OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE NSW SMALL BUSINESS MONTH

Sydney is home to thousands of small businesses, and across NSW more than 893,000 small businesses are the backbone of our economy, creating jobs, driving innovation and strengthening local communities.

That is why NSW Small Business Month is so important. It provides an opportunity to recognise the enormous contribution of small businesses, hear directly from business owners about the challenges they face, and focus on what governments and business organisations can do to help them grow and succeed.

It was fantastic to see more than 120 small business owners and business leaders join Business Sydney and the NSW Small Business Commissioner for the official launch of NSW Small Business Month 2026.

The breakfast was a great success, with attendees telling us how worthwhile they found the morning and how valuable it was to hear directly from government and fellow business leaders about the opportunities and challenges facing small business.

We were delighted to hear from the Hon Janelle Saffin MP Minister for Small Business, who officially launched NSW Small Business Month 2026 and spoke about the importance of supporting small businesses right across our state.

NSW Small Business Commissioner, Kalina Koloff then highlighted the diversity, resilience and dynamism of small businesses across NSW.

Our panel provided an excellent and very practical discussion, featuring:

• Kalina Koloff, NSW Small Business Commissioner
• Elizabeth Mildwater, Secretary, Department of Customer Service
• Matt Atkins, Founder & Executive Chef, Plate Events & Catering
• Ondina Gregoric, Founder, The Conscious Executive Coach

The discussion explored the opportunities and challenges facing small businesses and, importantly, what can be done to create an environment where they can grow, thrive and succeed.

Thank you also to Shabnam Mahabat, Director, Olinga Services, for delivering the vote of thanks and helping bring the morning to a close.