A self-proclaimed “simple passion for keeping cars clean” has proved to be a winning formula for Luke Patton, who has been named the Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES) graduation and awards ceremony today.
Mr Patton is the founder of L&B Prestige Detailing, a mobile luxury car detailing business entrusted with the State’s most luxurious and sought after vehicles.
L&B Prestige Detailing is the only car detailing business in Australia to develop a car care product range including car waxes, polishes and interior products. The range is made entirely from the finest cosmetic and natural ingredients sourced from around the world.
Reflecting upon his year in the SAYES program, Mr Patton said “SAYES allowed me to view, for the first time, the areas of my business that needed refining.”
“It also helped increase my business confidence and allowed me to position myself more professionally, in line with current best practices” Mr Patton said.
Business SA Director of Strategic Collaboration, Sarah Lindblom said the graduating class, at 24 participants, was the largest in many years.
“Due to the larger number of participants, the collaboration within the group has resulted in an innovative approach to business development where participants are drawing from diverse business experiences and learning from a cross sector of industries,” Ms Lindblom said.
Two other awards were presented to the Class of 2015 SAYES graduates, including the Opinion Media Growth Award to Stay Active Children’s Sports Programs, and the Microsoft Innovation Centre Business Plan Award to School Sunnies Australia.
“For start-ups seeking an opportunity to learn and grow both personally and as business owners, SAYES is the perfect platform to launch your business in a supported environment,” Carly Fuda, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Stay Active Children’s Sports Programs said.
“The SAYES program has encouraged, pushed, tested and motivated me to continue to develop my company in more ways than I could ever imagine. The knowledge I have gained from this program not only as a business owner but also as a person is invaluable,” Alissa Smith, Founder of School Sunnies Australia said.
The SAYES program, presented by Business SA, is a 12-month journey of business growth and development through monthly educational workshops and comprehensive mentoring with industry experts.
More than 600 young entrepreneurs have graduated from SAYES in the past 18 years with a survey of 40 graduates in 2015 revealing they had created 531 new jobs and recorded turnover of nearly $65 million in the 2014-15 financial year.
Applications are now open for the next round of the SAYES program. Visit www.threesixty-sa.com to learn more.
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