Get Your Free Online Small Business Toolkit Today
As part of its Small Business September '08 initiatives, the NSW Department of State and Regional Development has developed a free online Small Business Toolkit comprising podcasts and downloadable information about trade finance, business risk, climate change, running a business in a local government area, and other topics to help you manage and grow your business.
To access your free Small Business Toolkit click here.
The Small Business September website also contains free presentations, podcasts, and links from over 20 Small Business September '08 events including Busting Business Myths, The ‘Sale' is Made in the First 5 Minutes, Small Business is Big Business on the Internet, Doing Business With Sport and Small Business BIG Issues.
Small Business September ‘08 a success for small businesses
Innovative event formats, relevant topics, an improved website and the enthusiasm of event partners and participants were just some of the factors that contributed to the success of Small Business September '08.
Over 40,000 people attended Small Business September '08 events. Across the State, 150 partner organisations from the public and private sectors contributed events, while the Department of State and Regional Development hosted 85 events across every region of NSW.
Event highlights included the The Small Business Book Club, Parramatta Business and Sustainability Expo, Small Business is Big Business on the Internet, Busting Business Myths and Small Business BIG Issues, while the Young BizStar Competition final was again popular and informative. A strong program of trade events was also very well received.
Over 150 regional events ensured that quality business assistance was available to all small business owners and operators no matter where they lived or worked.
Thank you to all those who partickpated in Small Business September '08.
Small Business September will be back next year for its 10 year anniversary and we will be looking at innovations in delivery of our program to ensure that we meet your business needs. If you would like to comment on any aspects of the '08 program or make suggestions for next year please email smallbizsept@business.nsw.gov.au.
Minister Pledges to Tackle Small Business's Five Major Concerns
Minister for Small Business, Tony Stewart, has pledged to tackle the five major areas of concern identified by NSW's small business.
Mr Stewart said, as part of Small Business September '08, the Rees Government hosted an online poll of the State's small businesses which pinpointed economic uncertainty, taxes, work/life balance, turning ideas into reality and marketing as the key issues.
"The NSW Government is well placed to tackle these issues by focusing its business support programs to respond to these particular concerns of small business," Mr Stewart said.
"At the closing event of Small Business September '08 at the Australian Maritume Museum in Sydney on 30 September, a panel of experts delivered their opinions on these issues."
Mr Stewart said the experts included:
- Steven Shepherd of Sensis who looked at economic uncertainty;
- Chris Downs of the Australian Taxation Office who provided advice on tax;
- Dan Liszka of the Australian Small Scale Offering Board who showed how to turn ideas into reality;
- Andrew May of Switched On looking at work/life balance;
- Carolyn Stafford of Connect Marketing discussed marketing.
"The Small Business Big Issues forum was the finale of the 380 events held across NSW this month, as part of Small Business September '08," Mr Stewart said.
"More than 40,000 people attended Small Business September events designed to help the small businesses of NSW grow and prosper.
"Over the last nine years, nearly half a million business people have sought the expos, workshops and advice on offer statewide throughout Small Business September, which is Australia's longest running celebration of small business," Mr Stewart said.
"This annual demand for fresh information is fuelled by the hundreds of thousands of people in NSW who have embarked on their own small business adventure.
"With events from Coffs Harbour to Coonamble, and Broken Hill to Bega, the Rees Government's Small Business September '08 fulfilled its aim of making help accessible to every business owner or operator, no matter where they live or work," Mr Stewart said.
Mr Stewart thanked Small Business September '08 sponsors including platinum sponsors Australia Post, NRMA Business Insurance and Yellow; gold sponsors Austrade, the NSW Business Chamber, the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board and the City of Sydney; and silver sponsor the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation.
Missed Small Business September?
If you missed out on the hundreds of Small Business September '08 events held across NSW then don't worry. Many of these have their presentations posted on this website here and more are being posted all the time. You can also search for the events that interest you and see if they have posted presentations.
The NSW Department of State and Regional Development also hosts regular training and information sessions throughout the year. Visit the small business website events section here or the Western Sydney Business Centre events section here. Or contact your local DSRD office (contact details here) or Business Advisory Service on 1300 650 058.
Young BizStar Winners
Seven of NSW's brightest young entrepreneurs pitched their business ideas to a panel of experts at this year's Young BizStar Competition in front of a live audience on 18 September in Sydney.
And the winners are:
Start-Up Category
Amanda Duncan and Mollie Collum from San Souci - Mummahh maternity packs
Regional Category
Belinda King and Andrew Conkey from Wagga Wagga - Vouch For It web-based gift voucher system
Light Bulb Category
Simon Jaeger from Gymea Bay - Jaeger lifestyle tours
Each receives a business support package valued at over over $6,000 from Australia Post, the Australian Small Scale offerings Board and the NSW Department of State and Regional Development.
Congratulations to all our winners and finalists.
BizStar will return in 2009.
