Business in Brisbane Edition 1 - March to June 2015 A message from Lord Mayor Graham Quirk As Lord Mayor I am committed to supporting local businesses and stimulating economic growth for the city. With this in mind, Brisbane City Council has created Business in Brisbane, a new quarterly newsletter developed especially for Brisbane businesses. Each edition will provide valuable information and advice, as well as details of all the support services Council offers and the various events and forums we host throughout the year to help grow and strengthen your business. Some of the issues covered in this edition include Council’s tendering process and how to apply for a food licence – one of the most enquired about topics received by Council’s Business Hotline (133 BNE). In November, Brisbane will host the G20 Leaders Summit. This event will be an important showcase for the city with significant international media coverage. The economic benefits to Brisbane are expected to run in excess of $100 million, with the event reinforcing Brisbane’s status as a world class destination for business, tourism and investment. I hope you enjoy reading this first edition. Graham Quirk LORD MAYOR Practical advice to grow your business Looking for ways to grow your business and take the next step? Get tips from the experts. Hear from some of Brisbane’s most successful entrepreneurs and business owners as they share practical tips and advice at the Lord Mayor’s Business Forums and Business Excellence Workshops. The sessions are free and are held regularly. Business Forums also have experienced Council officers on hand to answer questions on everything from local laws to licensing. For more information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/businessinbrisbane Learn from local business identities. Watch Brisbane’s Business Masterclass videos online at www.brisbane.qld. gov.au/businessinbrisbane Get mentored by an expert. Join an experienced mentor and other business people to share ideas and solve everyday business issues. Go to www.beroundtable.com.au Get informed. Council regularly sends out industry and market information and has programs which can help you grow your business. To subscribe to updates, email economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263). Tender opportunities Businesses interested in selling goods or services to Council should sign up to the Online Supplier Portal. Products and services from businesses of all sizes are regularly required and last financial year more than 450 tenders were awarded through our online systems. Opportunities are varied and range from supply of plumbing goods, labour hire, cafes and coffee cart operations to training services and trade contracts for minor and major projects. As a starting point, applicants should read the specification requirements to see how their organisation can meet Council’s needs. If there is a match, study the Request for Tender documentation before applying and ensure you answer all relevant sections in detail. For tendering tips or to sign up for the Online Supplier Portal and receive email updates, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263). Do I need a food business licence? Home-based food businesses and market stalls are becoming increasingly popular among entrepreneurs or food businesses looking to expand. Last financial year, Council responded to more than 1440 food business licence enquiries. Home-based food businesses that prepare food for sale at markets and cafes or for catering require a licence. They may also need kitchen modifications to ensure commercial fit-out standards are met, and that food preparation and storage areas are secured from children and pets. If this is not an option, residents can apply for a temporary food stall licence, where food is prepared onsite at a market or event. A licence is not required for the sale of tea, coffee, packaged food or non-hazardous snack food like biscuits, cakes, confectionary or whole fruit. Some exemptions also exist for infrequent not-for-profit fundraising activities like sausage sizzles. Licence fees range from $1010 to $3616 depending on the size of premises, and apply to both home-based and ‘pop-up’ food businesses. One-off temporary food stall licences cost between $225 and $312. For a checklist of conditions, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263). Take your business overseas Entrepreneurs and businesspeople looking to grow their business internationally are encouraged to register their interest in attending the upcoming Lord Mayoral business mission to the Brisbane sister cities of Hyderabad and Abu Dhabi, with other destinations to be announced. The delegation to India and the United Arab Emirates in September will give participants the chance to generate business and investment opportunities. Business missions are a great way to enter new markets and forge valuable connections. Attendees will receive in-market briefings from relevant local government and business representatives, and attend individual business matching meetings for their sector, as well as networking and civic events. Interest from all business sectors and sizes is welcomed, but specific participation from businesses involved in education and training, environmental management, agribusiness, infrastructure, property development and renewable industries are especially encouraged. To express your interest in attending, email internationalrelations@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on 133 BNE (133 263). Expressions of interest close at 5pm on Friday 30 May International returns Local businesses have been the major beneficiaries of the recent Lord Mayoral business mission, generating an estimated $230 million in commercial outcomes for the 