If you’re a small business owner looking for an opportunity to learn, network and socialize with other small businesses and professionals in the community, mark the third week of October on your calendar.
Small Business Week is an annual event during which Small Business Enterprise Centres celebrate entrepreneurship. Started in British Columbia in 1979 by the Business Development Bank of Canada, the event has expanded across Canada, and includes hundreds of activities geared to small business. The theme this year is, ‘Aim High! Invest in Your Future.’
From Oct. 13, through Oct. 18, The South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre, in partnership with professionals and other organizations in the area, will offer a variety of workshops and seminars for entrepreneurs in the community.
“The week will be jam-packed with events for those considering starting a small business and for existing businesses,” explains Centre Manager Gillian Fairley.
The Small Business Enterprise Centre is hosting two events, including ‘Blogging Strategies for your Business’, facilitated by Deidre Morris, Top Team Building.
“Blogging is a great way for businesses to promote their services and share their knowledge. Sometimes people new to blogging struggle with content and themes, and this seminar can help with these concerns,” Gillian explains.
Blogging helps to build your brand, build trust and increase traffic to your business website. It will be held Monday Oct. 15 from 6-9 p.m. at Collingwood Public Library. Cost is $20 and includes dinner.
The Centre will also host ‘Tax Tips for Small Business’, facilitated by Ramona A. Greer, CGA. This seminar will provide tips to help small businesses reduce taxes and make bookkeeping easier.
“Ramona has specific insights that can really help small businesses with their record keeping to make sure they’re doing a good job of tracking and maintaining their books. This is a very popular seminar with entrepreneurs in the area,” Gillian said.
This free seminar on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 6-8 p.m. at the Leisure Time Club includes light refreshments. Seating is limited and pre-registration is required. To register for Blogging Strategies for your Business or Tax Tips for Small Business call 705-446-3355 or email sbec@collingwood.ca.
In addition to the seminars hosted by the Small Business Enterprise Centre, there are a number of other events offered during Small Business Week.
On October 13, the Centre is sponsoring the ‘Grow Your Business Expo’, an event-packed day with guest speakers covering a number of topics including growth development, sustainability, marketing, funding sources and much more.
The expo takes place on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Birchview Dunes Elementary School in Wasaga Beach. It includes a networking session and meal. Tickets are available at Royal Bank locations and cost is $15 in advance, $20 at the door. To register, go to www.whatsuphut.com or call 705-229-8873.
The South Georgian Bay Campus of Georgian College will host a Kauffman seminar through its FastTrac program, called ‘Listening to your Business’, on Wednesday, Oct. 17, from 6-9 p.m.
The Kauffman Foundation is specifically dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship and has been providing entrepreneur training, guidance and education for a number of years. This is a very strategically focused seminar that will take existing businesses through understanding where they are today and how to take their business to the next level.
Contact Georgian College for additional information at 705-445-2961 ext. 2900 or SouthGeorgianBay@GeorgianCollege.ca. RSVP by October 8.
The Collingwood Chamber of Commerce will host Small Business Week Power Lunch, The Economic and Financial Outlook, featuring Sonia Gulati, Senior Economist, TD Economics, on Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Whether you attend one or all of these Small Business Week events, your business can benefit from the support and expertise of professionals and peers in your community.