BUSINESSINBRISBANE EDITION 19: OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2018 PAGE 2
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The Capital Brisbane Innovate 2018
Supplier Portal Future Food Brisbane
Christmas in Brisbane Economic Snapshot
THIS MONTH’S CASE STUDY
BALLISTIC BEER CO. READ MORE ON THE BACK
THE CAPITAL TURNS TWO
A MESSAGE FROM LORD MAYOR GRAHAM QUIRK
Brisbane’s startup hub, The Capital, turns two in October and continues to drive investment and jobs.
Supporting small business and nurturing innovation means a strong Brisbane economy with more jobs. One way Council does this is by providing convenient and practical support for local businesses.
Since opening, The Capital has raised more than $15 million in investment for our city, created 185 jobs and become home to 125 businesses. The Capital is a $5 million co-working space in the CBD where startups can connect and collaborate with government, corporate customers and partners. The creation of The Capital is part of our commitment to nurture Brisbane’s startup and small business community, and create new and innovative jobs.
133 BNE
Our Inclusive Brisbane Professional Advice Alliance gives social enterprise, community and not-for-profit organisations access to free professional business advice. Small Business Forums are a great source of practical tips from industry experts, while Supplier Communication Forums offer information on Council’s tenders. Details of upcoming forums are inside this edition. Celebrating two years in October, The Capital has given startups, entrepreneurs and developing businesses access to affordable co-working spaces, networking opportunities and shared expertise – raising more than $15 million in investment and creating 185 jobs in the process. Innovation is critical to our economic growth. Brisbane Innovate returns in November, bringing together government, industry, academia and the community to develop new solutions for Brisbane’s challenges, we hope to see you there. Graham Quirk LORD MAYOR
@brisbanecityqld
BrisbaneCityCouncil
BrisbaneCityCouncil
Brisbane Innovate 2017
BRISBANE’S INNOVATION HUB – THE CAPITAL Occupying three floors at 155 Queen Street in the CBD, The Capital is a supportive and affordable co-working space for startups, entrepreneurs and developing businesses. Run by two foundation tenants, it also offers professional support services including legal and accounting advice, workshops and networking opportunities. Fishburners, on Level 3, specialises in supporting early tech startups, while Little Tokyo Two, on Level 4, focuses on growing established businesses. Level 2 is a community space for events.
WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR IDEAS Brisbane Innovate 2018 will be held on Wednesday 7 November at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. If you or your business have a big idea that makes Brisbane better, we’d love to see you there.
Grabba International is one of 125 businesses based at The Capital. The company designs and manufactures security hardware and set up its research and development team at The Capital in September 2017. It recently participated in a pitch event organised by Brisbane Marketing involving 12 South East Queensland councils. The pitch led to a second presentation with one council and a proof of concept trial of a number of Grabba’s scanning technologies. For more information on The Capital or to book a tour or event, email info@digitalbrisbane.com.au
The annual event is part of Council’s commitment to building the local economy while creating new and innovative jobs. It brings together government, industry, academia and the community to come up with new solutions for citywide challenges. The event features a keynote speaker, an expert panel and a roundtable session where participants work together on ideas to progress. Cat Matson, Brisbane’s Chief Digital Officer, says the event is designed to empower participants. “Innovation is organic – it’s driven by people and their personal values, skills and passions. Brisbane Innovate is an opportunity for Council to outline challenges and then for participants to meet, collaborate and seize new opportunities and ideas.” For more information and to book, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au/ brisbaneinnovate
Networking opportunities at The Capital
CELEBRATING AND HONOURING OUR DIVERSE BUSINESS COMMUNITY Brisbane’s business leaders came together recently for the 2018 Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards. The event, held at City Hall, saw Fiona Kee named Multicultural Business Person of the Year, Mathew Tsin honoured as the Multicultural Entrepreneur of the Year and Kim Zoulek named the Nick Xynias Multicultural Young Business Person of the Year. The Hong Kong Australia Business Association (Queensland) Awards are also being held in Brisbane on Friday 5 October, while the India Australia Business & Community Awards will be held on Friday 12 October. Registrations are also now open for the 2019 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum, the region’s premier summit for driving economic growth for Brisbane and the wider Asia Pacific region. Visit apcsummit.org
GOING ONLINE IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS A recent Telstra Small Business Intelligence Report revealed small businesses underestimate the importance of being online. Of those surveyed, 50% of customers won’t consider using a business if they don’t have a website, while only 50% of small businesses have a website. When it comes to social media, 66% of businesses have a Facebook page, with most updating it once per week, but 65% of customers visit Facebook at least once per day.
STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH TENDER OPPORTUNITIES Did you know you can sign up to receive email notifications of upcoming tenders advertised by Council? If you are a supplier of products or services, register with our Supplier Portal to receive alerts including expressions of interest and requests for proposals, tenders and quotes. Current tenders are listed on our website, but the Supplier Portal gives you access to view tender details and submit your responses. You can also use the portal to track invoice payments. Visit our website and search for ‘Supplier Portal’ for more information, including Supplier Portal training. You can also contact our Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263) for help navigating the portal.
“There are significant gaps between what customers want and what small business is providing, and a huge potential for small businesses to increase their customer base,” says Terri Cooper, Brisbane Marketing’s Small Business Liaison Officer. “Going online can be daunting from a resources, budget and time perspective, but it doesn’t have to be. Even the simplest website can translate into sales and growth.” Digital Brisbane’s practical podcasts, online presentations and workshops are delivered by industry experts and can help you get your business online. Visit digitalbrisbane.com.au Boost sales with a website
Sell your products and services to Council
FREE EXPERT ADVICE TO GROW YOUR ORGANISATION Are you part of a social enterprise, community organisation or not-for-profit? Council’s Inclusive Brisbane Professional Advice Alliance provides tailored, free advice to help you grow your organisation and manage day-to-day operations. Industry professionals across a range of areas can advise on planning and strategy, legal and insurance matters, fundraising and much more. To find out more about the Alliance or to book an appointment, call 3403 8888 or email inclusivebrisbane@brisbane.qld.gov.au
BUILD YOUR FOOD INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECTIONS Brisbane Marketing’s new Future Food Brisbane program is designed to help local food businesses grow and reach global markets. The program, part of the city’s strategy to drive investment and job growth in the food and agribusiness sector, focuses on providing information, advice, mentoring and industry connections through a range of workshops and events run by industry experts. Visit futurefoodbrisbane.com.au for more information.
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS IN BRISBANE Brisbane Marketing’s 2018 Christmas in Brisbane program will give locals and visitors plenty to see and do while boosting the local economy. The program kicks off with the Lord Mayor’s lighting of the Brisbane City Christmas Tree in King George Square at the end of November. Festivities in the CBD will continue with the Gold Lotto City Hall Lights nightly show and the David Jones Christmas Parade in December. Over in South Bank, the Christmas Village will feature a gift market, carols, outdoor movie screenings and festive lighting. Roma Street Parkland’s popular Enchanted Garden light installation, which was seen by 55,000 visitors last year, will be expanded across the park this year. Brisbane Marketing welcomes feedback and interest from local businesses on future Christmas programs.
Christmas tree in King George Square
FAIR WORK LAW MADE EASY If you are one of Queensland’s 405,000 small or medium businesses, you could be at risk if you haven’t read the Fair Work Act. According to the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland (CCIQ), more than 3000 SMEs had claims filed against them last year for failing to follow the national legislation. To help avoid the costly pitfalls of not meeting your employer obligations outlined in the 540+ page document, CCIQ has written the Definitive Guide to Employing Staff. The 20-page document summarises your rights so you can make informed decisions about human resources, from recruitment and managing performance to workplace health and safety.
SENSIBLE SECURITY TIPS TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS SAFE Operating your own business is hard work. You invest a lot of time, sweat and resources into building your business, but how much of that has been allocated to security? How are you protecting the business you have worked so hard to build? If you run a business with merchandise on display and cash coming in, consider security measures in and around your premises including door and window locks, removable shelves, a safe, signage and CCTV, which can act as a deterrent. Web security is as important as physical security – for some businesses, more important. To help you, Digital Brisbane (digitalbrisbane.com.au) has developed a host of tips and articles. The Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (asbfeo.gov.au) has also produced The Small Business Cyber Security Best Practice Guide. This financial year, Council has earmarked $4 million for crime prevention. In addition to CCTV and safe street lighting, Council officers, trained in crime prevention and safety audits, advise on public safety issues affecting public precincts and business centres.
It also includes a section on policies to protect your business, including performance management, social media, drugs and alcohol, employee confidentiality, trade restrictions and intellectual property. The guide is easy to read (jargon free), which is good news if like most SMEs you are time poor. The guide is normally $99, but you can download it for free from cciq.com.au ”Small business people are hard-working and dedicated. But while you might be a specialist in your field, you can’t possibly know everything about Australia’s complex IR and HR laws.” – CCIQ
Security cameras are an effective deterrent
BRISBANE ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT KEY FACT HIGHLIGHTS
$162 BILLION GREATER BRISBANE ECONOMY
198,863 GREATER BRISBANE BUSINESSES Our universities are globally recognised for their research
2,408,223 GREATER BRISBANE POPULATION
1,240,878 GREATER BRISBANE EMPLOYMENT
1,622,626 GREATER BRISBANE EMPLOYMENT FORECAST 2041
24,539 GREATER BRISBANE EMPLOYMENT IN TERTIARY EDUCATION (2016)
For the full Brisbane Economic Snapshot, please visit brisbane.qld.gov.au/business and search ‘Economic Snapshot’. SOURCES Brisbane City Council uses a range of sources (available at time of print) to compile this information, including Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and Queensland Treasury.
