Unleashing Your Innovation Potential
News & Events from Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre

Greetings!  

 

It may be cold outside but Lighthouse's passion for involvement with and activities that engage the business community is keeping us on the move, leaving little time to notice dropping temperatures. We do look forward to more hours of sunlight that comes later this month.  

 

Along with its Canberra BusinessPoint Clinics and Master Classes and progam of mentoring and advisory services and a new Brilliant Idea program round, Lighthouse will introduce new networking events during the year. Check out our events calendar for details.

 

Watch this space for news on the launch of a new Entrepreneurial Development Fund in July.

 

Kind regards,

 

Anna Pino, Cindy Reese Mitchell, Su Hodge, Lyn Robbins and Lauren Mitchell

 

Lighthouse Clinics and Master Classes - A Successful Combination!

 

Canberra BusinessPoint

The cornerstone of the Lighthouse Canberra BusinessPoint program delivery is our Master Classes and Clinics. So far, each event has been at capacity within a short time of announcing the topics and date! Canberra business operators are enjoying our 'beyond 101' approach to events. Master Classes take complex topics, subject matter experts and an intimate format (audience numbers are strictly limited) and aim to give participants practical insight that they can apply in their businesses that very day. So far, we have run two Master Classes; Workplace Relations and Selling ICT Services to Government.

 

The lunchtime format (11am-2pm) of the Master Classes has had the added benefit of providing great networking opportunities for business operators who aren't often able to get to evening cocktail functions.

 

The next Lighthouse Master Class is on Talent Management. This will cover not only dealing with 'problem' employees, but the challenge of inspiring and motivating high-performing employees.

 

Clinics are one-on-one sessions with experienced business service providers. We found that many of our clients were delaying getting important advice because of the cost and, in some cases, were also intimidated about not knowing what questions to ask. Lighthouse addresses this in two ways: by providing the consultation at no cost and meeting with participants ahead of the session to help understand the exact nature of their problem or concern. This information is provided to the person running the clinic session to make sure you get the most out of your time. Our first Clinic session on Risk Management, facilitated by Austcover Insurance Brokers, has taught us that having both parties well prepared is the key to a productive clinic session.

 

Our upcoming clinic is Commercial Law, facilitated by Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers. The initial session is now completely booked, but we are taking a waitlist and considering additional sessions.

 

If you have any ideas for other Master Classes or Clinics or are a service provider interested in working with us to deliver a session, please contact us.    

 

 

 

 

 

CALL FOR ENTRIES - 2011 ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards

 

If you are a successful exporter with a business registered in the ACT, then you should enter the 2011 ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards.

 

The 2011 ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards celebrate the achievement of the Canberra Region's strong exporting community and encourage aspiring and new exporters by showcasing successful exporters.  They also provide a unique opportunity to give your business a heath check.  Preparing an application will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of your business, assess your export strategies, progress and note areas where further work may need to be done.

 

The ACT Award categories offer an opportunity for exporting businesses of any size and in any industry to enter, with a range of categories to suit all businesses.  A new ACT-specific category has been introduced this year, the Microbusiness Award, to recognise the large number of successful Microbusinesses operating in the ACT that employ less than five people.  Microbusinesses that export but aren't ready to compete at the national level can use the Awards as an opportunity to showcase their export business locally and prepare for entry into national categories into the future.

 

Entries close on 29 July 2011 and assistance is available to help you to plan and complete your application.  So don't wait until the last few days to write and lodge your application, star putting it together now.

 

For more information, visit www.business.act.gov.au/exportawards or contact Cathy Atkins at cathy.atkins@communicationtoolbox.com.au or Michael Cliff at michael.cliff@cliffassoc.com.au.

 

The 2011 ACT Chief Minister's Export Awards are an initiative of the ACT Government, managed and delivered by Canberra Business Council.


Brilliant Idea Logo

The Brilliant Idea program continues to attract great interest from women with a business idea or wanting to grow their business. This program is a good demonstration of the value of microcredit loans to economic development in the ACT.

 

Nineteen loans have been given since the launch of the program in 2010. Click here to read about some of the new businesses supported by the program.

 

The Discovery Translation Fund

The Discovery Translation Fund (DTF) is a joint initiative of the Australian National University (ANU) and the ACT Government. The DTF, is delivered by ANU Connect Ventures on behalf of the ANU. DTF aims to assist the commercialisation of new innovations and technologies from Canberra's research organisations and local business.

 

Unlike similar funds, DTF does not require matched funding and is not repayable. Lighthouse is responsible for working with those applicants from the business community. If you are interested in knowing more, please contact us.

EVENTS

Brilliant Idea IDEAS Workshop

21 July

Bookings essential!

Click here. 


Canberra BusinessPoint Commercial Law Clinic

27 July and 2 August

July session is fully booked - Places still available in 2 August session

 

Click here.


Canberra BusinessPoint Talent Management Master Class

16 August

Click here.

 

 

  
SUCC

  
Coming soon!


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Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre
enquiries@lighthouseinnovation.com.au | www.lighthouseinnovation.com.au