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Can I run a business without
joining an association
Although there are
great benefits to join an association, there is no law
to say you must.
The benefits of joining
a horticultural industry association can be summarised
as:
- networking (find
leads, buyers, sellers, colleagues)
- recognition by
peers
- competitive edge
- financial benefit
when attending industry events
- access to industry
specific information
Of course there are
more but that will depend on each industry group and
your willingness to participate. This leads onto one of
the most important elements of being a member - go to
meetings and actually participate. There is no greater
benefit than participating in events, workshops,
conferences and social gatherings than with your
colleagues.
If distance is a
concern, such as living 200kms from nearest city, then
joining for the information that will be sent to you is
also worthwhile.
Not joining however may
be detrimental to your business to be sustainable in
today's competitive marketplace. Members of associations
are provided with information about laws, regulations,
better business practices, what's happening in the
industry, etc.
If your business
spans multiple disciplines, consider joining more than
one association.
hortiQ
recommends companies to consider joining one or more of
the industry associations that support this publication.
National industry
associations of worth include:
Australian Institute of
Horticulture
Australian Institute
of Landscape Architects
National Interior
Plantscape Association
State and Regional
Industry associations of worth include:
Cairns Landscaping
Industries Cluster
Queensland Arborist
Association
this article written by Paul Plant
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