Off-road camper manufacturer wins Digital Champions place

Glenn Campbell has spent a year preparing to launch Simplicity Campers, and will now receive online strategy and tools of up to $20,000, plus support from high-profile mentors.

Mr Campbell has already spent a day in Brisbane networking with the mentors, who include Dodo internet founder, Larry Kestelman; celebrity fitness trainer Michelle Bridges; and MYOB chief executive Tim Reed.

After working for many years managing manufacturing businesses, he decided to start his own.

"The caravan and camping industry at the moment is a $16 billion a year industry and it's growing at 5 per cent per annum," he said.

"A lot of people want to go camping [who aren't] - for want of a better term - grey nomads who want to do a lap of Australia or go up and down the coast."

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Mr Campbell said his niche market was people aged about 35-50 who want to go off-road, then be able to set up quickly for the night.

His product is a cross between a caravan and an off-road camper.

"It has the luxuries in terms of heating for cold weather and airconditioning for hot weather; toilet; shower; things like that," he said.

"The kitchen and cooking facilities all slide out the side, external to the van.

"It's a design that's extremely compact in terms of length and size but still has a lot of the features of modern caravans."

Mr Campbell has produced a prototype, refined it and made a final product.

"I'm right at the threshold of employing staff and jumping forward with it ... I'm ready to mass-produce," he said.

"Then I came to a bit of a standstill, because it's a bit daunting, the whole digital media concept."

He applied for the Small Business Digital Champions Project, an Australian government measure aiming to help them improve their digital skills and presence.

Minister for Small and Family Business, Michaelia Cash, said she applauded "the enthusiasm and passion of the business owners who have stepped forward and embraced this opportunity to take their business to the next level of success".

"Helping small businesses invest in their digital capability will help them reach their full potential and will strengthen the small business sector, creating more jobs and an even stronger economy for all Australians."

According to Senator Cash's office, digitally engaged small businesses are 50 per cent more likely to be growing revenue, eight times more likely to be creating jobs, and 14 times more likely to be innovating products or services.