The 137 successful 2023 Sunshine Coast Business Awards finalists came together with Awards sponsors at a special storytelling masterclass and cocktail party celebration at Noosa Springs yesterday.
Sunshine Coast Business Awards Chair Jennifer Swaine said the event was always a very special one, bringing together everyone to celebrate ahead of the Awards Gala in November, but it was extra special this year.
“This year, we wanted to evolve the Finalists Event, so the Awards committee looked at the event objectives, which is to celebrate the finalists and bring them all together along with our sponsors, as well as to help them make the most of their status as finalists, Mrs Swaine said.
“In the past, we have always had a media master class, but this year we focussed specifically on the importance of storytelling – for both the individuals involved and as a business. We also increased the engagement and networking opportunities between our finalists and our great supportive sponsors through some new networking activities.
As part of the event, restauranteur and world-renowned chef Peter Kuruvita gave a presentation about how to tell the story of business success and maximise the opportunities created by being involved with the Awards. Peter won Business of the Year 2019 and the Hospitality Large category with the Noosa Beach House the same year.
Mr Kuruvita congratulated the finalists and said they had already achieved so much.
“You can learn so much from the awards application process. I entered three times before we had our win in 2019, and what I learned is that we just had to be ourselves and tell our story,” Peter said.
Mr Kuruvita went on to talk about his career in restaurants, both in Australia and internationally and said it was the connections he made, hard work, and the people he worked with that were the keys to success.
“I encourage everyone to celebrate your success in becoming a finalist and share that with your teams and your community.”
There was also a panel discussion with the Awards media partners, including ADFX managing director Kelly Thomas, Sunshine Coast Daily editor Scott Sawyer, Channel Seven regional Qld marketing representative Dr Caroline Campbell, Sunshine Coast Publishing Company general manager Shannon Dawes, and Deb Caruso from InPublishing.
Sunshine Coast Business Awards Judging Chair Bruce Williams said the Awards committee were incredibly grateful to all the judges, themselves highly successful businesspeople, who volunteered their time to read through the entries and then participated in the finalist interviews.
“Each judge has read over 25 applications, which means the judges have read about 110,000 words each. Combined, that is more than 2.8 million words read, or like reading all seven Harry Potter novels 2.6 times, so it is a lot of work.
Mrs Swaine said the Awards are reliant on sponsorships to ensure we can deliver the program throughout the year, leading to our Gala Awards Celebration in November, and we are delighted to have a record level of support from our sponsors this year, including naming rights sponsor, LPE.”
“Our sponsors are incredibly important to us, and we would like to thank each of them, including our naming rights sponsor, energy provider LPE, our platinum sponsor Sunshine Coast Council, diamond sponsor Noosa Council, gold sponsors Walker Corporation, Sunshine Coast Airport, Judo Bank, Pacific Ford and Portable Creations, silver sponsors ADFX, Sunquest Signs, COYO, Catton & Tondelstrand Lawyers, Travis Schultz & Partners and Clifford Gouldson Lawyers and Bronze Sponsors SRJ Walker Wayland, University of the Sunshine Coast, Telstra Business Technology Centre Sunshine Coast and TAFE” Mrs Swaine said.
“I would also like to acknowledge the committee members who are also volunteers and who contribute around 100 volunteer hours a month to deliver the awards year after year.”
Now that the two rounds of judging has been completed, we are working towards the much-anticipated Awards Gala, which is the business committee’s biggest night of the year, on Saturday, 11th November.
The 2023 Sunshine Coast Business Awards finalists include: (in alphabetical category order)
Accommodation
- Mercure Sunshine Coast Kawana Waters, Birtinya
- Misty View Cottages, Montville
- Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat, Montville
- Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort, Noosa Heads
- Rosecliffe Boutique Farm Cottages, Cooran
- Team BnB, Noosaville
Advanced Technology
- Cérge, Peregian Beach
- Dr App, Sippy Downs
- GreaseBoss, Birtinya
- Raider Targetry, Kunda Park
- Sell Securely, Noosaville
Building & Construction
- Absolute Plastering, Cooroibah
- Advanced Aquarium Technologies, Kunda Park
- AMG Kitchens, Warana
- Nyblad Constructions, Caloundra West
- Oly Homes, Yandina
- Qspec Building Mobility Solutions, Maroochydore
- Stilus Design and Construction, Forest Glen
