Regional Queensland in the spotlight for small business week

The Queensland Government will host three major events in regional Queensland as part of its 2014 Queensland Small Business Week celebrations.

2014 Queensland Business Week from 1-6 September highlights the importance of the Queensland small business sector and provides opportunities for growth.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey MP, said she will host five events in Roma, the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

“Small business employs approximately one million Queenslanders and represents about 95 percent of the state’s businesses,” Ms Stuckey said.

“The Queensland Government is committed to growing a strong and prosperous small business sector.

“I am excited about the opportunity to join some of our 400,000-strong hard-working, small businesses in celebrating 2014 Queensland Small Business Week.”

The events are:

• business panel discussion at QUT, Brisbane, Monday, 1 September

• business lunch at Brisbane City Hall, Tuesday, 2 September (launch event)

• business breakfast at Sunshine Coast University, Wednesday, 3 September

• Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth GamesTM business opportunities showcase on the Thursday, 4 September

• business lunch at Explorer’s Inn, Roma, Friday, 4 September.

The Minister will also be on the Gold Coast on Saturday, 6 September to celebrate Buy locally Saturday, a Queensland Government initiative in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland encouraging communities to support their local communities.

The event in Brisbane on Monday, 1 September will discuss how local businesses can join the small number of small business tigers in Queensland, and will be live-streamed across Queensland.

Small business tigers are small businesses that expect to grow their revenue substantially in the next 12 months.

On Tuesday, leading US Harvard business academic Professor Josh Lerner will examine Queensland’s small business performance on the world stage at a business lunch.

Sunshine Coast entrepreneurs wanting to accelerate their business can now register to hear from Tom Szaky, the CEO of TerraCycle.

TerraCycle has been described as the “Google of garbage” by the New York Times and “the coolest little start-up in America” by Inc. Magazine.

Cricketing superstar Matthew Hayden will chronicle his journey from the sporting world to successful business owner at a lunch with business owners in Roma on Friday, 5 September.

The event on the Gold Coast will be part of the celebrations for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth GamesTM.

Quick facts about Queensland’s small business:

• employs about one million people

• 403,000 small businesses in Queensland

• accounts for around 95 per cent of all Queensland business.

To find more information or to register for the events visit www.business.qld.gov.au/smallbusinessweek.