A vigilant cyber-security consultant in Sydney, a self-made-man success story out of Darwin, and a tiny but persistent teacher-recruiting outfit in suburban Adelaide are among this year’s winners of the Telstra Business Awards.

The 18th annual awards were announced Aug. 20.

Stratsec, Business of the Year

Peter Lilley, CEO of cyber-security company Stratsec, says he stays ahead of the game by “acting like the bad guys, looking at a business’ broken windows, looking for holes in the roof, entries under the floorboards.” Deakin-based Stratsec provides vigilance for government, defence departments, banks, health systems and telecommunications in more than 20 countries.

teachers.on.net, Micro-Business

teachers.on.net is a pioneering online recruitment company that targets schools and teachers. Based in the Adelaide suburb of Eastwood and employing less than five full-time equivalent employees, teachers.on.net has enjoyed solid growth in the face of fierce competition. The little company is now moving into international markets.

Soprano Design, Innovation

Sydney-based Soprano Design has partnered with IBM and mobile data firm Acision to streamline the adoption of SMS, MMS, email and voice business communication. The company, which as operations in Paris, London and Singapore, accelerates enterprise messaging for mobile network operators by providing ready-to-go, web-based software and apps for enterprise and government clients.

Northern Project Contracting, Social Responsibility

Northern Project Contracting trains and contracts workers for the mining and civil construction industries in northern and western Queensland. The company’s ownership is indigenous, as is 80 percent of its employees.

City Ceramics, MYOB Small Business

Robbie Sheppard left school at age 14, arrived in Darwin at 20 in a Kombi van and set up a business as a tiler. Ten years ago, he started a company that supplies ceramics for retail and wholesale. City Ceramics opened a $5 million warehouse and showroom a couple of years ago, and is riding the Darwin development boom.

Kelly Engineering, Regional Business

Six generations of family farming inform the business savvy of Kelly Engineering, an agricultural machinery exporter. It employs 43 of the 400 residents of Booleroo Centre, and is exporting its innovative tillage contraptions to markets such as Missouri in the United States.