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RAPAD Small Business Mentoring Program

RAPAD is delivering the Small Business Mentoring Program in partnership with MentorSME to support local small businesses with one-on-one experienced mentoring for 12 months.

11 Small Businesses step up for mentoring opportunity

Coinciding with 2026 Small Business Month, RAPAD opened expressions of interest for local small businesses to participate in one-on-one, experienced mentoring for 12 months.

Following a strong response, 11 local small businesses have been successful and will now be connected to the mentoring partner organisation Mentor SME.

With cost-of-living pressure, seasonal downturns and disasters impacting our local businesses, this is a great opportunity to work with a dedicated, experienced mentor to tackle challenges or grow your business.

The businesses based in Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Longreach and Winton covering a diverse selection of operations including, health and wellbeing, trades, tourism and retail.

 

About the program

Grow your business, tackle challenges

Supported by a mentor, mentees could look at:

  • improve cashflow to pay staff and bills on time
  • new marketing opportunities to grow revenue
  • ideas to improve staff contribution
  • tested time management tools free you up
  • simple, clear business plans get you to goals
  • discuss any other opportunity you want

 

Mentoring Brings Fresh Opportunities

  • They don’t tell you what to do. They act as your brainstrust suggesting more opportunities
  • Business growth planning may be new to you.  Your mentors have been there before and act as your guide
  • Uses laptop video conferencing so easy access anywhere
  • Change mentors till you get a good fit
  • You choose when and how often you meet.  Up to two meetings a month.
  • You choose your mentoring topics.  No rigid format
  • Start with a phone session to custom design your personal mentoring plan
  • As a Not-For-Profit, they don’t try to sell you more expensive services
  • Mentors are volunteers.

 

Please complete the EOI form at: https://forms.rapad.com.au/business-mentoring-eoi

 

About MentorSME

MentorSME has been delivering this service across locations in Australia and New Zealand, with the successful Mentoring Noosa supported by Noosa Council running for several years. Most recently MentorSME ran a pilot of the program with operators in Barcaldine and Quilpie.

Find out more at: https://mentorsme.org