2021 Business Summit: Forward Thinking
PETERBOROUGH: Local businesses are getting an opportunity to learn new skills, build connections, and get ahead of the latest business trends at the 2021 Business Summit: Forward Thinking.
Hosted by the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, the 2021 Business Summit is a series of workshops, webinars, networking events and guest speakers during the week of April 19 – 23. The goal of this summit is to focus on recovery, foster connections, offer knowledge on upcoming trends and give local business an opportunity to work on their goals. Attendees will gain a competitive edge through connection and exclusive training, gaining knowledge from speakers, curated information and expert panelists.
“The 2021 Business Summit is all about supporting our local businesses,” says Rhonda Keenan, President and CEO, Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. “The coordinating committee has done an excellent job to recruit experts to cover topics that all small businesses are looking for. This summit should provide much needed tools, tips, and resources to manage in an environment that is constantly changing. I encourage all small businesses to participate in this truly forward-thinking business summit.”
The 2021 Business Summit kicks off on Monday, April 19, at 10am with keynote speaker Craig Ryan, Director of Sustainability and Environmental and Social Governance at the Business Development Bank of Canada. Craig will be presenting The Path Forward: What Lies Ahead for Canadian Business Owners? One year after the onset of the pandemic in Canada, we are looking beyond the near term to identify what Canadian small and medium-sized businesses need to do to survive and succeed in a post-COVID-19 world.
“This year’s Business Summit features a range of key information and resources for businesses looking to not only get through this crisis, but come out of it even stronger,” says Stuart Harrison, President and CEO of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. “We’re looking to educate, empower, and inspire local businesses.”
On Wednesday, April 21, at 4 pm the Business Summit will host a Funders Forum moderated by Heather Hallahan, senior account manager with the Business Development Bank of Canada. The forum will host panelists Gail Moorhouse of Community Futures Peterborough, Ann-Marie Kelleher-Byers of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Trevor Crowe of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Kim Freeburn of The CFO Centre Canada. The panel will discuss financial resources, opportunities, and best practices.
This year’s business summit will be virtual and features a series of workshops and webinars, including:
• Photography: Make the most of your online presence
• Email Marketing: How to reach your customers – where they are
• Inventory Management: Keeping track in-house and online
• Customer Experience: Customer-Centric Innovation
• Wellness in the Workplace
• Building Soft Skills
The 2021 Business Summit features daily networking tournaments to help people make new connections and engage the local business community.