06 Sep 2017 Alexandra Eildon Marysville Standard, Alexandra VIC (General News) MARYSVILLES small business operators will be able to access free mentoring, support and government business services when the Small Business Bus visits on Thursday, September 21. The bus service provides advice from small business mentoring specialists skilled in marketing, finance, human resources and sales. These experts have extensive experience in operating small businesses and in senior business management roles. In 2016/17, more than 1300 small businesses accessed free on-board mentoring while a further 6400 received assistance from information officers. This comes after the state government doubled mobile support for small businesses with the addition of a second Small Business Bus in 2015. Victoria is home to more than half a million small businesses and we are leading the country in small business growth, Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade Philip Dalidakis said. We understand that our small business community is the backbone of our local economies right across the state and the Small Business Bus is a fantastic program that brings expert services right to your doorstep. This years program looks to benefit more businesses in regional areas that may not otherwise have the time or resources to access support by sending the buses to more towns across the state than ever before. The Small Business Bus is a great service for local businesses to have access to expert face-to-face advice anywhere in Victoria, Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes said. The two vehicles also play a vital role in providing business recovery support to communities in times of crisis, such as those that have been affected by bushfires. The increased capacity of the program now enables greater flexibility and faster response times when assistance is required. The Small Business Bus will be located outside the Visitor Information Centre on Murchison Street from 10am to 4pm on Thursday, September 21. Free mentoring sessions on board the bus are limited and bookings are essential. For more information or to book a session, visit business.vic.gov.au/sbb or call Small Business Victoria on 13 22 15. Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.