And celebrate they did, getting the audience of more than 150 home-based business people off their seats to jive to the classic pop hit Celebrate (Good Times).
Held in Event Cinemas Castle Hill, the official launch of the dynamic duo’s radio and internet-based support network for home businesses started off resembling a Hillsong gathering.
It certainly got the diverse bunch of Hills-based businesspeople in the mood to hear the evangelical enthusiasm of the two businessmen who brain-stormed the idea of Homebase Business Network over coffees at the Novotel Norwest.
Essentially, HBBN is a 24/7 internet-based radio network with music and news to work by, but more importantly, the website gives members access to expert business advice, the latest business-related news and advice as well as a list of events that get people away from their home desks and mixing with other home businesspeople.
But working from home can be isolating, so networking with worthwhile advice was essential, the pair point out.
As Taggart said, a high proportion of Australia’s two million small businesses are home-based and that is growing as the stigma of running a business from home dissipates.
“More businesses that started at home (and moved to offices) are going back home,” Taggart said.
At the launch Hills Mayor Michelle Byrne said she thought the HBBN was “a fabulous idea” when Taggart and Eades first discussed it with her.
“It is difficult to run a home-based business and it is getting harder. It takes a lot of initiative, guts and a dose of insanity,” Mayor Byrne said.
“This is an opportunity to grow businesses, which means more jobs for the Hills. I hope to see this right across Australia.”
Being internet-based, HBBN is available to businesses across Australia, but for now, the emphasis is on the Hills and Parramatta, at least as far as events go.
Eades said a key part of HBBN was the panel of experts, called the Bench, available to answer members’ inquiries.
Members of the Bench are experts in varied fields - legal, social media, finance, health and well-being and personal presentation. Members can put questions to the Bench and receive advice within 24 hours.
After the launch, Taggart told WSBA that he wished governments would support and encourage home-based businesses.
“Having more people work from home means less congestion on the roads,” he said.
“And, instead of governments concentrating just on roads and public transport, how about speeding up the installation of the NBN to make it easier for people to operate their home offices.”
For more information and to plug into support go to:
Ten percent of membership fees goes to charity, which this year is the Salvation Army.
