More Support For Small Businesses To Grow Across Victoria

Treasurer Tim Pallas today launched the Small Business Festival Victoria 2015, which will showcase a range of networking and development events for businesses and entrepreneurs over the next month.

The festival is now in its tenth year and boasts the biggest program yet with more than 350 business events to run across the state during the month of August.

These free and low-cost workshops and seminars are designed for locals interested in starting, shaping and developing new or existing small business enterprises.

The festival events will cover many topics ranging from business planning, marketing and social media, to networking and financial management.

Sponsored by the Andrews Labor Government, the Small Business Festival Victoria has further extended its regional presence by adding two new festivals this year in Mildura and Shepparton.

These will run in conjunction with the recurring festivals in metropolitan Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Great South Coast, Gippsland and North Eastern Victoria.

The festival supports the state’s 525,000 small businesses that generate more than 30 per cent of Victoria’s sales and output.

Key events this year include:

• Media personality and co- founder of Red Balloon Naomi Simson, who will be touring regional Victoria with the Amplify Your Success dinner series;
• The popular Small Business BIG Marketing event featuring Ken Segall, former ad agency creative for Apple who was responsible for the putting the “i” in iMac;
• The Faces of Small Business photo exhibition, featuring the portraits of ten innovative small business operators, to be showcased across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

Further event information and tickets are now available at business.vic.gov.au/festival or by calling 13 22 15.

Quotes attributable to Treasurer Tim Pallas

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. We’re committed to providing the services and support that Victorian small businesses need to grow and create jobs.”

“With around 28 per cent of our small businesses based in regional Victoria, the addition of two new festivals in Mildura and Shepparton will bolster support for regional businesses.”

“The Small Business Festival will drive ideas and growth within the community, meaning more opportunities and more jobs for Victorians.”