Air Force veteran Justin Le Guen joined The King’s Trust Australia’s Enterprise Accelerator as an opportunity to learn something new — and it paid off.
He joined to explore new ideas. He left as the 2025 Enterprise Accelerate Award winner. The Award recognises an individual who has developed or progressed their business through the Trust’s Enterprise Accelerator Programme.
“It was inspirational, a really rewarding experience. The different speakers, tools, and the knowledge about the support that’s out there … I learnt so many things I’d never even heard of. There were so many useful tools.”
“I’m over the moon. I couldn’t believe I’d won. It’s a privilege — not just the award itself, but getting to hear all the speakers’ journeys. There were so many insights.”
Justin is the founder of Bendigo Ground Airport Services, a micro Fixed-Based Operator (FBO) which supports regional airports by providing services for pilots and passengers such as fueling, parking, transportation and auxiliary services like waiting areas. But this isn’t his first foray into business.
After a deployment to Timor during his time in the Air Force, Justin began working a second job to stay busy and earn an extra income. First as a taxi driver, then as a delivery driver. Eventually, he took the leap into entrepreneurship with his first venture in tourism: running a rickshaw service in Bendigo.
“I made all the mistakes. Spent a lot of money on things I didn’t need — blew about $20,000. But I learnt a lot.”
Not one to give up, Justin launched a training consultancy business, all while still serving in the Air Force.
His latest venture, Bendigo Ground Airport Services, was born out of a need he identified while working as an aerodrome operator at Bendigo Airport (where, among other things, he was responsible for shooing kangaroos off the runway).
“Regional airports don’t have good transport networks. There are no taxis and limited facilities for pilots and crew to even grab a drink. But an airport is a 24-hour business. People fly in at all hours — there should be basic services.”
Justin’s goal is simple: to bring more traffic into the airport, support pilots and crew, and to help promote Bendigo as a regional destination.
“If we get more aircraft coming in, everyone wins — the airport gets more charters, and we get more customers. It’s very much a group effort.”
“That’s what business should be. It’s not just about money. It’s about finding your niche — and when you do that, everyone gets a piece of the pie. More opportunities, more customers, more growth for everyone.”
Check out Justin’s Business here: https://bendigo-ground.com.au/
