brookvaleplus.com

Many small business operators are not aware of the help that is available from both the Commonwealth and State Governments when they are setting up or expanding their businesses. Steve Marcus, of Taylors Doors and Frames in Orchard Road, Brookvale, discovered the benefits in 2003 and hasn’t looked back.

A consultant suggested to Steve that he contact the NSW Department of State and Regional Development (DSRD) about getting assistance in developing a professional business plan. He made a one-hour appointment with Martin Smee, Business Development Manager from DSRD, which turned into a productive five-hour discussion. Since then Steve has worked closely with DSRD while enlarging and refining the operations of Taylors Doors & Frames.

With the help of the Department, Steve has expanded into the export of fire doors to New Zealand, and has plans to extend his market further.
This is just one of the success stories which are told in much greater detail on the DSRD’s web site. It’s worth a look if you would like to expand your business but aren’t quite sure of the best way to go about it.

The Commonwealth Government also offers a wide range of assistance to new and established businesses. You will find all the details here.

If you are buying pay-per-click advertising from Google or Yahoo you may want to read this article in the Sydney Morning Herald.  It seems it’s not only call centres that are being out-sourced to India and Mexico.  Or it might just be your wily competitors.

At the age of 70, most of us expect to be taking it easy.  Not so Ron Bloom of Inkredible Inks in Pittwater Road, Brookvale.

Speaking recently to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ron said that one year of retirement was as much as he could manage.  Dabbling in the stock market, and the other “retiree” pastimes soon palled.  He decided to use the knowledge and experience gained from a career in the computer industry to establish a business selling printer inks and toner cartridges.  The small start from his own home soon developed into a big enough enterprise to warrant a move to larger premises here in Brookvale.

Ron’s story is a great example of two important current trends in business.  One is the number of mature people staying in, or re-entering the work force, and the other is the move to the Northern Beaches by both small businesses and investors looking for better returns than they might make in the more established areas.

It’s been happening for quite a while now, with a number of high profile companies already located in the Brookvale area.  These include Blackmores, Fujitsu, Dell Lexmark, Apple, Carter Wallace and Avon.

The Sydney Morning Herald notes that strata developments and smaller office and industrial business parks are opening from Manly through to Mona Vale and investors are showing a great deal of interest.

People living and working in the Northern Beaches area already know what a great place it is.  And with so many new opportunities in the pipeline, the future is looking good.  And it looks like part of that future will be more people like Ron Bloom who know they have what it takes to keep on growing.

 

Surfers have it really tough in the U.K., but they are undeterred.  Cornwell, historically the hunting ground of England’s most famous pirates, is now one of the “hot spots” of the surfing scene.  And one of the up and coming surf beaches is an island off Scotland!