Local businesswoman June Irving, Bentleys Hair of Canberra owner, was announced as the winner of the Small Business Champion Entrepreneur category at the prestigious 2025 Australian Small Business Champion Awards; a program that recognises and rewards the achievements of small business operators across the country. 

This year marks the 27th consecutive year of the Awards which highlight the finest of Australia’s small businesses across the retail, hospitality, services and manufacturing industries. 

Over 5,500 entries were received from diverse business sectors located in cities, rural, regional and suburban towns throughout Australia.

The winners were announced at a spectacular National Gala Presentation Evening held at The Star Sydney on Saturday 29 March, where Bentleys Hair of Canberra was formally recognised as the Champion in the Small Business Champion Entrepreneur category.  

“For 27 years, I have had the pleasure of presenting a program that recognises and rewards hard-working, spirited Australians who grow their businesses from start-ups to industry leaders,” says Steve Loe, Founder of the Australian Small Business Champion Awards.

“Operating a small business today requires steadfast commitment, leadership, savviness, creativity, people skills, vision, social consciousness and a spirited drive — all elements of success that our independent judging panel pinpointed among the key reasons for their selection of June Irving as the 2025 Champion of the Small Business Champion Entrepreneur category.”

June started her apprenticeship at the Jamison Centre when the salon was known as The Mop Shop. She later purchased the salon and changed the name to Bentleys Hair of Canberra, which June adds, has been “…a proud Schwarzkopf salon for over 40 years”. 

June is no stranger to success, having won another five awards just in the last six months, including a recognition by Chief Minister Andrew Barr for her 50 years in business. “It was so lovely to get that,” says June. 

But the Entrepreneur award at the Champion Awards was quite a surprise for June. 

“When I missed out on the hairdressing award, I thought oh well, that’s it I haven’t won again because I’ve been nominated before. But then I was lucky enough to pull off the big one!” 

June is emphatic that she did not win this award on her own. 

“I really want to thank my wonderful team, of whom I am so proud, and our local community”, she says. “Because all I do is coordinate. It’s not all about me. I really want to thank the community for supporting our business over the last 50 years”.