Business Mount Alexander

Castlemaine Community House Spring Ball 2016
2016-10-15 20:00 - 2016-10-16 01:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Town Hall, Room 1, Frederick Street, Castlemaine, 3450
2016 Spring Ball is Castlemaine Community House’s 21st Ball!
This years theme is the fabulous 80’s (will it ever go out of fashion?)
Performing is all star band Plumz – a fabulous combination of very talented musicians from across the shire and beyond (think Castlemaine Idylllllllll Baaaaaaand!!!) and they will also have a lineup of guest singers. There will be food, door prizes and guest DJ’s too.

Ticket will be on sale soon at the usual outlets – Green Goes, Maine Shoes and at CCH reception from September but you can go online to our try booking page.
https://www.trybooking.com/215847
In the meantime, get your priorities straight and focus all your attention on what you’re going to wear!
– get out the shoulder pads, pull out the leg warmers and tease up the hair people!

Women in Business Morning Tea
2016-10-14 10:00 - 12:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Goldfields Track Cafe, 92 Harmony Way, Harcourt, Vic, 3453, Australia
Business Mount Alexander invites women in business along to a morning tea at Goldfields Track Cafe. Meet other local business women over coffee and cake. No structured presentations, speakers or name tags – just organic networking. $10 for BMA members and $15 for non-members. Hot drink and selection of cakes, slices, scones, jam & cream included in price.
Book via: https://www.trybooking.com/NILP

Business Planning Essentials
2016-10-03 17:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Town Hall, Room 1, Frederick Street, Castlemaine, 3450
A clear business plan is an essential determiner of long-term business success – as the saying goes, ‘fail to plan and you plan to fail’.
Get the tools, templates and support you need to guide you through the key steps in the planning process and give your business the best chance of success.
Business planning helps you to think ahead to identify and avoid future issues and more importantly discover and explore new opportunities.
A good business plan creates a clear vision and roadmap for your business, which can be a vital tool when seeking finance, leasing premises, getting permits and engaging staff.
And it doesn’t have to be long or complex. The key question is “what has to change to get us from where we are now to where we want to be”. In just two hours, this seminar will help you navigate through the ‘now-where-how’ to answer that question and to create a clear one-page plan for your business.
This tried and tested seminar has been helping Victorian business get started for over 10 years and will introduce you to the business frameworks that will fast-track your success.

Social Drinks at The Taproom
2016-09-29 17:00 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Taproom, 1-9 Walker Street, Castlemaine, 3450, Australia
Join us for ‘After 5’ drinks at The Taproom on Thursday 29 October from 5pm to 6.30pm.
A great way to meet other people in business for a social chat over a drink.
Drinks at bar prices, finger food provided. All Welcome!
Register your interest via our BMA Facebook page.

Your Value, Money & Stuff
2016-09-15 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | CoHoots Workspace, 40 Forest Street, Castlemaine, Vic, 3450, Australia
MONEY is the theme for the next Women in Cohoots networking event. Topics up for discussion:
* how to generally manage the money in your business
* how to value your worth and charge accordingly
* the benefits and costs of discounting & freebies
There will be plenty of discussion and sharing of your ideas & resources to help you manage your future. Liz Mellor, the money coach (http://www.awakenintowealth.com/) will be on hand offering her insights.
Enjoy a cuppa or wine with nibbles and a chair-based yoga stretch with Jacqui (http://yogaharmony.com.au/) to maintain flexibility of your mind and body. And don’t forget the invaluable networking with like-minded women.
Get all this for $15
More information via Facebook Event Page.

Setting Your Financial Strategy
2016-09-05 17:30 - 20:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Town Hall, Room 1, Frederick Street, Castlemaine, 3450
Do you know the difference between a budget and a forecast? A good financial strategy is more than just income and expenses.
Profit and loss, budgets, forecasts and cash flow – it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by business financials, but they are fantastic tools once you know how to use them.
Even if you are not a ‘numbers person’ this short workshop will guide you through step-by-step to develop an effective budget and forecast that can help you monitor and evaluate the strategic and financial objectives of your business.
If you want your business to be the best it can and provide the financial rewards to go with it – you need a plan.
In a small group with other local business owners, and presented by an expert financial strategist, you will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive advice from someone who has first-hand small business experience.
You will leave the session equipped with information you can apply directly in your own business. Need more help to set your financial strategy? This workshop comes with one free one-hour consultation with an experienced small business mentor.
Learn how easy it is to take control and develop a financial strategy that improves how your business runs.

