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Diana says she is honored to receive the award, particularly as this was the only award to be voted solely by top business owners across Australia. “It’s very humbling to be acknowledged by your peers in such a way and I hope this award inspires other Australian women to realise their potential and follow their business dreams as I have,” she said.

Fernwood boasts 10 years of ranking among Australia’s fastest growing companies, and 7 years of being in the top 10 franchise businesses. In 2005 Diana was awarded the Telstra Business Woman of the Year and was the first woman inducted into the Franchise Council of Australia Hall of Fame in 2007.

Fernwood began 18 years ago in Bendigo when Diana Williams recognised that women needed a place of their own – a comfortable sanctuary where they could exercise and reach their individual health and wellbeing goals. Diana opened her first club with just $7000 and second-hand equipment provided by her business partner, John Clow.

Diana says her long term vision is to build Fernwood Women’s Health Clubs into an international brand recognised and respected around the world for delivering on its core purpose of ‘empowering women to shine’.

Three years ago, Ms Williams established the Fernwood Foundation as a way of thanking the community for their huge support of the business. In that time, the Venus Program, under the auspices of the Foundation, has helped over 300 Australian women who have confronted challenges such as domestic abuse and depression to turn their lives around.