Supporting local business is increasingly seen as an important Council activity. In fostering local industry, Councils can influence levels of local employment and greater prosperity. However, when small business fails the impact can be widespread.
Small business, by its nature, has less capacity to absorb cyclical changes in economic trends and can least afford to make costly mistakes. Often unable to pay for professional advice, it stands to benefit most from Council assistance. With this in mind, the City of Whittlesea in Victoria recently organised an ‘Investment Ready Seminar’ to assist its small business operators.
Over 20 business people attended the seminar which specifically addressed the area of equity financing for expansion. Conducted by a consultant brought in by Business Victoria and NIETL/northlink, an alliance of local educational, industry and Government bodies, of which Whittlesea Council is a member, the seminar examined whether this method of financing is the right way to expand.
In addition, it demonstrated how businesses and business owners could present themselves to impress potential investors and thus safely grow themselves into a larger organisation. Those attending were told that equity finance provides owners with additional resources, new networks, new alliances and a higher business profile along with a more stable financial structure.
Whittlesea Mayor, Councillor Sam Alessi, said that the seminar is just one way that Council is helping local business.
“We are here to move barriers out of their way, find and facilitate local opportunities, defend and represent them at government level and convene events like this for businesses which are not big enough to run them on their own,” he said. “We are fiercely pro business because business means jobs for the people of our City.” The seminar was one of five Investment Ready seminars organised by Business Victoria and NIETL/northlink.
For further information contact Peter Beaton, telephone (03) 9217 2383.
