Outstanding feedback and national-calibre content gives Tasmania’s small businesses a roadmap for growth
DEVONPORT, TASMANIA – The second annual Tasmanian Business Conference (#TBC26) has concluded to overwhelming acclaim, with seasoned conference-goers declaring it the best business conference they have ever attended, and business owners and leaders leaving with practical insights for adapting, growing and building resilience in today’s fast-changing environment.
Held on Wednesday, 27 May at the paranaple Convention Centre in Devonport, and organised by the Devonport Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), #TBC26 brought together business leaders, emerging operators and community leaders from across Tasmania under the theme Connection is Key.
A Program Built for Real-World Impact
For small business owners, time is the scarcest resource, which is why TBC26 was deliberately designed to deliver practical, immediately applicable insights. Emcee Michael Rowland, seasoned journalist and correspondent, guided attendees through a program that addressed some of the most pressing topics facing Tasmanian businesses today.
Keynote speakers Dr Katherine Hunt, Ant Williams and Mark Bowles (UTAS Dean and Head of the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics) tackled topics which small businesses can no longer afford to ignore, including how to harness artificial intelligence as a practical tool for efficiency and growth. Attendees left with strategies for integrating new technologies and customer-centric strategies into their day-to-day operations without losing the human touch which sets small business apart.
Adapt, Grow, and Back Yourself
One of the standout themes of the day was resilience, and what it actually looks like in practice for a small business operator. The message was clear: change is not a threat to be managed, it’s an opportunity to be seized. From shifting customer behaviours to evolving technologies and economic pressures, speakers offered grounded, honest perspectives on how small businesses can not only survive disruption but use it as a catalyst for growth.
A workshop delivered by James Riggall (UTAS Tasmanian School of Business and Economics) and James McKee (CEO, Regional Development Australia Tasmania) gave attendees hands-on frameworks for thinking differently about their businesses, challenging assumptions, identifying untapped opportunities and building the kind of agility that allows small operators to move faster than their larger competitors.
A panel featuring Vonette Mead, Brian Collins and Philip Reid rounded out the day with candid insights into the regional landscape, including the support, resources and networks available to small businesses on the North West Coast and beyond.
Beyond the content, the theme of Connection is Key was evident throughout the day. Attendees spoke of meaningful new relationships formed, business opportunities, and insights taken back to teams and organisations across the state.
Connection as a Growth Strategy
For small businesses, who you know is often as important as what you know. TBC26 made connection a deliberate part of the program, not an afterthought. Attendees left with new relationships, renewed partnerships and a stronger sense of the community backing them.
“President Claire Connelly said, “Every strong business community is built on connection, to ideas, to each other, and to the future we’re shaping together. In a place like Tasmania, connection isn’t a “nice to have”, it underpins participation, productivity and regional prosperity. TBC26 reflected exactly that. We are so proud of what this event is becoming for Tasmania.”
TBC26 would not have been possible without the overwhelming support of the event’s partners and sponsors, whose generosity ensured the conference remained accessible to the broadest possible cross-section of the Tasmanian business community. DCCI’s vision from the very beginning has been to put Devonport on the map as a world-class business events destination. The partners who have backed this event share that vision, and their support is what allows us to deliver a program that genuinely competes with anything you’d find on the national stage. We are incredibly grateful, and the feedback from attendees is a testament to what we can achieve together.
“The feedback from attendees has been humbling, seasoned conference-goers telling us it’s the best conference and content they’ve ever experienced. That’s not something we take lightly. TBC26 proved that when you bring the right people together with the right ideas, something genuinely special happens. That’s what Connection is Key is all about, and it’s what keeps us going to make it even better each year,” said President Claire Connelly.
Mayor Alison Jarman said, “What an amazing event run by our own Devonport Chamber of Commerce & Industry thanks to our incredible President Claire Connelly, and her team. The networking and collaboration was heartening and the connections I was able to make are certainly worthwhile. Ant Williams, Neil McGregor and Dr Katherine Hunt just to name a few legends speaking and Michael Rowlands doing a stellar job at hosting. Steve Gunther, from Ascend Events certainly can put on a professional event and I look forward to what can happen next year. Well done and thank you, always makes me so proud to see clever people in our wonderful paranaple Convention Centre on the beautiful North West Coast of Tasmania.”
ENDS
Media Contact: Claire Connelly, President | M: 0439 982 880 | E: president@dcci.org.au
Photo enclosed: from left to right, Alyssa Mahar (Treasurer – Synectic), Kerryn Duncan (Executive Member), Tina Treloar (Senior Vice President), Claire Connelly (President), Dr. Katherine Hunt, John Alexious (Executive Member), Tyler Page (Executive Member), Matthew Jordan (Vice President)
About the Devonport Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI). DCCI is the peak business organisation for the Devonport region, dedicated to supporting and promoting businesses in Devonport and surrounds. Through advocacy, networking, professional development, and a range of initiatives and programs, DCCI fosters economic growth, innovation and collaboration across the local business community.