Last Friday evening, aXcelerate’s managing and founding directors Reay and Julie spent a glamorous evening at Brisbane Town Hall for the 2016 Queensland Telstra Business Awards Dinner. 

These prestigious awards are now in their 24th year and receive thousands of entrants in the Queensland division alone. Once all Queensland applicants are received, they are whittled down to a number of shortlisted businesses across five chosen categories; New Business, Micro Business, Small Business, Medium Business and Charity. From there, 23 businesses are chosen as finalists and invited to attend the formal Awards Dinner, where the Queensland winner for each category is announced and is automatically a contender for the National Telstra Awards for their category. This year aXcelerate were shortlisted and then selected as a Queensland finalist for the Telstra Small Business Award, along with five other finalists.

The Awards Dinner kicked off at 6:00pm with all selected businesses arriving at Brisbane Town Hall dressed in their finest and greeted with drinks and canapés. Guests were then shepherded into the main auditorium where the dinner was introduced by representatives from the Telstra Business Awards, including the Awards Ambassador – Andy Ellis.

Each finalist was then recognised for their achievements and received a formal certificate before the presenters quickly moved on to announce the winners for each category. Unfortunately, aXcelerate did not win the Small Business category. However, both Reay and Jules agreed it was an enjoyable evening, and the aXcelerate team felt both proud and honoured to be in the company of so many high achieving and inspiring businesses. And of course, as they always say at the Oscars: ‘It’s an honour to be nominated!’

As Andy Ellis himself said on the night, “ The Telstra Business Awards shine a light on brilliant businesses in every corner and every sector of Australia. To become a finalist, you have demonstrated that passion and determination coupled with strong business acumen can turn a dream into a profitable and sustainable business.”

Both Reay, Julie and the aXcelerate team would also like to take the opportunity to thank our clients who sent through their well-wishes leading up to the Awards Dinner. Our clients’ support is a significant contributor to our success and a key motivator in continuing to develop and grow aXcelerate.

For more information on the 2016 Queensland Telstra Awards and a list of all the finalists fo each category, you can visit their website.