PERSEVERANCE, a healthy dose of risk and an overriding love for the region are common themes that emerge in an online video initiative highlighting the success of veteran Hunter businesses.
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The series, titled 20/20: Looking Back, Moving Forward, has been produced by creative agency Out Of The Square Media in partnership with the Newcastle Herald.
OOTS managing director Marty Adnum said the project took shape as his agency planned to mark its own 20th anniversary. “It became apparent how many other Newcastle businesses are out there with 20-plus years with stories to tell, that was the seed for the idea,” he said.
Launching Wednesday on the Newcastle Herald website (theherald.com.au), 20/20: Looking Back, Moving Forward comprises interviews with chief executives or owners of local businesses including Greater Bank, EJE Architecture, Jean Bas, Electrodry, Musos Corner, Suki, Sharp Electronics and Sharpe’s Nursery.
Mr Adnum said the initial goal for the “passion project” was to profile 20 businesses, but the number might rise with interest in the project.
He said key themes from the series was the importance of persevering, being brave enough to fail and being able to bounce back.
“They had different ways of saying it but it was an element of trying something that others aren’t,” he said.
As a business owner, Mr Adnum said he related to the respect had for their community, alongside their decision to make a fist of their profession – often against the odds – in a regional town rather than a capital city.
“It’s not all about [businesses] saying what we’ve done and blowing trumpets, but what now they are doing to stay relevant, inspire and keep successful, and where they see the future of the region,” Mr Adnum says. “Many talk about failures and bouncing back and that’s part of being an honest Novocastrian and from a viewer’s point of view that resonates …That is hopefully helpful and positive advice for those watching to apply to their own businesses.”
