When you bring dynamic and committed small business people together you are guaranteed some lively discussion and inspired ideas. That’s what happened at the Building Sustainable Small Business final workshop of the year, the whole-of-region strategic planning workshop on Monday 1 December.

“We could have kept going all day, the ideas kept flowing!” said program co-ordinator, Jan McGregor. “At all our workshops this year, participants have expressed how much they enjoy the opportunity to get together, network and discuss the issues,” Jan said.

The morning started off with a presentation by guest speaker, Rory O’Connor, of the Yugambeh Museum at Beenleigh.

Rory wove an inspiring story for the group which connected a very successful business career to his promotion of the region through a dynamic media career. He outlined how he is now 'coming home' to his family, Elders and culture and taking a regional museum, the Yugambeh Museum at Beenleigh, into the 21st Century.

Participants also spent time looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to our Scenic Rim Region, followed by an opportunity to visualise our region and local economy in 20 to 30 years.

“The dynamic conversations demonstrated the commitment that local business people have to creating a region that embraces all aspects of sustainability,” said Jan McGregor.

The group acknowledged that issues of paramount importance to local business include taking care of our wonderful Scenic Rim environment; building cohesive, resilient, progressive and economically viable local communities; and understanding and embracing new models of governance, planning, participatory engagement and local living.

The Building Sustainable Small Business program will be launching a new series of sustainability workshops in 2009. More information will be available on the website at www.bssb.org.au in the new year.

BSSB 1 December Strategic Planning Workshop Notes (127.02 kB)