Did you know that October is small business month? It’s time to celebrate our choices and how our combined efforts impact our local economy. Keep up the great work!
The Profile of Small Business 2015 shows that there are over 382,000 small businesses in BC with under 50 employees. The impact of these small businesses is BIG in BC with 33% of our gross domestic product (GDP) being generated by small businesses in 2014. Small business is an important component of job creation – think just over 1 million jobs - and economic growth for our province as a whole. And while the average percentage of Canadian women who are self-employed is 36.2%, in BC over 37.1% of British Columbian women are taking on the entrepreneurial challenge.
Enough statistics! However, I’d like to share an observation.
I find it interesting to see how many of us – particularly women – are choosing to craft our own path, to take control of our own future, to build a business that reflects who we are and we think is important. We have choices, and as entrepreneurs we choose create our own future, to define success on our own terms, and to balance our lives according to our own unique set of values. And that’s worth celebrating!
All around BC this month, you will find organizations and businesses celebrating Small Business Month.
Here in my hometown of Maple Ridge, BC, our local Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Small Business Week the week of October 18 to 21st with a range of workshops, mixers, and luncheons. Lots of great stuff going on!
Small Business BC is also getting in on the act with a full month jam packed with informative workshops that range from business start up, sales strategies, finance, website design, SEO and SEM, marketing, and the list goes on.
And to recognize and celebrate the impact of women entrepreneurs in our province and to champion the next generation of women entrepreneurs, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, WEB Alliance of Women’s Business Networks, and the Province of BC have organized the #weforshebc conference on October 14th. I’ll be there absorbing all the great energy and learning what I can do to empower women entrepreneurs.
This month celebrate your choice to become an entrepreneur! Take five minutes to recognize and congratulate yourself for carving out “work” that resonates for you and allows you to positively contribute to the local economy.
Let’s continue the conversation below by exploring: what lead to you becoming a small business owner? what do you enjoy most about being self-employed? I can’t wait to hear your comments.