Some would say that it's not the most opportune time to start a new business, let alone a mortgage broking one given the rocking economic times the Coast and indeed the world is currently experiencing. But that's exactly the task a dynamic Mooloolaba business woman, Katie Toole, has set herself.

A young Brisbane mother and founder of three successful businesses will show Queensland women how they too can have it all at Brisbane's first ever Ultimate Women's Lifestyle Expo - Essence of a Woman, held at City Hall on Sunday 12 October.

The Australian Institute of Management's search for Australia's best managers has seen the Practice Manager of now multi-award winning local medical practice Medicine on Second win a prestigious Australian Institute of Management Awards at the recently held 2008 Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Management Excellence Awards for the Sunshine Coast.

The official opening of a new boutique store in Pomona boasting an extensive range of custom beaded jewellery and clothing items will take place this Sunday at the store which is located behind Cafe de Provence on Memorial Avenue.

Store owner Jen Verrier who has been a jeweller for nine years says she has already fielded much interest in the store after giving it a ‘bit of a makeover' since taking it over from previous owner two weeks ago.

In February, 30 local business men took up the challenge to lose 20 kilos in 20 weeks while raising funds for two local charities. The countdown to the final weigh-in is now on!

The event will take place this Thursday at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club in conjunction with the Calcutta Sportsmans Lunch.

At this point in the competition Seven Queensland's Sales Director Hamish Thompson is in the lead losing more than 17 kilos.

Two local palliative nurses long-held dream of establishing a community based hospice service for the Sunshine Coast and Cooloola regions will see it take another huge step towards becoming a reality on Friday May 23^rd when the project is officially launched at the Lake Kawana Community Centre.

Having worked in the industry in both Australia and the UK, Terry Clarke-Burrows of Mooloolah and Sue Story of Twin Waters resigned from their full time local nursing positions over a year ago to drive the project.

Following the success of the new Twenty20 cricket format, local doctor, entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr Michael Ryan will this week launch his own Twenty20 program – the Twenty20 Weight Loss Challenge.  The concept is simple: take 20 middle aged local males, and get them to lose 20 kilos in just 20 weeks whilst raising cash for charity.

A young Queensland based optometrist Emma Richards has developed a modern, innovative design-your-own glasses website that takes the mystery out of choosing the right frames as well as providing a gold mine of eye care information, all at a fraction of the in-store retail cost.

Mother of two, Yvette Adams of The Creative Collective has been named the winner of the Young Entrepreneur category at the inaugural Queensland Small Business Champion Awards.

Following a community wide call for asthma sufferers who wanted to take part in a free trial of Buteyko (a revolutionary breathing technique which involves no medication and which is especially beneficial for asthma suffers), severe Sunshine Coast asthmatics who have been working with a local osteopath have reported astounding results.

Medicine On Second, a general practice with a flagship centre in Maroochydore and another in Forest Glen, has been awarded The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ (RACGP) Queensland General Practice of the Year Award for 2007. The General Practice of the Year Award is a highly prestigious award in the medical industry and recognises the outstanding work of general practices; the commitment of the practice to accreditation; the standard of facilities offered to patients and staff; and the services offered to the local community.

Yvette Adams of The Creative Collective has been named the winner of the Young Entrepreneur category at the inaugural Queensland Small Business Champion Awards. The event was held at the Sofitel Brisbane on Saturday 22 September, 2007. Adams took out the Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur award which honours a unique individual who is aged 30 years of age and under, has attained extraordinary business success and can demonstrate outstanding achievements in the face of tremendous challenge.

Yvette Adams of The Creative Collective has been named the winner of the Young Entrepreneur category at the inaugural Queensland Small Business Champion Awards. The event was held at the Sofitel Brisbane on Saturday 22 September, 2007.  Adams took out the Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur award which honours a unique individual who is aged 30 years of age and under, has attained extraordinary business success and can demonstrate outstanding achievements in the face of tremendous challenge.

Local medical practice Medicine on Second have been announced as a finalist in the Small Business Champion Awards in the Professional Services category.  “We're absolutely thrilled to have been named as a finalist”, says practice manager Nicky Jardine who was on annual leave in Hamilton Island when she received the good news last week.

Maroochydore Mum Yvette Adams, the founder and director of creative services agency, The Creative Collective (wwww.thecreativecollective.com.au) is delighted to have been announced as a finalist in the Australian Home Based Business Awards organised by JPG Media of Sydney.