THE Refinery Showcase took place on July 5, which saw 15 entrepreneurs pitching their creative business endeavours including Maleny musician Hayden Hack.
South African born and now living in Maleny, Hayden is a musician who plays a funk style of music, and was picked out of 80 applicants to be given the opportunity to showcase his entrepreneurial talent.
He said although his pitch wasn’t written and rehearsed like many of the other entrepreneurs, the messaging was very close to his heart.
“My pitch was about collaborating with creatives outside of my field and finding new places where music could ‘live’ to add to events of areas where music was not thought of before,” he said.
“I was truly shocked because everyone who pitched seemed to have such a clear plan of their project, whereas I didn’t feel mine was so clear at that point.
“Most of the applicants had an actual pitch but I just spoke from the heart on the spot, as I kind of did on my actual final pitch, it probably comes from playing so much improvised music.”
Hayden told GC&M News he has learned a lot from several people involved in The Refinery’s program, and he wished them all the best in their endeavours.
“I know the tools I’ve been given by Tom Allen, Megan Rowland, Alison Mooney, Liz Burcham and the support of Bronwyn Adams and mentors who generously imparted their knowledge, will help me achieve any goal I give myself,” he said.
“But it’s even more the new community I found in sharing time and experience and support that was warming, everyone who got into the program are such amazing human beings. The most important thing is to expand the community, we have to do things together, especially now in these crazy times.”
When times were tough, especially during the Maleny Lane debacle, Hayden said the Maleny community, particularly Steve McLeish, helped him continue to play music.
“I love Maleny and its unbelievably amazing community, they introduced me to the true meaning of community,” he said.
“It was thanks to them that I continued playing music at all. Especially Steve McLeish. It’s what he said to me that turned it all around.”