Small business workshops

This year we've hosted around 16 successful small business workshops tailored to the needs of our business owners and the current pandemic situation.

These workshops covered different aspects of business management including taking your business online, marketing your business and COVID-19 support and opportunities.

As your feedback is important, we invite you to participate in the small business workshops survey.

The results will be used to help shape the 2021 calendar of small business workshops. We’d be grateful if you could complete the survey by Friday 11 December.

Take the online survey here.

Small business owners in Mount Alexander Shire have the opportunity to build skills and knowledge in a series of low-cost workshops. Mount Alexander Shire Council has partnered with State Government – Small Business Victoria to deliver the workshops that support and encourage local small businesses.

The workshops will be held each month from February to November 2020 at the heavily subsidised cost of $20 – $30. Business Association members who attend at least one of the upcoming workshops will receive a 50 per cent discount for business mentoring sessions with the Small Business Mentoring Service.

In response to the impacts of the current COVID-19 pandemic, please note that the workshops from June will be free of cost and conducted online.

Mentoring sessions are also offered as part of the workshop series. These comprise of a one-on-one 1 hour meeting with an experienced business adviser and is offered through the Small Business Mentoring Service and is sponsored by Council and Robertson Hyetts Solicitors.

Book your tickets here!

Workshops coming up for 2020:

COVID-19 support and opportunities: Keeping your small business on track
Cost: Free
When: Monday 26 October, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Taking your business online: What you need to know
Cost: Free
When: Tuesday 27 October, 6.00pm - 8.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Business Planning Essentials: How to build a road map to success
Cost: Free
When: Monday 9 November, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

COVID-19 support and opportunities: Keeping your small business on track
Cost: Free
When: Tuesday 17 November, 1.00pm - 3.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Marketing Your Business: How to get it right first time
Cost: Free
When: Monday 7 December, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Cancelled - COVID-19 support and opportunities: Keeping your small business on track
Cost: Free
When: Monday 14 December, 6.00pm - 8.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us

Workshops already run this year:

Starting Your Business: How to turn an idea into a business
Cost: $30.00
When: Monday 10 February, 9.15am for a 9.30am start - 1.00pm (3.5hr)
Where: Council Chambers, Civic Centre, Cnr Lyttleton & Lloyd Streets

Business Planning Essentials: How to build a road map to success
Cost: $20.00
When: Monday 2 March, 5.45pm for a 6.00pm start - 8.00pm (2hr)
Where: Council Chambers, Civic Centre, Cnr Lyttleton & Lloyd Streets

Finance Fundamentals: How to keep the cash flowing Sold Out
Cost: Free
When: Monday 20 April, 3.00pm - 5.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us

Digital Opportunities Roadshow
Cost: Free
When: Monday 27 April, 2.00pm - 4.00pm (2hr)
Book: Eventbrite
Online at Zoom.us

Building Resilience: Recovering your business from a crisis
Cost: Free
Building resilience
Session 1: Monday 18 May, 9.30am - 10.30am
Finance
Session 2: Monday 18 May, 10.30am - 12.00pm
Online at Zoom.us

Taking Your Business Online: What you need to know
Cost: Free
When: Monday 15 June, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Marketing Your Business: How to get it right first time
Cost: Free
When: Monday 27 July, 6.00pm - 8.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Business Planning Essentials: How to build a road map to success
Cost: Free
When: Monday 10 August, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Taking Your Business Online: What you need to know
Cost: Free
When: Monday 17 August, 6.00pm - 8.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

COVID-19: Options for small business and keeping track of your finances
Cost: Free
When: Wednesday 9 September, 2.00pm - 4.00pm (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

Finance fundamentals: How to keep cash flowing
Cost: Free
When: Tuesday 15 September, 9.30am - 11.30am (2hr)
Online at Zoom.us
Book your ticket here

For enquiries about the small business workshops contact Amanda Every, Business Support Officer for the Economy
& Culture Team, at a.every@mountalexander.vic.gov.au.

The City of Greater Bendigo in partnership with Be.Bendigo is hosting a series of free webinars to provide valuable information and resources to help local businesses through the changing environment as a result of COVID-19.

The webinars will begin again in August with a new virtual cafe series, but here's a chance to catch up on any webinars that you've missed.

Past webinars available

If you missed Talking COVID-19 - Navigating government support and cash flow management, on Tuesday April 28, the webinar is available to view here.

Katherine Hietbrink from Robertson Hyetts Solicitors and Conveyancers hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Navigating challenges through employment law on Tuesday, May 5 at 12 noon. The webinar is available to view here.

Anna Doughan from Robertson Hyetts Solicitors and Conveyancers hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Commercial Leasing and Contracts on Tuesday May 12 at 12pm. The webinar covered leasing and contracts, landlord and tenant issues. View here.

Joe Ciancio, Managing Director from Maxsum Consulting hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Navigating cybersecurity - Critical IT security steps on Tuesday May 19 at 12pm. View here

Joe Ciancio from Maxsum Consulting hosted Talking COVID-19 – How to use COVID-19 Stimulus Packages to make IT lemonade and hit the ground running on the other side of COVID-19 on Tuesday May 26 at 12pm. View here

David Robertson, Head of Economic and Market Research for the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank hosted Talking COVID-19 – An Economic Snapshot for Regional Victoria on Tuesday June 2 at 12pm. View here.

Briana Cowan from Mingle Media hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Marketing on social media during a crisis on Tuesday June 9, 2020. Learn tips and tricks to market your business on social media and how to leverage the power of social media so your brand stands out. View here

Briana Cowan from Mingle Media hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Building a social media strategy beyond the pandemic on Tuesday June 16, 2020. In this webinar, you will learn how to build a social media strategy, we will cover off objectives, content pillars and your target market. View here. Please note the free mentoring sessions mentioned in the presentation are available here.

Pam Macdonald from Broadspring Consulting hosted: Talking COVID 19 Leadership through the pandemic on Tuesday June 23. This webinar highlights the strengths and skills that have displayed by the most effective leaders during the pandemic and will discuss what impacts this may have on how to lead more effectively in the future. View here

Leadership and change management expert Pam Macdonald from Broadspring Consulting hosted Talking COVID 19 - Why people keep asking when will it be over- how we respond to change on Tuesday June 30. As an experienced change management professional, Pam explained the typical responses to change (both emotional and practical) and why these responses need to be revised. View here.

Joe Ciancio from Maxsum Consulting hosted: Talking COVID-19 -Phishing for love, masks and money - A look at how phishing emails have changed during the pandemic and how to spot these serious new threats with the right cyber security on Tuesday July 7. View here.

Damien Palmer from AFS & Associates Chartered Accountants hosted: Talking COVID-19 – Maximising State and Federal Government Support Opportunities - Insights on various State and Federal Government support packages available to help businesses, including cash grants, tax relief and cashflow support on Tuesday November 10. View here.

Bendigo Bank experts hosted: Talking COVID-19 - Moving your business online - This webinar focused on conducting an online business, selling domestically and internationally, managing refunds, privacy policies and payment gateways on Tuesday November 17. View here.

Bendigo Bank experts hosted: Talking COVID-19 – Protect your business from card and online fraud - As we become an increasingly cashless society, tech savvy criminals are taking up more opportunities to access our personal and business accounts on Tuesday November 24. View here.

Bendigo Bank experts hosted: Talking COVID-19 - How e-banking is a critical tool for all aspects of your business - Discover insights into the evolution and function of e-banking and how businesses can take real advantage of key features to improve workplace practices and processes. Open Banking, data sharing and the implications of this for small business were also topics covered on Tuesday December 1. View here.