Ballarat organisations awarded at 2023 Business Excellence Awards

The call comes as Commerce Ballarat announced the finalists of their 2023 Business Excellence Awards on Wednesday.

Commerce Ballarat chair Anne Alexander said conditions were "tough" for businesses owing to rising costs across the board.

She encouraged people to support their local businesses, and in particular visit the 2023 finalists and see what they have to offer.

"We're resilient in Ballarat, we showed that during COVID, and the guys in business are trying to do the best job they can," she said.

"It was really evident during this process that they're just as committed as they've ever been.

"We might not be thriving right now, but we are surviving, and doing our best to get through."

According to July data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, household spending on discretionary goods and services dropped by 0.6 per cent compared to May last year.

With spending on furnishing and household equipment down by 4.8 per cent and 3.4 per cent less spent on clothing and footwear.

Ivy&Coco owner Bridget Veld, who was named as a finalist in the micro-home based business award category, said retail sales were down.

"People are just feeling worried and stressed about the cost of living, probably there's a few things that have had to drop off their list in term of their specialty products," she said.

"But I'm really finding that people are still wanting to support local and shop with all of the businesses where there's that personal touch to things."

ALSO IN THE NEWS:

Veld's business, which makes hand painted pots and homewares as well running workshops, started five-years-ago with market stalls, but she now sells online and from a shopfront on Armstrong Street South.

She said the awards were a great way to connect with and support other businesses around Ballarat.

"It can be pretty lonely in small business, you are often working alone or doing a lot behind the scenes on your own, so it's really nice to come with other people that might need a bit of that social connection," she said.

"It helps in terms of feeling like you're not alone and other people are out there to support you as well. "

Full list of finalists:

Creative Industries Business Award

Customer Service Award

Family Business Award

Health and Wellbeing Business Award

Inclusion Business Award

Innovation Award

Large Business Award

Micro-Home Based Business Award

Newcomer Business Award

Professional Services Business Award

Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs Business Award

Retail Business Award

SME Business Award

Social Change Maker Award

Trade Business Award

Reading this on mobile web? Download our app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you breaking news alerts. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.