A new Women in Business Advisory Program, launched for the first time this week by the South Australian Government and behind closed doors, will equip women leading scale up and high growth businesses with the insights and understanding to establish best practice governance, undertake strategic planning, and assemble effective and balanced advisory boards.
behind closed doors, a membership organisation delivering coaching, leadership development, business advisory and networking opportunities exclusively for women business owners, has partnered with the South Australian Government to deliver this program.
The behind closed doors and the Government of South Australia’s Women in Business Advisory Program was created in response to a need for female business owners and entrepreneurs to have a support network where they can discuss strategies, issues, and challenges in a totally confidential environment, while at the same time encourage each other to extend themselves further to achieve and succeed in their business ventures.
The Program’s objectives are to:
- Deliver practical sessions to generate more effective business owners
- Assist business owners to improve business growth and financial knowledge
- Encourage and support members to establish an Advisory Board for their business
- Provide a confidential business owner’s support network
- Expand and broaden networks and business relationships
- Extend individuals personally and professionally
- Increase the expertise of female business owners and entrepreneurs
- Mentor peers to accept greater business challenges
- Assist members to participate in awards programs such as the Telstra Business Awards.
This practical and rewarding program for female business owners will comprise of the following three sub-program groups:
Premium Entrepreneur includes ten peer coaching and mentoring sessions per year, 3-hour session duration, held face-to-face. Groups capped at 10 members, no competing industry sectors in your group.
Flex Entrepreneur includes six one-to-one business advisory/coaching sessions per year, 60-minute session duration, and quarterly peer coaching and mentoring sessions of 3-hour duration held face-to-face or online. Groups capped at 10 members, no competing industry sectors in your group.
Entrepreneurs Connect ideal for rural, regional, and remote South Australian Business Owners and includes eight peer coaching and mentoring sessions, 2-hour session duration, held online via teleconferencing. Groups capped at 8 members, no competing industry sectors in your group.
Applications for one of the thirty eight half scholarships on offer open from November 8 are being co-funded by the Government of South Australia to cover half of the Program fees for female business owners in each of the three categories.
Video or written applications can be made online at behindcloseddoors.com and close on 28th November 2022 at 5pm ACDT. Finalists will need to be available for an interview on 7th and 8th December with successful applicants notified by Friday, 16th December 2022.
The thirty eight winners of the behind closed doors and the Government of South Australia’s Women in Business Advisory Program scholarships will also receive:
- Access to a select Executive and business owners’ women’s network
- Professional and personal development in a stimulating environment
- Exposure and introductions to senior people in business and government
- Fireside sessions with local identities and successful entrepreneurs
- Opportunities to discuss strategies, issues, and challenges in a supportive women’s forum
- Invitations to Businesswomen’s Connexions (networking) functions
- Opportunities for Board Directorships
Donny Walford, Founder and Managing Director of behind closed doors (BCD), said:
“Sadly, we weren’t surprised by the findings in the Deloitte Report into female Founders which uncovered that the share of funding in Australia received by women-only founded businesses was less than 1 per cent in FY22. This low share of funding to businesses with women founders is occurring while capital deployed to start-ups increased tenfold in the past four years.”
“behind closed doors (BCD) is very excited to partner with the South Australian Government to deliver the Women in Business Advisory Program. We will deliver our blended model with face to face and online program options to advise, provide feedback, keep entrepreneurs accountable as well as help them develop their leadership capabilities and achieve their growth plans. This is designed to support female Entrepreneurs to broaden their networks nationally and be encouraged to establish both business partnerships and advisory boards.”
Minister for Small and Family Business, Andrea Michaels MP said:
“I am personally passionate about supporting small and family business – especially when it comes to creating opportunities for more women to start and grow their businesses. We took to the election a commitment to deliver a dedicated program tailored to the specific challenges women face in business. As a woman who grew up within a family business, and was running my own small business until just recently, I’m acutely aware of the specific barriers that face women in business.
These barriers include unequal access to capital, networks, and upskilling opportunities, as well as the well-documented juggle between work and caring responsibilities.
Our recent engagement with the small business community across South Australia revealed that more than 38 per cent of female respondents still experienced a host of barriers including gender bias, sexism and a lack of upskilling opportunities.”
For more information, click here.
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