Think Local Launch Event! 

A FREE business event for Frankston City businesses! Join us in launching our Think Local Month with some food, drinks and networking at the new Red Gum BBQ at Home in Seaford on 5 March from 5pm - 7pm. Celebrate all things Frankston City business with us, discover what the month of events will entail such as workshops and business growth education sessions, all run by local small business experts, a Small Business Expo showcasing up to 50 Frankston City businesses, and the $1,000 business grants (opening 4 March) you could access to help stimulate the local economy and build new collaborations, plus hear from special guest speakers. Businesses will also have the opportunity to network with a number of other fellow local businesses too! Places are limited, registration essential.  

Think Local Small Business Expo 

Frankston City Council will be hosting a Small Business Expo at the Frankston Arts Centre on 26 March from 3pm - 7pm as part of Think Local Month. The expo will showcase a range of businesses from a number of different industries including retail, IT, business and more and is open to the public. All businesses exhibiting will be registered Frankston City businesses as the expo is designed to highlight the diversity and quality of businesses we have right here in Frankston. Whether you are a Frankston City business, worker or member of the community, Frankston City has everything you need. All members of the community are welcome and entry is free. To find out more about the expo, visit Frankston.vic.gov.au/thinklocal or email business@frankston.vic.gov.au.

Think Local music! 

There’s nothing like the sounds of a live musician or an entertainer to activate a shopping precinct, so we are bringing the local artists for the  community to enjoy! Local musicians will be popping up at various shopping strips around the city (outside the city centre) such as at Frankston North, Seaford, Carrum Downs and Frankston South.  The performers will be at the locations on weekdays and weekends in March. The outdoor entertainment is designed to not only entice shoppers to the areas but also to showcase some of our very own Frankston City talented artists, including music students ready to show the world their sounds!  Stay tuned (pun intended!) to see where and when to get your free shopping entertainment so you can see what incredible talent we have right in Frankston City. Calendar coming soon.

Think Local Workshops

We are running 21 (yes 21!) FREE business training workshops throughout Think Local Month to help small businesses of all industries upscale and grow!  Whether you would like to learn more about Google advertising, Artificial Intelligence (AI), business start-up, branding and even a builders and trades series, there's something for everyone! Here's the first few workshops, all held in Frankston City by local industry experts; 
4 March: Grow Your Business - Strategic Business Advice
4 March: International Women's Day - Count her In! 
5 March: Business Start-Up Session 
5 March: Small Business Banking Lunchbox Session 
6 March: AI - A Game Changer for Small Business. 
Check out the calendar and book now!

Hiring Outside the Box 

Looking for quality, local and reliable staff? ⁠If your recruitment practices aren't finding you the right candidates, it's time to discover new ways of recruiting and diversifying your workforce through the Hiring Outside the Box Program. Learn more about the program before you sign up in a local in-person information session hosted by Frankston City Council, MAS National and Workforce Australia. ⁠The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations program focuses on alternative recruitment practices to develop your workforce and enables you to build your recruitment toolkit and we want you to access all it's benefits! 
Wednesday 21 February, 
Frankston City Council, Civic Centre⁠
30 Davey Street, Frankston⁠
You'll learn how the program can teach you to implement practical strategies when hiring, including the benefits of tapping into new pools of talent, and hiring a diverse and inclusive team. We can also help you sign up! Bookings essential.

Chisholm students paint the town! 

Six vacant shopfront windows in Frankston City have been dressed in local art thanks to a group of Chisholm Arts and Design students! So far, the artworks can be found on Nepean Hwy, Station Street and Wells Street. The Frankston students have created 16 decal designs to go on windows to help promote shop vacancies and attract potential businesses to the spaces.
The initiative is part of the Frankston City Vacant Shopfront Activation Program and also gives students the opportunity to exhibit their designs publicly. The decals accompany the name of the student who designed the artwork and a QR code with information about the site such as size and features. The Economic Development Team are keen to engage with other landlords with shopfronts inside and outside the city centre to find homes for the other student's designs and to make this an ongoing program. 

Business Accelerator Workshop 

Considering self-employment as an option but don't know where to start? Or perhaps you need to refresh your existing business plan? Join our FREE two day Business Plan Accelerator Workshop held on 14 and 15 February at Frankston City Council, Civic Centre, Davey Street, Frankston! Run by Transcend, supported by Workforce Australia, this program is designed to accelerate and develop a business plan to support your goals and objectives. 
Get a tailored plan that can be reviewed by one of the experienced business advisors - ready for you to start executing.  You may also be eligible for free ongoing support from one of Transcend's business advisors. Registrations are essential and places are limited so get booking and get ready to reach your business potential!  

