The brightest of our region's business community joined Council at the Tattersalls Hotel last week for the second instalment in a series of business symposiums to generate a shared vision for the Armidale Region's business ecosystem and enable a can-do collaborative framework for business success.
Buoyed by the outcomes delivered by the business community from the highly successful first symposium in July the focus was to build on the themes developed to enable deeper conversations to identify our region's unique values propositions and the language we use to communicate what makes the Armidale Region a leading regional economy. Further clarity was also sought around delivering the innovative business hub to be housed in the old Armidale library building in the heart of the CBD that will provide a place for business start-ups to grow, a collaboration and engagement space for the business community, ideas to be spawned and tenant space for business support services. Ideas flowed around holding business events, guest speakers and hosting school forums to introduce local youth to being entrepreneurs and business people. Council's economic development and planning and development teams will also be co-located with the hub to provide strong support to the business community where prospective and existing businesses can seek advice on establishing or growing their businesses and ventures.
Armidale Regional Council Mayor Cr Simon Murray said the symposiums are a vital link to fostering an open and honest discussion with the business community about our shared aspirations to facilitate collaboration and action.
"The first symposium was over subscribed and again we have had huge interest from the business community to participate," said Cr Murray.
"Our region's economic potential cannot be realised without the passion, enthusiasm and expertise of people in business. I am confident that with the level of interest shown and the innovation already bubbling away under the service we can achieve great things for our region."
From how to make grass roots community projects become commercial to what does living and doing business in the Armidale Region look like now and in 2030, anything and everything about breeding business success, how that should look and feel and the huge potential of the region were discussed.
"Council is facilitating these discussions and providing the framework and support to shape our business future but this must be driven by our community with innovative ideas," said Cr Murray.
"These symposiums and the level of interest shown by the business community to be a part of this are inspirational. No one participating in the symposium was constrained or weighed down by the severe drought conditions we are experiencing. It was all about looking forward to when the drought breaks and our region's untapped potential."
