Dynamic Business

11. Will Gray and Adrian Risely, 31 and 36
Hidden Door

www.hiddendoor.com.au

Hidden Door delivers ‘inaccessible’ amazing experiences, predominantly to the corporate market, for use as client entertainment and team-building. Ultimately aiding in retaining their two most valuable assets—their clients and their staff.

Gray and Risely started the business a year ago with experiences on offer like firefighting with the NSW Fire Brigade and learning to graffiti with Australian artists. Their biggest achievement so far has been launching sub-brand Hidden Door Express, which includes a number of team-building options that are delivered to your door with, including all equipment and instructions, but without the expense of a company hosting it for you.

The pair have taken a passion for making amazing “imagine if…” moments a reality and turned it into a business that connects companies with their people. As a result, they are determined to continue to innovators of corporate experiences and to be at the forefront of the industry.

12. Pete Williams, 26
Infiniti Telecommunications, Preneur Marketing, MCG Memories, On Hold Advertising and Discount Mobiles

www.itelecom.com.au, www.preneurmarketing.com, www.mcgmemories.com.au, www.onholdadvertising.com.au, www.discountmobiles.com.au

Infiniti Telecommunications, which sells telecommunications products, began in 2003. However it was not until Williams, serial entrepreneur and marketer became involved, that it really began to take off, growing year on year more than 400 percent in the last 12 months alone.

He has developed and progressed many businesses, including Discount Mobiles. Williams has been in business for a long time however, registering his first company, Impact Plus, while he was still at high school.

He is lauded internationally as a marketing expert, has played centre stage to many high profile audiences and written a book, How to Turn your Million Dollar Idea into a Reality.

13. Danin Kahn, 31
Todae

www.todae.com.au

Todae is Australia’s largest provider of Eco products and services.
Kahn got involved with an existing business that was started in 2003 selling biodegradable and organic bodycare, baby and cleaning products online and rebranded it as Todae. He expanded it to provide Australia’s largest range of sustainable products.

Since then, the business has continued to expand into different areas, opening two Sydney retail stores and becoming one of the leading providers of solar power.
The company’s biggest achievement so far was opening its flagship store in Westfield Bondi Junction this year, the first Westfield store in the world to run on solar power.

Kahn is passionate and dedicated and a great example of someone really wrapping a business around their beliefs. Todae was his opportunity to reconcile his entrepreneurial drive with his long-held passion for the environment. In just over two-and-a-half years, Kahn has taken a fledgling online start-up to a business that has more than 20,000 customers worldwide.

Todae is not his first successful business; he opened a web strategy company in his early 20s which he built up and sold a few years later.

14. Scott Kilmartin, 38
haul

www.haul.com.au

haul designs and manufactures urban bags and accessories for the streetwear and corporate market from recycled vinyl advertising billboard, rubber inner-tubes, license plates and bus shelter posters.

Started in a garage in Hobart as a creative hobby in 1999, haul evolved into a brand supplying fashion boutiques, design stores and Apple retailers with laptop sleeves, messenger bags, photo albums, iPhone covers as well as bar/café furniture and fit-outs for the interior design set. Spin-off haul Corporate was started in May, making innovative corporate gifts for companies from their billboards. In five short months, it has produced eco-accessories for BP, SEEK, AGL, Origin Energy, CarSales.com.au, Virgin Mobile & V-Festival.

The company’s biggest achievement so far has been signing a deal with airline Jetstar to recycle all of the company’s billboards for the next two years. They will be turned into laptop bags for underprivileged students and luggage tags for Jetstar customers. haul has also opened its second retail store in Fitzroy, Melbourne.

Kilmartin has shown great drive and persistence in offering green products ahead of the current eco trend and is now riding a wave of enlightened consumer awareness, changing the perception of green products from “tree hugger” to designer.

15. Nicole Eckels, 34
Glasshouse

www.glasshousefragrances.com.au

When New Yorker Eckels arrived in Australia two years ago she set out to purchase a candle for a friend. Unable to find one that actually had a fragrance, she began developing a range of candles. When the gift idea turned into a fruitful business, Glasshouse was officially born. It is now one of Australia’s luxury fragrance companies, with plush products at an affordable price.

When the brand launched in December 2006, Eckels, the creative director, knew she was onto something as her offering was something previously unavailable in Australia. Very quickly Glasshouse began to dominate the Australian gift and fragrance market.

It wasn’t hard to get retail support right away. “As it turned out I wasn’t the only person in search of the perfect candle,” says Eckels. Glasshouse has since expanded into numerous lines such as body bars and hand and body lotion.
Glasshouse grew in status and international markets became interested in importing products. An example of this is Japan where Glasshouse is available at Mitsukoshi and Isetan.

The company’s growth has been rapid: 500 percent with in 18 months. Its latest product, Fragrance Diffusers, have been a huge success.