Ceduna Oysterfest 2023 goes down a hit with EyrePlus as major sponsors
From September 30th to October 1st, Ceduna Council held their annual event, Ceduna Oysterfest, where EyrePlus was a Platinum Sponsor.
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Having the proper guidance can make a big difference in the future of any business.
For Ceduna local Peter, he was looking for assistance to get his business, West Coast Autos, up and running. Peter connected with the team at EyrePlus in August 2021, who offer the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) funded Business Incubator Pilot Program.
With Peter running operations, and his mother Lorraine overseeing accounting and office duties, they were frustrated they couldn’t see enough progress and were waiting on news of several applications for grants and assistance.
The program tailors support and mentoring to Indigenous Australians with business ideas, including developing a business plan, assistance, sourcing funding, asset purchases, and ongoing mentoring support provided by EyrePlus Business Development Manager and expert Darwin Terry.
Peter’s passion revolves around automotive services, including repairing on and off-road vehicles, large trucks, and rigs. He offers auto electrical work, marine work, and general servicing and repair work.
“I’ve worked in the industry for 28 years,” said Peter.
“I started from home, working for friends and family and watched the business grow.”
When Peter first came to EyrePlus, he met Darwin, who worked to provide business management and marketing advice to improve their knowledge base.
Darwin also helped rewrite aspects of West Coast Autos business plan and value proposition, setting a plan of action for getting the business off the ground.
“The automotive market was ready for Peter, and he found the right opportunity to pursue it,” said Darwin.
During this time, West Coast Autos received a substantial local grant, with the funding providing the financial boost Peter needed to build momentum for growing his business, with EyrePlus continuing to support and mentor his business.
EyrePlus also supported West Coast Autos with access to sourcing equipment, signage, and the electrical fit-out for the shop. EyrePlus arranged local training for Lorraine to learn how to use accounting software and guided Peter through hiring and training apprentices to build his team.
“Through our discussions about his business, I could see a huge growth in confidence,” said Darwin.
“This has translated to where the business is today.”
Peter has recently hired two apprentices to account for their current workload. With a vision for supporting his community, Peter and the team take pride in providing quality services to the Ceduna area.
“The idea moving forward is to always have Indigenous apprentices coming through to keep supporting the next generation,” said Peter.
“When people in our community see that someone has an opportunity to learn and work, it will tell them they can have the same.”
The EyrePlus team has seen tremendous achievements from West Coast Auto’s over the last year and fully supports Peter’s thriving business.
About the Business Incubator Program (BIP)
The BIP is tailored towards Indigenous Australians seeking business support or personalised advice to develop and launch their business ideas.
The Service is free of charge and is funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).
For more information, contact EyrePlus on 1800 960 012 or info@eyreplus.com.au
