Business in Brisbane edition 4 April –
June 2015
In this edition:
Page 2 Business compliance, 3D printing
Page 3 Business awards, Social media
Page 4 Case study, Business events
A message from Lord Mayor Graham Quirk
Running your own business can be a rewarding experience, but it can also be hard work with
challenges along the way.
Council is committed to making it easier to do business in Brisbane and this edition focuses on
understanding the legal and regulatory requirements, and provides advice on accessing free tools
and grants.
We encourage you to take time to recognise your business achievements. Awards can build your
profile and inject fresh energy into your team so why not enter the 10th annual Lord Mayor’s
Business Awards, which celebrate the talent, creativity and innovation of Brisbane’s business
community. Submit your nominations by 24 July.
Staying abreast of new technology can help you remain competitive. As the potential applications
for 3D printing continue to grow, Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Queensland (CCIQ) are making this more accessible, with Creat3d Brisbane, a new 3D printing
hub, now open at CCIQ offices in Spring Hill. You can also head along to one of the Lord Mayor’s
Business Forums, which now have a digital component delivered by Chief Digital Officer Cat
Matson. To find out more, visit www.digitalbrisbane.com.au
There is still time to register for the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Brisbane on 5-8 July. Make sure
you take this opportunity to expand your networks and business opportunities.
Graham Quirk
LORD MAYOR
2015 Asia Pacific Cities summit & Mayors’ Forum
5-8 July Brisbane
REGISTER NOW
www.apcsummit.org
Meet leaders from across the Asia Pacific
Know your legal and regulatory requirements
Staying on top of your business legal requirements and ensuring compliance at various
government levels can be a daunting task. Whether you’re starting, operating, expanding or
closing down a business, you need to be aware of your obligations and ensure you are meeting
them.
The Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) is an online service that can
help business owners understand their legal and regulatory requirements. It enables you to
search by business type and location to determine which Commonwealth, state and local
government laws could affect your business including acts, policies, regulations, licences, orders,
local laws and codes of practice.
Using ABLIS, you can generate a detailed personalised report containing a summary of relevant
legal requirements. This includes information about licence fees, tips on how to access
application and renewal forms, as well as advice on where to go for more help and information. It
informs you of what licences you need to operate your business as well as any codes of practice
you need to comply with, helping you to navigate red tape and get on with doing business. For
more information, visit ablis.business.gov.au
3D printer hub opens
Specialist printing is now more accessible to Brisbane’s business community following the
opening of Creat3d Brisbane, a 3D printer hub within the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Queensland (CCIQ) office, Spring Hill.
The new hub allows Brisbane businesses to trial this emerging technology, test ideas and further
explore the benefits of 3D printing.
Council contributed $50,000 for the hub, which includes two different 3D printers, offering users
the capability to work with different printing materials.
A specialist 3D printing company manages the facility and provides users with onsite assistance
and troubleshooting services.
While it is currently free for businesses to use the 3D printers, complex projects may incur a small
cost.
The 3D printer hub is located within the CCIQ office at 375 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill.For
more information about Creat3d Brisbane, visit www.cciq.com.au/services
Quick guide to licences and permits
Brisbane City Council administers and enforces a range of licences and permits that apply to
businesses of all sizes.
When setting up a new business, a development application may be required to ensure the
business won’t adversely impact neighbouring properties.
If you are starting a new food business or taking over an existing one, you may need a food
business licence or a permit for footpath dining.
If you are planning to display advertising signs for your business, club, charity or garage sale, you
may need approval from Council. Some signs that don’t need approval include signs on awnings,
fascias and canopies, temporary bunting and streamers, and information signs.Approval is also
required for works on Council property such as roads and footways to protect public infrastructure
and to ensure safety is maintained.
For more information on permits and licences administered by Council, call 133 BNE (133 263) or
visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/business
To check if your business also requires State or federal licences or permits to operate, visit
ablis.business.gov.au
Support for businesses
Running your own business can be personally and professionally rewarding, but it’s also a lot of
hard work with financial risk involved.
All levels of government offer many free tools, grants and resources to help you start, run or grow
your business.
Businesses can obtain detailed information via Council’s website or the Business Hotline 133
BNE (133 263) on tender opportunities, mentoring, licences and permits, and other industry
resources. The Suburban Crime Prevention Grants are one example of a Council grant helping
reduce the potential impact of crime on business premises.
Throughout the year, Council also runs free events for businesses as well as award and
recognition programs.
The Queensland Government's business and industry portal provides useful information on
applying for grants to help with research and development, expansion, commercialisation and
innovation. It also runs a Mentoring for Growth program where eligible businesses work with a
panel of experienced mentors to address growth and innovation challenges. Visit
www.business.qld.gov.au/business
The Australian Government’s grant finder is another useful free resource to help local businesses
locate grants and assistance programs relevant to their business. Visit
www.business.gov.au/grants-and-assistane
Share your success
This year marks the 10th annual Lord Mayor’s Business Awards, and it could be your business
celebrating its achievements and showcasing its offering to the wider Brisbane community.
