Industry leaders come together to help business thrive

Some of the biggest names in Australian business will take part in a series of free events to help entrepreneurs and startups grow and prosper.

Archie Rose founder Will Edwards, Merivale Group CEO Justin Hemmes and one of Australia's top female entrepreneurs and CEO and founder WINK models, Taryn Williams, are some of the industry leaders who will take part in the City of Sydney’s third Reboot series to help small businesses and creatives adapt, innovate and thrive.

Nine webinars will take place from 14 March to 30 May to help businesses grow their brand and customer base.

The webinars will provide participants with the opportunity to hear inspiring stories from experts in their fields and learn practical examples across a range of topics.

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore said the Reboot series was created to provide new businesses with valuable insights into strategies for success.

“The last couple of years have been tough – we understand the challenges businesses have faced – and that’s why we developed our Reboot program,” the Lord Mayor said.

“All small businesses and entrepreneurs have a variety of unique needs and interests, and our Reboot series is designed to offer something for everyone to help achieve their goals and expand their business.”

Digital marketing and e-commerce expert and Shop You CEO, Kelly Slessor, said the series would help to upskill Sydney’s small businesses and creatives in various areas including digital content, customer strategy and brand creation.

“I believe that education and learning from experienced experts are crucial for sustainable growth in today's rapidly changing business landscape, particularly in small businesses and the evolving world of digital,” Kelly said.

“That's why I'm excited to be bringing together a group of experts to share their valuable insights, lessons on business growth, and personal journeys.”

The Reboot series includes:

Building foundations for a successful business – Will Edwards, founder, Archie Rose 14 March, 12pm-1pm

Hear the success story of Australia’s most highly awarded distillery. Will shares tips and advice on how to build the foundations for success.

The session will include guidance on developing a product using market research, reaching new audiences, tips to grow a business to scale and positioning your brand for exposure.

3 steps to digital marketing growth – Kelly Slessor, Digital marketing and e-commerce expert and Shop You CEO 21 March, 12pm–1pm

Participants will learn the three essential steps to help take a business’s online presence to the next level.

As well as tips and insights to help reach your target audience, the session will cover planning and digital strategies to save time and money, optimising digital marketing for growth, increasing revenue online and using SEO to boost brand exposure.

Creating a brand with influence – Taryn Williams, CEO and founder WINK models, theright.fit, The Influencers Agency and #Gifted 28 March, 12pm–1pm

Using creatives and influencers can be pivotal to increasing brand awareness and growing a business.

Participants will learn the steps to achieving this including identifying what is brand awareness and how to build it, using creatives and influencers to build a brand, timeframes, costs and return on investment, and driving traffic, engagement and sales through digital word of mouth.

Finding power in your voice and story – Kylie Captain, proud Gamilaroi woman, educator and author 4 April, 12pm–1pm

In today's digital world, storytelling can be key to unlocking accelerated growth for your business. Learn how to find power in your story.

To stand out in a crowded online space, learn about the importance of stories in the digital world, storytelling tools, tips and tricks, key steps to communicate your story, matching the right platforms with your business and finding and growing your audience.

Networking for growth – Janine Garner, business mentor and author 2 May, 12pm–1pm

In today's fast-paced world, who you know can make all the difference. In this webinar Janine discusses how networking can help boost business growth and increase revenue.

The discussion will include tips on how to start the conversation and network effectively, benefits of collaborations and partnerships, ideas on how to build sustainable networks that grow revenue and advice on how to maintain business relationships.

Transforming your business into a powerhouse – Justin Hemmes, Merivale Group CEO 9 May, 12pm–1pm

Take your business to the next level and hear about the secrets behind Merivale's monumental growth.

Justin will share his strategies for long-term growth including advice on building businesses at scale, the key to risk-taking for growth, how to transform hospitality businesses, how to maintain quality in service delivery and insights into the latest hospitality trends.

Start selling more to more customers – Victoria Butt, founder, Parity Consulting and Evolve Sales 16 May, 12pm–1pm

Driving sales and building a great team is core to a successful business. Participants will learn about the secrets to growing revenue and expanding a customer base, including how to generate leads and convert them to sales, knowing how the sales cycle drives business, increasing business confidence and revenue, and building a sales mindset and team.

The secrets to rapid online growth - Julie Mathers, CEO Sunggle Hunny, and Jane Cay, founder of birdnest 23 May, 12pm–1pm

Julie and Jane share their knowledge, insights, trials and successes and how they have created a successful business from scratch. Snuggle Hunny’s sustainable products can be found in more than 1,000 retailers in over 30 countries, and birdsnest has grown to employ over 150 people in Cooma NSW with more than 85,000 satisfied customers.

Building a business to scale involves creating a brand people love, products that people want and engaging your customers and your team. The session includes advice on how to build a business with purpose and passion, the scope for growth in the sustainability sector, engaging new customers and creating loyal fans, doing business in regional Australia, and inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

Building a purpose-driven business – Hunter Johnson, CEO, The Man Cave and STUFF 30 May, 12pm–1pm

Hunter will share his secrets on building a business with purpose and how to manage one’s mental health in the process.

As well as advising on the importance of a healthy work-life balance, Hunter will give participants tips on defining a purpose-driven business and its benefits, developing a strategy, generating exposure to a rapidly growing audience, overcoming the challenges of running a business, and resources that are available to help look after your mental health.

For more information on Reboot and to register for the webinars visit whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

Media contact Elaine Kelly. Phone 0477 362 550 or email [email protected]

For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore contact Zoe Delamare. Phone 0477 263 615 or email [email protected]