Innovation

Impress Media Australia works with a range of innovative Australian companies and individuals. Please read the stories below for details.

Gordon KaySoftware entrepreneur Gordon Kay has launched a new venture, coaching business owners on how to avoid the potholes on the road to success.

Drawing on Gordon's more than three decades in business, Doing Biz designs and delivers programs that equip business owners to gain relevant and practical skills, business knowledge and confidence to take their business to the next level.

Gordon started working with business owners in the early 2000 via the City of West Torrens after a request from the local Business Enterprise Centre (BEC).  This progressed to roles with the SA Department of Trade and Economic Development, Department of Primary Industries and Resources of South Australia and other BEC groups.  At the time, Gordon was running his company ESS (Engineering Software Solutions), developer of the successful Steelbuilder platform which he has since sold.

Gordon said he established Doing Biz to meet a need in the business community. "In more recent times, the small end of business has been neglected in terms of development support, particularly for the owners of the business," he said.

John Knox Church restoration teamConstruction Industry Training Board (CITB) trainees skilled in the ancient craft of stonemasonry are restoring a 157-year-church in the Adelaide suburb of Morphett Vale.

The State-listed heritage building John Knox Church in William St, Morphett Vale, is re-emerging from ruins after undergoing restoration by an expert team from Edwardstown company Applied Building Conservation Training (ABCT), which is training newcomers in heritage trades skills.

One of Australia’s foremost Stonemasonry Training experts, Keith McAllister of Heritage Stone Restorations at Edwardstown, is collaborating with the CITB through his training company ABCT to provide a "hands on" approach to promoting this traditional profession.

The company employs qualified stonemasons and conservators from Australia and the UK to work on commercial projects while they actively train newcomers in the trade. This joint venture between the CITB and ABCT is a ‘national first’ in stonemasonry training.

Patrick TapperExperienced business leader and former Internode CEO Patrick Tapper has agreed to become a Chair with Executive Boards Australia, an organisation that aims to build business leadership skills nationally.

Mr. Tapper recently moved from Adelaide to Queensland after last year successfully negotiating the sale of privately-owned broadband company Internode to ASX-listed iiNet for $105 million. During Mr. Tapper’s tenure, Internode grew from 12 employees to a $200 million company with more than 450 employees and about 200,000 customers.

In his 14 years with Internode, Mr Tapper has held a number of other leadership roles including Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AMCHAM). He’s remains a as a non-executive director for the Service to Youth Council Inc., and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

As a Chair with Executive Boards Australia (EBA) http://www>.executiveboardsaustralia.com.au, Mr Tapper will chair advisory boards for EBA clients, leading monthly meetings to advise small to medium business owners about the strategy and performance of their businesses.

Mr. Tapper said EBA was a great concept to build up the strength of Australia’s entrepreneurial talent. “EBA has many happy clients and guarantees a return on business performance” he said.