Carol Hanlon named COSBOA National Small Business Champion 2025

The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is proud to announce Carol Hanlon, Founding CEO of the Belmont Business Enterprise Centre Inc. and the Founder/CEO Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre WA Inc., as the winner of the 2025 COSBOA National Small Business Champion Award.

Announced at the COSBOA Summit Gala Dinner in Melbourne, the annual award celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the small business community through leadership, advocacy, and practical impact.

Carol’s extraordinary contribution to small business over more than five decades, spanning local, national, and global initiatives made her a standout choice for recognition by COSBOA.

Through Belmont Business Enterprise Centre, established in 1994, Carol has directly assisted more than 36,500 small businesses and startups, delivering over 45 major projects on topics including women in business, Indigenous and migrant entrepreneurship, cyber security, sustainability, and international trade. Her Textile Clothing Footwear Resource Centre WA initiative, launched in 1998, has supported more than 7,500 designers and creative industry businesses across Australia and beyond.

Matthew Addison, Chair COSBOA, said Carol embodies the true spirit of small business.

“Carol has dedicated her life to helping small businesses succeed. She has opened doors for thousands of entrepreneurs, especially women, Indigenous Australians and migrants. She is a true champion for small business and an inspiration to us all.”

Carol’s landmark programs include founding the Belmont and Western Australian Small Business Awards (now in their 32nd year), the designedge Innovation Festival (21 years), and the first Women Economic Forum held in Australia. She has also coordinated annual NGO forums at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York since 2012, creating global platforms for women’s economic empowerment.

Reflecting upon being named 2025 COSBOA National Small Business Champion, Carol said “I do what I do, running two not for profit small business support centres to ‘make a difference’ to entrepreneurs and micro small businesses, whether that is locally, state-wide, nationally or globally.  

“My passion is the economic empowerment of women and the creative, fashion & textile, clothing and footwear MSMEs sectors.

“Micro small businesses need to know there is ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ to assist them, and MSMEs are time poor and ‘don’t know, what they don’t know’. I endeavour to create programs, projects, business skill development and mentoring across many sectors to assist them.

“The buzz word today is ‘Productivity’. My suggestion is ‘EMPOWER’ entrepreneurs and micro small businesses to grow the economy through their innovation, creativity and determination.

“I sincerely thank the continued support of our two Boards, staff, supporters and volunteers. Many thanks to COSBOA for honouring me with this Award.”

Carol’s work has connected Australian entrepreneurs with opportunities with many countries and her two NFPs have linkages in more than 125 countries and has been recognised with numerous awards, including induction into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame and multiple international honours for innovation, leadership, and women’s empowerment.

This year’s award also gave honourable mentions to the outstanding contributions of finalists Kelly Cunningham, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Your Leasing Co. and Renée Baltov, Owner of The Barberhood Sydney. Their work exemplifies the passion, innovation, and community spirit that the Award seeks to celebrate.

For more information, visit www.cosboa.org.au.

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About COSBOA

Established in 1979, The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) is a member based not-for-profit organisation exclusively representing the interests of small businesses. The capability, representation, and reach of COSBOA are defined by a mix of over 50 national and state-based members. COSBOA's strength is its capacity to harness its members' views and advance consensus across policy areas common to many.

Our member organisations work with the COSBOA team to assist us with policy development and guide our advocacy - not just for small businesses but also for the benefit of the Australians they employ. In this capacity, COSBOA makes submissions and representations to the government, including its agencies, on issues affecting small businesses and to pursue good policy.

For more information, visit www.cosboa.org.au