Applications open for first Indigenous Women in Business conference

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) welcomes Indigenous business women from remote, regional and metropolitan Australia to apply to attend the Strong Women, Strong Business conference.

The Strong Women, Strong Business Conference will be held at the Stamford Grand, Glenelg, Adelaide from 1-3 May 2018.

This event will bring together over 120 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from across Australia looking to start, improve, or expand their business.

IBA Board member Kerrynne Liddle said this is a unique event, which will enable Indigenous business women who are passionate about being in business but who can feel isolated, to connect and develop relationships and draw inspirations from peers.

“To date, Indigenous business women make up 34% of IBA’s customer base in the Business Solutions program,” Ms Liddle said.

“The rapid entry of women into the workforce has added more to GDP than the technology sector, with fortune 500 companies known to perform better when women are represented on boards and in senior management.”

“The themes for the gathering are based on priorities identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women which included having opportunities to connect, network and to learn from other Indigenous business women about overcoming barriers, working through challenges, building confidence, securing business goals and excellence.”

In 2009 Dionne Connolly established an engineering business servicing the Cloncurry area of Western Queensland. This small single operator mobile welding business quickly grew to a boiler making team of 17 with associated labourers, apprentices and trades assistants that serviced large Mine Operations around Cloncurry and the North West region of Queensland.

In 2016, the demand for local people with relevant skills increased and as a result the Cloncurry Contracting Labour Hire arm evolved into Western Labour Hire Pty Ltd.

Ms Connolly is one of approximately 20 Indigenous business women speaking at the conference.

“I am really excited to be involved with the Strong Women, Strong Business Conference because I know that commercial enterprise has the potential to change lives and shape communities,” said Ms Connolly.

“People, communities and business are things I am really passionate about so as an Indigenous Business Owner I am truly grateful for the opportunity to share my story with other Indigenous Australian Women.”

“As a Kalkadoon woman I look forward to meeting some strong deadly women, growing my network and forging new friendships that last well beyond the conference.”

IBA welcomes women from remote, regional and metropolitan locations to apply at www.strongwomenstrongbusiness.com. The deadline for applications is Friday March 23.