Principle 1: Clear and strong focal point to support small business
Action 1: Establish the Service NSW Business Bureau
The Bureau was launched in October 2023 and since then has been proactively supporting, educating and helping small businesses navigate government services. The Bureau has responded to more than 315,000 requests for assistance from NSW small businesses, with our Business Concierges supporting over 14,111 small businesses and more than 53,943 hours of advisory services provided through the Business Connect advisory program.
The Bureau also supports small businesses in crisis and recovery, including businesses and workers impacted by the M6 construction in March 2024 and the Westfield Bondi Junction incident in April 2024. The storm damage in October 2024, across the Far West of NSW, led to significant power disruption to large areas, extensively impacting households and businesses. The Bureau provided personal support for business owners, including the administration of a $400 grant to businesses out-of-pocket due to the storm impact. The NSW Government has paid over $220,000 to some 550 impacted businesses and continues to support the region.
NSW Agencies are also supporting the growth of small business through programs dedicated to particular industries or sections of our community. Through the Women in Business Networks Grant Program (WIBN), Women NSW, the lead NSW Government agency that works to improve the lives of all women in NSW by achieving equality through policy, innovation and collaboration, funded a targeted program to build capability in regional women-led businesses operating in the creative industries.
Engaging in the Work of Art
The creative industries are a vibrant and exciting sector to work in, however women living in regional and rural NSW face challenges in trying to establish their creative business, often feeling isolated and unsure how to progress their business.
Regional Arts NSW received funding under the Women NSW's WIBN grants to deliver the Work of Art program to build the skills, confidence and networks of regional women to grow their creative enterprise. The program supported participants to:
- access professional development opportunities to understand and develop a market, and
- navigate the advantages and disadvantages of distance and geography.
70 women participated in a tailored 16-month program which included online business management training sessions, in-person workshops held in six regional locations, monthly online networking sessions, industry specific mentoring sessions, action learning sessions and peer coaching pods. The program culminated in a two-day showcase and forum held in Orange in November 2024, which featured the work of the participants.
The impact of the program has been substantial, with 73% of participants expanding their businesses, 92% increasing their business networks and 34% securing an increase in capital or funding.
Action 2: Support small businesses who are interested or ready to sell their goods and services to customers overseas
Working with Investment NSW, the Bureau has made it easier for small business to access support to build their export capability, and connect businesses interested in exporting with other guidance and advice that can support their activity. In the first year of operation, the Bureau referred 72 businesses to Investment NSW for export support. In 2023-24, Investment NSW assisted over 850 NSW businesses (mainly small businesses) to become export ready and directly contributed to generating $212 million in export sales. This was an increase on the previous year, where Investment NSW assisted over 646 NSW businesses (mainly small businesses) to become export ready and directly contributed to generating $126 million in export sales.4 Success stories under Investment NSW’s Going Global Export Program include NSW company Ezypay acquiring their license to operate in Singapore, which enabled this company to quickly scale in the market and region, gain new suppliers and partners, and achieve increased sales.
In collaboration with Austrade, the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs hosted the Aboriginal Business Roundtable ‘Looking Abroad: Aboriginal and Māori Businesses’ in October 2024. This event supported the NSW Government’s work on Closing the Gap Priority Reform 5, Aboriginal Economic Prosperity and encouraged Aboriginal businesses to explore opportunities beyond local and domestic markets, while fostering connections with Māori businesses to build supportive networks across the Tasman. A key focus of the event was ‘trans-Indigenous’ trade, a reflection on the resilient histories and the potent future of Indigenous businesses. Total participants numbered 94, with 41 Aboriginal businesses and 7 Māori businesses joining and embodying a powerful spirit of enterprise, resilience, and a shared vision for expanding in the global marketplace.
References
4Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Annual Report 2023-24 https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/tp/files/189808/DEIT%20Annual%20Report%202023-24.pdf
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