Armidale Express, June 24 2016: UNE Business School’s Small Business Toolkit program brings together bright business minds in the Armidale community as mentors to 20 UNE students.

Bernice Kotey, David Thompson, Peter Sniekers, Tracy Pendergast, Will Winter and Daisy William

Associate Professor Bernice Kotey and Dr Sujana Adapa have developed the Small Business Toolkit and program to connect with budding entrepreneurs. Last week, five leaders in the business community who will be mentoring the students got together to plan the next stage of fine-tuning ideas of our upcoming generation of successful business people.

The Armidale Express article “Mentors mean Business” showcases the ways in which this program is being used to support 20 UNE students in the development and execution of their business ideas, with each mentor taking on a handful of students to workshop business ideas ranging from sustainable restaurants with kangaroo on the menu to farming succession planning services.

Associate Professor Kotey gives credit in the article to the involvement of the business community as mentors for the students, showing a strong interest and motivation in Armidale to encourage and support our young business people. Mentors for the program (pictured above left) have met and made plans for their continued involvement in the program.