Retail industry expert Dominique Lamb has outlined her key focuses for 2023 in her new role as Small Business Commissioner for Queensland, outlining the need for assistance and advocacy for Queensland small businesses as Australia navigates post-COVID.
“The pandemic is still having a hangover effect in terms of labor shortages and supply chain issues,” Lamb said. “We are seeing that cost of living pressure rise.
“So of course, small businesses are absolutely impacted when it comes to things like inflation, or simply having a cost increase from things like electricity, for instance, or simply getting product in order to sell. All of those things remain challenges across the board.
“It's part of my role to try and provide assistance to businesses to alleviate some of those challenges.”
Lamb (pictured) said the new role provides both assistance and advocacy for the 459,000 small businesses in Queensland, spanning across retail, hospitality, construction and service-based. Through assistance, her role will involve helping small businesses navigate various disputes, onboarding new initiatives - particularly across digital - and improving the wellbeing of business owners and staff.
“Then there's the advocacy arm; so just making sure that the operating environment is something that's going to enable it to thrive,” Lamb continued.
“That can mean anything from red tape reduction or looking at retail leases act. It can mean working with Small Business Friendly Councils in Queensland to ensure that things like planning is much smoother with a reduction in terms of costs of getting licenses or just making it easier for them to offer out deals or getting assistance in times of floods, cyclones or other issues.”
Lamb said there are also opportunities in her role in increasing support for businesses around mental health and wellbeing, as well as ensuring sound financial literacy.
“So getting access to the training around digital, and the Queensland government's small business owners package,” she said. “This supports small business when it comes to things like mental health and making sure that they're getting time out from their businesses.
“Because we know they really do focus on getting it done, and are rarely focusing on themselves.”
Within the retail sector, Lamb said that despite the ongoing challenges, there are various opportunities for small businesses to execute on in 2023. This includes developing on eCommerce, diversifying the consumer base, and targeting new markets locally, nationally and even internationally.
“But also, I think that there's some real scope - especially for our local businesses - to really utilize some of the changes in consumer behavior,” Lamb said. “During COVID, people were shopping locally and going back to buy local, and that's really stayed.
“We are looking for, as consumers, that quality product or that product with a story that is coming from Australian grown and owned businesses.
“That is really the sweet spot for small businesses in that sector.”
Lamb said the Queensland government has created a raft of grants that are accessible to small business, which can include investing in new services or building on new skills that they require - including various technologies.
“There's also a whole raft of information and similar grants or investment coming out of a range of councils across the state as well,” she said. “It is about trying to make sure that these businesses survive no matter what's happening, and to allow them to diversify and to grow.
“For many of them, it's not always about getting more staff, it's about doing things more efficiently and effectively.”