Business in Brisbane - April - June 2021

EDITION 29: APRIL TO JUNE 2021 PAGE 2

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Have your say on precinct activation Help attract more shoppers

Talk to a Business Liaison Officer Free business events and workshops

Insights from Phillip Di Bella Revamping local shopping strips

FOOD BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT READ MORE ON PAGE 3

SHOPPING STRIP UPGRADES

A MESSAGE FROM LORD MAYOR ADRIAN SCHRINNER

Construction has started on the first of 10 new Village Precinct Projects set to revamp local suburban shopping strips over the next four years under a $10.5 million investment

by Council.

As we head towards the end of the financial year, Council remains dedicated to supporting businesses in Brisbane and our city’s economic growth.

More than just a facelift, the projects aim to give a much-needed economic boost to local businesses across Brisbane, providing residents with even more attractive places to shop, dine and socialise.

While we see signs of economic recovery in the city’s electronic retail spending, Council is committed to making our local precincts more accessible, comfortable and attractive to shoppers.

Ashgrove West is the first in line to receive a makeover, followed

by Manly Harbour Village.

To stay up to date on upcoming business events and Council’s business initiatives, sign up to receive regular updates direct to your inbox. Visit brisbane.qld.gov.au/businessinbrisbane

Read more on page 6.

Adrian Schrinner LORD MAYOR

We’re collaborating with local businesses to enhance suburban shopping precincts. Our Village Precinct Projects are improving their amenity, while Local Business Partnership Initiatives identify ways to capitalise on their unique character and features.

We’re also continuing to provide free training and networking events to help you start, run or grow your business. Come along to meet local business operators, improve your skills and hear insights and tips from successful business experts.

HELP BOOST LOCAL RETAIL PRECINCTS If you’re a business operator in Mt Gravatt Central or Oxford Street, Bulimba we want to hear from you.

Help us identify opportunities to activate and grow the local economy as part of new Local Business Partnership Initiatives (LBPIs).

Under the LBPIs, Council will collaborate with local businesses to identify initiatives to increase community engagement and experience.

Mt Gravatt’s central business precinct offers a range of opportunities and a great variety of businesses that contribute to its economic potential.

DRAW MORE CUSTOMERS TO YOUR SHOPPING STRIP

In Oxford Street, Bulimba, the LBPI aims to leverage Oxford Street’s destinational appeal and further activate the precinct into the future.

You can register to be notified about LBPI-related activities on our website. Search ‘LBPI’.

Do you want to attract more shoppers to your precinct, but don’t know where to start? Council’s Local Retail and Activation Toolkit will point you in the right direction.

The toolkit is a self-paced guide designed to help businesses in suburban retail strips to come together to increase visibility of their area and drive customer growth.

Use the toolkit’s templates to identify the strengths and opportunities of your area, complete a precinct health check, and monitor performance and improvement. You’ll also find tips for placemaking, marketing and social media.

For more information, call our 24-hour Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263) or contact our Business Liaison team for a copy.

LOCAL BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVES In progress

Completed

• Bulimba (business precinct, Oxford Street)

• • • • •

• Mt Gravatt (central business precinct)

Moorooka Nundah Sandgate Stones Corner Wynnum

Get inspiration, news and local events direct to your inbox Call Council’s dedicated business hotline, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 133 BNE makes it easy to do business in Brisbane.

Subscribe to Business in Brisbane brisbane.qld.gov.au/business-in-brisbane

RECIPE FOR FOOD BUSINESS SUCCESS This year, we’re making it even easier to launch or grow food businesses in Brisbane.

SPEAK TO A BUSINESS LIAISON OFFICER It can be challenging to start, run and grow a business, which is why Council has developed a range of programs and initiatives to support local businesses.

Starting a small food business? We’ve streamlined processes to reduce assessment times for licenses and permits. If you’re an eligible small business, applications will be assessed within five days.

Growing your business to offer footpath dining? Take advantage of our reduced fees and charges for small businesses. You could save more than $700 on a design assessment.

Not sure which programs or resources best suit your needs?

Speak to one of our Business Liaison Officers today.

Business Liaison Officers visit businesses across Brisbane each week, providing support and information to business owners like you.

The team can provide information on Council’s training and development programs, workshops and business networking events, as well as how you can connect with Council to stay up to date with the latest business opportunities.

