| September 2022 |
| In this article:
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| Get your business ready for storm season |
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The Bureau of Meteorology has declared a third La Nina event, increasing the likelihood of above-average rainfall during Spring and Summer.
The start of the storm season is a timely reminder to ensure your small business is protected and prepared for when storms strike. There are many resources available online to help get your small business storm ready.
Get ready small business resources help small business operators to prepare for likely effects of a severe storm, respond to risks as they arise and what to do to recover after the storm has passed.
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Helpful checklists are also available to help businesses pack emergency kits and create business evacuation plans.
To find out more on how to get your small business storm ready, visit our get prepared website.
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| Commitment to training recognised at annual awards |
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Congratulations to Clarke Diesel in Cairns on being named the Small Employer of the Year and all the winners and finalists from the 2022 Queensland Training Awards.
The judges praised Clarke Diesel’s commitment to training, making a significant investment to ensure staff are building careers.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary took out the Medium Employer of the Year and CaPTA Group, a tourism operator based in Cairns, was awarded Large Employer of the Year.
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It was great to see Jennah Halley named the Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year, after completing her trade with another Cairns small business, Messina Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. Jennah is hoping more women and girls will follow her example to pursue trade careers they are passionate about.
Check out the full list of winners and finalists online, watch a short highlights video and check out photos from the night, which are available for purchase. (Enter gallery password: #QTA2022) |
| Indigenous Business Month - Actions Today, Impact Tomorrow |
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Indigenous Business Month is an annual celebration that occurs every October with 2022 marking its 8th year. This year, the theme for Indigenous Business Month is Actions Today, Impact Tomorrow.
Running from 1-31 October, the program includes more than 40 events during the month to support and inspire First Nations business leaders, owners, operators and entrepreneurs.
Queensland has a thriving Indigenous business sector and we want Indigenous businesses across the state to tap into opportunities to supply their goods and services in the lead up to and after the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. |
Keep an eye out for events happening near you by visiting indigenousbusinessmonth.com.au/2022events. You can also view events on our Business Queensland website by searching “Indigenous Business Month”. |
| Awareness, belonging and connection for positive mental health and wellbeing |
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Mental Health Week is being held between 8-16 October this year.
Awareness, Belonging and Connection is the theme for this year’s Mental Health Week aimed at helping to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
One way the Queensland Government is supporting Queenslanders’ better mental health is through new small business wellness coaches. We have partnered with the Queensland Mental Health Commission, the Queensland Small Business Commissioner, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland to engage six new small business wellness coaches located across Queensland. |
Wellness coaches are available now in Cairns, Mackay, Toowoomba, Southern Brisbane and Northern Brisbane (and very soon in Townsville). These new coaches join the network of small business financial counsellors and tourism financial counsellors to provide a complete package of support for small businesses.
For details on how to find a small business wellness coach click here.
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| Upcoming webinar - Ask a Mentor: What's in a business plan and do I really need one? |
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Planning is one of the most important things you can do to make your business successful – whether you are starting, running, expanding or exiting a business.
You’re invited to a free panel webinar on Monday 24 October at 9am featuring Mentoring for Growth (M4G) mentors. The first in a series of webinars, the session will focus on Business Planning.
Join four business experts from the M4G program who’ll provide you with information, tips and resources.
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They will talk you through the key elements of a business plan, and how to best use it once you have one – so it doesn’t just sit in a drawer never to be seen again. It’s a great opportunity to learn and ask mentors any questions you have around business planning.
Panelists:
Roger Phare – M4G Mentor since 2019
Helen Cowley – M4G Mentor since 2007
Michael Wall – M4G Mentor since 2006
Paul Khan – M4G Mentor since 2020
Find out more and register here.
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| All industries now on Business Launchpad |
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If you want to open or run a business in Queensland, the Business Launchpad is your first port of call. This free online tool can help you find licences, permits and regulatory information from all levels of government in your local area, specifically for your industry.
More than 20,000 people have been helped in the residential construction and food and beverage industries and now Business Launchpad’s is expanding to all sectors across the entire state.
This means anyone starting or running a business in Queensland will be able to search for all the licences and permits they need in one place. |
For Fiona Wiebusch and her team, Business Launchpad was a valuable resource for establishing their new business, The Queensland Institute.
“We used the Business Launchpad to find licences relevant to our business,” Fiona said. “It has saved us hours of compliance and guesswork.”
To find out more explore Business Launchpad today.
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| New guide available to help retailers, cafes, restaurants and small bars host live music |
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OneMusic, an Australian music body has developed a free guide to help businesses such as retailers, cafes, restaurants and small bars host live music in their business for the first time.
The guide takes a three-step approach and equips businesses with everything they need to consider when organising live music in their business
You can use this guide to explore the benefits of having small-scale live music performances in your business and get your business ready for performances.
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Download the guide here and the template artist agreement here.
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| Small Business Friendly Councils |
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The Small Business Friendly Councils (SBFC) program led by the Queensland Small Business Commissioner, recognises and support councils that are actively trying to improve the operating environment for their local small business community.
