One of the best perks of my job is getting to go along to the Telstra Business Awards nights.  It’s a great opportunity to meet Australia’s up and coming business leaders and their speeches never fail to inspire.

Recently I had the chance to join some of the Award’s brightest young entrepeneurs at a special event in Sydney hosted by the NSW Government to encourage young people to consider a future in small business.

• Nathan Dale was awarded the 2010 Telstra Business of the Year for NSW.  He started his commercial property service business at age 23 and now has 17 full time staff.  His latest project is teaming up with Gerry Harvey on a project to provide traineeships to indigenous teenagers to improve housing.
• Dwanye Martens was a finalist in the 2011 NSW Telstra Business Awards. The self-confessed health fanatic has built a business – Amazonia -importing acai berries from Brazil and using them to produce a range of healthy drinks and products.
• Leanne Scanes was a finalist in the 2011 Young Business Women’s Award. She made her first profit at age 11, when she and three friends ran lunch time dance lessons at school. In 2000, at 22, the fresh-faced graduate co-founded Corporate Bodies International to deliver workplace health programs, today boasting 45 staff.
• Jo Heighway is an accountant to accountants – her Gosford-based business is one of the country’s largest self-managed super fund auditors.  She really impresses me as a champion for wanting to help Australians get more out of poorly performing super plans. Jo was recently named winner 2011 NSW marie claire Young Business Women’s Award.

Afterwards, I rocked up with a camera and microphone and put them to the test with some tough questions around key business themes. I was impressed at their responses.  I’m sure you will be too.

More information:

• www.telstrabusinessawards.com