Visitors to this year’s Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days had the opportunity to meet local small businesses and business advisers in the SBDC Regional Start Ups Arena. The Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days is Western Australia’s largest agricultural Field Days event, having started in the Wheatbelt town more than 50 years ago. A record crowd of 25...
Buying an established business can represent a huge challenge – and a huge opportunity. Dr Vanessa Atienza-Hipolito bought a long-standing health business eight years ago and has discovered there is always more to learn. While many business stories begin as an idea that sparks a start-up, small business success stories can take other forms too. In...
I welcome the news that from the start of 2022, businesses that engage in illegal activity can be banned from tendering for State Government projects, or have current contracts cancelled, under a new debarment regime. The activity that can see them cut out of lucrative Government work ranges from fraud to safety breaches, and importantly also...
There’s no perfect time to start a business – but navigating the challenges of a tropical cyclone and pandemic would be enough to test any new business. Wendy Drew has made the most of the SBDC’s regional support through RSM Business Local, to help her Karratha business not only survive, but thrive, in challenging conditions. After years of...
Making the decision to quit his fly-in, fly-out mining job to help care for his young son after a bout of surgery, Jordan Wilson knew he needed to change his career goal posts to a more family-friendly earner. But setting up Concept Tech, an IT business in Albany with wife Natasha, was a whole new ball game, so Jordan called on support from the...
Focusing on how to make use of surplus product has created a win-win situation for gourmet soup business, the Suppa Club. Founder David Kane set out to provide a product for those who craved pure, whole-foods, with the comfort of home-style cooking without the hassle, which gave rise to the Suppa Club. Focus on producing a ‘no-waste’ product David...
There can often be confusion and disputes when you’re exiting a commercial lease and need to meet a number of ‘make good’ obligations. The make good clause in your lease will outline the condition the building must be in when the lease comes to an end. Here is a summary of the top make good obligations that most often lead to a dispute, and some...
Pricing your products and services can be challenging at the best of times – and it’s easy to make mistakes along the way. The good news is that with careful planning, research and the right pricing strategy in place, you could feel more confident with your pricing decisions. One of the SBDC’s experienced business advisers, Steve McLaren, has seen...
While some businesses have their peak season over the Christmas and New Year period, other businesses experience a lull or schedule a shutdown. If December and January are usually quiet for your business, you can plan ahead to make the most of your downtime. At the end of a busy year, it’s important to take some time to relax and recharge when...
As you dive into the new year in small business, it’s important to take stock of your achievements during the past 12 months and to set your business goals for the next. We have put together a few tips to help ensure smooth sailing in the year ahead. Get on top of your finances Take some time to put your finances in order by reviewing your...
Running a business brings with it a number of risks and rewards. We asked members of our Facebook group, I’m a small business owner in Western Australia, what the best and worst things are about running their business. Here is some of their collective wisdom… It gives you a sense of purpose One of the overwhelming positives of running a small...
If your business is involved in some kind of a dispute, you’re not alone – and help is available. Here are some of the most common disputes in small business, followed by what you can do about them. Contractual disputes A common example of a contractual dispute is when you may have paid upfront for services that you haven’t yet received, such as a...