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Press Release: Launch of Start right to celebrate the start of Small Business Month

 

Start Right: Giving Small Business a Fighting Chance This Small Business Month

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It’s Small Business Month—a time to celebrate the hustle, the heart, and the hopes that drive more than 2.5 million small businesses across Australia. But behind the good news stories lies a sobering truth:

Nearly 60% of Australian small businesses don’t make it to their fifth year. While there is many reasons why, Too many never get the foundations they need to survive—let alone grow.

Today the Australian Impact Group is launching the Start Right SME Business Academy, a practical and supportive three-month program designed for early-stage, micro, and idea-stage business owners who want to do things differently. Applications are now open, with our first cohort starting 1 June.

The Start Right SME Business Academy has been created to meet people where they are—whether they’re still shaping their idea or finally turning a side hustle into something serious. It offers a structured path through the key pillars of business building—without the jargon, overwhelm or high costs.

The program includes weekly and monthly challenges, designed to help you move forward with clarity. But we also know life doesn’t run on a perfect schedule. That’s why you can complete it at your own pace, with six months’ access to all materials and downloads.

You’ll work on your business with real-world tools, step-by-step templates, and targeted learning. You’ll also get three months’ access to a private community, where you can join weekly live virtual Q&A check-ins and receive curated updates on grants, tenders, news, and insights—so you stay informed without having to do the research yourself.

This is for people who:

  • Are starting or restarting their business journey

  • Have an idea but haven’t yet put it into action

  • Feel overwhelmed and want a practical way forward

  • Need clarity, structure, and support—but on their terms

What’s included:

  • Weekly and monthly challenges to guide your progress

  • Step-by-step templates, checklists, and strategy tools

  • Real-world activities to turn ideas into action

  • A peer community with three months of access

  • Weekly live Q&A check-ins for support and accountability

  • Curated updates on grants, tenders, and business news

  • Six months’ access to all content, downloads, and materials

We’re inviting 50 business owners to take part in the first intake. Whether you're just starting out, refining an idea, or rebuilding with purpose—this is your moment to start right.

“This is the program I wish I had when I started. Start Right is the culmination of 25 years of learning—through mistakes, hard-won wins, and testing what actually works in the real world. I’ve always been a bit of a bower bird, collecting the best ideas, systems, and strategies from across industries and distilling them into simple, effective tools. This is about cutting through the noise and giving people the confidence to move forward—without needing big budgets or a business degree.”
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Miranda Mears
Start Right SME Business Academy Creator

 

Let’s make Small Business Month more than a celebration. Let’s make it a turning point.

Applications are now open, and the first intake of the Start Right SME Academy begins 1 June 2025.

 

 

For Innovation Hubs, Councils, and Chambers of Commerce:

We’re also partnering with organisations that support small business. You can:

  • Share the program with your members or networks

  • Become a referral partner and earn $50 per enrolment

  • Strengthen your support offering without adding admin load

 
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