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A new way to market and network your local Vancouver Island business!

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Vancouver Island Grassroots Entrepreneur Network

community – connection – opportunity – empowerment

The myth of the individual entrepreneur is just that – a myth. Whatever you call yourself – a business owner, creator, founder, innovator or entrepreneur – research shows that we do better when we work together and support each other: when we are part of a community of like-minded people.

CONTACT US

“If your run your own business, and especially if you’re new to the valley, LIFT is essential for your network.”

—ARZEENA HAMIR

Connect with us.

Led by Leif Jason, LIFT is a passion project focused on growing an inclusive entrepreneurial community on Vancouver Island. We want to help you to grow your business and have fun doing it.

“LIFT has been a great part of establishing an entrepreneurial community that has been so beneficial not only for me but hundreds of others! Always great event, parties, online influence.”

—Jabin Postal

Inclusive

Whether you head up a business with 50 employees or you are a solopreneur; whether your product or service is unique or there are others offering similar things; whether you are just starting out or have been in business for 10+ years; whether you’re an introvert or extrovert…

If you’re community minded, ready to grow personally and professionally, and want to surround yourself with great people, you’re a good fit for LIFT.

Innovative

If traditional networking and the idea of handing out business cards to strangers while you make small talk has you running for the hills, well we get it! Time to adjust how you think about networking.

In LIFT you get to know people through innovative facilitated events and discussion, where we work together on real businesses and real issues. We guide and support each other while building real relationships and learning valuable skills. This is not small talk, it’s REAL talk.

“This group is a great place to come if you want to be surrounded with big thinkers. It’s unique because it’s a very collaborative and supportive atmosphere. Come on out and see what it’s like!!”

—Amy Englemark

liftstartups

Vancouver Island Local Business Network
#WeAreVanIsl ✊#networkingbetter
By @mastermynde

Get @reshare_app • @comoxvalleywbn November 11 CVW Get @reshare_app • @comoxvalleywbn November 11 CVWN presents two amazing speakers at the November Meetup Event!

From Fish wives to Fish Business Women!  Bonnie Dennis (Coast Seafoods and Divers Catch) and Melissa Collier (Wild Catch), are married to commercial fishermen.  Both have left their original careers to support their husbands in operating their fishing businesses, which has morphed into them taking on primary roles and often being the face of their companies. 

Both have taken on active roles in advocating for the livelihood they believe in.  Their parallel journeys each have unique challenges specific to the different fisheries they partake in.

Come listen to Bonnie and Melissa share stories of their journey on managing a business in an unpredictable and uncertain industry where politics and public perception overrule science and data.

Location: Crown Isle Resort
Time: 5:30 - 8:30 pm

Networking, Keynote and Spotlight speakers, food and fun! 

Get your tickets early! 

Tickets: https://www.cvwbn.org/store/p/dinner-meet-up-november2026

$55 Members
$65 Non-members

#womeninbusiness #comoxvalleybusiness
Get @reshare_app • @nanaimochamber 🎄 Tickets are o Get @reshare_app • @nanaimochamber 🎄 Tickets are officially LIVE for the Chamber Holiday Bash! 🥂
Let’s wrap up 2026 together with an evening of festive cheer, great conversations and meaningful connections.
Join Nanaimo’s business community for a relaxed year-end celebration featuring delicious appetizers, refreshments and plenty of time to mix, mingle and celebrate the year—no presentations, no formal program, just pure networking!
📅 Thursday, December 10, 2026
⏰ 4:00–6:00 p.m.
📍 Coast Bastion Hotel 
Tickets are limited, so register early and join us as we raise a glass to the people, partnerships and accomplishments that made 2026 memorable!
🎟️ Get your tickets on our website now!
#ChamberHolidayBash #NanaimoChamber #NanaimoBusiness #CelebrateAndConnect #NetworkingNanaimo HolidayNetworking
Get @reshare_app • @westshorechamber On behalf of Get @reshare_app • @westshorechamber On behalf of @town_of_view_royal Council and the @westshorechamber, you are cordially invited to an upcoming business mixer on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 @ 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM specifically for View Royal businesses.

