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Have you ever thought about becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce in your town but are on the fence? Need help determining the benefits for your business and or employees? This episode is for you. We are fortunate to have Executive Director Dawn LeMaistre with us on the podcast to educate us all on the purpose of the Chamber of Commerce and how it can help your business and benefit your business and employees. This episode is filled with helpful information to aid your company in becoming successful. Whether you are a member or not, this is an excellent episode to recap what is included in being a member.    

www.businesslifeofhusbandandwife.ca

Earlier this year, lifelong Kenoshan David Strash took over as the new president and CEO of the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce. What is the Chamber of Commerce and what does Dave do in his new position? Those questions and more are answered in today’s episode of Ktown Connects!

Click here to visit the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce website!

This episode was recorded on Monday, October 25th at Luigi’s Pizza Kitchen, 7531 39th Avenue

Big thanks to our sponsors:

Bluehorn Digital
CarBox, 1750 22nd Ave
Wink Beauty Boutique, 10909 Sheridan Road
Union Park Tavern, 4520 Eighth Ave.
Faded Barbershop for Men, 2227 63rd St
Lucci’s Grandview 6929 39th Ave.
Down Town R Saloon, 707 56th St
Captain Mike’s, 5118 Sixth Ave.

Get your Ktown Connects merchandise thanks to The Lettering Machine, 725 50th St.

Drop us an email at ktownconnects@yahoo.com

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and at ktownconnects.com

Theme song performed by Dropping Daisies, written by James “Red” McLeod.

Your hosts are Donny Stancato and Jason Hedman

Get additional episodes early and ad-free, along with bonus material with this week’s guest and more great exclusive material by becoming a patreon supporter! Click here for more!

Born & raised in Houston's East End/Magnolia neighborhood, Dr. Laura Murillo's involvement in the Houston business community began as a 10-year-old working in her family's restaurant. There, her parents taught her lessons about business and life, which Murillo combined with her keen communications skills to grow and lead Houston's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In this episode, HBJ Managing Editor Jonathan Adams invites Murillo to share her insight, including key life moments shared in her best-selling book, "Lead in Life".

@JanetBond   is the cofounder of @WattleRoad  which, based on this trend of people #movingtotheregions, was launched to guide to people considering this #lifechange, this #lifestylechange, and inspire them by talking to people who'd already done it. Through those stories, we hope that  people will know  what not to do, and what not to do.  The website is focussed on #regionalbusinesses #regionalproperty #regionalliving.

It's best summarised as follows "it's as much about dreams and new beginnings, as it is about finding a house that you will love and a great school for your kids".

Prior to that, she had an extensive career in business and commercial journalism, in both regional and capital cities for companies including #newscorp. Common in the publications was advocating for a city or town, helping to be really proactive about making sure it was a great place to live. 

But in 2019 she left the corporate world to start @WattleRoad after a chance discussion with a close friend who had recently moved to #Japarat - where #RobertMenzies was born. Her friend had escaped lockdown and unexpectedly discovered the real meaning of community;

• going down to the local post office and being known by her name
• eating at the local pub and meeting people

In our wide-ranging discussion we cover;

• why it's no longer people escaping the city but more being attracted by what is on offer in the #regions
• the trends that are showing a return to those days where small towns and towns had their #localbaker, their #localfishmonger, their #localbutcher, their #localbrewer
• #housingaffordability and #livability
• how property prices in #regionalaustralia for the first time in 15 years have outperformed capital city prices
• realising that there's a story that wasn't being told about the regions and immersing themselves in it
• loving what we do
• making better decisions on #treechange #seachange
• how people in regional towns have got the time to talk, and why they really love talking about where they live
• how it's very easy to make connections in regional towns (far more than it was for her in Melbourne and in Sydney)
• when new in town reaching out to people and asking other newbies where they came from, and chat about what their journey was like
• some of the #casestudies

1. a woman who's moved from Melbourne to Apollo Bay and set up his psychology practice, she took her family, and young teenagers to #ApolloBay from #Brighton
2. a #physiotherapist who had a very big practice and was able to exit #Sydney
3. the #Accountant from the #NorthShore, who got out of Sydney, sold his home he bought the local #cobbler - he went #backtoschool  to learn how to repair shoes
4. So then she found herself in the middle of the fires in terrible push ties summer that we had. And she realized that while that was something she hadn't contemplated living in a place of risk, she found firsthand how that community pulled together.

