Succession Thinking is a business building approach helping hundreds of owners build resilient businesses, successful beyond their leadership tenure. Businesses that can create sustained value and deliver long-term success. - Are you feeling overwhelmed with the daily demands of running your business?- Are you stuck not knowing how to get what you want from your business? Is your business too reliant on you as the Owner?This session is for small-medium business owners who want more from their business and for their life. The 5 principles of Succession Thinking helps you build a stewardship system specifically designed for Owner-Leaders of small-medium business, to get more of what you want from your business.
Small and medium-sized businesses don’t need to be huge to play in the big leagues. By embracing intelligent content management, SMBs can streamline their workflows, increase collaboration, and boost employee productivity — without the need for enterprise-sized resources. In this session, the Box VP of ANZ will show how Box's secure, scalable cloud platform can act as a force multiplier, enabling SMBs to act with the agility of a small company while delivering the same efficiency and collaboration benefits as large enterprises.
Join this panel of industry experts as they share real-world insights on launching and scaling a business despite rising costs. Learn how to secure funding, minimize expenses, and build a resilient business in today’s market.
Join industry experts as they explore the latest marketing trends and tools that can drive growth for SMEs. Learn practical strategies to boost your business’s visibility, reach, and impact, and discover how to implement cost-effective marketing solutions that deliver real results.
In today’s economic climate, small businesses are juggling lean teams and tight budgets. In short, SMBs are doing far more… with even less. So, how can small businesses stretch their resources and funds to acquire new customers and grow a loyal fanbase? With 20+ years of marketing experience driving growth for SMBs and tech startups, and now, global small business marketing platform, Constant Contact, Renée Chaplin will unlock tactics, tools and data insights that are helping Australian businesses grow in today’s competitive landscape. Takeaways from this session will include:
- Small business marketing and consumer spending research and insights
- Marketing benchmarks and best practices for lean teams and budgets
- How to turn social media followers into customers
- Essential marketing channels for building a loyal fanbase
- Establishing a brand identity and voice to compete against big business
We’ve all heard stories of a person hired that was not right for the role or the business. Growing your team is a balance of quality recruitment, understanding which role to invest in and timing aligned to your business growth potential. This session discusses these areas giving you practical concepts for you to take away and use in your business; if you consider these three steps when you recruit, you’ll ‘win’ more often.
Finding and keeping great employees is harder than ever. This panel brings together HR and business experts to discuss creative hiring strategies, workplace culture, and non-monetary benefits that make SMEs an employer of choice.
Learn how SMEs can harness AI and automation tools to save time, reduce costs, and boost efficiency across all departments—finance, marketing, operations, and more. This panel will show you how to stay competitive and future-proof your business with the latest technology.
Great teams don’t happen by chance—they’re built with speed, strategy, and the right tools. In this session, Kate Jolly, Global Head of Talent at Employment Hero, will show you how to hire like a hero—lerveraging the latest technology to attract top talent, make smarter hiring decisions, and streamline recruitment so you can focus on growing your business. Whether you’re struggling to find the right people or just want to make hiring easier, this session will give you the strategies to build a team that sets your business up for success.
Yes, AI is cool, and even we believe it has a massive role to play for long-term business success. But let’s keep it aside for a moment, and get down to the basics. As a small business, you need tech that helps expedite your roadmap and achieve your goals. Hear from Benny, Sales Director, Zoho, sharing his insights on market trends and why small businesses need to invest in a unified tech stack for accelerated growth.
This workshop will provide you with practical steps for preparing and developing tender responses for Australian Government procurement opportunities. What you’ll learn:
- A brief overview of the Commonwealth Procurement Framework
- How Australian Government organisations approach the market
- Considerations for responding to an approach to market
- Tender writing tips and key elements for a successful response
- Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Did you know that support is available to resolve business and retail leasing disputes without the time, stress and expense of going to court? Join this session to hear about the types of disputes the Victorian Small Business Commission can assist you to avoid or resolve with its low-cost alternative dispute resolution services.
In today’s economic climate, small businesses are juggling lean teams andtight budgets. In short, SMBs are doing far more… with even less. So, how cansmall businesses stretch their resources and funds to acquire new customers andgrow a loyal fanbase? With 20+ years of marketing experience driving growth forSMBs and tech startups, and now, global small business marketing platform,Constant Contact, Renée Chaplinwill unlock tactics, tools and data insightsthat are helping Australian businesses grow in today’s competitive landscape.Takeaways from this session will include:
- Small business marketing and consumer spendingresearch and insights
- Marketing benchmarks and best practices for leanteams and budgets
- How to turn social media followers intocustomers
- Essential marketing channels for building aloyal fanbase
- Establishing a brand identity and voice tocompete against big business
Hear Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece deliver a keynote at SmallBiz Week 2025, sharing insights and perspectives on key themes relevant to business and the broader community.