Members of Town Council and representatives from the WestShore Chamber of Commerce will be in attendance and look forward to reconnecting with you or meeting you in person for the first time.

Refreshments will be provided! View Royal business owners, managers or staff are invited to eat, drink, network, and share your ideas to help make our community an even better place to do business with your newly elected representatives.

Link in bio to register!

To ensure as many people as possible can participate, registration is limited to a maximum of two attendees per organization.

#vancouverislandbusiness
Get @reshare_app • comoxvalleychamber Join the BC Get @reshare_app • comoxvalleychamber Join the BC Chamber of Commerce for a week of FREE practical sessions helping B.C. small businesses manage tariff pressures, protect their margins and find new paths to growth. Sessions include:

Monday, October 19: What The Year Ahead Will Cost B.C. Small Business 12:00-1:00 PM PT | An economic outlook for B.C. small business with Bryan Yu, Chief Economist, Central 1

Tuesday, October 20: Cybersecurity and AI basics for small business 12:00-1:00 PM PT

Wednesday, October 21: After the U.S.: Where B.C. Exporters Go Next 12:00-1:00 PM PT | Led by Export Navigator

Thursday, October 22: Business Next Door: Getting into Western Canada’s Supply Chains 12:00-1:00 PM PT | A conversation with BC Chamber & Alberta Chambers of Commerce

Friday, October 23: From B.C. to the World: Reaching Overseas Customers Through the Port 12:00-1:00 PM

Register now via the link in bio 🎟️

#buildinggoodbusiness #chamberofcommerce #comoxvalleybusiness
Get @reshare_app • @kfnecdev Come join our dream t Get @reshare_app • @kfnecdev Come join our dream team! ✨

Bring your skills and ideas to a team whose work supports economic growth, community well-being, and a strong future for the K’ómoks First Nation.

We’re hiring a :
▪️ Finance Officer
▪️ Winemaker & Vineyard Manager
▪️ Director of Tourism & Hospitality
▪️ Marketing & Social Media Coordinator

Explore the opportunities and apply at kfnecdev.ca/careers/

Know someone who would be a great fit? Share this post with them!

#KEDC #NowHiring #ComoxValleyJobs #IndigenousTourism #VancouverIslandJobs
Get @reshare_app • @mycommunityfutures Here’s what Get @reshare_app • @mycommunityfutures Here’s what’s coming up next week at myCommunityFutures! 

Explore upcoming learning opportunities to support your business or organization:

🔹 Oct 20: Strategic Planning for Small Businesses 
🔹 Oct 21: Digital Transformation for Small Businesses 
🔹 Oct 22: Strategic Partnerships for Small Businesses 

📌 Business training from Community Futures is free of charge within select CF-service regions.
Get @reshare_app • @invest.nanaimo Nanaimo is in a Get @reshare_app • @invest.nanaimo Nanaimo is in a period of sustained growth. Population is increasing, major investments are underway, and the city’s role as a mid-Island hub continues to deepen.

But there’s a quieter layer of infrastructure that determines whether this growth shows up in people’s daily lives.

Our latest piece looks at what that layer is, why it matters more as a city’s economic role expands, and where Nanaimo stands today.

#nanaimobc #nanaimobusiness
Get @reshare_app • comoxvalleychamber Do you know Get @reshare_app • comoxvalleychamber Do you know a person, business or organization from the Comox Valley business community that deserves to shine? The 2026 Chamber Awards are now open! 

With 14 categories to choose from, there’s bound to be a Chamber Award with their name on it.

NEW FOR 2026: 

⭐RISING STAR AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:

• Has achieved remarkable business success in a short period of time and demonstrates exceptional potential for continued growth and leadership in the Comox Valley

•The nominee should generally be within the first five years of their entrepreneurial journey or career regardless of age

•Demonstrates drive, initiative and an ability to turn ideas into results

(Available for sponsorship!)

