1500 Small Business People Seek Answers at Info-Fair
St. John’s, NL – November 15, 2002 – More than 1500 local small business owners and budding entrepreneurs took part in the Government of Canada Small Business Conference and Info-Fair held at the Delta Hotel. Presented by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and sponsored by the Business Development Bank of Canada, the event opened with a conference bringing together 168 members of the local business community.
During the conference, moderated by Dr. Gary Gorman, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Dennis Wallace, president of ACOA, outlined the Government of Canada’s initiatives to support business development and growth. Three successful local entrepreneurs shared their business experiences with conference participants: Dave Gill, general manager, Terra Nova Shoes Ltd.; Stan Cook Jr., president, Stan Cook Sea Kayaking; and Cindy Roma, President, Telelink – The Call Centre Inc.
Concurrently, the Small Business Info-Fair showcased 19 exhibitors from different federal organizations who were on hand to answer questions and to explain products and services available to businesses in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The Info-Fair also offered nine workshops on the following topics: How to Finance Your Business; Not Just The Tax Man; E-Business Essentials; Do You Have a Business Idea; Taking The First Step – How To Take Your Business Idea From Dream To Reality; Marketing Your Business Effectively; Tools To Help You Hire The Right People For Your Small Business; How To Research, Write And Implement a Business Plan and; How To Achieve New Export Markets. These workshops provided over 800 participants with useful information for putting their business plans into operation.
The Government of Canada’s Small Business Conferences and Info-Fairs provide Canadians with the opportunity to obtain valuable information on the support available from the federal government to help encourage small business growth and prosperity.
