Heidi Smith is one of eight finalists from across Australia, chosen to compete at the Pitch in the Paddock during Beef Week in Rockhampton next week. 

“It is such a fantastic opportunity for me, and I am really excited,” Mrs Smith said. 

“It will be a great way to get our name out there.”

The finalists will pitch an idea to a group of business leaders and investors in front of a live audience. 

Winners have an opportunity to take home cash prizes and incentive packages.

Mrs Smith lives with her husband and four children on Iffley Station – a cattle station between Normanton and Julia Creek.

She hatched the idea for her business, All Quotes Directs, one day after her husband stormed around the house in a huff of frustration. 

He was having trouble with quotes for some farming supplies.

Mrs Smith felt his frustration and recognised a business opportunity. 

“It started as an idea we thought would be useful for us and other people not only in the rural industry, but in other industries,” Mrs Smith said. 

“We wanted to provide a more efficient way to receive quotes without spending numerous hours searching for business contact details or on the telephone.   

“Like everyone we were time poor with limited or no mobile service and would spend so much time contacting each business one by one, then waiting for each of their replies,” she said. 

All Quotes Direct is a free website which allows people a quick way to receive prices from multiple suppliers for rural heavy hardware and other items.

Mrs Smith said she was excited to pitch her business to investors at Beef Week.

“I absolutely love running the business. I have a lot of balls in the air and it has been a bit of a roller-coaster ride,” Mrs Smith said. 

“I know its an amazing idea, because we are the customers too. I know it is something that will help people save time,” she said. 

“A couple of people were keen to use our website but had to convince their husbands to try it, but now they are our biggest fans.”

​Mrs Smith has worked in the cattle industry for more than 25 years. 

Beef Australia CEO Denis Cox encouraged people come along to hear what these entrepreneurs have to contribute to our industry.

“At Pitch in the Paddock spectators can expect to hear concepts including autonomous watering systems that integrate field sensors and pump control to manage water delivery, livestock implants that collects biometric data in each animal, Mobile slaughtering units, biotechnology and feed inputs,” Mr Cox said.

The eight finalists are:

Heidi Smith, All Quotes Direct

Chris Balazs, Farm Gate MSU

Nick Dyer, Fluxx

Tim Cannon, Livestock Labs

Jordy Kitchske, MEQ Probe

Fiona Soulsby, ProAgni

Frank Wooten, Vence Corp

Darryl Lyons, Watersave.