Waterfront Festival 

The Waterfront Festival is back!  One of many amazing events run by Frankston City Council, the Waterfront Festival celebrates Summer by the Bay in the most epic way! Held on the waterfront, the free event is held over two jam-packed days, Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 February. Enjoy two live music stages, free activities and entertainment for the kids, food trucks, garden bars, a beer, wine and spirits trail, market stalls (including some of our fellow Frankston City businesses!) rides and amusements galore! There's also a colourful fireworks display on the Saturday night which draws a huge crowd! Could you see your business being a part of this sensational major event or any others that Frankston City hosts in the future? See below for more details about Waterfront Festival or to find out more about how you can get involved in Council events express your interest here. 

Frankston City represents! 

We will be exhibiting at the Comm Bank Small Business Expo on 29 and 30 May at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). We will be talking all things Frankston City and showcasing the benefits of opening a business here, including the support services available from a supportive and progressive Council. CommBank Small Business Expo 2024 is a vibrant marketplace for SMEs, and is an event to showcase, network, build connections, meet with potential suppliers and discover new tools and tech to drive your business forward. We look forward to highlighting Frankston City and putting it on the map as THE place to work, live, visit, invest and do business! 

Frankston Grant Finder 

Reminder to always be on the look out for funding to help your business grow!
Get the details of all relevant grants you could apply for all in one spot with Frankston Grant Finder. We've partnered with Grant Guru to provide FREE access to their tool and fast and relevant information on over 1,353 grants worth $63.8B. 
* Free email alerts
* Favourites: save grants to a shortlist
* Prioritise: assign a priority to a grant
* Diarise: keep track of dates
* Track: organise by application stage
This tool helps Frankston City businesses, community groups and individuals, find and access funding from Federal, State and Local Government, plus grants from corporate and philanthropic organisations. Grant Guru also list rebates, concessions, awards, scholarships and more.

Happy bday Lisa's Lacies!

Happy 30th birthday to Seaford business Lisa's Lacies! From humble beginnings in 1994 the business started in owner Lisa's Frankston North home and is now Australia's only specialist retailer and manufacturer of curvy and plus-size women's clothing, lingerie and accessories in sizes 8-40+. People from all over the world travel to buy from Lisa's Lacies, which is now in 
Klauer Street, (previously Hartnett Drive) Seaford, as the store has sizes to fit all shapes! "I absolutely love the people of Frankston City and am so happy that I happened to pick Frankston City to start my business," Lisa said. Lisa's Lacies will be celebrating with a birthday party this Saturday, 10 February. 

Mentor Program 

Our amazing panel of Business Mentors are providing Frankston City businesses with FREE business coaching and support.  With backgrounds in various industries, including hospitality, construction, manufacturing, retail, marketing and more, our business mentors can offer advice and guidance on updating your business plan, accounting, finance, operations, general business growth solutions and much more. Available to all Frankston City registered businesses, our Business Mentor Program offers two FREE one-hour mentor sessions with one of our 12 mentors. Get in touch today to learn how you and your business can benefit from this fantastic free service. 

Partners in Wellbeing Webinar Series 

Partners in Wellbeing are hosting a series of webinars titled: Women in Small Business Balancing Work and Home Life. Designed to provide a platform for small business owners to connect and share experiences with other like-minded women who juggle work and home life, the series runs monthly from 14 February. Topics include: 
Self-doubt, Self-care, Finding time for self care as a mother, carer, spouse/ partner while running a small business, Managing mental health: when basic self-care isn’t enough, what signs to look out for and where to get help and Keeping your eye on the prize – what can you do when your connection to your business seems to be losing its spark?

Business Concierge 

A reminder about our Business Concierge is a free service to help guide you as you start or grow your business.  We know that navigating through Council can be difficult and businesses may need one or more permits to start operating or to expand. The Business Concierge can help with the following;

• Providing information to help open or expand your business 
• Understanding which permits you will need 
• Completing and submitting these applications 
• Offering advice on other aspects of running your business
• Connecting you with our FREE business mentor program
• Get in touch with our experienced concierge today

FBC Feb Networking 

Frankston Business Collective (FBC) are hosting their next monthly networking night on Wednesday, 28 February at Wagalot, 85b Clifton Grove, Carrum Downs from 5.30pm - 7.30pm. Make new connections and have a fun evening with other local business people. Enjoy a delicious BBQ, some drinks and the company of uplifting, energetic, like-minded business owners! This event is also a special treat for the dog lovers amongst us! Cost is free for FBC members and $25 for non-members. 

Packing Conference 

Australasia’s Processing and Packaging Expo is 12-15 March at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. An exhibition that aims to represent all sectors of the industry, including machinery, ancillary equipment, materials and packaging, food processing and industry services. It will provide a comprehensive range of all processing and packaging equipment and services under one roof. There will be an exhibition, networking, seminars, a Meat Industry Day, excellence awards and more.