precision and technology, making life easier for small business owners." Felicity Mathews, Owner
Precision Bookkeeping Solutions is making life easier for small and medium businesses with a tailored solution to streamline their administrative, bookwork and compliance functions. By embracing technologies such as cloud-based bookkeeping solutions and online receipt storage, the team is helping small businesses achieve more through efficient bookkeeping.
"Our unique value is the size of our business. We will always know our clients personally. It also means our tenants become part of our 'family'." Sally Shaw, Director
Property Wise Launceston is a boutique property management agency owned and operated by Sally Shaw and Celeste Adkins. Launched in 2016, the business provides a full property management service, including investigation and sourcing of suitable investment properties, a review of return rates, presentation for the rental market and much more.
"We have a vision to revolutionise the way people invest in Australian real estate. We follow a structured analysis process that aims to remove emotion from the investor's buying decisions and helps them focus on the financial potential." Simon Pressley, Managing Director
Propertyology specialises in helping everyday Australians invest in residential real estate. Built on the belief that property investing requires completely different skills to buying a family home, the business has formed a team of specialists to research, select and negotiate the right property purchase for aspiring investors.
"Prospa solves two critical pain points for small business owners: the glacial pace at which bigger banks evaluate loan applications and their inflexibility - especially the need to provide a family home as security." Beau Bertoli, Joint CEO and Co-founder
Fuelled by an ambition to change the way people experience finance, Greg and Beau set up Prospa to provide fast, easy access to unsecured loans of between $5,000 and $250,000.
"On many occasions, our clients have actually improved their training performances after employing our services, purely because they are able to concentrate on their core business: training horses." Ben Pollock, Director
Racing Management Services was first established to help out a racing horse trainer as a favour, and supporting him in the day-to-day running of his business. Such experience being hard to come by, Ben and Nikki's business has since grown rapidly thanks to word of mouth.
"We provide clients with professional service and a tailored approach that gives businesses an accurate overview of their hard-earned gains." Debbie Demooy, Business Owner
With a decade of accounting experience behind her, Debbie Demooy felt there was a shortage of accurate and timely bookkeepers, making the decision to establish Rad Bookkeeping & Business Solutions in order to address the skills gap. A boutique bookkeeping practice, the Rad team keeps clients abreast of their financial developments to provide valuable insights into business growth, as well as helping to identify areas for improvement and potential new opportunities.
"RDTS aims to deliver a high quality, national transportation service, with key focuses on safety, reliability and a strong commitment to Aboriginal economic development in the areas in which we operate." Michael Hales, Director
Red Dirt Transport Services' (RDTS) vision is resolutely focused on overcoming the obstacles to Aboriginal employment in an industry renowned for having high barriers for Indigenous workers to enter. Providing transportation solutions for businesses across the mining, civil and construction industries, RDTS leads by example.
"We founded Redsbaby to provide Australian parents with a range of baby products that balance functionality with a sophisticated signature aesthetic." Meagan Redelman, Managing Director and Co-Founder
Entrepreneurial by nature, Brett and Meagan Redelman ditched their corporate jobs to start a business of their own. After toying with the idea of manufacturing men's loafers and other entrepreneurial ideas, the couple decided to take the plunge into the pram market after finding that all of the more stylish models available were designed for colder climates. And so Redsbaby strives to disrupt the market, with products that are as beautiful as they are practical.
"Our specialist services are inherently complex. Clients often struggle to understand the science of what we do, so we provide the expertise in an easy to understand manner to solve their noise, vibration and electromagnetic issues." Matthew Stead, Managing Director
Resonate is an engineering consultancy firm specialising in controlling noise and vibration, as well as electromagnetic fields around sensitive equipment. Resonate provides advice during the designing and constructing of buildings, roads, rail, mining, port facilities and more.
"We are always demonstrating that looking at things differently can change a life; we encourage new ways of thinking and doing in every field." Lesley Monro, Centre Manager
Riding for the Disabled in the Top End has been riding high ever since its very first programme launched in 1990 from the backyard of a home in Humpty Doo. Running a programme of sporting, therapeutic, educational and recreational equestrian activities designed to develop the abilities and enrich the lives of people with disabilities.
