MAKING the most of Australia's biggest family-friendly fishing competition was the aim for Gladstone business owners at a set of workshops held this week.

The Business Leveraging from Local Events Workshop featured renowned place maker, author and social innovator David Engwicht, who held two workshops - one at Tannum on Thursday and another at the Gladstone City Library yesterday.

Mr Engwicht is the man behind last year's 7-Day Makeovers at Goondoon St and Mt Larcom.

Each workshop incorporated two sessions - a morning one focused on inspiration and an evening session centred on collective application.

The event was hosted by the Boyne Tannum HookUp in conjunction with Boyne Tannum Arts Business Community and Gladstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Mr Engwicht was key facilitator and motivator at the workshops and found that participants were incredibly receptive to his advice.

"My big emphasis is doing what you can with what you've got," Mr Engwicht said.

"HookUp is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to experiment with making some micro changes that might make some macro results.

"A lot of the retailers who came went back to their businesses and realised what they're doing wrong.

"One of the things I say for retailers is that most of them are in business because they're really good at something - they make great cakes, give great advice or have great accommodation - (but) they're not trained in how their shop front looks, how the footpath in front of their shop looks or their window display.

"I asked them to do a simple thought experiment as if they're going into someone else's shop.

"It's the total experience the person had from the time they walk into the door until the time they walk out, or more importantly from the time they park their car until the time they get back in their car - it's the totality of the experience."

Locations Estate Agents owner Alicia Williams attended the Gladstone workshop and planned to take Mr Engwicht's tips on board.

"From a real estate point of view, having events like the Boyne Tannum HookUp ... it's a great opportunity to put Gladstone on the map and get people not only coming here for that particular event but they might even return and see we are a really great area for families or young people to live," she said.

"As a business owner coming here and working in collaboration with Boyne Tannum HookUp, GCCI and BTABC, there's a really good opportunity for us to organise a project that we can not only roll out for the HookUp to promote that event and bring other businesses on board, but be able to duplicate that with other events in our area."