FARMINGTON – A new event organized by Franklin Savings Bank brought local professionals together Friday morning for inspiration, strategic planning and good old fashion networking; “10 Minute Talks” drew roughly 50 people to the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital.
The two-hour event included a meet n’ greet kick off, followed by four presenters who shared their insight from the world of business. FSB Projects Coordinator Courtney Austin said they hope to host more 10 Minute Talks in the future, especially when looking at the positive response from the community.
“We are so often thinking about how we can give back to the community – what we can offer that is in our wheel house. This seemed like an interesting opportunity to capture,” Austin said.
Austin described the four presenters as “homegrown experts”- the leaders, entrepreneurs and CEOs of the area who have experience to share. The lineup included Main Street Skowhegan Executive Director Kristina Cannon, Main-Land Development Consultants Inc. President and CEO Bob Berry, Rustic Roots farm owner Erica Emery and LEAP Executive Director Darryl Wood. Topics ranged from town revitalization to financing a small business to building sustainable communities and developing strong teams.
“As a community, the choices we make together have an impact,” Darryl Wood said to the crowd.
Wood spoke about building a strong team by providing supportive leadership, highlighting the importance of creating a culture of trust. A great leader, he said, can leave for the day and know that things will still run smoothly.
Cannon also spoke about teamwork when it comes to breathing new life into an aging town. Skowhegan has been an ambitious team in the last several years, bringing new events such as the Kneading Conference and the Craft Brew Festival and working toward the installation of Run of River- a white water paddling experience through the heart of the town. Brew Fest sold 20 percent of their advanced tickets to out-of-staters, she said.
“It’s become a point of pride for the town now,” she said.
