Business scholarships up for grabs
Melbourne’s Jewish Care is offering four exciting new scholarships to help small business owners achieve their dream of success.
Like to imagine yourself sitting at a table with the founder of Forty Winks or Autobarn Group? How about getting a former Trade Commissioner or General Manager at Kodak to give you some business advice?
Thanks to a partnership between Jewish Care Victoria and Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS), small business owners and operators can receive professional mentoring support from some of Victoria’s most successful, experienced business specialists.
Additionally, small businesses accessing funding through Jewish Care’s Jewish Mutual Loan Company may also be eligible.
Bill Appleby
Bill Appleby, CEO of Jewish Care explained, “Statistics show that 40% of all new businesses fail within the first 12 months of operation, and less than 25% survive their first five years. Business failure often involves business and personal bankruptcy as well, and this has a devastating impact on individuals, relationships, families and overall community wellbeing.”
“Business mentoring with SBMS reflects Jewish Care’s focus on preventing crisis before it happens,” Mr. Appleby said. “This is one of a number of services, including financial counselling, our Saver Plus program, and our Jump Start Loans, which are aimed at strengthening our community through education, skills development and support.”
“I am indebted to John Serry, for his dedicated stewardship of the Jewish Mutual Loans program over many years and Reuben Zelwer, for championing this terrific initiative.”
The SBMS is an independent not-for-profit organisation which assists small businesses to improve sales, profits and employment potential by providing educational training, personal mentoring and other valuable business programs. Working in conjunction with Small Business Victoria through the Victorian Government, the SBMS has supported over 15,000 small businesses ranging from established business to start-ups, and assisted hundreds affected by the February 2009 bushfires.
Forty Winks founder Roger Wilson, Autobarn founder Amos Bush, former Eastman Kodak Asia Pacific Regional Business General Manager, Greg McKibbin and former Trade Commissioner to France and China, Roger James, are just a few of the highly experienced professionals who volunteer their time with SBMS, sharing their valuable knowledge and business expertise.
Scholarship Application Forms are available at www.jewishcare.org.au
