Queensland Small Business Month officially launched on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday 1 May with a packed out networking breakfast attended by the State’s Small Business Commissioner, Dominique Lamb.
In addition to launching the month-long celebration of small business, the annual Sunshine Coast Business Awards program was launched with nominations and applications now open for the awards’ 30th year.
Ms Lamb acknowledged the region’s entrepreneurial spirit and the important role small business plays in driving Queensland’s economic growth.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our state’s economy. With over 495,000 small and family businesses in Queensland, it is wonderful to be here on the Sunshine Coast to hear from small business owners about their unique business journeys,” she said.
“This vibrant business community shows what can be achieved when innovation, resilience and community spirit come together. It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate Queensland Small Business Month and help celebrate this iconic awards program in its 30th year.”
Business leaders were also treated to an engaging panel discussion featuring standout local success stories; Robert Boesten from The Mattress Company who spoke on a decade of of innovation in the sleep industry; Alex Harris founder of Noosa4Sale and founder of KoalaTracker who shared insights into business, advocacy and community leadership; Dr Danielle Huston of the Animal Emergency Service who explained the impact of their revolutionary Open Hospital model on client trust and pet health outcomes.
Also speaking were Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli and Noosa Mayor Frank Wilkie, both highlighting the depth and diversity of local enterprises.
For three decades, the Sunshine Coast Business Awards have celebrated the resilience, innovation and excellence of our region’s businesses,” Jennifer Swaine said, Chair of the Sunshine Coast Business Awards.
“Small business isn’t just the backbone of our economy – it’s the heart and soul of our community.”
This year, the awards not only honour the present but also reflect on the remarkable progress of Sunshine Coast businesses over the last 30 years. From humble beginnings to a booming, high-growth economy, the Coast now boasts over 43,000 small businesses, contributing to more than half of all regional employment.
“The program continues to uphold a rigorous, transparent judging process, guided by respected industry leaders, while fostering a supportive community that promotes knowledge sharing, networking, and growth,” added Swaine.
To mark this landmark year, several important updates have been made to the award categories to better reflect the evolving business landscape. Changes to categories this year include splitting Festivals and Events from Experiences and splitting the Health category into health and medical services and personal fitness and wellbeing.
Also reflecting the growth of small business on the Sunshine Coast, the award categories this year will see Building and Construction expand to include Engineering. Retail will now include e-commerce and Advanced Technology is now specifically for developers of proprietary technologies such as AI, robotics, bioengineering, and more.
This year’s awards will also see the inaugural Sustainability category be awarded to those who enter any other category and opt in to showcase their businesses credentials in this ever increasingly important space.
Nominations and entries are now open with the finalists to be named in October and the awards gala event to take place on 8 November.
