SSE is proud to partner with the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce and Business in the Peninsula (Pyrmont+Ultimo+Darling Harbour) to deliver an exciting series of FREE* online and in-person workshops supported by the City of Sydney, for startup founders and small businesses with a personal or commercial connection to the City of Sydney.
Whether you’re at the start of your entrepreneurial journey and have an idea you want to explore, or you are already in business and looking to build your customer base or better understand how to leverage networking or access funding, you’ll find a workshop to suit.
Workshops are completed as stand-alone modules, each with its own microcredential after successful completion. Complete one or two, or for the best experience and to receive your Startup Success Master badge, complete all six.
*This program is offered free of charge to anyone with a connection to Sydney city.
Participants may complete all six microcredentials or select the individual microcredential/s with most relevance to their current startup stage.
Two of the six microcredentials are delivered as 2-hour in-person workshops at SSE HQ in Ultimo and featuring industry mentors who provide individualised mentoring, consultation, and feedback.
The remaining four microcredentials are held online once a week, with a 1-hour 'live' kick-off introducing the online, self-paced learning activities to complete for that module. Workshop sessions are planned for early evening timeslots to minimise disruption to your regular work hours and other commitments, and will be recorded to be accessible to everyone regardless of your availability on the day.
Your verified microcredential/s
Upon completing each of the assessed microcredentials, you'll be awarded with an authorised digital SSE badge (your microcredential), issued by Credly, which we encourage you to share on your social media profiles, in particular LinkedIn. Aligned with the National Microcredentials Framework (NMF), this badge is a certification of an assessed learning module that is outcome-based, driven by industry need, tailored to support lifelong learning, and transparent and accessible. Verifiable micro-skills are embedded into the digital badge as part of its meta-data and are accessible to employers seeking candidates with the relevant skills.
The first microcredential is held as a 2-hour interactive face-to-face workshop enabling peer-to-peer connection and community building. Participants are introduced to the online learning program and the introduction to Module 1, which focuses on the entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial process and the ecosystem within Sydney. 
The second microcredential is online, with a live 1hr session which addresses the concept of identifying a problem for which a business solution (product/service) is created and allows participants to rapid test their business idea to identify barriers to growth. Guest industry mentors work with participants to refine and/or adjust the business idea.
For the third microcredential, participants are able to use their refined business idea and begin the process of developing the business by creating a minimal viable product (MVP) and structuring a business plan, based on the Lean Canvas model. Through 'Structuring Your Small Business Startup', participants are led through the steps of setting up their business. Any problem areas identified are addressed through additional 1:1 mentoring sessions.
The fourth microcredential in this series caters to those participants looking to find and grow their customer base. Using their minimal viable product (MVP), participants address the marketing stage of commercialisation and explore and identify marketing strategies suitable for their business. Promotion and networking are also addressed in this module to demonstrate ways to find connections, confidence and to expand horizons.
The fifth microcredential explores the financial stage of business development. In this module, participants are supported in reviewing (or creating) their costing structures to determine the capital required. Startup costs are explored, with a focus on possible funding models for startups such as grants, loans, crowdfunding and angel investment.
The final microcredential in the series is a live workshop allowing participants to reconnect and reflect on their progress throughout the program. Participants learn about pitching and prepare, practice, and present their own business pitch to an expert panel for feedback. A review of the topics already covered is presented by way of a final checklist for success. Participants are provided the opportunity to ask final questions and seek advice from the industry mentors as well as a reflection.
