Join together on the long road to recovery

NOW, more than ever we need businesses to support each other and work together to rebuild our local economy.

While support can range from buying local to offering financial relief and improving payment timelines, it can also involve more active engagement like catch-ups, mentoring and group discussions.

We need to make sure business owners do not feel alone because we will rely on them to do the heavy lifting and get everyone back to work during the recovery.

One of the defining characteristics of the Geelong business community is how well we support each other and the genuine interest we have in each other’s success. Many owners are facing significant headwinds — the impact may not be measured in months, but years.

It could be a long time before businesses can operate with the same level of certainty we enjoyed just earlier this year.

Some businesses are more affected than others and this creates the chance for people to reach out in a meaningful way. Offering active support or mentoring to help businesses get through this crisis could be a priceless gift and the flow-on effect could impact countless others.

We should not underestimate the benefit to business owners of having someone to discuss their challenges and ideas with to get a different perspective. An independent mentor can provide guidance in a way friends and family can’t match.

This can be an important learning experience as well as an essential emotional support for business owners doing it tough. For those helping, the rewards are many. As a mentor you set an example on how a business moves forward and set the bar for how the owner will go about their future business. On the other hand, you could be inspired by new ideas, meet new contacts and learn business strategies from a range of industries.

Business owners should also get on the front foot and organise their own group catch-ups to share their experiences and reduce the sense of isolation. Getting together to discuss challenges is exactly what we need to rebuild and getting honest feedback in a supportive environment could be the best investment of time a business could ever make.

As we move through this crisis, the health and wellbeing of our business owners and leaders is a priority. We know people are suffering and we expect those finding things difficult is going to rise. Let’s encourage everyone to have the confidence to reach out and ensure they have the support they need.

Please keep an eye out for opportunities to engage with the business community and do not underestimate your ability to lend a helping hand. Let’s get together and get through this terrible pandemic and ensure as many businesses as possible survive because it’s going to be a long road back.

We need everyone on board for that journey.

Ben Flynn is the CEO of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce.