New Member Meet-Up Structure
After 2 successful Meet-Ups and some valuable feedback from our members, we are shaking up the structure of our bi-monthly events!
When our members attend these events we want to be able to provide the most value possible, in the short 1.5 hours we have allotted! After much brainstorming and analysis of membership application data our meets up are going to tick of 4 key GIBC Objectives
Facilitate business connections, relationships, and sense of community
Empower our members by providing access to resources, educational content, funding opportunities and networking events
Assist and direct business owners looking for resources or advice
Motivate and inspire local business owners to grow and develop
What this looks like on the night:
Networking and Nibbles
With over 60% of members looking for meaningful connection, collaboration and community we make sure every meet up begins and ends with a chance to networking and what better way to get the conversations flowing then by sharing a bite to eat or drink! Each session begins with 15 minutes of mingling and refreshments before evenings formalities begin. Afterwards members are encouraged to stick around, connect with other members and exchange business contacts.
Bitesize Business Opportunities
The purpose of this segment is to update our members on upcoming opportunities – from projects or grant funding to community events and campaigns. This could be requests for quotes and tenders for Glen Innes Severn Council or NSW Government Projects; or it might be local businesses calling out for suppliers or event organisers looking for market holders or catering options.
Listen and Learn
This educational portion of the evening aims to provide learning and resources for our members. Delivered by government or professional services, one of our business partners or a member with skills and experience in business, this 15-20 minute segment gives a short and concise summary of a key business topic with actional takeaways. Examples of Listen and Learn sessions might include grant writing, finding online resources, improving leadership, digital marketing, content creation – the options are endless.
Motivational Guest Speaker
Running a business can be hard and sometimes we just need a bit of inspiration! Hearing from a guest speaker about their business journey, challenges, successes and growth can really give jump start your motivation. If you are facing a challenge in your business, chances are someone out there has already overcome it so this is why we have lined up local guest speakers to share their experiences and give you a push in the right direction.
Beyond the content we can offer, we also want to promote inclusivity. Up until now we have held our events on Thursday evenings, but in future we will look at having these events on different days of the week ensuring no members are excluded based on other weeknight obligations!
As a chamber we love supporting our local businesses by hosting our events at different locations and using a variety of catering. We also want to share the spotlight! If you are interested in sharing your skills, knowledge or business journey as part of a future member meet-up please get in touch - we would love to help celebrate your business wins, share your expertise or help promote any opportunities you may have coming up.
As always this is just the beginning! As we “find our feet” and gain momentum we endeavour to tweak our offering to make sure our members are getting the most from their memberships. If you have any feedback, suggestions or want to speak at or host a meet-up please reach out to admin@gleninnesbusinesschamber.com or have a chat at our next Meet-Up.