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 2009 ActionCOACH My Business Awards Finalists & Winners profilesOverview | Finalists & Winners profiles | Testimonials | Sponsors | Categories Winners and Finalists of the
By year’s end the duo aims to have another seven stores up and running, bringing the tally to 40. The impressive expansion of the business has won Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars the ActionCOACH Award for Outstanding Excellence, in addition to the QuickBooks Award for Best Retailer. Securing the Heart Foundation Tick of Approval for their pizzas in 2008 has greatly boosted their sales. “On the day the Tick pizzas launched, traffic to the Crust website increased by 990 per cent and within the first three months, Crust sold approximately 121 tick pizzas per day,” Anastasiadis said. Happily for them too, the launch also boosted enquiries from prospective franchisees. “In a market consumed in debate surrounding growing levels of obesity and in which 190 million pizzas are consumed annually, Crust saw the opportunity to harness the health angle as no one else was making a healthier pizza,” he said. The business “saw a fantastic opportunity to offer something genuinely different” hence the pursuit of the Tick of Approval. Crust remains the first and only take-away pizza operator in Australia to earn the Tick of approval. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Costa Anastasiadis said "When we opened our first store in Annandale in Sydney it was a real family business. We're a big Greek family and everyone was in there." Anastasiadis is always on the look-out for new opportunities, and this year Crust rebranded its logo, pizza boxes and menus. The new slogan ‘proudly unrefined’ was introduced – testimony to the use of high quality ingredients. In other moves, Crust Gourmet has expanded its offering by introducing premium Upper Crust range, six ultra-premium pizzas delivered in square boxes and designed for sharing. He told My Business: “Sports and business are alike: you suffer set-backs, you develop focus and drive, you learn to deal with failure and move on. You are only ever as good as your last game. “But we don’t reflect much on what we’ve done, not for a minute do we look back. We are aggressive and still chasing it. … We’re coping with the growth [in store numbers] and are never overwhelmed by it, even though we have progressed from operating one store to managing many franchisees. It has been a steep learning curve, establishing infrastructure, quality and due diligence.” Already Crust is one of Australia’s fastest growing franchises. The company employs 358 people, including all franchisees and their staff. The future is being set out. More stores planned not just for Australia but also potentially overseas. On the drawing board are plans for sub brands and additional revenue streams. Growth is forecast at more than 100 per cent by 2012.
Finalist: Bakers Delight, Bondi Junction www.bakersdelight.com.au Finalist: Dinkums Print & Design www.dinkums.com.au Finalist: Guy Stuff Guy Stuff, the men’s gifts and collectibles ‘clicks and mortar’ business, is the brainchild of Darren Pead and his wife Lucille. Established in early 2007, Guy Stuff now boasts two shops in outer Sydney suburbs and an online presence, retailing 4000 different products that cater for all occasions. Despite the economic downturn, the business selling non essential items is already posting profits.
With more than two decades’ experience in hospitality, Gary Valkenburg had first-hand experience of the inconsistencies in training and communications systems within global companies. He believed there was a better way to go about business than using handbooks, and took it upon himself to develop a superior system. Using the internet and cloud technology he developed World Manager. Five years on and Superior Service is a multi-million dollar and award winning success story. It boasts 122,700 users with 6700 business locations in 51 countries. The expansion of the business has won it the Cisco Award for Best Technology in an SME Described as ‘the world’s first all in one global corporate communications platform’, World Manager (WM) enables CEOs to track employees and company development across the globe – and minute-by-minute. It is touted as the first and only product enabling companies to conduct training, human resources, communications and internal marketing and financial tracking within one online platform. The key benefit is WM’s “unprecedented reporting capabilities”. All entries – by employees and managers the world over – can be tracked live. By controlling human services, training and communications, WM has “changed the way corporations look at their own internal systems and structure,” Gary Valkenburg says. On receiving the Cisco Award for Best Technology, Valkenburg said "I met Brad Sugars of Action Coach six years ago and ever since then he has been a mentor to me. I've read every book he's written and I've used a lot of his ideas." Finalist: Cristina Re Designs www.cristinare.com Today CRD products are displayed in retail stores Australia-wide on unique custom made slatwall stands featuring the Cristina Re signature logo and website at more than 700 retailers, including Myer, Borders, Borders, Lincraft and Target. Finalist: Objective Digital www.ObjectiveDigital.com
