Moreton mums blitz awards

Three inspiring Moreton Bay business women scooped the pool in the Product Innovation category of the AusMumpreneur Awards.

LuvaBerry’s Mandy Schultz came first in the category, with Sarah Kottmann from North Lakes Homeopathy coming second and Lyla Tuwhangai coming third.

Time to innovate

Mandy says COVID-19 gave her the chance to “sit on the veranda and think about things”.

The result was Farm Gate and Peckish Picking - Farm Gate bringing together locally-sourced fresh produce, including gourmet salads, honey and goat cheese, with customers able to order online then collect their goodies at the farm on Sundays.

Peckish Picking sessions mean people can still enjoy foraging for their own strawberries, with numbers at each session limited to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

Mandy also placed second in the Sustainability category of the awards, with Sarah coming third.

Food and beverage winners

Moreton Bay business women also dominated the Food and Beverage category of the 2020 AusMumpreneur Awards.

Wamuran’s Karen Lindsay took first place with Little White Goat Cheese, while Mandy’s LuvaBerry came third. Jamie Brailak from Yajambee Farms and Lory Sandilands from Mallory’s Tocino were also finalists in the category.

Accepting the top gong, Karen thanked family and friends for their support.

“I am really passionate about farming and I am really passionate about women in farming,” Karen says.

Big idea a winner

Karen also came first for Big Idea, with her new business, Luv Handles - reusable handles that attach to trolleys, offering a sanitary protective barrier. They simply clip on, remove easily and can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Luv Handles come in two types – one is a two-part handle for a standard supermarket trolley and the second is telescopic so it can adjust to fit coin-operated trolleys and airport luggage trolleys, as well as adapt to use as a handle to pull luggage along.

“I want to thank everyone, especially my family, who supported me even though they thought the old girl was off her rocker,” Karen laughs.

Making a difference

North Lakes anxiety coach Leesa Watt, who helps tweens, teens and women, won the People’s Choice Making a Difference – Health category.

Melissa Redsell from A Brave Life came third in the Women will change the World category for her work with teenage mums, while Joyner mum Jo Stevens from The Zen Zone came third in the People’s Choice Making a Difference – Health section and talented North Lakes artist Claire Devine came third in Multicultural Business.

STEM Punks success

Fiona Holmstrom from STEM Punks won the top prize for Making a Difference (education) and came second in the Rising Star category and third for Digital Innovation.

“Education can change the world, but more importantly, education can change a child,” she says.

“At STEM Punks we’re helping children develop skills in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to prepare them for a future where they can make a difference.

“Exposing girls to successful women in STEM at a global or community level will allow them to see themselves in their shoes.”

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