Top 50 Small Business Leaders named

Inside Small Business has launched the Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report, powered by eWAY, that is free to download.

Selected by Inside Small Business and our panel of small business experts, the annual Top 50 Report celebrates the diversity and entrepreneurship of Australia’s small-business owners. The Report is launching nationwide with our partner Servcorp – come and join us to hear our business leaders’ stories and enjoy canapes and drinks. Registration is free. The events take place in Sydney CBD, Parramatta, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth over the next two weeks.

Sponsored by eWAY, the publication also features a foreword by Victorian Mininister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Hon Philip Dalidakis MLC, and insights into starting and growing a small business from Ramzey Choker, founder of The Grounds of Alexandria.

The report features bios and headshots for every small business leader as well as key achievements.

The Inside Small Business Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report can be downloaded for free here.

When the judges sat down last year to determine which individuals should be recognised this year — no easy feat — we began by setting some criteria.

To be eligible, individuals must be the founders and/or owners of a small enterprise of between one and approximately 20 employees, whose business has notched up significant achievements or made a real difference to the community in which they operate.

There was no limit on the type of business, they run, however. From people who grow and make things to those who sell them – both instore and online. From operators in the hospitality and agriculture industries, through marketing and social-media gurus, to tech innovators, and those making a difference through education and social enterprise, our business leaders demonstrate the diversity and limitless opportunity of the small business sector

Due to the subjective nature of the judging criteria, we have chosen to list the Top 50 alphabetically by surname, as opposed to a numbered ranking system.

Our judges are:

  • Joel Symmans, Director-Sales, eWAY
  • Jack Delosa, Founder, The Entourage (NSW)
  • Jackie Attard, Founder, Acquired Audience (NSW)
  • Andrew Pearce, Founder, Vixier (Vic)
  • Stephen Tait, CEO, CCIQ (Qld)
  • Karen Raffen, CEO, Brand South Australia (SA)
  • Chris Smoje, Founder, DIME Customer Service (WA)
  • Tim Ladhams, Editor, Inside Small Business

We are celebrating the launch of the report with a series of events around Australia, sponsored by Servcorp – we welcome you to register to join us at these events, the details of which can be found here.

The Inside Small Business Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report can be downloaded for free here.

Top 50 Small Business Leaders

Chris Adamko and Nigel Robinson, Cabinet Makers Choice

Paul Arnost, FinalCall

Joshua Baker, Whistle and Flute

Scott Boocock, Hegs Australia

Meg Coffey, #SMPerth

Natasha Davis, Trees for Life

Les Delaforce, Covocate

Miyo Fallshaw,Oishi-m

Frank Farrugia, Same Love Photography

Chelsea Ford, Females in Food

Shivani Gopal, The Remarkable Woman

Vince Hansimikali, Nick Nicolaou and Andrew Proestos, Golights

Edward Hartley, Bluethumb

Lisa Hawkins, Life Balance Essentials

Stacey Head, She Wear

Megan Hughes, Wandiful Produce

Nick Hutchinson, Fleurieu Milk Company

Nadine Ingram, Flour and Stone

Sally Irwin, The Freedom Hub

Juliette Jones, CSJ leMoNaiD

Tom Joyner, The ICEA Foundation

Rhondalynn Korolak, Businest

Masaaki Koyama, Maasaki’s

Bill Lark, Lark Distillery

Vinson Leow, ASAP Technologies

Kris Lloyd, Woodside Cheese Wrights

Michelle Loch, Leading Humans

Nicholas Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, Orange Sky Laundry

Dean Merlo, James Wilkinson, Merlo Coffee

Daniel Millham, Koala Mattresses

Zanyar Mohammad, Zuse Digital

Sarah Morrissey, Little Rockers Radio

Jodie Neilson, New Farm Confectionery

Chris and Liz O’Brien, Dreamedia

Robert Pascoe, The Farmer’s Place

Jurgen Van Pletsen, Crowdfunding Blueprint

Aaron Pye, Hot Apple Distribution Australia

Oliver Du Rieu, La Mule

Michael Rosenbaum, Spacer

Paul Ryan, 57 Films

Jesse Schiller, Kooshoo

Kaj Lofgren, The School of Life

Corinne Smith and Amara Jarratt, The Rabbit Hole

Asha Stabback, Bubdesk

Freeda Thong, Ecopads

Phil Tran, Dealztap

Rob Watson, Mungalli Creek Dairy

Sam Webb and Casey Lyons, Livin

Amanda Westphal, Prize Pig

Karen Williams, The Indigenous Literacy Foundation

The Inside Small Business Top 50 Small Business Leaders Report can be downloaded for free here.