There are about 7,000 businesses operating in the city of Lake Macquarie. But that’s a guess according to the city’s peak business body.
Last week Lake Macquarie Business Ltd (LMB) launched a project that will effectively map the diversity and breadth of businesses and organisations located in the city.
LMB Director, Mitchell Whitaker, said that it was essential for the LMB to understand the current business landscape in order to effectively contribute to conversations and planning processes.
“Ultimately this is about connecting local businesses while ensuring that the city can support the needs of businesses, now and into the future,’ Mitchell said. “The Lake Mac Connect project enables us to use teams of call centre people to capture data that can help us understand the types of businesses, the size of these organisations and the areas in which they operate.”
“This data will be of great value to LMB, ensuring that our ability to influence the public and private sectors in terms of making decisions around planning and investment options as well as understanding the city’s visitor economy profile, is founded on real data.”
One of the key advantages is that businesses and organisations in Lake Macquarie that participate in the project will be entitled to sponsored membership of LMB which also includes membership of NSW Business Chamber.
Lake Mac Connect is expected to take about six months that will include research and the involvement of a call centre team managed by Workskil Australia as part of the Work for the Dole Program.
In the meantime, businesses that want to take advantage of sponsored membership of Lake Macquarie Business, while ensuring that their business is included in the research can visit www.lakemacbusiness.com.au and nominate to participate.
The Lake Mac Connect project is also supported by its delivery partners; Lake Macquarie Business Growth Centre, Dantia and Vodafone Australia.
Image | Christie Hardwick, Workskil Australia, Mitchell Whitaker, Lake Macquarie Business Director, Anne Morris, Workskil Work for the Dole Consultant, Derrek Lusk, Dantia Development Executive, Natarsha Holmes, Business Growth Centre, Duncan Burck, NSW Business Chamber
Company Snapshot |
Lake Macquarie Business
We believe it’s important for Lake Macquarie’s businesses and community to prosper.
In November 2013, Lake Macquarie business leaders and local Business Chambers identified that the broader Lake Macquarie business community lacked a clear identity and was not currently receiving the attention and support it deserved.
Several local Business Chambers decided that a unified approach through amalgamation would enable them to better support the entire Lake Macquarie business community helping the city to thrive and prosper.
In October 2015 LMB was incorporated as a not-for-profit, Company Limited by Guarantee. A diverse group of passionate, energetic business owners and community leaders have come forward from around the lake to be foundation leaders and Board Members of LMB and this new approach to supporting Lake Macquarie businesses and community.