Small Business Week has launched in Grande Prairie with entrepreneurs and business owners meeting up to share ideas, success stories and potential hurdles others could learn from.
Marketing and Communications Manager with the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce Tom Pura says with the vast array of business types, both big and small, in the city, it is an opportunity rarely presented to up and coming business owners.
“It’s important [in] a week like this for businesses to realize there are voices out there, there are people who are willing to listen and maybe work with them to get through some of the challenges they may have.”
Pura argues that while the recession continues to linger in other parts of Alberta, Grande Prairie as a whole has seemingly come out the other side in better shape than most.
“I’m not going to say we haven’t been affected, but I think the consensus is we’ve weathered some of what has happened in the rest of the province a little better than other major centres.”
He adds the business community in Grande Prairie is very fortunate with the diversity of different economic sectors running throughout the area.
“That diversity allows us to maybe weather some of the ups and downs a little better, but we can’t take it for granted,” Pura says. “Everybody has to keep working together, and in some cases share not only their successes, but their challenges, and then we can maybe help each other grow.”
Remaining events will include a Women In Business Lunch, A Lunch with Rotary, as well as the Small Business Week Chamber Awards of Distinction.