“I have really appreciated the benefits of the Korean program in terms of planning, managing and understanding my business in Australia. It is difficult to get such information which is crucial for our daily business. The practical knowledge and wisdom of other business participants was also valuable to understand our society and business environment in Australia. I am confident that this information will help our business to achieve and succeed and then to contribute to the Australian economy. Thank you again.” Korean small business owner “The Bi-Lingual program for the Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese business owners that you have embarked upon is an exciting and adventurous enterprise. The provision of business management services is an important step towards ensuring that the correct information regarding taxation, business regulations and compliance is imparted to the ethnic business communities.  Your detailed planning of all aspects of the delivery of this bi-lingual project – the structured timetable, the sequence of learning material, the choice of guest speakers have contributed to its outstanding success. I offer my congratulations on an excellently conceived and executed program.” Senior Program Field Officer NSW Department of Education & Training “The knowledge and skills provided in the seminars are what I have been searching for – the valuable information regarding small business law(particularly contracts & agreements), Fair Trading and the Taxation system have overcome my ignorance and a lack of understanding about legal issues. The program was very helpful in terms of sharing about practical issues from other more experienced business peers who have been in Australia for some time. I will strongly recommend this type of management program to my other friends in business.” Chinese small business owner “A key factor in sustainable economic and employment growth is an educated small business sector. In Fairfield, the small business sector is the largest employer group, with non-English speaking background proprietors/directors being highly represented. Training is not normally a priority to this group; there is a cultural suspicion of government, an aversion to record keeping and taxation issues, and a significant disadvantage arising from communication difficulties generally, but particularly on complex issues associated with small business. Fairfield City Council has been associated with IBBT which has delivered a number of small business training programs attended by locally based business proprietors and have witnessed the positive benefits for participants. The Council strongly supports the type of delivery of training provided by IBBT.” Project Officer, Economic & Employment Development “Chinese business owners have been taking to the business skills development workshops we offer like ducks to water,” says Bruce McLennan, who has identified a niche market in the small business field delivering training to the Chinese and Korean communities. The Chinese Business Skills Development and Mentoring workshops, funded by the Australian Government with $136,000 through the Small Business Enterprise Culture Program, have been designed to help bridge the gap between the Chinese-Australian community and the mainstream. “We’re filtering and translating the information only where necessary. We’re making sure it is understood by the people at the workshops, but we’re definitely encouraging assimilation. “The Australian community will benefit because, for example, many of these companies will know how to comply with mainstream tax laws and so on for the first time.” Oliver runs a Swimming Pool Retail business on Sydney’s North Shore. “I’m not typical of Chinese businessmen,” says Oliver. “My business is mainstream; the majority of Chinese businesses involve imports or foodstuffs. “I started up in business seven years ago, after 11 years in Australia. I was an expert in water treatment engineering. “I came to the workshops when my business seemed to be stagnating after seven years. I hadn’t realised that broad marketing, business planning and people management skills are just as important as the technical aspects of a business.” Having been in Australia for a long time, Oliver is often able to look at his own community with an outsider’s eye. “There’s no question that engaging with the mainstream is the road to growth.” Bruce McLennan agrees that communication skills are vital. “Encouraging the use of English in the workshops led quickly to an apparent rapid improvement in the participant’s English skills. I’m sure it was improved confidence showing results in a safe and supportive environment. “We are teaching about compliance with Australian laws, taxation, award rates of pay, contracts law and immigration law. For cultural reasons, we ‘disguise’ the workshops as formal lectures at first. But then we quickly encourage an open, interactive forum. It’s an exchange of ideas with a purposeful agenda. “Voicing strong opinions doesn’t come easily to this community, but once they are aware their opinions aren’t threatened, they open up.” Workshops targeting Mandarin and Cantonese speakers have been run successfully. The next step will be a workshop for Chinese women in business. “We’re in the process of identifying the critical issues for Chinese women” says Mr. McLennan. “Chinese business skills development and mentoring” – AusIndustry Chinese Small Business Enterprise Culture Program (SBECP)