Chamber News, Events & More

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Events & Happenings

 As part of the SME Business Excellence & Development Series, we present Emotional Intelligence.

A new date TBC,

Financial Wellbeing for New Business Owners!
Get tips and tricks for financial Wellbeing from qualified accountants Kayser Accounting.

Net-Walking (or running) with Colac Leisure Runners.

Colac Chamber of Commerce Networking and Wellbeing Launch Event at Piano Bar Colac on Friday the 26th of August.
Photos thanks to Paul Benjamin Photography

Canva Workshop

Need help with your social media? Need something easy and engaging, that won’t take you ages to do?
You will walk away from this workshop with social media posts ready to go and feeling much more confident to create a fantastic social media presence!

 

Colac Mums in Business Network. This is a friendly, supportive and inclusive networking community of mums with businesses.

Everyone understands running a business is hard. But, running a business while raising a family is even harder. It can be lonely, overwhelming, stressful and make you want to lock yourself in the bathroom and hide, and that is just before school drop off. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
It can be fun, exciting and a joyful experience (most of the time at least) when you have the right team on your side.
Our events are inclusive and supportive, children are welcome at all our events and our networking is friendly and relaxed.
Make sure you join our Mums in Business Facebook group for more information!

 

Budgeting & Business Planning!
Join us on May 16th as the Rural Financial Counseling Service presents small business budgeting and financial planning to get you new financial year ready!

Join the Colac Chamber for an evening of networking & key business insights from Victorian Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Paul Guerra & our event partners ANZ.

 As part of the SME Business Excellence & Development Series, the Colac Chamber presents Going Green, learn how to upgrade your appliances and save money with enviro friendly practices. If you missed the session watch it HERE!

 As part of the SME Business Excellence & Development Series, the Colac Chamber presents Managing Mental Health for Small Business. We will cover; Dealing with difficult customers, Psychological First Aid & Self Care.

Coming soon! The 2022 Colac Chamber Business Events Calendar, packed full of learning & development opportunities as well as networking event evenings.

The Colac Chamber of Commerce was proud to sponsor the 2022 International Women’s Day event at COPACC on March 4th, recognising the contribution of women in our business community and talking to the IWD theme of Break the Bias which was a sell out. We celebrated the evening with many of our Chamber Wonder Women in Business.

 

The Colac Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards was held on October 23rd 2021. After such difficult times, and the ongoing challenges of operating and trading in a COVID- 19 environment, the Colac Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards celebrated the resilience and agility of the local business community, showcasing our region’s innovative, agile and leading businesses as well as recognising outstanding emerging and established business leaders.

“The talent in our region is phenomenal, not just from a business and industry perspective but also from sport through to the arts and theatre, to the community connection and support that is abundant in times of difficulty. We see the region continuing to go from strength to strength and the Colac Chamber is very proud to play our part in supporting this vibrant and progressive community .”

Georgia Theodoris Colac Chamber CEO

Click through to our Business Excellence Awards Page for all the Winners.

In partnership with our Chamber superfriends Mixx FM we’re promoting our local small businesses by giving away $50 Love Local Gift Cards to callers to Mixx Brekkie who get Vocal for a Local business. Our inaugural caller highlighting the wonderful Ray Croft Men’s & Ladies wear & Shannon’s Cafe. Have a listen! To be part of the Colac Chamber of Commerce’s Love Local Buy Colac initiative just reach out. Its an inexpensive and a wonderful way to get involved in supporting our local businesses.

The Colac Chamber of Commerce has partnered with employers in Colac, including the powerhouse Bulla Dairy Foods & industry leading CMTP, to support our small businesses affected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by density limits and closures. The Love Local Buy Colac initiative involves our local employers & businesses providing their staff & clients with Love Local Buy Colac gift cards, organized by the Colac Chamber of Commerce, which can be used at selected stores in & around Colac.

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The Colac Chamber welcomed Georgia Theodoris as the Chamber’s first CEO. Georgia’s previous role was as the National Director of Operations for CBRE, she has an MBA and specialises in optimising operational effectiveness in large and small organisations.

Ingrid Bishop was appointed to the role of President of the Colac Chamber. Ingrid has held a number of executive roles and runs the highly sought after Alchemy Consulting, providing advice and strategy to government agencies and multinational clients.

Industry Expert Key Note

More than 80 members of the Colac & district small business community came together to hear from Small Business Ministerial Chair Stuart Benjamin at our first Industry Expert Key Note Speaker event –  Life After Job Keeper – A small business perspective.
Stuart delivered a frank key note presentation on the opportunities that the post-COVID environment has presented for businesses who are willing to adapt to the new operating environment and consumer expectations. He encouraged business owners to take “no regret actions” in their approach to change and to take time to re-assess their business operations. It was fantastic to see Chamber members and friends gathering and learning together.

New Year New Us Event!

We had a capacity crowd at our first post-covid event with members of the business community and a number of stakeholders coming out to the launch of the new look Colac Chamber of Commerce. We launched our new branding as well as our 2021-23 Strategic Plan – Forging Ahead. It was a brilliant night at the Piano Bar, great company, lovely food and a lot of laughs…oh and we learnt some stuff too! see you at our next event!