Award Categories
Outstanding Growth.
The growth of small and medium-sized businesses contributes to building a more resilient Australian economy. This category is for small and medium-sized businesses achieving significant growth and contributing to building a more resilient Australian economy.
Who is it for?
Business Experiencing Positive Growth
Businesses going from strength-to-strength and enjoying a sustained period of revenue growth will need to have experienced – and be able to show – at least a 15% growth in revenue in the last financial year.
Telling your growth story
Achieving this growth may include or come from these activities:
Job creation
Businesses whose success is creating new employment opportunities.
Growing footprint
Businesses whose growth has meant new stores, websites, warehouses, expanding operations, etc. to meet the demands of a growing customer base.
Extending your reach
Businesses that have successfully expanded into new markets or significantly grown their customer base.
Community focus
Businesses whose growth has had a huge impact on their community.
Export success
Businesses experiencing sustained success exporting services and/or products.
The 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards National Outstanding Growth Award Winner is: Valenhold
Specialising in mining services, Valenhold offers end to end solutions supporting mobile fleet operations. With exclusive access to proven parts and components, world - leading engineering and procurement teams, Valenhold can support projects no matter the size or complexity.
Featured 2023 Entrants.
TAS Winner
Ellis Richmond Pty Ltd
Ellis Richmond provides accounting services to help clients measure and manage carbon emissions, helping them to understand their impact and how they can make a difference. Through specialised technology, they are able to build a community of businesses measuring and sharing their emissions data, with the aim of making more informed business decisions when it comes to sustainability.
SA Winner
INCREDIBLE SMILES
As a modern family dental practice serving Munno Para West and Playford City in Adelaide, Incredible Smiles is committed to providing patients with comprehensive dental care of the highest standard. The team deliver exceptional care to help optimise the health of their patients as well as enhance their smiles.
WA Winner
Common Ground PTY LTD
Common Ground Trails is a trail consultancy who have been specialising in all facets of developing and establishing mountain biking and walking facilities since 2014, aiming to connect people with trails, spaces, landscapes and most importantly each other. They create opportunities for people to connect with the environment and get outdoors.
Eligibility criteria.
To enter, the following set of eligibility criteria that must be met. Each category also has specific criteria requirements too. If you have any questions about these conditions or eligibility please contact us.
The business must:
- Reside in Australia
- Have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Have been operating in Australia for at least 12 months at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Be more than 60% Australian-owned, with the owner(s)/founder(s) responsible for making the key management decisions
- Be a small-to-medium business that’s a sole trader, partnership, incorporated, NFP, social enterprise or franchise whose franchisor is 60% Australian owned and not a listed company
- Earn more than $50,000 in annual revenue in the current financial year and have achieved at least 15% annual revenue growth in the current financial year
- Have under 200 full-time equivalent staff at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Operate in an ethical manner with suppliers, distributors and contractors
The business must not:
- Be a listed company, franchisor, a club, co-operative, or a Telstra licensee
- Be affiliated with Telstra through investments, donation or reselling
- Be more than 50% owned by another business
- Be a government agency
- Have filed for bankruptcy in the prior 5 years or been subject to court proceedings in the prior 12 months – including in the business owner or founder’s personal capacity – at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Be a recipient of significant ongoing government funding (excluding temporary government relief or support packages, such as Jobkeeper or disaster recovery)
- Have been a contracted commercial supplier of Telstra in the last 3 years
- Enter the same category where the business has previously won at State or National level at the Telstra Best of the Business Awards in the past 3 years
- Have a staff member that has been a State or National Judge in the Telstra Best of Business Awards for any category in the past 3 years
Conditions of entry:
- A business may not enter the awards if a staff member or owner has applied to be a Judge in the same awards program year.
- When requested, business financials must be supplied. All financials will remain confidential and will not be shared or used outside the purposes of judging the business’ performance, success and viability.
Key Dates for the 2023 Program.
Nominations open.
All year round.
Nominations close 5 May 2023. If you miss this date, you can still nominate in advance for next year’s program.
Stage 1.
27 March – 17 May 2023
The initial stage is a multiple choice assessment of your business and how successful it is. Your total score will determine whether you progress to Stage 2. You will be advised of the outcome of your entry by email.
Stage 2.
23 May – 13 June 2023
For this stage, the goal is to gain a deeper understanding of your business and give you an opportunity to expand on your answers from Stage 1.
Have a question?
Try our FAQs or speak with our Award Team. Call 1800 AWARDS Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (AEDT)
Nominations open all year round.
Nominate an exceptional business moving Australia forward – even your own.