November 21st, 2007

Again we had over 60 members at our monthly Breakfast before Business meeting.Mike Svikis, Principle Planner for GHD gave a presentation on the draft Masterplan proposal for public foreshore land fronting the Richmond River in Ballina between North Creek and Burns Point Ferry Road and outlined the significance for the Ballina community and the Northern Rivers Region.

Following our guest speakers presentation, recent BCCI Activities and Board Reports were also discussed. Leaving plenty of time for coffee and some much needed networking amongst our members and guests.

 

Over 60 members attended our August Breakfast Before Business. One of our speakers for the morning was Jane Laverty from the Ballina Shire Economic Development Unit, who was there to speak about the EDU’s Business Options, Opportunites and Sustainability Toolkit, or BOOST as its known.

This project has been created to help advise and grow business and employment across Ballina Shire. The key to the BOOST project is the Business Retention and Expansion Survey, which will provide key decision making data to create a dynamic and prosperous economy for Ballina.

Well known keynote speaker Ben Fewtrell, business coach and mentor gave a well recieved speech on 6 steps to success in your business. Ben has owned several businesses and over the last 6 years has worked with over 100 different businesses in 38 diferent industries. He is also a regular contributor for several national business publications and is to be featured in ‘The Secrets of Top Business Builders Exposed’ book.

Also Sandra Jackson from Rivafest gave a brief outline on the Rivafest format for this year.

So to be in the know, come along to the next Breakfast Before Business, you never know what you might learn. For more information about this or any other chamber run events, please call Nadia Eliott-Burgess on 66815049.

Wow, what a cold winters morning! However nothing would stop our brave business community from coming to our July Breakfast before Business, kindly hosted by Ballina RSL. Our members were treated to a business coaching session by Jennifer Mossfield, a qualified facilitator and business coach who specialises in organisational improvement and human resource consultation. Jennifer provided the audience with some great tips for goal setting and more importantly acheiving those goals. Jennifer is also a Ballina chamber member and can be contacted through this site.

Also speaking was Jeanie McKillop, the co-ordinator from North East Waste Forum. Jeanie provided great information about waste reduction in the workplace and the cost savings available for business by being more aware of the amount of waste we generate, great for the bottom line and also the environment.

It was an informative and well run breakfast,and if you would like anymore information on either of our mornings presenters, just contact the chamber, or you can check out the website.

www.northeastwasteforum.org.au

So dont forget to diarise next months Breakfast before Business to be held on August the 15th. See you there!

June’s Breakfast Before Business was a chilly one, so thankyou to our members for braving the cold and coming along for a really worthwhile morning.

We had Jennifer Jeffreys as our guest speaker. Jennifer speaks to corporations throughout Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia, sharing practical real-life strategies that help people to improve their health, wellbeing and productivity by finding balance in their lives.

Refreshingly down-to-earth, Jennifer is engaging and informative speaker who leaves her audiences feeling empowered about the things they can do to achieve balance in their lives, rather than feeling guilty about what they’re not doing!

The morning was really enjoyable, with Jennifer well liked and sales of her books and other business tools were one of the best we have seen.

Once again our thanks to Mark Nancarrow from Zoom Coffee for his sensational espresso coffee.

If you are interested in attending one of our Breakfast Before Business meetings, they are held on the third Wednesday of each month at the Ballina RSL. You can contact us at Ballina Chamber on 66815049 for more information.

Our guest speaker for May was Tom Senti, the Executive Director of the Tweed Economic Development Corporation Ltd. He delivered his projections for Economic Development in the Northern Rivers and, in particular, Ballina. Tom also spoke about the Tweed Economic Development Model implemented in several Local Government areas throughout New South Wales and Queensland and gave examples of how economic impacts can be monitored using this tool.

Once again the Ballina RSL provided us with a fabulous venue and great food and Mark Nancarrow kept us all going with his delicious Zoom Coffee Espresso machine.

April’s Breakfast before Business and Annual General Meeting was jam packed. Firstly we would like to congratulate our new board members; Peter Carmont from The Professionals Ballina, and Debbie Carter from Wallace and Co,to join continuing members Kim Thomas, who was re-elected, Byran Marriott, Glenn Costello, Clarissa Huegill and Rob McArthur.

Many thanks to outgoing members, Jo Halpin and Elton Cummings for their vibrant and dynamic contribution to the Chamber.

Our speaker for the morning was Gael Drum, a specialist in stress management and author of ‘Beyond Burnout to Balance’. Gael presented a workshop with strategies designed to reduce stress and increase happiness, this was recieved with much hilarity by most in the room. (See Photos..)

So our stress was definately taken care of and our energy levels increased with the help of Mark Nancarrow from Zoom Coffee. Thanks again Mark!

Wow, what a breakfast.Held at tha Ballina RSL, we had over 50 our members take part in what turned out to be a very interesting morning. We had the candidates for the seat of Ballina come along to gives us their pitch on why we should be voting for them. John Bailey, Melanie Doriean,and Don Page were each presented with a gift of beer by the very enterprising Ben Smith.

The morning was informative and fun, with fabulous food provided once again by the team at the RSL.

50 plus members attended the last BBB for 2006. Bryan Marriott provided a Board Report and Katrina Luckie from the Northern Rivers Regional Development Board spoke to members about long term employment opportunities and sustainable development in the Northen Rivers along with an overview of the work that the NRRDB undertake. Albert Julumm was also in attendance to provide members with the opportunity to view a Scams and Fraud DVD produced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (this disk is available for loan from the Chamber office).

Many thanks were passed on to Mark Nancarrow from Zoom Coffee for providing members with espresso coffee at the Chamber breakfasts in the later months of 2006. I am pleased to announce this will continue in 2007 and Zoom will be launching their very own coffee label!!

Watch this space for information regarding the first BBB for 2007 scheduled for 21 February!! In the meantime please do not hesitate to contact the Chamber with any queries info@ballinachamber.com.au

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

This month the emphasis was on new and existing members of the Chamber. 60 operators passed the microphone around the room and introduced themselves and their business to fellow members. Networking is not everyones strong point and with over 60 members at each function it can be hard at times to now who is in the room with you and what benefit you may get from forming a relationship. Members said this was a great way to target people they specifically want to network with at future functions.

Tony Shaw, Liz Shepperd and Caroline Breen from the Rivafest committee aso came along to tell members about the Program for Ballina’s flagship festival and how businesses may benefit from being involved.