Industry & Investment NSW's (I&INSW) Small Business mentoring program Stepping Up is a program that links small business owners across New South Wales to build profit, create jobs and promote exports. It provides a path to new skills as well as to developing growth plans and strategies. It is designed to equip business owners to face the challenges of today's highly-competitive, rapidly-changing global marketplace.
The Stepping Up Program is for established business owners with a commitment to growing their enterprises. It provides direct access to an experienced business person to guide the way to profitable growth.
The Stepping Up Program recognises that after business start-up, the next critical phase is for the owner to decide ‘how, where, when and what’ resources to commit to expansion. This is the time when the ‘voice of experience’ is invaluable. And it is even more essential that the advisor has no vested interest.
Business owners accepted into the Stepping Up Program will participate in a business development program for up to three months. There are various programs run throughout the year.
The Stepping Up Program will establish vital skills and introduce participants to networking with other groups of business owners.
The Stepping Up Program has two core components:
The Stepping Up workshops
The Stepping Up Program includes at least 10 hours of small, group workshops and seminars on topics like cash-flow management, costing/pricing, marketing, risk management, strategic planning and innovation planning. The topics – customised to participant needs – will be set down before the start of each Stepping Up Program.
The Stepping Up mentor
The Stepping Up Program will match each participant to an experienced business person (your mentor) who will be screened and assessed by I&INSW.
Your mentor will be available for at least 10 hours over the course of the program to assist in developing strategies to overcome a business hurdle or pursue business opportunities. You will be encouraged to test and bounce ideas off your Stepping Up mentor.
Your mentor will also show how to focus on ‘big picture’ issues your business faces – not always easy to see, when running a busy enterprise.
Note that the Stepping Up mentor will not offer professional advice or consulting services.
Focussed help for your business
The Stepping Up Program is not a ‘feel good’ personal coaching program. But it is designed to help resolve identified business issues or pursue chosen opportunities. Its purpose is to build new skills that you will apply after the program.
What will it cost?
Entry fee for the Young Entrepreneurs program is $200.00. The NSW Government makes an additional contribution $1,250.00. Entry into the Advance program is $2,500.00 and the NSW Government matches that with an additional $2,500.00.
Eligibility criteria
To join the Stepping Program, a business must meet all of eight criteria. It must:
- Be NSW-based
- Have been in business for at least two years
- Provide financial reports covering at least two years and which show the business profitable and with a positive balance of assets over liabilities
- Have a turnover of between $200,000 and $10 million a year.
- Employ at least one person in addition to the owner
- Identify a business goal or hurdle to be addressed by the program
- Be prepared to enter an agreement with I&INSW to progress recommendations resulting from the Stepping Up Program
- Cooperate with I&INSW monitoring, surveys and promotional opportunities for up to two years after the project is complete.
Note that not all eligible businesses may be accepted into the Stepping Up Program.
More Information
For more information about joining a particular mentor program as a mentoree view the upcoming stepping up programs and contact the the mentoring contractor.
For other information or to express your interest in becoming either a mentor or mentoree please enquire using the enquiry form.