Conference reflects buzz around city’s small businesses
Attendance double last year
The sluggish economy may have contributed to the record turnout this year at Calgary’s Small Business Conference, organized by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
The event — which featured a business showcase, workshops for business owners and entrepreneurs, and a keynote address by Michele Romanow of CBC’s Dragons’ Den — attracted 1,600 attendees, roughly twice as many as last year.
Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Scott Crockatt said while it’s true Calgary is experiencing a high number of business closures during this recession, it has also seen a high number of new business openings.
“Part of this is being driven by the economic downturn, in that people are finding opportunities in new places,” said Crockatt. “Old industries are a little less profitable than they were before, so people who are seeing less opportunity in the traditional big companies of the past are investing their time and money in starting something new.”
And while many of the entrepreneurs who attended the event to network and market themselves acknowledged it has not been an easy time to start a business, many also expressed optimism in their future as business owners.
“We’ve been able to grow, and we’re surprised by that,” said Jo Williams, part-owner of Hip Image Mobile Photo Booth, which launched in 2015.
“Yes, if the economy was screaming, we would be fully booked up, but we’re really pleasantly surprised with how we’ve grown so far, considering the market that we’re in.”
Concluding the conference, Calgary Elite Roofing, an exterior renovation services company that prides itself on its customer service, was named the 2016 ATB Small Business of the Year at an awards ceremony Thursday night.
The company was awarded the top prize based on its innovative approach to business, which includes flying a drone over the roof to show what areas need work, as well as filming the roof once the work has been done to show the customer before and after footage.
“The businesses we’re seeing that are actually thriving have cracked balancing innovation, productivity as well as growth into new markets,” said Adam Legge, president and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
“One of the factors that really pushed Calgary Elite Roofing over the top was that they are a traditional industry, roofing, but they’re taking an extremely innovative approach to their business, including a heavy focus on incorporating digital and technology.”
Calgary Elite Roofing also took the award for customer service excellence. The company has an emergency line that keeps them accessible 24/7.
This year marked the 34th year of the annual Small Business Week awards, a celebration designed to spotlight Calgary’s greatest small businesses.
“It exceeded our wildest expectations,” Legge said. “With a recordsetting number of applications, choosing the ATB Small Business of the Year winner was extremely difficult.”
Winners in other categories Thursday included Indigenous Entrepreneurship: Moonstone Creation; BDC Emerging Growth: Re-Matt Inc.; Community Impact: Meticulon; Innovation: BlackSquare; Environmental Stewardship: Hop Compost; Breakout Business: Showpass; and People’s Choice: PK Sound.