February 1, 2016

Small business bus brings advice on wheels to daylesford and trentham

Small business operators in Daylesford and Trentham will be able to access free mentoring, support and government business services when the Small Business Bus visits on Monday 15th and Thursday 18th February.

Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis said the Andrews Labor Government had last year doubled its mobile support for small business, with a second Small Business Bus delivering valuable advice to towns and suburbs across Victoria.

The bus service provides advice from small business mentoring specialists skilled in marketing, finance, human resources and sales. These experts have extensive experience in operating a small business and in senior business management roles, offering free advice to local businesses.

In 2015 almost 1,500 small businesses accessed free on-board mentoring, while a further 5,800 received assistance from an information officer. This represents a 52 per cent increase on the previous year in the uptake of mentoring sessions and a rise of 93 per cent in the number of businesses engaging with the service.

There are more than 532,000 small businesses in Victoria, representing over 97 per cent of the state’s businesses, and more than 28 per cent of those are based in regional areas.

This year’s enhanced touring program will take more information and services to more towns across the state than ever before, benefiting businesses that may not have the time or resources to otherwise access the available support.

The two vehicles also play a vital role in providing business recovery support to communities in times of crisis, such as those affected by bushfires. The increased capacity of the program now enables greater flexibility and faster response times when assistance is required.

The Small Business Bus will be located outside the Town Square, 27 High Street, Trentham VIC 3458 from 10am to 4pm on Thursday 18 February 2016.

In Daylesford, the Small Business Bus will be located outside the Coles walkway, 52 Vincent Street, Daylesford VIC 3460 from 10am to 4pm on Monday 15 February 2016.

Free mentoring sessions on board the bus are limited and bookings are essential. For more information or to book a session, visit business.vic.gov.au/sbb or call Small Business Victoria on 13 22 15.

Quotes attributable to Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas
"The Small Business Bus is a great service for local businesses to have access to expert face-to-face advice anywhere in Victoria."

"These support services play an important part in Labor’s commitment to providing Victorians with greater access to government help and driving ideas and growth within the community."

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the Andrews Labor Government is committed to providing them with ongoing business support services, encouraging them to grow and create more local jobs."

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