COCHRANE— Rejoicing in the entrepreneurial spirit that makes Cochrane strong, The Cochrane and Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Small Business Week.
Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce president Kelly Sinclair said she is proud to be a part of Cochrane's hard-working small business community. She added there is something special in Cochrane because the businesses still have a small-town feeling where many owners are on a first-name basis with customers.
“You know what to expect in terms of the quality they are delivering,” Sinclair said. “Small business is an amazing energy— Our small businesses have so much passion for what they do. It's not an easy thing to start a business so you have to be really connected to your purpose.”
The Chamber of Commerce hosted an online Small Business Week Kick-Off on Monday (Oct. 19) where small business owners were able to meet and chat in small groups using the video conferencing app Zoom. The event included break-out rooms so attendees were able to actively participate in conversations together, Sinclair said, rather than passively watch others give presentations.
The event included a message from Mayor Jeff Genung and a message from the province acknowledging the small business community in Cochrane.
“We have a lot of small businesses here,” Sinclair said. “It is the primary source of our businesses— We are a very entrepreneurial community in Cochrane.”
Small Business Week aims to give attention to businesses, Sinclair said, and serves to thank them for their contributions to the economy while providing an opportunity to share the role the Chamber holds in Cochrane.
Small Business Week is all the more important this year due to COVID-19, Sinclair said, and the Chamber is taking steps to ensure they mark the occasion and celebrate local communities.
Sinclair added she sits on the Town of Cochrane’s Economic Recovery Task Force and a business impact survey conducted earlier this year indicated businesses were looking for help around marketing and encouraging people to shop locally in Cochrane during the pandemic.
“It’s getting people into the business to keep their doors open,” Sinclair said.
Businesses are still facing challenges as they adapt to the economic realities of COVID-19, Sinclair said, adding many have created innovative ways to keep their doors open.
“There’s still limitations that are being put on a lot of businesses by way of requiring social distancing and capacity restrictions,” Sinclair said.
She added the Chamber has felt the impact of COVID-19 health protocols citing the need to host small business week online rather than in-person.
During COVID-19 the Chamber has been focused on collaboration and facilitating connections between businesses in the community, Sinclair said, to help them navigate the challenges they face.
These actions have included hosting restaurant and health fitness round tables, and since the onset of the virus, the Chamber has been hosting meetings to help ensure business owners remain connected and have access to critical resources and educational opportunities.
“We want to provide a space where we can be a point on information— There’s so much information coming from so many places so we’re trying to help connect it all into one space,” Sinclair said.
The Chamber is continuing to encourage Cochranites to “think locally first” when it comes to shopping, dining and other services, Sinclair said.
“Small business owners often wear all the hats— They’re small teams, or teams of one often, and they’re just doing every piece of the puzzle themselves,” Sinclair said. “We’re here to provide resources, we’re here to help them look up over the wall of their business and get their head back up and see other opportunities that are out there.”
Small Business Week officially runs from Oct. 19 to Oct. 16.
