SmartCompany50 rank: 25
Revenue: $1.7 million
Growth: 52%
Founders: Debra Shugg, 43
Based: Melbourne
Employees: 6
Industry: Property & business services
Website: www.awardbookkeeping.com.au
In 1998, many small business owners were not able to effectively record financial information to enable them to run their businesses efficiently. Debra Shugg started Award Bookkeeping Company from home, but growth was slow.
It took five years to reach the $1 million milestone, but now has $1.7 million revenue. Her biggest mistake was using external resources for sales only to find they failed to meet expectations. “Never outsource key functions of your business,” she says.
Shugg plans to expand both nationally and internationally as the industry comes to terms with a huge upheaval caused by new regulations to regulate bookkeepers.
