Business Buzz With Chamber President Mary Brown

A New Year – A Time To Reflect And Reassess!
With a New Year commenced, now is the perfect time for business owners to reflect on the year that was and reassess the goals and ambitions for the upcoming year.  January 1 represents the halfway point of the financial year and often during this post festive season there is opportunity to ensure the business is tracking as planned or expected.  
Certainly 2024 has provided some challenges for the business community both locally and nationally, however there has also been new opportunities emerge in the broader North Queensland area, with announcements regarding major infrastructure projects commencing in the region.  
The Hinchinbrook business community has enormous skill capacity that already services the local agricultural and civil sectors. These same skills are in high demand with many regional projects and businesses in the Hinchinbrook Shire well positioned to provide services to a broader external client base.
The lifestyle that Hinchinbrook Shire offers is being discovered by a growing number of new residents and this is also a reason to be hopeful in 2025. For many years the Hinchinbrook Shire has struggled with declining population, however as the tide slowly turns to a more positive trend, this will open the door to new clients to support local businesses. The New Year provides a timely reminder to review the marketing strategy for your business, consider its current effectiveness and whether there is another audience that can be connected with and converted to new clients?  
This year Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce, industry & Tourism Inc., will be exploring options for delivering workshops that will help each business reach their goals, and support owners on the pathway to success. If you haven’t already considered membership with Chamber, perhaps now is also a good time to explore the benefits of becoming a member?