BRAVE
Altitude Magazine
DEC 2020 / JAN 2021
Altitude Awards Special Issue!
Introducing our 2020 Award Recipients
Special thanks to all our sponsors
CREDITS
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this publication, we are full of gratitude. Chief Editor Lisa Finn Powell Story Editor Fiona Donnelly, Telopea Services Design Andrea Mercado, Andrea Turner-Boys Feature Writers Fiona Donnelly, Lisa Finn Powell Regular Contributors •George Hawwa - Attention Experts www.attentionexperts.com •Western Sydney Business Centre http://wsbusiness.com.au •Barclay Judge/Gabby Benkovich Judgeaccounting.com.au •Anne-Maree Kerr AMK Consulting amkconsulting.com.au Images Sharon Trejbal sharontrejbalphotography.com.au Andrea Turner-Boys Stock Images supplied by Unsplash
Cover Sharon Trejbal
Acknowledgments Our WWA Leaders: Bec McFarland Barbara Callan Angie Rassi
Disclaimer
Kelly-Anne Cummings Sharon Veness Gabrilelle Benkovich Melissa Woodward
The opinions expressed in our published works are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions of Women with Altitude, Mens Altitude Network, Altitude Awards or Small Business Conference (referred to as WWA & associates) or its Editors. Information contained in our published works have been obtained by WWA & associates from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither WWA & associates nor its authors guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein and neither WWA & associates nor its authors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or claims for damages, including exemplary damages, arising out of use, inability to use, or with regard to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information contained in WWA & associates publications. Neither the editor, authors, publisher, or any other party associated with the production of WWA published diving manuals/works accept responsibility for any accident or injury resulting from the use of materials contained herein. The financial viability and success of a business is the responsibility of the owner. WWA published advice, suggestions and information is for education purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial or other professional advice. Information in WWA publications is current as of the date of the printing. All rights reserved. No part of any WWA published work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
esk D s ' y And
Sliding into December, we start to plan and evaluate and look toward 2021. I have noticed an underlying buzz or pressure for 2021 - A feeling in the air, a sense that turning over into a new year things will be better or be soothed somehow. Have you felt it too? I'm attempting to stay present, and enjoy each moment and each person I might be in the presence of. My sincere wish for all of our community is that over the Xmas break, whether that's a few days, weeks or moments that you can exhale, let your shoulders drop...... hug and hold hands with your cherished loved ones. Your work, intentions, plans, goals, action lists will unfold in their own time at their own pace, whether you are focussed or concerned about them or not. This community has so much love and wisdom within it. I'm so incredibly grateful to everyone for the way that everyone has reached out, helped others, stepped up, stretched themselves and shared their vulnerability. You are individually inspiring and collectively you are a force. Thank you to all of the sponsors, partners leaders and team members who embody our culture and weave it into all the different regions and communities. I look forward to connecting with you after Christmas. Love, hugs and gratitude Andy xx
THIS ISSUE - CONTENTS Regular Series
Through the Woods Award
Andy's Desk From our Editor
Rebecca McFarland Pop Your Career
Special Thanks
On My Way Award
Major Sponsors Venue Sponsors
Beverly Gunn Waratah e-Conveyancing
Inspiring Individual of the Year & Best Professional Service Award
Business Excellence Award
Louise Xerri Email Solutions and Consulting Business Category Soaring Micro Award Bonnie Weston The Avid Organiser Soaring Solo Award Sheila Sharma Mobile Physiotherapy Barbara Callan Barbara Callan Climb Every Mountain Angela Gauci Total Workforce Services
Joe & Merylese Mercieca Blue Eco Homes The Changemaker Award Abby Rees PUNKPD Pty Ltd Two Peas Partnership Aaron & Claire Hills Angus Car Service Taneka Smith & Amanda Whitmore Leaping Learners Early Education Young Entrepreneur of the Year Ellie Hofland White Fox Massage
Leadership Category
Brave Rising Star Awardees
Revolutionary Award
Elise Maunder Elise Lola Design
Levi Gibson Rana Environmental Purpose Driven Entrepreneur Mel Wojtas Hive Village Project Strategic Connector of the Year Louise Sparkes Howarth Pineapple Marketing Best of Category
Jade Little iTravel with Jade Sara Drebber EdUcatered Eleni Psillakis Dress for Success Sydney & Brazengrowth Hannah Taylor Tutor Canberra
Best in Service Award
Renee Garcia CRG Creative Networking
Shannon Decker Now & Zen Landscapes
Sarah-Louise Thompson Elysian Therapies & Spa
Best Online /Digital Business Award
Shannon Earls & Maureen Bartlett Encore Beauty
Judith & Richard Viado Nutricraft Best Handmade Product Donna & Helder Marcal Dermatonics
Member Directory
tor i d e r u From o Got a story idea? article or person you would like us to feature a story on? Contact me here
Welcome to the Dec/Jan Brave Magazine, a special issue dedicated to the 2020 Altitude Awards! We are very excited to present this year’s award recipients, and to have this opportunity to celebrate and shine a light on them. They have each contributed a bit about themselves and their businesses, so we can all get to know them better. We are absolutely delighted to have their smiling faces on the pages of Brave, so please join us in wishing them well and congratulating them on their achievement! And of course we’ve also included lots of photos from the fabulous night we had at the Glitter Gala Mask-erade Ball. The next issue of Brave will be Feb/Mar which will be chock full of information on how to grow yourself and your business in 2021. I'd like to take a moment to personally thank all of our contributors who have written articles for the magazine this year. We value and appreciate you and look forward to working with you and any new writers in the coming year. As always, if you are interested in writing for Brave Magazine, please email me your ideas to members@womenwithaltitude.com.au. Our theme for Feb/Mar is 'Planning, Plotting and Planting the Seeds: How to Start your Year off Right!' We are also interested in stories about inspiring women in honour of International Women's Day. Hope you all have a great holiday with family and friends and a nice break over the summer. Here’s to beginnings and endings… Lots of love, Lisa
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A very special thanks to our Major Sponsors!
Judge Accountants offers a full range of services, including tax and business advice, financial advice, lending, accounting and business services. We provide proactive strategies that consider all aspects of your financial life, opening possibilities to help you, your family and your business achieve the best financial outcome. We don’t just give great advice; we provide solutions that make a real difference to you and your business. We are passionate and enthusiastic about helping our clients on their path to success, and creating a firm that sets the benchmark for accounting, tax and business advice. Please contact us today for expert tax and business advice. judgeaccountants.com.au
The Commonwealth Bank aims to help small businesses. With a large range of products and solutions design to streamline small businesses, we encourage you to talk to one of our friendly banking specialists. This is the fifth year we have supported the Altitude Awards. It is highly rewarding to see the progression and contribution of so many inspiring individuals. We want to congratulate all of this year's Awards finalists. Tim Gulli -Branch Manager High Street Penrith Kerry McCarthy - Business Banking Specialist Natalie Goldman- Business Banking Specialist www.commbank.com.au
Western Sydney Business Centre is a community based not for profit organisation established to assist small business to start up & grow. They provide high quality small business management training workshops, one to one advisory sessions (4 sessions are free) and advice on Digital/Social media solutions for your business. Established in 1988 and is now seen by all levels of Government as the go to place for business assistance and this was evidenced by recently winning the Australian Small Business Advisory Service, digital solutions program for all of NSW & ACT. .Visit wsbusiness.com.au for more details.
Huge thanks to our 2020 Venue Sponsors Lakeside Camden Crowne Plaza Hawkesbury The Mawson Club Canberra Blue Eco Homes Faulconbridge Campbelltown Council Ambarvale Hotel Little Niche Nosh Cafe, Leura Emu Sports Club O'Donoghues Irish Pub The Bunker Springwood and Leura The Coffee Club Nepean River
Introducing
The 2020 Altitude Awards Winners
In 2020, after a long and persevered lead time (take that COVID!), the Altitude Awards were announced at our annual gala event in November. 16 categories were presented along with some surprise extra Brave Awards. We would like to introduce our Award recipients for 2020...
INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR
Louise Xerri
Email Solutions and Consulting To win the Best Professional Service Business Category and Inspiring Individual of the Year was awesome! I’d won the soaring solo category twice before, but this took it up a notch and was more a reflection of what I do. I’ve always taken a professional approach to my work and business. At the end of the day, it’s my reputation and as with anything I do, I strive to do my best. So, when it comes to each job I complete for client, it’s all done with professionalism in mind. I’m so happy and proud to be recognised for that. I started my career as a computer programmer back in mid 1993. We found we were unexpectantly expecting our first son in January 1997. A second son arrived in August 1998 with a third son delivered the following year. There was no chance of getting back to work full-time anytime soon. I never had dreams of being a business owner,
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BEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AWARD I just fell into it, but it was working out well being a mum and part-time IT consultant. Now that my boys are young men, I’ve had to step up and help my Dad care for my Mum who is unwell. I’m grateful that throughout my life as a business owner, I’ve had, and still have, the flexibility to take on the other important roles that have popped up. IT is such an essential part of business, big or small. We all expect to be able to access emails easily and have a computer that starts quickly and works efficiently during the working day. I help businesses to ensure the efficiency of the equipment and applications they are using to run their business. My role is to make sure my client’s IT systems and hardware work beautifully to help get the job done. If the pc that won’t start or the laptop is starting to get slow, I can fix it. If a laptop is lost with all of the business data on it, I help out. My business is to help businesses run smoothly so they can concentrate on what they do best.
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SOARING MICRO AWARD
Bonnie Weston The Avid Organiser
I’m Bonnie Weston and I am passionate about organisation – that’s why I named my business The Avid Organiser. My aim is to provide much needed administrative assistance to small business owners who don’t have the workflow or cashflow for permanent administration staff. Winning an Altitude Award is incredibly humbling, especially because there were so many wonderful finalists in the Soaring Micro category. Becoming an award winner is a tremendous encouragement! Knowing that a group of experienced businesspeople see value in what I do and how I do it gives me confidence that I'm forging ahead on the right path. Small business is hard work and acknowledgements like this on the back of a difficult year are so appreciated. Most small businesses are started by people who are technically skilled and passionate about their ‘thing’. Unfortunately, their ‘thing’ is not always accompanied by the necessary administration skills to allow their businesses to run smoothly.
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I help these businesses with their current administration needs, whilst also working with them to develop new strategies and organisational systems that will benefit them in the future. My passion is to provide an affordable way for small businesses to become a more professional, organised, and less chaotic version of themselves. I love helping small businesses share their unique talents and services with the world. It’s challenging to answer the question, “What do you do?” because I do so many different things for my clients. Each client is unique, and so are the services they require. My services spread across the following areas: Administration, Personal and Executive Assistant, Human Resources and Procurement. Some of my key services include functional organisation of physical and digital filing systems, branded document templates, workbooks, PowerPoint presentations, marketing materials (including social media imagery) and assisting with technology integrations. You can learn more about what I do on my website and social media.
SOARING SOLO AWARD
Shiela Sharma
Sheila Sharma Mobile Physiotherapy As joint winner of the Altitude Soaring Solo Award I feel that I’ve been shown that when I dedicate time, energy and effort to a project that I can reach my Everest. I was on cloud nine for days after winning. I can’t wait to wrap my award and present it to my parents for Christmas as they have given me a life of education and love. The best part of winning this award is knowing that I have helped my clients achieve their goals and reduce their pain to have a better quality of life. I started Sheila Sharma Mobile Physio because I had experienced personal challenges in my life. Starting my business as a contractor brought me much joy as I was able to travel to various suburbs in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains to help clientele of various ages and nationalities - an unexpected treat! Having my own business allowed me to foster my physio skills and learn more about operating a small business.
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In 2016 thanks to the various bosses who contracted me I learnt very quickly about the new National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). I developed a strong passion for seniors working in approximately 48 residential aged care facilities in SA, WA and NSW. My current NDIS participants need help with: depression, anxiety, carpal tunnel, lower back pain, elbow pain and knee pain. I help them apply for assistive technology to get a comfortable chair or home workout equipment. I give them acupuncture to treat their pain issues, passive mobilisations on their joints, teach them stretches, exercise prescription and electrotherapy through modalities like TENS and Ultrasound. Most importantly, I provide education about their condition to help them set goals. My aged care clients need help with issues including: recovering post op, arthritic shoulder, pain in their hip or falls prevention exercises.
SOARING SOLO AWARD
Barbara Callan Barbara Callan
I’ve been in business for seven years operating as an Intuitive Consultant. I work with people from all works of life using my intuitive gifts to help them to get clarity on where they are going and remove any blocks that may be standing in their way. It’s helpful to have my guidance before going into a business meeting, choosing that a new employee or even getting ready for the appearance of the long awaited ’beloved’. It’s very useful to have a ‘heads up’ on something new before starting.
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If you are wanting to meditate, I have a free online meditation group that meets every Monday for intentional meditation. I also run workshops and retreats showing people how to be more intuitive in their lives, and how to align energies so that the right experiences show up for them. I consult with people from many different countries giving the guidance and clarity they need. Join meditation: https://mailchi.mp/9ce327a747f0/barbaracallanmeditations
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN AWARD
Angela Gauci
Total Workforce Services My name is Angela, I’m the owner of Total Workforce Services. I’m a mother of 2 kids, and I live & work in the Hawkesbury area, although my clients come from all over Western Sydney. I’m a Human Resources consultant, Payroll Specialist and BAS Agent. When I first opened my business, I’d stepped away from a long career in HR. I saw a need for small organisations without a HR team, to access reliable & affordable HR advice and support. Over the years my services have grown, and my complimentary suite of services today include bookkeeping, payroll, recruitment and HR consultancy. I support both small business owners and those managing community organisations with a small team. No two clients are the same, I’m flexible in my approach and meet my clients where they are at.
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Being a small business owner/manager often means you’re not just responsible for service delivery/sales but all that comes with recruiting, managing & paying staff as well as compliance and financial management & much more. It can be overwhelming. What I do is help lighten the load, saving you time that would otherwise be spent away from your family or away from your regular duties. I will be your trusted adviser and expert in these areas, so you don’t have to be. You can rely on me to answer your questions and provide you guidance and information specific to your organisation, so you don’t need to go searching for it yourself. This award recognises small businesses like mine that are already climbing mountains despite being relatively new. I’ve had time in and out of the business over the years as my family grew so at times it feels like I’m still at the starting line. Winning this award encourages me to keep going and climb more mountains! I love what I do and am feeling inspired and looking forward to what the future has in store. If you would like to know more about how I can help you, please get in touch as I would love to have a chat with you.
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THROUGH THE WOODS AWARD
Rebecca McFarland
Pop Your Career - Pop Your Business The ‘Through the Woods Award’ is for business owners who have been in business for 5 years or more and I celebrated my 5 year anniversary in May. I honestly didn’t think I would have a chance of winning as there were so many amazing women in the finals. This past twelve months, I’ve worked so hard and my business has really taken off, so it was wonderful to have that recognised by Women with Altitude. Sometimes being in business can be really isolating, so it means a lot to be involved with an organisation that both supports and acknowledges the success of female entrepreneurs. When I found out that I’d won, I was close to tears. It really was the most amazing surprise. I started up my first business, Pop Your Career in 2015, with my focus being career advice, resume writing and selection criteria response preparation. I wanted people to realise that career advice did not have to be boring and career fulfilment wasn’t out of their reach.
