Bucking the worldwide trend to downsize during the global financial crisis, Big Click Studios has just finished fitting out its new office at the Highpoint building in Erina and settling in two new staff members.

Big Click Studios Creative Director Justin Roberts said there was space for further expansion as the Central Coast web design and development business grew.

“We doubled the size of our existing office, allowing for four extra work spaces. This created the space we needed for extra staff and we’re thrilled to welcome programmer Trent Watherston and designer Mel Evans to our team,” Mr Roberts explained.

“It’s nice to be able to say Big Click Studios is doing well in the current climate and we’ve hired two Central Coast people to help share our workload.

“We’ve also added a boardroom, which will add a more professional touch for client meetings, training and other Big Click Studios events.

“Big Click Studios provides a premium web design service which has really struck a chord with businesses and organisations within the Central Coast, Newcastle and Sydney region. We’re proud of our achievements to date and know our expansion will open up more opportunities for our studio,” he said.

Big Click Studios has been working on big projects recently, including websites for The Gosford Challenge www.thegosfordchallenge.com.au, Central Coast Community Council www.thecccc.org.au and Central Coast Kid’s Day Out www.cckdo.org. Creative Director Justin Roberts and Technical Director Dean Collins run the business.

For more information about Big Click Studios visit www.bigclick.com.au or get updates from the Big Click Blog at www.bigclick.com.au/blog/

Annalisa Holmes from The Transcription People will speak about the transition from home business to commercial premises and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios will share simple tips on increasing your business’s ranking on Google.

CCBiz began informally earlier this year when a group of Central Coast small business people who had been communicating via social media decided to meet up in person.

This small group started to grow as other business people were invited to join in. The founding members decided to meet once a month at venues around the Central Coast and formalise their group, calling themselves CCBiz.

CCBiz is run by small businesses with small business issues in mind, CCBiz coordinator and owner of Nicole Hammett Business Support Nicole Hammett explained.

“One of the reasons we met in the first place was because we wanted to be able to talk about our businesses with other business people, but without the pressure if having to network with everyone in the room,” she said.

“We focus on informal meetings where everyone is relaxed and can speak to whoever they want to.

“This comfortable group situation has led many of our members to start doing business with each other, as well as offer support on whatever issues are affecting our businesses at the time. Someone else always has another option or solution to consider,” Nicole said.

Besides the monthly meetings, CCBiz has also launched a website www.ccbiz.com.au, which includes posts by CCBiz members, a Central Coast business directory, resources for small businesses on the Central Coast and information about the group.

The website was set up by CCBiz founding members. Dean Collins and Justin Roberts from Big Click Studios designed the site, Dave Holmes from Dictate Australia is hosting the site and Nicole Hammett from Nicole Hammett Business Support runs the site.

CCBiz has three main goals:
• Provide a support network for Central Coast businesses
• Encourage the Central Coast business community to support one another and help to grow our local economy
• Provide informal and low-cost networking functions

Tickets for the CCBiz launch event are $26. Space is limited so bookings are essential at the CCBiz events page: http://ccbiz.com.au/events/

For more information about CCBiz and upcoming events visit: www.ccbiz.com.au

Big Click Studios has designed the Challenge website to be interactive, allowing visitors to comment on topics, vote in polls and participate in surveys relating to the Gosford Challenge, Creative Director Justin Roberts explained.

“We see the Gosford Challenge website as an integral tool in gaining community participation for this important project. This website is first stage of a long-term project for Big Click Studios. The site will continue to develop and evolve as the challenge does,” Mr Roberts said.

“This website provides the vital link between Gosford Council and anybody who wants to have a say in how the city is developed in the future. We designed the website to be inviting, so community groups and individuals want to leave comments and register their interest to find out more via updates and newsletters.

“Gosford Council will use the site to post events, photos, development documents, planning concepts and ideas for the Central Coast community and the website we designed creates a platform to view these items and post comments so the community is more involved in decisions affecting its city,” he said.

The first stage of The Gosford Challenge website is now live and ready for interaction. To visit the site, log on to www.thegosfordchallenge.com.au.

For more information about Big Click Studios visit www.bigclick.com.au or get updates from the Big Click Blog at www.bigclick.com.au/blog/.