Big Week for Local Smile

As we turn the corner on Winter, the Local Smile team has been buried in scarves, knits and hoodies and kept themselves busy... and we've got so much to show for it!

First up, we're all excited about our ideas to create a better local community space online, for both people and small businesses. This week, in partnership with the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) we've launched the first part of our new Business Resource Centre - a Carbon Tax Calculator that is designed to speak 'Small Business Language' and make the impact of the new tax on small businesses easier to understand. We love the work Peter Strong is doing for Small Businesses in Australia, and were thrilled to team up with him on this one. More in this space soon.

Next, I was going to say we launched our first competition run on Local Smile - but Jane beat us to the punch on that one with her Menz RaspberryChocs post. In good news: I Won Chocolate, awesome. So instead I'll announce the second competition run on Local Smile: Ipswich School, University and TAFE Students can win an iPad - and nearly $3,000 worth of printing equipment for their schools - by suggesting ways Ipswich residents can save landfill space. It's being run by Cartridge World Ipswich, to celebrate their 10th birthday.

Oh, and how could I forget: we sent our new homepage live too :)

Great content keeps coming in from our community too: this week we've got tips for first home buyers, blog posts from Lucy and Emilia (Team Turtle on The Amazing Race), Rainbow Waterfalls at Springbook National Park, more Artist Interviews from Directions Magazine, and I'm enjoying reading the things Leah Gibbs has to say.

And last but not least we'll be at the Live and Local Expo in Redlands this weekend - so if you're in the area, please drop by and say hi!