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In July 2018 I left the Public Service to work full-time in Pop Your Career. By April 2019 I closed the resume writing arm of my business to focus solely on career coaching. Then in early 2020 I officially launched Pop Your Business. Pop Your Business started after small business colleagues became interested in the expertise I had gained from starting Pop Your Career. I now offer a range of coaching services and education options across both businesses. I am also building communities to better support my clients on their journey. I want each of my clients to only focus on work that really lights them up! and alongside my husband Anuj McFarland, I’m launching a third business, Rave Online. I love helping clients implement systems, processes and strategies to manage business tasks, automate client acquisition and increase profit so they can focus on what really lights them up. I work on design, personal branding, email marketing, launching and encouraging people to step outside their comfort zone to achieve real, tangible results.
ON MY WAY AWARD
Beverly Gunn
Waratah e-Conveyancing It was fantastic being recognised as the winner of the On My Way category at the 2020 Altitude Awards. I couldn’t believe it was actually me that won as there were lots of wonderful finalists. The ‘On My Way’ award acknowledges the best new business or start-up business operating for under two years. It’s so encouraging to receive this award as it has helped me to recognise just how far my business has grown since it started in 2019. Having worked in conveyancing for over twenty years I felt there was a gap in the market for a more efficient solution to all the time consuming paperwork required. Thankfully, with the introduction of online (electronic) conveyancing I was able to start up a new business as an eConveyancer and help speed up the purchasing/sales process. I decided to make sure that Waratah eConveyancing was at the forefront of the new rules and technologies. My focus is to provide my clients with an efficient service that doesn’t get bogged down with timeconsuming paperwork.
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As an eConveyancer, I am able to send clients a link to an electronic secure platform for them to use to take photos of themselves, scan documents, sign forms and return to me for verification. Clients seem to really have taken this on board and appreciate that the process takes place in an efficient, secure and timely manner. My clients comment that they appreciate this secure online service and the fact that I go the extra mile to help simplify the purchase of their dream home or the sale of their family property. I have only been living and working in the Blue Mountains for three years now and I am proud to call it home. Networking has been a critical factor in settling into the Blue Mountains business community. Being a member of Women with Altitude has been really helpful way to meet with other local business owners. I have enjoyed getting to know the local business community and have been fortunate to develop supportive business relationships, learning opportunities and friendships along the way.
BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD
Joe & Merylese Mercieca Blue Eco Homes We are Joe and Merylese Mercieca, owners of Blue Eco Homes, a multiaward-winning building company that constructs environmentally sustainable, low energy use homes, focused on providing a healthy, contemporary lifestyle for our clients. Blue Eco Homes are working to change the way homes in Australia are designed and built, not just the materials they are built from but the community expectations for building. We see sustainability as something to be lived, so we want to enable a transition to healthier, more sustainable homes and communities. Our vision is for more Australians to live in healthy, comfortable and sustainable homes, with the lowest possible impact on the environment!
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Recognising the huge gaps in the current home building standards in Australia, we were determined to find something that went above and beyond the industry standards – we discovered the next level of sustainability and healthy living with Certified Passive Homes. The Launch of our Passive House display home “The Sapphire” in August 2019 represented an exciting new chapter for our business. The Sapphire certified passive display home is used to educate the wider community, industry, designers/architects, suppliers and trade contractors – as well as our own clients, of Passive House benefits. Being passionate about the health of buildings, indoor air quality and the health and comfort of the occupants, we are using this to form part of driving industry change. This has included case studies, involvement in research projects, providing education, being involved in industry groups and our community and conducting our own product research and development as we continue to push boundaries to create change. Receiving the Altitude Award for Business Excellence has validated all the work the Blue Eco Homes team are doing and is a humbling recognition from our local business community for which we are very grateful!
THE CHANGEMAKER AWARD
Abby Rees PUNKPD Pty Ltd
Winning the Change Maker Award means so much to me, especially this year! I've spent my life dedicated to what I call 'the ministry of change.’ You might say that I’m intentionally in a constant state of evolution, both professionally and personally. As an ‘education junkie’ at the core, I am always learning, implementing, growing, changing, theorising, testing, tweaking … At PunkPD our central goal is to transform 'potential' into living capability, for organisations, individuals, couples, families or teams. We specialise in all things Human! Human emotion, cognition and behaviour. We provide Coaching, Facilitation and Culture Change Designs. I strive to make life easier for people by making the ‘invisible stuff’ about being human visible, (stuff that often gets in the way at best and causes so much pain at worst), so people can make conscious and deliberate choices to do things differently. It's really the very essence of change. Simply put, I reduce emotional turbulence and make life easier for people.
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I have a highly unique approach to what I do and as a result, PunkPD is at the vanguard of evolving people's perception of what personal and professional development is and what it can look and feel like. To be recognised for the positive impact we make to the lives of the people we serve and the positive disruption we've made in our industry is so humbling and deeply affirming all at once. A big point of difference is one I often make a little joke about…at PunkPD, we are not ‘your typical wankers in suits.’ But it’s so true. PunkPD exists to be trusted partner for people to elevate their lives by ‘getting conscious’ and rising up out of whatever unhelpful narrative they wish to release. I've always been the kind of person who makes waves. I've always been 'too' something. Too enthusiastic, too progressive, too loud, too ‘much’. But I know it's my ‘muchness’ that makes PunkPD stand out. It’s the cornerstone behind how we've leveraged the change we have and how we will continue to stay a constant, positive disrupter and Change Maker!
TWO PEAS PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Aaron & Claire Hills Angus Car Service Angus Car Service is a multi-award winning family business established for 32 years in Penrith. Winning the award means a lot after a challenging year in business. We responded to COVID-19 quickly so we could stay open for our customers and continue to offer quality service and grow our business too! We are delighted to have won the award, and the fact that our customers are happy with our service makes it all worthwhile. Aaron and I purchased the business 14 years ago and have run businesses together for 22 years. We met 27 years ago at the pizza shop where I was working and as they say, the rest is history! We enjoy the challenge of running a business together along with holiday travel and adventure. Our children are now aged 21 and 18 and we enjoy spending time with them when they can fit us into their busy schedules!
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Our mission was, and still is, to care for our customers and keep them safe by ensuring their cars were wellserviced and reliable. Our modern technology means that we are able to diagnose faults and service cars to the highest standards. We provide the best possible customer experience and prioritise a tidy and clean workshop that’s a safe place for customers to feel comfortable to ask questions. Our business is family-friendly with everyone treated honestly and equally. We educate our customers so they feel empowered to make informed decisions regarding their vehicle. Our custom app allows for convenient booking 24 hours a day. We offer a complimentary pickup and drop off service or the use of a courtesy car. Alternatively, we can drop you home, to work or the shops within the local area. We are efficient; you never have to wait more than a week to get your car serviced. We also wash every car we service. Our personalised service has created loyal customers, with many becoming our friends. We’d like to thank everyone that has supported us this year personally and professionally, we’re proud to be a part of the WWA tribe.
TWO PEAS PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Taneka Smith & Amanda Whitmore Leaping Learners Early Education Taneka Smith & Amanda Whitmore are a dynamic duo of Early Childhood Teachers that have co-owned Leaping Learners Early Education Centres for over 13 years. Leaping Learners have been offering high-quality child-care since June 2007 and we currently have four fantastic locations throughout the Camden and Campbelltown areas. We have been voted "Outstanding Child Care Centre" in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2019 by our community in our local Small Business Awards and have finalists for Small Business Champions Awards. Our main goal when launching our business was to address the community demand for high-quality privately-owned childcare in an industry that was being dominated by corporate businesses. By recognising this local issue, we were able to provide the community a service that they urgently needed and our focus on quality provides the experience that our clients are looking for.
