Kerry Ridley's business, My Little Bookshop, began as a mobile bookshop in May 2019. Kerry discovered our SBDC services as she was preparing to open her first 'bricks and mortar' bookstore on the Rockingham foreshore. At the SBDC, we're here to support all kinds of businesses at all stages of their journey. My Little Bookshop has grown from being a...
For Ami Hackett, turning her ‘holiday job’ into a business launched her into the unknown, but keeping her business skills current helped her steer it through rough waters. Ami opened her self-named boat detailing and management business, Ami Marine, in Success in 2004 after an early career on the land in the wool industry. The marine business now...
On 1 July 2024, Business Local became SBDC Regional. While the name has changed, we’re still here providing you with free business advice and support in your area. Find your SBDC Regional provider . When opening and evolving their landscaping supply business in Albany, owners Jane and Ian sought guidance from advisers at the Albany Business Centre...
On 1 July 2024, Business Local became SBDC Regional. While the name has changed, we’re still here providing you with free business advice and support in your area. Find your SBDC Regional provider . 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...
There’s no such thing as a stress-free business, as Narelle and Andrew Anderson know. Even the kind of business designed to help people de-stress can present a range of challenges – but it’s worth remembering that help is always available. Narelle and Andrew Anderson’s business The Life Spring operates across two locations. They have three float...
A passion for sewing and lessons from her dressmaker mother motivated Fiona Larkins to move from retail management to running her own clothing alteration business at the tender age of 24. In 2024, her city-based business is celebrating 30 years, and still going strong. Location, location, location Armed with a can-do attitude, Fiona identified a...
On 1 July 2024, Business Local became SBDC Regional. While the name has changed, we’re still here providing you with free business advice and support in your area. Find your SBDC Regional provider . 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...
Lou Corteen’s journey into the world of food manufacturing began with a simple compliment. “A friend raved about my green tomato chutney and told me I should sell it. I thought, ‘Yeah, OK, that’s what I’m going to do,” Lou recalls with a laugh. From that spark, Urban Forager was born, starting as a small venture at local farmers markets. Lou’s...
A false sense of urgency, manipulative tactics or any kind of aggression should be red flags when someone is trying to sell you something. Learn more about high pressure sales tactics and how you can avoid issues within your small business. Some sales training can involve not taking “no” for an answer, overcoming all objections or creating a sense...
Turning a hobby into a side hustle business can be a labour of love, but one business owner warns others to be careful of the ‘fine print’ of regulations if you are working from home. Empire Copper is owned and operated by husband and wife team Cam and Beth Hayes as a side hustle, while they still work full time in the sheet-metal industry and...
Reaching out to the SBDC for advice was the key to helping Elizabeth Lang from Diversity Focus make the right decisions during her business journey. Diversity Focus is a research, consultancy and training business that was established in 2017, inspired by the vision to create a more equitable and inclusive world. Founder Elizabeth Lang said that...
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...
