Training and events

We offer a free mentoring service to small businesses that are looking for guidance in their business journey.

Mentors are provided through Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS) and have diverse and interesting backgrounds. They have either owned their own small business or worked in an organisation that has had strong links to small business. They are extremely passionate about the role that small business plays in the economy and carry out their mentoring work on a voluntary basis.  They acknowledge that it can be difficult, lonely and at times financially worrying running a small business.

Some potential areas within your business that you can receive assistance from an SBMS mentor are:

• Starting your business
• Getting more customers
• Digital literacy and engagement
• Growing Your business
• Running Your business
• Budgeting and cash flow
• Working with people 
• Succession planning 
• Grant applications - understanding the requirements of applying for grants

Vouchers are available once you have spoken with our Business Support Team.

Contact us:

• Use our online request form
• Phone 03 5471 1745
• Email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Business Victoria offers free online business advice sessions to help you start or grow your small business.

Available Monday to Friday, the one-on-one sessions with a business expert will provide information on your business idea or how to grow your existing business.

Visit the Business Victoria website for more information and to book sessions. 

The ATO runs an online learning platform offering free courses to help small business owners master their tax and super obligations.

The 'Essentials to strengthen your small business' website includes more than 20 short courses and a calendar of key lodgment due dates to support small businesses.

Topics include:

• Claiming small business tax deductions
• Record keeping
• Goods and services tax (GST)
• Using your business money and assets
• Growing your small business

Visit the ATO website for more information. 

Business Victoria's small business bus stops at locations across the Mount Alexander Shire to offer advice and support to local businesses.

Keep your eye on this page or Council's Facebook page for the upcoming times and dates.

Beyond Blue’s NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) is a guided self-help mental health coaching program. 

Over 6 sessions, your mental health coach will work with you to manage stress and overwhelm using straightforward problem-solving approaches.  All mental health coaches are specially trained and have a small business background so they understand your unique challenges.

It’s free, confidential and convenient. Available nationally by phone or video call, no GP referral is required.

Head to the Beyond Blue website for more details.

The Mount Alexander Business Awards is a biennial program that showcases, publicly acknowledges and celebrates the achievements of our local businesses. The next awards program will be held in 2025.

Find out more and view past winners on our Business Awards page.