Hastings Business Enterprise Centre


Membership Networking Training Government Programs Business Planning Business Information

The Hastings BEC is a not-for-profit member based organisation. Hastings businesses of all sizes, from sole-operator and home-based businesses upward are encouraged to become members, to benefit from and support this important service to local businesses.

We offer seminars, workshops and networking opportunities on topics of interest to small business as well as providing feedback to all levels of government on the needs of small business.

There are four levels of Membership renewable each calendar year:
Non-Business $75
Business $175
Sponsor $350
Patron $1,050

Membership benefits are extensive and constantly improving. Benefits to members include but are not limited to:

Complimentary membership of the Port Macquarie Community College
Discount on PMCC courses and workshops
Members monthly networking breakfasts
Special member and Employee Rates for Health Care with Manchester Unity
BEC Newsletter and business updates
New member announcement and promotion in the BEC Newsletter
Listing in BEC Member Directory
BEC Member recognition certificate/sticker
Opportunity to nominate for the BEC advisory committee
Bonus 'mybusiness' magazine
Marketing access to Member Directory through the BEC

Click here for Membership Application / Renewal Form

The BEC Networking breakfast is usually held on the second Thursday of each month. Attendance levels regularly reach 80 - 100 with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Short presentations are also made by invited speakers and businesses on topics of interest to the business community.

Members have the opportunity to promote their business with 'a minute on your business', host breakfasts and inform members of special events and projects.

If you need specific training for your business, the BEC in association with the Port Macquarie Community College can design, develop and deliver training to suit your needs. Customised training will target the skills you need. Training can be conducted for one or for many, on or off the job.

As an accredited training provider we have the resources and flexibility to respond quickly and professionally to your most important business training needs. Our short courses and training programs meet industry requirements and are conducted by qualified and experienced staff

PMCC offers a diverse range of short courses for skills development, personal enrichment and healthy living. We can provide training for business in the areas of:

Small Business Management
Information Technology
Business Administration
Communication Skills
Conflict Resolution & Mediation
Manual & Coomputer Bookkeeping
Financial & Business Planning
OH&S Consultation and Employee Induction
Workcover accredited First Aid
Training and Assessment

The HBEC will, from time to time, undertake special purpose contracts with federal and state government departments. We actively seek funding opportunities to enhance and grow the services available to small business in the Hastings region.

Recent and ongoing initiatives include:

Small Business Month - September each year
In conjunction with the Department of State and Regional Development and with major sponsorship from Momentum Insurance Services, Hastings Small Business Month was co-hosted by the HBEC, ABL and Chamber of Commerce in September 2005. Two expos were held with a focus on innovation, technology and finance. Small business month is also an opportunity for small businesses to network and take advantage of the information available and expertise on offer from national and local guests.

Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business
Small Business Field Officer, Paul Noakes provides 'on-the-ground' information and referral services directly to small businesses about issues such as government grants and assistance, taxation, export, and skills development.

Home Based Business
HBEC is in the process of extending its network to include a Home Based Business Club. An initiative of AusIndustry the HBB Club aims to promote and support Home Based Business in the Hastings.

If you are considering getting into business there are a lot of things that you need to consider, these include but are not limited to,

Identify the business you are in. what is it you are going to provide?
Why are you going into Business? You are about to start on a long hard road to build a successful business, if you are going into for the wrong reasons it probably will not work.
Is there a Market for my product or service? You should do some market research to find out what the market is for the product or service you want to offer. How much will people pay for this product? How much demand is there? Is this demand short or long term?
If after your market research you find there is insufficient or no real market for you Product or Service then what? You can forget the whole idea, go back to the drawing board and develop another service or product or you can you create a market. But what do you need to do to do this?
What structure will your business take? Will you go it alone, take in a partner or two or maybe form a company? All of these structures have advantages and disadvantages, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve to determine the best one for you.
What about a Business Plan? Now you have made or your preliminary decisions you need to sit down and write a business plan, this swill help you focus on your objectives and give you a clear picture of where you are heading.

This could well be the single most important part of starting your business. To ensure that you do not become another statistic you need to focus on what is going to make you successful. Just as you would not start a long trip without some sort of plan, it is not a good idea to begin a business without some idea of where you want to be and how to get there.

Somewhere between 75 and 80% of small businesses will fail within the first five years of operation. The main cause of this failure is poor management.

While there is no guarantee of success no matter how much planning is done, if you don’t have a plan then you are planning to fail.

If you need assistance in the preparation of a business plan call into the BEC and discuss your needs.

We have a number of training courses available to assist you with the development and running of your business and we are happy to discuss you particular needs.

Thinking of starting a business or want help on how to progress your business? Hastings BEC can recommend appropriate sources for the advice you need, from free help in getting started, to professional support from accountants, lawyers, financial planners, insurance brokers and other professionals.

To be successful in your business you will need a variety of skills these include, People Skills, Marketing, Time Management, Financial, Management and Planning to name a few.

If you don’t have all of these skills don’t worry the Hastings BEC can help. We run training courses on these and other topics from a few hours to full Certificate IV courses.

We can help to point you in the right direction for you to get help from our extensive network of local providers.