Central Vic Regional Networking at Holgate Brewhouse
2016-08-25 19:00 - 22:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Holgate Brewhouse, 79 High Street, Woodend, Vic, 3442, Australia
BREAK OUT and network with your neighbouring shire!
Businesses from Macedon Ranges, Mt Alexander, Hepburn & Daylesford, Sunbury and Bendigo together for networking and socialising at Holgate Brewhouse.
This unique night will be facilitated by leading personal and business coach Veronica Strachan who will help you find meaningful business connections as well as an insightful presentation by Holgate Brewhouse on how they went from small batch brewery to distributing their product nationally.
All this plus networking and fun!
$18 included finger food.
https://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=213564

Getting Collaboration Right
2016-08-09 19:00 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | CoHoots Workspace, 40 Forest Street, Castlemaine, Vic, 3450, Australia
For micro and small businesses operating in regional areas, collaboration with others can stimulate new business possibilities and reduce the challenges of working in isolation. Collaboration designer and partnership broker, Rhonda Chapman, presents an engaging discussion on how collaboration can invigorate small businesses. Come along and learn the how and why of successful collaborations, without the buzzwords but with plenty of practical insights.
The workshop is on Tuesday 9th August 7pm – 9pm and costs $25. Participants will receive a resource tool that provides a framework to establish and maintain your future collaborations.
Bookings via Eventbrite:

Pricing for Maximum Profit
2016-08-01 17:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Town Hall, Room 1, Frederick Street, Castlemaine, 3450
How often do you worry about your pricing? There is a reason Pricing is one of the important P’s in the marketing mix.
Take the guess work out of your pricing strategy and in just two hours learn how to find the right approach to increase market share and profit.
Your pricing strategy will determine both revenue and buyer behaviour. Get it right and your business will thrive.
Business owners often struggle over pricing issues. Do you consider: gross margin, mark up, what your competitors are charging or even simply what you ‘need to survive’ or ‘want’ to price your product or service at?
Discover the many elements that make up an effective pricing strategy and the secret to finding the balance between profits and increasing market share.
Learn how to avoid the five most common mistakes of pricing and equip yourself with the right skills and tools to achieve your business objectives.
Then implement your new strategy with the support of a free one hour follow up mentoring session with an experienced small business mentor to help you directly apply your learnings in your business.
Bookings via Eventbrite.

Women in Business Morning Tea
2016-07-26 10:00 - 11:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Das Kaffeehaus, 1-9 Walker Street, Castlemaine
Join us for a Women in Business morning tea at Das Kaffeehaus on Tuesday 26 July from 10am to 11.30am. A good opportunity to meet new people, share ideas and enjoy a cuppa and a chat. All welcome!
For queries, contact gen@businessmountalexander.org.au or register your interest via Facebook

Your Business in a Digital World
2016-07-11 17:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Lane, Castlemaine
Do you feel confused, overwhelmed or nervous about taking your business online? You have come to the right place.
Whether starting a new business or taking an existing business online, this short workshop will help you make informed decisions about the right online tools for your business.
Today’s online world has evolved to include much more than a website and the speed of change can be hard to keep up with. But if you’re not online you could be missing a lot of business.
Think of your website as the ‘anchor’ and everything else – blogs, social media, online advertising as serving to promote and direct people back to your website. This approach can bring digital thinking into all aspects of your business.
Take the guess work out of finding the right support with this introductory seminar led by a digital expert with real-life small business experience.
Share your experiences with other small business operators in your area while building your understanding of online advertising, search engines, websites and social media.
Through practical exercises and real-life examples make informed decision about the right tools for your business and learn how to bring them all together into an effective online strategy.
Please come and enjoy some friendly informal business networking from 5:30-6pm, refreshments will be served. The workshop session will formally begin at 6pm.
Bookings via Eventbrite.

