Whether you're just getting started or are ready to grow your team, you should find something that meets your needs among this selection of free and low costs events for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
We also recommend visiting smallbusinessbc.caand reviewing their full event calendar and seminar line up.
Please note details are accurate at time of publication, all summaries have been reproduced from host descriptions.
How to Apply for a Business Loan with Women’s Enterprise Centre
Host: Women’s Enterprise Centre
Target audience: Female entrepreneurs
Date: 5 & 19 March 2019
Time: 12.00 – 1.00pm
Location: Phone in session
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Learn how to apply for a loan from Women’s Enterprise Centre. In this FREE session, the facilitator will review our lending criteria, answer your questions, advise you on how to apply and provide you with a resource package. At the end of the session, your Advisor will work with you to determine if you are eligible for a loan with us and ensure that you receive an application."
Me Inc. Workshops
Host: Basin Business Advisors Program
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Dates & Locations: Creston: March 5; Golden: March 6; Castlegar: March 19; New Denver: March 21; Nelson: March 26; Fernie: March 26
Time: Various
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Have you ever wondered about becoming an entrepreneur? Taking your training or skills to a new level and running your own show? Launching a start-up? Maybe buying a business and running it? The Me Inc. workshop is designed to answer your questions. In just 2 hours we will review critical decision points for making the transition, support resources and other details."
2019 New West Innovation Forum
Host: Public Services and Procurement Canada and the City of New Westminster
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 6 March 2019
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Anvil Centre, New Westminster
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "As a part of Innovation Week 2019, organized by the city of New Westminster, Public Services and Procurement Canada is partnering with the city to present to you the 2019 New West Innovation Forum! The morning will showcase various government support programs that are available to Canadian companies in the R&D and innovation space, and a Keynote speaker will help transition to an afternoon of small group speed Q&A sessions with business experts."
Rock my Business Plan - workshop series
Host: Futurepreneur Canada
Target audience: Aspiring business owners aged 18-39 who have recently launched a business or could be ready within the next few months
Date: 6 & 13 March
Location: Cranbrook
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Join the next wave of entrepreneurs from your local area at the free Rock My Business Plan workshop series! Learn the steps to get your business plan started, confidently talk about your business idea and connect you to a cohort of like-minded entrepreneurs."
Starting a Business Information Session
Host: Women’s Enterprise Centre
Target audience: Female entrepreneurs
Date: 7 & 21 March 2019
Time: 12.00 – 1.00pm
Location: Phone in session
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Free phone-in for those thinking of starting a business.The session is broken into 2 parts. In Part 1, we explain how to write an effective business plan. We cover each section of the business plan and provide strategies and resources to ensure your plan is well organized and consistent. In Part 2 we uncover how to make your business official."
Waterfront Chats: Meetup Presents Showcasing Women in Business
Host: Small Business BC & Meetup
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 7 March 2019
Time: 5.00 - 7.00pm
Location: Downtown Vancouver
Cost: $10 online, $12 at the door
Register
Summary: "Our Waterfront Chats meetup series is geared at start-up businesses and provides an opportunity to hear from and network with local entrepreneurs and organizations. In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8th, we are celebrating successful women entrepreneurs. Hear about their journeys and how they’re pushing the boundaries for women in business."
BC Tech Summit
Host: Government of British Columbia & Innovate BC
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 11-13 March 2019
Time: Various
Location: Vancouver
Cost: Start up tickets available for $199 (register by 6 March). Full price tickets $999+GST
Register
Summary: "The world is changing at an unprecedented rate, with new realities introduced every day. How will we use emerging technologies - from AI to Robotics, Quantum to Clean-tech, Blockchain to AR/VR – to solve the biggest challenges facing BC and the world today?...Western Canada's largest annual innovation event, the 2019 #BCTECHSummit."
Tax Return Help and Tips for Small Business Owners and Self-Employed Individuals
Host: DIVERSEcity Immigrant Entrepreneur Program
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 14 March 2019
Time: 1.00 - 3.00pm
Location: Surrey City Central Library
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Liaison Officers from the Canada Revenue Agency will talk about: Small Business and Self-Employment tax deductions; common tax errors; general bookkeeping concepts and best practices; helpful tools and services offered by the CRA."
