As we celebrate the release of the 2024 Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report, Top 50 Alumni Hacia Atherton (pictured right) and Sophie Doyle (pictured left) have been receiving further accolades.
Atherton’s Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) was hailed as the champion in the Social Enterprise Business category at the 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards on August 24th.
The Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards aim to shine a spotlight on the economic, cultural, and social contributions of female-led small businesses, in both capital cities as well as rural and regional towns across the nation. The awards recognised EWIT for its outstanding contributions to the social enterprise sector in “revolutionising the trades industry”, by creating opportunities for and empowering women and non-binary people by encouraging them to enter a career in skilled trades.
In her acceptance speech, Atherton said, “Australia was once a world champion in Women’s Rights. We were the first country to give women the dual rights to vote and stand for parliament. Let’s get the representation of women and non-binary people in skilled trades from 3 per cent to 30 per cent and, as Australians, champion women again.”
Atherton is a Top 50 winner this year – click here to read more about her trailblazing work.
Sophie Doyle is set to clean up the UK Junior Design Awards for the fourth year running
Meanwhile, parenting brand Alf the Label, founded by 2022 Top 50 Small Business Leader Sophie Doyle, was named finalist for three categories in the 2024 UK Junior Design Awards for its stylish and innovative parenting accessory products that cater to the on-the-go lifestyle of modern parents.
Alf the Label’s Ari changing bag has once again been named a finalist for the “Best Changing Bag” award. It has previously won gold in the category for four consecutive years for being able to “seamlessly blend style and practicality.”
Another product, the Carabiner Capsule, is also in the running for “Best Innovative Product Design (Parents)” for its versatile and innovative mix and match accessory design that allows parents to create a customisable setup that transitions from pram attachment into a stylish handbag. It is also a contender in the newly entered category of “Best Travel Product (For Parents)”.
“I’m incredibly honoured that Alf the Label’s dedication to design and innovation continues to be recognised on the international stage,” said Doyle. “It’s truly humbling to see a Perth-born brand competing alongside established names in the industry.”
The UK Junior Design Awards are a renowned industry accolade, recognising excellence in design and innovation across the children’s product sector. The winners will be announced sometime in September.