You can meet a Business Liaison Officer at one of our business events (see page 4) or book a free one-on-one session by searching ‘Business Liaison Officer’ on our website.

Thinking about going mobile? Aside from the lower start-up costs, a mobile food business allows you to trial different locations and reach more customers. Check out our Gourmet Food Truck program, which also has reduced fees for small businesses – save more than $300 on a design application. All food trucks with a Gourmet Food Truck Approval also get a profile on the Brisbane Food Trucks website.

Need help to understand food safety requirements? Book a free 15-minute Guide to Food Licensing session with a Council Environmental Health Officer. Bring along your questions on operating, monitoring and managing your food business.

To find out about eligibility criteria, call our 24-hour Business Hotline on 133 BNE (133 263) or visit brisbane.qld.gov.au

EVENTS Networking in the Suburbs 14 April – Moorooka, 10-11am, Moorooka Community Centre, free

SHARPEN YOUR BUSINESS SKILLS Whether you want to get to know your local business community better, brush up on your networking skills or get practical advice from business experts, Council has a range of free business workshops and events to help.

Networking in the Suburbs Meet with like-minded local business owners to discuss factors affecting your business and share ideas. The one-hour sessions are attended by Council’s Business Liaison Officers, who are on hand to answer your questions and provide information on Council’s business support.

Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop Offering valuable practical information delivered by Council and the Growth Education Institute, these workshops allow you to work on your business rather than in your business. Learn successful strategies from local business experts while asking questions and networking with other local business operators in a small group setting.

Business Excellence: In Conversation Engage with an expert panel of local business owners who share their thoughts, insights and lessons learned from their business journeys.

Each session follows the same topic as the preceding Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop, so you can further develop the skills learnt at the workshop.

Skills Shot Business Workshops Improve your business skills in an intensive training session led by a local business expert. Each workshop focuses on a new topic. Previous topics have included effective grant writing skills and social media strategies for success.

genYOU Young people aged 17-25 years are invited to attend a series of four free presentation events which focus on improving career opportunities and employment skills. The first event, on Thursday 15 April, focuses on tips for successful job applications. Visit brisbane.qld.gov.au for details.

Lord Mayor’s International Business Forums Gain insights on how to expand your business into global markets, with a particular focus on Brisbane’s Sister Cities including Auckland, New Zealand and Daejeon, South Korea.

Supplier forums

28 April – St Lucia, 11.30am12.30pm, St Lucia Community Hall, free Visit brisbane.qld.gov.au for more events in May and June.

20 April – Lord Mayor’s Business Excellence Workshop 8.45-11.30am, Colmslie Hotel, Morningside, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 21 April - Brisbane Business Summit 8.30am-12 noon, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 30 April – Business Excellence: In Conversation 9-10.30am, online, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 10 May – Lord Mayor’s International Business Forum 5.45pm-7.30pm, Indooroopilly Golf Club, Indooroopilly, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au Thursdays in April, May and June – Speak to an HR Advisor 9.30am-4.30pm (by appointment), Brisbane Business Hub, Brisbane City, free, businessinbrisbane.com.au 17 June - Tendering Workshop 1-2pm, online, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au 24 June - Better Brisbane Proposals 1-2pm, online, free, brisbane.qld.gov.au

Find out more about Council’s buy local initiative, get tips on how to complete a tender and learn how to submit your Better Brisbane proposal.

Save the date – 2021 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum Special Edition

For more information or to register for an event, visit our website and search ‘Business events calendar’.

8-12 September, Brisbane City, apcsummit.org

4 TIPS FOR GROWING YOUR BUSINESS Phillip Di Bella took his self-named coffee business from a single cart to Australia’s largest specialty coffee company, before selling the business in 2014. Now he’s back with The Coffee Commune – a state-of-the-art facility in Bowen Hills where roasters, baristas, venue owners and network suppliers will be able to connect, collaborate and create.

Phillip recently shared his learnings and insights as a Brisbane business leader at the Brisbane Business Hub’s inaugural ‘On The Couch’ event.

1. Take calculated risks, and prepare for them to pay off “Write down your worst-case scenario and classify it – is it a personal, professional or family issue? If you think you can handle that risk, then you can make the decision to move forward.

Always plan. In good times, plan for bad, and in bad times, plan for good. You’ve got to be ready to seize opportunities when they come along.”

