Small Business Month - Connect and Thrive: Success Stories in our Region

31 May

Goondiwindi Businesses Pack Out Alfie's for Connect and Thrive Panel Night

A sold-out crowd filled Alfie's on 26 May for the Goondiwindi Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Month centrepiece event, Connect and Thrive: Success Stories in our Region. Business owners, professionals and community members came together to hear from eight local panellists across two lively discussion groups.

The Success Stories Panel brought together four Goondiwindi business owners. Sam Coulton founded Goondiwindi Cotton in 1992, drawing on his experience as a cotton grower to build a rural-based clothing label from the ground up. What started as a regional startup has grown into a nationally recognised brand now stocked in over 200 boutiques across Australia, while staying true to its roots and connection to the land. Amelia Coulton moved from Sydney to a cotton farm in Goondiwindi and built two businesses from scratch in a new community. She founded Momera in 2022, bringing a boutique fashion experience to the region, before opening Kitsch, one of the first businesses in the area to offer app-based ordering. She recently expanded Kitsch to include a quiet space for coffee and catch-ups, also available for private events. Lucy Walker has owned and operated TerryWhite Chemmart Goondiwindi for over 15 years, leading the pharmacy to multiple awards while growing it into an innovative, community-focused health destination. She has completed Queensland's full scope training and is actively expanding pharmacy services to better meet local healthcare needs. Clint Holland is the founder of Nupeak Fitness, built on the back of over 13 years of Australian Army service, including time in special forces support and a deployment to Afghanistan. He has grown Nupeak from the ground up and has ideas to expand right here in Goondiwindi.

The Business Support Panel brought together four specialists who work with businesses across the region every day. Laryssa Quartermaine of People and Belonging helps business owners build connected, high-performing teams through belonging-based leadership, DiSC profiling, and leadership coaching. Stacey Gunn of The Gunn Accountant makes tax and bookkeeping straightforward for small businesses, without the jargon or surprise bills. Anna-Selina Young of NARA Consultancy is a workplace capability specialist supporting businesses with mediation, conflict resolution, psychosocial safety, and people and culture strategy. Anna of Concinnity designs custom e-learning, e-inductions, and digital training solutions with over 30 years of experience helping organisations build capable, confident teams.

Chamber Executive Officer Rebecca Cover said the evening was one of the best the Chamber has hosted. "We had a room full of people who were genuinely engaged and learning from each other. Every panellist gave their time generously and shared honestly. That is what makes this community so special."

Thank you to all who supported our event.