Alice Springs, a hub of life, culture and small business
Alice Springs is one of those places that has a lot of stories and myths surrounding it. A small-time cowboy town, a stone’s throw from Uluru with camels and kangaroos roaming freely through the area. No, no, no. It’s a bit different to that. Let’s straighten this out.
We reckon that Alice is a pretty special place. Sure, we might be biased, but there really is a hell of a lot going on here. Being in the very centre of Australia gives us a great opportunity to be a support for a heap of regional parts of the country.
There is some truth to the things you may have heard about Alice Springs. We are the closest township to Uluru, but there is still a distance of 447 kms in between us, we can’t exactly see it from our backyards. We have a kangaroo sanctuary and a few camel farms, even an annual camel race! But, while you might have to dodge a few Skippys when you’re driving out of town at night time, you generally don’t see camels or kangaroos getting around in Alice Springs itself.
Some things you may not know about Alice Springs… The traditional Arrernte name for the town is Mparntwe. We have the highest number of art galleries per capita than anywhere else in Australia. For a small town, we have some great coffee! This creature comfort is a welcome realisation for many people moving in from the big cities. Alice Springs is often a surprise to people who come expecting a dusty desert town. A modern, open-minded place full of creative and adventurous people. It is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and has a giant river running through its centre (albeit it a dry one!)
Sure, Alice is a small town, we’re only 30,000 large. But when I say large, I mean LARGE. This place is full of people with big personalities and big ideas. On top of that, the smallness of the place means that we have a mean sense of community spirit. Once you’re part of the Alice Springs scene, you’ve got the support of small army behind anything you do.
This is a place where people come from every city across the country. It’s a place where people come looking for opportunities and a place to grow because Alice Springs is a place where people can really spread their wings and explore the far reaches of their potential. The teams we build in Alice, across every industry, bring with them experiences and expertise from all over the world. Combined with the intimate knowledge and community base of our long term locals, businesses in Alice Springs generally have every possible scenario within their industry covered.
So let’s talk business. Running your own business can be a terrifying thing, we know that. Don’t forget, someone runs Bellette too and built it up from nothing. Starting it, branding it, running it, creating a following of returning customers and clients. We know how hard it can be to get things off the ground, but with the right systems in place, it’s an achievable and exciting process.
There’s a lot of reasons why Alice is the perfect place to look for a business that suits your needs.
We think outside the box
While we may be located in a small town, many people who live here are from very different places. We have thoughts, experiences and skills that have come from working with both big companies in big places and small businesses in wider regions. The teams that are formed in Alice Springs are made up of a broad combination of characters and cultures and result in an array of highly creative, quality work.
Small businesses know what small businesses need.
Alice Springs is full of small businesses. A lot of support is passed between them all, because we know the value of local work and we know that small business means a concentrated service with a close working relationship between client and supplier. Small businesses know what it’s like to have to build a reputation and maintain it as a quality, go to service. When small businesses work together, beautiful things happen.
We’re not afraid of hard work
In the outback, we’re not afraid of getting our hands dirty and putting in the extra effort to get the job done. Sometimes, being a small business means that you need to be an expert in many fields outside your own.
We have contacts everywhere
Because of the transient nature of Alice Springs, we tend to collect a network of people in every corner of the globe. These contacts vary from those moving on to big cities and large companies, progressing their careers and skill sets to people who love the outback lifestyle so much that they go even more remote, moving out to communities to pursue more developmental work and gain life experiences. Alice Springs is a place that builds strong relationships and we tend to stay in touch with our friends and colleagues who move away, often still utilising their skills and growing expertise. Having developed great communication streams and habits is key to maintaining strong working relationships with quality individuals once they have moved on from Alice.
Businesses in Alice Springs are well equipped to take on challenging projects. The capability of a business really comes down to the systems you have in place to deal with a growing business and client base. This means communication, it means project management, the ability to find and attract quality staff to your business when you need to increase your capacity. If you’ve got those things sorted, then you’re able to achieve as much as the best of them.
Alice Springs has a lot going for it. It’s so much more than the dusty small town it’s often made out to be. Alice is a place where people are always chasing the bigger picture and turning ideas into real life. It is the people and community culture that has come from so many different backgrounds that make this place so unique. We may be a small town, but we’re punching above our weight when it comes to business and we love it.
Originally published at https://bellette.com.au.
