Small Business Minister to officially open Logan Small Business Expo

Published Friday, 27 October, 2017 at 10:04 AM

Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy and Minister for Small Business
The Honourable Leeanne Enoch

More than 600 small businesses are expected to attend next week’s 2017 Logan Small Business Expo, to be officially opened by Small Business Minister Leeanne Enoch.

Ms Enoch said the inaugural Logan Small Business Expo – to be held at the Beenleigh Exhibition Hall on Friday, November 3 – will provide opportunities for small businesses to promote their products and services to the community, which will in turn grow the local economy and create jobs.

“In Logan, and across the state, the small business ecosystem has never been more dynamic – or better supported,” Ms Enoch said.

“Logan small businesses are open to innovation and are engaging with the Palaszczuk Government’s $22.7 million Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy, and initiatives like the Buy Queensland procurement strategy and the Go Local, Grow Local campaign.

“Our Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy provides a variety of grant programs offering financial assistance to small businesses in the Logan council area,” she said.

One Logan small business benefitting from a Palaszczuk Government Small Business Digital Grant is RJ Kachel Cleaning. Digital grants are designed to assist small businesses make the most of online opportunities through $10,000 in matched funding.

The business already has a strong client base, and employs eight Queenslanders, but its eyes are set firmly on growth prospects and increasing staff levels.

Managing Director and owner of RJ Kachel Cleaning Jorge Perez-Mackay said: “I diversified my suite of services and used the grant funding to develop a client-responsive website and social media presence to highlight what our business offers.

“As a result we have increased our geographical reach and secured new customers.

“RJ Kachel Cleaning was established more than 20 years ago and in that time we have weathered economic and social changes in the commercial cleaning sector.

“The grant fund has helped us to more widely promote our business so we can continue to grow and employ.”

Member for Springwood and Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni said the Palaszczuk Government was actively supporting small-and-medium-sized local businesses to win government work through the landmark Buy Queensland policy.

“Buy Queensland is about recognising the important role that small business plays to our local community and economy through actively promoting local businesses for work,” Mr de Brenni said.

“Recently I held an information session with Ms Enoch and Cameron Dick outlining the opportunities for local businesses to benefit from Buy Queensland and the response has been fantastic.

“Buy Queensland gives a weighting of up to 30% to local companies, so they can compete with the big multinationals overseas. It’s why the CCIQ has called Buy Queensland a shot in the arm for small business.

“Under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, local will always mean local. Tim Nicholls and the LNP believe that anywhere in Australia and New Zealand is local. It makes no sense.”

City of Logan Mayor Luke Smith said the expo will be an excellent opportunity for small businesses in the region to showcase their products and services.

“With more than 600 small business owners expected to attend, it will also provide a fantastic networking opportunity for attendees,” Mayor Smith said.

“We know that small business is the backbone of our community – about 97 per cent of the 20,000 businesses in Logan are small businesses. Further to the showcasing and networking opportunities on offer, the expo aims to give our small businesses a boost with guest speakers to provide practical business advice.

“By supporting this expo, Council is working to ensure small businesses continue to provide local employment opportunities and further Logan as a business and economic powerhouse.”

For more information on the government's Advancing Small Business Queensland Strategy grants programs or the Go Local, Grow Local campaign, visit the Business Queensland website (https://www.business.qld.gov.au/).

ENDS

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