On Tuesday 20 September 2022 at the Coffs Coast Innovation Hub, City of Coffs Harbour's 6 degrees team ran a successful "New to Business" event which gave local people new to business, or thinking of starting a business, opportunities to hear about the different kinds of support available to them.
30 participants heard from a range of business assistance experts, including:
- Kristina Cooke, 6 degrees
- Luke Perry, Section Leader Development Assessment – City of Coffs Harbour
- Tony Brindley, NORTEC
- Robyn Simon, Enterprise Plus
- Kim Hastings, VERTO
- Courtney Tune, Alt Collective
The event was a great opportunity for new or prospective business owners to connect with key industry contacts and hear about some different valuable services that are available – many of which are free!
A particular highlight was Courtney Tune's fun trivia session that made people think about the reasons they were in business and some of the most important aspects for success. Another was hearing from Tony Brindley, a Business Connect advisor, about how people can access up to 36 hours of free business advice.
"It was fantastic to run this event for such an engaged group of new and prospective business owners on the Coffs Coast," said Natalia Cowley, City of Coffs Harbour's General Manager.
"A thriving local business sector benefits all of us, so make sure you're keeping up to date with how the City's 6 degrees program might be able to support your business moving forward – there is a tonne of great content coming up!"
The New to Business event is just one of many valuable events in the 6 degrees calendar. October's focus is on the creative industries sector, with three workshops covering finding funding, new income streams and how to value your work.
In November, 6 degrees and partners will curate several events for Small Business Month encouraging local businesses to connect for success. From hospitality and retail to the circular economy and agrifood – experts will share their knowledge and motivate action in your venture.
So whether you've been running your own business for years, or you're interested in starting out, make sure you're following 6 degrees (and have signed up to their newsletter!) to keep an eye on more events, training and local business news.
