Over the past few months, I've had the pleasure of speaking with many of our wonderful customers, and a common theme has emerged: Business in 2024 is tough. I wanted to share this experience with everyone, hoping it might help someone out there.

Let's be honest—being a business owner is no easy feat, and we all know it!

One of the most frustrating things I find is the lack of help or promotion of help available from our government. Recently, a friend in business asked me if I was using my free hours from the NSW Government, to which I replied, "What free hours?" So, I did some digging and found out what I was entitled to. That’s why I’m sharing this today—to hopefully help you get your little bit of help. Let's face it, any help is welcome. I'm setting out to inform you of any assistance I can pass on.

Discovering Business Connect

Eligible business customers can access up to 8 hours of support per financial year, subject to availability. This includes events and business advisory sessions. So go and get yours—it's free! There’s a list of advisers, and you can select the type of help you need.

We signed up to Business Connect with a couple of clicks of the button. You can choose what help you need—maybe it’s a mentor, financial assistance, social media help, or a wide range of supports. We decided to opt in for social media help and had our first session of 1.5 hours. It was great! Although we had a good handle on what we were doing, it helps to get new ideas or tweak what you’re doing and upskill.

Small Business: A Tough Gig

Running a small business is a tough gig, but it's made easier by the friendships and learning we gain along the way. At Centaur Packaging, our 15 years of experience have shown us that practice makes for a good effort, even if it's never perfect. The journey has been challenging, but the support from our community and the continuous learning have been invaluable.

Embrace Every Opportunity

I turn up to everything that is free or low cost. You never know what bit of gold you will get, and that’s how I look at free courses or information sessions. Whether it's a new strategy, a valuable contact, or an innovative tool, these opportunities can provide the insights and support needed to navigate the challenges of running a business.

For more information on the advisory programs, please email business.connect@service.nsw.gov.au. You can also visit the following link:

NSW Business Connect

Let's support each other through these challenging times and make the most of the resources available to us. Together, we can weather this storm and emerge stronger on the other side.

Wishing you resilience, perseverance, and moments of peace amidst the chaos.

Please Note - This is for NSW businesses only: You may need to contact your local state government to check if similar offers are available. If you know someone who owns a small business in NSW, please feel free to pass this onto them.