By Cathy Anderson

In today’s digital world it’s easier to connect than ever before. This is great news for small business owners who need to find products and services and ‘meet’ other owners through networking activities on online forums and groups – but does that mean human contact is redundant? Absolutely not.

Maintaining physical connections, particularly through events or networking functions, helps to overcome isolation, improve your mental and professional wellbeing and find your ‘tribe’ of people who can inspire you.

Here, entrepreneur James Grugeon, founder of Brisbane social enterprise The Good Beer Co. and Arash Harandian, founder of regional Victorian co-working space Business Hub at Queenscliff Marina, share their insights into why face-to-face engagement is so important to small business.

Balancing online and offline

Harandian says technology is fantastic for streamlining your business as it offers standardised services that save time and are cost-effective. But, he says, creativity and professional relationships are still crucial to a successful business.

“People are most creative when working in collaboration, and best results are always born from robust debates, both of which require relationships, personal contact and collaboration,” he tells SmartCompany.

Read the rest of the article on the Smart Company website.