Julia Keogh, President of the Warwick Chamber of Commerce joins us on the podcast today. The Southern Downs Region supports a wide range of industries and businesses, including agri businesses, which feel the direct impact of events such as drought, bushfire, and flooding. In this conversation Julia shares practical ideas for business owners to manage their preparation for, and their recovery from adverse events, such as these as well as the impact of COVID-19. I hope you'll be inspired for the future and enthused to take action after listening to this episode with Julia.

Listen to the podcast conversation to hear Julia share:
• the story of her connection to the Southern Downs
• why she first joined the Warwick Chamber of Commerce
• the wide variety of businesses on the Southern Downs with primary production being a major economic driver
• how recent events have impacted local businesses
• the immediacy of bushfire and flood disaster response is in stark contrast to the ongoing and pervasive impact of long-term droughts and the COVID-19 pandemic
• the increasing fatigue levels among business owners in the context of COVID-19 indicates the need to look after ourselves and our teams
• experienced workers can be mentors for less experienced workers helping them to navigate challenging times and situations
• why it’s important for all employers to provide resilience training and ongoing professional development for their staff
• you can choose to focus on the negative impacts of tough times or to focus on and look for opportunities and solutions
• the Chamber provides opportunities to develop peer networks and support
• a flexible mindset helps business owners respond to changing times and needs
• digital literacy is one of the surprising benefits of recent tough times
• movement and action are necessary for vibrant communities to grow
• it’s okay to feel nervous about the current times but what’s most important is focusing on what steps you can take
• being too busy is never an excuse to not access solutions or supports
• solutions will not manifest unless you invest the time and take the action
• where and how you can access support as a business owner
• how to create a sustainable business
• her great hope for the business community is that we learn from past and recent experiences so the community continues to build resilience

RESOURCES and LINKS
Download a handout which includes a summary of the episode and a full list of the services, organisations, events and resources mentioned

Read the transcript of the episode

Contact Warwick Chamber of Commerce
Find Warwick Chamber of Commerce on social media: @warwickchamberofcommerce

Contact Kathryn Walton from Kathryn Walton Consulting and Outdoors is my Therapy

Music by Twisterium from Pixabay

Series 2 has been jointly funded under the Commonwealth and State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (2018)