An inaugural Village Business Expo was abuzz in Maldon last Thursday, with 30 exhibitors from across the region on display.
The event attracted more than 100 visitors and a wide range of guest speakers, including the Minister for Small Business Natalie Suleyman.
Village Business founder Luz Restrepo AM said the inspiration behind the expo was to create a place where businesses from small towns could connect and support each other.
“The power of collaboration instead of competition. If we collaborate we can find new opportunities and we can bring tourists to town,” she said.
“Maldon is more than just a tourist town, we have farmers, services, freelance people working from home and they all need a place to connect and that is Village Business.”
A range of workshops throughout the day offered advice on investing in small-town businesses, wellbeing for business owners and tips to sell your business.
Owner of the Maldon Bakery, Rebecca Barnett, presented a workshop on the topic ‘growing from micro to small business’ and told the Express it was vitally important that small businesses were doing well and thriving.
“There’s been a lot of growth post COVID in the region and we need to make sure we support each other,” she said.
“If we do well, everyone else does well. This creates a a flow-on effect for everyone and it ensures the longevity and sustainability of small towns – to make sure that the essential businesses like chemists and newsagents stay open.
“It’s great that state government representatives have come here to listen to our experiences, our struggles and to help come up with solutions.
“And it’s great to foster relationships with other businesses, to collaborate with each other and support each other to grow and to celebrate success and share knowledge and expertise,” Rebecca said.
Later in the afternoon, a panel discussion invited Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards, Central Goldfields Shire mayor Liesbeth Long and Mount Alexander Shire’s manager of economy and culture Merryn Tinkler to explore how business support organisations could fuel growth.
Ms Edwards told the Express the event was a credit to Luz Restrepo’s determination and passion for small businesses, particularly micro businesses that needed as much support as possible to continue to be viable.
“I’m here representing the state government, but also as the local member, knowing how important small businesses are to our local, regional communities, particularly towns like Maldon, Newstead, Guildford in my electorate, which rely heavily on small businesses to attract tourism and also for locals in the region,” she said.
The Village Business Expo will become an annual event and travel to different towns and shires every year to continue empowering small-town businesses through collaboration and networking.
For more information visit villagebusiness.com.au/village-business-expo.
