in South Australia
Issue No. 6 - July/September 2002
Training like Nowhere Else
The South Australian Young Entrepreneurs Scheme (SAYES) is a world—leading program developed under SA Business Vision 2010. Participants get help with business plan development, financial guidance and legal advice. They receive training, seminars, business/industry referrals, networking opportunities and media exposure.
And it works.
Current SAYES participants David Bartholomeusz (24) joined SAYES in March 2002, looking to give some structure to his business, Hospitality and Entertainment Solutions. The enterprise is, essentially, an itinerant DJ operation which David built up slowly after becoming “seriously booked out” himself. Involving other talent, and making sure his proxies performed to client expectations, showed David that he “didn’t have the skills to build a proper small business” and needed help.
David admittedly approached SAYES with low expectation of a “wanky State Government initiative”. Then came the mentoring part, which turned his attitude around completely.
“These are skills you can’t learn anywhere else,” he says. “No school teaches you entrepreneurship. You need to learn a lot about how a business actually works to turn the hand waving in class into satisfied customers.
“Mentoring is different for everyone—it’s up to them what they do with you. Mine is an experienced and creative entrepreneur who is good at taking the ideas out of your head and finding practical ways to make them work. We...
