There’s a lot to be said about the benefits of the Business Walk initiative, happening this morning.
Members of the Summerland Chamber of Commerce board of directors and members of Summerland’s municipal council will team up and visit representatives of a number of Summerland businesses.
The walks provide business people with an opportunity to talk about their needs and concerns.
They also give chamber board members and council members some insight into the state of business in Summerland.
The result can be a strong level of dialogue, which serves to benefit all parties.
However, while discussion and dialogue are extremely important, it is essential that the results go beyond discussion and into action.
Summerland’s first Business Walk was held in fall, and since that time, some changes have been made.
The #discoverhome series of videos was a response, at least in part, to concerns about promoting and encouraging local shopping.
The walk also helped to identify the challenge of business succession, or how to sell or pass on businesses to a new generation when the existing business owner retires.
In past years, there have been cases where a thriving business has simply closed its doors because there was not a successor to take over after the founder or present owner decided to step down.
As the population continues to age, locally, provincially and nationally, this need will become more and more important.
We need to discuss this and other issues affecting businesses.
But talk alone isn’t enough.
The discussions must also lead to action.
The future of our business community — and the future of the community as a whole — depends on it.