Banana Shire Council is a SBFC which recently held a Renewable Energy Supply Chain event to give their local small business community the best possible chance to secure upcoming work, through a range of projects being developed in their region. Organising this event allowed the Shire’s small business community to be connected with the project’s suppliers, find out about their procurement processes, and be in the best possible position to secure contracts.
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As a direct result of attending this event, five local small businesses were able to secure contractual work. This means money is kept in the local economy and it creates jobs for local people.
If your council isn’t a small business friendly council, you can find out more about the program here and start a conversation. |
| Jobs Queensland supporting future skills, future work and future Queensland |
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Business owners can now access Anticipating Future Skills a data tool for workforce planning. It provides detailed employment projections to help small business identify job growth and understand Queensland’s future labour market.
There are also a range of free Workforce Planning Connect tools and resources you can access to help support your workforce planning goals to plan your future as a business owner, take steps to become an employer, or invest in growing your existing workforce.
For more information about how Jobs Queensland can support you and your workforce planning journey, visit www.jobsqueensland.qld.gov.au.
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| Protect your business against scams |
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October is Cyber Security Awareness Month 2022 and a great reminder for small business to stay secure online.
Unfortunately, many Queensland businesses fall victim to scams and fraud each year.
You may have heard recent media reports about Queensland real estate agents and home buyers losing deposits to payment redirection scams and small businesses unwittingly handing over their social media account details via a convincing email link.
Business email compromise scams can be impossible to identify and can include invoice scams, company or employee impersonation using what appear to be legitimate email accounts. |
Your best defence against scams is to stay up to date with the latest Scamwatch advice and take proactive measures to protect your business against scams. Ensure you:
- create strong passwords and set up two-factor authentication on your accounts
- check websites are secure - look for 'https://' and a closed padlock in the address bar
- independently confirm invoice and payment details using publicly available contact information
- share scams knowledge with your employees and network.
If you think you've been scammed, contact your banking institution as soon as possible and report the scam to Scamwatch. |
| Key dates |
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Destination IQ - Wednesday 2 November
Queensland's premier First Nations tourism event, Destination IQ, is back in 2022!Queensland Tourism Industry Council invites you to join tourism leaders and delegates from all backgrounds at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 2 November.Attendees will hear from industry-leading panellists and presenters and will have the chance to discover new opportunities in Australia's developing First Nations tourism arena. Now is the time to unlock growing consumer demand for cultural experiences and to deepen relationships within the tourism sector. |
Tickets to Destination IQ sell fast. To avoid disappointment, we encourage you to secure your place and purchase your seats here.
Queensland Tourism Awards Gala Ceremony – Friday 4 November
Tickets are on sale now to the 37th Queensland Tourism Awards Gala Ceremony, proudly presented by the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.
Heralded as tourism's night of nights, the annual Gala Ceremony unites the state's tourism industry in celebrating the outstanding strength and achievements of Queensland's tourism and hospitality sector.
Delight in the excitement as the finest visitor experiences, destinations, and businesses across 31 award categories are revealed on Friday 4 November at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Purchase your seat here.
2022 Growing Queensland Roadshow
Small businesses have an opportunity to connect with local council and state government representatives at the 2022 Growing Queensland Roadshow.
Registrations are now open for 12 roadshow events across Queensland from 18 October through 24 November 2022.
The Roadshow will provide small businesses with practical tips and information on:
- government tendering
- greening your business
- Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Visit the Growing Queensland Roadshow website to book your FREE ticket today.
Upcoming business events
Find out about the many workshops and events on offer through the Business Queensland events calendar. From the calendar, you can register for an online mentoring session or an upcoming workshop.
If you are organising events that will benefit other businesses, you can submit an event to be considered for the calendar.
Check out the Business Queensland events calendar to see what’s on offer to boost your business today.
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| Resources |
Mental Health Week online events – 8-16 October
While building a mentally healthy workplace makes good business sense, controlling psychological health and safety risks is also a legislative requirement.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) has free online events on offer during Mental Health Week. These sessions focus on diversity and inclusion for mentally healthy workplaces, discussing how neurodivergent workers may experience risk at work differently.
Attending these events is a great way to show your commitment to building mentally healthy workplaces, nurturing your teams' capabilities and improving your organisational awareness of psychological health and safety and early intervention.
To learn more visit: Mental Health Week | WorkSafe.qld.gov.au.
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Could the Mentoring for Recovery (M4R) program help your business?
Mentoring for Recovery is specifically aimed at assisting businesses that have been significantly affected by a natural disaster, such as the floods earlier this year.
Experienced business mentors can help you develop strategies to rebuild your business. They can also help you address challenges or issues you may be facing as a result of water inundation or supply chain interruptions.
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M4R can even provide you with a sounding board if you wish to test your ideas for recovery with business professionals.
Register for a free and confidential mentoring session today: www.business.qld.gov.au/mentoring
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| Stay connected |
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In addition to this newsletter, you can receive the latest information from the Queensland and Australian Governments through the Business Queensland website. You can also follow us through the Business Queensland Facebook page.
Don't forget to complete the Small Business Connect Reader Survey.
Your survey response helps us better understand the needs and interests of our subscribers and provide tailored information for Queensland small businesses.
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