Information sheets and worksheets
More than 40 plain English sheets, worksheets and checklists for First Nations start-ups and the organisations that work with them. Search by topic or browse by group.
FreeAll information sheets and worksheets are free to download.
PDFs for the sheets marked Coming soon
Free guide, poster and new service sheets 3
New in September and October 2026.
Support for First Nations Businesses
A 12 page practical guide to registration, finance and the networks that can help your business grow.
I Am Deadly And I Can Do This
An affirmation poster for First Nations start-ups. Print it and put it where you will see it every day.
Capability Needs Assessment
How our new Capability Needs Assessment scores your organisation's capability and reports the gaps.
Cultural knowledge and history 18
Some sheets in this group discuss the removal of children, colonial violence and past government policies. Please read with care.
Aboriginal Countries and Nations
The diversity of Aboriginal Countries and Nations, what Country means, and why permission to enter matters.
Australian Aboriginal Peoples
History, facts and culture as a foundation for respectful engagement.
The Emu in the Sky
First Nations astronomy, living Lore and how the Emu in the Sky guides the seasonal calendar.
Closing the Gap
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap, its four Priority Reforms and what they mean for organisations.
Bringing Them Home
The 1997 Bringing Them Home report, its findings and recommendations, and what happened next.
The Stolen Generations
The forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, its scale and impact, and the path to healing.
The White Australia Policy
The era of racial exclusion, how it operated and why it still matters today.
Colonisation: Why It Happened
The forces behind British colonisation of Australia, explained plainly.
The Impacts of Colonisation
The lasting effects of colonisation on land, culture, health and community.
The Frontier Wars and Colonial Massacres
The history of conflict and resistance on the colonial frontier.
The Policy of Assimilation
What assimilation policy was, how it was applied and its effects on families and culture.
Aboriginal Missions
The history and legacy of missions and reserves.
Bomaderry Aboriginal Children's Home
The history of the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children's Home on the NSW South Coast.
Retta Dixon Home
The history of the Retta Dixon Home in Darwin and its place in the story of the Stolen Generations.
Sorry Business
What Sorry Business is and how workplaces can respond respectfully when staff and community are grieving.
Acknowledgement of Country
The difference between a Welcome to Country and an Acknowledgement, and how to give an Acknowledgement that means something.
Understanding Cultural Protocols
Why cultural protocols matter and how to learn the right protocols for the Country you work on.
Truth Telling
What truth telling is, why it matters for reconciliation and how workplaces can take part with care.
Cultural safety at work 5
Cultural Awareness
Cultural awareness as the foundation of respectful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Cultural Safety
Moving beyond awareness to everyday cultural safety, with a section for HR managers.
Cultural Load
Recognising and easing the extra cultural load carried by First Nations staff.
Cultural Competency
What cultural competency looks like in practice, with a self-reflection checklist.
Understanding Indigenous Art in Business
What businesses can use, how to use it respectfully, and the copyright, moral rights and ICIP rules to follow.
Starting a business 10
Choosing a Business Structure
Sole trader, partnership, company, trust, ORIC corporation or social enterprise compared, with who carries the debt and how profit is taxed.
Registering a Business Name
How to register, what it costs, names that get knocked back, and why a business name is not a trade mark.
Licences and Registrations
ABN, GST, business name, TFN and licence requirements, plus First Nations registrations such as Supply Nation.
Starting a Home Business
Council approval, zoning, insurance and tax when you run your business from home.
Business Insurance
Why insurance matters, the cover you must have and the types of cover worth considering.
Centrelink and Your New Business
How income support and Self-Employment Assistance work while you start out.
Customer Profiles
Building a clear picture of your ideal customer, with a worked example and a write-in chart.
Black Cladding
What black cladding is, the warning signs, how to protect yourself and where to get help.
Business Essentials Checklist
A two page tick-box checklist of the essentials for a new First Nations business.
Business Readiness Health Checklist
Score yourself out of 100 across ten areas to see how ready you are to start or grow.
Money, tax and records 10
Emus Talking does not provide financial, tax or legal advice. These sheets are general information.
Understanding GST
What GST is, when to register, how to protect the money until it is due and how to pay it.
Tax Obligations Beyond GST
PAYG, superannuation, income tax rates and other obligations explained plainly.
Pricing Your Products and Services
The research and calculations behind a price that covers costs, pays you and makes a profit.
Working Out Your Break-Even Point
How many sales you need to cover your costs, with formulas and a worked example.
Cash Flow Forecast
How to build a cash flow forecast and use it to plan ahead.
Income Statement vs Cash Flow
Why a profitable business can still run out of cash, and how the two reports differ.
Business Record Keeping
Your record keeping obligations and simple systems to stay on top of them.
Accountants and Bookkeepers
Choosing and working with an accountant or bookkeeper, and checking they are registered.
Funding, Grants and Loans
Funding options for start-ups and growing businesses, and how to choose between them.
Setting Up Your Finances Checklist
A tick-box checklist for bank accounts, software and record keeping set-up.
Marketing, procurement and growth 10
Capability Statements
Why you need one, where it is used, what goes into it and where to get help.
Marketing a First Nations Business
Practical marketing approaches that tell your story in your own voice.
Branding
Building a brand that reflects who you are and what you stand for.
Using Social Media to Promote Your Business
A simple guide to sharing your business online.
Networking and Yarning
Building business relationships the yarning way.
Finding Work
Where First Nations businesses find work, contracts and tender opportunities.
Understanding Indigenous Procurement
How Indigenous procurement works across the Commonwealth, states and territories.
Understanding the Indigenous Procurement Policy
The Commonwealth IPP targets, mandatory set-asides and how to be counted.
Machinery of Government
What machinery of government changes are, when they happen and why they matter to suppliers.
First Nations Business Supports Quick Reference
A quick reference to support programs for First Nations businesses.
Planning and going digital 8
Business Planning
Business support, planning, grants and funding at a glance.
Business Plan Checklist
What a strong business plan must contain before it goes to a bank, funder or panel.
Strategic Plans
Strategic plan vs business plan vs operational plan, and when you need each one.
Going Digital
Getting your business online, step by step.
Cyber Security for Start-ups
The main threats and eight simple actions to keep your business safe.
How We Use AI and Automation
How Emus Talking uses AI and automation responsibly in our work.
Setting Up a Shared Drive
Step by step Microsoft 365 shared drive set-up for small teams.
Business Plan Template
A ready-to-fill business plan template that pairs with the Business Plan Checklist.
Worksheets 7
Pricing Worksheet
Companion worksheet to work out your own prices step by step.
Competitor Analysis Worksheet
Compare yourself with your competitors and find your point of difference.
Start-up Cost Worksheet
List and total your one-off and running costs, and the cash you need to get going.
Ten Conversations Tracker
Track your customer conversations as you test your business idea.
Plain English Business Glossary
Common business terms explained in plain English.
Business Idea Validation Worksheet
Test your business idea with real customers before you spend money on it.
Business Model Canvas Workbook
Map your whole business on one page: customers, value, channels, costs and income.