by Dylan Stone
At their meeting last Wednesday night, the Broken Hill Small Business Association approved and ratified the 2023 Strategic Plan, a document which will guide how the Association operates over the next 12 months, and includes a number of goals they’re aiming to reach this year.
The organisation has an ambitious aim to get 100 business members in total by October 2023.
Association Secretary, Jack Dickson, says, “we are seeking to have 100 business members on our books by October because this significantly strengthens our voice in the community.”
“By having a louder voice, we will be able to advocate with much more rigour for our members, and with a stronger voice, the Association will be taken much more seriously by those who are in charge of making decisions that affect all of us,” Mr Dickson said.
The Strategic Plan will also guide the Association’s transition to become the “NSW Far West Small Business Association” in May 2023, pending a successful referendum to the Association’s Constitution.
Publicity Officer, Lisa Ruse, will spend the next few weeks undertaking the big task of holding and recording the votes of the referendum. Mr Dickson stressed the importance of the transition.
“We can apply a greater focus on outlying towns and villages throughout the Far West- we don’t want to be seen as Broken-Hill-Centric.”
Natalie Haylett, a committee member of the Association, praised the Strategic Plan’s goals to welcome marketeers and stallholders into the Association in 2023.
“The Strategic Plan allows the Association to work very closely with marketeers and stallholders in Broken Hill, Wilcannia, and Menindee, because we want to offer membership to these groups.
“Today’s marketeers and stallholders are tomorrow’s business owners, so if we can provide them support and guidance today as part of the Association, then we will have a very strong and stable Association into the future, with very strong and confident local business owners,” Mrs Haylett said.
As part of the Association’s focus on marketeers and stallholders, the Strategic Plan is allowing them to collaborate with BizHQ. The Association and BizHQ will jointly visit Wilcannia and Menindee in March for a meet-and-greet with local stallholders and marketeers.
The Strategic Plan also allows for the signing of multiple Memorandums of Understanding with organisations across the Far West this year, as well as the maintenance and expansion of discounted sponsorship and advertising opportunities for members. With all these goals, Mr Dickson said, “it will certainly be a big year, but we’re looking forward to hitting the ground running and achieving our goals.”
Small businesses throughout the Far West who are seeking membership with the Association, or additional information, can contact the Association via http://www.nswfwsba.org/
Mr Dickson said, “we welcome all small businesses with a turnover less than $2,500.000, and we are excited to expand our membership into new areas and new industries.”