SwapAce is the all-in-one online marketplace and meeting place created by Joseph Renzi that enables people to buy, sell, swap and trade products and services within trusted communities. Users can exchange products or services with a similar value, or visit the different forums on the site that encourage like-minded individuals to gather in communities to exchange news and views. The company’s success won it the Salesforce.com Award for Best E-Business. SwapAce now boasts 250,000 members in 150 countries, and new offerings include UniSwap.com.au, RecycleAustralia.org and the very popular OurWishingWell.com online gift registry. “To clarify, we are one business, one team but we have multiple websites,” Renzi said. “Our core business is developing innovative web-based businesses.” The company has patented several features of its unique system, including its electronic ‘bartering system’, electronic ‘negotiation system’, ‘offer management system’ and ‘reverse’ auction system. “OurWishingWell.com was founded on the philosophy that not all newlyweds need or want traditional wedding gifts such as another crystal vase or set of cutlery,” said Renzi. “The success of OurWishingWell.com has led to the creation of specialised sites that include BabyWishingWell.com, BirthdayWishingWell.com and BestFundraiserWebsite.com. “SwapAce.com has responded well to the Global Financial Crisis. During the economic downturn, people have looked at ways to save money and to obtain things without spending money. The traffic to SwapAce.com has approximately doubled as people have turned to bartering as an answer to their difficult financial situation. We have made SwapAce.com free to use.” Renzi has mapped out strategies for future development and says further down the track he wants to further develop the websites into commercial products with positive financial return and “assets suitable for a trade sale to a major IT company or media company”. Finalist: BabyCupCakes Capitalising on the baby boom and targeting an identified niche in the gift market for “practical and beautiful” baby gifts, Babycupcakes® showcases baby clothing and bedding in colorful floral or food themed arrangements. The business was launched by business partners Marianne Camper and Kathy Bellingham in Sydney in mid 2003. The success of the original babycupcakes online retail concept financed the growth to wholesale manufacture in 2005. Both the retail and wholesale arms of the business are internet based. Finalist: Buy A Shed Forming key Industry alliances with suppliers to source products, Toowoomba-based Josh Rimmington and Tony Shaw created online super store BuyaShed.com.au, selling outdoor products including sheds, carports, garages, garden sheds, patios and more. They have since expanded into New Zealand with BuyaShed.co.nz, and into several spin off sites such as BuyaTank.com.au, BuyaBBQ.com.au and BuyaSpa.com.au. “Because of our success in both Australia and New Zealand, we will be expanding to the UK and US, using the same system and strategies that have worked successfully for us in Australia,” Rimmington said.
Ensitech is a design and manufacturing company dedicated to applying innovative technologies to create high-tech yet simple products and solutions, according to directors Clive White and Frank Fornasari. Its products enable industry to change the way they do business, performing difficult tasks with increased safety, efficiency, economy and with reduced risk to the environment. The company’s initial product offering is the TIG Brush® Stainless Steel Weld Cleaning System, a machine which uses a proprietary electro-chemical process to clean stainless steel welds and restore stainless steel surfaces without need for the dangerous chemicals (pickling paste) traditionally used for this operation. In place of hazardous chemicals, the TIG Brush uses low-voltage, high-current electrical output in conjunction low-toxicity phosphoric solutions to perform the cleaning operation more effectively, more quickly and more safely. “The TIG Brush has been enthusiastically adopted by businesses carrying out stainless steel fabrication, installations, maintenance and repairs. TIG Brush customers are spread across a wide range of industries, including food manufacturing, dairy processing and wine production as well as architectural, furniture and marine,” White and Fornasari said. It was six years ago that Clive White, who is a qualified electrical engineer with extensive experience in the development of high-tech and software-based products, and Frank Fornasari, an aeronautical engineer by training, with extensive experience in technical drafting and product design and development, were first approached to develop a stainless steel weld cleaning system as an alternative to the traditional cleaning method. Following extensive research, development and testing work in both laboratory and field conditions, Ensitech Pty Ltd was established in 2006 for the commercial development and marketing of the TIG Brush Ensitech team members are located in NSW and Victoria. The company is committed to the development of a locally-based Australian manufacturing operation and has successfully developed its own Australian R&D, manufacturing and export operations. “In January 2008 we'd built 18 units, and now we've nearly sold 500. The business just took off," said Clive White when presented with the St George Best Start Up Business Award. Finalist: Braaap Braaap is the sound of a dirtbike and the name of the company that designs, manufactures, imports, tests, retails, rides, races and educates people and continuously refines its flagship product: a motorcycle called the braaapster. The braaapster motorcycle evolved from the passion of a teenage Tasmanian, Brad Smith, who said “The braaapster is unique in design and appearance. It is about the size of a BMX bike and suitable for all ages and sizes from an eight year old to a rider weighing 125 kgs. I call it a BMX on steroids!” The bikes are sold through Smith’s braaap stores in Hobart, Launceston and Frankston in Victoria. Finalist: Kidspot.com.au www.kidspot.com.au is a website for parents in Australia whose founders also have a 75 per cent interest in www.kidspot.co.nz and who own 100% of www.birth.com.au “the authority on pregnancy and birth in Australia”. The business origins lie in a directory for parents, with listings including just those businesses focused on pregnancy, baby & children. “The original vision was to provide a quick and easy way for a mum to find everything from a pram to a math tutor to the local soccer team online or in their local area,” said CEO Katie May. “After 18 months, we expanded the business to include extensive parenting content covering all ages and stages – from pregnancy through to school aged children – and community.”