"For 20 years, weve been delivering amazing environments for people to work, dine and create in, for both corporate and government organisations." Brian O'Rourke, Managing Director
Armed with a calculator and his grandfather's desk, Brian O'Rourke started his business with a 'dare to dream' attitude. Over the past two decades, Rork Projects has expanded to become a nationally-accredited, interior fit-out and refurbishment specialist with offices in Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.
"Through continued innovation, Rufus & Coco solves everyday consumer needs with quality 'Best of Breed' products that make a genuine difference in the lives of pets and pet parents." Anneke van den Broek, CEO / Owner
Bringing its range of innovative grooming and cleaning products, fashion and home accessories, vitamins and litter to the mass market, Rufus & Coco Pty Ltd is successfully reshaping the industry in Australia, with a growing presence in the USA, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China.
Salamanca Dental is proud to be known as the 'smile providers' to the people of Southern Tasmania and beyond. Salamanca Dental provides one-appointment smile makeovers through a range of cosmetic options, which founder Dr Marta Bauk says are virtually pain-free and affordable on most budgets. Since starting in 2014, the practice has focused on creating a culture of continuous improvement that embraces the latest techniques, technology and training, as well as building relationships and confidence within the community.
"Scoot Boots are a unique, superior protective equine hoof boot on the market for barefoot horses travelling through rough terrain. It's the closest thing you can get to natural." Annette Kaitinis, Sales and Marketing Director
Scoot Boots is the only Australian manufacturer of protective equine hoof boots. It provides a solution to protect a horse's hooves but does not impede its movements. Nor does it get soggy, heavy or wet when the horse moves through muddy and wet terrain.
"We knew in our hearts that we wanted this program to be about wellness and empowerment. We wanted to liberate women from fear, or thoughts of being a social outcast, so they could experience for themselves what a huge difference sobriety could make to their lives." Rebecca Weller, Founder
Sexy Sobriety is an online coaching program that helps women to overcome and heal their dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. The program includes 90 lessons in 90 days delivered via a mix of online multimedia.
"We have an epidemic on our hands. There is a unique drug on the streets now that's destroying families at a rate like no other. We want to be part of the solution to the problem." Peter Lyndon-James, Chief Executive Officer
After more than a decade drug-free, Peter opened Shalom House _ an entirely self-funded men's rehabilitation centre whose mission is to restore the lives of those suffering from life-controlling issues, including substance abuse, anxiety and emotional trauma.
"Many women who share their story with us speak of having to choose between feeding their children and buying pads and tampons each month." Rochelle Courtenay, Founder
Share the Dignity and its army of 1,000 volunteers run a number of initiatives with the goal to restore dignity to homeless and at-risk women and girls, in particular those fleeing domestic violence. Rochelle Courtenay says their biggest achievement to date is the design and rollout of Australia's first Dignity Vending Machine, providing free sanitary items to homeless and at-risk women.
"We are a talent agency with a clear message for the industry: diversity is key. Working with national and international casting agents, we aim to ensure the right child is skilled and orientated to work as a professional within the industry." Terri Svoronos, Owner and Director
With the goal to break down barriers of the entertainment casting culture, Terri successfully started and ran numerous entertainment companies culminating in Showkidz, a talent agency that supplies diverse children's talent to industry.
"It's great to think that we can provide the brand management expertise, knowledge and systems to corporations with thousands of in-house resources but who still see value in our service." Daniel McHugh, Director
Working on major rebrands, roll-outs and maintenance, SignManager's services include planning and consultation, design, risk management, engineering, manufacture and installation, tendering and procurement, life-cycle management, and reporting and metrics.
"Our goal is to prevent people falling deeper into a cycle of homelessness by providing a safe place to sleep until they can get back on their feet." Simon Rowe, Founder and CEO
Using his 20-plus years of business experience, Simon set about developing a simple solution with a mission: to bring safe overnight accommodation to people sleeping rough in Australia. Founded in 2016, sleepbus is the world's first charity converting old buses into temporary overnight accommodation for homeless people.
