THE Swan Chamber of Commerce’s Hour of Power returns next week with two speakers experienced in business and local government.

Former City of Swan mayor Kevin Bailey and current Shire of Mundaring councillor Ben Heptinstall will share insights into their lives and outlooks.

Mr Heptinstall will speak about his journey from school into the workforce and into business ownership, having purchased his first business at 26 years old.

He has since grown that into four supermarkets and a liquor store, and will share how he got there, including the obstacles and challenges he had to overcome along the way.

A key turning point in his journey was shifting from working in the business to having the business work for him.

Achieving that transition took several years and required building strong management teams across each store, allowing him to step back and focus on overseeing operations rather than the day-to-day running of the stores.

That shift also gave Mr Heptinstall the freedom to give back to his community, including supporting several local charities through his businesses.

It ultimately led him into public life, where he was elected unopposed as a councillor for the Shire of Mundaring motivated by a long-held belief that people have been ignored at all levels of government.

“Rather than wait for someone else to step up, I decided I may as well do it myself,” he said.

Mr Bailey is a business owner and Swan resident who was first elected to council at the City of Swan in 2005.

He was recognised through the WA Local Government Association’s honours program for his devotion to the council and went on to be elected mayor in 2019.

He has represented the council on over 20 committees and remains an active participant and organiser in the City of Swan community.

The event will run from 10.30am to 11.30am on May 13 at the Crooked Spire in Midland.