Business doesn’t have to be boring. Like writing a book, getting fit or learning to cook, throwing your nine to five, corporate life out the window and starting your own business is on a lot of New Year resolutions. If you’ve decided this is going to be the year you strike out on your own, these business talks are for you.
City of Sydney’s FREE Business 101 seminars have started up again. For the seventh year in a row, the monthly, two hour seminars will cover everything from turning a creative hobby into career to managing bumps along the road to a successful business.
This is not a Government official droning on about ROI and budgets – you’ll have the chance to meet the brains behind some of Sydney’s start up success stories, as well as City of Sydney staff who are on hand to discuss grants, DAs and licensing and all things encouraging small businesses and innovation.
The seminars are held in the evening midweek at Customs House, and simply require you to book in advance, no fee necessary. Get in quick as they do book out.
So what’s in store?
April’s upcoming seminar Consuming passions: starting a creative business is all about turning that creative passion into a successful business. Stop just giving your friends beautiful hand sewn leather bags for special occasions, start selling them! You never know, those scarves you’ve been crocheting could get a cult following.
This is not just about a market stall, although that’s where it might all start. This is about dreaming big – you’ll learn about the importance of establishing a brand, how to get it out there with marketing, and why you need to network, network, network. Or maybe you have a business you want to take to the next level? Hear from LOCO Project founder Sam George, whose portable exhibition space pops up all over Sydney. Juliet Rosser will share tips that took her Platform72 gallery from idea to flagship store. And Jaclyn Carlson from Blog Society has the insider knowledge on workshops, classes and events you should be signing up to.
More Zuckerburg than Zimmerman? If you’re watching “Silicon Valley” when you’re not developing a new app, sign up for the May Business 101 seminar now. Plug in your tech start-up gets you in the room with the brains behind Airtasker, Maestrano and General Assembly. There’s plenty to learn, even if you’re already well on the way to Steve Jobs-style status. Tim Fung launched Airtasker back in 2011 and today his team of 30 manage the online jobs market place and its $20 million worth of jobs. He’s got inside knowledge on how to get eyeballs, customers and funding. Stephane Ibos co-founded Maestrano, a small business tech solution service provider, and has plenty of tips to share on following your dream from start up to viable business. And General Assembly’s Ryan Meyer is on hand to share opportunities for up skilling that might help you blaze that path to glory.
That’s just April and May – seminars throughout the year cover everything from creating cult status to managing road blocks.
Can’t make it? Don’t worry, head over to City of Sydney’s website to download vodcasts of the seminars. You’ll miss out on the networking and light refreshments after each session, but at least you’ll still pick up a few gems from the start up savvy experts.
City of Sydney Business 101 Seminars
FREE Registration here
This is a sponsored post by innovation lovers City of Sydney
Rainy Sunday
Black Star Pastry
A trio of sliders and a bowl of chips, with a bucket of Rochdale ciders is a trifecta. Just keep an eye out for the seagulls, which like to try their luck dive-bombing the burger buns. The chicken schnitzel, cheese and tomato slider goes down a treat with a pear cider, and the beef, cheddar and sour pickle slider is sublime with the simple sweetness of tree-ripened apples of the Classic Apple cider.
Ask the bartender for the Rochdale cider cocktail – rye whiskey, peach shrub, dashes of absinthe, topped off with the balanced dryness of the Classic Pear cider, it will kick off your night on a nice, fruity tone that’s got none of the sickly sweetness of some cocktails. After all, there are no added nasties in Rochdale cider – that’s right, no added sugar or preservatives.
A trio of caramelised BBQ pork belly buns with radish and pickle is the perfect accompaniment as the pickles give the pork a real zing. Who doesn’t love an in-house made char siu bao?
