'It's such a fantastic initiative to be part of': Bendigo mentors help businesses thrive

With hopes of lasting many more, local businesses and mentors are finding benefits from being a part of the initiative.

Friendly Savage creative director and Bendigo mentor Bryley Savage and Briana Cowan said she has enjoyed being part of the program.

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"It's such a fantastic initiative to be part of," she said.

"Since the program commenced in Bendigo in 2019, I've connected with over 100 business owners across Victoria and in 2-3 hours you can cover a lot of material when it's a one-on-one- meeting."

Mingle Media owner and mentor Briana Cowan said she can see how local businesses have been able to flourish with some great advice from marketing professionals.

"The sessions are tailored to the business owner or staff member, and being one-on-one, we can really deep-dive into their business and uncover what strategies will help their business grow through social media," she said.

The Digital Solutions - Australian Small Business Advisory Services program, provides access to business mentoring, online workshops, webinars and courses to help small to medium businesses start, sustain, and grow their business online.

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"Small businesses often don't know where to look for high quality, relevant, and credible resources," program manager Vivian Vo said.

The Digital Solutions program has developed useful resources and established a trusted network of business advisors and mentors to assist participants in starting, growing, and protecting their business.

For $44, eligible Victorian small businesses can join the program and access up to three hours of professional business mentoring, as well as workshops, webinars and online courses.

All of which cover websites and selling online, social media and digital marketing, small business software and online security, and data privacy.

Eligible businesses must be based in Victoria, have an ABN and less than 20 employees.

To get started in the program, head online to courses.melbourneinnovation.com.au/home

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