Top local businesses achieve award-finalist status

FOR 28 years, the Telstra Best of Business Awards has celebrated the achievements of small and medium-sized businesses across Australia.

This week, “City News” salutes businesses selected as ACT finalists.

Indigenous-led facilities management experts

EVOLVE FM has been recognised as a finalist of Indigenous Excellence – for an indigenous-led, owned and operated businesses succeeding through entrepreneurialism, innovation and inspiring the next generation for all Australians.

Evolve is Australia’s first, and only, majority indigenous-owned, full-service facilities and property management company.

CEO Amy Castro says that from starting out as a team of two only five years ago, she’s incredibly proud of Evolve FM’s growth to now more than 60 employees, with 30 per cent of them indigenous.

“It’s exciting to be creating equity through opportunity, breaking down intergenerational barriers and supporting our staff,” says Amy.

The business manages over 3.6 billion sqm (in cluding land) of space, across 669 Australian sites for more than 30 clients. It offers services covering tenant representation, leasing and transaction, BI and analytics, procurement, finance, facilities management, asset management, environmental and sustainability services, and project and development services.

“We are really proud that our ‘downstream spend’ with indigenous businesses enables the delivery of social initiatives that positively change the lives of both indigenous and non-indigenous people.”

Visit evolvefm.com.au

As Australia’s first, and only, majority Australian Indigenous owned full-service Corporate Real Estate, Evolve FM brings a truly unique service offering. Evolve FM continues to be a radical new player in the Facilities Management industry, with over 25% Indigenous employee representation –13 times higher than indigenous representation in the Australian population.

Design group fosters lasting equity for women

BANDIT Design Group is a finalist for Accelerating Women in the 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards, which recognises businesses actively challenging exclusion and inequality to create meaningful and lasting equity for women.

Bandit Design Group was founded five years ago by creative director and brand strategist, Mikeila Scheckenbach.

“I was 23 years old when I started my own agency, after feeling I didn’t quite fit into the established Canberra agencies,” she says.

Joined by senior designer, Ash, Mikeila then expanded the business into Sydney with Ash continuing to be based in Canberra.

Mikeila says that the business works primarily with lifestyle brands, understanding people’s visions, their target audiences and visualising unique creative solutions that have substance.

“We are now a team of seven females,” says Mikeila.

“We are super passionate about