The buzz

It’s always hard to pick yourself up after a big awards night. The SmartCompany team puts so much work into making the awards special that we’re usually all exhausted the morning after the night before.

Not today – we’re buzzing.

Not only was the awards ceremony a fantastic event- and thanks for that must go to our sponsor Crown Lager and our event host Crown Promenade – but it was also a truly inspiring night thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of the start up entrepreneurs that had come together to celebrate.

We met young online retailers who could only spare a few hours away from the Christmas rush.

We met recruitment company executives whose boutique style and superior service levels have helped them sail through the worst of the downturn.

We met the young entrepreneur behind a company that organises video game tournaments, and is in the process of building a high tech studio in Melbourne.

And we met a fantastic group of award winners, led by Brendan Bilston of Point Project Management, who’s company took out the Crown Lager Start Something Special Award as the fastest growing start up.

What all these entrepreneurs had in common – besides their ability to find and exploit a niche and their passion for their businesses – was a terrific sense of energy.

Yes, the last few years have been a very tough time to start a business, particularly because of the lack of capital available and the reticence of customers to part with their hard earned dollars.

But these entrepreneurs have not let that stop them. Indeed, as medium- and large-sized companies found themselves weighed down by too many staff and too much debt, and distracted by their attempts to restructure, these hungry and driven entrepreneurs have cleverly sniffed out opportunities.

As several entrepreneurs said last night, iconic businesses such as Microsoft and Dell were born during recessions – perhaps start ups actually have a real advantage in a downturn as the playing field gets levelled somewhat.

But if you think these entrepreneurs are thrilled about their success over the past few years, you can’t imagine how excited they are about their chances to expand even further and faster during the recovery.

So take some time to read through the profiles of the 50 fastest growing start ups and take note of the companies on our special list of up and coming start ups.

We can guarantee you’ll be inspired by their stories – and perhaps even a little fearful of the competition coming up behind you.

Lastly, I want to thank the fantastic SmartCompany team behind the awards. As all entrepreneurs know, it is the team that takes the vision and executes the strategy that is the real reason for success.

James Thomson, SmartCompany’s editor did a great job leading the project, supported by Patrick Stafford and Emma Krieger.

Campbell Corser and Amelie Mills did all the work behind the scenes and turned the event into a great night. And lastly, thanks to Steve Murray and Robert Barnes for making it all possible.