Planning for future gives Nicole shot at landing another top award
NICOLE Willis is gambling on the Gold Coast becoming a world-class city.
The 26-year-old town planner has run her own business, TaylorWillis Town Planners at Southport, for the past seven years and says she believes the Coast already has the basics right.
“The Coast has so much potential and I believe it needs to enhance the already existing attractions for overseas visitors,” she said.
“My mission is to bring these attractions – like luxury hotels and casinos – to the Gold Coast while at the same time considering and maintaining the environmental and social balance.”
Nicole is a contender for the title of the city’s Aspiring Young Business Woman of the Year, part of the 2015 Women in Business Awards launched at Broadbeach yesterday.
Last year she won the Robert Swider Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement by a Young Planner in the Queensland-wide Planning Institute of Australia’s Awards for Planning Excellence.
The Women in Business Awards recognise women who embody vision, leadership and entrepreneurial-drive – all of which Ms Willis has in bucketloads.
“I was never afraid to go after my dreams and this one is no different,” she said.
A nominee in the community dedication award section is PCYC branch manager and police officer, Linda Baade. Linda has a seven-day-a-week work schedule focused on addressing youth crime issues.
“I really enjoy what I do, therefore I don’t need holidays,” she said. “The best thing about my job is seeing the kids happy and having fun doing the activities we organise – nothing beats that.”
Awards founder Karen Phillips said the official launch was a celebration of the many partners, sponsors, past winners and nominees within the Gold Coast community.
“The hunt is on to find the best female leaders across the city,” she said.