Clipboardau

Owner: Tipu Sultan and Brendan Leeds

Location: Melbourne

Industry: Hospitality and IT

Founded: 2018

Employees: 4

Website: clipboardau.com

Founded in 2018, Clipboardau is a centralised platform where hospitality professionals can streamline their connections with businesses, employees, producers and suppliers.

Given Clipboardau’s clients all work in hospitality, the business was well placed to offer support to an industry significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and fulfil its mission to ‘clip, connect, create and care’. 

“We had to remain positive, be flexible and devise solutions that were relevant, compassionate and still assist in achieving our growth goals,” co-owner Tipu Sultan says.  

Clipboardau used its online platform and social media channels to launch several initiatives to support and connect with the hospitality community. 

Together with co-owner Brendan Leeds, Sultan created a GoFundMe campaign called Hospo Relief Fund which raised money for 50 hospitality workers who lost their jobs during COVID-19.

Clipboardau also partnered with CyberClinic to offer free online mental health consultations, and developed the #REVIBE campaign to distribute masks and coffee cups to businesses.

On top of these initiatives, Clipboardau appointed a wellbeing ambassador to provide ongoing online support in the areas of mental and physical wellbeing. 

Sultan also used social media to share positive messages, news and updates with the business’ followers, organically reaching 100,000 people. The most successful campaign was Hospo Heroes, which showcased businesses and individuals by offering them a platform to tell their stories of adapting during COVID-19. 

“All of our solutions during COVID have centred around supporting, connecting and promoting the hospitality community, keeping the industry buoyed when often community sentiment was the opposite.”

Next year, Sultan has no intention of ceasing community initiatives. In addition to his aim to grow the business, Sultan would like to drive community initiatives with a focus on mental wellbeing.