• why the rejuvenation of the regions is actually much but its much about the rejuvenation of people and rejuvenation of our lives and living in a way that perhaps we've always dreamed of
• the key things to do to make making sure it is the right decision
• the value of the local #ChamberofCommerce
• some of the #ABS #netmigration numbers
• the @wattleroad approach of;

1. exploring first, spending time (weekends away) to see if you think might be a good fit
2. looking at property
3. looking at jobs (and how it's a suprise to most people when they hear that there are 66,000 job vacancies in regional Australia at the moment - July 2021)

• why sometimes people may need to consider starting or acquiring a business
• how the region's do so well in promoting the local produce and the opportunities this is creating;

1. #craftbreweries - why two-thirds are in the regions and how they convert many of old pubs on the market e.g. #smeaton

https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-smeaton-135538834

• how  #rejuvenatedpubs #brewpubs can be part of the community, the #localmeetingplace, and also put the place on the map
• #forrestbrewery is a great example of that
• great country pubs, pasties, vanilla slice
• #awardedbakeries around the country and #australiasgreatestpies
• with a heightened awareness of where our #foodproducts come from how the regions are owning #localproduce
• @thevillageco - based in #regional #NewSouthWales and putting some pretty #tech into #supplychains to #Keepthemoneyinthevillage
• wanting a different life, wanting to be more connected
• why #transport #majortrainline is such a really big factor when you're choosing a place to live
• #camperdown - one of the most beautiful #historicstreetscapes in Victoria 
• #remote work
• #bandwidth for communication  #NBN
• the importance of getting #infrastructure right and why it will follow the #growth
• the #vicgov putting departments in regional towns to #createjobs

www.kerrcapital.com.au

Thanks for listening.  Visit the Small Business Banter website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @SmallBusinessBanter on your favorite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.smallbusinessbanter.com.au

Louise Brockman is the founder and CEO of the Advisory Board Center. She grew up in a small business family and started her first business at 19 years old. It's in her blood. She has experienced the absolute highs and lows. With this cumulative experience, she is on  a mission to help other #businessowners take advantage of outside advice. In our discussion she talks about; 

• the big adventures she had when the family started a new business
• her #firstbusiness was a #restaurant in #MissionBeach
• when the family lost everything in a cyclone hit, and she couldn't afford to go to university
• working in #corporatelife for a period of time but really missing  #beinginbusiness
• #starting and #growing a #software based #professionalservicesbusiness helping #SMEs with their #outsourcedhumanresources
• wanting to grow it, needing to be cautious and deliberate in the decisions about what's next
• second guessing the decisions made
• misjudging the launch
• having to sell everything that I owned, to keep the business going
• realising a year later, that when she had the opportunity to grow that business wanting to be confident of not messing it up and put herself at risk
• putting together her own advisory board
• her life-changing moment
• growing their business to 135 offices in eight countries in five years, and selling the  business
• being so grateful for what the #AdvisoryBoard had done leading to spending five years researching testing and validating the advisory board sector globally
• put everything on the line
• using her personal experience as a great foundation for building this current business
• be open and willing to seek advice
• the different levels of #advice available #smeowners
• picking the advice that is fit the purpose for the situation you're in, the period of time, the market
• #informaladvice - getting advice instance from #familyandfriends, people who know you and love you and want the best from you. It's very supportive and they want the best, who knew personally.
• #peertopeeradvice - extremely informal, really supportive
• #beertobeersupport  - really important mutual support
• #businessnetworkgroups, and #informaladvisoryboards, e.g.  #chamberofcommerce or #businessgroups
• the really important socialization of business owners - because it's lonely in business it's important to get out of our own bubble and socialize with other people that have this similar situation
• why #Informaladvisoryboards is where the market has been -  no one's paid, but generally they last for about six months and they kind of fizzle out
• one on one relationships like a #businesscoach #mentor #consultant as targeted support for that for a period of time
• the unrealistic expectations of one person having the answer to everything about their business
• as mentors and advisors being really careful about where the boundaries are -  when should we provide advice and when we should stop when it starts getting outside about entering expertise or knowledge.
• using #formaladvisoryboard with a #chair and external advisors, a #charter so everyone's focused on some critical aspects of what's important to the business and #measuringimpact
• #governanceboards with #boarddirectors - with directors becoming personally liable
• The mistake of jumping straight to the ‘who I know’ component vs figuring out what the business needs and prioritising
• The types and size of businesses using advisory boards
• #projectbasedadvisoryboards
• filling #knowledgegaps and #skillsgaps
• not duplicating your management disciplines
• not becoming a #shadowdirector
• focusing on context, not content
• #buildingtrust or learning to trust advisors
• why #businessowners need to step up and do better #duediligence with regards to the way that they're evaluating their advisors - they're not all commodity providers
• why you should interview them and make sure they are really curious about your business
• #futurefocusssed  advisors or mentors

www.advisoryboardcentre.com.au

Thanks for listening.  Visit the Small Business Banter website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @SmallBusinessBanter on your favorite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.smallbusinessbanter.com.au

The Outback Alliance is a cross-sectoral group of #ngos and individuals who focus on the development, welfare and protection of Outback Australian communities and nature.

