Providing families with clean, affordable homes and helping businesses to transform into unique, sustainable enterprises are just some of the reasons why Heidi Alexandra Pollard has been chosen as a finalist in the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards.
Run by the Business Growth Centre, the Awards recognise businesses and entrepreneurs who strive for excellence and make a signification contribution to the Lake Macquarie community. Heidi and her team at UQ Power have been selected as finalists in the Entrepreneurship and the Branding and Marketing award categories.
Heidi said she is thrilled about achieving a position in the finals but said she is more excited about how the Awards encourage businesses to step up and strive for excellence.
“What motivates me is doing well by doing good and giving a hand up, not a hand out,” Heidi said.
“I love to see others grow, learn and flourish and go on to be of service to themselves, to their families, and their community.”
As outlined in the Award submission, every entrepreneurial activity that Heidi and her UQ Power team carry out is done with an intended impact.
“When I do anything in business or property today I am looking to create deals that are an ecological win-win; good for me, good for those I am negotiating with and good for anyone affected by the deal.”
Heidi has housed over 40 local families, investing in purchasing, renovating and maintaining numerous residential properties and supporting the local economy of tradespeople and real estate.
Through her non-profit Professional Communicators’ Network, she has supported the career advancement of hundreds of local professionals, instigated work placement for over 60 university students, and gifted award prizes such as cash, memberships and work.
As founder of Leading Ladies International, a business training program for female entrepreneurs, Heidi has supported dozens of women from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US to reach their full potential and grow sustainable businesses for themselves.
By setting an example of their own uniqueness, they re-branded their company Leading Value in 2013 into UQ Power. Through this powerful new brand, the team has been helping organisations and government agencies to power up their workforce, improve engagement, keep top talent, and grow new leaders.
Inspired by the cultures of global giants Google, Apple, Zappos and Virgin, Heidi said her team love making a difference to the quality of the workplace cultures and lives of those they partner with.
“Our mission is to help elevate the global playing field for small to mid-sized companies through their unique brand and culture strategies that are easy on the finances, easy to implement and easy to sustain.”
Heidi and the UQ Power team will find out if they are winners of the Lake Macquarie Business Excellence Awards at a ceremony held at Belmont 16 Footers on Saturday, 20 July 2013.