ThriveNorth Business Planning Workshops
Host: ThriveNorth by Futrepreneur Canada
Target audience: Entrepreneurs 18 - 39 who want to get their business idea off the ground
Date: 19 March 2019
Time: 10.00am - 2.30pm
Location: Smithers
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "ThriveNorth mentors will provide guidance on effectively building and communicating a business plan, improving a launch and leveraging networks of people to further a business. This free crash course is designed to help entrepreneurs create a killer business plan in record time."
Mentor Advisory Forum: From Solopreneur to Boss: Creating Your Processes
Host: Women’s Enterprise Centre
Target audience: Female entrepreneurs
Date: 20 March 2019
Time: 10.00 – 11.00am
Location: Phone in session
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "You’ve built your business out of passion and hard work, so you know it inside and out. But how can you boil it down to a set of processes that is easy for a new employee to understand? Join us on March 20 for the first in a two-part teleconference series to help you address the first stages of hiring for your business: creating processes and systems."
Start Up Learning Series: Building a Strong Employee Culture
Host: SFU Venture Labs in partnership with Freedom 55 Financial and Riipen
Target audience: Founders and senior leadership of growing startups with 5+ employees
Date: 20 March 2019
Time: 11.30am - 1.30pm
Location: Vancouver
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Learn how to take care of your team so they can focus on taking care of your business. How do you attract talent, how do you compensate and perhaps most importantly how do you retain talent once hired?"
Market Research for Your Business
Host: Small Business BC
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 21 & 28 March 2019 (sessions can also be bought separately)
Time: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Online webinar or Small Business BC Office Vancouver
Cost: $119+ GST
Register
Summary: "This package is designed for new and existing business owners who want to develop their business strategy by gathering information about current and potential customers, industry trends and competition."
Techstars Startup Weekend Kelowna
Host: Techstars
Target audience: Entrepreneurs with an idea they have not previously worked on
Date: 22 - 24 March 2019
Location: Kelowna
Cost: $99
Register
Summary: "Do you have an idea you'd like to pursue or a problem you'd like to solve but don't know where to start or who to start with? Techstars Startup Weekend is the place to look for a team, create a prototype of your idea, validate your business idea, and receive feedback from experienced entrepreneurs, all in one weekend."
Entrepreneurship Hub Presents: RBC Get Seeded
Host: AMS eHub
Target audience: UBC Students interested in entrepreneurship
Date: 23 March 2019
Time: 6.00 - 9.00pm
Location: UBC Vancouver Campus
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "RBC Get Seeded is an event put on by the AMS of UBC's service Entrepreneurship Hub. In conjunction with RBC on campus, we are awarding seed funding to students at the university who have ideas for start-ups or initiatives! 15 teams will compete for the top 8, where the top 8 teams win $500 to jumpstart their idea. The teams are chosen by audience voting through the UBC student venture, HyperVote."
Funding & Support for Startups (Tech Companies)
Host: Accelerate Okanagan
Target audience: Anyone can attend
Date: 27 March 2019
Time: 8.30 - 9.30am
Location: Kelowna
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "There are many funding and support programs and initiatives in Canada that can help startup entrepreneurs and small and medium businesses. Join Alex Goodhew for this one-hour informative session, where she will discuss the programs most relevant to technology companies."
Mentor Advisory Forum: All Systems Grow: Building Your Team
Host: Women’s Enterprise Centre
Target audience: Female entrepreneurs who are starting to grow their team
Date: 27 March 2019
Time: 10.00 – 11.00am
Location: Phone in session
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "So, you’ve added a new member to your team. Now what? Many business owners have some initial systems in place, but they need some guidance on where to further develop their systems in order to grow. Join us on March 27 to zero in on the areas where you can bulk up your processes and procedures and set yourself up for growth."
e@UBC Innovator Meetup
Host: Entrepreneurship@UBC
Target audience: UBC Students interested in entrepreneurship or involved in a startup
Date: 28 March 2019
Time: 5.00 - 7.00pm
Location: UBC Vancouver Campus
Cost: Free
Register
Summary: "Join us for a casual night of socializing and idea-sharing at our next Innovator Meetup! This meetup will give you a chance to socialize with other innovators, discuss your startup or idea, get support from peers at UBC and learn from experts in the field."