A cohort of South Australian businesswomen has been selected to participate in the Women in Business Advisory Program – the first initiative to roll out under the South Australian Government’s $4 million Women in Business Program.
Delivered by support organisation ‘behind closed doors’, 38 women leading early-stage, high-growth businesses will commence in February 2023.
Representing a wide range of industries—including mining, finance, health, real estate, food and wine, manufacturing, and professional services—participants will learn to establish best practice governance, undertake strategic planning, and assemble effective and balanced advisory boards.
This program was established to help female business leaders overcome common barriers to business success, equipping them with the knowledge, contacts, and confidence to grow their already established enterprises.
Additionally, the complementary Women in Business Foundations Program will see Adelaide Business Hub deliver capability and skills development opportunities to women in the formative stages of their business journey.
Both Women in Business programs respond to challenges identified in the recent state-wide SA Small Business Survey, where 43 per cent of female business owners indicated they faced gender-specific barriers.
These include discrimination, inequitable access to growth opportunities, and establishing work-life balance with caregiving duties.
Scholarship recipient Kirsty Chapman-Smith is the CEO and Founder of Discount Party Supplies. She saw the program as an opportunity to expand her leadership skills.
“My business has achieved significant growth over the last few years, and I recognise I need to develop and grow with it if I am to deliver on the vision and strategy we have set for the company,” Chapman-Smith said.
“I am most excited that this is specifically a program for women entrepreneurs.
“I am looking forward to being challenged and inspired by a group of like-minded women who will support each other as we face the hurdles of running our own businesses.”
