Put Business Day Out in your calendar

BUSINESS Day Out is an annual one-day event, organised by Commerce Ballarat, presenting world class speakers to Ballarat and regional Victoria at a cost that is affordable for businesses of all sizes and industry sectors.

Bernard Salt, Russel Howcroft, Laurel Papworth, Avril Henry and Simon Hutchison are some of the high calibre speakers who have shared business stories and spoken on team building, marketing, and sales in the past.

“The variety and quality of the speakers at Business Day Out is a key reason for attending,” said Michael Pierce, Lake Health Group director.

“A couple of years ago they had Jeff Kennett (former Premier of Victoria) there, he was amazing.

“Last year Craig Hutchinson (local businessman and television presenter) talked about ‘unfair advantage’ – what do you have that no-one else has or what do you bring to the table that is unique?

“I was able to use that in my own business with my staff; we are all different here so what does each one of us bring to the table that gives us an unfair advantage on our competitors.”

Georgia Yanner, director of Yanner Mann Dabson Law, agrees with Mr Pierce.

“One of the best things is that while every industry is going through change, the speakers present ideas and methods, whether it is technology, or different customers, or ways of interacting for business to meet the challenges,” she said.

“Everybody needs to be thinking innovatively to deal with the changing landscapes of business,” she said.

“A lot of this is about thinking bigger than just local, the fact that the day is held in Ballarat means you don’t need to go to Melbourne to hear from well-known business people.”

Commerce Ballarat chief executive officer Jodie Gillett said this year featured a very strong and exciting group of high calibre presenters from different business sectors, with a wealth of information and experience to impart.

The 2019 Business Day Out speakers include Matt Jones, co-founder and creative strategist at Four Pillars Gin, who’ll share the ongoing story of his company as well as some simple but effective lessons anyone can use to build their brand and grow their business.

There’s also James Stewart, managing partner of Ferrier Hodgson, an independent turnaround and restructuring firm based in Australia. He’ll explain what digital disruption looks like and how it critically affects business in a presentation content rich and digital by nature.

Nick Stanley and Peter Dosti, co-founders of Geelong and Ballarat-based business Runway, which provides of support and services to regional entrepreneurs, will chair a session titled “using start-ups to help your business innovate” and talk about what is happening in Australia with corporate accelerators and some emergent trends in the startup space overseas.

Business Day Out 2019 is will be held Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre, 613 Main Road, Golden Point, on May 29 from at 8.30am.

Early Bird tickets are on sale now and close on March 31. Commerce Ballarat members are $195, while non-members are $240.