A boost for home-based businesses
Behind the steering wheel that is driving our local economy are a number of local entrepreneurs operating as home-based businesses and they are growing in number, according to Ballina Shire Council economic development officer Jane Laverty.
“Seventy per cent of small business is home-based and after meeting only three members of the Ballina Shire Home Based Business Network this week, it is apparently a very diverse group, from home loan consultants to puppy training specialists and graphic designers,” she said.
Chris Leo, who runs Priority Plans, a drafting consultancy, said: “Working from home is great, you can manage your hours and workflow and save your travelling time for more important things.”
Sue Hogden from All About Home Loans said: “For us, being home-based means we have the flexibility to meet our clients needs, whether at our home office or at a place and time convenient to them.”
Toni Larsen from The VoIP Store.net said: “We did it for all of those reasons and the fact that we could do it now and not wait for the right commercial premises to come along.”
Ms Laverty said that being a home-based business is not always roses.”There can be problems with isolation and access to information sharing. That is why we developed the Ballina Shire Home Based Business Network,” she said.
“The network provides business operators with a link to other like-minded entrepreneurs, opportunities to partner projects and access to professional development workshops.”
The Ballina Shire HBBN is inviting all businesses to their Wednesday 6 June meeting to reap the benefits of a presentation by acclaimed marketing specialist Linda Hailey, Business Branding – Make Your Mark!, proudly sponsored by the Northern Rivers Area Consultative Committee and Small Business Field Officers. The meeting runs from 10am to 1pm at the Richmond Room (behind Ballina Library).
For more information about the Ballina Shire HBBN or to RSVP for the June 6 meeting contact Jane Laverty on 6686 1419.
