SHE started out at CQUniversity and has gone on to become CEO of an award-nominated business.

Jade Collins grew up in Rockhampton before embarking on her adventure around the world to began her business, Femeconomy.

With her sister-in-law, Alanna Bastin-Byrne, by her side the duo established a women-orientated website that showcased all the best brands.

But there was a catch.

These businesses had to be run by at least 30% of women on the board of directors or 50% female owned.

This empowering idea had earned them a nomination in the 2017 Cosmopolitan Women of the Year Awards in the Entrepreneur category.

"We only launched last year so we are underdogs among companies like Frank Body with multi-million-dollar turnovers,” Jade said.

Femeconomy focused on putting power in the hands of customers to support businesses with women in leadership roles.

With over 800 business signed-up, all online platforms recorded over 260,000 people visiting each month for it's ethical brands.

Jade, who is mother to a 10-year-old daughter, said this way of thinking not only benefited companies involved but also pushed the ones who weren't to involve more women in leadership and advance gender equality.

The duo run the business from their own homes in separate states and Jade said their ultimate goal was to take it international.

"We want to see women in leadership globally and intend to take the company to the US and UK markets,” she said.

"It's all about gender equality that will benefit women and men too.

"We want to see that no doors are closed on our daughters and our sons to have an opportunity to work flexibly around family and not be penalised.”

The company had earned a number of awards since it established but Jade said this nomination was something else.

"We were so thrilled and absolutely over the moon,” she said.

Jade was lucky enough to be recognised among the 2017 top 10 'Women2Watch' in Australia and US and was awarded an innovation award for her ideas.

To find out more about the duo's company, visit www.femeconomy.com