That’s the view of Business Connect adviser Derek Tink, and it seems the businesspeople of the region agree with him.

Since he started in the role in March, 150 have joined the program and another 350 are waiting.

Business Connect is a three-year state government initiative aiming to help people start or grow a business.

Startups and small-to-medium enterprises can have free then subsidised time with an adviser, on anything from accessing finance to social media and bookkeeping to succession planning.

That could include helping them access government support or creating business-to-business connections.

Mr Tink said now was an exciting time to be starting or growing an enterprise.

“I’m very, very, very passionate about regional and rural areas, and trying to make things happen for the region for individual businesses, because I believe we control our own destiny and I believe we’re at the juncture of some unprecedented opportunities,” he said.

He said “big game-changers” included the digital economy, free-trade agreements, startup culture, federal government investment in the ‘ideas boom’, Regional Growth Funds and tourism opportunities.

Mr Tink has an entrepreneurial background, which “certainly lets me know what small business is feeling in terms of red tape, in terms of challenges”.

Businesses can access his services for up to four hours, covered by the program, then another 30 hours at subsidised rates.

With more than 20,000 businesses in the New England region, including about 5340 in Tamworth, Mr Tink said he was stretched but really keen to help.

“I try to spend at least one hour with as many businesses as possible,” he said.

One client is Craig Vincent of Portable Horse Stables, which launched in July and was a first-time exhibitor at AgQuip this year.

Related story: Stable start to new business at AgQuip

He said Business Connect had helped him with a digital presence as well as business planning.

He said he’d started with the hope of just selling one container of 30 stables, which he has made in and imports from China.

“Derek got me more aligned to thinking maybe this could be a long-term and growing business,” Mr Vincent said.

“He could see that I had a quality product at the right price and there was the potential market there – probably more so than even I did.”

Mr Vincent has now sold 30 stables, has another 30 on order, and is about to import the next 30.

“Where I was looking to sell one container every six months, I’m selling one every three months – and once they’re out there, more people will be talking about them, so I’m assuming it will grow further,” he said.

“The idea is to grow and employ other staff in the region; next year I’ll be looking to employ one or two staff.”

Another Business Connect client is Birth Beat, featured recently in The Leader for having launched a ‘digital midwifery’ service.