News

This month's networking activity at Tuggerah saw members take part in our first Referral Radar™ session – a collaborative brainstorming exercise designed to help uncover new business connections and opportunities.

Each participant wrote down their business, key services, and the types of introductions they would love to receive. The challenge for the room was then to think beyond the obvious client referral and suggest complementary businesses, strategic partners, industry contacts, and potential introduction opportunities.

As pages were passed around the room, the activity became a little lively (even a little messy!) as members moved between tables sharing ideas and adding suggestions. However, the feedback afterwards was overwhelmingly positive.

What became clear was the power of collective thinking. Members left with pages full of ideas, new connections to explore, and in many cases, offers from fellow members to facilitate introductions.

A great reminder that sometimes the best opportunities come not from who you know, but from who your network knows.

Today saw the successful launch of SBNG's new Member Spotlight format at our Ettalong meeting, and if the response from members and guests is anything to go by, it's a concept that's here to stay!

Designed to give more members an opportunity to showcase their expertise, share their stories and increase their visibility within the network, the inaugural event featured three members who generously stepped forward to help bring the idea to life. Taking the stage first is never easy, particularly when launching something completely new, and we are incredibly grateful for the enthusiasm, professionalism and courage shown by our presenters today, Sylvi Soe, Amanda Reynolds and Richard Melrose.

The event attracted a fantastic turnout, with many supporters attending to cheer on the speakers. In fact, numbers exceeded our expectations and for a short while there was some uncertainty about whether we'd fit everyone into the room! Fortunately, the welcoming spirit that SBNG is known for was on full display, with members happily making space, pulling up extra chairs and ensuring everyone felt included.

What made the morning particularly special was the fresh energy in the room. The Member Spotlight format created an opportunity for attendees to gain a deeper understanding of the expertise, experiences and passions that exist within our membership. It also sparked conversations, connections and opportunities that continued well beyond the presentations themselves.

As a committee, we couldn't have asked for a better start. Our inaugural presenters have set a high standard for future participants and demonstrated exactly why visibility, connection and collaboration remain at the heart of what makes SBNG such a valuable business community.

Thank you to everyone who attended, supported the speakers and embraced this new initiative. We look forward to bringing more Member Spotlight presentations to future meetings and continuing to showcase the remarkable talent that exists within our network.

We're spoilt really, with the breadth and depth of knowledge that Grant Pavett brings to his annual EOFY series of presentations ... this year following the theme of Plan Now, Profit Later.  

These presentations were held across all 3 venues on the following dates: Tuggerah on 10th April, Ettalong on 1st May and today's meeting at Erina.  And it's great to hear participants saying that they pick up new information each time Grant speaks - which goes to show that you should pay attention to your accountant!

Key points to note:

• Make sure you book a Tax Planning session with your accountant well in advance, so you can execute the strategies before 30th June
• Keep up to date records (use Xero/QuickBooks or similar)
• Keep all invoices & receipts - you can upload these into your accounting software to reduce paper clutter
• Keep diary evidence eg logbooks, for your car, phone, laundry etc
• Crypto currency ... keep all records from when you started - it gets taken into account each year it's traded
• Shares ... keep everything you get

For a free 15 minute consultation, contact Vizion Accounting on

(02) 4367 0698

Grant Pavett

Director, Vizion Accounting

grant@visionaccounting.com.au

reception@vizionaccounting.com.au

There was a moment at our Tuggerah meeting today where Steve Barry actually threatened to turn the internet off .... Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat???  Yep, there it was, a small box, sitting on the bench ... and the only thing that showed us it was working was the flashing red light.

All jokes aside, Steve took us for a trip down memory lane today as we explored the internet's origins which date back to 1967, with the concept itself coming from back in the '50s.  Some of us were alive back then!

The key thing to remember is that it's all about data.  Everything is data.  And it's not floating in a 'cloud', it's sitting on someone's server somewhere ...

So what precautions do we need to take to protect our data, as small business owners?

• Speak with a specialist
• Keep your software/plugins updated
• Don't trust everything you see online
• New and shiny tools don't mean safe and secure

If you'd like any help with your online presence contact:

Steve Barry

Terrigal Web Services

0428 075 705

steve@terrigalwebservices.com.au

There’s something really powerful about being asked, “What do you actually need?”

And right now, small business owners across NSW have that exact opportunity.

The NSW Government has announced a new advisory service designed to support small businesses with practical skills to run and grow, and they’re inviting business owners (that’s us!) to help shape what that looks like.

This isn’t a tick-box exercise.  They’re genuinely seeking input from real businesses across different industries, stages, and locations, to ensure the support offered is actually useful, relevant, and accessible.

They want to understand:

• What support would make the biggest difference to your business
• What skills or advice are most valuable at different stages of growth
• How you prefer to access support and guidance

And honestly … this is where your lived experience matters.

