By Vivian Moreau
Whether you’re a woman thinking about starting a business in
Whistler or if you’re already up and running but need tips on developing your
business, Fairmont Chateau Whistler is the place to be April 10 as 150 local
female business owners gather for a one-day business conference.
In its third year, the “Dazzle and Deliver” conference that
includes a four-panel morning forum and afternoon of five workshops is an opportunity
for women to learn from others’ successes and challenges, says conference
spokesperson Bernie Lalor-Morton. Sponsored by Women of Whistler, a business
networking group, Lalor-Morton says the day is more than just a chance to get
the word out about your own business, it’s also a place to discover what other
businesses in Whistler are doing.
“It gives other women the opportunity to say ‘Hey you know
what? I can find the thing I need here, I don’t have to go somewhere else,’”
said Lalor-Morton, who noted she now uses a graphic designer she met through a
previous conference.
Keynote speaker Cathrine M. Ann, a recent YWCA Women of
Distinction award winner, will speak about her journey from street kid to
entrepreneur. Raised in a troubled Toronto home, Ann was sleeping with her baby
in subway stations at 14, but through a remarkable journey, Ann, now in her
40s, started a successful Vancouver-based retail analysis company.
Whistler businesswoman Fiona Famulak attended last year’s
conference for the first time. She started her bookkeeping and strata
management company, Indigo Innovations, in Whistler four
years ago and said the conference helped her come up
with a long-term plan for her business.
“A lot of us get into business without really giving a lot of
thought into where the company is going,” Famulak said. She said the conference
is an inspiring day of listening to and speaking with other businesswomen.
“You leave with a real upbeat feeling that you can conquer
everything because you’ve learned so much and all you want to do is get back to
work and apply them.”
Coffee and lunch is included in the $99 fee for the conference that runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To register, call Whistler Chamber of Commerce, 604-932-5922, ext. 26.