2013-14 period alone. In September 2013, more than 80 local business leaders and young professionals travelled to the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Kaohsiung, where they attended 156 formal business matching appointments. The business mission also incorporated Chengdu, Chongqing, Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The flow on effect has been near instantaneous for local businesses, with a Fortitude Valleybased planning, design and environment consultancy signing a new client in western China. The Lord Mayor also recently facilitated a memorandum of understanding between a Chinese multinational and a local university valued in excess of $1 million per annum. For more information, email internationalrelations@brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on 133 BNE (133 263). G20 business boost All eyes will turn to Brisbane when delegates from around the world arrive for the G20 Leaders’ Summit on 15 and 16 November 2014. The summit is an important showcase for Brisbane with more than 4000 officials and 3000 media representatives expected to attend. The economic benefits are projected to run in excess of $100 million, with an upsurge in trade for local shops, hotels and restaurants. Recognition of Brisbane as a world-class destination will boost tourism and convention business in the medium term, and generate long-term economic investment and international business relationships. In the lead up to G20, free wi-fi will be installed in the CBD from Queen Street Mall, along Victoria Bridge to South Bank. It will remain in place after G20 and provide ongoing valuable infrastructure for residents and visitors who use the area. For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263) Case study: Local entrepreneur invigorates engineering landscape Digital entrepreneur Wayne Gerard has built his career on innovation. After working in engineering, mining and consulting, the Brisbane local co-founded RedEye Apps, a company now expanding into Silicon Valley in America. RedEye delivers a cloud-based solution for managing engineering drawings. “RedEye is all about managing the versions of engineering drawings, keeping them in a central place on the cloud and making them easy to find and share,” he says. “We’re saving up to six per cent of project costs just by making sure people are working off the right version of a drawing. “When you think about the really large infrastructure projects, we’re a perfect solution to ensure projects are delivered cost effectively.” A finalist in the 2013 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, Mr Gerard says the Brisbane business landscape is ripe for innovators with an entrepreneurial spirit. “My favourite quote is ‘Don’t ask your kids what they are going to be, ask them what business they will start’. We need to teach people that before they leave university, they should begin to think about what business they’re going to create,” he says. “Brisbane is Australia’s New World City. It’s a perfect place to launch a technology start-up. There are so many good businesspeople here and by spending time with them, you will begin to identify niches that need servicing. Once you’ve got one, it’s about making sure your service delivers value.” For information, visit www.redeyeapps.com.au Celebrating entrepreneurs The 2014 Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner champions entrepreneurship and innovation in Brisbane. Now in its sixth year, the dinner on Friday 30 May showcases the achievements of multicultural businesspeople and their contributions to our city. The event culminates in the announcement of the winners of the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Awards for Business, recognising individuals who have distinguished themselves with entrepreneurialism, creativity and a global outlook. The award categories are Business Person of the Year, Young Business Person of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year. A key objective is to support an entrepreneurial culture in Brisbane, with funds being raised to support business programs including the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Scholarships. Since the first event in 2008, 125 scholarships have been offered to Brisbane residents to enable them to start or expand their businesses. Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner, Friday 30 May at Brisbane City Hall Tickets available now. For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or call 133 BNE (133 263). Get involved with CoderDojo Brisbane and volunteer to teach kids to code! For more information visit www.coderdojobrisbane.com.au Events 30 April: Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop – FREE Develop better business skills. Paddington Tavern, Paddington, 1.45-5.30pm. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 7 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Forum – FREE Tips to grow your business. Virginia Golf Club, Banyo, 7-9.15pm. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 28 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop – FREE Develop better business skills. Pacific Golf Club, Carindale, 1.45-5.30pm. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au 14 May: Women upfront Networking event. Speaker Katarina Carroll – Assistant Commissioner and Executive for G20, Queensland Police Service. Colmslie Hotel & Conference Centre, Morningside, 11.30am-2.15pm. www.womensnetwork.com.au Council is continually working on plans and strategies to support innovation and economic growth. Your feedback is highly valued. Contact Council’s Business Hotline 133 BNE (133 263), email economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au or visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au