'We are passionate about connecting voices echoing the same spirit. Our hope is to speak to parents about what they are buying for children and, most importantly, how they are educating children through their choices.'

Hocusadabra started developing its website and e-commerce platform and sourcing distributors in 2009. It then launched its website and started offering products, many sourced from Australia, to retail and wholesale customers in June this year. It is based in Hong Kong and ships to customers all over the world.

Amigh says the belief that being Australian is about giving everyone a fair go underlies the company's dealings with customers, suppliers and third-party service providers. 'We also believe very strongly about helping the underdog. Hocusadabra is an underdog in a market dominated by large global corporations. We work with independent SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] that firmly believe they can offer something more personal and help children look beyond the conventional toys offered by large global corporations to hopefully provide them with greater diversity of experience as they grow up. We celebrate the underdog and love to see them succeed.'

Some of the Australian SMEs Hocusadabra works with include Shinwa Organics, Lucas Papaw, Murobond Paints, Makedo, Edcolours and Zoobookoo.

The company may be small, but it is making an impact in Hong Kong and the mainland. It raised its profile after winning the Paypal 'Best E-Commerce Platform' award for 2011 and also secured a British Airways Small Business grant.

'The only way for us to succeed is to be meritocratic,' Amigh says. 'It is about being the best and working with the best to build.'

In business since 1991, OTEK Australia works with Chinese companies in its home country, Asia-Pacific and the mainland. It began with a foundation based on petroleum hydrocarbon assessment and remediation projects and expanded to embrace all aspects of the environmental consultancy solutions sector. The company is the winner of the Austrade Business Promotion Award.

'We work closely with the Chinese government at all levels along with major Chinese partners and suppliers,' says Michael Nicholls, OTEK's vice-president for China marketing and business development. The company's skills include environmental investigation and remediation, due diligence, environmental health and safety and environmental liability risk services, contaminated land clean-up, health and safety, groundwater and heavy metals treatment, dangerous goods, storage and sustainability services.

'Wherever possible, direct communications are used to build trust with key people involved in each project,' Nicholls says. 'OTEK works closely with local representatives and the Australian Trade Commission to help Chinese companies and government bodies in developing innovative and leading edge solutions to environmental issues. The various media that [we use] include events, conferences, web activity, public relations and direct communications with potential clients.'

There are two main challenges that OTEK works to overcome in the Chinese market.

'The first is the sensitivity surrounding many environmental issues and the need to build a strong, trusting and lasting relationship with local officials so they are confident that OTEK is going to be best placed to help solve their challenges and issues,' Nicholls says.

The second is to ensure effective translation of the company's technical expertise, not only into the Chinese language but also into the Chinese way of doing business so local officials can understand completely what OTEK's capabilities are and what is required for each project.

'We seek and receive feedback from our clients, partners, suppliers and government bodies. This has allowed us to refine our communication techniques and business model and style to better suit the commercial environment in Hong Kong and China. Business promotion is difficult, as what we want to say needs to be understood [by] different audiences.'

Like every industrial country, the mainland is faced with major environmental issues and contaminated areas that need to be resolved quickly and efficiently.

'It is important for us to listen and ask for feedback, be proactive about implementing changes so that the promotion of services is valued in the Chinese market place and targets the most appropriate opportunities,' Nicholls adds.