SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS SHARES SECRETS TO SUCCESS

More than 250 Queensland small businesses have been helped by the State Government’s Small Business Solutions initiative in its first seven months of operation.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said business owners who had used the mentoring service had reported a range of highly successful results, with many experiencing immediate improvement to their bottom line.

“Queensland is the only state in Australia where small business owners can access mentoring and receive formal qualifications in business management at the same time through the unique Small Business Solutions service,” Mr Welford said.

“It’s designed to assist small businesses in selling, industrial relations, profit, loss and business growth, marketing and sales, human resource management, computer skills and business planning.

“It makes use of experts, mentors and successful small business managers to deliver a one-on-one, peer-to-peer business-based mentoring service.

“It isn’t just for ‘struggling’ small businesses, but rather to help small to medium enterprises to grow in productivity and increase their profitability.”

Mr Welford said the repeat business generated from some of the small business clients after completing their first mentor sessions was also a positive outcome.

“Of the original clients, 15 per cent have re-registered for additional mentoring,” he said.

“The initiative, which initially focused on Brisbane, has now expanded into Townsville and the Gold Coast and will roll out state-wide within the next 12 months.”

Launched in March this year, the Small Business Solutions project expects to help up to 750 businesses by the end of this financial year.

The project has also won the 2007 Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) Queensland division Award for Marketing Excellence in the Education Category. It will go on to vie for a national Australian Marketing Institute award in Sydney on 18 October.

Small Business Solutions is a Smart State initiative developed by the Department of Education, Training and the Arts in conjunction with TAFE Queensland and Skilling Solutions Queensland.

The Small Business Solutions customer service centre can be contacted on 1300 40 60 80.

Media Contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000