Shut the laptop and head into town. That is the message from Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson, who is urging locals to back small business this Small Business Month as operators feel the squeeze of rising costs and a slow economy.
Mr Anderson said small businesses were the backbone of local economies, providing thousands of jobs and the essential goods and services that keep the region vibrant.
“Our local retailers, cafรฉs, tradies, pubs, manufacturers, and other small businesses offer world class goods and services right in our backyard,” Mr Anderson said.
He said recent business awards showed what the region had to offer.
“I recently attended the Business NSW New England Regional Business Awards and the Tamworth Quality Business Awards which were both a strong reminder of the excellence our local businesses deliver.”
But he said it had not been easy for local operators.
“There is real confidence in our region, but it’s also been a tough period for operators who are feeling the pressure of rising costs and a slow economy,” Mr Anderson said.
“Our business community is resilient, but we can also do everything we can to support them, and I’m asking our local community to think local, buy local this small business month.”
Whether it is a new shirt, a pair of joggers, or a bite to eat, Mr Anderson wants locals to spend their money close to home.
“Online shopping may be convenient for some, but nothing matches the service and expert advice of a small business owner and their staff, so shut the laptop, head into town and visit a small business this October,” Mr Anderson said.
NSW Small Business Month runs throughout October, and new research released by NSW Small Business Commissioner Kalina Koloff to mark the start of the month shows the face of small business is changing, with lots more microbusinesses. Almost two-thirds (63 per cent) of NSW small businesses now have fewer than four employees, up from around 57 per cent five years ago.
The number of these microbusinesses grew by 4.3 per cent between 2024 and 2025, almost twice the rate of overall business growth.
“The rise of the microbusiness is one of the biggest structural shifts we’ve seen in the NSW small-business sector,” Ms Koloff said.
“Technology is the big enabler.”
Ms Koloff said more businesses were now built around one person’s skills and expertise.
“They run from a home office, a shared workspace or the back of a ute,” she said.
“And they serve customers and clients well beyond their local area.”
More than half (57 per cent) of NSW small businesses now sell beyond their local area, according to the research.
It also found almost half (47 per cent) of small businesses are using AI tools, including around 40 per cent of tradies, retailers, and hospitality businesses.
The research challenges the image of the young start-up founder, too.
“More than one in five NSW small business owners are aged 60 or over, and only 7.7 per cent are under 30,” Ms Koloff said.
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