Shift International was co-founded by Colin Lee in a bid to help young people empower themselves and to create their own future ‘as magnificent as they dare to dream’. With a target market of 11-19 year olds, the Shift International team runs workshops and camps, stages social outings and community events dealing with a range of needs, whether emotional or educational. In the five years since Shift International was established, more than 30,000 youngsters have been reached and inspired. Some in England, Malaysia, New Zealand and Russia. Shift International won the ADT Security Australia Award for Best Young Gun in Small Business “Our vision is to reach 100,000 young lives by the year 2015 globally and be the leading provider of personal and professional development for teenagers,” Lee said from his base in Baulkham Hills. “We believe that when any young person is placed in an inspiring, fun, engaging and challenging learning environment, they are capable of making a difference to the world and living an extraordinary life.” Life skills are honed via the two-day Get Real Experience (the flagship program) and five-day ‘Face the real World’ camps. Academic skills are sharpened through Genius Unleashed school programs and the one-day Excellerate, conducted by mentors and life coachers, also via Work Wise Workshops. Mentorship is offered via Interrelate, which enables teenagers to understand rewards and consequences. All staff are volunteers, and facilitators are chosen from among the top professional trainers in the area of teenage development. They undergo 200 hours of onsite training before leading a team. Courses are delivered in a hotel and conference centre. Established in mid 2004, the company is now five years old and operates program partners in Melbourne, Canberra and Tasmania. On receiving the ADT Young Gun award, Shift International’s Colin Lee revealed "We've recently signed a big contract with the department of education in NSW. We've also worked with Mission Australia because people in third world countries deserve our programs too." Finalist: Don McKenzie, Stream Group Established just two years ago by then aged 24 year old Don McKenzie, Stream has “enjoyed sensational success”, employs 52 staff and is negotiating with partners in the UK and USA. Stream services the insurance industry by offering the management of high volume building damage claims via its buildassist model. It is described as ‘the first true end to end solution for the insurance industry, housing associations, government agencies and property managers for management of property damage claims’. Finalist: Tristan White, The Physio Co Launched in 2004 by physiotherapist Tristan White The Physio Co is a young, dynamic company that is helping Australians aged over 65 stay mobile, safe and happy for as long as possible. A specialist healthcare provider over the past five years, The Physio Co has rapidly become a market leader in healthcare for Australians over 65, providing physiotherapy, podiatry and OHS services at a large number of aged care sites, retirement villages and individual homes. Each week staff from The Physio Co visit more than 5000 clients at 60-plus different locations. Clients include private and not for profit organisations. The company employs the equivalent of 18 full time staff.
