With summer in full swing we have all enjoyed all the wonderful things that come with this beautiful season! From warm days by the river, sunny evenings on a patio, BBQ’ing with friends, or peacefully floating down one of our beautiful rivers, we all have our favourite summertime activities and we hope you have been able to enjoy some of yours too!
Summer of 2022 has been bustling as Grand Forks is home to several exciting events like the Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament, Canada’s Rock Fest, as well as various other sports tournaments being hosted in our great city! Finally, after a two year hiatus we saw these events return, and there has definitely been excitement in the air!
We are also thrilled to see several new local businesses open their doors in the summer months! One in particular that has just recently opened their doors is Shering Spaces, who we have featured in this newsletter!
Finally, Community Futures is looking forward to its 30th Anniversary celebrations happening October 1st to October 31st (updated) at Gallery 2 Grand Forks Art Gallery.
Please enjoy this issue of our Community Futures Summer Newsletter as we hope it shines a light on some interesting things happening in our community!
This month we feature a brand new business in downtown Grand Forks. Shering Spaces is a place for small businesses, creators and anyone who needs a venue to pursue what they are passionate about.
Shane Chisolm and Sheri Braaksma are the proud owners, and we recently sat down with Sheri to ask her some questions about their new business.
CF: Tell us about your biz.
Sheri: Shering Spaces is a cooperative workspace for creators, small business owners and professionals to work, collaborate and network. Our space is fluid meaning we can easily change from a boardroom to a classroom to an wide open space. Our goal at Shering Spaces is to have a place for the community to gather, create and share in an open and welcoming space.
CF: Why do you choose to do business in Grand Forks?
Sheri: We chose Grand Forks for its beauty and charm. The Kootenays are so beautiful. People are very friendly and warm, definitely that small town feeling. We asked a lot of questions before we made the decision to open Shering Spaces and felt there was a need for people to meet that was not formal or a restaurant. There is also an amazing amount of artists, creators and small cottage industries in Grand Forks that could use a space to call their own for a wide variety of reasons.
CF: What do you love about living in Grand Forks?
Sheri: We feel that Grand Forks is on the verge of a big upswing and we wanted to get in on that growth. There are so many exciting things happening especially in the downtown core. We are truly enjoying being a part of it and supporting those around us. What is not to love about living in Grand Forks. We love the people, the slower pace and the open spaces.
CF: How has your business benefitted from Community Futures?
Sheri: Our relationship with Community Futures is at this point in the infancy stages. Community Futures is a huge supporter of local business and they are excited about Shering Spaces has to offer. We are looking forward to seeing where this relationship goes.
If you are interested in renting space at Shering Spaces or simply checking it all out, you can stop by 327 Market Ave Monday-Friday 9:00-4:00. The staff would love to meet you and show you around!
*Please see below for rates and packages.
Boundary Business Advisory Program
Are you starting a new business or planning to expand? Community Futures can help with our Business Advisory Program. We can provide up to 10 hours of free coaching in many different areas including cash flow planning, creating a business plan and more!
Visit out website today to learn more.
Introducing a new tool for BC businesses: the Business Continuity Plan
We’ve been busy developing a new online tool for business owners and entrepreneurs! This tool creates a personalized plan to prepare for and respond to unexpected disruptions like wildfires, floods, and pandemics.
Try it out for free cfbcp.ca
The tool is presented by Colin O’Leary of O’Leary & Associates. Colin created the Economic Impact and Economic Recovery Work Plan from the Elephant Hill Wildfire in 2017 and has presented all over the province as a keynote speaker to talk to business owners about business continuity planning.
The purpose of this tool is to give business owners the ability to prepare for almost any disaster or disruption to their business.
Well-prepared businesses have proven to fare much better through disasters because they have already considered the possible impacts to their business and developed strategies ahead of time for dealing with them.
We encourage you to create your free profile and start building your own business continuity plan today.
Create your Business Continuity Plan cfbcp.ca
Community Futures Small Business Loans
Community Futures has been lending money to small businesses throughout the Boundary since 1992. During that time we have approved loans to well over 600 businesses.
Community Futures has loan funds available to start, buy, or expand your business. If you have a commercially viable business or project in the Boundary region, Community Futures Boundary may be able to arrange the financing you need.
Community Futures Boundary also lends to eligible not-for-profits and social enterprise entities.
Starting or expanding your business requires a lot of research and planning. Community Futures Boundary can provide you with the tools and guidance you need.
To learn more visit our website today!
The Kootenay Association for Science and Technology (KAST) has partnered with Spring Activator to bring the Kootenay Investment Challenge to the region. The Challenge is a 10-week online program, taking place this fall, that will bring together investment ready tech entrepreneurs and investors looking to make an impact in the local community. At the end of the Challenge, the investor cohort will select one Kootenay business to receive a $50,000 – $100,000 investment. For more information visit www.kast.com/kic
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