Congratulations to Zoe Halligan!
Founder and Director of Zoee Home Support, Zoe Halligan, has been awarded the prestigious National Best New Business 2025.
Selected as the winner from a field of almost 16000 prospective nominees from across Australia and New Zealand, Zoe was invited to celebrate her success at a glittering awards ceremony on November 12, 2025, at the Parkroyal Darling Harbour in Sydney.
“I am truly honoured to have been presented with this award,” Zoe said. “I know how hard self-employed business owners have to work to firstly establish a business and then keep it running.”
Zoe came up with the idea for Zoee Home Support several years ago.
“I was part of a Wesley Mission program that placed volunteers in older people’s homes to provide them with companionship and social support, and to help them stay in their own homes for longer.
“I lived with Wendy for almost two years. As Wendy aged, her health declined and she had some additional needs. I helped her arrange in-home support through a large agency.
“Unfortunately, there was a personality clash between the support worker they supplied and Wendy. I contacted the agency and asked if there was someone else available.
“I was disgusted when I was told that Wendy was lucky to have got someone and she should just be grateful and put up with it.”
This set Zoe wondering how things could be done differently, and how older people and people with a disability could be treated with respect and dignity while getting the services they need.
Zoe realised that it was all about finding the right match between people, linking people together with similar interests and life experiences, or people who were interested in finding out about others. “A bit like a dating agency,” Zoe laughs.
At Zoee Home Support, staff are carefully screened to ensure that their skills and interests align with those of the client.
“I have kept Zoee Home Support intentionally small. This means I have oversight of all the staff and can ensure the quality of the services provided. If the relationship between the client and the support worker is not quite right, we keep working together until we find the right fit.”
Now into the third year of operation, Zoe’s advice to anyone considering setting up a small business is to “Go for it! Enjoy the hard work and surround yourself with positive people who can really make a difference.
“I might have been given the Award, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of the staff at Holmesglen Tafe and the people I work with now.”
For further information about the award, visit https://self-employmentassistance.com.au/latest_news/from-lived-experience-to-award-winning-enterprise-zoee-pty-ltd/