Archive record · Company document · 2008 · International
In May 2008, Barbara McGeoch addressed the APEC Women in Export Forum in Lima, Peru. Her theme, from little things big things grow, traced the building of a horticultural export business from a Queensland nursery to projects like the Venetian in Macau and Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi. This record preserves the substance of that talk.
What the talk actually said
It was honest about what export takes: navigating unfamiliar business practices, holding on through setbacks that felt like reasons to give up, and building the strategic alliances and reputation that turn one shipment into a decades-long trade. There was no formula in it, only patience, relationships and the discipline of doing the paperwork right on both sides of the border.
The career behind it
- 1999: the Westpac and Australian Institute of Export Heroes Award for outstanding service to Australia's export efforts.
- 2002: Entrepreneur of the Year, awarded by Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises Mondiales at its International Congress in St Petersburg.
- Twelve years as a Director of the Export Council of Australia, and a judge of the Queensland Export Awards.
Why this record matters
Ornatec remains founder-led, and the export discipline in this record is still how the company works. Meet the people behind the business on our team page.
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