"As a specialist agency that has resisted the temptation to diversify into other digital fields, we are across the changes and their impact often well before our competitors." Simone Douglas, CEO
Determined to turn a passion into profit, Simone Douglas established a specialist agency that would help businesses navigate the veritable minefield of social media and explore its potential to improve revenue, sales, market presence, brand experience, customer relationships and market audience.
"SEC Care offers a range of flexible in-home care, community support and centre-based services to enable the people of Tasmania to thrive in their communities." Helen Pollard, CEO
Empowering vulnerable people to remain in their own homes, even as their health and mobility deteriorates, South Eastern Community Care offers a range of support services designed to help clients maintain their independence for as long as is feasibly possible.
"The NT has for us become the land of opportunity and we look only to improve ourselves so that we can improve what we give back to our customers." Kamal Ali, Director
A locally-owned family business, Sterling NT is the largest cleaning and grounds maintenance contractor in Darwin. Operating in the Northern Territory for 31 years, the company started as a local cleaning contractor and has since grown to offer civil, landscape, general construction, building maintenance and remote area works.
"We believed our skillset, business experience and passion for creating great digital work could positively impact on all kinds of businesses, brands and dreams - and they did." Joe Fox, Business Development Director
Studio Culture started in 2013 with a vision that businesses deserved better in the way of digital marketing. Counting website design and development, app design, search engine optimisation, social media marketing and pay-per-click advertising amongst their core expertise, Studio Culture has supported businesses of all sectors and sizes in achieving their online goals.
"Current trends and mass production of standard sizing dictate to women what they can and can't wear. We are disrupting the fashion industry, by offering high quality, customised and ethically-made garments direct to the consumer." Siobhan Denniss, Owner/Director
Sui Generis, which is Latin for one of a kind, is on a mission to remove the mass customisation expected of today's fashion industry and change the way women of all shapes and sizes shop for clothes. Using an interactive website, shoppers can design their own custom dresses, which are made to fit their measurements and shipped direct to their door.
"We believe supporting our clients in terms of personal development and presentation is key to helping them thrive both in and out of the workplace." Dr Geraldine Elliott, President
Through its range of high quality programmes and services, Suited to Success empowers disadvantaged individuals to overcome barriers to employment. Firmly believing that looking good on the outside instils a sense of self-confidence that helps people thrive in professional situations, Suited to Success supplies clients with a capsule wardrobe containing a week's worth of corporate wear for interview and work.
"We enable our clients to make informed decisions that result in the improved financial health of their business." Harry Hoang, Executive Director
A start-up by a team of young international graduates, Tailored Accounts is putting university knowledge into practice to deliver improved accounting solutions. The business specialises in providing hands-on, timely and innovative solutions in bookkeeping and accounting services for Australian small and medium businesses.
"Talis Consultancy is in the business of providing high-quality consultancy support to help clients solve problems in a cost-effective manner." Andrew Mack, Associate Director
Talis Consultants is a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing services across assets, civil engineering, environment, noise, spatial sciences and waste management. Now boasting 40 specialist staff, Talis Consultants is a successful business, bucking the trend despite challenging market conditions.
"For many businesses, managing staff is an arduous and time consuming task that distracts them from reaching their own business goals. Tanda works to alleviate those everyday hassles." Bridget Mahon, Marketing Communications Officer
Tanda is an all-in-one software solution to manage workforce administration by streamlining rostering, time and attendance, leave management and payroll integration. The founders attest although it is a technologically impressive piece of kit, the software's true value lies not in what it can do, but in what it enables its users to do.
"Our proudest achievement is knowing we have impacted a child's life in such a way that they are inspired and motivated to learn more and to grow within a technology environment." Brenda van Rensburg, Co-Founder
With changing technology and job market, there is no guarantee that the jobs we have today will exist in 10 years. With this in mind, TechCamps4Kids is out to create a generation of creative thinkers, problem solvers and leaders of the future, who are confident in life and with technology.
