Hear 10 top executives from Canada's fastest-growing companies discuss how they got to where they are and how you can too.

These local accomplished leaders from different industries will share secrets to their growth, provide advice for managing a fast-growth company and take questions from the audience.

Register for all three and save 20%.

Thursday October 17, 2013
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
BMO Centre
20 Roundup Way

Since the invention of the wheel—or the better mousetrap—we’ve been coming up with more effective products, processes, services, technologies and ideas. This panel of Fast-Growth Champions will help you learn how to innovate to create or reinvigorate your business:

• Boaz Shilmover, CEO, ARTE Group
• Derek Doke, founder & CEO, Franworks Group of Companies
• Dan Eisner, CEO, True North Mortgage Inc.

Join us to hear details about how innovation added value to their business (and how it can help you too).

The Calgary Chamber has tabled its policy book for the 2013 Municipal Election. Great Calgary looks at the issues affecting the business community. One of the most identifiable topics this term has been transportation and mobility. Great Calgary has taken a look at the issue of transit with the view that while the situation needs to grow and improve, it doesn’t have to be done by building new, costly infrastructure.

The Chamber believes that improving existing transit networks can improve mobility at a much lower cost. Adding capacity and increased frequency to busses and trains will allow for greater ridership, reducing vehicle congestion on the roads.  As will allowing high occupancy vehicle lanes to include carpool vehicles in addition to busses.

The Chamber is also supporting increased parking efficiency downtown through floating parking rates and limiting high demand areas to short-stay parking only.

Learn more about our reccomendations to keep our businesses and communities competitive on a global scale for the next four years

Thursday November 7, 2013
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
BMO Centre
20 Roundup Way

Our Fast-Growth Champions will share their knowledge about how human capital strengthens and grows a business. From social and personal attributes, performance and creating the right corporate culture, your people are your power—and the right people will ensure growth and success.

Panelists for this event will be:

• Shannon Bowen-Smed, president & CEO, Bowen Workforce Solutions Inc.
• Jory Lamb, president & CEO, VistaVu Solutions
• John Mackay, executive chairman and CEO, Mosaic Capital Corporation
• Matthew Heffernan, president & CEO, Zedi Inc.

Join our event and learn how to attract, cultivate and retain the right people to see your business thrive.

After receiving a record number of nominations we are pleased to announce the 21 dynamic finalists for the 2013 Small Business Week Awards.

Have your say in selecting the best across five categories that look to recognize excellence in customer service, community involvement, environmental stewardship, innovation and those poised for incredible growth.

Voting opened last week to a record response and all Calgarians are invited to show their support for these incredible small businesses by casting their votes at SmallBusinessWeekCalgary.com/Vote

Thursday November 21, 2013
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
BMO Centre
20 Roundup Way

Our Fast-Growth Champions will talk about how to create a brand promise you can deliver, rather than just talk about. By actually being ‘trustworthy’, ‘superior in quality’ and ‘innovative’, these businesses were able to differentiate their brands and experience unprecedented growth.

Panelists for this event will be:

• Justin Bobier, owner/president, Crystal Creek Homes
• Matthew Horne, founder/captain orange, Deco Windshields
• Robert Horricks, president & CEO, Blush Lane Organics

Join our event and learn more about making your brand stand apart.

Take a fascinating look at what happens behind the scenes in some of Calgary’s most exciting and vibrant small businesses.

From breweries to broadcast studios, Small Business Week Insider Tours run from October 21-25 and allow you to soak up the successes, stories and experiences of a diverse range of operations from the following businesses:  

• Village Brewery
• CBC Studios
• Rouge
• DIRTT

Register today at SmallBusinessWeekCalgary.com/Events

Tuesday October 15, 2013
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Deerfoot Inn
1000, 11500 35th Street SE

Hosted by the Calgary Chamber, the Urban Development Institute – Calgary, and the Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Calgary Region, this event will be the single most comprehensive forum of this municipal election and a great opportunity for Calgary businesses to engage with municipal candidates.

Join us as council candidates from every city ward comment on key election issues around Calgary’s economic prosperity and growth management initiatives.

Get your ticket today to hear what the candidates for council have to say.