2. Don’t just do the work, tell the story “To increase engagement and build loyalty, you have to tell the story.

Marketing is just the art of telling a story so compelling that people choose you. Great marketers tell you what’s in it for you.”

3. Hire an attitude, teach a skill “It’s about having a conversation with the person and getting to know their personality. If you’re thinking, ‘What if I train them and they leave?’ Well, what if you don’t train them and they stay? It’s a no-brainer.”

4. Don’t put ‘entrepreneur’ on your business card “Entrepreneurship isn’t a title, it’s an intelligence. It’s about vision, passion and brand. Vision is what you see in three years, in five years.

Passion is resilience, because when you start a business, everyone says no to you. Brand is how you deliver that vision, powered by your passion to get it out to your audience.”

SIGNS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY Consumer confidence is returning in Brisbane, following a challenging year for retailers impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Figures from data analytics company, Quantium show electronic retail spending in the CBD returned to pre-coronavirus levels for the first time in December 2020.

The city’s outer suburbs recorded the biggest increase in electronic retail spend in 2020, with Virginia having the highest increase (more than $74 million) compared to 2019, followed by Everton Park ($68 million).

COMING UP ON THE COUCH A line-up of Brisbane’s most successful and innovative business leaders are taking part in upcoming On The Couch sessions at the Brisbane Business Hub – and they’re all free.

Visit businessinbrisbane.com.au to see what’s on.

Foot traffic in the Brisbane CBD is also on the rise after hitting a low of 17% of pre COVID-19 levels during restrictions. The return of workers to the city has seen foot traffic hit 60% of pre COVID-19 levels in March.

Visit Brisbane’s Economic profile on our website for more information.

ASHGROVE SHOPPING PRECINCT MAKEOVER BEGINS The Ashgrove West shopping hub on Waterworks Road is being revitalised. The Village Precinct Project (VPP) will ‘spruce up’ underutilised space with new plants, street furniture, art installations and shade structures. Access will also be improved with upgrades to the existing crossing points and footpaths.

Feedback from the community has been used to create the final design, due to be completed at the end of this year. Council held two onsite information kiosks and an online mapping survey in September 2020 to present the concept design plan to the local community.

Mark McCrindle

BOOK YOUR SPOT AT THE BRISBANE BUSINESS SUMMIT

Ashgrove will pave the way for another nine VPPs helping to revitalise suburban shopping strips across Brisbane over the next four years.

The next project to kick off will be Manly Harbour Village, from late April, after the final stages of community feedback and planning wrap up.

It’s not too late to secure your free ticket to the Brisbane Business Summit, at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 21 April, from 8.30am-12 noon.

Search ‘Village Precinct Projects’ on our website for more information.

The summit brings together business leaders to reflect on the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on our local economy and to discuss the trends expected to shape our city.

You’ll hear from experts including Andrea Culligan (Deloitte Australia), Dimity Dornan (Hear and Say), Li Cunxin (Queensland Ballet) and Llew Jury (Sprint Ventures), and have the chance to network with other business operators.

NEW VILLAGE PRECINCT PROJECTS Project

Investment

Completion date

Waterworks Rd, Ashgrove

$3,000,000

end of 2021

Manly Harbour Village

$890,000

mid-2021

Paddington Terraces

$250,000

end 2021

Coorparoo Junction

$1,000,000

mid-2022

Martha St, Camp Hill

$1,000,000

mid-2022

Aminya St, Mansfield

$1,300,000

end 2022

Lumley St, Upper Mount Gravatt

$600,000

end 2022

Sandgate Rd, Boondall

$1,000,000

mid-2023

Rosalie Village

$1,000,000

mid-2023

Park Rd, Milton

$500,000

late 2023

Brisbane City Council GPO Box 1434 Brisbane Qld 4001 Council is continually working to support innovation and economic growth.

Your feedback is highly valued.

Printed on sustainable paper

Don’t miss your chance to hear insights on opportunities that the future holds for your business.

Leading social researcher Mark McCrindle, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Deputy Mayor Krista Adams are among a panel of business leaders ready to help your business thrive.

To register for the event, visit eventbrite.com.au and search ‘Brisbane Business Summit’.

133 BNE (133 263) Council Business Hotline 3403 8888 Council Contact Centre economic_development@brisbane.qld.gov.au brisbane.qld.gov.au

CA20-1431078-08-5309 ©2021 Brisbane City Council

Every effort is made to ensure information is correct at time of printing.