🆕 Say hello to the 2018 Small Business Calgary Expo

📅 October 18, 2018   🕒 10:00 am – 5:00 pm   📍 BMO Centre

Amazing things happen when entrepreneurs get together, and that's what Small Business Week is all about. The crown jewel of the entire week is Alberta's biggest B2B expo: the Small Business Calgary Expo! Here's some of the highlights:

• A dazzling exhibition of 100 local businesses.
• 1,500 attendees and an exclusive Networking App to help you connect with the ones you really want to meet.
• Two phenomenal keynotes: Justine Barber, Co-founder of Poppy Barley and Kristen Wood, Founder and CEO of THE TEN SPOT.
• A Digital Tools Stage featuring 15-minute rapid-fire sessions to give you info on new tools you can use to transform and grow your business.

🌟 Announcing the 2018 Small Business Calgary Awards finalists

The judging is complete and the votes have been tallied! It's time to announce the finalists for the 2018 Small Business Calgary Awards.

This year's finalists represent a truly diverse cross-section of Calgary businesses who power our economy and nourish our community. Join us as we celebrate their inspiring achievements in exponential growth, innovation, social entrepreneurship, and company culture.

Expanding your influence

[Survey] What questions does your business need answered before you vote on Calgary 2026?

The City of Calgary is considering a bid to host the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games. There will be a plebiscite on Tuesday, November 13, 2018 asking “Are you for - or are you against - Calgary hosting the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games?”

In this survey we would like input, from the perspective of your business, on what information you need and what questions you want answered, before you vote.

Connect at upcoming events

[Workshop] Intellectual property strategy

📅 September 12, 2018   🕒 8:30 am – 9:30 am   📍 Calgary Chamber

Your business is focused on growth, innovation, and staying ahead of the competition. From products, services and processes, right down to your logos and corporate identity, all these valuable assets differentiate your business offering. And each is an example of your company's intellectual property (IP).

To help you understand how to use IP to your business' advantage, we're hosting a workshop in partnership with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office. Here, you will learn about IP fundamentals as well as the importance of including an IP strategy in your overall business plans.

Last call to build your network at Escape 60!

📅 September 13, 2018   🕒 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm   📍 Escape 60

Escape rooms are all the rage these days, but have you ever learned what goes into creating one? Join us for our next Business After Hours at Escape 60 for an evening with their Games Master to dive into how they create their games while exploring each of their 5 different escape rooms—including Canada's only Harry Potter-themed escape.

🆕 [Workshop] Cannabis 101: What your business needs to know

📅 September 19, 2018   🕒 8:30 am – 9:30 am   📍 Calgary Chamber

Leading up to the legalization of cannabis, your Calgary Chamber is hosting a three-part workshop series to shed light on what to expect following legalization in partnership with 420 Advisory Management.

In this second workshop of the series, cannabis expert Dr. Ife Abiola will cover the economic and business impacts, cannabis basics and its effects, public consumption, the societal impact of legalization and public health accessibility.

Get inspired this fall with Dianne Wilkins from Critical Mass

📅 September 27, 2018   🕒 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm   📍 Bella Concert Hall

A couple of decades ago, Critical Mass set down roots in Calgary as a small advertising shop of 25 people. Today it's a global experience design agency of 950, with offices in 11 cities on 3 continents. At the helm as CEO is Dianne Wilkins, molding and guiding this juggernaut of a forward-looking, digital-first agency through the choppy waters of global expansion.

Join us for the first edition of Inspire: The Leadership Series to hear from Dianne on Critical Mass' path to success and the decisions she had to make along the way to support global growth.

Ticket packs for the entire Inspire series are also on sale!

🆕 Sweat the City: Fitness class tickets now available!

📅 October 2, 2018   🕒 All-day event   📍 Gray Family Eau Claire YMCA

Physical activity is one of the best ways to support your mental health and well-being, and is often the first prescription when struggling with depression. That's why in support of National Depression Screening Day, we and our partners Calgary Counselling Centre and the YMCA are hosting Sweat the City. 

Focusing on physical health to support mental health, this event is a full day of fitness and fun to defy depression. The activation hub for the day will be the Gray Family YMCA in Eau Claire. Here you will be able to attend all kinds of different fitness classes, as well as take part in a reception in celebration of the facility's 30th anniversary.

Tips to grow your business

Digital tip: An infographic guide to Instagram Stories

Instagram is a great source to build your brand’s identity, engage new followers and expand your reach. However, if you’re simply posting images to your business’s Instagram page, you’re missing out on a major opportunity on the platform: Instagram Stories.

With Stories, you can show a behind-the-scenes look at your brand while developing its personality and building authentic relationships with your followers. From using geotags to hosting takeovers, there are a number of ways your business can utilize this feature of the platform. 

What we're reading...

• 'It's going to rally everybody': Calgary business community vows to keep fighting in wake of Trans Mountain ruling
• How to diversify your professional network
• The shifting tides of growth and tech’s new workforce
• Three reframing strategies to use during tricky negotiations
• Fortune's list of companies that are changing the world

Member insights

Chamber Member: Bayer Crop Science Canada

Canada is an agriculturally rich and diverse country. With hands-on local experience and expertise, Bayer is a leader in Canadian crop production.

With headquarters in Calgary, the company employs over 400 people across key business locations throughout the country. They operate a seed processing facility in Lethbridge, formulation and distribution facilities in Regina, seed-breeding centre in Saskatoon, eastern Canadian operation centre in Guelph, and regulatory office in Ottawa.

Members enjoy exclusive discounts on Purolator services

Every day the Purolator network successfully delivers to more points across Canada than any other parcel and freight solutions provider.

As a Chamber member, you can take advantage of volume discounts up to 30% on Purolator Express® and Purolator Ground® services.

Many Chamber members are currently saving hundreds of dollars per month!

Community leaders