Cade Lucas
The Wyndham Business Awards will look a little different this year, with one notable absentee.
Having won Business of the Year and Manufacturer of the Year in 2022 and Young Business Person of the Year in 2021, Katelyn Matheson is taking 2023 off.
“I’m not entering this year, I thought I should give someone else a shot” laughed the 25 year old owner of Cake Creations By Kate, the business she founded in her mother’s kitchen at 17.
Back then she was too young to enter the awards, but this year there’s an under 18 category for Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the first time.
Ms Matheson wants to see plenty of young Wyndham business owners throwing their hats into the ring.
“I wanna encourage the young entrepreneurs out there to believe in the themselves and follow their dream.
I’d love to see other people up there experiencing what the awards night is all about” she said.
In Matheson’s case, that experience has involved collecting a swag of awards, something she credits with helping her business.
“It’s given us a lot of recognition in the local community and enabled us to help more companies with their corporate branded products as well” she said, noting that it’s also led an increase in sales.
Customers say that they saw us win business of the year.”
As great as winning is, Matheson said the real benefit to comes from the application process.
“Because it asks you to provide information and answer lots of questions it enables you to assess your business and gives you that time to see where your business is at” said Matheson who is planning an expansion into cup cake vending machines.
This year’s awards also feature the addition of an Excellence in Local Community category and will be announced at a gala event on Friday September 1 at the Encore Events Centre.
Entries for all 15 categories close 5pm, Tuesday June 13.
For more information and to enter, visit
www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/businessawards.
