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Free information night on business planning program

By Latrobe Shire Council - 2nd September 2004 - Back to News

A free information session will be held at 6pm on Wednesday 8 September at the Latrobe City Function Room, Kay Street Traralgon, for small and medium sized local businesses interested in finding out more about a forthcoming subsidised business planning program

Latrobe City Investment Manager, Leo Billington, said that Latrobe City Council and the Victorian State government are joining forces to support the growth of local small and medium sized businesses by hosting the subsidised business planning program with workshops later in September and October, and Wednesday’s free information night is the ideal opportunity for businesses to find out how beneficial the program will be.

"The program will be conducted by Business Development Network (BDN), which has run similar programs throughout Victoria for the past seven years. Many businesses that have participated in the program are experiencing significant increases in turnover and profitability and have greater confidence about their future," Mr Billington explained.

"Small business is a vital part of the economy, providing 60 per cent of all employment in Victoria and business planning is crucial to facilitate the on-going growth of this sector.

"Some businesses survive by reducing staff and overheads and the consequences for a local economy can be disastrous. This is a short-term solution that often does not address the key issues facing small business," Mr Billington said.

"Problems tend to arise because many small business owners are too busy with the day-to-day running of the company to develop management methods capable of delivering profitable and sustainable growth.

"Most can keep their head above water in good times but find it difficult to manage staff, delegate work, cope with increasing workloads and manage the cashflow all at the same time. The most effective way to help is to provide expert support to the businesses, to assist with long term planning and management as well as succession planning.

"The BDN program has been specifically designed for the management of small and medium businesses. It is also designed to give the owner more skills to develop a better work/life balance."

Program participants will attend two days of workshop with practical one-on-one coaching sessions in between with a BDN consultant to complete a business plan specifically tailored for their business.

"The cost of producing a business plan can often be an expensive exercise, but with the support of the state government and Latrobe City, the cost for businesses to participate in the program is only $550 including GST," Mr Billington said.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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