Small Businesses in Perth
With a population of just over 2 million people and over 180,000 businesses, Greater Perth is one of Australia’s booming metropolitan hubs[i]
Did you know that a quarter (24.7%) of Western Australia’s economy comes from small businesses? That adds up to $50.1 billion! Four in 10 people that work in WA’s private sector workforce are employed by small businesses (41% at 493,650 people). A fact less surprising might be that even through WA is about 1/3 of Australia’s land mass, nearly 8 in 10 of the state’s small businesses are based in the Perth metro area.
Western Australia is full of entrepreneurs, or sole traders that do not have employees. These non-employing small businesses account for nearly 65% of all small businesses with just over 150,000 on the ABS report for 2019. You probably guessed it, but the top industries in WA are construction; professional, scientific and technical services; and rental, hiring and real estate services.
Perth Small Business Stats:
Entrepreneurs/
Sole Traders
Entrepreneurs, also known as sole traders, make up for almost 150,000 (64%) businesses in Western Australia (as of 30 June 2019).
Employee
Numbers
From 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019, there were just over 27,000 new businesses formed in Greater Perth (as of 30 June 2019).
Top
Industries
The industries with the highest employment rates in Greater Perth are Health Care & Social Assistance, Retail, and Construction (as of 30 June 2019).

“I was initially very dubious about getting a loan from an on-line company but trying to deal with the stuffed shirts at the bank I thought I would give it a go. How refreshing the experience was. It was very easy to deal with alive person on the phone and the transaction was completed in fast and timely manner. Well done!”
Michael Watts
B.W Nominees Pty Ltd
Midvale, Perth, Australia
Find out how much funding you could get for your business
How well do you know your small business financial metrics?
Understanding your business’ financial metrics, is critical to running a successful business. These metrics are crucial to knowing whether or not your business is profitable and will also prevent you from waking up one day to find out you’re on the slow march to insolvency and going out of business. There are a handful of metrics every business owner should be familiar with. Learn more about your business’ income, expenses, cash flow, accounts receivable, and accounts payable and what they all mean for your small business.
When did you last take a break from your small business?
Research shows that found that only one in two (50%) small business owners have taken a holiday in the last six months. Over one in four (26%) have not had a break for at least four years. A small minority (6%) say they have never taken any time off from their business. It is vitally essential for SME owners to take a break from their business. It doesn’t need to be a massive break – just taking a long weekend once in a while can help owners recharge.
Has your small business ever experienced a cash flow crisis?
Almost every small to medium business owner knows cash flow can be challenging to say the least. Some of the most profitable small businesses still fail because a cash flow crisis has come out of the blue and they weren’t prepared for the fall out. Profit alone doesn’t safeguard a business for when clients don’t pay their invoices on time or unexpected expenses arise.
How loyal are your customers to your small business?
If you’re on the fence about whether a customer loyalty plan for your business is worth the hassle, there are a few solid reasons you should be implementing a plan ASAP. Regular repeat customers can help create a baseline of reliable income, spread word of mouth, and can save your small business money in the long term.
Perth Small Business Loans with OnDeck
OnDeck has been a trusted lender for many small businesses in Perth, helping them reach their business goals faster by providing fast and hassle-free lending.
If you are a Perth based small business owner wanting to apply for an OnDeck small business loan, simply start an application online. It takes only 10 minutes and you’ll know whether or not you’ve been approved within hours.
If approved, you could receive funding in as fast as 1 business day.
Find out how much funding you could get for your business
Sources:
[i] https://itt.abs.gov.au/itt/r.jsp?RegionSummary®ion=5GPER&dataset=ABS_REGIONAL_ASGS2016&geoconcept=ASGS_2016&measure=MEASURE&datasetASGS=ABS_REGIONAL_ASGS2016&dataset
LGA=ABS_REGIONAL_LGA2018®ionLGA=LGA_2018®ionASGS=ASGS_2016
Facts and statistics | Small Business
Perth (C) : Region Data Summary (abs.gov.au)