Training and mentoring that strengthens capability

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Giovanna Lever delivers an agritourism workshop at a winery, presenting to participants seated around communal tables in a barrel-lined venue, combining practical insights with an engaging, hands-on learning environment.

Cross-industry training and mentoring programs to help businesses grow, adapt and succeed.

Sparrowly Group designs and delivers practical, outcomes-focused training and mentoring programs that help businesses, industries and regions build capability, confidence and resilience.

We understand that organisations are not static - they evolve. Our programs are designed to support people and businesses through every stage of their journey, from start-up and growth through to transition and maturity.

We deliver place-based, sector-aware business mentoring and training programs that strengthen business resilience, capability and confidence in complex regional and industry environments.

With more than a decade of experience and over 1,000 businesses supported nationally, we combine real-world expertise with structured learning to deliver programs that create measurable change.

Our Build Better Business mentoring and training suite is designed for businesses across all stages of their journey, from start-up and early-stage growth through business maturity, expansion and scaling.

Our approach to training and mentoring

We believe effective training must be practical, relevant and immediately useful. 

We deliver end-to-end design, delivery and evaluation of place-based, sector-aware business mentoring and capability programs that sit between start-up support and growth acceleration. Our programs have a strong focus on resilience, building capability, workforce realities and community outcomes.

This is delivered through modular and bespoke mentoring, cohort-based training, workshops and embedded evaluation, tailored to industry, region and business maturity.

Our approach is built around:

  • Understanding participant needs and business context

  • Tailoring content to industry and audience

  • Combining structured learning with practical tools

  • Team of business experts as mentors and facilitators

  • Creating safe, engaging and inclusive environments

  • Focusing on implementation, not just information

  • Coaching and support to build confidence and capability. 

Every program we deliver leaves participants better equipped, more confident and more capable of taking action.

What we deliver

  • One-to-one mentoring programs

  • Group mentoring programs

  • Masterclasses and industry capability building workshops 

  • Leadership and capability training

  • Business resilience programs

  • Industry-specific capacity building

  • Workshops, webinars and forums

  • Facilitation and co-design sessions

  • Governance and executive training

  • Custom-designed training programs

A participant and Sparrowly Group mentor share a relaxed, genuine laugh during a Sparrowly Group workshop, capturing the trust, connection and positive energy that underpin collaborative learning and meaningful engagement.
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Our signature mentoring and training programs

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We have developed core programs that can be adapted for your business or destination needs, these are impactful learning programs supporting businesses and individuals across all stages.

Tourism-Specific Development Programs

Programs designed specific to your needs such as product and experience development, agritourism or export readiness.

Business Resilience and Continuity Program

Take a proactive approach to disaster and crisis planning or recovery to empower resilient businesses.

Accessible and Inclusive Business Uplift

Designed to understand business access and inclusion profile and training to be more
accessible for all.

Business Mentoring and Capability Programs

Mentoring programs that are
place-based and designed specific to the needs of your region and business profile.

Side Hustle Bootcamp

Targeted accelerator program to develop and launch your side hustle business.

Programs are delivered through bespoke industry development initiatives, either in one-to-one mentoring or group formats, matching participants with experienced mentors who understand their sector and challenges.

Our training and mentoring in action

City of Newcastle - Side Hustle Bootcamp

Destination Central West - Agritourism Development Program

Western Downs Regional Council - Building Business Resilience Program

Training and mentoring programs we’ve delivered

Rolling green hills stretch across the countryside beneath a broad sky, with scattered trees and distant ridgelines creating a layered rural landscape that conveys space, tranquillity and regional character.

Workshops and facilitation

We facilitate and deliver workshops that are practical, hands-on and engaging. Our facilitation style is warm, practical and insightful - distilling complex ideas into meaningful, actionable outcomes.

We create inclusive, engaging environments that fosters connection and learning, with tailored content and resources that empower participants to implement change and future-proof their business.

We deliver workshops in-person, online or hybrid, across formats including:

  • Masterclasses

  • Industry capability development workshops

  • Online webinars and workshops

  • Conferences and keynotes

  • Executive and board strategy sessions

  • Co-design and planning forums

Some topics include:

Product and experience development

Booking and distribution 

Business resilience and futureproofing 

Revenue and commercial strategy

Business planning and resilience

Marketing and brand development

Change management

Agritourism development

Accessible and inclusive business practice

Governance and leadership capability

A facilitator guides a small group discussion around a table in a light-filled meeting space, encouraging shared insights, active listening and practical problem-solving in a collaborative workshop setting.

Beyond business mentoring, we work with government departments, boards and executive teams to strengthen leadership and governance capability.

Trained through the Australian Institute of Company Directors, we deliver:

  • Strategic planning workshops

  • Executive leadership facilitation

  • Board and governance training

  • Change management support

  • Team capability development

  • Sparrowly Group has helped me grasp the importance of having a strong business plan. I’ve learned that a financial plan is essential for managing investments wisely and running the business more cost effectively. 

    - Taylor Sweep Cleaning (Mentee)

  • The quality and diversity of mentoring delivered by Sparrowly Group enabled us to facilitate mentoring for all 90 participating businesses. The program has been a tremendous success delivering demonstrable improvements to the collective skill set and capacity of the industry on the North Coast.

    - Destination North Coast

  • The mentoring gave me a chance to get all my ideas out of my head and map out an experience that will attract new customers and drive sales.

    - Savant Apothecary (Mentee)

  • What really sets Sparrowly Group apart is their genuine compassion and empathy when working with operators, as well as their investment into helping the client also build relationships, leaving a continued legacy of their work.

    - Tourism Midwest Victoria

  • Their vast and practical business expertise and personable approach has seen so many of our small businesses thrive through the programs. Working with Sparrowly Group will be game changing for your region.

    - Hawkesbury City Council

  • The Sparrowly Group team is a dream to work with, they are knowledgeable, friendly and professional. The feedback from our participants was top notch. I highly recommend Sparrowly Group for collaborative and specialised project delivery.

    - Destination Country and Outback NSW

  • This is the first mentoring program that truly ‘gets it’ - our challenges, strengths and pathways forward. The tools and guidance have been invaluable.

    - Darkes Glenbernie Orchard (Mentee)

  • Whether presenting at conferences or leading webinars, they always bring polish, clarity, and real-world relevance, sharing practical case studies that help translate economic development principles into action.

    - Economic Development Australia

  • The program gave me a clearer understanding of marketing and strategic planning… I am now focusing on product, price and packaging to grow my business.

    - Highfields Country Cottages (Mentee)

  • With our mentor’s guidance we pivoted our business at a critical time and learned how to effectively use the Business Model Canvas to evaluate feasibility, viability and desirability.

    - Homegrown Organics (Mentee)

  • Working with Sparrowly Group was a highly positive experience - their professional and adaptable approach ensured the program was tailored to meet our needs and respected the unique schedules and demands of farmers.

    - Outback Queensland Tourism Association

  • This is nothing like what I thought it was going to be… the one-on-one sessions are just magic because you get through so much.

    - Sea Silks Gallery (Mentee)

  • The program offered practical tools, sharp insights, and real-world strategies tailored to the challenges we face in regional industries. It’s not just theory - it’s the confidence to action without hesitation. The Sparrowly Group team brought a refreshing, no-nonsense approach that helped strengthen our business foundations and identify new opportunities for sustainable growth. 

    - Worksite Insight (Mentee)

Training and mentoring insights and publications

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Talk to us about training and mentoring for your region or organisation

Contact us