Jump Start business competition, EDA - Business Competition Winner

Wearable Art Jump Start Competition Winner

Steve Wallace, Shirt Addiction, is the lucky winner of the Jump Start your business competition prize of $65,000.00 and hopes Hamilton's shoppers will get hooked on his ever-changing range of screen printed T-shirts from his retail shop in Centre Place scheduled to open on 1st November.

Steve is looking forward to the challenge of changing from focusing on wholesale to taking time to build customer relationships in the retail environment.

Opportunity Hamilton business coach Sandy Turner looks forward to provide mentoring assistance to Steve.

Runner up Cupcake Creations was the people's choice, but Shirt Addiction's business plan impressed the judges.

Jump Start your business

SMEs contribution to employment in Hamilton stands at 33% which equates to 25,810 employees. The growth of SMEs in Hamilton city between 2000 and 2008 was 31% which is above the 25% percent growth recorded in the rest of New Zealand over the same time period. Hamilton is the home of the mighty Chiefs and Waikato rugby teams and the 26,000 capacity Waikato Stadium. Hamilton will host 3 matches in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Hamilton hosted the New Zealand round of the prestigious V8 Supercar Championship in the city for the second year in 2009. The inaugural race in April 2008 attracted 172,000 attendees plus 5,000 people associated with the running of the event. The event generated $28.3 million of new money into the local economy in the first year and is estimated to generate $156 million over the seven years that the event will run. Over 100,000 people annually visit New Zealand National Agriculture Fieldays held at Mystery Creek (10 minutes south of Hamilton), which is the largest agricultural event held in the Southern Hemisphere. Each year generates around $290 million sales. As the centre of the thoroughbred industry, Hamilton has an excellent racing venue at Te Rapa. A national trotting track is 15 minutes drive from Hamilton in Cambridge. 31 October - 7 November Lake Karipiro (30 minutes south of Hamilton) will hold the 2010 World Rowing Championships. Raglan is 40 minutes by road from Hamilton and home to one of the world’s longest left-hand surf breaks.