Coffs Harbour-based Sean Martyn founded PrincipleFocus in 2006 with a vision to help build a prosperous and vibrant regional Australia and profitable and sustainable farming sector, by delivering strategic advice and services to farmers and regional small business owners. It won the National Institute of Accountants Award for Best Regional Business. At present PrincipleFocus has over 500 current members nationally and a marketing audience of over 5000 farmers and land managers. PrincipleFocus has offices in Coffs Harbour NSW, Launceston TAS, Geelong VIC, Victor Harbor SA. “We have associate staff located in regional areas nationwide and our business partners include The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Practical Systems, Ag Concepts and The Property School Group,” Martyn explained. PrincipleFocus has 21 full time staff, 6 part time staff and 14 regional associates. When presented with the NIA Award,, Sean Martyn said "This business is about serving the needs of its owners, so the business works around my choice to live in Coffs Harbour," adding "It's an absolute pleasure dealing with Australian farmers. Because they work on the land a lot of them are multi-generational businesses." Finalist: McKeon's Swim School Located near Wollongong, the McKeon swim school was established in 1991 with a focus on teaching swimming as a life gift for safety, health and excellence. The family-owned business operates in five locations, delivering programs for a range of swimming and water safety needs from “learn to swim to elite coaching” and community education. “It is more than a sport, it is an investment in the health, fitness and overall growth and development of the whole person” say co-founders and ex-professional swimmers Ron and Susie McKeon who employ 70 staff and teach swimming to 4000 children each week. Finalist: Penguin Composites Tasmanian based Penguin Composites has been designing, developing and delivering innovative fibreglass products since 1976. The company’s latest innovation is manufacturing stainless steel products involving stainless turbo/exhaust shields and the acquisition of Islander Campers manufacturing plant, enabling the company to make caravan and campervan slide-ons in conjunction with customer needs. "Our customers are primarily international companies providing services to the mining, water treatment and the marine industries,” says John van der Woude.
The Travelscene Corporate Award for Best Medium Business
Back in the nineties when he was running a gym, Vital George Holman bemoaned the time spent chasing payment, and his cash flow was irregular. It was then he struck upon the idea for a simpler solution. Direct debiting was the answer, and he established Ezypay in 1996 as the solution for him (and for other businesses). It worked for him, taking his membership base from 200 to 4000 a year. The automated facility is designed to “make life easier… take the hassle out of collecting customer payments… Our direct debit facility allows you to set up your customers into automatic on-going debits from their bank account or credit cards.” The company won the Travelscene Corporate Award for Best Medium Business Ezypay offers the flexibility of streamlining billing and chosen point of sale software. With a staff of 31, Ezypay has notched up several milestones: by 1998 a million transactions had been completed, in 2001 the business scored first place on the BRW fast 100, in 2006 they expanded into New Zealand, in 2008 created an online secure customer initiated direct debit gateway and this year – 2009 – have handled over three million transactions. “It was the first business (outside a bank) to provide direct debit to other businesses in Australia. “The first to provide SMS failed payment follow-ups, and to provide multiple direct debit services created specifically to suit different types of customer needs,” Holman explained. “Our vision is to be growth businesses’ first choice for the provision of innovative Ezypay’s Trent Brown collected the Travelscene Award for Best Medium Business. He said: "We're not focusing on [additional] overseas markets at the moment because we still believe we have a long way to go in New Zealand and Australia. We're now the largest provider of outsourced direct debit billing in the country." Finalist: Brazilian Butterfly Established just seven years ago, spray tanning and waxing/hair removal outlet, Brazilian Butterfly, has developed into a popular franchise. Beautician Tanya Farrar opened her first Brazilian Butterfly in Melbourne, and has since developed a franchise which has 170 staff and boasts 20 outlets in Victoria, Queensland and Canberra. Husband Scott Farrar is Managing Director of the business. Finalist: Pizza Capers The stated mission of Pizza Capers is to offer a real point of difference through healthier, better quality pizza, topped with premium gourmet ingredients using only the best produce - olives from Greece, pizza sauce from Italy, meats from local producers, and fruit and vegetables fresh from the markets. Co-founders Anthony Russo and Scott Geiszler opened the first Pizza Capers store in 1996. “We were the first pizza chain to offer pasta and gluten-friendly pizzas to our guests. We were the first Australian pizza company to offer internet ordering. Recently, we became the first pizza chain to offer risotto.”
