Tag: business groups

Maroondah Homebiz – the Art of Networking

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Maroondah Homebiz is an organisation that aims to assist small and home-based businesses within Maroondah.

Tonight’s meeting featured Jen Harwood, a business coach and the author of the Art of Networking. Jen discussed the importance of networking in attracting new clients and the need to cultivate ongoing business relationships.

Jen spoke about a number of techniques to network effectively, including finding events targeted by prospective clients and promptly following up discussions.

Maroondah Homebiz, through grant funding received from the Maroondah Business Grants, will be holding regular sessions with speakers designed to educate and inform.

For more information on Maroondah Homebiz please visit www.homebiz.org.au.

Ringwood Chamber of Commerce – Secrets of growing businesses

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Tonight’s Ringwood Chamber of Commerce was held at des Amis, a new restaurant located in the North Ringwood Shopping Centre.

The guest speaker was a marketing consultant who discussed strategies to assist in maintaining business growth during times of economic uncertainty. Key messages included the need for collaboration across complementary businesses, to support local traders and localise growth, as well as valuing customer loyalty and ensuring that all staff reflect the aims of the organisation.

The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce aims to represent the businesses and traders within Ringwood and as such has a particular interest in the Ringwood Central Activities District. In addition to the guest speaker an update was provided on Ringwood, including the Eastland redevelopment which is currently anticipated to begin early next year.

Rotary Club of Ringwood – Support and employment for our youth

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The Rotary Club of Ringwood, is part of the wider Rotary network through District 9810 and while each club is largely autonomous they do cooperate on regional projects.

Rotary clubs within the District were heavily involved in fundraising through the Eastlink Open Day and tonight’s guest speakers from KYM Employment Services received $1,500 from the Rotary Club of Ringwood through these efforts.

KYM Employment Services was formed in 1998 through a merger of organisations within Maroondah, Knox and the Yarra Ranges

KYM Employment Services is a community based not-for-profit organisation that has sites within Boronia, Ringwood, Bayswater, Camberwell and Glen Waverley.

The organisation provides support and training services for young people with the aim of encouraging high school completion or alternatively assisting younger people through a range of accredited training courses.

KYM Employment Services links employers with younger people through the Youth Pathways Program and provides support services during the transition from education into employment.

While the organisation’s priority is to try and keep younger people within school, KYM Employment Services recognises that a range of educational options should be available to meet the needs of our youth.

The organisation also delivers other support services to build the confidence of younger people, including regular breakfast and lunch programs, as well as providing advice and peer support.

For further information on KYM Employment Services please visit www.kym.com.au

Maroondah Homebiz 2009 AGM

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Maroondah Homebiz is a business networking group for Maroondah’s expanding small and home-based business sector. The group meets on a monthly basis to provide networking opportunities for members and to hear guest speakers covering issues relevant to business and the local community.

Tonight’s Annual General Meeting elected the officebearers for the next twelve months and it is great to see Homebiz continuing so strongly, with there being several new faces on the committee.

The presentation this evening was from the City of Maroondah to discuss the strategic direction of Ringwood and Croydon as designated activity centres under State and Council planning policies. Details were provided on recently completed projects, such as the recent construction of footpaths within the residential areas of central Ringwood and the transformation of Ringwood Street. In addition upcoming projects were also discussed, including the redevelopment of the Ringwood Town Centre and the need for a commitment towards Ringwood Station to ensure an accessible and safe transport interchange.

Maroondah Homebiz meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the Coach and Horses Hotel in Ringwood, for further details please visit www.homebiz.org.au.

2009 Maroondah City Council meeting schedule

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Council meetings commence at 7.30 pm and are held in the Council Chambers, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood.

The public is welcome to attend and there is an opportunity to submit a question to be answered at council meetings or to speak directly to councillors and council staff after the meeting.

If you wish to submit a formal question at a council meeting, please download the form for Public Question Time from the Maroondah City Council Website.

