Sian Ludlow
2017 Young Entrepreneur Winner
Winning the awards ceremony was as shocking as it was empowering! Starting my business I honestly didn’t have much expectation for the success it has now. The music industry is built for entertainment, and many before me have tried to create a successful, growing music tuition business before me in the area. My goal was to realise my dream of creating a place for creative people to be themselves, a place where everyone is inclusive, and a place for a real community in the arts.
Entering the business awards was daunting – who were we to compete with the business in the area who have been doing this for years? Despite this, and talking to my mentors and previous business awards winners I am good friends with, I figured that this can be an opportunity to really take a step back and look at my business with all its flaws and success, and re-evaluate where we were. In the process I took an honest look at myself, my life, my passion for my industry. I learnt a lot.
I made it to the State level in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year category, winning the Shoalhaven and Illawarra. Along with the obvious promotion and buzz that comes from winning, I really realised my capability as a leader and a business woman, in an industry with an inequality for the types of positions I hold. I realised what my passion does for my business, my customers, and the broader community. I realised the recognition the community gives to me, and the potential of what I can achieve with my business, and within the year since first winning in the Shoalhaven we’ve seen tremendous growth not only financially, but also how we can engage with our community. We’ve been begun to provide programs for rehabilitation, disability and early learning, and the results are inspiring! All of this started with me, but I hardly believe I would be where I am today without my mentors, their knowledge and experience were vital a successful start-up, and my team, who never cease to amaze me with their drive to constantly raise the bar in the studio, and their fearlessness in taking on new challenges.
To anyone considering putting forth a nomination, this is not only a great opportunity to promote your business and enhance your profile, but it ultimately is the best opportunity to learn more about what makes you successful, what drives your passion for business, and the possibilities of you!
Garry Wilbraham
2007 & 2017 Business Leader Winner
In 2017, the Bomaderry Bowling Club agreed to enter the Shoalhaven Business Awards in four categories. This is not the first time we have entered the Awards and more often than not we have not succeeded. We were persistent and made changes to our organisation after reassessing our weaknesses in our self-assessment of the awards process and noting who and why the winners were successful.
It is not about winning, but bench marking your company against the others in your category. The judging and the application is a beneficial way of looking at your business. You have to get information from your staff and it brings the team together in a force to try and achieve the success of winning a category in the Shoalhaven Business Awards.
Ultimately, we strive to win but looking back we received more benefit from entering and partaking in the process of the Shoalhaven Business Awards over the years. I would strongly advise that a company entering the Shoalhaven Business Awards, win, lose or draw will assist your business to be more competitive in the future.