life at work | small business
Small is the new
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Celebrating and fostering small business in Airdrie story by Alex Frazer-Harrison
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Singer Tim Tamishiro will be guest speaker at this year’s Winning Edge Awards banque
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inning Edge
AWARDS
96 airdrielife.com | fall 2010
mall businesses and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of many communities in Alberta, and that’s why Airdrie celebrates Small Business Week every October. Featuring several networking and information opportunities, and culminating in the newly expanded Winning Edge Awards, the week “is truly about celebrating entrepreneurial success,” says Leona Esau of the City of Airdrie Economic Development department. “Fifty-eight per cent of businesses in Airdrie are home-based businesses, and nearly 98 per cent of all businesses in Airdrie are considered small businesses.” Esau says Airdrie’s entrepreneurial spirit is second to none.“It’s that pioneering spirit,” she says. “Our business community has become more sophisticated and we have more developed leadership and resources in the community.” The leadership of the City, resources such as the BizPal online information system, and proximity to Calgary and its airport have made Airdrie increasingly attractive for smaller businesses, says Lorna Hunt, executive director of the Airdrie Chamber of Commerce. “[Airdrie] Economic Development is very passionate about any size of business,” Hunt says, adding that this includes many who open a small business as a way to generate a second income or to work from home while they raise a family. “I find with every home-based business it’s all about the passion,” she says. “And if we see them become a storefront because they outgrew their home and have moved into a commercial space, that’s a thrill.” Small Business Week gets started Oct. 18 with a kickoff luncheon hosted by the Chamber at Woodside Golf Course. Hunt says the luncheon is a fun event with a serious purpose – to give local business people a chance to meet and network in a relaxed atmosphere. A facilitator from Community Futures Centre West will be on hand to keep the conversation going. Airdrie Business Resource Partnership (ABRP), in conjunction with Community Futures Centre West, hosts the Entrepreneurial Edge Evening Oct. 19 at City Hall. “The evening is geared towards business people with an idea, and what is their next step,” explains Hunt.“This year, we’ll have a panel of people who have taken the passion of an idea and expanded upon it.”