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Chances for businesses to come together and share ideas

INNOVATORS in Bundy are coming together tomorrow to share their business ideas and receive feedback from industry leaders.

THINK TANK: Entrepreneurship facilitator Rebecca Corbett says the event is a perfect opportunity to share ideas, within a safe space. Picture: Nathan Benjamin
THINK TANK: Entrepreneurship facilitator Rebecca Corbett says the event is a perfect opportunity to share ideas, within a safe space. Picture: Nathan Benjamin

INNOVATORS in Bundy are coming together tomorrow to share their business ideas and receive feedback from industry leaders.

Funded by the Federal Government, the Think Tank event is free and will be hosted by entrepreneurship facilitator Rebecca Corbett, who is excited to discover Bundaberg's visionaries.

"Think Tank is a way of bringing everyone's experience and expertise together,” she said.

"At networking events, the business owners don't get the chance to have really in-depth conversations about what they need help with in their business, or don't feel safe enough to share some ideas.

"Our region is full of entrepreneurs, you just need to know where to find them and we hope that Think Tank will bring more of these people together.”

Based on the popular television show, Shark Tank, participants are given an opportunity to reveal business concepts.

The open discussion forum provides a safe place to present ideas, share adverse experiences, receive advice and network with other industry professionals.

"I see so many different businesses every week and always think if I could just get them all in the same room at the same time, how supportive they would be of each other,” Ms Corbett said. "At our Hervey Bay Think Tank, we had a group of 10 business owners and the connections made have continued on past the day.

"We had an art therapist attend, and an owner of an art gallery and the therapist is now running classes and workshops in the gallery every week.”

Ms Corbett believes that events like Think Tank will also strengthen the economy in regional areas, as successful businesses that turnover substantial profit, will provide promising employment opportunities.

She said people had often found ways to work together.

"We had a mum of special needs kids and a seamstress that had been making heat packs, so the idea was floated that the seamstress could make weighted blankets, customised to a person's needs and using sustainable materials,” Ms Corbett said.

"That seamstress is now investigating ways to use wheat to make the weighted blankets and her husband will be able to grow the wheat, so it will create work for both of them.

"Sometimes it's as simple as taking an existing idea and improving on it and it doesn't have to be a world-changing idea to be successful and innovative,

"A drive through that makes healthy school lunches, I am still waiting for someone to take that one on here in Bundy.”

Think Tank is on today at the Generator on 155B Bourbong St, Bundaberg, from 9.30-11.30am and the Entrepreneurship Roadshow is coming to Gympie, Maryborough and Bundaberg later this month.

If you would like to get started in business or have an existing business, the Entrepreneurship Facilitator Service offers one-on-one mentoring, business planning, workshops, and Think Tank sessions each month.

Events can be found at www.businessleap.org.au or call the Business Enterprise Centre on 4153 2333.

Originally published as Chances for businesses to come together and share ideas

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/queensland/bundaberg/business/chances-for-businesses-to-come-together-and-share-ideas/news-story/3e6d065a0f06b7dbf5c0aced9c5b42f4