Because you’re the one navigating the day-to-day realities:    the juggle, the decisions, the risks, the growth.
You know what’s missing ... and you know what would help you.

This is your chance to speak into that.

The survey is short, and your input will directly contribute to shaping a service designed to better support businesses like ours.

️ Consultation closes: Sunday 19 April 2026 at 11:59pm

If you’ve ever thought, “I wish there was better support for small businesses…”
this is the moment to help create it.

This is the link.

Let’s make sure our voices are part of the conversation.

At today's SBNG meeting, Mark Hanslow delivered a practical and engaging session on how small business owners can approach risk in a simple, structured way.

For businesses with fewer than five employees, the key message was clear:  you are your own risk manager.

Using straightforward tools, Mark guided members to identify potential risks, assess their impact, and consider what protections are currently in place.

He also shared a checklist of common business exposures — from assets and liabilities through to legal risks and business continuity — prompting many to reflect on gaps in their own planning.

The session was well received, with attendees highlighting both the relevance of the content and the value of Mark’s real-life examples.

Key Takeaways

• You are your own risk manager — awareness is the first step
• Identify what could go wrong before it does
• Regularly review your insurance — don’t “set and forget”
• Have a simple, clear disaster plan in place
• Protecting your business protects your future

For more information, contact

Mark Hanslow

HANSLOW INSURANCE GROUP PTY LTD

M: 0401 674 794 

E: mark@hanslowinsurance.com.au 

W: www.hanslowinsurance.com.au

Our Tuggerah meeting moved to a new venue this week — a big thank you to the team at Breaking Grounds for making us feel so welcome.

We also welcomed four first-time visitors, which is fantastic to see as the SBNG network continues to grow.

Our guest speaker, Nicola Davies-Cooke, shared practical insights on how to create a great presentation. Here’s what matters most:

• Start with your audience – relevance beats information every time
• Decide your outcome – if you’re not clear, your audience won’t be either
• Less is more – a focused message is far more memorable than a full download
• Simplicity creates structure – for both you and your audience
• Finish with intent – don’t fade out, land the message

Great presentations aren’t about saying more.
They’re about saying the right things, in the right order, with purpose.

Today's Ettalong meeting was well attended, with 24 members and guests coming together for our structured networking session.

Ettalong Patron, Mark Hanslow, introduced a simple format to keep things moving - three 10-minute one-to-one conversations - and the impact was immediate because the short timeframes kept energy high and conversations purposeful.

Feedback from the participants reflected a strong appreciation for this format, with many noting how much more they learned about others in a short period of time.

It was a great reminder that when we create the right environment, connection becomes both efficient and impactful.

Another packed meeting at Sol with several new faces around the tables, which is great to see!

Jay Walmsley was our guest speaker for the meeting, and he introduced us to Sabri Suby's "3% Rule" which essentially says that in any room or community there's only about 3% of people who are in a position to BUY NOW. 

Here's the highlights of his presentation:

• Stop Chasing, Start Attracting: If you only talk to people ready to buy today, you’re ignoring 97% of your potential revenue.

• The Education Bridge: Community isn't about selling; it's about moving people from "problem aware" to "solution ready" through consistent, low-friction value.

• Ownership vs. Renting: Why building your own community platform is safer and more profitable than relying on changing social media algorithms.

• The 17/20/60 Split: A breakdown of how to tailor your content for information seekers (17%), problem-aware prospects (20%), and the "not yet aware" majority (60%).

• Be the Only Choice: By the time a prospect hits that "Ready to Buy" 3%, your community has already made you the only trusted authority in their eyes.

For more information, contact:

Office Number +61  0411 438838
www.bizboxpro.com.au 
info@bconnectedworld.com

Today's meeting at Tuggerah was our biggest yet with 27 people in attendance!  With a bit of judicious furniture removal, we managed to find seats for everyone, which was great ...  and we welcomed first time guests, a new member and saw the return of some familiar faces who have been absent from meetings for a while.  Clearly 2026 is off to a bounding start here.

Rory Gowers gave our special presentation today, ably assisted by his wife Lilian and Paul Diener, who role-played a common business scenario:

• Using Medianos - the board game teaching practical conflict resolution through interactive gameplay - we witnessed a real problem being navigated through a playable solution
• This format can assist with difficult customers, unreliable suppliers, partnership tensions, because it uses a structured framework we can all apply immediately
• Beyond traditional mediation: Medianos equips teams to resolve their own conflicts before escalation, building capability rather than dependency

As Australasian Ambassador for Medianos, Rory Gowers is bringing this innovative approach to Central Coast businesses, schools, and community groups throughout 2026

If you'd like more information on how to get involved, please contact Rory:

Email: rory@gowersfacilitating.com.au

Phone: 0425292811