The Calgary Chamber wrapped up Aboriginal-Business Connection Series 2 (ABC2) with a workshop aimed at helping Alberta’s natural resource sector and Aboriginal communities this week. The session focused on equity partnerships that allow Aboriginal communities to share in the wealth and risk associated with industrial projects. Those in attendance at ABC2 heard from Bernd Martens (Director of Environment and Governmental Relations, Grand Cache Coal Cor), Rob Hunt (expert and architect of Business-First Nations partnerships), Randy Ottenbreit (formerly of Imperial Oil) and Jack Toth (CEO, Impact Society).

The ABC2 series continued the Chamber’s commitment to positive change in the area of Aboriginal-Business connections. The series, and resulting report, were built to be a blueprint for how business and aboriginal communities can work together and create mutually beneficial relationships.

ABC2’s final report, Building and Sustaining Successful Partnerships takes an in-depth and robust look on the subject of business partnerships with Aboriginal communities. In addition to the report, the Calgary Chamber has released a companion toolkit for businesses to help put these concepts into action.

• Download the report
• Download the toolkit

Thursday October 10, 2013
7:45 am - 9:00 am
Calgary Chamber
600, 237 8th Avenue SE

As part of our commitment to raising awareness on the human cost of depression, the Calgary Counselling Centre and Calgary Chamber will host the launch of National Depression Screening Day (NDSD) 2013.

Please join Chamber President Adam Legge as well as Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist Carol Huynh and Calgary Counselling Center Team Lead Kim Busch as they encourage all Calgarians to spend a minute on their mental health by taking a free, online test at CalgaryCounselling.com

This is a free event, to attend you must RSVP.

Wednesday October 23, 2013
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
RGO Office Supplies
100, 229 33 Street NE

Business After Hours is one of the best networking opportunities in the city and we are taking it to a new level during Small Business Week with a special announcement on small business strategy with Thomas Lukaszuk, Deputy Premier of Alberta.

Business After Hours is fun and lively, the perfect opportunity for you to discover new businesses and potential clients while networking with other people in Calgary’s business community. The Calgary Chamber is delighted that the next Business After Hours will be taking place at RGO Office Products, which has been a member of the Chamber for 45 years.

Get your tickets today.

Tuesday October 22, 2013
7:15 am - 9:00 am
Calgary Chamber
600, 237 8th Avenue SE

The Calgary Chamber is excited to invite its members to a special Small Business Week 7:15 Networking event. In addition to the fantastic networking and business growth opportunities, we are proud to be joined by:

• Todd Hirsh, economist, author and speaker with ATB Business
• Dan Allen, VP of Sales, ATB Business
• Adam Legge, President and CEO, Calgary Chamber

The three will be discussing the topics that matter most to small business in Calgary, including Small Business Week, flood recovery and the 2013 municipal election results.

Become part of the discussion today.

Thursday November 7, 2013
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
BMO Center, Mustang Room
20 Roundup Way SE

Why does milk cost so much? Is supply management an outdated protectionist practice holding back Canada’s ability to benefit from open trade?

Come and be part of the discussion when Martha Hall Findlay, Executive Fellow at the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy and Don Davies, New Democratic Party MP and Opposition Critic for International Trade discuss the big issues surrounding Canada’s supply management and trade partnerships.

Don’t miss what is surely to be an honest and informed debate focusing on emerging challenges facing western Canada.

Wednesday October 9, 2013
11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Calgary TELUS Convention Centre
120 9th Avenue SE

Premier Alison Redford will provide an update on the continued efforts toward flood recovery. She will discuss the effects on businesses in Southern Alberta and  her government's plans to help them rebound.  Redford is also expected to give an update on her government’s Building Alberta Plan, and efforts to open new markets for Alberta’s resources across Canada, and around the world.

Join us as Premier Redford addresses the Calgary business community.

Through our partnership with The Business Link, Calgary Chamber members save on dozens of learning workshops that can be used to grow and build their business.

These sessions are ideal for start-ups and small businesses looking for insights on every stage of developing a business.

Learning sessions schedule – October

• Promotions: Creating Buzz for Your Biz on a Shoestring – October 17
• Business Dating? Networking in the Age of Social Media – October 23
• Build Your Business on Customer Referrals – October 24
• Accounting and Tax for Small Business – October 30

Contact us at membership@calgarychamber.com to start saving on these great workshops and more.