"Textured Concept Foods offer a wide variety of texture-modified foods that look good, taste good, are nutritious and easy to prepare. Never before have the meal options for those suffering dysphagia been so appealing." Darren Benfell, Managing Director
TCF produce pureed items which resemble the actual foods that they are, in contrast to the bowls of mush that are typical for those on texture-modified diets. This remoulding of food means people with dysphagia can enjoy attractive recognisable meals that prompt memories and stimulate appetite; returning dignity to dinnertime.
"Created by industry for industry, AIE nurtures talent through intense, specialised learning designed to grow the creative digital sector." David De Margheriti, Business Development Manager/Director
Collaborative, career-focused and led by industry veterans, Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) courses are producing the next generation of digital creatives, from campuses across Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, with alumni holding senior positions in studios around the world.
"At The Health Lodge, we offer patients new solutions to old problems, creating safe and cohesive treatment plans that integrate mainstream medicine, allied health and complementary medicine recommendations to address the growing health epidemic in Australia." Reine Dubois, CEO/Clinical Director
At The Health Lodge, Reine Dubois has assembled a unified team of mainstream and complementary practitioners committed to collaboratively finding the underlying cause of a patients' illnesses, at a facility designed to answer the community's call for better health care.
"We believe that early years are crucial to achieving happiness, health and success as adults, so we aspire to empower children with the skills they need to reach their full potential." Tanya Cole, CEO
Offering a mix of home-based, disability and youth care, along with a mobile creche service for corporate events and a children's centre in Shanghai, China, the Hessel Group has now grown into the largest approved in-home care provider in South Australia.
"The MtSV provides a sense of community and connectivity, which is so crucial for those living and working in the isolated and often dangerous conditions experienced at sea." Nigel Porteous, Vice Chairman
Fatigue-related mental health issues, feelings of isolation, and reports of bullying and intimidation are rife amongst some sections of the shipping industry, making the extensive periods of time seafarers spend away from home all the more arduous. The Mission to Seafarers Victoria (MtSV) was set up in response to this plight 160 years ago by Reverend Ebenezer James and is now one of Australia's oldest charitable institutions.
"The Online Director is all about minimising spend and maximising outcome, meaning the problem we solve is overspending and poor ROI." Robyn Koldej, Managing Director
The Online Director, was founded to enable customers to achieve their digital advertising goals, by expounding the commercial power of Google AdWords, helping businesses to nail their AdWords strategy and implementing effective campaigns. Acutely aware that the more successful a Google campaign, the greater the discount to the spend, The Online Director crafts campaigns designed to maximise outcomes and minimise financial costs for clients.
"We think modern marketers need an agency fuelled by passion and curiosity and that by continually researching, learning and experimenting, we can create the kind of work that has the right impact on consumers." Dan Beaumont, Managing Partner
A bunch of thinkers, tinkerers, hustlers and hackers, The Royals is a communications agency looking to reign supreme in the post-digital era. Connecting businesses and brands with the right consumer in a way that's relevant, engaging, entertaining, memorable and commercial in nature, the team create work designed to challenge the current standards and norms within the advertising industry.
"Children with hearing loss need intensive early intervention program from birth to five to develop speech and language like their hearing peers, so they can attend mainstream schools. They also struggle to gain social skills, necessary to be able to form friendships, meaningful connections and relate to others. We focus not only on helping the child with speech pathology and audiological needs, but also on their social and emotional wellbeing and supporting the entire family." Dr Jim Hungerford, CEO
The Shepherd Centre provides early intervention programs for children who are deaf or have hearing loss, teaching them to listen, speak and socialise just like their hearing peers.
"At The Vanadium Lounge, we believe it's all about the relaxing experience. The fabulous hair is just an added bonus." Alison Goss, Salon Owner and Manager
For ten years, The Vanadium Lounge has been providing personalised hair design together with knowledgeable advice, premium products and exceptional customer service. Clients enjoy a candle-lit ambience and music from the salon’s own specially developed playlists.
"Many businesses that we've helped improve their cash flow, had previously been refused finance or found the existing providers too expensive or restrictive. By removing the many hurdles that financial institutions put up, we can help organisations grow, employ and build great businesses again." Charlotte Petris, Founder and CEO
Helping to shorten the cash flow cycle, Timelio enables businesses to secure the capital they need to hire new staff, take on new projects, buy new equipment and ultimately grow their business faster.
