Canberra has a secret. 

No, it’s not a conspiracy theory, a tale of corruption or anything that will make the plot for the next Secret City mini-series. 

The secret is our creative, innovative and talented business community. A community that is spinning out ideas faster than we can write about them and growing a talent pool that can hold its own and rival any business hub across Australia. 

 

So why is it a secret?

Maybe it’s because many like to think of Canberra as simply a Government town, or maybe it’s because, for a long time, we long-term Canberrans have held our tongue when we were subject to ‘Canberra-bashing’ or comments about Canberra being ‘boring’. In these situations, we simply nod an smile, keeping our ‘most amazing city’ truth to ourselves, not wanting others to find out and crowd our wonderful space. 

We can cross our city in the time it takes a Sydneysider to cross a suburb. We can eat at the most amazing restaurants, without lining up for an hour and a half like Melbournians. We have great access to employment, our supermarkets are open after 6pm and while it may be cold in Winter, the sun shines bright helping us smile through the chilly days. I could go on, but if you’re a true Canberran, you’re likely nodding with the understanding that this non-crowded life is exactly the reason we hold the wonders of our city a secret. 

But, I think it’s time we spoke up. It’s time to shine a light on all that is great in Canberra and give our business sector the opportunity to dust off the Government-only employment label and show just how innovative this community is!

Why do I think this? Because we have too much talent to let it go un-promoted. Our small business community is booming and we need to support their growth across the Capital, across the nation and across the world. 

From consultancy, advisory and creative firms, to jewellery, clothing and homewares makers, almost every second person has a business. Be it full-time, part-time, or simply a side-hustle, we are a business community on the rise. But without shouting our talent from the rooftops, no one knows we are here…

Did you know Canberra has fashion designers that sell clothing that is unique and of a high-quality, 100 per cent backed by a designer (who is often the maker, as well), who you can directly engage with? Did you know that buying from a local means you help them grow a business they are passionate about and each dollar helps them educate their children, conduct more research and development, and buy equipment that can help them continue to grow and one-day reach national and even international levels, putting Canberra on the global fashion map. 

Did you know our local creatives have the experience to provide unique, high-quality and effective design, strategy and other services? Their world-class specialist’s skills are also coupled with their personal local service, enhancing the positive experience for every organisation they work with. Like the fashion designers mentioned above, the money you spend with local creatives goes to support their families and gets spent in our local community, doing wonders for our local economy.

When was the last time you thought of just where your dollar goes after you spend it? 

When was the last time you checked to see if the product or service you needed, personally or for work, could be found locally? 

As consumers and as businesses we need to also take note and learn about our local marketplace, considering all the benefits that can flow from buying local. The personal service. The economic impact. The support for our local families and communities. 

To help spread this awareness, I’ll be bringing you regular stories about local businesses and the power of your consumer dollar.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on supporting local and how important this is (or isn’t) to you. 

Drop me a line and I’ll be back next week with more!

 

#supportlocal #ourcreativecapital