For my first Chamber Chat of the year I thought it would be interesting to reflect on change, the speed of change and what this all means for local business.

Markets shift, consumers demand different things and employees’ needs move with the times.

If a business doesn’t move with the market it will not last.

I recently heard a quote that stated that what we now hold in our hand (and iPhone) has more computing power than the NASA team had to first land a man on the moon.

Change and technology growth is exponential.

Chamber members, Mai Wel and The Endeavour Group have been retooling their models and delivery methods in line with a government and market based change in the form of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

This means that local people with a disability will have greater services provided under a totally revamped system.

Local retailers are dealing with competition from online providers that never existed just a few years ago.

As most people are aware anyone working within the mining sector has restructured and is dealing with the market post boom.

Through this movement within your own space the only thing that is constant, people and relationships.

How you connect, grow and build on personal relationships within a business context is critical to the value you gain from within your business.

The chamber has seen its fair share of change over the decades but one constant remains.

You know that attending a member meeting is a great opportunity to continue to build solid relationships with great local people.

My recruiting business has seen change and growth and I love nothing more than chatting with colleagues, competitors, associates and people I consider friends, during a chamber meeting.

In our busy schedules sometimes unfortunately this is the only time that these relationships can continue within the formal confines of a meeting.

So as change continues to power on as we head towards February, 2017, (yes it moves fast) be sure to pencil into your diary – or as I do in more modern times load it into your Outlook calendar – the third Thursday of every month between February and November.

This is an important day to personally connect with local business legends and educate yourself on how markets and times are changing.