Interview with 2019 Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay Exporting Excellence Award Winner - Solar Bollard Lighting
Presenter: Congratulations Mike, so this is back-to-back awards for you tonight with the Export Excellence Award
Mike Arieni: It is
Presenter: How fantastic to get that recognition, what does it mean to your team?
Mike Arieni: Look, it’s recognition for all the hard work that we put in and the focus we got on the export markets. There’s a lot of time that goes into building and expanding globally. You know with the different time zones, I start at 4am and I finish at 10pm at night and building those relationships take many many years. It’s not easy, but persistence beats resistance.
Presenter: That’s fantastic, have you got any tips for any other Moreton Bay Businesses that might be looking at getting into the export market
Mike Arieni: Look, I work very heavily with TIQ, Trade and Investment Queensland, also RDA and you need to align yourself with the state government. Especially, promoting Queensland one of the benefits of our product we’re the only certified Australian Made and Owned, solar lighting manufacturer to be able to use the gold and green kangaroo logo. That’s a really important thing, but it’s also, now with us going overseas into Los Vegas next year, we’re now going to be promoting the region as well, as part of our video presentation on our stand. And I think too, with the local companies, we need to get behind the region, we need to put in some skin into the business of promoting this region and other businesses. Like, bring back onshore component manufacturing back to Brendale to Elexon Electronics. You’ve got to support each other, to be the best of the best, you’ve got to give a damn about each other. I think that’s were this region is really going to succeed. If we get that focus right.
Presenter: Excellent and lastly waving the Aussie flag, what’s so good about being based here in the Moreton Bay, having your head office here in Moreton Bay?
Mike Arieni: Look I grew up here originally as a young kid then moved to the Sunshine Coast which is getting all the kudos at the moment of this great innovation area. But the opportunity in Moreton Bay, having lived on the Sunshine Coast and been part of some growth there, I believe the opportunity here is so much bigger and people need to see that. Moreton Bay, if we all get behind it will shine and we will be the best of the best.
Presenter: Absolutely, what a wonderful advocate for the region and thank you so much and congratulations on your award and good luck for the rest of the night
NOMINATIONS FOR 2021 CLOSE FRIDAY 27TH AUGUST.
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