BH to launch at meet and greet

Published online: June 2, 2009

Published offline: The Byron Shire Echo (June 2, 2009)

Since its inception five years ago, Mullumbimby's CLIC Business Village has watched a number of businesses come, grow and go.

Offering a tenancy period up to three years and cheap rent, electricity and broadband, the Business Village has played a crucial role as a small business incubator in the community, encouraging small businesses growth and transforming the old North Power site into a hub of innovation.

Recognising the value each of the incubator's businesses have to offer, the most recent addition to the Village, Byron Host, has extended an open invitation to the general community to attend a meet and greet sausage sizzle on Friday, June 12 at 12:30pm.

Byron Host general manager and organiser of the event Obi McDonald-Saint, said the meet and greet will be an opportunity not only for the incubator's businesses to showcase their products and services to the greater community, but also to encourage inter-business relations within the Village.

"From working with and developing online technologies to preserving and protecting the environment, as well as encouraging family values, the businesses of the Village are doing some truly exciting work," Mr McDonald-Saint said.

"This place is like a mini Silicon Valley with a focus on community."

Joining the Village one month ago, Byron Host builds on the online development that is already produced at the Village, offering web hosting and production services primarily to the elder generation.

Other tenants of the incubator includes Evolved Websites, which creates modern, easy-to-use websites and has spent the past six years developing its own content management system (CMS) that allows customers to maintain their own website.

Working closely with Evolved Websites, fellow incubator tenants Kindred and Byron Publications have produced websites for Kindred Magazine, promoting sustainable family living and natural parenting, and Byron Body and Soul, a directory for health and well-being.

Selling natural and organic beauty and skin care products online, Bare Naked Beauty is another of the incubator's businesses to embrace the power of the internet.

Rainforest Rescue, the largest presence in the incubator, has a commitment to saving the rainforests for current and future generations while Madhima Gulgan, also with a environmental preservation focus, is involved with community bush regeneration.

Encouraging family values, organisers of the annual Fatherhood Festival, the Fatherhood Project aims for every father to be a positive and active influence in their child's life.

Writing Byron Bay rounds off the incubator's list of tenants and is involved with the annual Writer's Festival and assists local writers produce and develop their manuscripts.

"We are all very excited about the meet and greet and look forward to sharing a snag - sorry vegetarians - with members of the general community," Obi McDonald-Saint said.

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