News

South Australian small businesses are set to benefit from new and extended support programs announced as part of Small Business Week, which ran from 17 to 21 August.

Alongside almost 40 events held across metropolitan and regional South Australia, the initiatives will help small businesses access practical support, expert advice and new opportunities to strengthen capability, embrace innovation and drive growth.

From navigating economic uncertainty to identifying growth opportunities, Small Business Week provided South Australian small businesses with insights, tools and connections to help them build capability and confidence for the future.

The week kicked off with the Small Business Expo, which was attended by around 300 small business owners keen to hear from economic commentator Chris Kohler on economic trends and business conditions. A panel of business leaders also shared how they have navigated challenges, adapted to changing conditions and identified new opportunities, including Juggle House Experiences founder Kelly Kuhn, who steered her business through both COVID and the 2022 Murray River floods.

Almost 40 events throughout the week - supported by a wealth of on-demand content for those unable to attend a session – explored important topics such as raising capital, employing staff, export readiness, strengthening business resilience, planning for family business success, and the food and beverage industry.

Alongside the week and as part of the ever-evolving Small Business Strategy, the South Australian Government announced a series of new and extended programs.

The new Power Her Up program will support South Australian women to turn their tech ideas into fresh ventures and stronger businesses.

Spanning fields including digital media and content creation, software development, immersive technology, interactive entertainment, screen production and photography, the program will combine workshops, networking opportunities and industry expertise to help participants apply creative technologies to real business challenges.

Selected participants will also take part in a two-day Innovation Design Sprint to explore how emerging technologies could improve or grow their operations, and develop practical, business ready solutions focused on innovation, commercial viability and problem solving.

Building on the successful Women in Business Foundations Program, an additional 1,200 South Australian women will have access to 7,200 hours of individual mentoring, building capability across business planning, finance, marketing, operations, workforce development and growth.

Another 400 women preparing to start a new business will be supported through Launch Your Own Business workshops.

Recognising the ongoing impacts of rising inflation, workforce challenges and natural disasters on the mental health and wellbeing of business owners, the South Australian Government has dedicated an additional $240,000 to continue providing free mental health and wellbeing support to small businesses.

This new funding will allow the Master Builders Association South Australia to continue delivering its free RISE program to construction industry workers, while Be Well Co will continue its free mental health support for business owners and their staff in the broader business community.

This support sits alongside other government-backed services including financial counselling through Rural Business Support and industry-specific support through Stay Afloat.

Small Business Week came on the back of new research by Reckon ranking Adelaide as the fourth-best city in Australia to start a business, highlighting the state's strengths as a competitive and affordable place to invest, live and grow.

Through South Australia's Small Business Strategy 2023-2030, the Office for Small and Family Business is supporting our local businesses to build capability, access practical support and pursue new opportunities.