A comprehensive program of events, workshops and business-building opportunities has been released ahead of the Malinauskas Government's upcoming Small Business Week.
The week-long program to be held from 29 April – 3 May 2024 includes more than 30 events to be held across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia including the Adelaide Hills, Yorke and Mid North, Eyre Peninsula, Riverland and Kangaroo Island.
All sessions, whether in-person or online, align with the six themes of the SA Small Business Strategy 2023-2030, which were identified by South Australian business owners as the areas where they could use the most support to achieve growth.
They are:
- Strengthening business capability
- Building skills and workforce
- Navigating the digital environment
- Boosting business sustainability
- Embracing diversity
- Improving access to government services.
A highlight of Small Business Week will be the full-day Small Business Expo to be held at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Thursday 2 May.
Free to attend, the Expo opens with a keynote speech from renowned financial journalist Alan Kohler AM, who will share his insights about Australia's economy and the outlook for South Australian small business owners.
Topics to be addressed by other Expo speakers include health and wellbeing, recruitment, sustainability, export and trade opportunities.
Expo attendees can also receive tailored advice and referrals to appropriate supports and services through the SA Small Business Commissioner's Gov to You exhibition.
Gov to You aims to connect business owners with representatives from across a wide range of government agencies, industry associations and partner organisations – all in the one, convenient location.
A continuation of the State Government's popular Women in Business Program, Small Business Week will conclude on Friday 3 May with an Immersive Learning Day for female business owners and leaders to be held at Adelaide Hills' Paracombe Wines in partnership with behind closed doors.
These live events will be complemented with a suite of online resources to allow all business owners access to the information they need, when they need it.
Published throughout the week, these helpful resources will remain accessible to small businesses via the Resource Centre on the Office for Small and Family Business website.
Small Business Week 2024 is an initiative of the Malinauskas Government through the Office for Small and Family Business, held in partnership with the Commissioner for Consumer and Business Services, the SA Small Business Commissioner and the Office of the Industry Advocate.
To view the full Small Business Week program, and register to attend events, visit business.sa.gov.au.
As put by Minister for Small and Family Business, Andrea Michaels
South Australia's small business owners are passionate about building their businesses.
Small Business Week will provide a week-long program of free development and networking events to provide practical assistance on the topics business owners have identified as their biggest challenges and opportunities for the future.
I know how busy small business owners are and by hosting events across Adelaide, regional South Australia and online, we're giving business owners every opportunity to participate no matter where they are so they can grow their businesses as a result.
We have had a really encouraging level of interest in Small Business Week, so be sure to register quickly to secure your place!
As put by Alan Kohler AM
Small business isn't just the backbone of the economy; it IS the economy.
Without the hard work and creativity of small business, there is no big business.
