Young Entrepreneurs Stood Out

Some of Queensland’s most entrepreneurial young minds have just come to the end of one of the most gruelling weeks they have ever experienced; pushing themselves and their resilience to the brink.

The Sunshine Coast was chosen to host this year’s 2010 Queensland Business Icon Competition, running in its sixth consecutive year, but its first externally in Queensland, and inspired by reality TV shows such as ‘The Apprentice’ and ‘Dragons Den’.

The competition ran over an intense seven day period and saw Queensland’s most talented young people performing a range of business focused tasks designed by the events major sponsors.

The first business task was a charity based assignment sponsored by Opportunity International and the Silver Chef which asked the top 34 contestants, selected from 160 potentials in a grueling interview process, to set up and successfully run a fashion show in 48 hours. Twenty-four contestants were asked to move on through the competition after raising $10,200.

The second task had the chosen 24 develop a perception marketing campaign for sponsor TAFE Queensland, and present it in front of a board of high profile judges including TAFE Queensland Director Ross Hepworth. Twelve contestants progressed to a third task sponsored by the Noosa Biosphere who required them to develop a communications plan that would attract new visitors to the Noosa Biosphere region. At a networking function sponsored by the Caloundra Chamber of Commerce the final four were then chosen and announced: Aron Du Shane from Brisbane, Tahnee Brahim from Caboolture, Jenna Waters and Hazil Martin from the Sunshine Coast. The final four then had only 48 hours to produce their final task; a business model for a new health and wellness clinic for the Caloundra RSL who were the final task sponsor.

The top four then presented their business models at a major luncheon that attracted over 230 prominent Sunshine Coast business people including well known personalities such as Tim Fairfax who was invited to be a special guest judge.

The 2010 winner, Jenna Waters, is a Mooloolaba local working for Elders Real estate. Jenna is a highly ambitious young woman making her mark on the sales and marketing world. Jenna already has three highly successful years in Real Estate under her belt and multiple awards recognising her success within the industry. She has turned her passion for interacting with people into a strong foundation that will continue to serve her in her career. Fuelled by a burning desire for success Jenna loves taking on new challenges and thrives under pressure which she proved throughout the gruelling week that was the Queensland 2010 Business Icon.

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