Market Equity winners

West Perth-based business consultancy, Market Equity, has been named Western Australia’s top small business.

The company was named 2004 Telstra Western Australian Small Business of the Year on Tuesday night after earlier winning the 50 to 100 employees category.

Set up in 1992 by University of WA psychology graduate Brent Stewart, Market Equity began as a simple home office with one employee.

It now employs more than 60 staff in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide and has brought more than $3 million worth of contracts to WA from interstate and overseas.

Its operations cover market research, business planning and information systems that service more than 250 organisations including banks, government departments and power and water companies.

Remarkably, all three of the other category award winners were Bunbury-based.

Audio visual equipment hire and services company Totally Sound won the five employees or fewer award, orthodontist Andrew Cayley Orthodontist won the five to 20 employees category and real estate agent DAD Australia claimed the 20 to 50 employee award.

Award organisers would not say how many businesses entered the awards, saying only that while entries came from all over the State there was “strong interest” in the South West.

Market Equity and the other business category winners will travel to Adelaide to represent WA in the national Telstra and Australian Government Small Business Awards on August 14.

Last year’s WA winner, safety footwear manufacturer and developer, Footwear Industries went on to win the national award fending off more than 4200 entrants from around the nation.