Telstra Business Regional Award winners in NSW are iKOU in the Blue Mountains

FROM humble beginnings in the Blue Mountains to five-star resorts, these savvy business operators have won a Telstra Business Award.

Paul Sheats working at health.com.au

TALK about organic growth.

From humble beginnings in their Blue Mountains kitchen, a savvy couple turned a niche organic products concept into a thriving business supplying 5-star resorts.

Naomi and Paul Whitfield's firm iKOU, based out of a 1000sq m building in the NSW Blue Mountains town of Katoomba, won the Telstra Business Awards' Regional Award for its organic health and beauty products.iKOU has a day spa in Leura Mall as well as stores in Leura and Paddington. They are opening another store in Sydney's iconic Queen Victoria Building this November.

"We started manufacturing in our kitchen and now we stock almost every five star resort in Australia," Ms Whitfield said.

"We spend six months living and breathing the company before we launched.

"When we did first launch the business we weren't quite prepared for the expectation of the brand, however it just went boom instantly. It just hit the ground running."

Just weeks after launching the wholesale spa products range, iKOU received an order for 1.5 tonnes of their bath salts - and it's only been up from there.

"Within months of our launch we took over an old powerhouse in Katoomba," Ms Whitfield said. "When we first moved we thought it was too big.

"Coming from a kitchen to 500 square metres, we thought it was too big and we soon outgrew that space and moved again around the corner. We moved to a 1000 square metre production space.

"We lead the way in the spa and wellness industry for not only inspiring people to take time out for relaxing but to promote within the business world concepts that benefit others. We believe in a business that gives back, social responsibly, environment, supporting Australian growers."

Ms Whitfield, who together with Paul were NSW's only winners, said she hoped the award would inspire other companies to engage their local farmers and businesses in their operations.

"With every ingredient and method of production we put a lot of thought into the environment and the community," she said. "We believe in using all natural ingredients that are ethically sourced and we use production with solar and wind power."

More winners below:

Bruny Island Cheese Co

Telstra Australian Business of the Year &Small Business Award

Bruny Island Cheese Co. Bruny Island, Tasmania

A 10-year odyssey through France, Italy, Spain and Australia to fulfill his obsession with artisan cheesemaking led Nick Haddow to Bruny Island to establish his own specialist cheese and agri-tourism business. Bruny Island Cheese Co., which uses traditional techniques to make its range of cheeses, has grown through using direct marketing channels such as email and social media and its own cellar door retail outlet.

Bruny Island Cheese Company's Nick Haddow.

Start-Up Award

health.com.au Melbourne, Victoria

Finding the Australian health insurance offerings too complex, often plagued with asterisks and small print, Andy Sheats launched health.com.au with the vision of reinventing health insurance for younger, healthier Australians who want to interact online. Drawing on his online experience from his role at realestate.com.au, Andy and his team of insurance and digital experts set about designing hassle-free policies that were easy to buy.

Paul Sheats working at health.com.au

Micro Business Award

ENIQUEST Warana, Queensland

Starting with little funding and operating from a small tin-shed, Don Pulver has built ENIQUEST into a successful Australian manufacturer of power generation products. The business, which develops unique and highly innovative products that are immune to overseas competition, has grown from humble beginnings to winning contracts with some of Australia's largest organisations including the Australian Defence Force, BHP and Toll Australia.

Don Pulver has built ENIQUEST into a successful Australian manufacturer of power generation products.

Medium Business Award

Becker Helicopter Services Pty Ltd Marcoola, Queensland

Starting from a rundown tin shed, Mike and Jan Becker launched Becker Helicopter Services in 1995 in Noosa and its academy is now internationally recognised, attracting both civilian and military personnel, employing 70 people and operating 18 helicopters. Being the first civilian helicopter training academy to offer Advanced Night Vision Goggles training, which had previously been the domain of military aviators, has been critical to securing multi-million dollar international contracts.

Jan and Mike Becker from the Becker Helicopter Services.

Regional Award

iKOU Blue Mountains, New South Wales

iKOU founders, husband and wife team Naomi and Paul Whitfeld, were stunned when a national retailer ordered 1.5 tonnes of their bath salts only weeks after they launched their wholesale spa product range in 2008. Today, their 500-strong product line featuring natural home grown skin care and body products, candles and organic herbal teas can be found in world-leading hotels and spas including Six Senses Luxury Resorts which operates throughout Asia.

iKOU, a bath and spa products business was named the 2013 Telstra Australian Regional Business of the Year.