The power of showing up - why local business communities matter more than we think.

There are moments in business that quietly shift your perspective.

For me, one of those moments happened recently at a local event hosted by the City of Canada Bay. A room filled with women in small business, coming together not just to network, but to genuinely connect, learn and support one another.

In over a decade of running a business, I’ve often leaned into industry-specific networks, spaces where expertise is shared, ideas are sharpened, and opportunities are created. But this year, I’ve felt a growing pull toward something different. Building roots locally. Not just as a business owner, but as part of a broader economic and community ecosystem.

And I’ll admit, I wasn’t sure I fit.

As a professional services business, it’s easy to assume that local business networking is for retail, hospitality or product-based businesses. But what I experienced instead was something far more powerful. A shared mindset of problem-solving, creativity and resilience. Conversations that moved quickly beyond “what do you do?” into “why do you do it?” and “how can we help each other grow?”

One of my highlights? Meeting a ‘retirement doctor’ - someone dedicated to helping people transition into retirement in a way that allows them to truly thrive. A reminder that innovation isn’t always about new technology, sometimes it’s about rethinking life’s biggest transitions.

The art of gathering and why these moments matter

The keynote opened with a simple but profound idea - meaningful gatherings don’t happen by accident.

They happen because people choose to show up.
To say yes to connection.
To be part of something bigger than themselves.

And that choice matters more than we often realise.

Because in rooms like this, something shifts:

• We realise we’re not alone in figuring it out

• We see different ways of solving everyday challenges

• We build the kind of relationships that underpin strong local economies

For those of us working in economic and community development, this is the real engine of growth, not just strategy documents or funding programs, but people connecting, sharing and building together.

Three lessons every business owner can take away

The keynote by Emma Jensen from Optus offered three practical and powerful ideas that resonate far beyond the room.

1. Clarity is your superpower

The strongest businesses are clear on:

• Who they are

• What problem they solve

• Why it matters

And importantly, they can explain it simply.

As Einstein famously put it, “if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”.

In our work at Sparrowly Group, we see this time and again. The businesses, destinations and organisations that gain traction are those that cut through complexity and communicate with clarity to customers, stakeholders and their own teams.

2. Ask better questions, not just better answers

One of the most practical insights was this - many businesses don’t struggle with answers, they struggle with defining the right problem.

Being specific matters.

Instead of:

“sales are down”

Try:

“Our online sales have declined since December”

This level of clarity directs energy, resources and decision-making.

In our evaluation and strategy work, this is critical. The way a problem is defined shapes everything that follows from investment decisions to program design and ultimately, impact.

3. Focus on what you can control

In a world of rising costs, economic uncertainty and constant change, it’s easy to get caught in what feels overwhelming.

But not everything is within our control.

A useful lens to use are through these three questions:

• What can you control?

• What can you influence?

• What sits outside both?

The most effective businesses and leaders focus their energy where it matters most.

This is something we often reinforce in our work with councils, cities, regions and businesses we work with. Sustainable growth doesn’t come from reacting to everything, but from focusing deliberately on what will drive real outcomes.

Craft, capability and the future

Another strong theme was the idea of ‘future-proofing’ not just your business, but yourself.

This isn’t about chasing every new trend.

It’s about investing in your own capability, leveraging tools and technology where it adds value and being intentional about where you spend your time and energy

And perhaps most importantly, recognising that many business problems are actually personal ones showing up in the business.

That insight lands. Because behind every business is a person making decisions, managing pressure, navigating uncertainty and trying to grow.

Collaboration - the real advantage

If there was one idea that tied everything together, it was this:

You don’t have to do this alone.

The power of networks, trusted advisors and different perspectives cannot be underestimated.

For me, this was the biggest takeaway from the day.

Local business communities are not just about referrals or visibility. They are about:

• Shared learning

• Collective problem-solving

• Strengthening the fabric of local economies

And for those of us working in economic development, this is where real impact happens at the intersection of people, place and opportunity.

Walking away from the event, I felt something simple but important - and that is I should have done this sooner.

Not instead of industry networks but alongside them.

Because building a strong business isn’t just about expertise or scale. It’s about connection. And increasingly, that connection needs to be both global and local.

So if you’ve been sitting on the edge of your local business community, unsure if you fit, consider this your nudge.

Show up.

You might just find exactly what you didn’t know you were missing.