Business Services
- ABA Advice Beyond Accounting, Birtinya
- Admins The Answer, Peregian Springs
- COPY CRED, Beerburrum
- Crisp Communications Co
- DIGITALON, Wurtulla
- Fishbowl, Mooloolaba
- GetSynergy, Warana
- Henzells Agency, Caloundra
- Kaizen Marketing, Maroochydore
- Kook Digital & Web, Mooloolaba
- Pixel Co Creative & Marketing, Maroochydore
- Secure Access IT, Maroochydore
- Social Tap, Noosaville
- Sunny Advertising Group, Maroochydore
- Whitelight Communications, Coolum Beach
Clean Technology
- Aussie Tiny Houses, Coolum Beach
- ECOllaboration, Nambour
- Mineral Fox, Coolum Beach
- Oggy Scooters, Mooloolaba
- Pipe Management Australia, Maroochydore
Creative Industries
- Dance Energy Studios, Caloundra
- Ignite and Write by Roxanne McCarty-O’Kane, Beerwah
- Empire Art Photography, Mountain Creek
- Raw Lens, Birtinya
- Your Brand Crew, Buderim
Education & Training
- Kate Langford Consulting, Birtinya
- Nikki Fogden-Moore The Mojo Maker, Doonan
- NumberWorks’nWords Sippy Downs, Sippy Downs
- The Eighth Mile Consulting, Caloundra
Experiences
- Amaze World, Tanawha
- Aussie World, Palmview
- Coastal Cruises Mooloolaba, Mooloolaba
- Creative Tours, Minyama
- ecoTekk Sunshine Coast, Kulangoor
- Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World, Wootha
- NOOSA alive!, Noosaville
- Sunreef, Mooloolaba
- Sunshine Coast Ballooning, Cooroy
- Sunshine Coast Lightning, Sippy Downs
- Sunshine Coast Virtual Reality Centre, Birtinya
- Tipsy Tours, Buderim
Export
- Nikki Fogden-Moore The Mojo Maker, Doonan
- The Eighth Mile Consulting, Caloundra
- GreaseBoss, Birtinya
- Advanced Aquarium Technologies, Kunda Park
- Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment, Lake Macdonald
- Smartline Medical, Yandina
- Sunreef, Mooloolaba
Food & Agribusiness
- Beachtree Distilling Co., Caloundra West
- Cooee Coffee Co., Bli Bli
- Global Boss International, Eerwah Vale
- Green Valley Fingerlimes, Peachester
- Maleny Dairies, Maleny
- Noosa Black Garlic, Peregian Beach
- Peachester Fresh, Peachester
- Wild Horse Turf, Glass House Mountains
Health & Wellness
- Body and Mind by Leon, Warana
- Bubble ‘n’ Kick Swim School, Forest Glen
- Comfort Dental Centre Buderim, Buderim
- Embody Movement, Currimundi
- How’s Your Head Space, Wurtulla
- Integrated Rehab Centre, Noosaville
- Sunshine Coast Orthopaedic Group, Birtinya
Hospitality
- Alex Surf Club, Alexandra Headland
- Bella Venezia Restaurant, Mooloolaba
- Kaali Gourmet Indian Restaurant, Noosa Heads
- Montanas On Buderim, Buderim
- Sunny Rays Catering, Mountain Creek
- Sunshine Beach Surf Club, Noosa Heads
- Tony Kelly Restaurant Group, Mooloolaba
Manufacturing
- Eniquest, Bells Creek
- First Light Fabrication, Bells Creek
- G&M Craftsman Cabinets, Maroochydore
- Helitak Fire Fighting Equipment, Lake Macdonald
- Milkman Grooming Co, Maroochydore
- Metalmorphic Laser, Kunda Park
- Rockcote Enterprises, Yandina
- Smartline Medical, Yandina
- The Mattress Company, Yandina
- Trailers 2000 Group, Beerwah
Professional Services
- Aitken Legal, Birtinya
- Animal Emergency Service Tanawha, Tanawha
- Bennett + Bennett, Maroochydore
- Bradley & Bray Lawyers, Nambour
- Catton & Tondelstrand Lawyers, Maroochydore
- CoastWide Smiles Dentalcare, Coolum Beach
- Greenhalgh Pickard, Minyama
- Gregson & Weight Funeral Directors, Caloundra
- Habitance Architects, Mapleton
- InDepth Accounting, Maroochydore
- Just Skin Treatment Clinic, Maroochydore
- KLM Solicitors, Maroochydore
- Life Law Mediations, Maroochydore
- Ocean Buyers Agency, Mooloolaba
- Shanahan Family Law, Maroochydore
- Tonkin, Maroochydore
- X-Ray & Imaging, Maroochydore
- Yield Advisory, Maroochydore
Retail
- Amplitude, Baringa
- Bendigo Community Bank Sunshine Coast, Tewantin
- BOQ Noosa, Noosaville
- Foam & Rubber Industries, Buderim
- Hooper Ruff, Mountain Creek
- Little Miss Boho, Palmwoods
- North Coast Boating, Caloundra West
- The Branding Office, Noosaville
- White’s IGA, Bli Bli
Social Impact
- Comlink Australia, Birtinya
- Destiny Rescue, Warana
- ended, West Woombye
- Katie Rose Cottage Hospice, Doonan
- Manufacturing Excellence Forum, Aroona
- REFOCUS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation, Rosemount
- Stymie, Buderim
- SunnyKids, Maroochydore
- Youturn, Tewantin
Trades & Services
- Bailey and Dalton Electrical, Maroochydore
- Bespoke Noosa Car Rentals, Noosa Heads
- Chucks Electrical, Mountain Creek
- In Curtains and Blinds, Maroochydore
- Laguna Pest Control, Noosaville
- Magic Touch Cleaning, Baringa
- Sunshine Coast Art and Framing Gallery, Minyama
- The Laundry Lady, Baringa
- Thermal Scanners, Maroochydore
- Toucan Removals & Storage, Kunda Park
The Business of the Year winner is chosen from the winners of the categories. Hall of Fame Awards are awarded to those who have won their category three years in a row.
To find out more about the Awards visit sunshinecoastbusinessawards.com.au/
