HeyDoodle founder and CEO, Beatrice Toh has been recognised in the Specialised Retail category in the 2023 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards.
Toh, a mum of three who created HeyDoodle in 2019 after identifying a gap in the market for quality, washable and reusable creative play kids’ products, was announced winner of the accolade at the Awards’ National Presentation Evening Gala Event at the new Western Sydney Conference Centre on Saturday 23 September 2023.
“To be considered a finalist was an honour enough, but to have won the award is a testament to perseverance and a huge motivator to keep innovating and paving the way,” Toh said.
“Submitting an award entry creates an opportunity for business owners to stop and reflect, evaluate, and learn to tell our story to those who may not know our journey thus far. It allows us a platform to build a community with other women in the industry who also strive for excellence in their small business.”
Future business plans for HeyDoodle include exponential growth internationally. “Locally, we are pursuing new avenues in the NDIS sector and creating opportunities to collaborate with corporations to extend our reach. Internally, we are continuously innovating to challenge what is available in the market and produce better products for the consumers as well as the earth.”
This year marks the second consecutive year of the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards that celebrates the growing number of Australia’s most inspiring and influential women in small business.
“There’s no doubting the rising success of female-led small businesses from all corners of this country,” Steve Loe, Awards founder and managing director of Precedent Productions, which coordinates the Awards.
“Just as the Matildas shone during this year’s World Cup, attracting the nation’s admiration and highlighting the positive contribution of women in sport, the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards program has been specifically created to shine a spotlight on the rising economic and social contributions of women in small business – spanning all capital cities as well as rural, regional and suburban towns.
“Precedent Productions has been running the Australian Small Business Champion Awards since 1999 so we’re generally in-tune with the country’s best performing business operators. We created this standalone female-focused awards program because frankly, it’s high time for greater recognition of Australia’s female business trailblazers who still face unique challenges with incredible grit and positively infectious entrepreneurial spirit.”