Meet the small biz professionals making a big difference on LinkedIn

Welcome back to #FoodForThought, a newsletter serving up food for your brain — exploring news headlines, economic trends and workforce issues. Below, you’ll find insights from small business show #TogetherInBusiness. Hit subscribe above to be notified of future editions and share your thoughts in the comments.

This week, LinkedIn News Australia debuted our 3rd annual Top Voices list, highlighting the 20 LinkedIn members fostering meaningful conversation and community in a time when many of us crave it more than ever.

That idea rings particularly true for the country’s hard-hit small business community. Which is why we wanted to shine a light on those small business voices who took time out of navigating lockdown and dealing with ever-changing restrictions and cashflow fears to share their expertise, build community and use their voice to speak up on topics that matter.

See more: LinkedIn’s Top Voices in entrepreneurship and small business from around the world

Take iFLYflat Founder and CEO Steve Hui. When the travel industry all but stopped as the pandemic set in, Hui was forced to pivot his approach. He began advocating for the travel industry and raising important discussions — while still making people smile wherever possible. 

Looking to the year ahead, Hui forecasts that Australia is “probably 12 months away before you’re going to have freedom of travel across international boundaries back to a similar level that we used to,” telling LinkedIn that the government needs to offer additional support “if they want the industry to exist in the future”. 

Buyer’s Advocate Emily Wallace has been helping keep members up to date as the market responds to lockdown measures, inviting professionals to weigh in on hot topics such as the reopening of metro Melbourne’s real estate industry.

While the property sector has battled an environment of declining personal finances and the limitations of virtual inspections, for Wallace there have been positives too: “It’s changed the way that we do business. People are more-open minded now on how we transact property.” And with the gates now “wide open”, Wallace reports “there’s not enough properties to keep up with buyer demand,” as activity accelerates again. 

See more: We asked Australia’s Top Voices for the best career advice they’d ever received

With Melbourne bearing the brunt of harsh lockdown measures, it’s perhaps no surprise that the region’s small business cohort stepped up to provide community (and humour) both online and offline.

That’s certainly the case with Alexanders Fruit Market Director David Zahlan. Zahlan uses the platform to show snippets of life in a busy fruit shop and market. He shares insights into the produce industry — from preaching peaches, to the realities of getting up at 3am every day. Where does his positive attitude come from? Zahlan tells LinkedIn,“business, social, and family life is one and the same.”

Check out this year’s 20 LinkedIn Top Voices in Australia — and join the conversation using #LinkedInTopVoices.

Watch: Together In Business in full. We unveiled the small business professionals named among LinkedIn’s Top Voices 2020. We got their take on the year that’s been along with some industry forecasts.  

Spotlight on: Going Digital

The crisis forced small businesses to embrace digital tools overnight, and research shows that it’s paying off. In the past month, 50% of operational SMBs in Australia reported 25% or more of their sales were made digitally. 

But is digital innovation here to stay? We’ll be answering your questions with Optus Digital Consumer VP Vaughan Paul, MYOB's Helen Lea and Coffee On Cue Founder Ryan Spaccavento on Tuesday at 1.30pm AEDT.

We want to hear from you. How has your firm adopted technology or created an online offering during the crisis? Has it changed how you plan to do business once the pandemic subsides? What online trends do you forecast for your industry? What support do small businesses need to continue scaling their digital offerings?

Share your experiences and questions for the panel with us by leaving your thoughts in a comment on this post where you’ll find other industry insiders weighing in.

Join LinkedIn News Australia on Tuesday at 1.30pm AEDT for #TogetherInBusiness

Something for you

Each week, I try and end on something to make you smile and think:

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Additional reporting by: Cayla Dengate, Scott Olster, Capucine Yeomans

(Photo credits: Getty Images)