🆕 Inspire: 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!

Expanding your influence

Connect at upcoming events

[Workshop] Cannabis in the workplace

📅 August 29, 2018   🕒 8:30 am – 9:30 am   📍 Calgary Chamber

Your Calgary Chamber is hosting a series of workshops and webinars with experts from the cannabis industry to help shed light on what to expect following recreational legalization.  

This workshop features a presentation by the Cannabis Learning Series, a company that specializes in cannabis workplace health and safety education. Join us for an overview of medicinal and recreational cannabis, the potential impacts it will have in the workplace, and three key steps that every company should take to ensure that they are ready.

Business After Hours at Escape 60

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

Have you tried an escape room yet? Join us for our next Business After Hours at Escape 60 for an evening of trivia and fun! Located in Sunalta, Escape 60 caters to corporate clients providing the perfect opportunity for a team offsite. With four escape rooms to choose from there is something for everyone. 

This unique Business After Hours event will give you both social networking and a mental challenge. Don’t miss out, this event will fill up fast!

Set your business up for success in Q4 with The Hunt: Sales  

📅 September 21, 2018   🕒 8:30 am – 11:30 am   📍 ATB Entrepreneur Centre

With fall just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to reset and slay your sales targets once the summer sun fades. We have just the thing to give you a leg up on the competition: a workshop with Hamish Knox from Sandler Training.

Leading the fourth installment of The Hunt workshop series, Hamish is a renowned executive sales coach. Here you'll get practical tips to take your sales game to the next level as well as help create the road map you need to successfully close out your year.

🆕 [Save the date] Sweat the City

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

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.

There will be activations throughout the day across the city, but the hub will be the Gray Family YMCA in Eau Claire. We'll be releasing more details of what to expect in the fall but make sure you save the date in your calendar now!

Tips to grow your business

Digital tip: 3 tips to cutting through the noise on Instagram

With Instagram arguably winning its battle against Snapchat, it's becoming a more and more vital arena for brands of all shapes and sizes. But if you're looking for strategies to amplify your company's presence and capitalize on Instagram, don't just look to other brands – look to influencers.

Want to crack the code on Instagram? Read this article from Inc. for three top tips from influencers and accounts that are doing it for real.

What we're reading...

• The business case for curiosity
• Rising minimum wage blamed as 25,700 jobs vanish in Calgary's service sector
• What is 'storyliving' and why do you need it?
• Apply to be one of Fast Company's 2019 Most Innovative Companies
• Haskayne's Adam Legge writes blueprint, assembly manual for organizational change

Member insights

Chamber Member: Italian Centre Shop

The Italian Centre Shop first opened in Edmonton's Little Italy to provide people with a taste of home-grown Italian favourites. Over 55 years later, the company has expanded into three Edmonton locations and a location in Calgary on Fairmount Drive SE.

With specialty European imports from over 15 countries, the Italian Centre Shop is a treasure trove of groceries and delicacies from all over the world. 

Save on shipping with UPS' Chamber Member benefit plan

If you're a Calgary Chamber member and haven't already signed up for the UPS Members Benefit Program, now is the time. Here are the five top reasons to join:

• You can save 30% on outgoing small package shipments, 25% on imports, and savings start at 75% on freight.
• Automatic Daily Pickup and UPS On-Call Pickup are free.
• UPS' expertise, resources, and technologies can help support your international trade needs.
• You can streamline your shipping with My UPS or Worldship.
• UPS offers a wide range of air, ground and freight shipping options to fit your needs.

From our community partners

Brown Bear Woman Events Open House

📅 August 25, 2018   🕒 10:00 am - 3:00 pm   📍 87 Weaselhead Road, Tsuut’ina Nation

Brown Bear Woman, a family-owned business dedicated to sharing First Nations culture, would like to invite you to come and experience a unique hands on approach to cross cultural teachings and Indigenous culture.

The Open House will showcase the variety of services they can provide to your company, such as interpretive programs, arts and crafts, cultural awareness training, and dance performances.

Community leaders