"TM Insight is the only business in Australia that provides a fully integrated approach to supply chain, property and project management." Travis Erridge, Director
TM Insight is a specialist consultancy firm bringing together industry experience in supply chain optimisation, property advisory, and project management to help businesses adapt and thrive in a changing industry.
"We focus on building and solidifying relationships, establishing trust, being accessible, communicating regularly and openly, and ensuring complete transparency with our clients. This has positioned us as an industry leader in a short timeframe, and helped us in our goal to provide a stress-free experience." Kristi Towns, Owner
TOWNS Conveyancing Services' goal is simple: to ensure every client's property purchase or sale is stress-free. Her dedication to the whole client relationship, instead of simply focusing on the property transaction, fuelled referrals, and 12 months later, her client numbers had doubled.
"We are the first veterinary hospital in Australia that has been purpose-built to practice fear free medicine which reduces stress, anxiety and fear in our patients." Rob Hill, Founding Director
The veterinary hospital of the future has arrived! Most animals and their owners hate going to a normal vet, but Treendale Pet Medical is not a normal veterinary practice. Located just outside of Bunbury, every element of the practice is designed with the animal's emotional welfare in mind, from calming colours to the free of charge 'love visits' where owners can give their pets treats and cuddles.
"Each individual student who makes progress, whether it be showing the correct pencil grip or mastering vertical equations, is a great milestone for us and for them." Kylie Clarke, Director
Tutor Me (NT) is an educational learning centre dedicated to developing confidence and fostering the learning potential of children from Preschool to Year 8. After their own experiences and challenges sourcing tutoring for their own children, Founders, Kylie Clarke and Meagan Whitbourne, saw a gap in the market for professional, sincere and authentically driven tutoring support services.
"Our aim is to provide a destination for tourists; one that celebrates Australia's cultural history while delivering a unique and unforgettable experience." Nick Troisi, Owner
Founder Nick Troisi was working as an outback tour guide bringing groups through Coober Pedy when he realised the potential of the Umoona Mine. When the opportunity arose to buy the mine in 2015, Nick knew that with his genuine passion for both tourism excellence and opal, it was a logical - yet daunting - move. Since taking the reins, Nick and his team have expanded Umoona Opal Mine & Museum to become a must-see tourist attraction in Coober Pedy.
"Our equipment allows customers to do more with less cut timber, for complex and varied building designs, in less time and at a higher quality." Edward Serrano, Managing Director
Vekta Automation is an industrial automation manufacturing business providing automated saw and material handling equipment to the construction industry. Through innovative automated equipment, Vekta Automation takes the emphasis off the operator, so truss plants can recruit from a broader resource pool without worrying about loss in quality, productivity or safety standards.
"Veritas’ smart technology provides clients with a fast and simple way to apply for background checks online or via mobile devices, saving clients valuable time and money." Stephen Inouye, Managing Director
n innovations company that seeks untapped opportunities to develop and tackle complex problems through the use of technology, Veritas has grown to become a national leader in the provision of background checking services and identity solutions.
"We identified that the tendency for many firms to diversify across a broad range of legal areas was having a detrimental impact both on business outcomes and the client experience." Greg Welden, Principal
Welden & Coluccio Lawyers strives to offer clients specialised legal counsel and counter the distinct lack of focused expertise in the area of estate planning and wills in South Australia.
"We believe in partnering with clients to advise, educate and guide them to make the right financial choices. We always put people before profit." Catherine Smith, Director
Intent on providing the Australian population with rounded and objective financial advice, tailored to their own individual circumstance, Catherine Smith set up multi-disciplinary firm, Wholistic Financial Solutions in 2010.
"Our vision is a future where all young people, regardless of their care needs, have the freedom to choose where they live, who they live with and how they live their lives." Anthony Ryan, CEO
Youngcare is fighting for freedom of choice for young people with high care needs and their loved ones. Through developing premium, age-appropriate housing solutions, access to grants and running a national support line, since launching in 2005, Youngcare has enabled 689 young people with high care needs to exit or avoid admission into inappropriate housing.
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