Join industry experts as they share key strategies for SMEs to tackle team management challenges. From hiring and retention to competing with larger businesses, this panel will cover everything you need to build and manage a strong, efficient workforce. Learn how to optimize outsourcing, manage remote teams, and streamline hiring, vetting, and onboarding processes. Get practical insights to help your business grow and thrive!
From a small apartment in the southern part of India to serving more than 120+ million businesses globally, today Zoho is a leading example of bootstrapped success, choosing independence and long-term vision over any external capital. Get onboard this session and hear from Benny, Sales Director, on the key takeaways for small businesses in this rather unusual journey.
From a small startup idea to leading Australia’s largest privately owned digital services provider, Cheyne’s entrepreneurial journey is a masterclass in scaling a business from the ground up. In this insightful and engaging talk, Cheyne shares his firsthand experience of growing Nexigen Digital from a bedroom-based operation into a powerhouse serving hundreds of thousands of customers. Join Cheyne as he reflects on the challenges, triumphs, and key decisions that turned a vision into reality—proving that you can scale from the bedroom to the boardroom with the right mindset, strategy, and persistence.
Starting January 1, 2025, underpaying employees isn’t just a mistake—it could be a criminal offence. But don't panic—honest errors are still understandable. In this session, Paul Maguire, Principal and legal expert, will guide you through the new rules around wage theft and how small businesses can protect themselves. Learn how the Voluntary Small Business Wage Compliance Code can be your safety net, ensuring you're paying employees fairly while keeping your business safe from legal trouble. Whether you're a small business owner or a manager, this session will give you the tools and confidence to navigate wage compliance easily and avoid costly mistakes.
I will be sharing the R U OK? messageand encouraging meaningful conversations to create a more connected worldespecially within the workplace.
- How R U OK? began
- R U OK? vision and mission
- Knowing when and how to ask, ‘are youOK?’
- The 4 steps of an R U OK?conversation
- Tips on how to stay connected &free resources available for workplaces.
Understand the two key numbers every business needs to track to increase profits. How a 4-bank account system helps you prioritise profit. Learn top strategies from best-selling author and accountant Lyndon Russell.
Get inspired and informed at the SmallBiz Sessions, where over 100 industry leaders and innovators take the stage to share their expertise.
From mastering AI to enhancing operations, HR, and marketing, these sessions are packed with practical advice and future-focused insights to help your business succeed in a rapidly changing world.
How AI is transforming the SME landscape and what it means for your business.
Strategies to attract top talent and compete with larger corporations.
Stay ahead of the curve and understand the future of small business.
Effective marketing strategies for an oversaturated market and budgetingtips.
Accessing funding and resources to fuel your business growth.
Tapping into new markets and driving innovation.
Building a successful business from the ground up.
Embracing technology to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
Entering new markets and navigating international business.
Delivering exceptional customer service and building loyalty.
If you would like to partner with SmallBiz Week, please complete the form below and a member of our partnerships team will be in touch to discuss your enquiry shortly.
Got a question? Check out our FAQs below before you get in touch. These questions will be updated regularly, with all of our latest information and FAQs.
Yes, simply register for a free ticket to attendthe event.
o Melbourne: April 29-30, 2025 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)
o Sydney: September 24-25, 2025 at the International Convention Centre (ICC)
Yes, children and school kids are welcome to attend, but they will need to have aregistered ticket.
Yes, there will be a variety of hot food and beverages available for purchase withinthe venue, including options for vegetarians, vegans, and those with glutensensitivities.
Unfortunately, pets are not permitted, except for service dogs.
Professional photography and video are not permitted unless you have a media pass. However,you are encouraged to capture the event on your mobile devices and share yourphotos and videos on social media.
Yes, SmallBiz Sessions and SmallBiz Workshops are free to attend for registeredticket holders. Please ensure you register in advance to secure your seat atany workshops you wish to attend.
Yes, your SmallBiz Week ticket will cover both the main event and the LightCommercial AutoShow, which is taking place in conjunction with SmallBiz Week atthe same venue.
Great! While speaking engagements are typicallyreserved for exhibitors, you can reach out to our team to discuss potentialopportunities.
Please submit a media pass application on our website
Yes, there will be plenty of opportunities to network with other attendees,exhibitors, and speakers throughout the event.
Yes, there is paid parking available at both the MCEC and ICC.