NEIS: A FRESH START FOR LOCAL BUSINESS

What do books and music, organic pasta and a tapas restaurant have in common?

Apart from providing an enjoyable evening's entertainment, they are just three of the hundreds of small businesses that have been launched in the Eastern Suburbs through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme. The State Government-funded scheme assists jobseekers to start a business and provides training plus mentoring and financial support for the first year.

Alina Duncan of Swap Books and Music opened her shop in Bondi Junction six months ago, after completing the course in 2004. With a background in music retail, nightclubs and radio, Alina wanted to open a store where lovers of books, CDs and films could make exchanges and new discoveries. Through the course Alina learned how to manage the financial side of the business, negotiate the lease for her shop and successfully promote the store.

 "My business has grown monthly since the day of opening and I feel I am getting established in the community," says Alina. "I love what I do and am so happy with the way the business is growing."

Anna Eoclidi of Pasta Emilia feels much the same way. Raised in the region of Emilia in Italy, Anna learned the art pasta making from her grandmother. Her Bronte-based pasta lab opened in May, producing fresh pasta using organic ingredients and traditional recipes.

Anna chose to complete the NEIS course to help her write a good business plan and learn how to effectively market her products to health food shops, delis and restaurants. She has worked hard to develop the packaging and promotion for the pasta products and is about to commence regular production.

"Food has been a passion throughout my life," she laughs. "There is so much appreciation for quality traditional pasta in Emilia, where I come from, and I thought it would be great to bring it to Sydney. It was fantastic to work on my business plan with the NEIS group and to meet other people who are excited about new ideas and ventures."

Providing another great taste of Europe is Maria Tirso, whose Spanish tapas restaurant Ibiza has recently opened in Maroubra Junction. With 18 years experience in the hospitality industry, Maria was inspired to start the business when the restaurant where she was working closed down. Married to a Spaniard and with a talented chef as a father-in-law, she decided to take over the site and open a new restaurant.

Maria completed the NEIS course to give her the business skills she lacked and to gain support for the business during the first year. "I have lots of experience in hospitality but the course helped me think about business management and marketing," says Maria. The restaurant offers lunches to cater for the office people in the area and a tapas-style dinner menu, with flamenco entertainment planned for the near future.

Alina at Swap Books: 9369 3287
Anna at Pasta Emilia: 0432 969 426
Maria at Ibiza restaurant: 0421 275 262

For details of NEIS businesses visit www.neisdirectory.com.au

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