The ACT Exporters’ Network established Pitch Club in August 2009 to provide an opportunity for new and emerging exporters to ‘pitch’ their export objective and strategy to a panel of experienced exporters and industry specialists.
Pitch Club is a capacity building program, designed to boost entrepreneurship and growth within the local export community.
The basic premise is that individual exporters are invited to provide a brief overview of their company and their product or service. Each exporter has 15 min to pitch their export objective and related strategy to the panel. Following the pitch, the panel of four experienced exporters and industry specialists offer comment and suggestions on specific elements of the export strategy, acknowledge significant success or progress, highlight areas which require further attention and offer insight into emerging trends, market intelligence and specific industry advice.
The ultimate outcome for the session is for exporters to walk away with a call to action. The panel may recommend that the business attend a specific training course, meet with an industry specialist or connect with an export mentor on a regular basis.
In addition to Pitch Club, the ACT Exporters’ Network runs a variety of mentorship programs which target exporting businesses at different stages of internationalisation.
For expanding exporters i.e. those businesses experienced in the exporting process and have specific resources for export, the Network has established an online mentoring support group.
Utilising skype and other online collaboration tools, the aim is to get companies to challenge one another, on a regular basis, to create and implement export goals and to advise each other on significant export related issues.
In this way we hope that the collective knowledge can act as a shared catalyst for growth, sounding board, devil’s advocate while also providing general support and advice to colleagues.
The International CEO Forums, sponsored by Ernst & Young cater to the CEOs and Managing Directors of international companies based in the ACT, including those ASX 500 companies, to meet with peers to discuss business operations and emerging trends and opportunities offshore.
For the first CEO Forum in July, the Network invited Alan Morrell, Senior Trade Commissioner, Hong Kong and Phil Ingram, Senior Trade Commissioner, Beijing. The networking event offered CEOs a unique opportunity to engage directly with Austrade’s senior offshore representatives in North-East Asia and to discuss emerging trends and developments including Hong Kong’s role in China’s rapidly growing foreign investment.
In addition to pitch club, online mentoring support groups and international CEO forums, the Network also provides individual one-on-one mentoring support to new and emerging exporters.
Adrian Armitage, Global Marketing Manager, IELTS Australia provides mentoring support to a number of ACT Exporters’ Network members. “Ultimately what I am doing is trying to be a business management sounding board for [exporters], bringing my experience and teasing out the business owner’s vision” says Adrian.
If you would like more information on the ACT Exporters’ Network mentorship programs please visit www.actexportersnetwork.com.au or contact Brooke Anderson on (02) 6247 4199.
Am I eligible to take part in Pitch Club?
To take part in pitch club, you must:
- Be an ACT registered business or have significant operations in the ACT.
- Be a member of the ACT Exporters’ Network.
- Have tradeable goods and services and are export-capable. A definition of export capable is listed below.
- Yes, I can demonstrate a commitment to export.
- Yes, I have a product or service which meets the requirements of overseas markets/exploits a market niche.
- Yes, I have marketing experience.
- Yes, senior management posses’ sufficient capabilities.
- Yes, I can demonstrate adequate production capacity.
- Yes, I have sufficient finance to support export.
Pitch Club and mentorship support for the ACT export community
The ACT Exporters’ Network established Pitch Club in August 2009 to provide an opportunity for new and emerging exporters to ‘pitch’ their export objective and strategy to a panel of experienced exporters and industry specialists.
Pitch Club is a capacity building program, designed to boost entrepreneurship and growth within the local export community.
The basic premise is that individual exporters are invited to provide a brief overview of their company and their product or service. Each exporter has 15 min to pitch their export objective and related strategy to the panel. Following the pitch, the panel of four experienced exporters and industry specialists offer comment and suggestions on specific elements of the export strategy, acknowledge significant success or progress, highlight areas which require further attention and offer insight into emerging trends, market intelligence and specific industry advice.
The ultimate outcome for the session is for exporters to walk away with a call to action. The panel may recommend that the business attend a specific training course, meet with an industry specialist or connect with an export mentor on a regular basis.
In addition to Pitch Club, the ACT Exporters’ Network runs a variety of mentorship programs which target exporting businesses at different stages of internationalisation.
For expanding exporters i.e. those businesses experienced in the exporting process and have specific resources for export, the Network has established an online mentoring support group.
Utilising skype and other online collaboration tools, the aim is to get companies to challenge one another, on a regular basis, to create and implement export goals and to advise each other on significant export related issues.
In this way we hope that the collective knowledge can act as a shared catalyst for growth, sounding board, devil’s advocate while also providing general support and advice to colleagues.
The International CEO Forums, sponsored by Ernst & Young cater to the CEOs and Managing Directors of international companies based in the ACT, including those ASX 500 companies, to meet with peers to discuss business operations and emerging trends and opportunities offshore.
For the first CEO Forum in July, the Network invited Alan Morrell, Senior Trade Commissioner, Hong Kong and Phil Ingram, Senior Trade Commissioner, Beijing. The networking event offered CEOs a unique opportunity to engage directly with Austrade’s senior offshore representatives in North-East Asia and to discuss emerging trends and developments including Hong Kong’s role in China’s rapidly growing foreign investment.
In addition to pitch club, online mentoring support groups and international CEO forums, the Network also provides individual one-on-one mentoring support to new and emerging exporters.
Adrian Armitage, Global Marketing Manager, IELTS Australia provides mentoring support to a number of ACT Exporters’ Network members. “Ultimately what I am doing is trying to be a business management sounding board for [exporters], bringing my experience and teasing out the business owner’s vision” says Adrian.
If you would like more information on the ACT Exporters’ Network mentorship programs please visit www.actexportersnetwork.com.au or contact Brooke Anderson on (02) 6247 4199.
Am I eligible to take part in Pitch Club?
To take part in pitch club, you must: