Ideas and inspiration at Business Day Out

COMMERCE Ballarat’s next Business Day Out will be held later this month, and the region’s business community is being invited to network and learn some tips about best practice.

Commerce Ballarat chair Hayley Coates said the afternoon of insight at the Mercure on Wednesday, 25 May is an opportunity for attendees to sit back and reflect on their enterprises from a wholistic point of view.

“It’s a chance to get some ideas for your business, see what other business owners are doing, and network with businesspeople from across Ballarat,” she said.

“It’s about asking questions; what is everyone else doing? What can we do better? What new ideas could I be exploring to turbocharge my business?”

One of the event’s keynote speakers is founder of health snack brand Carman’s Kitchen Carolyn Creswell.

Ms Creswell launched Carman’s as a university student in the early 90s and in 30 years has grown one of Australia’s most popular muesli product lines.

She was Ernst & Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007, is a former Telstra Australian Businesswoman of the Year, and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

“It’s huge to have someone of that calibre to speak about her business and how she built it. It’s an amazing story and inspiring for our local businesses to see what they can do,” Ms Coates said.

Former Young Western Australian of the Year, Queen’s Commonwealth Trust board member and World Economic Forum Global Shapers lead Abdullahi Alim is also set to present as a keynote speaker.

Having arrived in the country as a refugee many years ago, Mr Alim will discuss diversity, tapping into talent, how to keep regional cities like Ballarat competitive, and how to ensure the area represents the best of modern Australia.

“Abdullahi spoke at one of our Biznet Breakfasts. He is such an impressive speaker and has so much to impart about diversity in the workforce and inclusivity,” Ms Coates said.

“To have him come over in-person is so exciting. He’s come back to Australia to visit his family in Western Australia, and he’s making a special trip over to Ballarat to speak at our event.”

The Business Day Out will also feature a panel discussion about reinventing the food system, with Wallup farmer Karen Inkster and TUI Foods director Tony Cartwright, facilitated by Regional Development Australia Grampians and Small Business Ministerial Council chair Stuart Benjamin.

The event runs from 12pm to 5.30pm on Wednesday, 25 May at the Mercure Hotel and Convention Centre. Visit bit.ly/3F7Y0Pt for tickets.