Business owners engage in networking during a luncheon event at Cypress County council chambers on Friday.--News Photo Anna Smith
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
To kick off Small Business Week, Cypress County hosted its fourth bi-annual Connections Luncheon.
Beth Cash, economic development officer, says the department was extremely pleased with the enthusiasm from participating organizations, which seemed to be particularly into her usual “speed dating” networking sessions that have become a staple of these luncheons.
“What makes this luncheon special is that we’re kicking off Small Business Week with it. So we debuted an economic development video that we’ll be using for marketing the county, and we just use the event as an opportunity to celebrate,” said Cash.
Roughly 50 organizations attended the event, where they had the chance to make connections, get to know who else makes the region their place of work, as well as view the new promotional video.
“Today, we celebrate the remarkable achievements of small businesses, businesses that think big, see opportunities and challenges and enrich communities like ours, here in Cypress County,” said Deputy Reeve Richard Oster. “As a previous small business owner myself, I understand firsthand the dedication and passion it takes to grow a business. It’s not always easy, but the impact is undeniable. Your work creates jobs, strengthens our economy and makes our communities a better place to live. At Cypress County, we are committed to supporting businesses like yours.”
With the luncheon complete, the economic development department turns its focus to the Ag Connections Conference in November, which is looking to be completely sold out once again in the near future.
“The conference really is for small businesses, because producers, our farms and ranches are small businesses,” said Cash. “We have our speaker lineup, we have people coming from all over Western Canada, and yeah, it’s just shaping up to be a really great event again.”