Joint action: Portland Orthopaedics and CSIRO develop hip replacement technology
Established in Sydney in 1991, Portland Orthopaedics began as a single product business. Since then it has listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, established overseas offices in Michigan and London and progressed towards becoming a multi-product joint replacement company.
There has been some help along the way, notably from the CSIRO. The NSW Department of State and Regional Development, AusIndustry and Austrade have also provided financial assistance for business development and export initiatives.
The CSIRO connection goes back to the mid 1990s when Portland founder Dr Ron Sekel, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, approached Australia's national science agency for assistance in developing their manufacturing technology.
"We could have sourced the technology from overseas', says Dr Sekel, "but Portland wanted to remain Australian-owned, Australian-made. CSIRO's materials science team worked with us to develop world-class hydroxyapatite plasma spray coating technology, which provides a synthetic bone interface for prosthetic hip and knee implants. This biocompatible coating is sprayed on the prosthesis and, because its properties are similar to those of natural bone, it helps with re-establishing joint movement."
Support from the NSW Department of State and Regional Development came through the BioBusiness Program, which gives eligible companies direct financial assistance with non-research establishment and business acceleration costs and subsidises leadership skills training.
Fast forward to 2008 and Portland is earning 75 per cent of sales revenue overseas and has regulatory approval for its products in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
"CSIRO's expertise and government support programs have been key factors in our company's achievements so far," acknowledges Dr Sekel.
"Research collaboration with small to medium companies such as Portland Orthopaedics is a vital part of CSIRO's role," according to Greg Redden, Executive Manager, SME Engagement with CSIRO. "As this example illustrates, we have the world-class innovation and development expertise to help position local companies as global leaders in their industry. We encourage innovative small to medium companies to engage with CSIRO to explore opportunities to transform their product and process technologies."
For further information about CSIRO's SME Engagement Centre contact Ron Mack, SME Engagement Manager, CSIRO on 0412 816 100 or email ron.mack@csiro.au
A free on-site seminar will be held at CSIRO North Ryde on 17th September. For more information and to register click here.
Flying Sell Out!
Flying Solo LIVE!, the first event dedicated to solo and micro business owners, has evidently struck a chord as it sold out last week and the organisers had to close the doors early.
Flying Solo founder, Robert Gerrish said he puts the popularity down to the fact that the Flying Solo community in effect, designed the day themselves.
Following an extensive survey undertaken in March this year, Flying Solo LIVE! was put together directly in line with the key ‘hot buttons' indicated by the 1,770 respondents.
Flying Solo LIVE! is a key event within Small Business September and as Gerrish says, "The wonderful profile the whole month enjoys does so much to assist event organisers and it's truly a great time for small business."
Pitch '08 Winners Announced
On Saturday 6 September five inventive business ideas pitched against one another to a panel of industry experts and an audience of potential investors at NSW Pitch '08, held at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum.
Co-hosted by NSW Department of State of Regional Development (DSRD) and the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board, the NSW Pitch '08 challenge saw SMS Poll Pty Ltd take out the grand prize for their pitch, followed by Evolution Tankers Pty Ltd and The Invisible Clothesline Pty Ltd, in second and third places respectively.
SMS Poll Pty Ltd is used by educators, public speakers and event planners to gather in-the-moment data. SMS Poll is an innovative mobile voting and live audience polling application that rivals sophisticated Audience Response Systems at one-tenth of the price. Second prize winner, has developed a new manufacturing technology for the production of a lightweight carbon fiber tanker for bulk liquid transport, called the OMNI Tanker. Third prize winner The Invisible Clothes Line Pty Ltd is a new and unique globally patented clothesline design, with many benefits and advantages over existing clothes drying products.
"These businesses represent a very high level of entrants who participated in this year's competition, and we will be following the participants progress in the coming months and years," said Dan Liszka, Managing Director of Alchemy Innovation Development.
Each winner has received access to the Pitch ‘08 development pathway to fast-track the growth of their business and offer them a competitive edge in the marketplace.
Winner Anil Sabharwal of SMS Poll was delighted with the outcome of this competition, stating, "The Pitch '08 process has enabled us to focus on the strategic side of our business, rather than just the operational side, particularly on our proposition to investors. Pitch '08 has also helped us connect with a broad network of other entrepreneurs, business mentors and investors."
SMS Poll Pty Ltd has won a listing on Australian Small Scale Offerings Board (ASSOB) and corporate multimedia package, valued at $40,000 (based on an average of $500,000 capital raising), while runner-up, Evolution Tankers Pty Ltd won a listing on ASSOB valued at $11,000, and third-place winner, The Invisible Clothesline Pty Ltd received a listing on ASSOB valued at $10,000. Vision Water Pty Ltd won the wildcard prize, which was awarded by the Enterprise Workshop and is valued at $2000.
NSW Pitch ‘08 was co-hosted by the Australian Small Scale Offerings Board Limited (ASSOB) and the NSW Department of State of Regional Development (DSRD).
You can view the winning pitches from Pitch '08 at www.pitch08.com.au