Next generation of businesses leaders in Townsville
Townsville is a hotbed for entrepreneurial talent. Meet some of the up and coming business stars who are making a difference.
Townsville
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Townsville is sometimes considered a government town. True, the city hosts one of Australia’s largest defence bases and has a major role as the commercial, administrative and logistics hub for much of northern Australia.
But it is also a hotbed for entrepreneurial talent. There’s few better places to start a business for people with great ideas and a desire to work. Also, many corporates and governments use the city as a testing ground for business models or to develop future leaders.
Here we feature some of the leaders of today and tomorrow.
JARROD HURST
Jarrod is the business owner of Hurst Constructions Queensland.
The company has grown from a small home renovations business in 2012 into one of the top builders in commercial and industrial property in Townsville, recently appointed to jobs like a new 10,000sq m warehouse for Harvey Norman, the development of stage one of a rail wagon maintenance facility for the Wulguru Group and a new temperature-controlled distribution warehouse for Queensland Health.
Jarrod came to Townsville in the late 1990s when his father, Murray, took on a coaching role, later as head coach, for the North Queensland Cowboys.
Jarrod is a carpenter, joiner and builder, won Master Builders’ rising star award in 2015 and was an emerging leader in the Townsville Enterprise program of the same name in 2016.
JOANNA MURRAY, CASSANDRA CHIESA
Joanna and Cassandra are two occupational therapists who are well known in Townsville for their work and involvement in networking groups supporting women in business and foundations like the Philip Leong Youth Program.
Cassandra is a former winner of a grant from the youth program which supports emerging business talent.
The long-time friends merged their occupational therapy practices in 2021 to create Apricus Health, a business with more scale and broader offer of services.
Next month they will open a clinic at the NQ Cowboys centre of excellence supporting sports people with hand injuries.
They operate clinics around the region and have a large team of occupational therapists and a physiotherapist providing services in paediatrics, disability, aged support, hand therapy, mental health and rehabilitation.
BRODIE JANKOVIC
Brodie is making his mark in the property industry in Townsville. Mostly, he buys, refurbishes and re-purposes properties, many of which are disused, vacant and in need of repair and reuse.
He also does small land subdivisions and new developments.
Brodie bought the badly run down and shuttered Empire Hotel in South Townsville which he refurbished. It has since been leased to new operators and reopened.
Likewise, he and a partner, Kayle Wright, acquired the old Queens Building in Flinders St. He is in the process of refurbishing this heritage-listed building for use as a bar and for offices.
CASSANDRA CAZZULINO
Entrepreneur Cassandra Cazzulino is chief executive of business incubator Smart Precinct NQ.
She is committed to supporting innovators and entrepreneurs in the region and, as an entrepreneur herself, understands the challenges faced by many start-ups and traditional businesses in the area.
Ms Cazzulino has developed web-based sports platform ProShaka, a platform for the sporting community to help athletes and others such as coaches connect and advance in their fields.
Previously she has held several executive roles including general manager of Southern Cross Austereo as well as chief executive officer at the Townsville Turf Club.
JACK GROWDEN
Jack Growden is the founder and CEO of not-for-profit organisation LiteHaus International which aims to give students access to technology in remote and regional areas by providing laptops and computer labs in schools.
He began by donating his laptop to a remote school in PNG and has since provided digital learning tools to more than 109,000 people in PNG, The Philippines and regional Australia.
Now with the support of governments and private companies, they aim to assist one million people by 2027.
Among many awards, Jack has been recognised as one of the top 20 social innovators by the Australia ASEAN Business Council and was named as a finalist in the 2022 Queensland Young Australian of the Year award.
DEAN BODLE
Dean owns the Strand Fitness-branded gyms in Townsville. That includes the redeveloped Strand Fitness Central in Garbutt, the new Strand Fitness North Shore in Burdell and the Strand Fitness Health Hub in Townsville City where the registered training organisation the Fitness Institute is also located.
He would now be Townsville’s biggest gym operator. The overflowing car park at Strand Fitness Central of an afternoon gives you some idea of the scale of the business which employs well over 100 people and hosts a multitude of related fitness businesses.
Dean has come a long way from the days when he started as a personal trainer in 2007 at the then Beach House, the same Garbutt property which he continues to redevelop as Strand Fitness Central.
CARLY CHIESA, MEGAN ARTIS
Sisters Carly and Megan operate The Beet Bar cafe in the Precinct21 building in Townsville City and a second cafe venue of the same name at the Medilink building at Townsville University Hospital.
They started a cafe in the city aimed at providing fast service healthy foods in 2015 before also opening at the Medilink building in 2018.
After the closure of the city store in 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, they reopened at the new site in Precinct21.
The beautifully fitted out cafe at the corner of Sturt and Stokes St is the go-to destination for breakfasts, lunches and coffee in the city. They have loyal following with more than 11,300 followers on Instagram and 8700 followers on Facebook.
CHRIS VOLPI
Chris is the Partner of the Family Law and Insurance and Injury Compensation work groups at wilson/ryan/grose Lawyers.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Business majoring in Accounting degree from James Cook University. Chris has also completed a Masters of Commercial Law through Queensland University of Technology.
He has held positions on the committee of Estates Soccer Club and carries out pro-bono legal work for Townsville Community Law and the Community Grow Legal Clinic.
He has also led the Townsville Chamber of Commerce’s projects committee and the Young Chamber committee.
DANIELLE DAVIES
Danielle operates Mello Cafe and Catering on the ground floor of the Findex building in Walker St.
The operation has been a successful one, providing breakfasts, light meals and coffee to many of the hundreds of nearby office workers and others who come specially to the location.
While not airconditioned, it is one of the coolest spots in town on a hot day and is the venue for many a city business meeting.
Recently, Danielle opened a second business called Lippy Latte in the Muscle & Fitness gym in the Hyde Park Centre in Woolcock St.
In keeping with its location, the food offer is more suited to the area’s health-minded customers.
KARL GEIGER
Karl is a director and owner of digital marketing business Move Marketing.
Earlier this year Karl was the recipient of a Philip Leong Youth Program award which helps bright young emerging business talent achieve their goals. He received a $4000 cash prize and $6500 in in-kind mentoring support.
He is in good company. Philip Leong award winners have made big contributions to the community, including through the creation of jobs, over the past 22 years when the awards have operated.
Move Marketing provides services in online marketing, website design and digital marketing campaigns and has helped businesses like Magnetic Island Ferries and WNBL champions Townsville Fire.
Originally published as Next generation of businesses leaders in Townsville
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