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Women’s Business

Are you a female business owner or entrepreneur ready to grow and scale your business?

This NEW program will support and advise business owners on how to achieve growth, by accessing different types of funding and investment. Funded by the NSW State Government Business Connect program, female business owners will have access to:

– Tailored business advice and 1:1 support – to help business owners achieve growth through increased access to finance options –grants, secured and unsecured loans, debtor finance, equipment finance, franchise finance, business acquisition, export loans, angel investors, venture capital, crowdfunding and non-traditional lending. The sessions are either held online or in-person across Sydney.

– Education event program – providing specialist training and information on the above areas of accessing finance.

Working with a Business Advisor assists small business owners to navigate challenges, make the right decisions and strategic plans to ultimately, do business better. After working with a Business Advisor, you will have gained clarity and confidence on how to move forward with your business and a feeling of being in control of your business and your life.

Would you like to register for one of our FREE Women’s Business events , see details here.

Customers receiving support will typically access up to 8 hours of support per financial year, including business advice sessions and events. Hours are capped over the lifetime of the program (2022-2025).

Customers are limited to a maximum of 36 hours of support in total over the lifetime of the program.

All types of support from any Service Provider that are recorded in the Business Connect Reporting System are included in the 36-hour total (i.e., advice and events).

  • Strategies to start, build and grow your business
  • Build and grow your business
  • Getting the financial foundations right for your business, including: budgeting and tracking expenses, managing cashflow, understanding credit and debt, assessing risk, investing basics, diversifying investments, researching investment options, tax planning and insurance basics
  • How to innovate business models
  • Managing financial risk
  • Learning about different funding sources including: grants, secured and unsecured loans, debtor finance, equipment finance, franchise finance, business acquisition, export loans, angel investors, venture capital, crowdfunding and non-traditional lending
  • How to effectively pitch and apply for external funding
  • Connecting to other support including government programs and professional services.

Business Connect services are fully funded by the NSW Government. All business advisory and events are free-of-charge for small business owners.

This service is available for female small business owners and entrepreneurs in Sydney and across NSW, for those who are looking to start a business or who already have one.

Business Connect supports NSW businesses as they navigate the challenges in starting, running, adapting and growing their business. Personalised advice and practical information can be provided on a range of business topics to help you achieve business success. 

Business Connect

Funded by the NSW Government

Realise Business is Not-for-Profit, and funded by all levels of Government, which means you can get advice from our highly experienced business advisors for a fraction of the cost of private business coaching. Realise Business provides confidential, independent business advice and skills training for small businesses across Sydney as part of the NSW Government’s Business Connect program. Business Connect is a dedicated and personalised NSW Government program that provides trusted advice to help you start or grow your small business Find out more.

Meet our Advisors

Our Business Advisors harness their experience from a diverse range of industry backgrounds to offer business advice specific to your circumstances. They are accredited professionals with first-hand experience running their own small business.

With over 20 Business Advisors part of the Realise Business team, we have expertise in nearly every industry. As part of the Business Connect Program, you can also meet and work with several different Advisors, to work through different areas and specialist areas of your business.

Adam Hetherington
Business Advisor

Adam has a wealth of experience buying and selling businesses nationally and internationally and has a passion for advising. Begining his career in sales, marketing and multi-site management, he moved into small business as a Franchisee and Franchisor in Australia, New Zealand and China. During that time he built expertise in start up planning, franchising, commercial leasing, P&L Management and exit planning.

Amanda Warrington
Business Advisor | Mastermind Facilitator

Amanda has owned and sold a variety of businesses over the last 20 years, and recognises from a business owner’s perspective, the value of tailored business advice and support. Amanda is incredibly passionate about working with entrepreneurs and business owners to help them achieve their goals and develop plans to take their business to the next level.

Anastasia Karakominakis
Business Advisor

Currently owns and operates her own business in the finance sector and has built a portfolio in which she has thousands of clients, offering over 15 years of experience and well developed industry knowledge with expertise in negotiation and financial data analysis. She has access to a wide range of financial products and services and an understanding of policies providing her with the ability to find a solution and systems.

