The Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing MP today launched the Gippsland Small Business Festival which will showcase a range of networking and development events for business operators and entrepreneurs over the next month.

The Gippsland festival, now in its second year, will feature 26 free and low-cost workshops and seminars for locals interested in starting, developing and growing new or existing small business enterprises.

Events will cover a range of topics – from business development and mentoring, online business and marketing, through to managing and hiring staff.

The Gippsland festival is part of the successful and long-running Small Business Festival Victoria, a Labor initiative which is now in its tenth year. This year’s festival boasts the biggest program yet with more than 350 business events to run throughout the state during August.

The Gippsland festival is run to support more than 21,330 creative and hard-working small businesses that employ thousands of people in the community.

The Gippsland Small Business Festival is unique, with Bass Coast, Baw Baw, East Gippsland, Latrobe, South Gippsland and Wellington Shires working together with the Victorian Government to stage the initiative.

Key events on the for the 2015 Gippsland festival include:

• Amplify your Success, hosted by star of Network TEN’s Shark Tank and Founding Director of RedBalloon, Naomi Simson.

• Building the Vibe in Your Business, delivered by marketing expert, Gary Bertwistle

The annual Small Business Festival is an important Labor government initiative supporting the state’s 525,000 plus small businesses that generate more than 30 per cent of Victoria’s sales and output.

Sponsored by the Andrews Labor Government, the Small Business Festival Victoria has added two new festivals this year in Mildura and Shepparton, further extending its regional presence. These will run in conjunction with the recurring festivals in metropolitan Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Great South Coast, Gippsland and North Eastern Victoria.

Further event information and tickets are now available at business.vic.gov.au/festival or by calling 13 22 15.

Quotes attributable to the Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing

“Small businesses are big players in Victoria’s economy and they are vital to Gippsland’s growth and prosperity.”

“The Andrews Labor Government is committed to providing business support services to our regional communities, encouraging them to grow and create local jobs.”

“The Gippsland Small Business Festival will drive ideas and momentum from within the region, and build upon the already enormous contribution that small businesses make to opportunities and jobs growth in the region.”

“With around 28 per cent of the state’s small business sector based in regional Victoria, this festival is a great opportunity for businesses across Gippsland to network and get the support they need to reach their full potential.”