Announced earlier this year, the Small Business Digital Champions Project is an Australian Government initiative to help Australian small businesses thrive in the digital world.
Some quick facts for you:
- Around 99 per cent of all Australian businesses are small businesses
- These businesses contribute $393 billion annually to the Australian economy.
- Approximately half the Australian private sector workforce (5.7 million people) are employed by small businesses.
Using digital tools, such as online marketing or e-commerce, small businesses can expand into new markets, including overseas, and attract additional customers.
Deloitte’s Access Economics Connected Small Businesses 2017 Report found when small businesses are digitally engaged, they are:
- 50 per cent more likely to be growing revenue.
- Eight times more likely to be creating jobs.
- Seven times more likely to be exporting.
- 14 times more likely to be innovating new products and services.
As part of the Small Business Digital Champions project, 100 small businesses will receive a comprehensive digital transformation, with up to $18,500 in digital support, and additional products and services from corporate partners.
15 of these small businesses have been selected to become Digital Champions and paired with a high-profile Australian innovator or leader who will provide advice and guide them on their journey.
This is a fantastic opportunity for small businesses across Australia and will be of particular significance to any non-technical founders who are part of the project.
The Australian Government and Meeum want to make it easier for small businesses to engage with digital technology and unlock their potential, to help them be more effective, competitive and ultimately, more profitable.
Some of the other Small Business Digital Champion corporate partners include Facebook, Optus, Canon and Xero. We’re humbled and delighted to have been asked to partner as well.
We’re proud to help empower small business owners in all things digital through this important government program.
We’ll be supporting business owners to:
- Hold their own when hiring digital suppliers.
- Learn the digital lingo and use it to their advantage.
- Discover how to articulate their technical needs.
Across the coming year, we will be sharing the work we do with this project and the outcomes for small business.
Learn more about the Small Business Digital Champions Project.
For over fifteen years, Elyse has worked to build thriving companies. She has spent her career nurturing organisations, their culture and the people within them.
She has founded and exited her...