“You don’t need to be the loudest in the room when your values speak for you.”
— Dr. Winson Tan (Hon.D) Director, Nexus Education Group, JWT Property Group, WA GROUP
Company Profile
WA Group
Connecting People, Enriching Communities
WA Group is a dynamic, multi-industry portfolio encompassing hospitality venues, early childhood education, and property development. Led by young entrepreneur Winson Tan, the group is defined by its mission to connect people and enrich local communities.
https://www.wakazokugroup.com.au/
Objective
The goal was to raise Winson Tan’s public and industry profile while securing credible external recognition to strengthen WA Group’s future growth opportunities. This meant building visibility, proving commercial viability, and celebrating the team driving the company’s success.
Benefits of working with Green Door Co
- Relieved pressure on time-poor founder
- Developed a compelling founder narrative
- Targeted high-impact entrepreneurial and business awards
- Managed end-to-end submissions for maximum visibility
Value Created
- 100% finalist rate across 13 awards
- National and international recognition elevating Winson’s profile
- Third-party validation supporting venue sales and future developments
- Boosted team pride, culture, and momentum
Multi-award-winning WA Group lives by the mission of “Connecting People, Enriching Communities”. Since 2020, they’ve grown to become a mainstay of Melbourne’s dining and community landscape with beloved local venues like Jerry Joy Café, Finders Keepers Café, Prefisso 3088, Little Tienda, and Docasa. Each location is a distinct culinary experience, yet all embody dedication to excellence with curated menus, inviting atmospheres, and a standard of service that turns first-time visitors into familiar faces.
Beyond hospitality, WA Group have ventured into early childhood education through Nexus Early Learning and property development through the soon to be unveiled JWT Whitehorse Project in Blackburn. Combining luxury residential spaces with thoughtfully integrated retail, anchored by a café, an early learning centre, and other services designed to weave enduring community connections into daily life.
Objectives
Winson Tan, the 28-year-old founder of WA Group, had achieved remarkable success in a very short period. Starting with a $7,000 hole in the wall café in 2020, he grew the business into a thriving portfolio. Despite WA Group’s rapid expansion and year-on-year growth, Winson was not receiving the broader acknowledgement his achievements warranted.
To support the next phase of the group’s evolution, including potential asset sales and larger property developments, Winson needed to increase WA Group’s visibility as a high-performing company.
Objectives:
- Profile Building: Highlight Winson Tan as a leading young entrepreneur and a credible operator in the Australian market.
- Credibility: Secure third-party validation that would prove the commercial viability of his businesses to investors and buyers.
- Team Celebration: Acknowledge the hard work of the staff across multiple venues.
However, running multiple businesses meant Winson had zero time to dedicate to the time-consuming process of submitting for awards. He lacked the internal resources to draft complex entries and struggled to articulate a cohesive story that bridged the gap between his varied business interests in hospitality and education. Without that recognition, his achievements risked remaining in obscurity, and the hard work he’d poured into building WA Group wouldn’t be doing the heavy lifting of elevating his profile the way it should.
Solution
WA Group partnered with Green Door Co to outsource the entire process. Green Door Co acted as the strategic lead, interviewing Winson to extract his story and translating his operational success into a compelling narrative that showcased his journey from a single café to a multi-business group built on community impact.
Green Door Co devised a strategy targeting two distinct angles:
- The Entrepreneurial Journey: Focusing on awards such as Best Young Entrepreneur and 40 Under 40, highlighting Winson’s humble business beginnings, resilience during COVID-19 and his ability to turn failing venues into profitable community hubs.
- Business Excellence: Entering commercial awards to validate the financial strength and operational rigour of the WA Group portfolio.
Green Door Co managed the entire submission process end-to-end, selecting the most strategic national and international award programs, including the International Business Awards and the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, to build credibility and prestige.
Value Created
Winson’s partnership with Green Door Co delivered exceptional results, achieving a 100% finalist rate across all 13 awards entered.
Global and national recognition
Winson transformed from a quiet achiever into a celebrated leader, finally stepping into the recognition he deserved. He secured a Gold Stevie Award for Best Entrepreneur in the International Business Awards and a Silver Stevie in the APAC awards. Domestically, he was recognised as a finalist in the Melbourne Business Network Awards and Small Business Champion Awards, elevating his reputation in the Australian market.
Commercial validation
The awards provided the third-party endorsement WA Group needed. By validating the commercial success of the businesses, the awards strategy supported Winson’s broader business goals, including the successful sale of several venues. The recognition has also laid a strong foundation of credibility as the group moves into high-value property development projects.
Team morale
The wins allowed the team across all businesses to celebrate their collective success, reinforcing the culture of excellence and community that Winson has built. That sense of shared achievement has created new momentum within the group, inspiring staff as WA Group enters its next phase of growth.
Award Wins
WINNER
2025 APAC Stevie Awards
Innovative Entrepreneur of the Year (SILVER)
2025 Noble Awards
Outstanding Young Entrepreneur (SILVER)
Food & Beverage (SILVER)
Outstanding Creative Entrepreneur (SILVER)
Restaurant (GOLD)
Outstanding Entrepreneur in Business (GOLD)
2025 International Business Awards
Best Entrepreneur Hospitality & Leisure (GOLD)
Best Young Entrepreneur (SILVER)
2025 Business Elite 40 Under 40
FINALIST
2024 Melbourne Business Network Awards
Young Entrepreneur Award
Entrepreneur
2025 Small Business Champion Awards
Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur
Specialised Small Business
