OPENING THE DOOR TO INTERSTATE EXPANSION

The director and owner of Exceptional Group, who established Exceptional Tuition and Resumes in 2010 and Exceptional Training in 2011, now plans to roll out Exceptional Graduate Recruitment business before the end of the year.

Monique Jeremiah has two staff, 12 contractors and is looking to boost 2011 revenues by 10 per cent in fiscal 2012.

“I’m fairly young and have already developed three successful businesses within a short time,” she says.

“I want to open a few branches in each capital city, starting with Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. We want to see where the need for offices is and set them up within the next five years.”

Jeremiah is optimistic. She has identified gaps in the coaching market and forged positive relationships with her students.

“Many owners lack experience in running their business and this can hold them back. Some may come from the relevant professional background, but find it hard to start their business from scratch due to their lack of business acumen or marketing skills,” she says.

“We have helped EON Glassblowing enter the Australian market from the US by providing practical training to build the business, set up an Australian Business Number, Australian Company Number and Goods and Services Tax invoicing.

“We helped university students who undertake business degrees but struggle with essay or corporate report writing and assigned tutors to help high school students achieve good enough grades to enter university.”

Jeremiah established Exceptional Group with her own savings after banks regarded her ‘ineligible’ for a business loan.

“I enquired about getting a loan, but the bank said I had to be in business for at least two years first, so I worked almost full-time and used my income to fund each of the businesses,” she says.

“It would be nice to see the state and federal governments more supportive of people starting up new businesses. This would definitely help the Gold Coast economy in the long-term as there is not a lot of funding available and too much red tape.”

She previously worked as manager of the Brisbane-based Fruition Tuition centre and as a business trainer at Martin College before going out on her own.

A typical day starts at 8am and does not finish until 8pm, but she has no complaints.

“When your heart and soul is in a business, there is no better lifestyle. I find it enjoyable to hear gratitude from business owners who I have helped to start their new companies,” she says.

She also participates in Griffith University’s Industry Mentoring Program and the Smith Family’s iTrack program for underprivileged children.

Future plans include applying for more awards and government grants to increase exposure and work on helping the unemployed. She is keen to capitalise on Centrelink’s job-seeker training and productivity placement programs and has her sights set on some hefty accolades.

“I would also love to win at the Telstra Business Women’s Awards or Australian Small Business Champion Awards,” says Jeremiah.

“My win would help show the Gold Coast is a positive city to do business in. The Coast has a relaxed lifestyle, a growing business environment and urban strengths.”

Jeremiah more recently won the Young Outstanding Alumnus Award at the 2012 Griffith University Alumnus Awards.