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As a privately run childcare centre we can offer a more personal service to local families and we are proudly Teacher owned and operated. Because of our teaching background all our services have been designed using knowledge of child development and learning, and we offer an educational approach to traditional childcare that is based on current early childhood research and sound theoretical foundations. We recognise the importance of the early childhood period and our 5-star facilities and resources reflect our philosophy on the importance of children’s learning in the early years. Winning our Two Peas Award has made our year! Two peas in a pod is exactly what we are, so this category was perfect for us and we were thrilled to be winners. We were so thankful to receive such recognition and support during such a challenging year and we are grateful to have been a part of such an empowering awards night. Winning this award has helped us inspire and encourage our female team of 60 to have confidence and ambition, and show them that when you support each other and stick together like two peas in pod you will always succeed. We believe that leaders do not create followers- they create more leaders and that is what these two peas will do.
YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR
Ellie Hofland White Fox Massage Winning the Young Entrepreneur Award has been an exhilarating experience reaffirming that I am on the right path. It is also a huge motivator to share what we have achieved with others - this was all done during a year of uncertainty, I hope to inspire others to show that pushing through with determination, persistence and passion (whilst pregnant) can get you where you want. Simply, I help clients who are in pain. They may be experiencing anxiety, going through a loss, or even just wanting to reconnect with their body. Many clients come to White Fox Massage for one thing, and half way through a treatment, they end up telling me a whole other issue they were holding close to their heart space.
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When clients come for a massage, they’re wanting to realign something within themselves. Some clients are functioning at such a high frequency, they cannot bring their focus to the present moment. I work with clients to settle and calm the incessant mind chatter they are experiencing, so they may immerse themselves in their treatment. Breath work and the power of touch are so crucial to these clients. There are also take home tools to use when they’re feeling overwhelmed at home, work, or out and about. Massage creates a bond between therapist and client and a safe space to talk and ask questions. Many clients have been apprehensive with getting an issue looked at by mainstream professionals however when they see that you care for them, they feel empowered to take charge of their own health and wellbeing. This enables clients to reset their health standards, decrease pain, and cope with day-to-day stresses, aches and pains. I refer clients to other trusted professionals to ensure their treatment is wholistic and covers all aspects of client’s health. Recently a client confided in my team that our clinic space is the only place where she feels safe. WOW! Knowing we have this impact on our clients only pushes me to build the business and reach more people in need.
REVOLUTIONARY AWARD
Levi Gibson Rana Environmental At the recent 2020 Altitude awards I was named the recipient of the Revolutionary Award. I have been the Principal Consultant of Rana Environmental since the firm was initiated over 8 years ago. I have acquired a great deal of knowledge and skills in my 20 year career in the field of environmental sustainability and I am recognised as an industry leader in the field of waste management. At Rana Environmental we predominantly service commercial and industrial clients, as well as government entities across NSW, who seek to improve their resource efficiency and sustainability performance. Our clients include Bluescope, Prysmian Australia, and the NSW SES. Services we offer include: installation of Solar PV systems, energy efficiency upgrade works, waste tendering and energy brokering, Building Energy Efficiency Certificates, sustainability performance and compliance reporting, energy, waste and water audits, and program delivery such as the NSW Department of Primary Industry & Environment’s Bin Trim Program.
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With an ever-increasing focus upon environmental management, we have seized the opportunity to deliver or be involved in community-based projects that further stimulate positive change. In January 2019, Rana Environmental launched the CFTS Project, in partnership with St Brigid’s Primary School, Gwynneville, with the objective of raising community-based funds for a 35kW Solar PV System in order for the School to have the largest solar system on a primary school in the Illawarra region, and more importantly, the first electricity independent school in the region. To raise awareness and stimulate sponsorship and donations from the business and school community I pledged to climb Mt Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. 100% of funds raised were dedicated to the installation of the solar system, with Rana Environmental covering all administrative and costs associated with the climb. The Project goal was $32,400 but proved so successful that $36,600 was raised via 92 businesses and individuals, as well as the 135 families in the school community. The result was that the 42kW system was installed and it is for such projects and initiatives that I am thrilled to have been recognised for the Revolutionary Award at the Altitude 2020 Awards.
Your complimentary business risk survey and consultation Member Gabrielle Benkovich. Gabrielle walks you through your business and answers any questions you have around income, profit and looks at risks for your cashflow.
PURPOSE DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR
Mel Wojtas
Hive Village Project Winning the Purpose Lead Entrepreneur Award 2020 blew me away, especially as it was my first year being nominated and attending the Altitude Awards. This category was full of purpose-lead trailblazers, and it was an honour to be amongst greatness. Winning this category has renewed my resolve to acknowledge how far I've come and to keep future focussed and make Hive Villages a reality. My life to date has equipped me with invaluable knowledge about domestic and family abuse/violence, sexual violence, mental health, addiction and complex trauma. I am a Lived Expertise consultant, best-selling author, media advocate, speaker, Ambassador and Founder of Hive Village Project. As a violence survivor I understood the gaps that existed in the system and dedicated the rest of my life to creating a solution for them. A solution that would catch as many survivors as possible that currently fall through the deep, systemic cracks.
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I conceptualised a village setting that would 'bring back the village' to wrap around survivors and their families (including their pets) to stop the cycle of homelessness, poverty and housing instability. Hive Village Project is a housing solution that will provide intersectional, universally designed, permanent housing with integrated support services. An Australian-first, survivor lead and holistic solution for human and animal survivors of domestic and family abuse in regional Australia. With wrap-around support, this can lead to higher appointment attendance, family and animal wellbeing and health outcomes. The collective support of the Village can also improve mental health. Hive Village not only aims to reduce the rates of homelessness but also the need for survivors to return to their abusers due to a lack of safe alternatives. Additionally, reducing the likelihood of survivor’s hopelessness, lifelong reliance on services, and the ongoing trauma of multiple relocations. Hive Villages will be forever homes for human and animal survivors that will be fully furnished – right down to the toothbrush, providing dignity to those starting over from scratch.
STRATEGIC CONNECTOR OF THE YEAR
Louise Sparkes Howarth Pineapple Marketing & Promotions I was truly taken aback when I received the WWA Strategic Connector of the Year award! Every day I get to live my dream life at my business, Pineapple Marketing & Promotions (PM&P), by connecting people with their ideal customer or a potential sponsor. There’s no greater joy than being able to use my marketing super skills to assist others to stand tall and stand out like a pineapple in life online and within their community. While COVID slowed a lot of us down, I was still out with my social distancing measuring tape, actively serving my clients and community. I have created a business that has become an interrupter. People see a Pineapple and they immediately think of me and my business. I am focused and dedicated to help my clients Stand Tall and Stand Out in life online and within their community. PM&P has been built on the Vision to add value to our clients and community, through the delivery of strategic marketing solutions. With a Mission to help businesses flourish, to deliver a ROI, to help businesses grow their brand awareness and visibility in the market.
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There are few key features that stand out about PM&P including We work industry exclusively with our clients with our team becoming an extension to our client’s business Our commitment to give back 10% of all revenue to local charities and communities through Profit 4 Purpose. My passion to connect people – and not simply connecting my clients with their ideal customers. It’s deeper than that - it’s our support for charities, start-ups and businesses where I make space to actively connect people to assist their mission. As a token of gratitude I am extending a new client offer of a 1 month free for all strategic marketing packages that commence prior to 31st Jan 2021. Unsure where to star, connect with me today as there’s simply no better to time to market your business to stand out!
BEST IN SERVICE AWARD
Shannon Decker Now & Zen Landscapes I’m Shannon Decker and I’m so humbled that Now & Zen Landscapes have won the Best in Service WWA award. This award recognises everything our team tries to achieve, from the respect we have for our customers and the shared journey we embark on with them to the quality of work we strive towards and the value we place in every member of our team. Now & Zen Landscapes was established in 1999 to be the yardstick for the highest end garden design and landscaping market where projects are limited only by imagination. We celebrated our 20th anniversary this year with a new showroom and retail space at Bullaburra, incorporating landscaping and garden design, concreting and a recycling and composting property. As a board member of The Landscape Association and as a master landscaper I work to combine environmentallyfriendly new technology with the timeless designs of renowned garden designers of the past and the natural beauty, majesty and logic of the landscape itself.
