Building Sustainable Small Business is all about improving small business skills, small business prosperity and local economic resilience in the Scenic Rim Region.

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Core small business skills including business planning, customer service, marketing, financial management and product development are at the heart of this program. They are linked with small business preparation for impending environmental threats such as climate change, water scarcity and increasing fuel and energy costs which are already impacting on agriculture and farming, food, tourism, development and some cottage and home-based businesses.

BSSB focuses on practical, common sense business and sustainability tools to improve the prosperity, adaptability and resilience of your business and our region’s local region's economy.

Sustainability is a buzz word that governments and big businesses are talking a lot about. Climate change is on everyone’s minds too. We are seeing the price of water, electricity, food and petrol go up and up and are told to get used to high prices for these essential goods and services.

What has all this got to do with you and your small business?

Under all of this talk, the world is changing. And in many ways it’s changing in favour of small business.

There are exciting opportunities emerging for small businesses in the Scenic Rim Region:

• A focus on clean, green business and industry particularly in food, farming, agriculture, tourism and cottage/home-based business
• Cost savings, cost stabilisation and incentives for more efficient resource use including water and energy
• New and loyal customers who are linking their peronsal values with their wallets
• Opportunities for new product development in alternative technologies, organics, healthy food, ecotourism and much more.

The Building Sustainable Small Business program (BSSB) includes free workshops, mentoring, training and leadership, and networking resources specifically for small business. It will introduce you to opportunities and challenges that are extremely relevant to small businesses in the Scenic Rim Region. BSSB will help you understand what these opportunities and challenges mean to your business and how to prepare your business to ride the wave of change that is upon us.

Workshops; Mentoring, Training and Leadership, Networking.

There are three key sections in BSSB:

1. Workshop series at Beaudesert, Tamborine Mountain and Boonah

• A series of three consecutive workshops at Beaudesert, Tamborine Mountain and Boonah during 2008 and 2009, followed by a whole-of-shire small business planning workshop at the end of each year;
• The spotlight is on agriculture, farming, food, tourism, development and home-based businesses:
  Very practical, interactive, common sense and hands-on;
• Free for small business owners, operators and key staff;
• Links essential business skills with climate change, sustainability, water, energy, waste, fuel, rapidly-changing consumer values and needs, and shifting government regulations;
• Focused on small business opportunities and benefits that can increase your business success and prosperity;
• Also supports local business networking and a stronger local economy.

2. Mentoring, Training and Leadership Program

A comprehensive mentoring, training and leadership program for small business owners, operators and managers operating throughout 2008 and 2009 – enrolments now open for 2009 intake

• A comprehensive mentoring, training and leadership program for small business owners, operators and managers spread over several months;
• Fits into the time needs of your business commitments and lifestyle;
• Practical, hands-on, highly relevant, effective;
• Real outcomes for you and your business;
• 3x half-day, one-on-one mentoring sessions with a business or industry leader related to your industry sector, at your own premises;
• Accredited progress towards Certificate 4 studies in sustainable business and post-carbon professions with leading sustainability educator The Permaforest Trust;
• Your choice of a self-directed business project that’s relevant to your business;
• Ongoing facilitation, support and guidance relevant to small business;
• Interactive website, online resources and networking;
• Showcase your business at the annual Beaudesert Eco Expo;
• Subsidised fee for participating small businesses.

3. Shire Wide Networking

• Development of the Building Sustainable Small Business website and resource library;
• Creation of a region-wide Sustainable Business Network;
• Development of a shire-wide Sustainable Business Directory;
• Collaboration and synergy between local, small businesses;
• Involvement in the annual Beaudesert Eco Expo to showcase local, sustainable small businesses;
• Creation of a clean and green shire that supports small business;
• Build relationships with local government leaders and help grow sustainable local enterprise in the shire.

How do i get involved?

Decide if you would like to:

• Attend the free workshops at Beaudesert or Tamborine Mountain or Boonah
• Participate in the mentoring and training program (cost per business is $619 for everything)
• List your business in the region-wide sustainable business directory
• Participate in the region-wide sustainable business network
• Participate in the annual Beaudesert Eco-Expo

Register your interest and obtain more detailed information about each aspect of the program here.

Enrol here in the program area of your choice - free workshops; mentoring, training & leadership program ($619 for everything); shire-wide networking.