When Melissa Raffan’s career took an unexpected trajectory and she became a small business owner, she was driven by her personal passion for scrapbooking and a desire to do something different. “The previous owner literally made a joke that I should buy the business. That was in May 2021 and by November I had taken over the shop,” Melissa said. “I...
With a common goal, Chris Schmid and Reen Richards created a purpose-led business to support Aboriginal communities, paving the way for their business success. About Woollahra This shared purpose has enabled Chris and Reen to build a thriving business, manufacturing and supplying environmentally responsible cleaning products and related consumables...
Buying an established business can be challenging – but it can help knowing there’s somewhere you can turn for support. Jasmine Kik from Fireplaces WA uses our SBDC services regularly and shares her story. Fireplaces WA is a family-owned business offering a range of gas, wood, bio-ethanol, and electric fireplaces. According to the Fireplaces WA...
Government contracts and tenders offer a lucrative business opportunity for small businesses as well as larger organisations. Multi-million dollars of federal, state and local government opportunities are advertised each year. But do small businesses have the muscle power to win these contracts? How small businesses can compete for government...
Did you know that your average Australian small business signs eight standard form contracts per year? This is why it’s so important to know your rights when entering into a standard form contract, or providing a contract to others. While protection for consumers entering into a standard form contract has existed for many years, in 2016 similar...
Many small businesses come up with great products and services, but struggle to find the right audience online. Knowing where your customers are spending time online is a key component in understanding how to market to them. Many small businesses come up with great products and services, but struggle to find the right audience online. You already...
United by a dream to “do aged care differently”, nurses Julie Arnould and Carole Bain launched their business, Perth Care + Companion Company, in 2019. Fast forward just three years and Perth Care + Companion Company (PCCC) now employs more than 100 healthcare workers, with around 90 per cent of them women. The business was recognised as a state...
Carrie-Anne Forsyth of Esteem Dance joined the PIVOT program and transformed her business.
In Hollywood movies and Netflix shows, ending an employment contract is as simple as yelling “You’re fired!” In reality, it’s not this simple. Difficult situations can crop up with your team, so here are some steps to help you manage the risk assessment, comply with employment legislation and have those hard-to-have conversations. 1. Start with...
If you’re a business owner, it’s important to understand your obligations to provide a safe and healthy workplace. This includes keeping up with changes to health and safety legislation. The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has introduced new Work Health and Safety (WHS) laws for Western Australia. Here are seven things to know...
To help you avoid or limit damage from a disaster, we have created a business continuity plan template that's suitable for any type of business.
This week marks the start of a new financial year, which is often a time for small business owners to take a breath after the frantic end of tax year rush, and make plans for the time ahead. For the past four days, around three quarters of our WA small businesses as well as their customers, have found themselves in lockdown. The emergence of the...