Melissa Smit – Winner of NBA BNZ award
Melissa Smit is named young entrepreneur of the Year at the BNZ Newmarket Business excellence awards Friday night. 15 March 2013
Melissa started the business when she was 27 years old. Now, at the age of 29 she is a rounded young woman that sees her business as a vehicle to serve the people of Auckland. She is an activist for empowering women and girls and is involved in various charity activities in this regard and gives her time freely for this.
1a) She is an active member of Soroptimist International, an organization committed to a world where women and girls together achieve their individual and collective potential, realise their aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide
1b) Further to her active role in Soroptimist, Melissa recently Joined forces with the International Uplift Project. “For women in disadvantaged communities a bra is often unobtainable or unaffordable This project collects new and second hand bras and sends them wherever we have requests.”
Melissa has always been interested in the business world and started her first business as a photographer when still a teenager doing shoots and portfolios for weddings, school,family and children’s party events.
Melissa Smit and Jay Kachelhoffer
She branched out from this as a 17 year old with a candle making business and won the local Young Entrepreneur Competition in 1999 on regional level and in 2000 on national level.
Melissa receives her award
In 2010 the doors to the business opened in Auckland. With strength of mind, creative thinking and providing direction she is building a business to reckon with.
Melissa Smit was finalist in 3 categories, including Judges Choice awards, young Entrepreneur (Melissa Smit) as well as Marketing campaign of the Year.