Join us on April 17th for Build. Grow. Thrive. Kelowna.

Small Business BC is visiting beautiful Kelowna this April for Build. Grow. Thrive., a day of free education, networking, and inspiration.

Join us at Kelowna Museum’s Laurel Packinghouse on Wednesday, April 17th and hear from expert speakers on a diverse range of topics designed to help you start, grow, and sustain your business in a rapidly changing economy.

Delivered in partnership with BCAA Small Business Insurance, this one-off event will feature a trade show with small business service providers, and a panel discussion featuring Okanagan-based entrepreneurs sharing their stories.

As this is a free event, demand is expected to be high. We recommend registering early to secure your place. Registration couldn’t be easier; all it takes is a few clicks.

Agenda

9:15am – 9:45am: Registration and Networking

Networking with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, fetauring an exhibiton hall curated with the key small business service providers.

9:45am: Opening Remarks

Presented by Small Business BC and BCAA Small Business Insurance

10:00am – 11:00am: Keeping Your Business Resilient

Taking out small business insurance is just one way to keep your business resilient, and protect its growth and potential. Having confidence in the protection small business insurance offers allows business owners to focus all their efforts on business maintenance and growth.

Like everyone at BCAA, Director of Claims Shana Johnston knows that behind every claim is a real story, a real-life situation affecting real people.

Using her expertise, backed by BCAA’s 118 years of moving British Columbians forward, she’ll detail the most effective planning to be fully prepared if the worst should happen, as well as how to maintain resilience once disaster has passed.

11:00am – 12:00pm: The Power of Personal Branding for Entrepreneurs

If you want your business to stand out from the crowd, you have to be memorable. Creating a unique and authentic brand will help you build the credibility, visibility and confidence you need to succeed.

In this informative session, join Yvonne Bayer-Cheung, Client Services Manager at SBBC and owner of Yvonne’s Fitness, as she shares her insights on building a personal brand alongside a vibrant and supportive community.

Yvonne will discuss how you can establish credibility, attract and retain customers, opportunities for growth, and provide tools and best practices for managing your brand effectively.

12:00pm – 1:00pm: Panel Discussion: Looking after your mental health as an entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are known for their can-do attitude. They’re the boss and they’re willing to put the hours in to make their business work. Over time, this day-to-day grind can take a toll on mental health.

To succeed in business it’s critical to avoid burning out. Taking care of your mental health should be top of mind. Join us for this important discussion and hear from a panel of experts on how to manage your mental health as an entrepreneur.

Moderator: Jessica Samuels, Business Owner (HUB Inc.) | Communicator | Community Connector

Candace Chisholm, Founder, CEO at WE Changed It

James Addington, Pretty Not Bad, Unconventional Hospitality Group

1pm – 2pm: Lunch (off-site)

Explore the many lunch options close at hand.

2:00pm – 3:00pm: How to gain exposure for your business

You’ve done the work and started your business. Next, you need to make people aware of the awesome work you do. If you’re interested in grabbing your moment in the spotlight, join Ada Slivinski, Vice President of Talk Shop Media, as she walks you through key strategies to leverage media and get your business noticed. Whether you are just starting out and want to do your own PR, or have an established business and are looking to reach a new audience, you’ll leave with actionable takeaways you can implement right away.

Presented by Ada Slivinski, Vice President Talk Shop Media.

3:00pm – 4:00pm: Growing your Market

If you want to grow your business, exporting provides a proven pathway for success. Take the mystery out of the process and join us as two Export Advisors walk you through the basics. You’ll learn about the free Export Navigator program, the benefits you’ll enjoy from exporting, and some key supports you can lean on to get started.

Presented by Amber Piche and Raeanne Anderson, Regional Advisors at Export Navigator.

4pm – Event Ends