It’s the small businesses that keep commerce strong in Innisfail, say chamber execs Jane Duncalfe and Mitch Thomson.
“I’d say about 90 per cent of our members are small business,” said Duncalfe. After a second thought she changes her mind. “Well, since small business are 500 employees or less, or make less than five million a year, I’d say it’s all small businesses in Innisfail,” she said.
It’s Small Business Week in Canada, and Innisfail has a lot to celebrate, said Thomson, president of the Innisfail Chamber of Commerce.
“We value our small businesses and the input they give us. They put time into their businesses and contribute to the community to make it what it is.” He said the chamber had a tremendous list of nominees this year and said the chamber always looks to pass on winners to the Alberta Chamber of Commerce. If they win at a provincial level, they become eligible for national competition.
Being part of the provincial chamber is one perk for local chamber members, explains Thomson.
“Anytime we can bring people together – you can achieve more. (Whether it’s) buying power, networking or economic development. You can achieve a heck of a lot more together.”
Duncalfe agrees.
“We market ourselves with the tourism information centre. We put on education events for businesses seeking assistance with training, or other events,” she said, adding bullying in the workforce as a possible seminar. “We work with the downtown association with their events and promoting.”
The two said there are over 200 members, a strong number they said but added more are always welcome.
With the week themed entrepreneurs, the two add that many home based business can benefit from the chamber for all the same reasons bigger businesses can.
“They can get a lot of group benefits they couldn’t get otherwise,” she said.
The Communications Coordinator for small business, Central Alberta Rural Electrical Association, agrees.
“We are a chamber member and so far they’ve been extra helpful in some of the projects we’ve had going on,” said Michaela Johnstone.
“Most recently we’re looking at starting a preferred supplier program. .... Because they’re a big network of businesses they were almost able to provide us with one stop shopping. I did a presentation (at chamber) about our preferred program. And there were business representatives there they were able to ask questions and come up with a plan for us about how we can provide information to the rest of their membership on the preferred program,” she said adding that as rural electric cooperative they’re not the typical business that can offer services to anyone and everyone.
“It meant I didn’t have to go knocking on everyone’s door. They were able to provide this avenue for me to the businesses that would be interested. It was a huge networking advantage for me and saved me a lot of time.”