BENCHMARKING BRISBANE Australia is globally recognised for its quality of research and tertiary institutions. Brisbane is leading the way with world-class universities including The University of Queensland (UQ), Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Griffith University delivering high-quality education and research. UQ is ranked in the global top 50 in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking and received a five-star rating for research grants and research intensity in the Good Universities Guide 2016. QUT has a global reputation as a leading Australian university and is one of the top 25 young universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, while Griffith University ranks in the top 40. To ensure that Brisbane remains globally competitive in education and research, it is important that the city attracts the right talent. Employment in tertiary education has increased 12% from 2011 to 2016. Brisbane is a destination of choice for international students, with international education representing a key export market for the city. The 2016 Census notes a 30% increase over five years in the number of international students living in Brisbane. Students choose the city because of its high-quality education institutions and student accommodation, as well as the friendly, safe and subtropical lifestyle. For more information on Brisbane’s global performance in research, innovation, lifestyle and growth, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘Benchmarking Brisbane’.
TOP 5 INDUSTRIES BY EMPLOYED PEOPLE – MAY 2018 Industry division Health Care and Social Assistance
Brisbane LGA
Greater Brisbane
129,971
179,371
Retail Trade
89,470
129,163
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
83,430
105,613
Education and Training
77,578
106,354
Construction
76,058
117,088
EVENTS
AT A GLANCE
12 October – Investing in Queensland’s Tourism Industry Breakfast Briefing – Capitalise on our booming tourism industry, 7-9.30am, Pullman Brisbane, King George Square, various prices, amcham.com.au 17 October – Lord Mayor’s Small Business Forum – Join the Lord Mayor, network and share knowledge, 5.45-8.15pm, The Glen Hotel, Eight Mile Plains, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 24 October – Supplier Communication Forum – Work with Council, 5.30-8pm, Virginia Conference Centre, Boondall, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 29 October – Thrive Online with a Digital Marketing Strategy – SEO, Google AdWords and social media, 9am-1.30pm, CQUniversity Brisbane, free, cciq.com.au 30 October – Talk to a Planner – Understand how Brisbane City Plan 2014 relates to you, 12 noon-2pm and 5-7pm, City Hall, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 14 November – Lord Mayor’s Small Business Forum – Network and share knowledge, 5.45-8.15pm, Souths Leagues Club, West End, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au
W IN
16 October – Email Marketing for Small Business – A Power Up Small Business workshop, 5.30-8pm, Calamvale Hotel Suites & Conference Centre, $35+GST, digitalbrisbane.com.au
We have five tickets to give away. Search ‘Business in Brisbane newsletter’ on our website to enter. Entries close on 10 October.
Brisbane City Council GPO Box 1434, Brisbane Qld 4001
Industry Brewing Location Salisbury Employees 20 Years operating 2 Beer varieties 4 Beer produced in first year 250,000 L Stockists 350+
CASE STUDY
BALLISTIC BEER CO David Kitchen is the founder of Ballistic Beer Co, a local success story brewed in Salisbury.
to investors by that point. They introduced more friends and soon we had the necessary funds.
Combining his role of CEO with that of Chief Beer Taster, David is toasting nearly two years of business success in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
“I like beer! I worked as a chartered accountant, banker and diplomat, but chucked it in to run a chain of home brew stores. A lot of the home brewers were really good, but the costs involved with going commercial made it quite prohibitive for them,” he explains. “When the opportunity came up to establish my own brewery and create great beer, I jumped at it! We had an incredible first year of trading, with four gold medals for our beers, nominations for Best Bartender and Best Brewer at The Beeries awards, and we grew our team from two to 20.” HOW DID YOU RAISE THE CAPITAL FOR YOUR VENTURE? I spent some time working in Hong Kong and brought a couple of friends I made there on board with the project. I’d spent two years writing the entire business case and researching properties to present
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CA17-639217-06-3744 ©2018 Brisbane City Council
Staying on top of the wave. As recently as 2014, there were relatively few breweries in Brisbane. Now we’ve seen two open within 2 km in just the past six months. Customer awareness is high now, but so is competition, so we work hard to stay ahead. WOULD YOU HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY? We’re still trying to nail down our vision and business mission. It would have been great to nut it out on day one rather than later. It’s important to ensure everyone is buying into the same thing. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? In short, growing! We are focussing on aggressive growth, but in a structured way. We are looking at ‘10 times’ growth over the next five years, and two years before going international. Visit ballisticbeer.com.au
133 BNE (133 263) Council Business Hotline 3403 8888 Council Contact Centre economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au brisbane.qld.gov.au