Ask any business owner who has received business advice and you will get the same response: The business service really helped my business to move forward and grow. They will most likely also tell you how much they learned in the process.

Business Link Pacific has over 200 quality approved business advisors in its growing Network across the Pacific Islands. These quality approved advisors or BLP partners can offer business services subsidised to up to 50% of the fee normally charged to eligible SMEs. The process starts with a free business diagnostic to identify the most pressing issues for the business, then businesses are matched with advisors who can help in the specific area identified.

To contact an advisor or BLP partner, business owners can search by service and country on the BLP Portal (https://businesslinkpacific.com/search).

The services available from the advisory Network span a broad range of business-related services from marketing, setting up IT systems, accounting and keeping track of finances, through to managing changes in business models, recruitment, and streamlining business processes. Advisors can offer subsidies for services that would help a business with the following goals: business growth, innovation, access to finance, or investments in social inclusion and climate.

The following are examples of how businesses in the Pacific Islands have used the BLP subsidy to excel in these five categories.

Innovation and business growth

In Samoa, Apia Broadcasting’s TV3 computer system crashed, causing major loss of financial data and business disruption. Combined with the pandemic some months later, financial assistance was urgently needed to get back up and running. With limited funds available to commit to the project, a subsidy from BLP meant web-based accounting system Xero could be installed, staff trained, and a clearer picture of the business emerged. Now, they could see where things were going wrong and where they needed to focus their energy to grow their revenue.

Aotearoa Pesamino, General Manager of Apia Broadcasting, states the subsidy offered a new outlook on their business – “we didn’t know how badly we needed it”. They now operate with a more prudent and conservative attitude to finances and have greater control, particularly over their revenue stream.

“We now look for new opportunities, so we don’t just survive the hard times but prosper all the time.”

Civil engineer and General Manager of Bluebird Construction Zan Westerlund was alerted by his friend and advisor Mats Loefkvist from Miracle Marketing that BLP was offering subsidies to businesses just like Bluebird Construction, a business sorely in need of technical innovation. Zan agreed it was time to enter the 21^st century and create an online presence so that potential customers could search “construction in Samoa” and find Bluebird. The organic searches that turned into electronic ‘walk-ins’ opened up a market which would otherwise have been impossible for Bluebird to tap.

Bluebird is a family business, started by Zan’s grandfather and currently employing five family members. Zan believes working with Mats and utilising the excellent business advice on offer through the BLP subsidy has changed his business mindset and increased his awareness of other business matters which need attention. Encouraged by Mats to make time for business growth, Zan plans to innovate and improve his project documentation through drone photography and to focus on email security, a common problem in Samoa.

Zan reiterated the attitude of most businesses who receive a subsidy from BLP.

“We are so grateful to BLP for the funding to allow this to happen. And Mats is a good man with the right attitude to get the job done.”

Inclusion and innovation

In Fiji, Vitila Vuniwaqa of Vee’s Organic Farm was matched with BLP quality-approved business advisor Dipti Sharma of Eventuros Fiji, an experienced marketing agency. Both Vee’s Organic Farm and Eventuros Fiji are businesses owned by female entrepreneurs. Inclusion of underserved community groups – women, youth, people with disabilities, indigenous groups, and rural communities – is at the core of BLP’s ethos, and this project is a perfect example of how the subsidy supports women-led businesses.

Vitila applied to BLP for business advice on how to rebuild the revenue of Vee’s Organic Farm following the pandemic. As with so many reliant on the tourist trade, revenue had dropped drastically. Working together, Vee’s Organic Farm developed its online presence and brand consistency through having a logo, colour palette and marketing collateral which works with its new website.

Dipti Sharma and her team at Eventuros Fiji spent time with Vitila at her farm to learn about the business and products developed from her crops. “I believe it’s important as a business advisor to spend time with the client and understand their motivations for running their business. I know for us [Eventuros] that makes our job so much more effective, in terms of creating authentic content and branding for the business.”

When asked what she enjoys most about being a BLP business advisor, Dipti states that it gives her a sense of personal satisfaction to share her knowledge and experience with SME business owners, particularly in the digital marketing space.

“I love helping business owners reach their long-term goals of business growth and success.”

An early recipient of a BLP subsidy, The Kava House Vanuatu has been assisted with two projects, the first enabling them to improve their accounting systems through BLP business advisor James Kluck & Associates and the second to increase brand awareness with assistance from Pandanus Consulting.

