The sub prime crisis, a possible recession, rate rises, declining profits, a slowing economy – it’s enough to make a small business operator turn up their toes in despair! But Perrie Croshaw has some essential survival advice to help small business adapt and not perish during these stressful times.
Perrie Croshaw, business and finance journalist, is editor of Monash University’s Graduate Business School journal, Monash Business Review and Westpac’s Private Banks client magazine, Insight. She worked for many years as a senior editor at the Financial Times in London and has written for the Investors Chronicle, BRW, news.com and The Australian.
Not content with just one job at a time, Perrie was Money Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald while running an award-winning Bed & Breakfast in Berry. More recently, she juggled publishing Australian Women’s Money Magazine (now www.womenandwealth.com.au) while establishing one of the largest accommodation booking services in NSW, www.southcoastholidays.com.au
Come and hear her speak on Weathering The Financial Storm – A Business Survival Guide at the next meeting of the Southern Highlands Small Business club.
Time : 5.15pm for 6.00pm - 7.30pm
Date : Wednesday 13 August 2008
Venue : Mittagong RSL Club
Cost : FREE to attend but must register for catering purposes
on 4223 3100
Free Business Advisory Services
The Illawarra ITeC has five Small Business Programs to help you get started and further develop your established business. All programs provide free and confidential business advice:
• Illawarra Business Advisory Service (IBAS)
• Business Enterprise Centre (BEC)
• New Enterprise Development Scheme (NEIS)
• Illawarra Innovation Advisory Service (IIAS)
• Aboriginal Enterprise Development Officer Program (ADEOP)
Want further information on the above FREE programs? Visit our website www.illawarraitec.com.au
Basic Bookkeeping for Small Business
It is very important for any small business owner to know how to keep sound financial records but more importantly understand how to use those financial reports to make informed decisions.
This workshop is designed to provide an overview of record keeping responsibilities and provides practical exercises in the tasks required to manage a business through record keeping.
By attending this workshop, you will develop an understanding of financial control and the importance of cash flow. Practical exercises demonstrate how to treat petty cash, cash payments, cash receipts, daily bank balances and bank reconciliations.
Time : 9.00am to 12 noon
Date : Friday 8 August, Wollongong
Cost : $45.00 per person
Intro to Business Planning
A good business plan will increase your chances of business success. It will help you identify your customers, market area, pricing strategies, financial and operational goals. By completing a business plan you will better understand your competitive advantages, new opportunities, current weaknesses and longer term objectives for the business. Having a business plan is also an important requirement for gaining finance from financial institutions.
The aim of this workshop is to provide an overview of the business planning process and increase the skills of participants to enable them to complete a business plan for their business. Business Plan templates will be provided.
Time : 12 noon to 1.30pm
Date : Tuesday 24 July 2008
Cost : $33.00 – light lunch included
Marketing Workshop
It is not enough to just have a fantastic product or service; you also need to be able to understand how to market your product or service to potential customers and clients.
This two-hour workshop will help you understand the different aspects of Marketing, help you understand how your product / service fits into the whole market and how you can market your business more effectively. We will discuss:
• Conducting Market Research
• Who is Your Target Market
• Competitors
• The Four Ps of Marketing
• SWOT Analysis
• Requirements of Developing a Marketing Plan
Time : 12 noon to 2.00pm
Date : Thursday 31 July 2008
Cost : $40.00 – light lunch included This is only a brief outline of the types of small business advice and assistance that we can offer. Want to know more? Remember I am a FREE service and can assist you in developing your business in many ways. Call me today on 4223 3100 or check out our website at www.illawarraitec.com.au | 