The Alliance works together to advise, assist and advocate to all levels of government to adopt an approach to policy development and implementation that ensures the sustainable development of Outback Australia.  

The vision of www.outbackalliance.org.au is for a thriving #outbackaustralia, for the people and the land. In this episode Daina Neverauskas,  Andrew Drysdale and Frank Quinlan (Federation, Executive Director of the #RoyalFlyingDoctorService) talk about the work they are doing to promote better and fairer outback & remote policies. In this discussion we cover;

• their cross-sectoral to  promoting remote and outback issues with representatives from #smallbusiness, #rangelands, #healthservices,#Aboriginalservices, and #environmentalservices like #Pewtrust.
• the interconnectedness of #outbackcommunities #rangelands
• the sheer size of the outback which covers approximately 6 million square kilometers, or 80% of Australia with 3% of the population
• The 7 or 8 federal MP’s who would have 80% of their electorate in #rangelands
• the challenge in trying to influence government to have policies that work for a very, very large area, but a very, very small percentage of people with a very, very small voting power
• The challenges particularly from a business perspective for people living in Outback or remote Australia like the cost and speed of transport, getting fresh perishables
• Rebalancing the opportunities for #smallbusiness vs #largebusiness (in the coastal parts of the country)
• The #mantleofsafety
• the #royalaustralianflyingdoctorservice ( a child of the outback) over 90 years has been  about ensuring that folks who are living a long way from the tertiary hospitals and other places can get the care they need, as and when they need it
• #healthoutcomes in outback Australia
• The importance of #chambersofcommerce
• the isolation of quarantines and lock-ups
• the pressures that folks are under when their businesses disrupted because the community requires shutdowns and quarantines
• the need for open discussion about mental health issues
• Access to basic treatment services, and preventative services that we take for granted in the cities
  - preventative health checks,
• #localGPs
• the hope of interdependence
• The vanishing rail system
• The case for ensuring access to care and services to support the folks who farm our fiber and our food
• #commercialinfrastructure
• The need for a much broader definition of infrastructure to include personal health and well being
• #domestictourism 
• #localtourism
• An example of opportunity and challenge - #winton @Tattshotelwinton (1200 kilometers northwest of Brisbane) - a couple who switched international travel for an Outback trip
• The impact of #covid on #smallbusiness
• #hardwarestore in #charleville
• #rangelandalliance
• #procurement
• #landbasedlivelihoods
• #citycousins
• #Socialwellbing
• #Emotionalwellbeing
• #communitydonations 
• #communityleaders
• #localfootyclubs

www.kerrcapital.com.au 

www.sosbiz.com.au

Thanks for listening.  Visit the Small Business Banter website to subscribe, listen back, or check out any resources or information mentioned on the show.

Search @SmallBusinessBanter on your favorite podcast player to subscribe and listen to the episodes.

Reach out to Michael Kerr via the website if you need personal assistance or advice for your small business.

michael.kerr@kerrcapital.com.au

www.smallbusinessbanter.com.au

Listen to Wellington and guest Phil Roberts from Valo Networks dive into the opportunity tech has to offer for the future of Alberta. Valo Networks is known for building and operating Rural Municipal Broadband networks by partnering with communities to build local infrastructure and carrier-neutral transport networks. Jim shares his past experiences with the organizations that helped him get to where he is now in the tech industry and expresses the gratitude of building those opportunities and partnerships along the way. 

Phil gives back to the tech community by being a part of the Calgary Chamber as well as an active member in A100 where they assist in expanding networks, connecting people and sharing experiences to help drive lasting diversification for Alberta’s economy.  He shares his advice for new entrepreneurs who are just starting out and demonstrates a bright vision for the tech industry in the next years to aid in providing innovative solutions to problems. 

About Phil:

Phil has more than 20 years of professional, executive and board experience in complex corporate environments. With in-depth experience in business, technology and governance matters in the energy, global telecommunication and software industry, Phil co-founded Provision Analytics, a startup focused on food safety and food traceability, and sits on the Board of Valo Networks, a new venture that will enable agritech, smart homes and rural economic development in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

An active volunteer, Phil is involved with numerous civic and economic development organizations.  He has helped repurpose land assets into collaborative hubs and affordable workspace for creative entrepreneurs in the City of Calgary. Elected Chair of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce by the Board of Directors in 2018 he was also recently appointed Honorary Consul to Sri Lanka in Alberta.  His work with non-for-profit and Boards has focused on strategy and growth, regulatory, community engagement, corporate governance and government relations.

Resources discussed in this episode: 

https://businessincalgary.com/month-and-year/january-2018/an-eye-for-opportunity/

connectFirst Credit Union: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Phil Roberts/Valo Networks: Website | Twitter  | LinkedIn