The business environment for kava is complex in the Pacific Islands, with many livelihoods reliant on getting products to market. At the time, Kava House engaged 1500-2000 indigenous farmers growing in organic conditions using traditional cultivation and harvesting methods. They coordinated transport of the product to be processed and facilitated access to funds for these farmers, which in turn resulted in income for many thousands more through the farmers’ families and rural communities, satisfying Kava House’s commitment to social inclusion and cultural and environmental sustainability.

The brand awareness project was twofold, initially implementing highly visible and consistent branding at their place of business and targeting advertising to tourists through the HotSpots Vanuatu Map. The second phase was to grow the business by revamping The Kava House website including e-commerce to facilitate online orders. Julia Malas King reports the impact of this business advice and support has been tremendous, with The Kava House reaching a level of public exposure Julia never thought possible.

Julia’s advice to other businesses is simple:

“We have been wanting, forever, to enhance our accounting and enhance our online presence, so when BLP came it was like, this is it, this is our opportunity, it’s a subsidy, it can help us. You’ve got to be able to take some risks at some point, make some decisions that you know will contribute to your business in the long run”.

Access to finance and business growth

In PNG’s Jiwaka Province, Mark Munnell of KOSEM Ltd seeks excellence in the perfect cup of coffee for the growing international export market. To be successful in this competitive environment, businesses need to be appropriately capitalised which means access to finance is critical.

Working with BLP’s local business advisor, Keymap HR, KOSEM improved its record keeping and payroll processes. Now, with proper financial reporting in place and the ability to demonstrate they run a tight business with good systems, Mark has been able to attract more investors and more finance.

Mark believes there are many benefits to using a local advisor, particularly that they understand the difficult conditions in which their clients work and the specific issues they face. Mark adds, “They can target problems, such as the time recording tool not working in the bush, and we can work with them to find solutions.” A further benefit is that being local, they are available to discuss and resolve problems as they arise, so nothing is left for another day.

“With the benefit of our business advisor, we are in a better position to approach financial institutions. It comes down to cashflow and whether the business is profitable – we are in a good position now to achieve our goals.”

Business growth and climate

With their livelihoods reliant on the blue economy and the sustainability of their environment, Jay and Viniana Bau of Dolphin Watch Fiji and Takalana Bay Retreat know the value of looking after our oceans. Occupying 85 acres in rural Tailevu and offering a wide range of activities, accommodation and tourist activities, this eco and dolphin retreat also know that a sustainable business needs solid accounts.

Working with Benjamin Sikuri of Qavio Consulting, Jay and Viniana received essential support and advice for tax concessions and other critical accounting work. With this advice, new business opportunities have arisen; they have increased their business resilience and plan to continue to bring impactful contributions to Fiji’s economy, community and environment.

“BLP is a rare and valuable opportunity, and qualified SMEs should take full advantage,” says Jay Bau. “We are quite fortunate to have BLP on our side, the improved efficiencies have relieved a lot of stress and have allowed me to focus much more on client development.”

Jay truly recognises the value of the business advice received from Qavio Consulting:

“Every learning opportunity provided by organised training and workshops should be fully utilised by local SMEs. They are platforms for relevant business knowledge and help to instil great business confidence as well.”

There are two strands to the eligibility process for a BLP Business Advisory Subsidy: business eligibility and project eligibility, and both are outlined in detail on the BLP website, businesslinkpacific.com.

Briefly, the criteria for business eligibility are simple. Most importantly, your business must operate in one of the 12 Pacific Island countries in which the BLP Network operates, have a business licence or registration, less than 50 employees, comply with tax and loan payment obligations, and not be subject to bankruptcy proceedings.

For your project to be eligible for a subsidy, the business must meet the criteria for at least one of the categories set out on BLP’s website. These are summarised as:

1. Innovation – supporting projects which drive new products or services such as new websites, cloud accounting, diversification, or reaching new markets.
2. Growth – supporting viable plans to increase profit and employment through expansion and growth.
3. Inclusion – supporting projects that improve the capacity for a business to reach and serve disadvantaged groups such as rural communities, youth, women, indigenous groups and people with disabilities.
4. Climate – mitigating climate change or adapting to it through improving resilience, or green growth, such as adopting zero waste or circular economy business models.
5. Finance – helping businesses qualify for finance to improve business resilience and growth by accurate recording of financial statements.

Are you inspired to find out more and get your business growing? Visit businesslinkpacific.com. From there you can access BLP’s services such as:

• Our free online essential business tools, Business Health Check and Business Continuity Planner to identify areas in your business that could benefit from business advice. From there you can connect with a local business advisor.
• Search our database of BLP approved business advisors to choose one that suits your needs. BLP-approved advisors can help you access subsidised services.
• Contact your in-country representative to set up a one-to-one Business Diagnostic consultation.