Small Business Month

Maranoa Regional Council is celebrating the value of small businesses across the Maranoa. 

May is Queensland Small Business Month - a time to pause, reflect and most importantly, celebrate the enormous contribution that small businesses make to our local economy, our community and to the everyday lives of people living right across the Maranoa. 

Here in the Maranoa small businesses isn't just important, it's essential. 

Of the 2,620 registered businesses across our region an impressive 702 businesses - or 26.49% - are classified as small businesses. That is more than a quarter of our entire business community. 

These are the businesses that line our main streets, open their doors early, stay late and create local jobs. They provide essential goods and services in every corner of our region - from Roma to Mitchell, Surat, Injune, Yuleba, Wallumbilla and our rural communities in between.

Small business operators are the familiar faces behind our shop counters, on our farms, in our cafes, at our local markets, on the job sites, and online - providing a diverse range of services that keep our towns thriving. 

They are not only the economic engine of the Maranoa - but they are also the heart of our community.

Small Business Month 2026

To celebrate Small Business Month 2026, the Business Excellence Program and Roma Commerce and Tourism (RCAT) will be hosting the AI Made Simple: Smart Tools for Smarter Business workshop.

Event Details:

You’re already using AI. Or you’re watching everyone else use it and wondering if you’re falling behind.

Either way, this workshop is for you.

Tracy Sheen CSP is coming to Roma for a hands-on, practical AI workshop.

Tracy’s whole approach is Human-led. AI-leveraged. The Augmented Workforce. That means you stay in charge. AI does the heavy lifting. And the work still sounds like you, because it is.

No jargon. No overwhelm. Just two and a half hours of real, practical work and you’ll leave with an AI setup that actually fits the way you work.

What you’ll cover:

• Which AI tools are worth your time and money, and how to tell the difference between free and paid

• How to onboard your AI properly so it knows your voice, your style and how you work

• What makes a prompt actually work, and a few you can take away and use straight away

• A take-home guidebook with examples built in

What you’ll walk away with:

A personalised AI setup. The confidence to use it. And something you can put to work on Monday morning.

Stay for lunch and Celebrate Small Business Month! 

Book your ticket