August 13, 2015 
Dear Readers,
 
First off we wanted to give a shout out to all of the lefties out there on this scorching International Left-Handers Day! You may notice a theme in this edition of our newsletter. 
 
Here at the Chamber, we're gearing up for a VERY busy September. In partnership with our Ambassadors, we are hosting our very first Wedding Expo & Fashion Show. Those in the industry, or soon-to-be married, should not miss this! 

Another special event we're hosting in September is a pre-election forum which will be moderated by no-nonsense news veterans Phil Johnson & Gord Vizzuti. We will have a few business-related questions for the candidates, and attendees will also have an opportunity to pose questions! To read what happened at the first leaders debate,  click here.

We would also like to remind everyone to conserve water wherever and whenever you can as Okanagan has officially been declared at a Drought level 4, the driest rating. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead to water shortages and affect people, industry such as agriculture, wildlife and fish stocks.
 
Kindly, 

     The Kelowna Chamber Team
              Proud recipients of:
Small Business BC's MyBizDay
Take a Day to Invest in your Business

There are many keys to small business success, and although some of them will be specific to your line of business, some are universal. Which is why Small Business BC is bringing a great line up of education to Kelowna. Small Business BC's MyBizDay is a full-day event that connects entrepreneurs to the province's leading tools and resources.
 
This FREE all-day event will take place at the Laurel Packing House on September 16th. It includes a mix of educational workshops, interactive panel sessions, exhibitors and networking for small business owners or those looking to start one.
 
Topics include:
  • Small Business Resources - Presented by Small Business BC
  • Market Research Strategies - Presented by Small Business BC
  • Digital Marketing (SEO & SEM) - Presented by Yellow Pages
  • Technology at Work - Presented by Neil Squire Society
  • Financing for Small Business - Presented by TBD
  • Overcoming Business Challenges - Interactive Panel Session
Limited seats available, so reserve yours TODAY!

Big Investments in Kelowna's Leading Industries
Funding for Tech Centre & Wine Export program announced

The Kelowna Innovation Society (KIS) recently received a strong federal endorsement in the form of a pivotal financial commitment for the Okanagan Centre for Innovation (OCI).

The Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification (WD), was in Kelowna last month to announce a $3.4 million investment that will build out, equip, and operate 24,000 sq. ft. of publicly funded space at the OCI.

With this contribution from WD, the OCI now enjoys support from all three levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal. Combined with the solid backing of private enterprise and the academic community, Kelowna's new tech centre has tremendous momentum.

"We're thrilled to be partnering with the Government of Canada on this initiative," says Society Director and VP, Jeff Keen, "this funding allows us to fully execute on the vision for the OCI and provide maximum support to the startup & entrepreneurial ecosystem."

This comes on the heels of a recent announcement of a $630,000 grant from the same ministry toward the partnership of the BC Wine Industry and University of British Columbia's Okanagan Campus. This will help strengthen the BC wine industry's export readiness and global identity for international growth. 

A big thank you goes out to our MP, Ron Cannan. We wouldn't have these grants if it weren't for his constant lobbying for our riding!

Sales Lead Network 
What has the successful network been up to?

Interested in growing your business and becoming better connected? Our Sales Lead Network meets each Thursday morning from 7:00am-8:30am at the Orchard Park Food Court with catering graciously served by Cora. First breakfast is on us, don't be shy!
 
Some of our latest highlights:

July 30 - Summer's not over yet! Sean Colluney of Sunshine Pools and Spa makes backyard living easy.Looking to freshen up your backyard or find new ways to enjoy the season? Pop by the store and they'll be happy to help you out.

August 6 - Anything from rock chips, to full on broken windows and mirrors, David Langton and the team at Competition Glass can help you with all of your residential and business needs.
 
Thursday's don't work for you? Good news - we'll be starting our second group up in late September. Email [email protected] to join our waitlist today!

How to get a win-win
Discovering the gap of unspoken expectations

When it comes down to it, most people really view negotiations as a lose-lose situation. Or, at best, they view it as a win-lose scenario. But if you really strip away what good negotiations are, they're a conversation that results in a win for both parties.

So how do customer service professionals get to that point? A  client of mine was recently helping someone renegotiate an existing agreement. No matter what he proposed, she shot it down. He ended up very frustrated, feeling like there was no way for him to make her happy!

In every communication situation, every person comes in with two things: their behavior and their expectations.

The person my client was working with had expectations, whether she could articulate them or not. And it was obvious that there was a gap between those unspoken expectations and what my client was proposing.

As a customer care professional your job is to discover what that gap is and see if you can meet in the middle for a win-win.    Read More
 
Upcoming Events

   BAH @ O Spa

Thursday August 20th 

5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

108-1912 Enterprise Way

Morning Business Smarts: Sales & Marketing Automation for Small Biz

Tuesday September 15th

8:00 to 9:00 a.m.

Kelowna Chamber

   Wedding Expo

Tuesday September 29th

4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

The Laurel Packinghouse

Workshop: The Power of Positive Networking

Thursday September 17th

9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

 Gateway 21, Lake City Casino Kelowna

Check out ALL Chamber & Community Event Listings:
July's New Members
Members in the News
 
-Simply Computing has relocated from Springfield to 1546 Pandosy street, into a historic heritage building downtown.
 
-Pandosy Village Veterinary Clinic has challenged all Chamber members to decorate their business with a rainbow in the spirit of Pride Week!
 
-Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers received three awards at the recent B.C. Crime Stoppers provincial conference.
 
-Sandler Training has been named one of the top 30 training companies in the world by magazines Selling Power and Training Industry.
 
-Wyndham Rewards, offered by Ramada Hotel & Conference Centre was ranked No. 2 by U.S. News & World Report for Best Hotel Rewards Program. 
 
Congrats to all!

Campaigns for Cause
OYP Okanagan Sun Football Game


KGHF Classic Tennis & Bocce by the Lake