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Now & Zen Landscapes helps clients make their dream gardens a reality within their budget. We improve client satisfaction with their completed landscape project by providing the opportunity to visualise their dream garden with fly-through 3D imagery showing the ultimate design. This reduces miscommunication, manages customer expectations and is a chance to solve problems any challenges. We also actively include customers in every stage of their garden’s evolution, from concept and design to long-term maintenance (e.g. providing seasonal DIY activity sheets). Now & Zen Landscapes has a proven track record as a family-orientated, inclusive, equal-opportunity employer in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Our team of 12 includes two return-to-work mums. Our administrative assistant is a dad who retrained when he returned to the workforce after raising his children, our site supervisor recently returned from paternity leave and I juggle work and children with my partner who also owns and operates a local small business. Personally, I want to leave the industry in better shape than when I came into it, and I want kids coming in after me to do better than me.
BEST ONLINE/DIGITAL BUSINESS AWARD
Judith & Richard Viado Nutricraft
My name is Judith Viado, and I’m passionate about spreading awareness about healthy, non-toxic cooking through our business, Nutricraft Cookware. Winning the Best Online/Digital Business Award at the 2020 Altitude Awards is proof that even though we are only new to the Australian community, as a business we are resilient and like our product, we can withstand the test of time. This award also means so much to us because more businesses are becoming aware of our mission, and we hope that this will help us spread our advocacy for toxin-free cooking. I run Nutricraft Cookware with my husband, Richard. We were inspired by our personal experience with toxic cookware when our family got sick because of metal toxicity! We decided to change our cookware and switch to healthier cooking. However, with all the cookware options on the market, we thought, why don’t we create our own line of safe cookware?
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And so Nutricraft Cookware was born. Since then, we’ve made it our mission to tell the world about the safest and smartest cookware, and how much it impacts what we eat and how we live our lives. Richard is the brains behind the technical aspects of all Nutricraft products. His years of engineering experience is the secret behind the excellent quality of all Nutricraft products. I, on the other hand, focus on all the sales and marketing plans for the business. Nutricraft cookware is unlike anything else on the market. We’ve combined superior craftsmanship with a distinctive 7-ply induction ready multi-clad using a unique 316Ti Titanium Stainless Steel on the interior of the cookware. We’ve created cookware that isn’t just durable, hypoallergenic, non-porous and having a virtually nonreactive cooking surface, it is also twenty times more resistant to corrosion! Nutricraft Cookware is more than just cookware - we’re committed to lifelong education. We don’t just want to provide the world with top grade and non-toxic cookware; we also want to educate people about the importance of health and wellness, which we believe starts in the kitchen.
Get your diary ready for the new year! Camden WWA Networking
Hawkesbury WWA Networking
9:00am – 10:30am
8:45am – 10:15am
4 February 4 March 1 April 6 May 3 June
2 February 2 March 6 April 4 May 1 June
1 July 5 August 2 September 7 October 4 November
6 July 3 August 7 September 5 October 9 November
Upper Mountains Networking
Canberra WWA Networking
8:45am – 10:15am
9:00am - 10:30am
10 February 10 March 14 April 12 May 9 June
19 February 19 March 16 April 21 May 18 June
14 July 11 August 8 September 13 October 10 November
16 July 20 August 17 September 15 October 19 November
Springwood WWA Networking
Penrith WWA Networking
8:45am – 10:15am
9:00am - 10:30am
16 February 16 March 20 April 18 May 15 June
20 July 17 August 21 September 19 October 16 November
11 February 11 March 8 April 13 May 10 June
8 July 12 August 9 September 14 October 11 November
Concord WWA Networking
WWA Online Networking
9:00am – 10:30am
9:00am – 10:30am
23 February 23 March 27 April 25 May 22 June
25 February 25 March 22 April 27 May 24 June
27 July 24 August 28 September 26 October 23 November
22 July 26 August 23 September 28 October 25 November
Mums with Altitude Campbelltown 10:30am - 12:30pm 18 February 18 March 15 April 20 May 17 June
15 July 19 August 16 September 21 October 18 November
Coming soon in 2021... Hills WWA Networking Returning 2021
Wollongong WWA Networking Returning 2021
Mums with Altitude Coming to Penrith, Hawkesbury, and Blue Mountains
BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCT AWARD
Donna & Helder Marcal Dermatonics
I’m Dr. Donna Lee Marçal (PhD, University of Ottawa) the driving force behind the clinic-exclusive skincare range Dermatonics. Along with my husband (Dr. Helder Marçal, PhD, UNSW), we have created a unique industry recognised clinic skincare range in less than 4 years since launching. While 2020 was such a challenging year for so many, we are grateful that Dermatonics has thrived as a business. We attribute this, not only to the great skincare products we have created, also to the amazing support our therapists have given us and the wonderful recommendations they give our brand. Winning this award of Best Original Product really means so much to us as it is helping mark the great year this has been for us and the hard work we have put into our brand and the goals we have achieved. We have also won other industry awards for our Dermatonics products, demonstrating the goals we have reached and the direction we are going with our skincare range.
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Created in the Blue Mountains and manufactured locally in Western Sydney, Dermatonics is a skincare range that is packed with natural actives, free from harsh chemicals and drives skin-changing results. At Dermatonics we work exclusively with skin clinics, dermatologists and spas to deliver skincare products for clients seeking specific goals with their skin. We launched Dermatonics in mid 2016 after many years of research and dedication to formulating exceptional products. We also worked hard to ensure our business foundations were well established prior to launching. When we create each product we always have with specific functions or skin concern in mind. Creating and formulating a skincare range is one thing, penetrating the industry to work exclusively with skin specialists requires exceptional products, results, and respect in the industry. It has taken lots of hard work, dedication to our brand & products and making contributions to the industry with education and support. We’re delighted that Dermatonics is now at the forefront of the Australian beauty industry. It is now a sought-after clinic skincare range respected alongside well-established skincare ranges that have been in the market for over ten years.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Elise Maunder Elise Lola Design
My name is Elise and I am a freelance graphic designer. I make it my business to help my client’s brands look their best. I entered the Altitude Awards as a bit of a dare to myself, just thinking, ‘do it and then you can tell yourself at least you tried’. I never expected to be nominated a finalist and I never expected to win an Award! Though not the award from my category, receiving the Brave Rising Star Award was such a breathtaking moment. I’ve never seen myself as the ‘winning’ type, I’ve always been the ‘behind the scenes’ person, never in the spotlight. It is hard to put into words what winning this award has meant to me other than to say I’m looking forward to being in the spotlight more and not hiding in the background. I now know it is okay to shine and whether that is brightly or not is up to me and, either way, it is okay. At Elise Lola Design I work one-on-one with my clients providing better relationships and communication. I bring my passion for design to every project as well as my strong knowledge and experience, flexibility and fast turnarounds.
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Elise Lola Design helps you communicate with your audience through powerful, professional and highquality design. My aim for every design project is to inspire, change and influence your target audience with engaging marketing and advertising design for catalogues, brochures, posters, presentations, infographics, motion graphics and much more. Graphic design can often be seen as a chore or an expensive cost. But successful advertising and marketing is what converts people into customers. Don’t let your next customer slip through your fingers, get them actively engaged with your business. When I first started my business, I had no idea of the value of networking, I certainly had no idea that joining Women with Altitude would be such a great experience and opportunity. The people I have met and the workshops and meetings I have attended, have all led me to this point.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Jade Little itravel with Jade
The Brave Rising Star award to me is a symbol of the hard work, commitment, passion, sacrifice, hope, support, community, family and love that have created my business. I do what I do because I love knowing that I'm making a difference to my client’s lives. Getting recognised for this is just a bonus. I have worked hard to create a multi awardwinning mobile travel agency. I provide my clients with a 1:1 personalised and friendly service, visiting them in the comfort of their own home at a time convenient to them. I operate with the utmost integrity, to ensure their next holiday is affordable, seamless, and stress-free. I have definitely been bitten by the travel bug, having travelled to 86 different places across the globe. I launched my mobile travel agent business ‘itravel with Jade’ in late 2018to make sure that travellers were getting value for money when booking their dream holiday. By staying focused on my goals and connecting with people that inspire me to keep going I was able to rapidly grow itravel with Jade into a multi award-winning business. I have the benefit of remaining in a role and industry I love with the perfect work/life balance.
