The term “community” is used so often nowadays that it has reached buzzword status. The only drawback is when a particular term is thrown around and used in countless contexts; it’s easy to lose sight of the real importance of community – and how to develop communities in building a sense of trust, connection and caring for one another.
We, at The Growth Manager, put value in the community above all else. It is our prime belief that no one would be able to survive without the presence of a healthy and thriving community within our neighbourhood and within our community’s various industries.
Additionally, our team put great value on sharing our vision within the business community. In so doing, we not only help our clients but in turn help businesses grow for uplifting and the good of the community.
The Effects of the Pandemic on Small Businesses
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected a lot of small businesses. The impact of the pandemic has highlighted the importance of community as it not only relates to mental health and isolation. It also made people seek meaningful connections to help them cope – and that’s one of the most vital functions that communities perform.
The pandemic has disproportionately affected small businesses because most of these businesses belong to industries that have been hardly hit by restrictions on movement. From the second half of 2020 to the first half of 2021, a broader economic recovery led to an improvement in conditions for many businesses, both large and small.
However, conditions have been found to be uneven across industries and demand has been variable since the beginning of 2020 for many small firms. Sales of smaller retailers declined noticeably in early 2020 before slowly picking up towards the end of the year as conditions improved. Larger retailers, on the other hand, have become resilient throughout the pandemic.
Though it may seem that things are picking up, we are still not out of the woods, so to speak. There are still a lot of businesses that need to operate within the framework of the “new normal.” Accept it or not, the way we do business has changed and there is no way around it but to learn and adapt.
Businesses need assistance to help them cope, and get new insights, suggestions, and options that relate to new challenges and opportunities they may have in their businesses.
Mentoring for Growth (M4G)
To help businesses push for recovery, the Queensland Government initiated the Mentoring for Growth (M4G) program. The program offers eligible businesses to participate and is provided free access to volunteer business experts. The goal is to help these businesses in Queensland grow and succeed in the prevailing business environment.
With our strong sense of community, The Growth Manager is taking part in this noble endeavour by the government to help businesses in Queensland receive free mentoring opportunities from a network of Queensland specialists.
Volunteer mentors are drawn from Queensland’s wide pool of registered mentors who have expertise and experience in coaching and/or developing businesses.
We, at The Growth Manager, are thrilled to announce that we are one of the 250 registered volunteer mentors of this incredible program in support and mentoring of business owners in:
- Business strategy
- Development
- Marketing
- Social Media
The aim of the M4G free mentoring program is to connect business owners with experienced mentors who volunteered their time to assist business owners to build stronger businesses across Queensland.
Queensland’s M4G program helps businesses in areas such as:
- Mentoring for Growth sessions
- Mentoring for Investment
- Mentoring for Pitch
- Mentoring for Export
- Mentoring for Recovery
All participants in the M4G program are matched by the Queensland Government to each mentor’s expertise and experience with their identified business challenge or opportunity. The program is available to all eligible businesses across Queensland and is currently being delivered to participants online.
How to Register for M4G
Interested parties must complete a registration form, providing as much information as they can, regarding the challenges they are currently experiencing.
The information you provide will help the Queensland Government select the best mentor(s) for you, and to schedule your free session without delay. Additionally, the program’s volunteer mentors will rely on the information you provide on your registration to prepare for your mentoring session.
NOTE: All registrants will be asked to agree to the Queensland Government’s terms and conditions for mentees as part of the registration process in the registration form.
Why do we, at The Growth Manager, volunteer our time?
Volunteering can take many shapes and forms. Regardless of the case, it is our firm belief that having people work together on a worthy and noble cause is important in creating a meaningful community.
At The Growth Manager, supporting fellow business owners to create the life of their dreams, is what we do and what we value, within our community, above anything else. This is stamped as part of our business values that we support our Community by Empowering others through our Generosity. Needless to say, the Queensland M4G Program allows us to do this.
Our vision is to offer Australian businesses in staying focused on what matters to them in achieving their goals and building the business of their dreams. It is also part of our mission to impart our expertise in assisting Australian businesses to achieve success.
More importantly, by volunteering for the M4G program, we strengthen our resolve in being part of our community and be part of the guiding force in strengthening our communities along with the other 250 volunteers in various fields of expertise.
We enjoin every business owner in Queensland to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. Register today.
