22. AeroPM

Revenue: $11.64 million
Growth: 141.11%
Founders: Emily Frizell (41), Adam Frizell (41)
Head Office: Canberra
Employees: 58
Industry: Consulting and strategy
Website: https://www.aeropm.net
Year Founded: 2014

How it started

Emily Frizell founded AeroPM in November 2014 as a way to leave the Air Force and still be involved with Defence projects. Working as a sole trader until March 2018, Frizell decided to grow the company and add employees so that talented veterans could transition from Defence.

The company has been structured to allow the veterans to contribute to Australia’s sovereign capability, without being members of the Australian Defence Force.

Growth

Originally offering a combination of below-the-line and above-the-line services, Emily Frizell and general manager, Adam Frizell, quickly learnt that focusing purely on above-the-line services, and providing exceptional services within it, was more important than offering both.

The strategy has been successful, with AeroPM growing revenue from $4.83 million in the 2018-19 financial year to $11.64 million in the 2020-21 financial year.

Where to next?

AeroPM is looking to grow its team substantially by the end of 2022.

As Adam Frizell explains: “AeroPM’s success is solely attributed to the level of skill, drive, and commitment given by our team every day ”. 

Emily Frizell is helping to grow the business by growing her personal profile too, having been invited by the Governor General to take a seat on the Veteran Advisory Council, and sitting on the Queensland Defence Advisory board by invitation of the Queensland Premier.

“I am beginning to feel comfortable that I can achieve great things on both of these boards, and my next big move is to expand the breadth of boards that I reside on to grow professionally,” says Emily Frizell.

That will help Frizell achieve her goal of transitioning to chair of the board at AeroPM, and hiring a new CEO.