Growing the skills to help South Australian small businesses thrive
Making the most of the services available to help build bigger, better, thriving small businesses in South Australia
SA Business
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For the first time, hundreds of South Australian women are taking advantage of a female-focused development program to help them overcome barriers to building and growing their own businesses.
An election commitment by the State Government and funded by the SA Government’s Office for Small and Family Business, behind closed doors (BCD) runs Women in Business, offering a series of scholarships with opportunities to form a support network where businesswomen can discuss strategies, issues and challenges in a confidential, supportive environment.
Sarah Drogemuller, customer relations manager and events for her family owned business Paracombe Wines, says her business acumen and confidence have flourished since she was awarded a BCD scholarship.
Drogemuller – who returned home to Paracombe Wines in 2021 – has worked in event management at a number of prestigious venues including the Intercontinental Hotel in Adelaide, Crown Resort in Melbourne and the Barangaroo project on Sydney Harbour.
“I looked at the scholarship as a way to grow my network and also help to benefit and grow our business,” she says. “In my group, there are women in different businesses and it’s great to learn different industries. I’ve networked and now collaborated with three of the women to benefit our business. One of the ladies owns her own restaurant, so that’s been really helpful.”
Drogemuller has also witnessed her own personal development through participating in the Women in Business program. “I personally lacked confidence in some areas, and that was maybe a lack of knowledge,” she says. “But we push each other and, when you’re pushed, it turns out I actually do know things and it extends you – I just needed someone to support me.
“We’re constantly there pushing each other in a good way – it helps get an outcome and it helps you have this bigger drive and passion, not just for your own business but for other businesses. I also found public speaking challenging but I’ve publicly spoken now at multiple events, because we’re put on the spot in our scholarship sessions to talk about our business. For me, that’s been hugely beneficial.”
Drogemuller is enthusiastic about encouraging more South Australian women to apply for the Women in Business program. “If any woman has the opportunity to apply for this program, do it because you will learn so much from these other amazing women and their businesses.
“It’s very empowering and it’s something we need to push each other to do. I’ve grown in my confidence so much and I’m really enjoying it.”
women.business.sa.gov.au
Extra support is on the RISE
South Australia is in the midst of a construction boom – and, while that might be good news for builders, there are plenty of stresses for those working in a demanding industry.
Construction business owners, workers and suppliers can now access free hour-long, one-on-one coaching sessions with an expert in common industry “pressure points” thanks to the Master Builders’ RISE Mental Health Support Program, an initiative of South Australia’s Small Business Strategy.
The strategy is provided through the State Government’s Office for Small and Family Business, launched last year by Small and Family Business Minister Andrea Michaels. Coaching sessions are delivered by mentors in the industry who have lived experience of coming up against personal and professional challenges.
“Whether it’s the financial stress of running a business, improving your work-life balance, coming back to work from a serious injury or overcoming drug or alcohol addiction, we’re here to help,” says Will Frogley, CEO, Master Builders SA.
Rising material and labour costs as well as increasing interest rates are just some of the pressures the more than 75,000 South Australians employed within the building construction sector are currently experiencing. “It can be a well-paid industry but long hours, hard work and stress are the norm,” Frogley says. “We are trying to provide assistance with common challenges before they become bigger issues.”
RISE wellness ambassador Paul Rogers, who runs Tradie Coach, which offers business coaching and mentoring for tradespeople across Australia, has experienced mental health issues of his own due to the pressures of running a previous business.
“One of the reasons I got into trades coaching was because there was a lack of education for people in business or thinking about business,” he says. “Often in the first year they can focus on building their client base and business visibility.
“But after that there’s the aspects of running a business they don’t know, and it can cause a lot of stress and heartache for them and their families.
“We’re very lucky that this initiative offers free support to people in the construction industry.”
Streamlining support
Supporting better connections between small businesses and government is the focus of a new initiative by the SA Small Business Commissioner.
Gov to You aims to overcome many of the challenges small business owners face when dealing with government, including not knowing which agency is best placed to assist them.
“The initiative aims to streamline the process and improve service delivery,” SA Small Business Commissioner Nerissa Kilvert says.
A pilot program was held in the Fleurieu Peninsula in August, with more than 20 government departments present. “The feedback we received was resoundingly positive,” Ms Kilvert says.
“Businesses were able to maximise their time investment, with multiple agencies in one place and networking opportunities with peers and people who understand small business problems.”
Ms Kilvert and her office assist small businesses to engage with government. Further Gov to You events are anticipated to roll out across the state next year, including being part of the inaugural Small Business Week.
To receive event updates, register at sasbc.sa.gov.au/gov-to-you
Addressing fundamental problems
A new initiative is helping South Australian small business owners to build the knowledge and capabilities to sustainably grow their businesses into the future.
The Small Business Fundamentals Program – funded by the SA Government’s Office for Small and Family Businesses and an initiative of SA’s Small Business Strategy – provides expertise in finance and investment, management, marketing and communications, strategic planning and human resources. Information is delivered through workshops, seminars, mentoring and training sessions.
Anna Moeller, chief executive officer of the Australian Hotels Association SA, says the program is more important than ever as the hospitality sector continues to recover from the Covid pandemic. “Between 80 to 90 per cent of businesses in the hotel industry are small-to-medium, family owned,” she says.
“There’s such a skills shortage at the moment that a lot of operators are working seven days a week. They need these services but often don’t have the time or the knowledge to access them. To have this information provided as a free service is a huge bonus.”
AHA SA is currently rolling out a series of digital marketing workshops, with other topics to follow.
“We’re putting in place dates for the financial advice, business operational advice and leadership and management training workshops,” Ms Moeller says.
business.sa.gov.au/fundamentals
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