ISSUE 2 | SEPTEMBER
2024 CHAMPIONING THE FEMALE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
SARAH NAMED FINALIST IN AUSMUMPRENEUR AWARDS
ONE STOP PROSPERITY SHOP
WWW.WOMENINSMALLBUSINESS.COM
SPECIAL FEATURE
FEMALE TRAILBLAZERS CROWNED
It was the ‘Logies of Small Business’
T
HE biggest celebration of women in small business has honoured more than 60 of the country’s top-performing female small business operators at the 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards held in Sydney on August 24. Touted the ‘Logies of small business’ and hosted by Nine journalist and TODAY show presenter Jayne Azzopardi, the glittering gala event saw approximately 1000 small businesspeople from myriad retail, services and manufacturing industries converge at The Star. Triple Olympic gold medallist, Stephanie Rice, was among the VIP guests in attendance and provided inspirational addresses on the power of resilience in professional sport as in small business. The major recognition awards programme attracted entrants from all Australian states and territories and was comprehensively judged over multiple rounds by an independent panel of dozens of small business experts. The stringent judging criteria spanned various aspects of small business operations including short and long-term growth strategies, pro tability, eco-friendliness, innovation, marketing initiatives, customer service quality and charitable and community support – to name but some of the judging criteria.
Winners included The evening’s most highly-anticipated award – 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion ICON – was won by Vicki Clare-Geluk of Plie Groove'n'Shu e dance school at Cromer, NSW. The epitome of a savvy trailblazer who turned her business from a onewoman-show to an award-winning performing arts and sports school that now operates across multiple campuses with more than 30 sta and 1000 students, Plie Groove’n’Shu e has achieved considerable growth under Vicki’s leadership. Extremely active within Sydney’s Northern Beaches community, delivering a variety of volunteer-based initia-
tives designed to foster In a beauty trifecta for good mental health, ealth, Queensland, aesthetics and self-esteem and d beauty business coaching coping strategies es company JadeStart took for young people, ple, ttop to p gong for ProfesPlie’s unique ssional si onal Services, the Cosmetic programmes and nd C Co smetic Specialist nurturing environronccategory ca tegory was won by Bobbie ment under Vicki’s cki’s B Bo bbie Charles Skin headship also & Cosmetic Clinic, cater to athletes es with additional al needs. With a diverse background as a Di-rector, Author and Marketing g Strategist, Kristine Young of Bella Venezia Italian restaurant at Mooloolaba in Queensland, won on 2024 Australian Small all Business Champion n In uenWinner Vicki Clare-Geluk. tial Woman. The award ffor 2024 Young Small Business Champion Woman Entrepreneur was and Queensland’s Lust Minerals won the Beauty Product category. presented to Rise Up Occupational TherHowever, among the year’s most apy Services’ Director and Senior Occucompetitive categories with more than pational Therapist, Cassandra Cagorski, for her inspiring achievements in Allied two dozen nalists, the Beauty Services Health services as well as exemplary award was presented to NSW-based business, Isabella Loneragan Skin. With leadership of her small business team. a focus on holistic health and bespoke Indi Livas, Founder of the Monday facial treatments, as well as educational Food Co, was named 2024 Small Business Champion Woman Entrepreneur. courses for fellow industry professionals With a variety of socially conscious and and a product range called Ragan Skin, the Founder of the business, Isabella eco-friendly elements to her business Loneragan, was also applauded for her which bene ted signi cantly from Indi’s in uence on the industry via e ective appearance on the television show, Shark Tank, Indi grew up on a farm media engagement strategies. in New South Wales and is a quali ed Spanning capital cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns, the aryoga teacher. She has a background in ray of more than 60 winning women-led naturopathy and raw food production that led her to creating the Monday small businesses this year also included Food Co, which she aspires to grow into Business Coaching category winner The Australia’s leading gut friendly health Alternative Board, Quakers Hill East food company. Combined OSHC Inc for Most Inclusive
Employer, Environmental Env Business Tiny Tins and Wollo Wollondilly Women in Business for its success in i aiding its members’ businesses to grow g and connect with community. “Being sele selected as a Champion of this major event even from a national entrant pool of thousan thousands speaks volumes of the tenacity and le leadership at each of these said Steve Loe, Awards small businesses,” business Founder and M Managing Director of Precedent Prod Productions, which coordinates the Australian Au Women’s Small Awards. Business Champion C “The Awards honour the “Th nation’s most exceptional nati female leaders today who fem are making an indelible a mark on the small business sector. This year’s winners are now among a highly esteemed group Champions and as such, of recognised C proud of their ought to feel immensely im achievements and of their teams. “The successes succes of our 2024 Australian Women’s Small Smal Business Champions personal milestones but also are not just per of what women can powerful statements statem achieve and the excellence that de nes hi d th Australian small businesswomen today. It is truly a pleasure to spotlight these very worthy Champion women of small business,” added Mr Loe. According to Australian Government data, female small business owners currently represent more than one-third of all small businesses; and recently released research from Commonwealth Bank suggests more and more Australian women are choosing to start a small business or side hustle, with women opening up 43.2 per cent of all new business transaction accounts during the 2023 nancial year. The 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards is sponsored by Boa, NOVA Employment, Xcllusive Business Sales, VJB Group, Castaway Forecasting and Big Clean. For more information – including a full list of 2024 winners – visit championawards.com.au/ womens.