The Dubbo-based founder of a firm that’s making a name for itself in national business circles is beating down the sandstone curtain and reaping growth in return.
Juliet Duffy reports that with regular flights it’s easy for Regional EnviroScience to service Sydney from its non-metro locations.
The employer of more than 25 people is pleased her operation is “bringing money back to the region”.
As Ms Duffy celebrated the success with her staff, she told of her belief that other firms could follow suit because “there are a lot of good businesses in Dubbo and in the regions”.
The Fast 100 is ranked by average revenue growth over four years.
“If you look at it this way, when I first started there was no one out here doing it, and now we employ 25 people,” she said.
“That’s 25 jobs that were going to Sydney that now are here, we’re in Dubbo, Tamworth and Wagga.
“... If all the regional businesses can get a bit more of the slice of the pie, instead of it all contractually coming out of Sydney, employment would be fantastic.”
I hope EnviroScience’s national recognition can contribute to breaking down some of the false perceptions that being a bush-based organisation is some sort of barrier to talent.
- Juliet Duffy
Regional EnviroScience is an occupational and environmental hygiene consultancy with speciality in asbestos, pollution incidents, meth lab clean-ups, contaminated sites and air and water monitoring.
A champion for regional businesses, Ms Duffy said there was untapped expertise in regional areas.
“Often the education and experience that lies within the regions is overlooked by decision makers in capital cities, adding great expense and additional resource use to manage projects,” she said.
“I hope EnviroScience’s national recognition can contribute to breaking down some of the false perceptions that being a bush-based organisation is some sort of barrier to talent.”
Ms Duffy encouraged any regional young graduates to consider the career.
“It’s really exciting in that you’re on different sites all the time, you’re doing a different problem,” she said.
Typically a male dominated industry, the EnviroScience team includes two young women who are both science qualified and licensed asbestos assessors, mentored by Ms Duffy.
“Being a woman [in the industry]... is not without its challenges - especially with perceptions, however it has never really been a problem with on-site work,” she said.
“All of our team, contractors and clients support each other in day to day operations. It has been easy and thoroughly enjoyable to grow the business to where it is today, and without their support we wouldn’t have been able to achieve this extraordinary growth.”
The Australian Financial Review is a Fairfax Media publication.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
