Vero has given a $20,000 small business grant to Dean Salakas, co-owner of party goods retailer The Party People.

Mr Salakas’ entered a competition in August to promote Vero’s Success Hub online platform, where SME owners can read success stories, pick up new ideas and use the Success Meter – an interactive tool that provides a “success profile” that’s measured against similar businesses.

He also wins lunch with Tristan White, whose company The Physio Co was ranked first in Business Review Weekly’s top 50 places to work in 2014.

“It was a great thrill to win this competition and we’re very excited to meet Tristan and learn from his experiences,” Mr Salakas said.

“We ran a Facebook campaign to encourage people to vote for us [in the Vero competition], and we had a fantastic response.”

The Party People employs more than 40 staff and is the biggest party goods store in Australia, with the most visited website in the industry.

Its broker James Fletcher, director of Malton Road Advisory, says Mr Salakas and his co-owner brother Peter’s passion is the secret to their success.

“Dean takes every opportunity to promote the business, whether it’s through Facebook video campaigns, the media or on the Shark Tank TV show,” Mr Fletcher said.