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My aim is to provide a reliable service using my knowledge and experience to help tailor a package to suit my client’s needs. My business is about helping others, not just turning a profit. I love that I am able to work from home, running a multi award-winning travel agency business on my own terms. I look forward to working more once this pandemic is done and dusted! Being named as this spot winner will no doubt help my business in more ways than I could ever imagine. I’m looking forward to seeing the travel and tourism industry come out the other side of 2020, bigger and better. We will once again be able to experience all the sights and sounds of this beautiful planet once again.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Sara Drebber edUcatered
Winning the Brave Rising Star Award at the 2020 Altitude Awards has been a joyful experience as well as an acknowledgement of the effort and struggles faced in running a business, especially in the current challenging climate. I am a passionate educator, writer, wife and mother of three beautiful children. With almost two decades experience working in public and independent schools in a variety of teaching roles, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to my role as the founder and managing director of ‘edUcatered’, which I have held for over three years now. It has always been my aim to create a nurturing and supportive environment in which children can develop and learn.
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I believe education should be focused on caring for each individual and embracing inclusivity. Education should be personalised, differentiated and accessible to all. I am dedicated to inspiring others by striving to create a positive impact in education through sharing my zest for learning and improving as individuals. edUcatered operates on the key belief that each child has the ability to learn and as a community we need to support our children by catering for their individual needs. Being a lifelong learner drove me to establish edUcatered, an innovative, needs-based business at the forefront of education. We offer a wide range of services including: personalised tutoring, parent workshops, holiday workshops for kids and written articles. The services we provide along with the wealth of experience and knowledge we offer ensures that edUcatered is unlike any other service in the Penrith area. Our commitment and dedication to the local community stems from our connections with families, children and schools who are all at the heart of all communities. At edUcatered we welcome families by promoting a culture of support and providing personalised service. The families we work with have expressed their satisfaction with our service through recommendations to other families based on their positive experiences at edUcatered. After over three years of operation, I am seeing the plans we made come to life and I am extremely proud.
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BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Eleni Psillakis
Dress for Success Sydney & Brazengrowth WOW! I didn’t know the Brave Rising Star award existed as part of the 2020 Altitude Awards, so to receive this award is confirmation that I need to keep persevering in a world that often discriminates. I received the award for the Success Works program which I manage and for my work in my solo business, Brazengrowth. I started Brazengrowth when I realised what a battle it was to re-integrate and contribute to my community due to a criminal record and incarceration, a result of poor decisions when my mental health was at its lowest. I vowed to use these experiences to make a difference to the lives of others. Brazengrowth means boldly and unashamedly overcoming challenges. I develop and deliver programs to educate and support people at risk or living with mental illness (including eating disorders). I deliver many of these programs to the fitness industry of which I have been a part of for over 30 years.
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Success Works is a 3-year pilot program for Dress for Success Sydney which supports women impacted by the criminal justice system by building their confidence and resilience to help them gain employment. The program provides individual support, workshops, advocacy and engaging with employers on behalf of the women to help remove discriminating barriers. Finding employment changes the life of a woman with a criminal record and her family. The program also contributes to the community with less recidivism and homelessness, which over one third of women with a criminal record experience. The work I do is not brave. It is necessary to change the narrative about women with a criminal record who are often marginalised and discriminated against. By receiving this award I have experienced inclusion, something that despite my efforts I have often not experienced since being released from prison. This award has encouraged me to keep going despite the barriers that still exist for myself and the people that I work and is also for those who are misunderstood and not heard.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Hannah Taylor Tutor Canberra
Winning the Brave Rising Star award has strengthened my belief that no matter what I want to achieve, whether it be amazing or badly executed, I will always be learning from and therefore moving forward with my dreams while helping students around me achieve theirs! My business and life’s passion is helping people love to learn. Tutor Canberra seeks to empower students of all ages and learning types to understand the need for academia and also to build and strengthen study skills in order to be able to follow their dreams. To achieve this goal, we offer one on one private tuition, group tuition, workshops, and we will soon be running social groups with the aim to connect students and discuss the challenges students face. I am a young individual with too much confidence and a stubbornness that constantly propels me forward into the world. I’m so glad I have a chance to explain the quote I chose to display with my image for the Altitude Awards.
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“If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.” - G. K. Chesterton Is this the motto of a lazy person? As someone who has suffered major mental health issues all her life, I resonated with this quote the moment I read it. Too often I couldn’t achieve a simple goal because I turned it into a mountain! What I live by, and indeed what I pass on to my students is this; give it a go. Even if you don’t have the energy to do your best right now. Even if you don’t have the materials to make it something amazing right now. Give it a go. When we do something, even something badly, we then have something there that we can learn from. In February 2021, we will also be launching our Tutor Canberra bus, which will serve as a ‘study away from home’. This mobile space will be designed entirely around students. It will smell, feel, look, sound and taste (coffee machine!) motivating and energising so that students can develop positive relationships with their study processes.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Renee Garcia
CRG Creative Networking I am a recipient of this year’s Brave Rising Star Award. Wining this award has truly been a humbling experience and one that encourages me to continue on my journey of making a difference. I am a wife, mum, coffee lover and connection craver. Over the years I have been in numerous roles that have enabled me to work on my skills and to grow strong connections in both her personal and professional life. As the owner of four businesses I am passionate about sharing these skills and helping business owners to get their cogs moving and thinking of creative ways to connect through networking. We look to more cost effective and efficient ways to build better business connections and to direct them to the right networking events that suit them and their business so they feel comfortable and confident to be their authentic selves.
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My growth and success have come from the support, guidance and mentoring that I have received over the years from networking groups. For a lot of business owners, particularly in the start-up phase, networking can be overwhelming, I wanted to offer help and guidance to these people around their networking journey. I have discovered a passion for writing co-authoring a women’s empowerment book and I’m just about to release my first children’s book this December, ‘Snot Nose Fart Bums’ inspired by my own child, Nate. I’m often asked how I manage to juggle the responsibilities of mum, wife and trying to conquer the business world. The truth is, I don’t, not well anyway. Some days are better than others. I have an amazingly supportive husband who shares my vision for a better life. One that I can be proud of and build a legacy for those we leave behind. I’m brave enough to: take risks, dream, want more, know I’m more and that I have so much more to give.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Sarah-Louise Thompson Elysian Therapies & Spa I was delighted to win a Brave Rising Star Award at this year’s Altitude Awards for my business, Elysian Therapies and Skincare. I am so proud of the high standard of care we offer our clients. I am proud of the pool of skill and expertise we are able to draw from for our clients. I have had over 20 years of experience in the beauty industry and along with my wonderful team of qualified beauty therapists we strive to offer the very best service and experience for the clients at our spa. All our Elysian spa treatments have been created with our client’s needs and relaxation in mind. Our spa premises was also carefully designed to offer our clients a serene, peaceful space to enjoy their spa experience. We offer a holistic, whole mind and body approach to our treatments that align perfectly with the meaning of our business name. Elysian means beautiful or creative; divinely inspired; peaceful and perfect. Our little spa offers a diverse range of services that include: facials, waxing, manicures, pedicures, tinting, reiki, body massage, meditation classes and sound healing.
