April5 awarded $20k Enterprise Connect grant

Sydney-based marketing agency April5 says it will use a newly-awarded $20,000 Enterprise Connect grant to improve company resources, enhance client relationships and increase its workforce.

Enterprise Connect is a Federal Government program, providing companies with business expertise to assist in increasing competitiveness and capitalising on growth potential.

April5, founded in 2005 by Alicia Beachley, was eligible for a business diagnostic report and a $20,000 grant under Enterprise Connect.

Business advisors work with each company to review its business potential, while providing access to industry contacts, tools and resources.

They also conduct a business review, which provides a snapshot of the company’s current business strategy, and assistance to improve its operations.

Once the business has completed a business review, they may apply for the Tailored Advisory Service, which helps the business follow through on the recommendations of the review.

If the business is granted assistance through this service, Enterprise Connect reimburses the business half the cost – up to a maximum of $20,000 – of engaging a consultant to implement recommended business improvements.

Judith Bennett, who acted as April5’s business advisor, describes the company as a “dynamic and energetic organisation” in high-growth mode.

“With Alicia, we discussed where April5 is now, where it wants to be and its challenges,” Bennett says.

“We developed an agreed action plan and April5 is now accessing the Enterprise Connect grant for innovation to make that plan happen.”

Beachley says while the grant will prove useful, the service provided by Bennett was the more valuable aspect.

“The best thing that’s come out of this is to sit down and review the business [with an Enterprise Connect business advisor] who makes recommendations for me to act on,” Beachley says.

“We spent some of the grant money writing a very detailed business plan for this year, next year, the next three years, and five to six years down the track.”

“The rest of it will look at current materials and how to communicate to clients… We’re also looking at staffing levels and skills.”

Beachley says it can be easy for start-ups to fall into a “do without” mentality, so the grant will help to eliminate that.