Sense of Security’s two founders, Murray Goldschmidt and Jason Edelstein founded Sense of Security Pty Limited in 2002, Today it is a leading independent provider of information security and risk management solutions in Australia and the winner of the Optus Award for Fastest Growing Small Business. “Our services have been specifically designed to assist organisations identify and evaluate security risks, and to design and implement security solutions which mitigate any exposures,” they said. “Sense of Security has a wealth of experience from work we have performed for banking, insurance, finance, public sector and large scale businesses. We have expertise in assessment and assurance, as well as strategy and architecture, through to deployment and ongoing management.” “Becoming secure and staying secure requires ongoing vigilance. As the Internet threat landscape worsens, the best way to prevent adverse security events is by implementing a regime of regular and structured independent security assessments to maintain compliance with best practice standards, corporate policies and guidelines. “We are continually researching developments in technology from an information security & risk management perspective. The advantage of being a relatively small business is that we can quickly adapt our service offerings to changing market trends. Sense of Security has delivered growth exceeding 50% year on year for over three years, and been profitable since inception. The company employs a dozen full-time staff. After expressing delight for gaining the Optus Fastest Growing Small Business Award, Murray Goldschmidt and Jason Edelstein said: "We originally started working from our own bedrooms in our own homes and the business grew from there." Finalist: JB Global In the five years since it was established by Justin Beeton (Managing Director) and Scott Beeton (State Manager), JB Global has expanded to open offices in Brisbane and Melbourne, with its headquarters in Sydney. The core business involves providing full service investment advice, developing leading investment solutions for all investors, and providing Australians free investment education. “In 2008 when the Australian share market collapsed by more than 55% as a result of the global financial crisis, for JB Global premium portfolio clients the majority of their investment was protected,” say Justin Beeton and Scott Beeton. Finalist: Refund Home Loans Refund Home Loans is a mortgage broker that successfully competes with other mortgage brokers and banks. The company entered the competitive mortgage market in April 2004 with the promise of a real cash refund for every loan taken out with the company; up to 50% of the commissions it receives from its lenders. The model was conceived by Wayne Ormond on the basis of his industry experience. “Research conducted by the company before launching showed people wanted to discuss their mortgages in the security of their own surroundings,” he said.
Founder of Squiggly Training, Deborah Morandin, says; “being able to witness the unique metamorphosis of each individual, from needing to wanting and knowing how to achieve. The social and environmental impact of each class of graduating students has been a tremendous joy to be part of.” Such words paint the picture of the nature of her business which helps change lives, encouraging clients to turn over the rocks in their lives and “deal with the squiggly bits underneath, one rock at a time.” Squiggly Training presents coaching with its roots in The Butterfly Experience, trademarked by Morandin who is a Queensland resident. Assisting her are three staff, 10 volunteers and several external, professional consultants. Among the programs on offer are one-on-one life and business coaching, power weekends, public/in-house training programs, life mentoring, and a 10-week program to help disadvantaged women find new purpose, stronger family and community ties. Taking place one day a week over 10 weeks The Butterfly Experience helps build participants’ self esteem and confidence, with participants overcome stumbling blocks in life to take control, manage stress and time, set goals, and more on the path to create a life worth living. Along the way they cultivate a support group. The Squiggle Skills for Life Program is designed for disadvantaged women wanting to re-enter the workforce or to create a study and career plan. Post course employment stands at 93 per cent. “We don’t just run programs from nine to five, give hand-outs and hope our clients remember the lessons we teach,” Morandin says. “We have follow up programs where our graduates are still meeting regularly, five years after their program.” In the seven years since inception, Squiggly Training has catered for 400 one-on-one clients, plus 5000 more in sessions and programs. The Butterfly Experience is now being developed into a DVD program that will be distributed worldwide. Filming and animation has already commenced. There is widespread recognition of and support for her business which has justifiably developed a high profile among media, the NEIS and government circles, and gained attention in the US and further afield. “We are now going into a massive growth phase,” Morandin said. At the awards ceremony, when presented with the GIO Best Small Business Award, Morandin told the audience: "I used to work for a very large training organisation, which I won't mention by name, and they did such a bad job that I thought I'd start on my own and do a really, really good job. I've now worked with over 5000 women." Finalist: Smart Burn Smart Burn is a Bunbury-based, family owned and operated business involved in every aspect of our enterprise from manufacture and distribution of the environmental SmartBurn product throughout Australia. “Smart Burn Pty Ltd recognized the need to improve the burning efficiency of domestic wood heaters, open fireplaces and kitchen wood stoves – a heating source on which so many householders were reliant, “ says Industrial Chemist, Peter Hutchison, who invented the device that reduces smoke haze and particulate emissions from domestic wood heaters by up to 50%. Other finalists for the GIO Award for Best Small Business included: Superior Service, SwapAce and the The Physio Co (see earlier profiles) |
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Former professional footballer, Costa Anastasiadis, established Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars in 2001 in Sydney. One year later his cousin Michael Logos joined him and between them they have built a national chain of 33 outlets across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Newcastle. 
Winner: SwapAce / Ourwisingwell.com
Winner: Ensitech
Winner: Colin Lee, Shift International
Winner: Ezypay
Winner: Squiggly Training