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In our spa we use our very own professional range of vegan and organic skincare products. These products have been specially selected and are yielding fabulous results for our clients. While our skin care products are incredibly potent, they are also very gentle on sensitive skin. Our range of skin care products have been formulated with the busy woman in mind. They are a ‘fuss free’ beautiful product made with natural organically ingredients grown here in Australia and manufactured by a team of talented cosmetic chemists. Our choice of ingredients reflects our commitment to investing in only the highest quality and ethical ingredients to ensure we are creating products we can stand behind. You will find Elysian Therapies and Skincare located in the leafy suburb of Farmborough Heights, 10 minutes south of Wollongong.
BRAVE RISING STAR AWARD
Shannon Earls & Maureen Bartlett Encore Beauty Winning the WWA - Brave Rising Star Award is such an incredible honour and an enormous surprise! This recognition has given us business collateral, and confirmation that the hard work we put in, and the passion we have for our business is validated. We were thrilled to be nominated and awarded by such exceptional business peers. Thank you so much WWA!! We founded Encore Beauty in 2005, as mother and daughter business partners, and now with the addition of Shannon’s daughter Chloe to the team, we are proudly a three generation Australian owned business. After leaving school Maureen jumped into retail, and after moving to Australia from NZ, she discovered the magical world of makeup. From working behind a counter in David Jones it’s so exciting that Encore Beauty now supplies 19 David Jones stores nationally. Later on Maureen found her passion in-sales and marketing roles and in 1991 started her first business ‘Ideas on Deck’, in PR and sponsorship management. In 2000 Shannon joined Maureen in that business.
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In 2005, we were introduced to SLA Paris, a French professional makeup line and were both blown away by the quality of the products. We flew to France to meet the creator and visit their factory. We began creating business plans and foundations for Encore Beauty and haven’t looked back! We’re incredibly passionate about premium, professional, natural and organic cosmetic products. Our philosophy is to only source clean beauty products, to represent brands that are ethical, natural and cruelty free. Our portfolio has expanded to include an amazing organic pregnancy line, an organic skincare derived from banana actives, an organic tanning range, with 2 more launching in the new year! We support our spa and salon businesses with free business and marketing advice and materials. We also conduct product training (including makeup application training) in our academy in Parramatta. We started the SLA Academy in 2009 to support our industry salon clients and upskill them in the makeup field. We also train beginners to become makeup artists and run courses for teens and women to help them improve their grooming and self-esteem.
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MEET OUR MEMBERS Being a member of our community opens the door for you take up some great opportunities to expand your profile, promote and educate your audience on what you do and helps others connect with you. Email us at info@womenwithaltitude.com.au to receive the information on what you need to send in to be part of out directory. If you're reading this as a member, check out the special offers and discounts on offer overleaf.
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Dec - jan 2021
DESIGN, MARKETING & BRANDING SERVICES
MEMBER DIRECTORY
Elise Maunder - Elise Lola Design
Ngaire Gardiner - Ngaire Clare Creative
Graphic design made easy. Elise Lola Design specialises in Print
I help creative businesses engage and connect with
and Digital design for all your advertising and marketing needs. Let’s talk about your next project, call now on 0405 723 743 and
their audience content. Contact me for help with your
receive $45 off your first invoice!
blog, email newsletter or online course content.
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Sharon Trejbal - Branding Photography
Picton Marketing
Connect with your audience. Grow your brand. In today’s digital world, our images need to impress and keep our audience interested. Personal Branding for business is a collection of images, that showcase your authentic self. Images that are created just for you ,that connect with your ideal audience and tell your unique business story. Contact me , obligation free and I can discuss your very own personal brand. Connect with Sharon:
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In today’s online world video is almost the only way to get your business noticed. More than 50% of video is watched on mobile, with the sound off. We help small businesses create professional marketing videos that showcase their products, services, team, events and special promotions. And we understand you have a tiny budget! Click on the facebook link below to see more Connect with Anna-Marijke
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dec -jan 2021
GIFTS AND HANDMADE PRODUCTS
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Wendy James - Because You Matter
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Because You Matter is more than just a gift, it’s a gifting
Creative workshops, small groups, from jewellery, painting, card
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making, collage, mandalas to beeswax wraps Local jewellery artisan, creating bespoke jewellery. Fran would like to share the joy of creating and making with you.
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Tia Veech The Oil Hut What does your workplace feel like? Is it motivating, calm, relaxing, stressful, consoling, peaceful. Does it need uplifting, calming, freshening? Tia - the Oil Lady is here to help create the work environment you desire.
Kate McConville ENJO Cleaning Products Do you love a clean bathroom? Do you want to do this easily and quickly? Do you buy cleaning products? I'm Katethegreeny and I can help you save money and feel good about taking care of your family’s health and your home using the environmentally friendly ENJO cleaning products. Call me to
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Angela Gauci - Total Workforce Services Let us help save you time, working in your small business. Specialising in assisting with bookkeeping, payroll and HR matters, we’re passionate about helping small businesses understand their and grow.Have you ever felt...exhausted working through paperwork late into the night/weekends? unsure what a Profit & Loss report tells you? overwhelmed by responding to and culling applications when recruiting? Lets have a chat about how we can help you...(02) 4555 4634
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Anthony Sunay - Business Advisor I am very different from other business advisors as I have a very technical mindset and can grasp technical concepts fast, as well as a very entrepreneurial mindset that can see potential in products and services that others cannot, and I know how to develop products and services at an affordable cost to an organization. I understand the stresses faced by new and existing business owners, and how they require help in the form of business advice to remain innovative in the marketplace.
orinfo@totalworkforceservices.com.au Mention WWA to get $50 off your first invoice Connect with Angela
Chandu Bickford
Judge Accountants
Chandu brings inspired learning & opportunities for deep, sustainable change to all her clients. As a gifted transformational coach, a savvy business & leadership trainer, an engaging facilitator, and storyteller, she educates & inspires with a fresh, calm & creative spirit that reflects her diverse and inspiring life. With poetry, pragmatism & a passion for living out our true potential, Chandu offers individuals and groups unique and
Judge Accountants - Proactive Tax & Business Advice We know every business and person requires a tailored service: from an individual tax return to a complete end-to-end solution. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you and your business – phone (02) 4732 3844 or email info@judgeaccountants.com.au
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MEMBER DIRECTORY
Fiona Donnelly - Telopea Services
Bec McFarland is a career and business coach and the owner of Pop Your Career and Pop Your Business. Bec is passionate about helping you find your own personal flavour of fulfilment and supports business owners in managing the business “stuff” so they can focus on the work that really lights them up.
Fiona Donnelly from Telopea Services is a copywriter, writer, editor and book publicist. I specialise in creating sparkling copy to build a connection to your clients on social media, websites and printed materials. If you have any queries about how I can help with your copywriting concerns or if you would like to book a session on social media please send me a message at fiona@telopeaservices.com.au, ring me on 0402 2057 76
Connect with Bec: Connect with Fiona:
Word Doctors - Fiona Donnelly and Lisa Finn Powell The Word Doctors are two writers, Fiona Donnelly and Lisa Finn Powell, who share a mutual love of working with words and have collaborated to deliver a series of business writing workshops. We work with businesses wishing to deliver their message with confidence and panache, through advertising, websites, social media, publications or in articles. Visit our Facebook page to find out about our upcoming workshops:
Kate McConville Kwik Kopy At our Kwik Kopy Printing Centre we produce quality, polished, printed products and services that contribute to the professional look of your business. We print brochures, books, pull up banners and much more. Pop a printed gift in the post to your customers so it is there as a surprise for them when they arrive back at work. For free advice ring: Kate’s Kwik Kopy printing shop servicing Sydney and beyond 0414983098 - sales@auburn.kwikkopy.com.au Connect with Kate
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MEMBER DIRECTORY
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Dawn Cady - Alleviate Pain
Anne Barratt - Empowering Health
Enjoy your life againAchieve freedom from pain with Australia’s No.
