Latest Winner of Bizcover.com.au $60,000 ‘Small Business Buddy Program’
Queensland, October 13, 2014: Burleigh resident Aimie van Santen is the newest recipient of a small business wish – a new filtered water dispenser worth almost $600 – thanks to the Small Business Buddy Program started by Bizcover, Australia’s biggest online small business insurance provider .
The Energy Bar (www.theenergybar.com.au) began trading in March, provides fresh delicious fresh juices and healthy drinks. Ms van Santen started the sole trading business as a way of promoting fitness, health and wellbeing at local events and markets at locations such as Emerald Lakes, Currumbin, Mudgeeraba, Mount Cotton and Raby Bay.
“Being awarded the Bizcover’s Small Business Buddy wish will enable me to buy a new bench top water dispenser for The Energy Bar. I currently use a filtered jug and it just isn’t as safe or sufficient to keep up with demand, especially for ice coffees which require a separate jug and equipment for processing,” she said.
Launched in June, BizCover Founder and Managing Director Michael Gottlieb has dedicated $60,000 towards the new Small Business Buddy Program (www.smallbusinessbuddy.com.au), in a feel-good mission to give back to the SME community who they service.
“Our success is due to the small business community, who over the past seven years have embraced our online insurance services over more traditional methods of buying insurance,” said Gottlieb, who adds BizCover have 25,000 small business customers across 2,000 plus occupations ranging from dog walkers to hairdressers to café owners and IT consultants.
Ms van Santen heard about the Small Business Buddy program from Mission Australia’s NEIS program.
A new heating function on the water dispenser also means Ms van Santen can expand The Energy Bar’s menu to include tea and even soups over winter, overcoming seasonal sales downturn experienced when customer demand for cold drinks lessens. She also plans to now sell affordable line of activated water which is “great for kids as its only $1 per cup, and it’s both healthy and fun.”
Enjoying the challenges and flexibility of being self-employed, her goals for The Energy Bar include teaming up with other local juice companies and hiring a trainee.
“There are many challenges in small business, however everything can be overcome and sorted out. Sometimes I think, ‘Come on world, throw me another, and watch me smash it!’,” said Ms van Santen.
A wish will be granted by Bizcover.com.au every fortnight in the form of a specific product or service valued at up to $2000. Wishes can be made by any small business with ten employees or less and an annual turnover under $2 million dollars. Businesses must have a valid ABN to apply but don’t need to be an existing BizCover customer to enter.
Wishes can be submitted online via www.smallbusinessbuddy.com.au.
What: The Small Business Buddy Program
When: Wishes will be granted twice a month
Where: www.smallbusinessbuddy.com.au
-Ends-
About BizCover
BizCover is Australia’s leading online insurance service and is changing the way micro, small and medium sized businesses buy Professional Indemnity, Public Liability, Business Insurance, Management Liability and now Cyber Insurance. BizCover provides multiple insurance quotes instantly online and the ability to select and purchase the right cover immediately.
BizCover partners with leading insurers to provide cover for over 2000 occupations and have taken the hassle out of buying insurance for more than 25,000 businesses so far.
They are supporters of a range of other small business programs such as the Small Business Champion Awards, which they sponsor, and partnerships with the government’s New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) and Business Enterprise Centres (BECA) across Australia.
Contact BizCover on 1300 249 268 or visit www.bizcover.com.au
Images and interviews with Aimie van Santen and Michael Gottlieb available on request.
Media Contact: Eloise Sacks 02 9101 4405
