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Keeping it in the family
FREE!
Assisting migrant families in the City of Melbourne to start their own business.
Were you born overseas? Have you thought about running a business with one or more of your family members?
Do you know what to do to start a business?
Keeping it in the family is a business Startup program held each Saturday for 6 weeks. The program is for migrant families who live or work in the City of Melbourne.
We know that migrants are resourceful and often entrepreneurial and many are experienced in running a family-owned business. We want to make sure that Mandarin and Arabic-speaking people who want to start a business have the opportunity to do so.
Funded by the City of Melbourne and delivered by iGen Foundation in partnership with Jesuit Social Services, Keeping It in the Family will work with 40 families over two years from 2022 to 2023. The programs will be held in four different languages in 2022 and 2023. The first Big Ideas workshop and Business Builder program was held in June for Spanish-speaking people. The second Big ideas workshop and Business Builder program was held in English from October to December 2022 .
In 2023, Big Ideas workshops and Business Builder workshops will be held in Mandarin (18 March) and Arabic (6 May).
Not everyone wants to be involved in a 6 workshop program so we start with a Big Ideas Day which will help you and a family member explore a business idea or, if you have an idea, to look at the steps involved in bringing your idea to reality.
What happens at the Big Ideas workshop?
The purpose of the Big Ideas workshop is to help you take a business idea out of your head and put it onto paper.
It's a 4 hours workshop with a process we know will work to help you to form your idea as we've run many of these workshops over the years.
You can participate in the Big Ideas workshop without participating in the 6 workshop Business Builder program.
The workshop will be facilitated by one of our very experienced coaches.
When is the Big Ideas workshop?
In 2023 there are two Big Ideas workshops.
For Arabic-speaking people - 9.30am to 2.00pm on 6 May, 2023. The workshop will be held in Melbourne CBD.
And for Mandarin speaking people - 9.30am to 2.00pm on Saturday 18 March. The workshop will be held in Melbourne CBD.
What can I do after the Big Ideas workshop?
After completing the 4 hour Big Ideas workshop, you and your family member/s may be interested in participating in a 6 x Saturday incubator program (from 10.00am to 2.00pm) and 3 x business coaching sessions to help you further develop your business. Thanks to City of Melbourne funding, the Business Builder program and business coaching are also FREE.
Keep reading below to find out what a business Business Builder program is and what you can expect to learn from the program over 6 Saturdays (4 in person and 2 online sessions).
What happens in the Business Builder program?
When starting a business it's really important to deeply understand your business or business idea. This is how you can work out in detail who your customer is, the problem they have that you're trying to solve for them and why what you offer is so important to them that they would buy from you.
The Keeping it in the Family Business Builder program will take you through each of these steps as well as the financial aspects of setting up a business.
Each week, the workshops will cover a specific theme - customers or business promotion and marketing etc.
Ten businesses will also receive 3 FREE business coaching within the program.
Who can be involved?
Keeping It in the Family is a specific initiative to help people born overseas to learn about starting a family business in Melbourne.
If:
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you or a family member were born overseas
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you want to work with a family member to think of a business idea or you already have an idea or business you want to explore
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and you or your family member live, work or study in City of Melbourne Council or surrounding Council areas, you are welcome to attend.
Who is considered family?
Anyone related to you.
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parent/s, guardian or step parents, children or step children
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brother, sister, half or step brother or sister
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grandparent or step grandparent, aunty, uncle or cousin.
You are welcome to bring more than one family member to the Big Ideas workshop and Business Builder program.
What are the dates for the
Keeping it in the Family Business Builder program?
For Mandarin -speaking families, the Startup Incubator begins on 25 March, 2023 from 10.00am - 2.00pm in Melbourne CBD. Most sessions are in person with two online.
The Incubator will be held:
- 25 March in person
- 1 April in person
- 9 April online (date may change due to Easter)
- 16 April online
- 23 April in person
- 30 April in person
The first thing to do is to register for the Big Ideas workshop on 18 March.
For Arabic -speaking families, the Startup Incubator begins on 13 May, 2023 from 10.00am - 2.00pm in Melbourne CBD. Most sessions are in person with two online.
The Incubator will be held:
- 13 May in person
- 20 May in person
- 27 May online
- 3 June online
- 10 June in person
- 17 June in person
The first thing to do is to register for the Big Ideas workshop on 6 May.
Project partners
Our research and evaluation partners
A special thank you to our funding partner
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