“Small business owners are our unsung heroes of today,” TaxSmart Cafe Director Romulae ‘Rom’ Gadaoni Jr. said in an interview, “[because] they are constantly exploring new opportunities and services, oftentimes sacrificing family time and shut-eye for the betterment of their business and their customer and employee experiences.”
Their resilience through challenging journeys in a foreign land does not go unnoticed—at least not anymore. The Best of the Best (BOTB) Entrepreneur Awards were created last year to acknowledge the blood, sweat and tears entrepreneurs gave for their small businesses to thrive despite the pandemic as part of their “You are not alone. You are awesome!” campaign.
With BOTB 2022’s success, TaxSmart Cafe brings back the BOTB Entrepreneur Awards to recognise another generation of business owners and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. This also offers business owners an opportunity to build and create their network to gain guidance and support in their endeavours. “We aim not just to acknowledge the hard work and contributions of Filipino business owners, but also to be the string that connects entrepreneurs to one another towards achieving their goals,” Dir. Rom iterated.
TaxSmart Cafe has seen the impact of the awarding ceremony not only on the awardees but also on the attendees. The Filipino community in Victoria is indeed tight-knit. When asked whether they plan on holding the BOTB annually, Dir. Rom answered a resounding “YES!” They also plan on expanding the awards to the rest of Australia. As mentioned, the impact and feedback from both winners and participants were “overwhelming” and a “testament that Filipinos can make it big in Australia and disrupt the status quo”.
Dir. Rom shared that they have heard of stories of collaboration between businesses that were both winners or just because they met at the event. There were also talks of entrepreneurs who were inspired and are now hoping to step onto the same stage. Certainly, friendships were formed in the already closely tied Filipino community.
He also revealed that due to the pandemic, their first BOTB had to decline those who wanted to join the event after reaching 110 attendees. But this time around, 110 attendees are already confirmed, and they are working on increasing the venue capacity. In addition, they took this feedback into consideration in creating this year’s ceremony. They also took inspiration from other Filipino events hosted by different organisations in the community. Therefore, it is safe to assume that BOTB 2023 is going to be on a whole ‘nother level!
BOTB 2023 will have the same award titles as last year. This is to ensure continuity in honouring businesses “based on their service offerings, growth, innovation, advocacy, compliance, mentorship and business health,” for there will always be nominees in the following categories:
- Ten Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs – 35 years old and below
- Start-up of the Year – started January 2022 onwards
- Rising Star of the Year – overcame challenges and continues to exhibit growth
- Innovator of the Year – market changer and implementing innovation (process, services, technology, etc.)
- Business Mentor of the Year – providing support and inspiration to others
- Advocate of the Year – impacting the community through their cause and campaigns
- Entrepreneur of the Year – exceptional outcomes with their business and endeavours
For some motivational words, read this sentiment from Dir. Rom: “Filipinos can be silent operators—we are very good at what we do, but quite meek in advertising our skills and potential. As a Filipino business, TaxSmart Cafe can be prone to that same mistake, which can be costly for a business, especially during the current age of social media, innovative ideas, and tooling. At the same time, Filipinos can sometimes tend to work in silos and be stubbornly proud—it doesn’t work that way anymore. Thus, TaxSmart Cafe wants to show the Filipino community that we can do this! We are one! We support each other!”
Are you ready to display your award at your business location and on social media platforms? Or do you know someone who deserves to be celebrated for their entrepreneurial pursuits? You may still submit your nominations until this Friday, 31 March 2023. Visit TaxSmart Cafe’s website to learn more about the process.
You may also register via this link to join the award ceremony on 27 May 2023 (10:30 am to 3 pm) at Crown Towers Melbourne. Join and be proud to be a Filipino entrepreneur not just in Victoria, but in Australia!
