Valerie Khoo

Valerie Khoo is the National Director of the Australian Writers' Centre which she established in 2005. The centre offers writing courses to the public in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.[1] She is also a writer, podcaster, visual artist and former journalist.[2][3]

In 2018, Khoo was appointed the City of Sydney's Curator of the Sydney Lunar Festival.[4] Khoo is the co-host of the long-running podcasts So You Want to be a Writer (with children's author Allison Tait)[5] and So You Want to be a Photographer (with photographer Gina Milicia).[6] She also hosts the podcast series New stories, Bold Legends: Stories from Sydney Lunar Festival.[7]

Graduating from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Economics in 1991,[8] Khoo has since worked as an accountant, in public relations, as a features writer for magazines, and as a freelance journalist. She is the author of six books.[2][9] In 2000, she was awarded a Graduate Diploma in Communication from the University of Technology Sydney.[10]

Khoo was born in Singapore and migrated to Sydney with her parents when she was four years old.[4]

Writing

As a journalist and editor, Khoo worked for various publishing houses including Pacific Magazines, Fairfax and ACP Magazines (now Bauer) in both Sydney and Singapore.[2][11] She was a regular contributor to Fairfax's Enterprise site, writing on small to medium-sized business and entrepreneurs.[12][13]

She is the author of several books, mostly focused on small business and career advice. Her most recent book was Power Stories: The 8 Stories You Must Tell to Build an Epic Business (Richmond, Vic. : John Wiley & Sons, 2013).[14]

More recently, Khoo has worked as a visual artist.[15]

Social Enterprise

In 2002, with her friend Kylie Taylor, Khoo established Taylor & Khoo, a charity to assist Sunrise Angkor Children's Village, an orphanage in Cambodia.[16] The social enterprise sold products manufactured in Cambodia, with proceeds going towards the orphanage. The venture wound down in 2008.[17]

Awards

Awards received by Khoo or her businesses/ventures/art:

  • 2004 Family Circle Women Who Dare Awards
  • 2005 Australian Humanitarian Award (Business category)
  • 2005 Australia Post Small Business Awards Special Judges Commendation
  • 2006 Anthill 10 Coolest Companies in Australia.
  • 2008 Finalist Small Business Champion Awards (NSW)
  • 2009 Australian Finalist in the Dell Small Business Excellence Awards[18]
  • 2010 Winner NSW Telstra Business Awards Micro-Business Category[19]
  • 2018 Finalist Kangaroo Valley Art Prize[20]

References
  1. "Australian Writers' Centre writing courses – Ignite your creativity". Australian Writers' Centre. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. "PropellHer". www.propellher.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. "Interview with Valerie Khoo from Australian Writers' Centre". Brand Tales. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. "5 minutes with Sydney Lunar Festival curator | City of Sydney - News". news.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  5. "So you want to be a writer Archives". Australian Writers' Centre. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. "Podcast Archives". Gina Milicia Photography: Melbourne/Sydney lifestyle, celebrity, advertising & courses. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  7. "About this podcast – NEW STORIES, BOLD LEGENDS". Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  8. "Alumni and Friends| News | The University of Sydney". sydney.edu.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  9. Price, Sarah (26 January 2019). "Sydney Lunar Festival's Valerie Khoo". The Saturday Paper. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  10. "University of Technology Sydney 2005 Annual Report" (PDF).
  11. "Valerie Khoo". The Walkley Foundation. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  12. "The Age Blogs: Enterprise". blogs.theage.com.au. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  13. Burrowes, Tim (13 April 2009). "Fairfax is keeping its readers locked in the cellar". Mumbrella. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  14. Khoo, Valerie (2013). Power stories : the 8 stories you must tell to build an epic business. Richmond, Vic. : John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118387511.
  15. Magazine, Anthill (25 January 2019). "Here are 5 great tips on how to successfully balance being a CEO and a full time artist -". Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  16. "Valerie Khoo". Danebank. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  17. "Taylor & Khoo: The story so far". Taylor & Khoo: The story so far. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  18. "2009 Dell Small Business Excellence Award Finalists" (PDF).
  19. "Telstra Business Awards Winners and Finalists 2010".
  20. "Art Prize Finalists". Festival Program & Tickets. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
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