There are 11 award categories acknowledging the wealth of talent within Brisbane’s growing
economic community, with businesses eligible to enter in one or more sections.
Awards cover achievements in small business growth, new investment, digital strategy, corporate
citizenship, sustainability, doing business in Asia, high growth start-ups, innovation, business
person of the year, young business person of the year and the platinum award.
Entering is a great way to boost team morale, increase your business profile and provide new
networking opportunities.
Nominations open in May. To enter, check your eligibility and download a nomination form from
the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards website. Nominations close on 24 July.
Finalists will be notified in September, with a gala dinner for the awards announcement to be held
at City Hall in October.
For more information, visit www.lmba.com.au
Gain more customers through social media
Do your social media efforts feel like a waste of time? Have you ever wondered why some
businesses seem to win big time in the social media economy while others flounder?
Here are three key steps to have your social media efforts drive more customers and sales to
your door.
Community attraction First, you need to have a community of people interested in your
business. Clarify who your customers are, which social media channels they are using and what
would make your customers interested in your social media conversation.
Community engagement Social media is a multi-way conversation and the more people liking,
commenting and sharing your posts, the more effective you’ll be. Use questions, photos and
videos, and be provocative to get people to engage with you.
Sales conversion Many sales ‘calls to action’ fail in social media because the audience isn’t
engaged. Send occasional offers to your engaged social media community – new stock, special
offers or event promotion. You’ll have far greater success than if you just push sales messages
all the time.
You can find more social media tips, tricks and ideas at www.digitalbrisbane.com.au
Case study: Elixir Coffee
Brisbane brothers Jason and David Narciso are behind successful coffee company, Elixir
Coffee.
Since starting out eight years ago, they have grown Elixir Coffee into an enterprise
comprising 34 staff, a roasting warehouse, retail outlet, espresso lounge and training
facility. The business has also won 16 national and international awards in the last four
years.
“Our mum was an owner of Cosmopolitan Coffee, the first wholesale and retail roasting
house in Brisbane, so we’ve been involved in the industry for about 25 years,” said
Jason.
“We started out with one building at Stafford just for roasting, which was followed by our
own Elixir Espresso Lounge, and this year we’re opening a third building dedicated to
wholesale.
“The decision to set up a training facility means we can offer free training to our
wholesale customers, educate the public on industry trends and share our passion for
exceptional coffee with people.”
Elixir Coffee has proven its staying power – the Espresso Lounge, for example, turned
five years old last December. Jason attributes their success to having a passion for what
they do, producing an excellent product and placing a premium on memorable customer
service.
Business forum dates announced
The popular Lord Mayor’s Business Forums are continuing throughout 2015, with three
dates announced for April and May.
22 April – Paddington
4 May – Upper Mt Gravatt
27 May – Everton Park
Local business owners and entrepreneurs can attend the free events and hear from a
variety of successful business leaders as they share their industry hints and tips.
Attendees also have the chance to win a one-hour ‘CATalytic Conversation’ session with
Brisbane’s Chief Digital Officer, Cat Matson, to work on a digital strategy for their
business.
Speakers are announced closer to each event so keep an eye on Council’s website. Past
speakers have included Founder and CEO of EarthCheck Stewart Moore, and the
Creative Director at Defiant Development Morgan Jaffit.
To register or find out more, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/business or call 133 BNE
(133 263).
Free short term parking boosts businesses
Free 15 minute parking at all non-CBD metered spaces across Brisbane is designed to increase
turnover, stimulate economic activity and boost patronage for local businesses. With the offer
available at almost 94% of all metered car parking spaces, more customers are encouraged to
stop by their local businesses. For more information, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
New tunnel to keep business moving
Opening in mid-2015, Legacy Way will deliver benefits for businesses in the western and
northern suburbs with travel from Toowong to Kelvin Grove taking just four minutes. By almost
halving peak hour travel times between the Western Freeway and the Inner City Bypass, Legacy
Way will allow businesses to save time, reduce vehicle operating costs and better connect with
their suppliers and customers.
Events
22 April, 4 May & 27 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Forum – FREE For more information and to
register, email economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au
12 May: QUT Business Leaders' Forum Guest speaker David Thodey, CEO and Executive
Director of Telstra, 12 noon-2pm, Hilton Hotel, Brisbane, $160 per person or $1500 per table of
10, to book call 3138 2532
16 May: Run the World Female Entrepreneur Conference Brisbane 2015 8am-5pm, QUT,
Brisbane, entry from $175 ex GST (general, member and student tickets available), to book visit
www.runtheworld.com.au
21 May: Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop – FREE 1.40-5.40pm, Paddington, to
register email economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au
23-24 May: CCIQ Small Business Expo 2015 – FREE 10am-4pm, Brisbane Convention and
Exhibition Centre, South Bank, to register visit www.thesmallbusinessexpo.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