Social Drinks Night
2016-06-23 17:00 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Taproom, 1-9 Walker Street, Castlemaine, 3450, Australia
Join Business Mount Alexander for our monthly social drinks at The Taproom on Thursday 23 June from 5pm.
A good opportunity to meet other business folk for a casual drink and good conversation.
Nibbles provided. Drinks at bar prices.
Register your interest via Book via: Facebook or MeetUp
All welcome!

Big Give Information Session
2016-06-15 18:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Goods Shed, Kennedy Street, Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450, Australia
Are you a local sports club, committee or group? Would you like to raise much needed funds for a project? Big Give is Australia’s first Community Giving Day supporting the locals to fundraise and top up their efforts with cash and prizes from our $30,000 prize pool. Come along to find out how Big Give works, if Big Give is right for you and get the chance to sign up on the night.
Find out more via www.biggive.com.au or book your attendance via Eventbrite.

Financial Health Check
2016-06-06 17:30 - 21:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Ray Bradfield Room, Frederick Street , Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450, Australia
Do you have a clear picture of how your business is performing financially? Knowing where to look and what to look for is simple when you know how.
Learn to track your business finances and use the information to improve performance and viability – and you don’t need to be an accountant!
Having the best product or service does not automatically translate to financial success. If you struggle to understand financial reporting, your business could be at risk.
Learning to interpret your financial reports can highlight strengths and weaknesses of your business and give you great insights on how to improve profit. Yes, it might sound daunting, especially if you’re not a ‘numbers person’, but it doesn’t have to be – and there is so much to gain.
Join a small number of local businesses in this 2-hour workshop that will step you through small business financials, in simple, easy-to-understand terms.
You will learn how to identify the warning signs and take a proactive approach to managing your business financials, particularly through difficult times.
Using real-life examples you will develop the skills and confidence to navigate your balance sheet and profit and loss statement to assess the financial health of your business.
When you get back to your business take advantage of a free on-on-one mentoring session with an experienced small business mentor who will help you put your learnings into practice.
Please come and enjoy some friendly and informal business networking from 5:30-6pm, refreshments will be served. The workshop session will formally begin at 6pm.

Social Drinks Night: Margot Wine Bar
2016-05-19 17:00 - 18:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Margot Wine Bar, 14 Hargreaves Street, Castlemaine, Vic, 3450, Australia
Each month BMA holds a social drinks night where members can catch up.
All Welcome!

Develop your Online Strategy
2016-05-17 17:30 - 21:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | Ray Bradfield Room, Frederick Street , Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450, Australia
Learn how to develop a strategy to help grow your business through your online activities and make your products and services easy for potential customers to find.
This small, interactive workshop will demystify the digital world and help bring focus and clarity to your online marketing activities.
Most small-business owners know very well that they need a professional online presence if they want to be taken seriously. But amongst all the other urgent tasks, this important job is often left undone.
The online world is rapidly evolving and today’s customers expect much more than a static promotional website. Adoption of digital technology is fast becoming a fundamental to business success. Developing content, understanding social media and search engine optimisation are all considered complex tasks by many busy small business owners.
Led by a digital expert with real-life small business experience, this workshop will simplify the digital world and help you develop a framework to strategically grow your business online.
Gain relevant, useful advice that you can apply straight away – from setting online marketing goals to content development, social media, search engine optimisation and analytics.
Please come and enjoy some friendly and informal business networking from 5:30-6pm, refreshments will be served. The workshop will formally begin at 6pm.

Marketing for Growth
2016-05-02 17:30 - 21:30 (Australia/Melbourne) | Ray Bradfield Room, Frederick Street , Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450, Australia
Already know about Marketing and now want to grow your business with new products, services, or markets? Learn how to refine your existing marketing strategy to expand your business opportunities.
This hands-on workshop will enable you to build a deeper understanding of your customers and focus your marketing strategy to grow your business.
A dynamic Marketing strategy is the key to achieving your business growth objectives.
Learn how to refine your existing marketing strategy to expand your business opportunities.
With the latest information and insights from a small business marketing expert and a suite of best-practice templates and resources, this quality program is designed to suit business at all stages.
Use proven frameworks to help identify new emerging opportunities and explore the range of online and offline marketing opportunities to develop the right mix for your business.
Apply the templates and resources and learn how to use research to gain a better understanding of your target market, develop your products and services and improve your key value proposition to attract more customers.
Please come and enjoy some friendly and informal business networking from 5:30-6pm, refreshments will be served. The workshop will formally begin at 6pm. This workshop will be held in the Ray Bradfield Rooms at Mount Alexander Shire Council.

