Blue Mountains News

Free digital Roadmap delivers support for Blue Mountains businesses

By Deep Hill Media

Archived 25 Jan 2023 - Posted: 27 Nov 2022

Sixteen local Blue Mountains businesses feature in the new ‘Blue Mountains Business Resilience’ Roadmap, a free digital learning tool to empower local businesses to better prepare, connect and build resilience within their communities.

The ‘Blue Mountains Business Resilience’ Roadmap, a collaboration between regional business network BusinessBM and social enterprise Resilient Ready (formerly corporate2community), features businesspeople, including indigenous business owners, from across the Blue Mountains sharing experiences and lessons in how to disaster-proof a business.

“Our digital Roadmap educates businesses about disaster preparedness and resilience through short modules, meaning they can learn wherever and whenever they want, fitting in learning around their busy work commitments,” Resilient Ready founder Renae Hanvin said.

BusinessBM Director Mark Barton said the free Roadmap was a welcome and much-needed addition to local resilience-building efforts.

“It’s a great outcome for the Blue Mountains, and we thank all of the businesspeople that have taken time out to be part of the creation of the Roadmap, which will be valuable in upskilling their fellow local business owners and operators to be and do better,” Mark said.

The ‘Blue Mountains Business Resilience’ Roadmap is made up of 16 modules grouped into the themes of Understand Your Business, Know Your Risks, Plan Your Response and Build Your Networks.

Funded through a grant from the joint-funded Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLER), the Roadmap was shaped through a series of workshops held across the Blue Mountains with local businesspeople, and consultation with a local multi-stakeholder steering committee.

Local businesses featured in the ‘Blue Mountains Business Resilience’ Roadmap include: Robert Spitz from Blue Mountains Limousines, Emma MacMahon from Dryridge Estate, Merylese Mercieca from Blue Eco Homes, Ross Purser from The Bunker, Sheryn Phillips from Blooms the Chemist, Mitchell Duncan from Duncan, Cameron & Associates, Anny Druett from Global Values Exchange, Christine Thompson from Christine’s Millinery, Tahmour Bloomfield from Sublime Pilates, Jason Cronshaw from Fantastic Aussie Tours, Andrea Comestari from Hotel Etico, Margaret Boutella from Glenella, Emma Madison from INDY MTNS , Mary Coin from Good Earth Bookshop, Brett Groves from Bilingarra, and Dimitri Douchin from Blue Mountains Stargazing.

The ‘Blue Mountains Business Resilience’ Roadmap is free for all businesses operating from the Blue Mountains, with data shared with the local community to build business community resilience. In-community events are planned for March 2023.

To register and use the free Roadmap, visit: here

ABOUT:

This project is jointly funded by Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLER).

Resilient Ready (formerly corporate2community) in collaboration with BusinessBM has been awarded a business resilience grant of up to $331,000 through the joint-funded Australian and NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund (BLER), to establish the Blue Mountains business community as a leader in educating business about disaster preparedness and resilience outcomes.

NOTES:

Resilient Ready is a certified social enterprise and leader in business community disaster resilience, focused on building resilient businesses, leading collaborations, and helping communities thrive. Resilient Ready builds long-term relationships with Government, Industry, SMEs and micro businesses and communities across Australia and around the world.

As part of the Resilient Ready commitment to building local capabilities, this project is led by Blue Mountains stakeholder engagement specialist Rebecca Lang alongside indigenous business trainer Anny Druett.

BusinessBM is a regional business network committed to building connections, community and a common voice while strengthening social capital through the business community. BusinessBM recognises that businesses are vital to the social and economic viability of a thriving Blue Mountains community and is committed to connecting, engaging, and supporting local enterprises.