Maker Entrepreneurship Program

Brisbane City Council has offered the Maker Entrepreneurship Program since 2020 to provide opportunities for makers to grow their business. This fully subsidised micro-business training supports entrepreneurship at the local community level to elevate the independent, artisan and bespoke creators of Brisbane to help grow our city’s maker economy.

2023 program

Applications are now closed for the five-session Maker Entrepreneurship Program 2023, delivered by Creative Plus Business.

Session one: Business goals and planning

• Importance of self-accountability and setting goals.
• One-page business plan and how to make a map for your maker business.
• Foundations, structures, registrations and legal requirements.
• Legal basics, including copyright and contracts.

Session two: Managing the money

• Weathering the cashflow of creative income.
• Basics of budgets and essential record keeping.
• Diversification of creative income.
• Practical steps to getting financially organised.

Session three: Photography and styling

• Online product photography learning program from Rachel Kimberley Photography.

Session four: Marketing strategy

• Understanding customers, competition and stakeholders.
• Managing word-of-mouth and referral marketing.
• Best ways to use social media and online marketplaces.
• Websites, digital and ‘in real life’ tactics for promotion.

Session five: Bringing it all together

• Refocus on goals, and next steps.
• Mapping out the goal matrix.
• Understanding capacity and time management tips.
• Practical tips for better creative wellbeing practices.

Eligibility criteria

A maker is someone who creates a tangible item either by design or fabrication. For example, artists, sewers, printers, potters, metalsmiths, jewellers, woodworkers, designers and more.

To be eligible to apply for the Maker Entrepreneurship Program, applicants needed to:

• be an existing maker business that has commenced selling handmade products, have stock on hand, and an online presence
• be able to dedicate approximately 30 hours of your time for the sessions and agreed activities/tasks
• have a current and active ABN or ACN
• be physically located within the Brisbane Local Government Area.

More information

For more information about Council's support for makers, contact Council's Business Hotline on 133BNE (133 263).

To stay updated about opportunities for Brisbane makers, subscribe to Council’s Business in Brisbane e-newsletter.