An Indigenous-first accounting system for small Queensland businesses is part of a statewide push to foster and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander start-ups.
The Deadly Digits initiative offers a cloud-based accounting and financial management service that supports business operators while helping them develop financial management and record-keeping skills.
In collaboration with tech company Reckon, Deadly Digits will also assist businesses to access new tools for digitising their operations.
For Cairns small business owner Tiare Kelsall, the initiative is important because it's cost-effective and familiar to Indigenous communities.
"There's a mindset that has already come from their upbringing, the other things that they've had to face and experience."
"When they hear the language, 'Deadly Digits', it's in line with who they are as people without the business," she said.
Ms Kelsall said the program will break down basic business operations for Indigenous communities and is cheaper than market alternatives.
"The success of any Indigenous business program comes from it's retainment.
"I had a client that was paying $280 a month for her accountant, taking in bags of her receipts and paying for the service.
"I wanted training to teach others so that they could do all of this themselves for free and what I love about this system is the empowerment is given back to our communities to manage on their own on a daily basis," she said.
There are currently no other financial software or accounting packages tailored for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander businesspeople.
The subscription-based service will also offer support and training, which Reckon CEO Sam Allert said they are proud to support.
"We want Indigenous business leaders to be able to invest more time in growing their companies and spend less time on red tape, sharing their diversity of cultures, histories and stories through their business."
Deadly Digits is run by the state government's Advance Queensland initiative as part of its Deadly Innovation Strategy.
