Small Business Development Corporation

Resources to help your small business

The Small Business Development Corporation

For nearly forty years, the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) has helped
thousands of small business operators by providing relevant and practical support for every
stage of their business. The SBDC offers a wide range of State Government-funded resources,
tools and services to help small businesses in Western Australia start well, survive and thrive.

The City of Joondalup is proud to be a signatory to the SBDC’s Small Business Friendly program, an initiative that recognises and supports local governments that are
committed to actively supporting small businesses in their local area.

Starting a business

The SBDC’s starting a business guide provides you with all the tools you need to start and
run your business with confidence. It includes information about:

• Essential business skills
• Business planning
• Licences and permits
• Business structures
• Business names
• Franchising
• Tenders
• Importing and exporting

You can also access relevant information on the SBDC website about tax reporting
requirements, employer obligations and closing or selling your business.

Workshops

The SBDC offers practical business skills workshops covering a variety of key topics for new
and prospective small businesses, including the free “Starting a Business” workshop.

Available both online and in-person, these business skills workshops help you to develop and
improve your small business skills.

Advisory services

The SBDC offers free trusted advice on a range of small business matters including:

• specialist advice in relation to commercial lease agreements
• a dispute resolution service (DRS) to assist with resolving business to business and business to government disputes
• general, free advice on challenges and opportunities arising in your businesses.

You can speak to an experienced business adviser for free by calling 133 140 or using the live
chat function on the SBDC website.

Business Licence Finder

You may need licences to start or run a business in Western Australia. These will depend on
your business type, your activities and your location. You can easily find a list of licences and
permits specifically required for your business by using the SBDC’s Business Licence Finder
tool.

• Use Search based on your business type for a tailored step-by-step guide to find the
  specific licences and permits required to successfully operate your business.
• If you have a quick search in mind, use Find a specific licence or code of practice.

Tools, templates and guides

There are a variety of tools, templates and guides to help you and your business stay on
track, including a:

• Letter of demand and letter of complaint
• Business plan template
• Marketing plan
• Capability statement
• Range of financial calculators

Stay up to date with the latest news

In addition to the wide range of resources listed above, the SBDC posts regularly on their blog
with the latest information and guidance, as well as stories and case studies on small
businesses. You can:

• sign up to receive the SBDC’s email updates
• follow them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
• join thousands of other local small business owners in their Facebook Group “I’m a
  small business owner in Western Australia”.