Building a resilient business community

BALLARAT’s business community gathered on Wednesday at Commerce Ballarat’s annual networking event, Business Day Out.

The major theme of the event was facing and overcoming challenges, and Fiori Giovanni was keynote speaker.

Ms Giovanni is a serial entrepreneur, best-selling author, and human rights activist who started her life as a child soldier.

“Fiori has obviously had quite a harrowing journey and her topic was defy your destiny,” said Tatiana Collier, communications and content developer at Commerce Ballarat.

“I think we all at certain times have felt like our life is on a certain path and we wish that it could be different.”

Other speakers were co-founders of Good Citizens Eyewear, Nik and Harry Robinson, and senior economist from National Australia Bank’s global markets research sector, Taylor Nugent alongside master of ceremonies Rob Croucher from Regional Development Victoria.

Ms Collier said that showing resilience is an important message for the Ballarat business community which is facing challenges.

“Our businesses are absolutely facing challenge after challenge after challenge,” she said.

“It seemed like we all thought we were going to get over COVID and while in some ways it seems like it was in the past, there are still so many challenges in front of our business owners.”

Michael Pierce, director of Lake Health Group, has attended Business Day Out for many years and said he always finds new ideas from the speakers.

“I look for little titbits or insights about business that I can,” he said. “I like listening to people’s stories and where they’ve come from.”

A 45-minute think tank session was part of the program for the first time.

“All our attendees were split into small working groups to gather their ideas, their perspectives and their current experiences,” said Ms Collier.

“All that information we gathered will be crucial moving forward.”

Mr Pierce encouraged other local businesses to get involved with future Commerce Ballarat events.

“It’s a good way of getting out of the business to work on the business,” he said. “It helps you pick up a few different ideas and network as well.”