The hub, facilitated by Mark Bloodworth, is a program funded by Moira Shire Council, to help strengthen small businesses in the region.
Mr Bloodworth has been working in the region as a behavioural change and leadership coaching specialist for eight years.
The hub provides a 12-month journey in exploring, growing and redefining participants’ businesses.
As part of the program, the businesses gather monthly and visit a new business site. Each business is critiqued and workshopped for improvement opportunities.
They then report back the following month with the changes undertaken.
Mr Bloodworth said the hub was about creating a more vibrant business landscape in the region.
“So that people have a stronger understanding of that sector and can share ideas,” he said.
Growing a business is challenging, and often an outside perspective can be an important asset, Mr Bloodworth said.
“They have to start working on the business and be a bit strategic,” he said.
“They need to slow down to go faster. Step out to step in. That’s the challenging part because sometimes they are so under the pump, they get stuck in the doing.”
Mr Bloodworth said there was a range of fringe benefits to the program.
Hub members start doing more business with each other.
Opportunities for growth mean businesses can employ more staff, in turn improving the local economy.
Put simply, “the money can stay in the region”, Mr Bloodworth said.
In the future, course participants may act as an advisory body to council, speaking as a group on what local businesses require to thrive.
For Mr Bloodworth, the biggest benefit is “to see them grow, talk more freely and just grow as businesses and as people”.
Mr Bloodworth was also eager to recognise the efforts of Moira Economic Development group.
In particular Frank Malcolm, a driving force behind the formation of industry-specific hubs.
And Lynn Haswell, who works tirelessly to support the sessions in any way needed.
Both Frank and Lynn are regular attendees of the monthly sessions and always add value by sharing their experiences and insights into local government processes.
The group of automotive businesses was the second cycle of graduates from this program. Another intake is now being prepared for the construction industry in Moira Shire.
For more information, visit Mr Bloodworth’s website at https://www.lifebloodperformance.com/
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