Published Mercury Newspaper
THRIVING LOCAL BUSINESSES HELP BRING EVERYONE TOGETHER, WRITES EDWIN JOHNSTONE
When people talk about small business, the conversation usually begins with jobs, economic activity and investment. Those things matter enormously. Small businesses employ local people, buy from local suppliers and keep money circulating through the region. But small business is not just part of the economy.
It is part of the community. It is the cafe where people meet each morning, the retailer that remembers a regular customer by name and the local service provider who takes the time to help someone navigate a difficult problem. Small business owners sponsor sporting clubs, donate prizes to school fundraisers, support local charities and give many young people their first opportunity in the workforce.
Often this support is provided quietly, without publicity or expectation of recognition. These contributions do not always appear on a balance sheet, but they help create the character, connection and sense of belonging that make Greater Hobart such a special place to live.
When a small business closes, we lose more than economic activity. We can lose a familiar meeting place, local jobs and people who have invested years in serving their community. Running a small business has never been easy. Behind every shopfront, office, workshop or home-based business is someone carrying responsibility for wages, rent, insurance, stock, regulations and customer expectations.
Operating costs have risen, household spending is under pressure and finding suitable staff remains challenging. Recent closures have reminded us that even well-known businesses can be vulnerable.
Having operated a Hobart small business for more than 20 years, I understand that the work rarely stops when the doors close. Business owners take the figures, concerns and unfinished jobs home with them. That is why small businesses need a strong local voice. Business Greater Hobart is the only local chamber in Hobart dedicated specifically to small business.
While larger statewide organisations and industry associations also do valuable work, our purpose is distinctly local. As a volunteer-run organisation, we connect small business owners, advocate on the issues affecting them and ensure their voices are heard in decisions about our region.
It is also why we established the Greater Hobart Small Business Excellence Awards, the only local awards dedicated exclusively to small business across Greater Hobart. On 15 August, small business owners from across Greater Hobart will come together at RACV Hotel Hobart for our inaugural awards.
Twenty-one finalists will be recognised across seven categories spanning emerging businesses, trades, professional and technology services, customer service, inclusion and community leadership. The range of finalists demonstrates the diversity and quality of small businesses operating across our region.
Each has a different story, but all represent the initiative, hard work and personal commitment required to build and sustain a small business. The awards are not simply about turnover, growth or profit. They recognise resilience, innovation, service, leadership and the contribution businesses make to the people and places around them. Recognition matters, particularly during difficult periods.
It gives owners and their teams a chance to pause and acknowledge what they have achieved, something many rarely do while concentrating on the next customer, deadline or bill. But awards alone are not enough.
If we genuinely value small business, that support must also be reflected in the decisions made by governments and councils. Businesses need sensible regulation, timely approvals, accessible commercial areas, reliable services and genuine consultation before decisions affecting them are made. As customers, we also have a role.
Choosing a local cafe, retailer, tradesperson or service provider helps sustain local jobs and keeps our neighbourhoods active. Small purchasing decisions, repeated across a community, can have a significant collective effect.
The upcoming awards provide an opportunity to celebrate some outstanding businesses, but they should also remind us of the thousands of small operators who open their doors, employ local people and serve their communities every day. When local businesses thrive, the whole community benefits.
Edwin Johnstone is Chair of Business Greater Hobart and has operated a Hobart small business for more than 20 years.
