This will be an overall winner across all categories

This is one you don’t have to write a submission for. This is the judges' choice. Our amazing judges have gone back to and fro, weighing up all the amazing achievements, demonstrations of grit and determination, and stories across all categories to select the Business of the Year. The Business of the Year is the ultimate all rounder who has focused on all aspects of business - from customer experience to financial growth.

The judges will be looking at:

• Growth stats - financial, client/customer 
• A great story sharing insights of the business and the owner
• A business that has invested in marketing and growth
• A love for their customers/clients

Hmmm…we wonder who the winner will be?

SPONSORED BY - Quantum Coaching and Healing

This award is for change makers, entrepreneurs and micro businesses (less than five team members) who have been determined to succeed despite discrimination, push back or challenges.  This is a chance to celebrate your resilience, courage or determination to make your outcomes happen despite nay-sayers or hurdles. We’re also looking for how you supported your team or community with your leadership during this period.

*Note: This award is not about the end-game or results, it’s about staying on the path to your final destination and recognising the wins along the way. For holding onto the intention of the ultimate endpoint, success despite setbacks.

It doesn’t matter if you are in business for yourself, volunteer in the community, create beautiful pieces of art or run events, or work for someone else, we want to meet the people who step up and into the spotlight to lead the way for others. 

It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you are leading the way. This category is for those who are creating impactful changes that lead to growth, improvements and success for others.

This is a category for those employed as professionals in a corporate setting. You dedicate your time to excelling in your role, getting the job done. Whether you are a lawyer, HR practitioners, EA or PA, allied health professional or any role in corporate, we want to know what makes you tick.

This category is for the businesses and entrepreneurs who help others navigate social media to build their businesses. We are looking for social media agencies who live and breathe social media, regardless of the platform.

It doesn’t matter what you do, who you do it for or why you do it, we want to celebrate women kicking goals and taking names. This category is open to any woman - in business, corporate, entrepreneur, creative, community minded woman or social entrepreneur.

SPONSORED by The Youth Development Foundation Limited

It doesn’t matter what you do, who you do it for or why you do it, we want to celebrate young people kicking goals and taking names. This category is open to any young person aged 13 to 21 - in business, corporate, entrepreneur, creative, community minded or social entrepreneur.

This category is for those who declare and recognise anyone society overlooks - from people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+, gender, race, culture and social. We want to know how you make the world a more inclusive and diverse place. It could be an event you have organised, or policies implemented in your business/workplace or advocacy work you do in your space.

Rural and regional businesses, we see you. We know the challenges that come with not being in a metro area and we want to salute you. Your business must be owned and operated in rural or regional Australia and be a small business*

* A small business is classified, for the purposes of these awards, as one that employs less than 20 people

* Rural and Regional Australia is classified, for these awards, as businesses owned and operating outside a 50 km radius from a capital city of a state in Australia. The 50 km is from the outskirts of the city, NOT the CBD.

This category is for those building their dream on their own. If you have 0-5 employees. Whether you are an artist, an allied health practitioner, online retailer, a service-based business or a product-based business, this one's for you. 

This award doesn’t focus on your financials but we want to know about your growth. Be prepared to add proof to the pudding, so we can see where you have been, where you are now and where you are going. We also want to know about the challenges you have faced as you grow your business. Don’t be afraid to brag about all you have achieved over the past year - from adding new products, securing new clients, and your big hairy audacious goals.

Your business has been built on hard yakka and determination. We know that building a business far from the metro centres is not easy, and we want to shine the light on the incredible things being done in remote regions across Australia. Despite the many challenges you face, you have created a business that is making a difference.

Without innovation and new tech, we would still be sitting around in caves. The movers and shakers in the tech space are responsible for some incredible leaps ahead for our planet.

This category honours those coming up with new tech solutions and innovations that make our lives easier. Enter this category if you are a tech company or have innovatively created something that makes any aspect of our lives easier.

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, or what you sell or do, we want to know your story about your startup business. This category is open to any size business operating for under two years.

This category is for those building their dream on their own or up to 5 employees with a turnover of less than $500k per year operating for three years or more. Whether you are an artist, an allied health practitioner, online retailer, a service based business or a product based business, this one's for you. 

This award doesn’t focus on your financials but we want to know about your growth. Be prepared to add proof to the pudding, so we can see where you have been, where you are now and where you are going. We also want to know about the challenges you have faced as you grow your business. Don’t be afraid to brag about all you have achieved over the past year - from adding new products, securing new clients, and your big hairy audacious goals.

Does changing the world get you excited about the possibilities? This category is for people making an impact in this crazy old world - from not for profits to social enterprises to advocates and change makers.

We are looking for people driven to make social change across all aspects of life - LGBTIQ+, race, gender, culture, artists, creators, disability and any other issue that needs the light firmly shone on it.

Customers and clients are a business’s lifeblood; without them, we have nothing. The category is for anyone in any type of business and how they look after their customers/clients.

There are those who make it their mission to help others shine. Whether it is a PR pro, a marketing guru, magazine publisher, author or journalist, you are in the thick of telling stories to educate, inspire and inform.

Social media is such a valuable and important tool in business. We want to hear from those who use social media to build their business and followers. This is not about being an influencer, but being influential. Anyone who uses social media as a business tool can enter this category.

It doesn’t matter what you do, who you do it for or why you do it, we want to celebrate men kicking goals and taking names. This category is open to any man - in business, corporate, entrepreneur, creative, community minded man or social entrepreneur.

We all need someone organised in our corner. Most business people are busy doing their thing, leaving little time for the jobs that keep a business moving forward. This category is for all virtual assistants and agencies.

Calling all not for profits and social enterprises. We want to shine the light on you for all the amazing things you do in your business.

SPONSORED BY - Absolute Business Brokers

This category is for those who have been in business for a while, and growing a kick ass team and scaling up. With small business the backbone of the economy, we want to celebrate your growth and your wins. A small business, for this category, has 0 to 20 employees, turning over less than $10m per year, and has been around for more than three years.  Whether you are creative, have a service-based business, professional service, or have a retail or online retail store, this category is one for you. 

We want to know how you are growing, what you have done to grow, and what you are most proud of.  Be prepared to add proof to the pudding, so we can see where you have been, where you are now, and where you are going. We also want to know about the challenges you have faced as you grow your business. Don’t be afraid to brag about all you have achieved over the past year - from adding new products, securing new clients, and your big hairy audacious goals.

This category is for those who provide services or products for little people. These businesses make it their business to educate, entertain and create products and services that make parent’s lives easier. Think toys, games, entertainment, education, activities and creativity.

This award doesn’t focus on your financials but we want to know about your growth. Be prepared to add proof to the pudding, so we can see where you have been, where you are now and where you are going. We also want to know about the challenges you have faced as you grow your business. Don’t be afraid to brag about all you have achieved over the past year - from adding new products, securing new clients, and your big hairy audacious goals.

SPONSORED BY - Rococco Botanicals

It is no joke that our planet is in crisis. Us humans have certainly had an impact on the natural world, but we know there are businesses and people out there coming up with solutions to minimise the impact and correct the wrongs inflicted on our world.

This category celebrates those finding ways to help the planet and its people live prosperous and safe lives.  This category is open to service and product-based businesses, or individuals who are creating and delivering environmental and sustainability solutions to their communities, business sector and the world.