The month of May has been about learning from others, celebrating success stories and finding new ways to assist small businesses across Queensland no matter where they are located.
We kicked off May by attending the Meet the Makers event on the Sunshine Coast, where over 200 buyers came to meet and purchase from over 100 small businesses. We then made our way to Winton where we got to know some of our small businesses in the outback and heard about some very specific challenges in their region. It was also brilliant to be part of a Mentoring for Growth session on grant writing.
We then continued to make our way across Queensland, catching up with businesses in Yeppoon, Rockhampton, Redcliffe, and Kingaroy, meeting with many small businesses who, despite adversity, continue to grow, evolve and give back to their community. Many of the business owners I met are leaders in their communities, donating time and funds to their community, being part of the chamber of commerce, or simply making sure that all small businesses feel supported.
This month we were honored to participate in several small business awards in the electorates of Gavan and Pine Rivers. We were blown away by the outpouring of love from the local communities toward their small businesses and the impact that has on the winners. We also sponsored the Small Business Achiever Award at the 7News Young Achiever Awards. Julia Spicer, Queensland’s Chief Entrepreneur, and I were very impressed with the quality of the finalists. Congratulations to the winner Jazmyn Smith.
We were proud to celebrate Queensland Small Business Month across the state and in the second half of the month we were at events in Gladstone, Ashgrove, Caboolture, Caloundra, Wynnum, and Mackay. It was wonderful to see such well-attended events, and for businesses who couldn’t get out and about, many were able to participate in our small business month webinars. If you missed out, they have all been recorded for you to download.
The small businesses we met this month not only inspired us with their determination, they also reminded us of the importance of engaging with businesses face-to-face and in their hometowns, to ensure we understand the nuances and how we can best support their needs.
Currently, 45 of the 77 councils in Queensland have joined the Small Business Friendly (SBF) Program. This means they are committed to actively working with their local businesses and with our office, to ensure that their region is a small business friendly place. We have determined these four pillars that will improve the experience for small businesses:
- procurement
- data and analytics
- streamlining (or red tape reduction)
- placemaking.
These councils are incredibly engaged and continue to work towards improving their regions, one small business at a time.
The passion that small business owners have for their businesses is hard to replicate, but it is infectious, especially in the right community. Small business owners are often the visionaries, employers, supporters, and change-makers within our communities, and we just want to take this opportunity to say that we see you and we thank you for all the late nights, all the hard work and all the passion that you bring to the state of Queensland. Our office looks forward to witnessing your journeys and to providing you with assistance and support wherever we can.
If you are new to our newsletter or would like to learn more about our services, resources, initiatives, and projects, visit the QSBC website. If you are ever unsure and are looking for more information, give us a call at 1300 312 344 or submit an enquiry.
Happy Small Business Month,
Dominique Lamb
Queensland Small Business Commissioner
For more details, read the QSBC newsletter May 2023