A Tour of The Mill
2016-04-28 18:45 - 21:00 UTC | The Mill, 1 Walker Street, Castlemaine, 3450, Australia
Business Mount Alexander is kicking off its first event for the year with a tour of the refurbished Old Woollen Mill, followed by nibbles and networking. Other small business groups to join The Mill tour include Daylesford and Hepburn Springs Business and Tourism, Networking Bendigo, Macedon Ranges Business Networking Group and Maldon Inc.
This is a fantastic opportunity to view this amazing refurbished space as a food, artisan and vintage hub, plus meet people in business from Castlemaine and our neighboring towns. To book online go to www.trybooking.com/LELO. To register your interest (pay at door option) go to our event pages at MEETUP or Facebook.

Business and Art Forum
2015-12-04 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Castlemaine Art Museum, 14 Lyttleton Street,, Castlemaine, Victoria, 3450, Australia
Castlemaine Art Gallery
Considering Mount Alexander has more creative types per capita than anywhere else in Australia, it seemed only fitting that we should organise a Business & Art forum as well as end of year drinks for BMA.
These kinds of forums can be the perfect way to share ideas about how local businesses can best benefit from art, culture and event tourism in the district. With the coming of 2016 nearing ever closer it is also the perfect time to launch the third Arts Open, a visual art festival taking place across the shire in March.
Change of Speaker
Due to unforeseen family reasons Charles Leski from Moss Green has had to withdraw from this evening’s Art and Business forum. In his place we have some wonderful speakers discussing Art, Tourism and how business stands to benefit.
Paul Northam, Managing Curator from Latrobe University Victorian Art Centre will be discussing the importance of arts and culture to the economic profile of the City of Bendigo.
Helen Kaptein, ex-Cultural Programs Manager at the Australian Business Foundation will be discussing the success of business, local government and the arts community in collaborating on projects and building a successful community around these partnerships.
On the evening we will also be launching the Arts Open Visual arts festival which will be occurring shire wide over the Labour day weekend.
Castlemaine Art Gallery
Friday December 4th, 6pm
Considering Mount Alexander has more creative types per capita than anywhere else in Australia, it seemed only fitting that we should organise a Business & Art forum as well as end of year drinks for BMA.
These kinds of forums can be the perfect way to share ideas about how local businesses can best benefit from art, culture and event tourism in the district. With the coming of 2016 nearing ever closer it is also the perfect time to launch the third Arts Open, a visual art festival taking place across the shire in March.
Keeping us company on the night will be Castlemaine Brewing and Ice Cream Social, both helping to keep everyone hydrated and happy. This event is free to everyone, with drinks at bar prices and nibbles available.
Come celebrate Christmas Castlemaine style!

Business Mt. Alexander AGM
2015-10-26 18:30 - 20:30 UTC | CoHoots Workspace, 40 Forest Street, Castlemaine, Vic, 3450, Australia
Business Mt. Alexander will be hosting its annual AGM from 6.30pm at COHOOTS work space.
After the AGM there will be a discussion by Mandy Jean a local Architect and consultant who will be talking about the history of the Castlemaine Bus Line location. After the talk there will be plenty of time for informal networking.
Join us on the bus into the past with local researcher and heritage advisor Mandy Jean.
By 1854 over 34 coach lines operated out of Castlemaine including Ah Loy’s daily service.

About COHOOTS:
Coworking is a space for micro businesses, sole traders, entrepreneurs, small organisations and commuters to work productively in a community environment. As well as providing desk and meeting areas, we actively connect and promote collaboration amongst people so they grow personally & business-wise.
