|
The global economy has undergone a shift towards a low carbon future in recent years, driven by a range of factors including concerns about climate change, advances in renewable energy technologies, and growing demand for sustainable products and services.
This shift has given rise to a thriving low carbon economy, which encompasses industries such as renewable energy, sustainable transportation, agriculture, and construction. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, have become increasingly affordable and efficient, making them competitive with traditional energy sources in many markets around the world. Similarly, the popularity of electric vehicles and other sustainable transportation options is growing, and sustainable agriculture practices are gaining traction. The construction, manufacturing and agricultural industries is also adapting to become more sustainable, with energy-efficient buildings, advances in production systems and renewable energy systems being developed. Although challenges remain, such as reducing the carbon footprint of heavy industry and transitioning away from fossil fuels in the transportation sector, the low carbon economy offers many opportunities for sustainable economic growth and innovation; particularly for agile, dynamic, small business entrepreneurs, that seize opportunities to innovate. Consistent with this evolution, the NSW and Australian Government provide various support initiatives for businesses. The NSW Government - Climate and Energy Action seeks to transform NSW into an innovative, thriving low carbon economy. By accelerating the development of clean technology and decarbonisation, that will lay the foundations to significantly reduce emissions and help industry prosper. With more than $1 billion to support and partner with industry to move towards net zero, the NSW Government is committed to:
This program aims to fund projects that contribute to one or more of the following outcomes:
For a confidential discussion regarding how your business could get involved, get in touch with Business Connect advisor Derek Tink, towards completing an initial assessment and connection to opportunities within the Climate and Energy Action areas.
0 Comments
 A unique selling proposition (USP) is a succinct statement that explains the benefit that your product or service offers to your clients, creating a distinct competitive advantage. This critical marketing tool needs to be well-designed, memorable, rehearsed and delivered with impact. Your USP should stand out from the crowd, highlight a specific benefit that is relevant to your target audience and make the distinction between yourself and your competitors. A strong USP will help you and your business to be notable, make a great first impression, attract more customers, and increase sales. Not only does it help you to position what you currently deliver, it can also be an empowering process to help you gain the clarity of where and how you see you and your business in the future. So, how do you get started to create your own USP? We are holding a Free Webinar on Tuesday 2 May, with presenter Maureen Shelley. This event will be recorded, so even if you are only able to attend for part of the time, you will still gain the benefit of the entire session. Register via the link below. WEBINAR | Craft your unique selling proposition
Tuesday 2 May | 10am - 11.30am So, what is a unique selling proposition and why do you need one? Join us for this super practical webinar and gain the tools to stand out from your competitors, by learning how to uniquely position yourself and your business! Register Online Here Events happening in week three of #NSWSmallBizMonth
With over 400 events happening during November, it's time to take advantage of #NSWSmallBizMonth and find an event near you. From networking with industry leaders to keynote sessions on small business trends, you're sure to find an event that interests you. It's time to Connect for Success - find an activity and register today. Check out these events happening in the third week of November!
Small Business Month brought to you by the NSW Small Business Commission.  We are really excited to announce that Kathie Heyman has joined the NORTEC Business Connect team.
Kathie is a trusted go-to resource with over 25 years of practical hands-on small business experience. She provides advice to small businesses and not-for-profits across a range of industries utilising her unique mix of experience in strategy, planning, leadership, human resources, financials and budgeting, systems and processes, marketing and social media, online course creation and membership organisations. She is passionate about helping people to understand the big questions of why they are in business, what their business does, who they serve and how to develop a workable plan that will lead and guide them so they can make the right decisions for years to come. Kathie has lived experience working in and for business communities that have been affected by natural disasters (drought and flood). She is a volunteer mentor with Inspiring Rare Bird’s First Nations Business Growth Accelerator Program. As a lifelong learner, Kathie has a Master of Business Administration, and an Advanced Diploma in Business Management is an accredited Mental Health First Aider, completed training to teach Yoga and completed courses specialising in Online Course Creation and Facebook Marketing. Kathie will be servicing the Ballina, Byron Bay and Richmond Valley LGA's. To book Kathie, click here  Women in small business will have access to free TAFE courses and professional advice thanks to $15 million over the next four years in the 2022-23 NSW Budget. Treasurer Matt Kean said more than 95 per cent of businesses in NSW were small businesses, however only a third of these businesses are run by women. “Many people dream of owning their own business, however we know that cultural and structural barriers like access to professional networks and capital can hold women back from taking the leap,” Mr Kean said. “The NSW Budget is focused on giving women more opportunities for their future. That’s why we’re investing $15 million to help women translate their business ideas into reality.” The 2022-23 NSW Budget will invest in the following programs over four years:
“From Ballina to Braidwood and everywhere in between, this package empowers women to start and grow their businesses, because we know when women succeed, NSW succeeds,” Mrs Taylor said. Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the fee-free TAFE courses will give women in small business access to a wide range of online learning topics and webinars, which can be studied anywhere, any time. “The Women in Business TAFE program will provide women in every corner of NSW with access to fee-free online training on how to start or build a business,” Mr Henskens said. “More than 15,000 women have already benefited from the program, and this investment will help support a pipeline of female-led start-ups to boost their budget and grow the economy.” Read more HERE.  Small Business Northern Flood Grant The one-off payment of $10,000 will support eligible businesses to meet operating costs to help them during the immediate recovery period. These costs may include, but are not limited to:
Check you're in an eligible LGA The grant payment is for small businesses or not-for-profit organisations that are located in these highly impacted Northern Rivers Local Government Areas (LGAs):
You may be eligible for this grant if your small businesses or not-for-profit has an aggregated annual turnover of $75,000 to $10 million, and can demonstrate a decline in turnover of 40% or more, due to the recent floods. View eligibility. Know your options There are different business flood recovery grants available with specific eligibility criteria. Please consider your options carefully, as receiving one grant may make you ineligible for another one. To assist you with understanding what is available to your business, visit our grants comparison page. Medium-sized Business Grants Medium-sized businesses in the highly impacted Northern Rivers LGAs that suffered direct damage from the floods may be eligible for a grant of up to $200,000. Applications close on 31st July 2022. Apply HERE If you're unsure about which financial support best suits your situation, call 13 77 88 and ask to speak to a Service NSW Business Concierge. How to apply So that we can process your application as quickly as possible, make sure you have all the documents you need before you start your application. The ‘apply now’ button below will give you the information you need to apply and supporting documentation required. Apply now What happens next? Once you’ve applied, we’ll assess your application and contact you if further supporting documentation is needed. If your application isn't successful, you will be notified via email. If your application is approved, payment will be transferred to your specified bank account within 5 business days. Service NSW can help you with storm and flood disaster recovery Get free personalised support for your business from a Service NSW Business Concierge by calling 13 77 88. Request a call back Please also remember, your friendly NORTEC Business Connect Advisors are available to assist you. Call 0490 297 703 to make an appointment.
Many of our customers are familiar with our webinars that assist all areas of running a small business. To see upcoming webinars click the button below. See All Webinars Here   The NSW Dine and Discover vouchers end soon on June 30, 2022 so get out there and put them to good use before then.
|
Small Business Solutions TeamWe are committed to nurturing and assisting the small business community – we recognise that small business is the backbone of our economy on the North Coast of NSW. Archives
April 2023
Categories
All
|
||||||
RSS Feed