Carrara expo to help Gold Coast jobseekers and struggling businesses
JOBSEEKERS and pandemic-affected businesses are the target market of the Recovery Gold Coast Business and Jobs Expo on October 15 at Carrara.
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JOBSEEKERS and pandemic-affected businesses are the target market of the Recovery Gold Coast Business and Jobs Expo on October 15 at the Carrara Indoor Sports Complex.
While the focus is on helping small businesses reconnect, the expo is delivering free training and information sessions designed to help people get off JobKeeper and JobSeeker.
Organiser Paula Brand, of Small Business Expos, said the business-to-business event would also help locals operators grow customer leads and get practical advice on how to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
"Businesses are sick of being virtual, particularly the invisible ones such as home-based, mobile, online, micro, and they make up 25 per cent of our small business community,” she said.
“It is time for all of us to reconnect, particularly businesses who rely on networking and face-to-face sales to do trading.
“There is also a huge demographic on the Gold Coast that is unemployed and seeking work. Particularly at risk are micro operators, women over 45 and the 20-30 age group.
“The bottom line is, if you need more customers or are looking for employment support and different options for your next career step, this is the place to be.”
The expo is one of four Ms Brand is hosting across southeast Queensland, with 173 exhibitors on the books so far. A few part-funded expo exhibition stands are still available.
Entry is by gold coin donation, with the money going to Rotary. Due to COVID people must register online prior to arrival, no entry tickets will be available at the event. The expo runs from 10am-4pm. Details at smallbusinessexpos.com.au
COUNCIL'S COVID TRAINING SESSIONS 'A MISFIRE'
RATEPAYER-funded training sessions run by multinational KPMG to help small businesses decimated by COVID-19 have been blasted as a “bit of a misfire”.
Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce’s Martin Hall said he acknowledged the council had made some efforts with funding around KMPG, but that it hadn’t quite hit the mark.
“If we had been a part of the consultation process, this is not something we would have recommended the council spends money on,” Mr Hall said.
“It’s not the right flavour for people’s appetite right now.
“What Gold Coast small businesses need right now is direct fiscal support and a promotion of their business in order to increase sales.”
Mr Hall said the council and Mayor Tom Tate should be lobbying the State Government to fight the easing of restrictions and the reopening of the border so “we can trade ourselves out of obscurity”.
MIDWEEK MARKET ON GOLD COAST HELPS STRUGGLING BUSINESSES
The Gold Coast City Council recently developed a $26.9 million community and business support package to offer assistance through the COVID-19 pandemic. Included is specialised professional support to help small businesses to trade through COVID-19 by business advisory firm KPMG.
Delivered in person and online in October, topics will include workforce management, cash flow forecasting, business planning and strategy, negotiating agreements and how to access support.
Small Business Expos founder Paula Brand also criticised council’s lack of support for small businesses since the outbreak of the pandemic.
“The slowness to respond to small business even in small ways speaks volumes of their lack of connection, direction and support for small business on the Gold Coast,” she said.
“Our businesses are sick of being virtual, particularly the invisible businesses such as home based, mobile, online, micro which makes up 25 per cent of our small business community.”
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Ms Brand is hosting a Small Business Expo in the Gold Coast on October 15 at the Carrara Indoor Sports Complex. It is one of four she is hosting across southeast Queensland.
She said it was the city’s only business-to-business event in 2020 in which locals could physically connect, network and showcase their products or services.
The COVID-safe event will feature 175 stands, workshops to help get people off JobKeeper and JobSeeker and information and training sessions similar to ones offered by council.
Last year the Gold Coast expo featured 216 stands with 3000 local businesses attending.
Mr Brand has been running the expos for six years and said in that time she had failed to get sponsorship from the council. In 2018 and 2019 she received a venue credit of $3000.
“All other councils I work with, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Redland Bay and Logan are either major or named sponsors or offer free use of council assets,” she said.
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A city spokesperson said the council’s partnership program supported local events through sponsorship. To be considered for support, she said applicants must meet eligibility criteria and Ms Brand’s expos did not meet this.
“The City delivers a range of workshops for businesses each year including the Growth Accelerator Program and Emerging Exporters Program.”
It also runs Gold Coast Business Week, a series of events run by entities across the city to enable local entrepreneurs and businesses to connect with business leaders across Australia.
“Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s Business Week (in November) will be virtual.
“Local businesses will have the opportunity to have a virtual trade stand at the event so that they can continue to engage with other businesses during this challenging period.”
Last week the Federal Government announced it would provide $50 million to help boost the business-to-business event market in Australia.
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