Smart path for businesses

Small business innovation is one of the key drivers of Geelong’s economy as the city moves away from its manufacturing roots.
Enterprise Geelong, City of Greater Geelong’s dedicated resource for economic development initiatives, offers a point of entry for businesses seeking to grow or invest locally, through positive leadership, collaboration and innovation.
The last year has seen Geelong’s small business count grow to 16,000 and small to medium enterprises now make up 95 per cent of the city’s total business count.
Geelong’s small business market is thriving with start-ups like GOOP Digital, a web development company that kicked off in Karl Morris and Amanda Ferry’s lounge room and whose client based ticked over to 700 nation-wide this year.
“Our success during the past eight years is an example of what optimism, hard work and Geelong’s supportive business community can achieve,” Mr Morris says.
In the past two years alone GOOP Digital has almost doubled its workforce, increasing from eight employees to 14, all working from the Geelong headquarters.
“Geelong is the ideal city because we have access to a professional workforce but still retain the benefits of a regional lifestyle,” Ms Ferry says.
“Geelong is Victoria’s fastest-growing region because it’s filled with innovative people who, like us, are prepared to have a go and who support each other through the good times and the bad”