True Business Stories

Michael Kenneady has a work ethic derived from working on his parents farm and being involved at an early age in working with disadvantaged people. His passion is infectious and as General Manager for Lazarus Community Centre he is keen to make a difference to his guests lives.

Glen has a passion for education and continuous learning. He is now the Chair for U3A Australia - or more formally known as the University of the 3rd Age. U3A focusses on the 50 to 100 year olds and provides a wide variety of courses through a membership model.

Adam left school not really sure what to do and began a role at BBQ Galore and found he had a passion and a gift for selling. This led to management roles and an offer to learn about real estate. He now is the Principal for Ray White Highton.   

Brett has established himself as one of the leading business leaders in Geelong and beyond. A career starting in logistics has now led Brett to running Geelong Port a vital part of the economy in Geelong and Victoria.

Ryan ran his own electrical business for a number of years and then seeking a bit of a change, together with his wife Nicole, bought King Parrot Cottages and Event Centre. This is located in Penny Royal in the wonderful Otways in South Western Victoria. 

Stephanie is an Australian social entrepreneur and the founder of Seven Women, a social enterprise based in Nepal that provided skills training and employment for women with disabilities. Stephanie was inspired to start her charity while visiting Nepal some years ago. Stephanie is passionate about social change and now runs tours to bring others into understanding the need for meaningful impact an...

Jesse began his employment journey as an electrician and then took a plunge into freight and his first contract was for Australia Post out in Mildura. He has now expanded by purchasing Colac Dairies and is looking for more opportunities. Jesse is also an advocate for Ai as this makes his business more  efficient.  

Len has a great story from being an accomplished athlete (as a runner) to his journey in forming LBA Construction group. A building group delivering high quality homes in Melbourne. An honest, humorous and stimulating story on being good at what you do (and the power of a good Mother!)

Shae has been born and bred in Colac in South West Victoria. Her passion for dance and supporting children led her to form a dance studio that has over 60 classes a week. She has also created The Courageous Kids Club to build positive self belief in children. A great story.

Joe emigrated to Colac some years ago, following his wife to the community they love and work in. Joe owns Treasure Hunters a thriving retail business that is worlds away from the small village he grew up in in Zimbabwe. Joe has a passion for people and products and is an inspiration to all that meet him.  

Lynda has had a fascinating career dealing with intercultural approaches to work and community engagement. Lynda says 'For 30 years, my goal has been for the Australian government, all states, territories and 537 local governments to move beyond multicultural thinking to operate interculturally to benefit every person who lives in Australia' A great story. 

Bill and Mark chat about the year gone and the great businesses they have met. We will be back in 2026.

Mark started his life as a teacher and through hard work and 'sliding door moments' has been an AFL Player, AFL Coach and now the CEO of Geelong United Basketball. Mark has a clear vision and passion for sport and the need to ensure it is inclusive.  

Nick has had a drive to create businesses filling a gap in the market. He moved from selling Heat Pump Hot Water services to importing and installing lifts in peoples home after identifying a trend of people aging but wanting to stay in their own homes. A great story of innovation and adaptability.

Leighton has had a strong career in developing innovation across a number of roles. He then decided to pursue his love of sport and running completing a Ph. D in Sport Science and runs his own business coaching triathlon runners.  

Scott loves being in education and as the College Principal at Northern Bay College he wants all his students to be successful. A great career across various schools, a passion for teaching and a great role model.

Kerri loves working in the digital space helping customers optimise their SEO. Kerri has a clear focus on what she wants to achieve and this is evident through her various roles and businesses. Another example of 'being brave'

Keith Fagg is well known across Geelong and Victoria for his family hardware and timber business that has operated for over 170 years. Keith now devotes his time to mediation work and is also a philanthropist and a casual marathon runner.

Claire started her career as a para legal and on joining Telstra found a passion for cyber security. Claire has worked in Hong Kong as well as Australia and now runs her own cyber security consulting company The Security Collective. Claire also has her own pod casts with a focus on cyber security.

Nadine started off in WA and commended work after study as a Speech Pathologist. Nadine moved to Victoria and with her husband started Baie Wines by planting lots of Vines. Today Baie Wines is recognised for a great arrange of wines and a strong social conscience.

Mia Shaw is the Mayor of Wyndham. Starting with a degree from Deakin University and a journalism focus has led to a number of communication roles. Mia now runs her own leadership mentoring business 'Govern with impact'  and has a passion for all things to do with Wyndham.

Thomas as the Chief Executive Officer of Symphony3, leads a team of experts in delivering innovative and transformative solutions for businesses across various sectors. The focus on providing Local Government the tools to help drive efficiency and better outcomes is a key driver. 

Eddy has always enjoyed working with engines and this led to a career working on diesel engines and machinery all over the world. Eddy returned to Geelong some years ago and is now working in the Elphinstone Group across Australia. He is also a Councillor for the City of Greater Geelong.

Justin started his education in wanting to be a lawyer but then decided to change and undertake a degree in business and and commerce. He then took on a role at Cabinets by Computer and is now the General Manager. 

Andrew started his career in innovative design with Parker Pens and Sian through the creative industries including the Opera. They met in the UK and through working in a number of companies consulting on design, critical thinking and  leadership have forged a two businesses that have taken them around the world and now back to Geelong.