There’s some welcome news for small business owners across NSW.
The NSW Government has launched its new Small Business Advisory Program, giving eligible business owners access to up to four hours of free one-on-one business advice each financial year, along with practical support and business resources.
Western Sydney Business Centre is pleased to be delivering advisory services as part of the program’s initial six-month phase, helping small businesses across NSW access experienced support when they need it.
And importantly, this isn’t just for businesses that are struggling. Whether you’re starting a business, looking to grow, working through a challenge or simply need a second opinion before making your next move, the program is designed to give you practical support that relates to your business.
What is the Small Business Advisory Program?
The Small Business Advisory Program is a NSW Government initiative designed to make professional business advice more accessible to small business owners.
Eligible businesses and people looking to start a business can access up to four hours of free, one-on-one advice with an experienced business advisor each financial year.
Depending on the advisor and location, sessions can be held in person, online or over the phone.
Your four hours can be used to work through the areas that matter most to your business. Rather than following a set formula, your advisory sessions are based on what’s happening in your business and where you need support.
You might want help with:
- Business planning – starting a business, setting goals, planning for growth or working out your next steps
- Marketing – reaching more customers, understanding your target market and improving your marketing strategy
- Finance – cash flow, pricing, revenue and understanding the financial health of your business
- Staffing – preparing to employ staff, managing a growing team or understanding your responsibilities
- Digital skills – making better use of technology, online tools, AI and cybersecurity in your business
Sometimes you know exactly what you need help with. Other times, you just know something in the business isn’t quite working.
That’s where having an experienced business advisor to talk things through with can help.
You can meet our Small Business Advisors here and find someone whose experience suits the areas you’d like help with.
More than one-to-one business advice
The Small Business Advisory Program also gives NSW small businesses access to a range of additional support, including business workshops, webinars, networking opportunities and online learning resources.
Topics will cover practical areas of running and growing a small business, giving owners opportunities to build their knowledge, connect with other businesses and keep up with changes affecting the small business community.
Who is eligible for free business advice in NSW?
The program is available to people who own or operate a small business in NSW, as well as people who are thinking about starting a business.
For businesses with an ABN, eligibility generally applies to a small business with:
- less than $10 million in aggregated turnover, or
- fewer than 20 full-time equivalent employees.
Dedicated support is also available for multicultural business owners.
You can read the full eligibility information and answers to common questions on the Service NSW Small Business Advisory Program FAQs.
Built around what NSW small businesses asked for
The new program follows a review of small business support in NSW led by Mark Bouris AM, which heard from more than 3,000 small business owners and stakeholders.
One of the clear messages from the review was that small business owners value practical, personalised advice from experienced people, but cost, time and knowing where to turn can often make getting that support difficult.
The new Small Business Advisory Program has been designed with those needs in mind, combining personalised business advice with workshops, online support and resources.
For a small business owner, sometimes what you need most isn’t another article or checklist. You need someone who can look at your particular situation, help you make sense of your options and work out what to do next.
What can you ask a small business advisor?
You don’t need to arrive at your first session with a detailed business plan or even a perfectly defined problem.
Your four hours of one-on-one advice can be used to work through the questions, challenges or opportunities that are most relevant to your business.
Your questions could be as simple as:
Is my pricing right?
How can I attract more customers?
Why am I making sales but still struggling with cash flow?
Is it time to employ someone?
Which marketing activities should I actually be focusing on?
Could AI or other digital tools save me time?
I have too many ideas. Where should I start?
These are exactly the kinds of conversations a business advisory session can help with.
Your advisor can help you step outside the day-to-day running of your business, look at what’s happening more objectively and identify practical next steps.
Our Small Business Advisors bring experience across a wide range of industries and business areas, so you can connect with an advisor who suits your needs.
Free small business support across NSW
Running a small business can mean making a lot of decisions on your own. Having access to four hours of free one-on-one advice gives you the opportunity to sit down with an experienced advisor, bounce around ideas, troubleshoot problems and look at where your business could go next.
Western Sydney Business Centre has a long history of supporting small businesses, and we’re looking forward to continuing that work through the new NSW Small Business Advisory Program.
Whether you’re starting out, planning your next stage of growth or dealing with a challenge in your existing business, there’s no need to figure everything out on your own.
Ready to get started?
The Small Business Advisory Program is now open, giving eligible NSW small businesses and people looking to start a business access to up to four hours of free one-on-one business advice each financial year.
If you’ve been putting off getting business advice because of cost, or you simply want an experienced second set of eyes on your business, now is a great time to take advantage of the support available.
Meet our Small Business Advisors and find the right advisor for your business.
Want to learn more about the program first? Visit the NSW Government Small Business Advisory Program page for eligibility, program details and further information.
