While it is has been incredibly wet and cold in SA that hasn’t stopped the SA Chapter committee. We have been busy over the last few months planning and developing a great events calendar for the coming year. We started with a planning day to identify what we believed was key topics of interest for our members. Our great committee organised themselves into sub committees to focus on our key areas Next Gen, Events etc and we have come up with some great events and ideas that we are sure you will enjoy being part of.

In July, we had the “Families in Fashion” held at Australian Fashion Labels on North Tce. Melanie and Dean generously shared their story and tour of their new headquarters and it was a truly remarkable story of a successful family business that have worked hard and expanded their ranges internationally.

Yvonne and I were thrilled to speak at the Architectural Window Systems conference, held at the Kooyonga Golf Club at the beginning of August. The conference was attended by 30 businesses who manufacture the AWS windows here in SA. Our presentation was based on introducing attendees to FBA and the benefits of being part of this wonderful Family based organisation.

AWS (Architectural Window Systems) are designers of aluminium windows and doors. They have 170 fabricators (businesses that make the windows) who are independently owned and range from 2 person businesses to 50 people.

Scott and I attended the National Conference along with many other great SA family businesses. The conference had a strong theme of innovation and entrepreneurship and how to develop and grow that in your business. We personally came back refreshed and enthused with great ideas on how to keep the innovation drive alive and well.

This month we have the National Family Business day being held at University of Adelaide – ‘The Value of Family Branding’ on Monday, 19 September. Guest speakers include Glenn Cooper from Cooper’s Brewery, Andrew Killey Chairman of KWP, and Lowen Partridge Founder of PearTree Brand Strategy. Click here to register.

McCabe Jewellers in Adelaide Arcade have kindly opened their Adelaide Arcade site for FBA to tour in October. We hope you will join us at the 2 events we have planned and look forward to meeting many of you then.

Debbie Reed
SA Chair
Family Business Australia