It's all business for some at the Indigenous Business, Enterprise and Corporations Conference.
The conference is a two-day event with sessions on technology, start-ups, filming making, female entrepreneurs, procurement and tourism among some of the subjects.
During the breaks, business deals are being made with stall holders who are spruiking their soap products, beef jerky, personal protective equipment and office supplies.
All Aboriginal businesses.
It's an event to inspire, network and demonstrate the broad range of Aboriginal businesses and business people.
Upstairs, Indigenous entrepreneur Mayrah Sonter is addressing the Strong and Deadly Sistas session.
"It started out, you know, a lot of times in my home office in my PJs getting out of them at three o'clock in the afternoon because you just haven't had time and you have your first meetings in coffee shops - a bit embarrassing but it's the only place you can go, you don't want people coming to your house."
The co-founder of 33 Creative, a marketing, public relations and events company, she explained to the almost completely female audience how she co-founded the Indigenous enterprise.
"So we've done our first full round of finances and accounting and we've got about 20 clients that keep us all busy, inspired and a little bit crazy all at the same time and it's just a matter of figuring it out on the fly."
Mayrah Sonter says she found herself at a crossroads at the age of 30 - suddenly unemployed and legally prevented from working anywhere else for three months.
She had been part of the Deadly Vibe Group, an Aboriginal media, PR and events company, which wrapped up in 2014 after the death of its founder, Gavin Jones.
She decided to bring together some of her former colleagues and start out on their own.
"We're from a community and people that have overcome disadvantage and lots of challenges, so we've got it in us to make that happen. And there are lots of community people around us who are there to help us along the way as well. I think it's a perfect storm at the moment in terms of the Indigenous Procurement Policy and just a shift in the business space that the opportunity is there for those that want to take it up. While the door's open we should get as many people through it as we can."
The Indigenous Procurement Policy is an initiative of the federal government to award three per cent of Commonwealth contracts to Indigenous businesses by 2020.
Indigenous entrepreneur Les Delaforce is also looking at improving Indigenous numbers, but he focuses within organisations.
Along with three others from diverse backgrounds including disability and migration, he co-founded Covocate.
It's a recruitment agency with a difference that uses an online assessment method and special software to help companies hire the best candidate.
Les Delaforce says many Indigenous people don't have a tertiary qualification, which means they are automatically excluded by failing to meet that criteria.
His company's approach increased the level of Indigenous representation in one company by 28 per cent.
"The research is out there. Diverse organisations outperform those that aren't diverse by 35 times so given that when you relate it back to the values of individuals and how they align with those of the organisation, that increases by an extra 65 per cent."
Les Delaforce says there is a grassroots movement of Indigenous technology start ups across Australia.
The conference heard from companies that are using virtual reality filming to tell the story of elders during the atomic testing in Maralinga in South Australia in the 1950s and 60s.
Others are using GPS technology, apps and audio for telling stories on country in dreamtime locations.
Les Delaforce and others plan to host a forum next year for Indigenous technology start-ups to support and learn from each other.
"There's this stereotype about Aboriginal people not innovating, particularly in tech, and we've been innovating for the last 40,000 years. We're using tech now as a mechanism to share our stories to a global audience and across the country so we're seeing a new wave of Indigenous entrepreneurs and digital entrepreneurs that are actually making change for Australia and change for our country and change on a global level as well."
Les Delaforce and Mayrah Sonter say giving back to their community is an integral part of their business approach.
"So it's not necessarily about me and making lots of money which I think is the reason lots of other people go into business, but that community outlook. I maybe won't go and get a job with lots of money or quote for something if it means I can work with some community organisation or bring extra staff on, we're just thinking about the community and that kind of community outlook," says Mayrah Sonter.
Les agrees.
"Even though you've got a little start-up, an Indigenous start-up that's actually grown, it's about giving back to the community and that's always been a part of our culture from sharing and innovation. Tech is just another solution so we can push that forward."
