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Small Business Week Virtual Summit

Presented by connectFirst

Small Business Week is over for another year. Thank you to all involved and we look forward to gathering together in-person, next year.

Running a business is all about adapting to the environment you are in and rolling with the punches, we are taking a page from your book and doing just that with the 2021 Small Business Week Summit. This year the Small Business Week Summit will be held virtually. This ensures the safety of all involved, while still providing you with content, growth and learning opportunities.

We have a full schedule planned, with a few surprises and delights throughout the day, that will leave you feeling inspired and ready to work on and build your business.

Tickets include an event experience box full of resources and tools to support your business while giving you access to unique savings and products in our community.

Learn something new

Hear from industry leaders on topics such as business building, diversity & inclusion, and how to legally navigate the pandemic.

Grow your network

With over 1,000 attendees you are sure to make new connections and potential new business leads.

Get inspired

Listen to business owners tell their growth story, and become inspired to grow your business.

Schedule

A full day that will leave you with takeaways to grow your business.

Keynote

Helcim, a growth story

Nic Beique is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Helcim, a payments company that makes it faster, easier, and more affordable for businesses to get paid. He was the lead developer on the company’s first software launch, Helcim Commerce. Nicolas has been recognized for his contributions to the payment industry and tech economy in Calgary as the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Prairies Technology overall category winner in 2018 and as a member of the Avenue Calgary Top 40 Under 40 class of 2019.

Fireside chat

A turnkey approach from a trusted advisor: How WBM Partners LLP is thriving

Hear from Al-Karim Moloo, Partner at WBM Partners LLP, about how his company adapted and leveraged turnkey technology solutions from Rogers for Business to keep their data safe and competitive edge sharp, and how their company continues to grow and thrive.

podcast

connectFirst Power Hour

Join connectFirst Credit Union for 60 minutes of conversation delivered in a TED talk format. connectFirst is shining a light on local small businesses as Wellington Holbrook, Chief Operating Officer of connectFirst is joined live on stage by Connor Curran, Chief Laundry Folder at Local Laundry. Together they will discuss resiliency, why it’s critical to bank on local, and the future of Alberta’s small business community culminating in a live recording of Wellington’s hit podcast What’s Next, Alberta?

Panel

Diversity and inclusion: A competitive advantage

Diversity, equity and inclusion is a crucial component to building a strong business. There are many ways businesses can incorporate a DE&I strategy into their business, and this panel will highlight a few of them by sharing experiences from local business owners.

Keynote

COVID Vaccine and employer rights

The pandemic has created new employment law hurdles for entrepreneurs and SMBs. As we partially and unevenly reopen, you'd be forgiven for being unsure about what’s expected of your business and the best ways to protect your colleagues and customers. This session will guide you and your business on vaccination policies, Covid-19 Safety Plans and returning to the office. An employment lawyer from Calgary-based legal tech platform Goodlawyer will be dropping knowledge and taking audience questions.

Let's celebrate Calgary's best!

Join us for the Calgary Small Business Awards Gala as we announce the winners of the coveted Small Business Week Awards!

With 8 awards up for grabs, the expert panel of judges have announced 24 finalists and on October 22 we will announce the winners. We are rolling out the red carpet for the final night of Small Business Week to celebrate and be inspired by Calgary's mighty small business community.

Learn more

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