Starting up a business is a lifelong dream for many people who feel they have something significant to offer to society, and such is the case with Bathurst's Scott De Roover.
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Mr De Roover started Social Outings and Family Inclusion [SOFI] Friendly Family Services in 2016 with the intention of providing desirable fashion items for the Bathurst community.
For the last few months, Mr De Roover has been focusing his efforts on creating hand-made jewellery, including bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
"My creations are primarily in the field of women's fashion, and my aim is to offer the Bathurst community a quality selection of jewellery," he said.
"I strive to keep things interesting with my jewellery, as I understand that people are attracted to different colours and combinations."
Mr De Roover has been steadily building up his profile online, using Facebook and email to market his products to the wider community.
"There has been a significant growth in online business over the last few years, and I feel it's an important avenue for networking with consumers," he said.
Mr De Roover has been receiving assistance through the state government's Business Connect program, which provides trusted advice to new and existing small business owners.
Business Connect adviser Russell Meadley said Mr De Roover has shown a lot of passion towards the development of his business.
"He's taken every bit of advice on board and certainly isn't shying away from the challenge of running a business," Mr Meadley said.
"Starting a business is no easy task and while he still has room to grow, there is no denying Mr De Roover's commitment to achieving success in his chosen field."
New Horizons support worker Beth Redden said a key strength of Mr De Roover's persona is his ability to raise awareness of the business through word of mouth.
"Whenever we're out and about, he's always striking up conversations about his business " Ms Redden said.