There is just
a week left before the 14th Geelong Small
Business Festival kicks off.
The 12-23 August festival aims
to assist and inspire community members who are keen to start a business and
those looking to grow or improve their existing business. Established in 2010,
nearly 30,000 residents have attended this annual calendar highlight across 630
events.
Delivered by the City and Geelong Chamber of
Commerce, bookings are building for the more than 50 free and low-cost
workshops, presentations and networking opportunities, such as:
- Business Support Expo;
- Cyber risks for small businesses: Red flags and simple strategic actions;
- Apprenticeship and traineeship support forum;
- Westpac Economic Breakfast;
- Starting a home-based food business;
- Get back an hour in every day;
- Unleashing reels, YouTube shorts and TikToks for social media success; and
- Nexus Clean Economy Showcase.
A limited number of seats are still available
for our special launch event this Thursday 8 August from 5.30 - 8pm at The Pier
Geelong.
Keynote speaker Nadia Lee, Founder and CEO of
ThatsMyFace is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) thought leader and will share
her bold ideas on the future of AI, deep fakes and emerging tech trends and how
they are changing business.
Book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment
at www.gsbf.com.au.
Events will be centred at Geelong's civic precinct Wurriki Nyal, with dedicated
days on the Bellarine Peninsula on Friday 16 August and
in Torquay on Thursday 22 August.
Deputy
Mayor Anthony Aitken, Strong Local Economy portfolio chair
The Geelong
Small Business Festival offers support and the opportunity to learn new
skills, while contributing to a more resilient and skilled business community.
With just a week before the festival starts, now’s the time to check
out what’s on offer and secure your spot.
Business
finance, understanding AI, harnessing local media and negotiating commercial
leases are just a few of the many valuable workshops and talks available.
Councillor
Jim Mason, deputy chair of the Strong Local economy portfolio
Small businesses make up around 97 per cent of all
businesses in Greater Geelong.
We
are excited to celebrate and support local small businesses who are the
backbone of our region’s economy.
This
commitment aligns with our ‘Geelong
on the Rise: A Clever & Creative International City 2024-34’ economic development plan to support workforce development, training and skills
innovation.
Whether
it’s refining or learning a new skill, hearing from a leader in the field or
networking with like-minded people, there will be something for everyone at
this year’s festival.