New program to boost blossoming Townsville businesses
Published Thursday, 31 January, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Townsville small business owners will receive free advice, information and mentoring from business experts as part of a program launched for the first time in the region.
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle and Member for Townsville Mike Reynolds said the Mentoring for Growth initiative would help growing small businesses overcome problems that may be affecting their firm’s success.
“The program is aimed at businesses that are going from strength-to-strength but need a helping hand to take their operations to the next level,” Mr Reynolds said.
“This program acts as a free service to match local business operators with mentors who have faced many of the same challenges.
“The mentors are volunteer leaders, experts and professionals who want to put something back into the small business community by passing on their expertise.”
Mr Reynolds said the mentee could sound out their ideas and receive valuable feedback on a range of common business issues such as marketing, exporting and finance.
Ms Boyle said the program was successfully running in other Queensland locations.
“During 2006-2007 for example, 119 mentoring panels were run by 13 of the Department’s regional offices from Cairns down to the Gold Coast,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Department keeps a statewide database of around 650 mentors to find the best match for Mentoring for Growth participants.”
A successful Townsville pilot was run last year, in conjunction with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and Tourism Queensland, involving two tourism operators including eco-resort Hidden Valley Cabins.
Hidden Valley Cabins manager Ross McLennan said the business had been established for more than two decades, but was going through a period of substantial growth.
“We wanted to get mentoring and advice from other tourism operators and professionals about how we could manage this critical growth period effectively as a small, family-run firm operating in a remote location,” Mr McLennan said.
“We discussed a range of business aspects including attracting staff and implementing formal procedures. The process exposed us to some new ideas and perspectives that you don’t necessarily see when working in the business yourself.
“Since then we’ve continued to expand significantly, and have become the first carbon-neutral and solar-powered resort in Australia.
“As a result, in the past 18 months our business has more than doubled in size. Mentoring for Growth was a very worthwhile experience.”
The first Townsville Mentoring for Growth participants will take part in a one-hour panel meeting in March to discuss challenges with their business mentors. This will be followed by mentor feedback and ongoing support from the Department’s Townsville Centre.
For more information about Mentoring for Growth, or to become a mentee or mentor, contact Renee Chilton from the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry’s Townsville office on 4799 7848.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007
Mr Reynolds: 4772 4711
Hidden Valley Cabins: Ross McLennan 4770 8088
Tourism, Regional Development and Industry Desley Boyle and Member for Townsville Mike Reynolds said the Mentoring for Growth initiative would help growing small businesses overcome problems that may be affecting their firm’s success.
“The program is aimed at businesses that are going from strength-to-strength but need a helping hand to take their operations to the next level,” Mr Reynolds said.
“This program acts as a free service to match local business operators with mentors who have faced many of the same challenges.
“The mentors are volunteer leaders, experts and professionals who want to put something back into the small business community by passing on their expertise.”
Mr Reynolds said the mentee could sound out their ideas and receive valuable feedback on a range of common business issues such as marketing, exporting and finance.
Ms Boyle said the program was successfully running in other Queensland locations.
“During 2006-2007 for example, 119 mentoring panels were run by 13 of the Department’s regional offices from Cairns down to the Gold Coast,” Ms Boyle said.
“The Department keeps a statewide database of around 650 mentors to find the best match for Mentoring for Growth participants.”
A successful Townsville pilot was run last year, in conjunction with the Queensland Tourism Industry Council and Tourism Queensland, involving two tourism operators including eco-resort Hidden Valley Cabins.
Hidden Valley Cabins manager Ross McLennan said the business had been established for more than two decades, but was going through a period of substantial growth.
“We wanted to get mentoring and advice from other tourism operators and professionals about how we could manage this critical growth period effectively as a small, family-run firm operating in a remote location,” Mr McLennan said.
“We discussed a range of business aspects including attracting staff and implementing formal procedures. The process exposed us to some new ideas and perspectives that you don’t necessarily see when working in the business yourself.
“Since then we’ve continued to expand significantly, and have become the first carbon-neutral and solar-powered resort in Australia.
“As a result, in the past 18 months our business has more than doubled in size. Mentoring for Growth was a very worthwhile experience.”
The first Townsville Mentoring for Growth participants will take part in a one-hour panel meeting in March to discuss challenges with their business mentors. This will be followed by mentor feedback and ongoing support from the Department’s Townsville Centre.
For more information about Mentoring for Growth, or to become a mentee or mentor, contact Renee Chilton from the Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry’s Townsville office on 4799 7848.
Ends
Media contacts:
Minister Boyle: 3224 2007
Mr Reynolds: 4772 4711
Hidden Valley Cabins: Ross McLennan 4770 8088