Busselton based business Southern Light Events and Ashton Stage Lighting swept up a string of awards at the Telstra Margaret River Region Business Awards.
Owner Jane Ashton was thrilled to be named runner-up business of the year, as well as, taking out the creative industry award and champion of community spirit.
“I was so shocked, after receiving one award I went outside to debrief, when I came back I was being ushered up on stage again," she said.
“I feel like being named runner up of the year is my biggest achievement because we were up against everyone.
“There were so many worthy businesses there doing amazing things.”
The business was originally started by her dad David Ashton in the 1970s, which was the first lighting company in WA.
“He sold it so we could go sail around the world together on a yacht, me and dad took off when I was nine years old,” she said.
“Ashton Stage Lighting was renamed and when we got back we started again, I became a partner in 2009 and sold that business about three years ago.
“I was running Southern Light Events here and in Perth at the same time, it was too much and a really stressful time.”
As a young woman in a male dominated industry, Ms Ashton’s main goal was to be taken seriously and worked hard to gain credibility.
“Dad is still very much involved – all the Ashton’s are – my little brother, my uncle and my stepdad we are all in the industry, I have a lot of support.”
Ms Ashton said her company worked behind the scenes at many of the community events throughout the region, as well as, taking on larger projects at events such as Southbound.
They offer a creative approach to speciality lighting, as well as, audio, staging, draping, exhibitions, photography, events management, hire and sales.
“We do carols by candlelight, which has a few thousand people and some weekends in December we may have 13 jobs spread over three days,” she said.