Babette Bottin
Business Advisor | Digital Expert

Babette is an expert in cyber risk management and data protection. A highly sought-after advisor, trainer and presenter in the world of cybersecurity, Babette has advised over 650 small businesses.
Living by the mantra ‘lost data means lost trust’, Babette is passionate about helping businesses and organisations of all sizes to protect their data, their clients’ data and ultimately their reputation.

Betsy Westcott
Business Advisor

With over 13 years of extensive experience in banking, financial services, and fintech, Betsy has vast experience in supporting businesses across NSW and beyond.
As an Access to Finance specialist, Betsy is your go-to resource for capital raising, debt finance, grant applications, strategic business advice and planning. Her expertise also encompasses sales strategies, scaling operations, media and investor engagement, and fostering strategic partnerships that drive growth and success.

Cathy Dimarchos
Business Advisor

In her three decades in finance and scaling businesses as well being a qualified Counsellor, to sharing knowledge that combines people, business, and situational skills to create impact and influence. She is committed to equipping people in Financial Literacy with a focus on Women and the future generation.

Chris Cassar
Business Advisor

Chris has a wealth of business management experience in both the corporate and small business markets, and has run his own business and marketing consulting practice specialising in small business. Over the last 15 years Chris has helped small businesses in a wide range of industries including IT, Medical Services, Legal service, Tourism, Building and Construction, Allied Health Services, Retail, Fashion and Entertainment.

Christopher Wilborn
Business Advisor | Digital Expert

Chris is a results-driven leader with a wealth of knowledge derived from his more than two decades in the NGO, corporate and government sectors. As a current business owner, from his prior work as a growth-minded CEO and a background working with disability organisations, Chris is deeply passionate about the NDIS, small business community and the central role they play in the fabric of our society.

Register for a Business Advice Session, under the Women's Business Access to Finance Program

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Martin Rogers
Chief Executive Officer

Martin holds an extensive background and certification in Business, Marketing, and Strategy with over 20 years’ experience specialising in Strategic Thinking, Business Growth, Leadership and Team Development, across a number of industries. Martin utilises a collaborative leadership style and has a thirst for problem solving, understanding the latest trends and identifying the uniqueness that gives businesses their edge.

Mark McCrea
Chief Operations Officer

Mark McCrae stands out as a highly efficient Operations professional, known for his strategic oversight and management prowess within the corporate landscape. With years of experience under his belt, Mark has become synonymous with operational excellence, streamlining processes to enhance productivity and drive sustainable growth. Mark's forward-thinking approach and unwavering commitment to excellence have solidified his reputation as a cornerstone of operational success.

Razz Khan
Chief Marketing Officer

With over a decade of experience, Razz has a proven track record of driving growth and enhancing the digital footprint of various brands across multiple industries. His expertise spans across SEO, PPC, content marketing, social media strategies, and analytics. Razz is known for his innovative approaches to solving complex marketing challenges. Razz's passion for digital marketing, combined with his commitment to client success, makes him a valuable asset to any team looking to elevate their digital presence..

Greg Kay
Chief Commercial Officer

Greg has more than 25 years success in working with many for the development and implementation of growth strategies for businesses by building strong relationships through effective partnerships. Greg constantly strives for opportunities to have a positive influence in the personal and business lives of the people he works with.

Chris Wilborn
Contracts Manager And Advisor

Chris is a results-driven leader with a wealth of knowledge derived from his more than two decades in the NGO, corporate and government sectors. As a current business owner, from his prior work as a growth-minded CEO and a background working with disability organisations, Chris is deeply passionate about the NDIS, small business community and the central role they play in the fabric of our society.

Lindsay Munns
Executive

As a long term member of the Realise Business Board, Lindsay has temporarily stepped into this key role to facilitate the changeover of Chief Executive as part of our CEO succession strategy. Additionally he is busy leading the roll out of a major new Government contract that will take Realise Business up to the next level of its vital place in the NSW Small Business Advisory scene.

Marisa Barresi
Office / Client Coordinator
- Business Connect

Shanice Bangar
Events / Client Coordinator - Digital Solutions

Mona Bucog
Event Coordinator

Over the past 12 years, Mona has honed her skills in customer service, specializing in managing and addressing a wide range of customer needs. She’s dedicated to providing exceptional service and ensuring customer satisfaction. Her experiences have helped her develop skills that assist organizations in achieving their goals. Her ultimate aim is to help them focus on what they love, and she will take care of the rest!