Small Business Month workshops give businesses tools to grow

Published on 03 October 2023

Equipping Singleton’s small businesses with the tools to help them grow is the aim of three workshops Council and Business Singleton are hosting for free during Small Business Month in October.

Entrepreneurs looking to launch an idea for a new business, product or service, build business resilience or increase their success with grant applications are being invited to register for the free workshops.

Vicki Brereton, Council’s Director Organisation and Community Capacity said the workshops build on the support that Council and Business Singleton is already providing to create a thriving business community that can meet the challenge of an evolving regional economy.

“One of Council’s key economic development focus areas is to strengthen business in the Singleton Local Government Area and these Small Business Month workshops will continue to do this,” she said.

“We support business through our partnership with Business Singleton by delivering free capability building workshops that help to develop skills and knowledge across vital areas of business including marketing and human resource management.

“These workshops have largely been funded by NSW Government grants, including Resources for Regions, giving local businesses access to high quality opportunities to upskill without having to travel out of town or spend large amounts of money.

“By strengthening our existing businesses, creating innovation networks, attracting investment, developing our future workforce and empowering entrepreneurs to take advantage of opportunities provided through digitisation, we can help create a thriving business community for Singleton.”

The first of the Small Business Month workshops, From Idea to Investment to Income, will be held at The Central Bar and Kitchen on Tuesday 10 October.

To be delivered by The Business Centre, this workshop will help entrepreneurs learn how to successfully fund and take their next business idea to market in three steps.

The workshop is being run as part of the Hunter Innovation Festival Roadshow and kicks off a new 18-month Council program funded by Resources for Regions Round 9 that will:

• Create an innovation network in Singleton to bring entrepreneurs and innovators together to support the growth of new ideas and opportunities.
• Connect local entrepreneurs, businesses, start-ups, and aspiring entrepreneurs to access training, advice, connections, and support to help the growth of new business across the Singleton LGA and beyond.

Council is partnering with Business Singleton to deliver a Small Business Resilience workshop at Quest Singleton on Tuesday 17 October.

Attendees will hear from local business advisors as they share their expertise and tools for small business resilience in three key areas: legal documentation and business structure, impactions on business operations and effective business communication.

The Increase your Success with Grant Applications workshop will be held at Singleton Public Library on Thursday 19 October.

Workshop attendees will learn how to identify grants suitable for their business, prepare a successful application, learn the types of evidence needed to substantiate an application and reporting requirements and responsibilities when managing grants.

Anyone currently working on a grant application is invited to take it along and develop it at the workshop.

The Hunter Innovation Festival Roadshow workshop is part of the Innovation and Investment Activation Program funded by the Resources for Regions Round 9. Council’s grant application workshop has been funded by a NSW Government Small Business Month grant.

For more information about the three workshops or to register for free, visit W www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/Whats-On.