New centre to support small business in the Sunshine State

Anyone working as a small business owner in commercial real estate in the bustling heart of the Gold Coast has room for expansion. The opportunities to buy commercial property in Surfers Paradise are rampant, whether one owns a startup looking to take the next step, or runs a slightly older business that is outgrowing its first office. 

Whatever stage of the business cycle a company is in, growth is probably a possibility. And a new announcement from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) looks set to improve the quality of business in our state even further. 

Collaborate and innovate

In a 20 May media release from the CCIQ, details were given of an announcement by the organisation's CEO, Stephen Tait. He spoke alongside Prime Minister Tony Abbott at a press conference about the federal budget in Brisbane, and announced Collaborate. This is a new regional centre for innovation, that will provide support for small businesses right across the state. 

"We believe that now is the time for CCIQ to take the next step in supporting SMEs in understanding, encouraging and guiding them on the path of entrepreneurial and innovative practices," Mr Tait said. 

"Our first centre in Brisbane will be open to all Queensland businesses from all sectors and stages of life and will become a hub for problem-solving, for connecting academia, governments and businesses, with our intention to roll these centres out through regional Queensland."

Mr Tait hopes that the centre teaches small businesses to diversify, and learn new methods of innovation. This allows companies to evolve with the times, keep expanding their customer base and create growth in both employment and the economy. This way, your small business has the tools it needs to keep up with an increasingly competitive global landscape. 

With another centre planned for our local region, business owners could get this aid without straying from their doorstep. Valuable advice could be imparted for those looking to relocate into bigger commercial property for sale on the Gold Coast. 

Improvement upon improvement

Of course, those who work in retail leasing on the Gold Coast may not feel they need the help, judging by the latest jobs figures. In a 14 May press release from the Queensland government, Treasurer Curtis Pitt noted that the state's jobs growth was leading the country. 

There were 14,100 jobs added to the state during the month of April according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, something that Pitt notes is occurring as confidence rises. 

"The labour force participation rate on the Gold Coast was also up 2.1 percentage points in the year to April in a sign that more people are looking for jobs as employment prospects pick up," he stated. 

Youth unemployment was a particular focus for Mr Pitt, and he was pleased to see that the federal budget was introducing measures to tackle this issue. A payroll tax rebate has been introduced at a state level, which Mr Pitt hopes will facilitate more employment of young people in Queensland.

If you lease commercial property on the Gold Coast, then there is every chance you have contributed to this jobs growth with your small business. But as always, there is room to continue improving the state economy, and your business' financial situation. 

The introduction of the Collaborate centre offers a unique opportunity to learn more about business expansion, in terms of both more staff and more floor space.

If you wish to find out more about commercial property for sale on the Gold Coast as a part of this statewide growth, make sure to talk to us at Ray White Surfers Paradise.