1 August 2024

In this newsletter - take advantage of free business mentoring, what to do if you've been hacked, support services at the Mature Age Hub and meet local business owner Voksy...

Business mentoring vouchers

Unlock your business potential with our mentoring vouchers!

Mount Alexander Shire Council is pleased to offer local business owners and entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive personalised mentoring through the Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS). Whether you're just starting out or looking to grow your business, expert guidance can make all the difference. SBMS offers a range of mentoring services, including financial management, marketing strategies, business planning, and more.

With limited vouchers available, now is the perfect time to gain valuable insights and enhance your skills. Email us business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au or call 03 5471 1745 to speak to Daniel Bone, Economic Development Coordinator, to request a voucher or learn more.

Have you been hacked?

Do you know what to do if you think you’re the victim of a cybercrime? Whether you've accidentally used a fake website, noticed unusual activity on your account or received a suspicious phone call requesting access to your device, it can be difficult knowing the right action to take. Visit The Australian Signals Directorate's Australian Cyber Security Centre Report and Recover website cyber.gov.au to help you diagnose and take action.

You can also report a cybercrime, cyber security incident or vulnerability or call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline on 1300 292 371

Mature Age Hub

Have you come across this useful resource? The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations recognises the important contribution mature workers make to the Australian workforce. You can find services and supports available to businesses employing mature age workers, and for mature age workers looking to find a job or upskill. You can also find out about the latest research on mature age employment.

Local Spotlight: Flying Fox Chauffeur Service

We recently met Voksy to learn more about his new business in the Shire.

You recently started a chauffeur service. Can you tell us a little about the business and why you decided to start it?

I offer luxury airport transfers, booked trips to wineries and restaurants, along with chauffeur rates. There is comfortable lounge-like seating for three passengers with massaging, reclining and heated rear seats plus locally made drinks and treats, and paparazzi shades. It’s my first time working since my diagnosis of c-PTSD. I love my car, and I love driving it, so due to the encouragement and support by my Castlemaine family and friends, I’ve been able to convert a passion into a viable business that doesn’t feel like work and I’m loving every minute of it!

Can you share some of the biggest challenges you've faced so far and how you've overcome them? 

The initial big challenge for me was dealing with disability support pension/Centrelink. They are not geared towards business ownership, so liaising with them will be an ongoing process. I soon began feeling overwhelmed by the mass of challenges - how to get clients, building a website, what support exists to help me, can I actually cope? How much do I charge? So I reached out to Castlemaine Community House and Ell referred me onto Mount Alexander Shire where Daniel Bone and Jessica McNamara were an immense help. Connecting me with a local business mentor Darren Kerby, and also signing up to Business Mount Alexander (BMA), where I met a number of local business owners who immediately took to what I am offering. If it wasn’t for these supports I would not be anywhere near where I am now and would certainly have drowned in overwhelm.

What strategies have you used to attract your first clients, and which have been the most effective? 

My first port of call was Facebook! Castlemaine has a community group that welcomes businesses to share what they do, so my first post soon worked up 140 likes. I've taken a couple of bookings because of this post. Because the other two airport shuttle and transfer businesses have a much larger Google Ads budget than I could ever achieve, I realised that my $100 in Google Ads was going nowhere, so I put the next $100 into getting flyers with a handwritten “15% off first booking” offer on each one. My first letterbox drop brought in 3 bookings which paid for the next 1,000 flyers. My feet still hurt from handing these out! I lastly headed out to the local Castlemaine travel agency and have established a great relationship with them, along with meeting Castlemaine Boutique Accommodation and Millduck Strawbale B&B through connections and BMA. It’s been an equal share of effectiveness with each approach, but definitely the "15% off first booking" has been the drawcard for each strategy.

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own business in the Shire? 

Reach out and ask for help! There is a surprising wealth of resources available to new business owners that gets drowned out in the greater internet. If it wasn’t for the wonderful people at Castlemaine Community House and Mount Alexander Shire Council among other individuals, I would not be as empowered in my business as I am now. Having access to business mentoring has enabled me to direct my energy in the right place and gave me the confidence that the service and experience I am offering is where it needs to be. We also are lucky to have networking groups like BMA that not only offer a great place to meet fellow businesses and form relationships, but are also host to business education events like the recent ‘AI, Business and Marketing’ workshop. Definitely recommend becoming a member! Lastly, we are so lucky to be in such a community-oriented region. Word of mouth speaks volumes so introducing yourself, sharing your story and passion will get into the minds of the right people for your business.

How do you ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and repeat business?

My chauffeur business is geared solely around the experience. I’m not here to compete against a taxi or an airport shuttle, instead I’m here to offer an opulent and luxurious experience where people just stop and say “wow”. Sure, before every trip I thoroughly clean my car and ensure all the shiny things stay shiny…but the reality is that if this service was delivered by a self-driving AI powered car, people would still rather the real human connection and the personable approach that makes us feel at home. So I am 100% myself when welcoming people into my beautiful car and I allow my guests to make the journey what they want it to be. People either want the utility of the product or service, or they want the emotional experience of the interaction. Both offer the same final destination, but go down two vastly different roads.

Training: Generative AI and its business applications

Generative AI is here, but do you know much about how you could make it work for your business? TAFE NSW is offering a free course covering the fundamentals of generative AI and its application to various routine business functions. It covers its use in generating images and text content, with an introduction to tools readily available.

Duration: 3-5 hours
Delivery: Online (self-paced)
Cost: Free

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Mount Alexander Shire Council
email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au  web: www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges that the traditional custodians of this
land, the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples, proudly survive. We acknowledge their continued practice of custom and their close cultural, spiritual, physical, social, historical and economic relationship with the land and waters that make up
their country, which includes Mount Alexander Shire.