A new program aiming to build business confidence in communities like Narromine and Trangie is being rolled out in the region.
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'The Change' program has been developed by Dubbo startup business centre The Exchange, to build a community for new and growing businesses within the region.
Created by Rural Woman of the Year Jillian Kilby, The Exchange partners with Charles Sturt University Dubbo to provide a space to work and access to a network of business people and service providers.
The Exchange project manager Malaika Mfula said the program which is rolling out in Narromine, Trangie, Wellington and Coonamble and will include several two-hour interactive training sessions with local facilitators.
Topics will cover things from Design Thinking, content creation and branding, to finance and funding models all including additional course materials in each location.
"We've been working on this for a year now, and it was basically just talking to the community and accepting their needs," she said.
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Ms Mfula said the main need for many people was that they didn't feel they had the confidence to either grow or start a business, especially with the uncertain economic conditions surrounding the drought.
Another contributing factor to driving the initiative on the road and into smaller communities was the recognition that people were looking for off-farm income, but couldn't make the day trip to Dubbo.
"Even though we are based in Dubbo, we are very much community focused across the board, rather than just one town," Ms Mfula said.
"I think that what drives us at The Exchange as well is knowing that geographical locations and where people choose to live shouldn't necessarily be a barrier to building a business or being able to access information."
In conjunction with the Narromine Shire Council's 'Learn Innovate and Grow' business week initiative The Exchange are hosting a free 'Lean Business' workshop on Thursday, October 17.
Lean Canvas applies to people at all levels of business. It is a 20-minute one-page online business plan.
Ms Mfula said the benefit of the Lean Canvas is that it deconstructs the main elements of a business into its key assumptions without being a 20-page document.
The Lean Business workshop will be at the Narromine council chambers from 6pm until 8pm.
