Small business in the spotlight

30 September, 2019

Gunnedah Shire Council is getting behind its small businesses by holding a full program of events for NSW Small Business Month in October.

Gunnedah Shire Council Economic Development Officer Emily Wilson said there were more than 1100 small businesses in the shire, and they contributed not only employment, but a wealth of diversity and services to the community.

“The Gunnedah Shire has a strong small business base,” Ms Wilson said.

“It’s a critical part of our economy and covers a hugely diverse range of products and services. We have many clever people who turn their talents to running their own small businesses.

“Council would like to help support existing and aspiring business owners by holding a number of events that will allow them to build on their knowledge, access services and skills, and connect with other small business owners to create a support network.

“It can be tough weathering the challenges a small business can present, particularly during this severe drought.

“We hope the events planned for Small Business Month might help build stronger businesses or assist those who are looking to get a new business up and running.”

Gunnedah Shire Council’s Small Business Month Program includes:

Friday, October 4: A free Business Planning Essentials Workshop from 9am to 3pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. Business plans serve as the framework for your unique business and can provide benchmarks to see if you’re moving toward your goals. Lunch is provided. Bookings through https://www.businessmonth.nsw.gov.au/event/business-planning-essentials-workshop/

Tuesday, October 8: A free Managing Employment Law Risks in Small Biz Webinar from 8am to 8.30am in the training room at Council’s admin building. The webinar will be presented by one of Australia’s most experienced HR experts.

Tuesday, October 8: A free Using Break Even Analysis Webinar from 1pm to 1.30pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. Breakeven analysis is a powerful tool that can help you manage costs, plan for profit, set prices and more.

Thursday, October 10: Chamber Connect Networking Event from 5.30pm to 7pm at the Gunnedah Hotel. The Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce hosts these events to provide an opportunity for local businesses to meet, share and provide support to each other.

Friday, October 11: Gunnedah Business Brekkie from 7.30am to 8.30am at Jack and Jill’s Café. An informal chance for businesspeople in Gunnedah to sit down and have a chat with like-minded people.

Monday, October 14: A free Lean Canvas Workshop presented by Dimity Smith from UNE Smart Region Incubator from 10am to 12pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. The Lean Canvas workshop aims to help someone with any start-up or business idea to develop a one-page business model to ensure they are ready to pitch their base level idea. Refreshments provided. Bookings through https://www.businessmonth.nsw.gov.au/event/business-planning-essentials-workshop/

Tuesday, October 15: A free Sidestep Pay Compliance Risks for Small Biz Webinar from 8am to 8.30am in the training room at Council’s admin building. This webinar is with one of Australia’s most experienced compliance experts – John Arraj. This webinar will provide practical ways to manage your HR policies, procedures and guidelines, so that you can sidestep pay compliance risks.

Tuesday, October 15: A free Purchasing Business Assets Webinar from 1pm to 1.30pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. The dilemma of whether to purchase more assets for a business can be reduced somewhat by understanding what drives the need for assets, how they will support the business in generating income or efficiencies, and what are the key considerations when buying and funding your business assets.

Thursday, October 17: A free Guide to Self-Managed Super Fund Webinar from 1pm to 1.30pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. Explore the basics of establishing and managing a self-managed super fund to see whether it may be suitable for you.

Thursday October 17 - Friday October 18: Digital Bootcamp for Small Business Owners at Gunnedah TAFE. $99. A comprehensive program to deliver awareness and deep insights of what’s required to succeed in the digital world. Register https://www.netstripes.com/bootcamp-gunnedah-october-2019

Tuesday, October 22: A free Managing Employee Performance in Small Biz Webinar from 8am to 8.30am in the training room at Council’s admin building. The webinar is with one of Australia’s HR experts – Sobha Nair. This webinar will provide you with the confidence to manage your staff effectively and minimise the risk of poor performance.

Tuesday, October 22: A free Starting a Business Webinar from 1pm to 1.30pm in the training room at Council’s admin building. This webinar will help to focus your thinking and provide valuable sources of information to help you get started.

Wednesday, October 23: A free Social Media Marketing Webinar from 10am to 11am in the training room at Council’s admin building. This webinar will look at the building blocks of an effective social media strategy and how to deliver content that will resonate with your customers.

Friday, October 25: Gunnedah Business Brekkie from 7.30am to 8.30am at Bitter Suite Café. A chance for businesspeople in Gunnedah to sit down and have a chat with like-minded people.

Tuesday, October 29: Gunnedah Women in Business Event from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Arts Gallery. This exciting event provides an opportunity for like-minded businesswomen to engage and establish valuable connections, and hear from local inspiring business women. The Women in Business Event is an evening of networking and celebrating the important role women play in our local business community. $15 per person includes light refreshments and a gift. Find the Gunnedah Women in Business Event on Facebook to book.

If you have a Small Business Month event you would like to add to the program, please contact our Economic Development Team on 6740 2100.

To find out more about Gunnedah Shire Council’s Small Business Month Program, visit www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au, email [email protected] or call Council’s Economic Development Team on 6740 2100.

Photo caption: A small business workshop in action.

ENDS

Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.