Geelong workshop to empower female entrepreneurs

WOMEN dreaming of starting a business but unsure how to begin will have a golden opportunity in Geelong on 20 July.

A free, intensive workshop is designed to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

The Accelerator for Enterprising Women is hosting the AccelerateHER Workshop, a nationwide initiative funded by the Australian Government.

This program aims to empower women aged 18 and over to pursue entrepreneurship and grow their small businesses.

Led by seasoned business leaders, the one-day session focuses on action, idea development, and problem-solving.

Australian Pottery Supplies sells ceramics and pottery equipment to some of Australia’s biggest studios and art spaces, as well as schools, education institutions, retirement villages, and building companies.

Founder Prue Morrison said she enrolled in the AccelerateHER workshop as her business was growing quickly.

“We are looking for ways to automate and systemise the business, as well as gain advice on processes to implement, strategies to focus on, and how we can continue to provide great customer service through this big growth phase,” she said.

“I also want to connect with other entrepreneurs who have been through this phase and can offer some advice and assistance on which areas to focus on and our next steps.”

“It is vital for me to attend events like this one for business and personal growth. As a single mother, and someone who mainly works alone, it is so essential to connect with others, attend in-person events, and learn from other women.”

“We all have experiences, both good and bad, that we can share to help support each other’s businesses in a time where we are seeing an uprising of women taking on and growing successful businesses.”

Depending on their stage of development, participants will leave the workshop with a transparent business model to share with potential partners or investors.

They will also have a validation approach, including experiments and research, to test assumptions before investing money.

Additional tools provided include financial modelling and a go-to-market strategy.

The workshop also supports crafting a winning submission for the 2024 Kickstarter Challenge.

Participants can share in $60,000 of equity-free funding.

The winner will receive $30,000, while four other finalists will each receive $7,500.

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) chief executive Luke Achterstraat said the association wanted to ensure anyone dreaming of a future in entrepreneurship could create that career path.

“Women in our community have so many transformational ideas we need to harvest for the good of society and our economy,” he said.

Accelerator for Enterprising Women spokesperson Fleur Anderson said fresh initiatives were crucial.

“Initiatives such as the Kickstarter Challenge and the Accelerator for Enterprising Women uncover the depth of talent and give women tangible paths forward to embrace their potential as successful business owners,” Ms Anderson said.

The Accelerator for Enterprising Women is part of the Future Female Entrepreneurs Program (FFEP), funded under the Australian Government’s Women’s Leadership and Development Program.

The program is delivered in partnership with COSBOA.

For more information, visit Accelerator for Enterprising Women.