The Build Your Business program stems from a partnership between Edgeware Creative Entrepreneurship and the Sunshine Coast Institute of TAFE. Build Your Business blends intensive group training sessions with customized personal training and coaching delivered in the student’s community or workplace.

Build Your Business participants use a specialized collection of ‘simpler business’ tools to build a One Page Business Plan. They are also introduced to a range of successful Indigenous entrepreneurs, and their stories of business disappointments and successes. A real-world sample of the tools used in developing a one-page plan can be found here.

Feedback from Indigenous Edgies is extremely positive. We've made a page for these here.

Download a sample flier and information sheet about the Indigenous Build Your Business program here. And you'll find a copy of an article on the very first Indigenous Build Your Business course from the National Indigenous Times here.

I have to say my world has changed since meeting you. I'm more focused about the direction I want to take my business in. Having that focus means that people are beginning to respond to me in a different way. I've just been asked to tender for a government department and another is in the pipeline. I've never done a tender before so that is going to be a challenge. Business plan will come in useful there too. Janelle Evans (Film/TV Producer)

2009 SUCCESSES

Sonja Clark, Sowila Designs, Mt Isa

Sonja is an emerging artist who has established a gallery for the display and sale of her own art works and those of other Indigenous artists of Queensland's north west. Download a flier here, and a sample story from local media here.

Jinjinburra Didgeridoo Festival, Gin Gin

Jinjinburra is an established family business whose members attended the Build Your Business course to strategise various of their activities, including the annual Didgeridoo Festival - download a flier here.

Indigenous Women's Art Cooperative, Bundaberg

Two women artists, Nicole Wone and Sandra Marriage, participated in the Bundaberg Build Your Business program and progressed immediately to a low-key pilot exhibiton of their art works at a local cafe and a two-hander art exhibition in Bundaberg's School of Arts. Further support from Edgeware's project partner Creative Regions will see further growth of the Coop. Download an exhibition flier here and some local media coverage here.

Ration Shed Museum and Cultural Centre, Cherbourg

The effort to convert the Mission's old ration shed into a tourism and cultural hub for the Cherbourg community requires a range of business skills and capacity building. The Build Your Business program assisted in the development of this capacity, and provided further linkage with the Creative Regions and Edgeware networks. Click here for an example of Edgeware's One Page Business Plan, developed by stakeholders in the Ration Shed project.

Yindiartz

One of our presenters in the Cherbourg Build Your Business course was Dee Greer Yindimincarlie, herself an 'Edgie' from our very first Indigenous program. Dee is incredibly versatile - a painter, designer, musician and singer-songrwriter. Her business is called Yindiartz

If I’d done the Edgeware program 20 years ago I’d be a rich woman now. Dale Chapman (Founder, Dilly Bag Authentic Aboriginal Tucker)

THE EDGEWARE EDGE

Edgeware's unique approach to training and development of entrepreneurship has much in common with traditional Indigenous learning styles, including:

1. The value of relationships and the sharing of learning
2. The value of learning from experts and mentors
3. The value of learning by doing

A paper discussing these resonances can be downloaded here.

Many thanks to you and Ludmila for the workshop on Thursday. I really got a lot out of it and am looking forward to the next one. I particularly liked the innovative and fresh content and your narrative based approach. I would be happy to recommend you to other business owners and Indigenous people in my circle of influence. Robert Barton (Artist)

MORE STORIES

Edgeware's and Sunshine Coast TAFE's Indigenous deliveries since 2007 have inspired and supported a wide range of new Indigenous owned and operated enteprises, including:

• Jacqui’s (Retail. Combined hairdresser/beauty store and art gallery, planned for Mt Isa)
• Bunya Wakka Wakka Cultural Centre (Management Services - management, support and development services by contract, to cultural centre and multiple Indigenous enterprises, Cherbourg)
• Aliyah-C Clothing (Fashion design, manufacture and distribution. New fashion label focused on young female market, established in stages 2009-2010, Sunshine Coast)
• Branak Construction (Construction contractor - husband and wife business managing building projects and hardware supplies in Far North Queensland and Torres Strait Islands, launched early 08)
• Bush Gym (Health and fitness services - personal training using natural bush facilities and settings, Hervey Bay)
• Can’t C 4 Trees (Service - tree lopping and removal, Gympie)
• MATSIC Art (Indigenous artists development centre and agency, Gympie). Self-sustaining Indigenous arts business operating within MATSIC organization)
  
  FEEDBACK & TESTIMONIALS

Edgeware is a proud member of the South East Queensland Indigenous Chamber of Commerce