Green shoots among challenges for NSW small businesses

Despite tough conditions and challenges, NSW’s 800,000 small businesses remain resilient and adaptive, with signs of cautious optimism ahead of 2026.  
 
That was the message from business and government leaders at a recent NSW Small Business Month event. 

State of play  

 Low unemployment and solid consumer spending were among the positives for NSW SMEs, while cash flow management and contract management remained a focus.  
 
Rising costs, red tape and uncertainty around sustained demand were among common challenges regularly heard by both NAB and the NSW Small Business Commission. 

NAB Executive Small Business Krissie Jones said small business owners were responding to the current environment with smart changes.  

Webinar MC and NAB Head of NSW Small Business Metro Leanne Mifsud said seasonal influences like daylight savings and Black Friday-Cyber Monday were an opportunity for businesses leading into Christmas.

Support available 

Service NSW Director, Customer Care and Business Advisory Andrew Whitehead said the department’s 75 Business Concierges offered SMEs personalised guidance on compliance, support and procurement.  
 
“There's pretty much no wrong question or problem that you can take to a business concierge,” Mr Whitehead said.  
 
Ms Jones said support was critical for success.  
 
“When I'm talking to business owners, it's often that success comes down to the partners of the business owner, whether that be a great accountant or bookkeeper, a great financial planner and a great banking partner,” she said. 

“We have many bankers on the ground across the state available to help both existing and new customers and who can also connect customers to other NAB specialists if you need lending or payment facilities.”  
 
Ms Jones also highlighted Beyond Blue’s NewAccess program, offering up to eight free mental health coaching sessions.

Acting NSW Small Business Commissioner Catherine Ellis said it advocated to Government and organisations like Meta on behalf of individual businesses if they had concerns and more broadly on policy development and regulatory changes. . 

 “There's been a real uptick in small businesses finding that they've been disconnected from … these platforms that really are key to customer contact and driving business these days,” Ms Ellis said.  
 
“(We’ll) understand their circumstances, put a brief together and work directly with the platform provider to try to get them reconnected or often it'll be around education.  
 
“It might come down to another key issue that we know exists for small businesses, which is scams. Often there'll be a suspected scam and that might sit behind a decision to disconnect the customer.”