Kinesiology, Hypnotherapy, Coaching and Energy Work for
1 Pain Freedom Coach. Alleviate Pain was founded by Dawn Cady, a
whole body, mind and life mastery to help you live a life
former chronic pain sufferer who healed herself and learned to walk
without limits.Release emotional and physical pain and
again. She developed The Neural Alignment Method®, which brings together the world’s best healing techniques for chronic pain to help you achieve true freedom from pain Connect with Dawn:
discomfort, life blocks and stuckness, self-sabotage and limiting beliefs, and more...I also specialise in helping people Childless Not By Choice. Appointments online, or face-to-face in Springwood and Winmalee. Connect with Anne
Melissa Woodward- Evolution Health Service At Evolution Health Service we are focused on caring for women’s health. We believe in supporting women to live a fun-filled life in a body they know and love. We offer specialised Pregnancy and Post-natal Massage, Remedial Massage and guide women through our online holistic health program – Strong Mums. Join Strong Mums and receive 50% off your first month – code: FIRSTMONTH
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Linda Campbell Linda is a Master Results Coach, Master Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner and Clinical Hypnotherapist. With over 30 years experience of helping people overcome their difficulties, she specializes in helping people learn coping strategies to manage stress and anxiety, so they feel calmer, more confident and in control. If you’re feeling stressed with the current situation, you can get her free 7 Tips for Managing Covid Stress and download free guided meditations for sleep and relaxation at www.mindmastery.com.au.
dec - jan 2021
MEMBER DIRECTORY
SELF IMPROVEMENT
Angie Rassi - Find Your Bling
Karen Curran - The Heart of Us
Angie Rassi is the founder of the Find Your Bling
Feel like there is something missing in your life? Is it time to
Game. An intuitive game where you can gain
let go of the effects of the past holding you back? Using
Insights, clarity and direction in life.
professional Sand play and Art Therapies, Music,
Come and bring your biggest question to the Find
Visualisation and more - you can let go of the effects of the
Your Bling Game and let the magic happen.
past and become the best version of you. Wonderful for overcoming the effects of trauma, anxiety, day to day
Connect with Angie:
worries and much more. Karen provides compassionate understanding and supportive processes to guide you, or your child, to inner healing. Parent and child sessions also available.
Lisa West
Barbara Callan
As a Yoga Teacher and Mind and Body Coach I help women cultivate a more nourishing relationship with themselves and to improve their own self-worth and body image, especially through different seasons of life. Together we explore their habits and patterns and how this affects their decision making. We unravel what their stories mean and re-establish new boundaries and new strategies for healthier decisions both mentally and physically. Connect with Lisa:
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The work I do encompasses the personal, business, creative, relational and career spheres. Connecting with your energy field and channelling the information that comes through delivers clarity on what’s happening now and the next steps that will help you move forward more easily. Contact me at: barbara@barbaracallan.com or 0450412201 Connect with Barbara:
dec - jan 2021
MEMBER DIRECTORY
SELF IMPROVEMENT
Sharon Venness - Energy Artist Intuitive art classes for self-discovery and self-transformation with no painting skills required. Creativity coaching to help you find your super powers and bring them to the surface for everyday use. Discover Aha moments ~ awaken your creative soul ~
Candace Coughlan, Wild Health Hub Candace is an Integrative Holistic Health Coach working with women to get rid of fatigue, clear memory fog, regulate moods and increase energy by addressing gut issues & imbalances to really help you feel alive & thrive in all aspects of life!
connect on a deeper level than ever before ~ learn about your inner goddess powers. Connect with Sharon
Kelly-Anne Cummiings
Lisa Finn Powell
Kelly-Anne Cummings is our in-house coach and coach of
Lisa is an author, journalist, copywriter, performer, speaker and
coaches. She has been helping women and their families take
storyteller. She is also a voice, writing and speaker coach. Through
back control of their lives and move them in new directions for
her business, Inspire Harmony, she runs writing courses and
over a decade. Visit her website www.wlba.com.au or join her
empowers people to create and deliver great speeches and
Private FB Group Take Back Control today.
presentations, and to write and tell their stories. She provides one-
Connect with Kelly-Anne:
on-one coaching, consultations, team building and workshops for small or large groups. Lisa is the cohost of the radio show and podcast Stories Around the World with Fran Cane and one of the Word Doctors with Fiona Donnelly. Connect with Lisa:
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EVENTS & SPACES
Emma Madison- Indy Mtns Coworking Viktoria Darabi - Western Syndey Business Center Viktoria has over three decades of experience as a small business owner and contractor, having worked with many types of small to medium businesses primarily in the food and beverage services, tourism, hospitality and events space. She has a keen eye for current and future trends in entrepreneurship, marketing, tourism and gastronomy and blends a marketer’s mind with an entrepreneur’s spirit.
PElevate your business with INDY MTNS Coworking in Springwood, Blue Mountains. We provide a space that is conducive to both focussed work and serendipitous interaction. Book a desk for the day, a meeting room for a workshop or make INDY MTNS your business home. Call 1300 890 955 or visit www.indymtns.org for more info on flexible membership options. Connect with Emma
Charity Mirrow - Fusion Boutique Quality entertainment & unique experiences in atmospheric spaces for your enjoyment. Publicity | Entertainment | Event Management | Promotions
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FAMILY & HOME SERVICE
MEMBER DIRECTORY
Monique Peters - Brainwise Learning
Claire & Aaron Hills - Angus Car Service
Learning isn't always easy...
We service all makes and models of cars and can service
And when it isn't - children struggle, parents worry and people miss out on opportunities that can make life fulfilling. Improving their mindset and the way they talk to themselves about learning and other challenges is one way we help. Talk to Monique on 0417 047 687 or visit the website for more
your car under warranty. We have a free pick up and drop off service and courtesy car. We are a women friendly workshop and wash every car that we service. Call us today on 47323 676 or check out our website & Fb.
information. Network members and their families/friends can claim a $50.00 discount by quoting ILUVMYNETWORK. Connect with Monique:
Waratah e Conveyancing I am a local Blue Mountains licensed conveyancer. For all residential: purchasing, selling, refinancing & transferring, call Bev Gunn on 02 4784 3176. I will be happy to look after you. Email: bgunn@warataheconveyancing.com.au Website: www.warataheconveyancing.com.au Connect with Bev
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dec - jan 2021
CALL FOR SPEAKERS 2021 Events Would you like to speak at our events? Here are the upcoming themes: February - Intentional 2021: Start your year on track! March - International Women's Day April - Creative Comfort Zone May - Marketing, Money & Mindful May June - End of Financial Year: Make your numbers count July - Check in Challenge August - Digital Dexterity September - Spring Clean Your Socials October - Small Business Month November - Mental Health & Mindset/World Kindness Day Contact Lisa Finn Powell at members@womenwithatitude.com.au
Be in
BRAVE Magazine
Team Training 2021
We are starting the year out with a fantastic day of upskilling to help you get the most out of your role as a WWA team member/leader.
Training exercises will include: Emotional Intelligence
Tips for welcoming potential new members
Community building techniques
Team tools for hosting a successful meeting
Strategies for 'running a room'
Creating a WWA Culture
All team members are required to attend a team training session prior to the kick off of our 2021 networking events. There will be one in person and one online. Please attend one. Looking forward to seeing you all and having a fun day! Coffees and morning tea provided. Bring your own lunch or you can purchase at the venue.
Thursday, 28 Jan 2021 9:00 AM Camden Lakeside Golf Club 50 Raby Rd, Gledswood Hills NSW 2557
From all of us here at Women with Altitude, we'd like to wish you a
Merry Christmas &
Happy New Year!