Jasna Varcakovic studied medicine in her home country Bosnia and then began an interior design career when she moved to Australia. But she couldn’t forget her lifelong dream of opening a coffee shop or restaurant. Jasna started looking into what was required to open a small business and became overwhelmed with the complexity of the processes and the complicated language associated with forms and regulations.
"Opening a café has been a lifelong dream for me," Jasna said.
"But thinking of all the responsibilities and steps that I had to follow was scary."
Jasna reached out to Service NSW’s Easy to do Business team and received some much needed help to start her café. The NSW Government program is a free service which includes a digital platform and a personalised phone service which supports aspiring business owners set up, launch and grow their small businesses faster and more easily.
Within 24 hours of contacting Service NSW, Jasna was phoned by the Business Concierge team which guided her through the process.
"The Business Concierge helped me with everything from the documents needed to set up my business, to guidance on how to grow my café.
"It's been a great and enjoyable experience for me. They gave me the confidence and the support I needed.
"I would absolutely recommend the program to anyone. When you start up your business you don’t know the steps you have to take, but they take the worry away."
In January, Jasna and her son Vigor opened the Vigor Coffee House in Smithfield.
"Nothing was as difficult as it seemed to be when she [Business Concierge] was helping me. It’s people like her who go that extra mile for others, they help our planet spin."
The Business Concierge helped Jasna register her business with council. She also received help with her Development Application and food safety and handling requirements.
"I give the program five out of five stars - it’s a really good service. I am very grateful I found out about the program."