Maroondah Homebiz End of Year Cocktail Party

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Maroondah Homebiz, an organisation that aims to assist small and home-based businesses, held its end of year function this evening at the Karralyka Centre.

The function provided an opportunity for home based businesses to participate in Christmas festivities and network with other businesses within an informal and festive atmosphere.

Maroondah Homebiz meets on a monthly basis at the Coach and Horses Hotel and includes innovative speakers who aim to assist home based businesses. For more details please visit www.homebiz.org.au.

Maroondah HomeBiz: Sell your service, not your soul

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Maroondah HomeBiz is a business network representing small and home based businesses. The association meets on a monthly basis to provide a range of speakers for its members.

Tonight’s topic was called ‘sell your service, not your soul and was led by Peter Watts, a consultant for service based businesses and a teacher in Small Business Management at Swinburne University. Peter spoke about the unique challenges facing service based businesses and the importance of undertaking a marketing plan that reflects the current and desired attributes of the business.

Peter highlighted the importance of market research in understanding the marketplace, potential customers and competitors. Peter also discussed each aspect of the marketing mix and the need for complementary marketing objectives. The marketing mix comprises of elements such as the price, the processes involved in undertaking the service, the premises, the people involved and the promotional strategies. These elements comprise a marketing strategy and allow a business to differentiate itself from competitors.

Maroondah HomeBiz provides an opportunity to foster the development of small and home based businesses. Maroondah HomeBiz meets at the Coach and Horses Hotel in Ringwood on the first Tuesday of each month.

Ringwood Chamber of Commerce 2008 AGM

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The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce provides a voice for the Ringwood business community to ensure that the needs of the business community are reflected within the City of Maroondah. The need for a strong business voice is necessary to ensure that pressure remains on the State Government to secure a commitment on the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

The future success of Ringwood will be dependant on the creation of an accessible centre underpinned with access through sustainable transport and it is imperative that the redevelopment of the Station complements the creation of the new Ringwood Town Centre to restore a sense of community and reinforce the transformation of Ringwood.

Tonight’s AGM marked the re-election of the Chamber executive with a focus on the future of Ringwood and ensuring it realises its full potential.

Ringwood Chamber of Commerce – discussing the Ringwood Transit City

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The Ringwood Chamber of Commerce represents businesses and traders located in Ringwood and the surrounding district providing a critical voice for the business community. This evening the topic of the Ringwood Transit City was discussed with a presentation outlining the precinct plans for the Ringwood Town Centre (the area bound by Maroondah Highway, Bond Street, Ringwood Street and Warrandyte Roads).

It is abhorrent that the State Government has failed the Maroondah community by not delivering funding for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station. It is imperative that Ringwood Station is redeveloped into a safe, efficient and accessible transport interchange to connect the town centre and facilitate the revitalisation of Ringwood.

While the business community, Queensland Investment Corporation (the parent company of Eastland) and council has invested heavily within Ringwood, it is disappointing that the State Government has failed the community. Members of the Ringwood Chamber of Commerce were collectively aghast at the State Government’s neglect of Ringwood and agreed on the need for public transport improvements, better pedestrian connectivity and a campaign to ensure that funding is forthcoming for Ringwood Station.

Maroondah HomeBiz: Build Your Brand, Build Your Business

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Maroondah HomeBiz is a non-profit association representing small and home-based businesses within Maroondah and the eastern suburbs.

This evening’s HomeBiz meeting featured a presentation from the Brandsurgeon Paul Harmer who spoke about the importance of effective branding that speaks to both the heart and mind. Innovation, relationships and differentiation are critical to creating an effective brand, which in turn creates value for both existing and prospective customers.

Paul Harmer will also be leading a HomeBiz workshop entitled Build Your Brand, Build Your Business! which will be held on the 15th and 22nd of May.

For more information on Maroondah HomeBiz or the upcoming workshops please visit www.homebiz.org.au.