No More Winging It,
The Geelong Program Helping Women Turn Ideas into Sales, and Sales into Profit
There is a moment many business owners recognise instantly, the one where you realise hard work is not the problem. You are doing the work. You are showing up. You are juggling customers, marketing, cash flow, admin, and the constant mental load that comes with being the person who has to figure it out.
The challenge is often simpler, and harder, you don’t know what you don’t know.
That gap is where confidence can disappear. Not because you are not capable, but because nobody ever taught you the essentials that make a business sustainable, your offer, your pricing, your sales process, the numbers, the marketing rhythm, and the systems that stop everything living in your head.
That is why the Business Accelerator Scholarship Program in Geelong matters. It is a practical pathway that equips women business owners with the foundations to move from guesswork to strategy, and from inconsistent income to clearer sales and profit.
It was also the feeling captured in a photo that says a lot about what happens when a community backs women with big ideas, Cr Melissa Cadwell alongside graduates Sarah Anderson and Elly Mirkovic, with Elly’s dog Koda, celebrating the shift from “starting out” to “stepping up.”
Essentials first, then action
The Business in Heels Business Accelerator is not about theory or inspiration without follow through. It focuses on teaching the essentials, then helping participants apply them to their real business in real time.
Business owners often begin with passion and a skill, then quickly hit familiar pain points. Sales feel inconsistent. Pricing feels awkward. Marketing becomes a scattergun of tactics. Profit feels like something other businesses have, not you. The Accelerator brings participants back to what actually drives results, who you serve, what you sell, why you are the right choice, how you communicate it clearly, and how you build a repeatable path to sales.
For program graduate Sarah Anderson, that clarity became a turning point in how she runs her photography business.
“The program gave me clarity and confidence to value my services properly, streamline my workflow and connect with other local business owners, all of which has made a real difference,” she said.
That sentence captures a truth many women learn late, confidence is not something you wait to feel, it is something you build through structure. When you understand your value, price it properly, and simplify how you deliver, you stop operating in reactive mode and start running your business with intention.
The program also helped participants sharpen how they describe what they do, and who they do it for, which can be the difference between a polite conversation and a real opportunity. Maria Prusac from Enjoy the Moment Pop up Picnics described that shift clearly.
Photo caption
Cr Melissa Cadwell with Business Accelerator Scholarship Program graduates Sarah Anderson and Elly Mirkovic, with Koda
“This course was packed with genuinely valuable, relevant content that hit exactly where I needed it,” Maria said. “The instructors Lisa Sweeney and Emma Carter were not only knowledgeable but also super approachable and always available when you needed support. They delivered what they promised, and it was clear they were 100% invested in seeing us succeed.”
“I’m walking away feeling far more confident pitching my business to other businesses,” she added. “The conversations around narrowing focus and avoiding the distraction of every ‘shiny thing’ were a real game changer.”
That “shiny thing” line landed for a reason. Most founders do not lack ideas, they have too many. The Accelerator helped participants choose the right ones, then back them properly with a clear offer, clear messaging, and a plan that makes action easier.
From feeling alone to building community
One of the hardest parts of business is not the workload, it is isolation. When you are making every decision yourself, it is easy to second guess, undercharge, or stall because you are unsure what the next best step is. The Geelong cohort reflected a different experience, learning alongside other women, having access to mentors, and building relationships that continue beyond the program. It turns business from a solo sport into a supported journey.
Elly Mirkovic, owner of Complete K9 Training, described the course as a pivotal shift.
“The program has been a real turning point,” she said.
“I’ve gained the confidence to structure my business, set clear goals and back the value of what I offer. Opening up a training facility has been amazing, allowing me to run more group classes and create a little community.”
Sam from Sensitive Support also spoke about the connection and mentoring as one of the greatest gifts of the program.
“Attending the Business in Heels course has been one of the most rewarding professional experiences I’ve had,” Sam said. “The greatest gift it offered me was the opportunity to participate in mentoring events. Connecting with an inspiring and diverse group of successful women in business, including both the program mentors and guest mentors the team organised.”
“These connections simply wouldn’t have happened without this course,” Sam added. “The guidance, insight and encouragement I’ve received were invaluable. The course was time well spent.”
This is the part that often gets overlooked in business education, knowledge matters, but so does proximity. Proximity to people who can shorten your learning curve, and remind you that what you are facing is normal, solvable, and not a sign you should quit.
Why council backed it
Women and Community Life portfolio chair Cr Melissa Cadwell said it was important to give start ups the best chance of success.
“Council provides a lot of support for women and small businesses with big ideas, and this program is just one of them,” she said.
That focus matters. A start up can have talent, ambition, and a great concept, and still struggle without the basics. When local programs build capability early, the benefits ripple outward, stronger small businesses, more local jobs, greater confidence, and more women willing to back themselves.
Business in Heels CEO Lisa Sweeney said it was rewarding to see participants grow personally and professionally.
“It is a privilege to do this work,” she said. “We love seeing them transform into confident business owners, collaborators in the community.”
At its core, the program is about making business ownership feel less like survival and more like leadership. When women learn the essentials and apply them with support, outcomes improve. Sales become more consistent because there is a plan. Profit improves because pricing is grounded in value and costs. Confidence rises because the business finally makes sense on paper and in practice.
And perhaps most importantly, women realise they are not alone, and they were never meant to be.