Sometimes you find your impact in the most unexpected places

I recently returned from a holiday in New Zealand, where one of the most memorable moments had nothing to do with the spectacular scenery or the snow. Instead, it happened on the bus ride back down the mountain.

As we wound our way down the alpine roads, I started chatting with the woman sitting next to me. It was one of those conversations that starts with the usual questions – “Where are you from?” and “What brings you here?”…

She told me she was from Yeppoon in Queensland, and we continued talking about travel, work and life.

Eventually she asked what I did for a living.

I explained that I’m the founder of Resilient Ready and that my team works with councils, governments and communities to help strengthen business resilience.

We design practical programs that help small businesses prepare for disruption, adapt to change and uncover new opportunities before the next challenge arrives.

She smiled and said, “I’ve done your program.

I must have looked completely surprised because she laughed before explaining that she’d completed one of our Business Ready Together programs more than four years ago.

Out of all the people I could have been sitting next to on a bus in New Zealand, I had somehow found someone whose business we’d worked with years earlier.

What happened next was even more rewarding.

For the rest of the journey she told me about the changes she’d made in her business because of the program. She spoke about planning differently, thinking more strategically about risk, and making practical improvements that had helped her business navigate uncertainty over the years.

Most importantly, she said the program had given her confidence. Four years later, she still remembered the lessons and was still using them.

As someone who spends a lot of time writing content, developing workshops, filming videos and refining resources, it’s easy to wonder how much of it really sticks. We often measure success through registrations, completion rates or downloads because they’re the easiest things to count.

But moments like this remind me that the most meaningful outcomes can’t always be measured.

Sometimes impact looks like a small business owner remembering a conversation, a worksheet or a simple idea years later because it genuinely changed the way they approached their business. Sometimes it looks like confidence instead of fear.

Sometimes it looks like being better prepared for whatever comes next.

There’s another lesson in this story too.

We often talk about the importance of connection in building resilient communities. Social capital isn’t just something that exists during disasters – it’s built through everyday conversations, relationships and unexpected encounters.

A simple chat with a stranger on a bus became a powerful reminder of why we do what we do and how far the ripple effects of this work can travel.

To the lovely business owner from Yeppoon, thank you.

You probably thought we were simply passing the time on the trip down the mountain. For me, it became one of the highlights of the holiday and a wonderful reminder that resilience isn’t just about preparing for the future.

It’s about people, relationships and knowing that the work we do today can still be making a difference years later, often in places we’d never expect.

Ready to lead?

If you’re a council, industry body, or regional leader looking to strengthen business community resilience, this is your opportunity to take a proactive, connected approach that works.

Because the future belongs to communities that are not just prepared – but ready, together.

Let’s connect!