 &

🏆WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP & ENTERPRISE AWARD Honours an INDIVIDUAL who:

• Recognizes an outstanding entrepreneur whose leadership, business achievement and contribution to the Comox Valley demonstrates excellence, resilience and positive impact

• Holds meaningful decision-making authority and be actively involved in the strategic direction and/or day-to-day operation of the business

• Self-identifies as a woman and is an active leader of a Comox Valley business

Sponsored by Austin Wealth Management Team, RBC Dominion Securities

Visit comoxvalleychamber.com/chamber-awards-nominations for the full list of categories & criteria now 🤝

The nomination period will run until the end of October.

#buildinggoodbusiness #chamberofcommerce #comoxvalleybusiness
Get @reshare_app • @smalltownstartup As we get dee Get @reshare_app • @smalltownstartup As we get deeper into voting season, I feel like it’s especially important to remind you that the future of your small town isn’t determined by some grand plan. It’s being shaped by the thousands of little decisions people make every single day.

It’s the building owner who decides to fix the leak in the ceiling before it becomes a much bigger problem, or replace that worn-out patch of carpet before the entire space starts to deteriorate. Then, it’s the resident who chooses to attend a public meeting instead of assuming someone else will speak up. It’s also the business owner who decides to invest a little more into their storefront, even when money is tight.

It’s exercising your right to vote instead of letting everyone else make those decisions for you, and it’s recognizing that you cast another kind of vote every time you open your wallet and decide which businesses in your community are worth supporting.

Your town probably has a strategic plan somewhere. It might be 80 pages long, full of beautiful renderings, ambitious goals, and ideas that sound fantastic in a public presentation, but I’d be willing to bet only a handful of people in your community could tell you what’s actually in it. Meanwhile, the real future of your town is being decided in much smaller, less glamorous moments like I mentioned above. 

None of this is to say that leadership, planning, and public investment doesn’t matter, it does, but a strategic plan can’t substitute for a community of people who are willing to participate in shaping the place they call home.

That’s what I want you to understand: You, reading this, have so much more power to shape the future of your small town than you probably realize.

You don’t need to be the mayor or to own half of Main Street, you also don’t need a million-dollar budget or permission from the people who have always been “in charge.” Whether you realize it or not, you’re already helping decide what your town will look like in 5, 10 or even 20 years from now.

What you maintain, what you support, what you participate in, what you challenge, and what you choose to stop ignoring is writing your town’s future.
Get @reshare_app • @campbellriverchamber 🏡 B2B Mix Get @reshare_app • @campbellriverchamber 🏡 B2B Mixer at Royal LePage Advance Realty!

Join us Thursday, October 22 from 5:00–6:30 PM for an evening of connection, conversation, and community!

Connect with fellow local business owners and professionals while learning more about Royal LePage Advance Realty and the real estate services they provide throughout Campbell River, Quadra Island, and North Vancouver Island.

With three local offices, Royal LePage Advance Realty helps clients navigate residential and commercial real estate, combining local knowledge with the resources of the Royal LePage network.

Come grow your network, build relationships, and connect with the people who make our local business community thrive!

📍 Royal LePage Advance Realty
: 972 Shoppers Row, Campbell River
📅 Thursday, October 22

🕔 5:00–6:30 PM

✨ Grow your network

🤝 Build local connections

🏡 Meet your local real estate professionals

Free to attend! Email membership@campbellriverchamber.ca to RSVP today.

We look forward to seeing you there!

#campbellriver #campbellriverbusiness
Get @reshare_app • @vialliance AI is changing how Get @reshare_app • @vialliance AI is changing how we work, do business and build our economy. What’s Vancouver Island’s role?

At #VIEASummit, Aaron Cruikshank, Jennifer Hufnagel, Jamie Henderson and Joanna Hesketh will explore the opportunities and challenges of Canada’s evolving AI strategy.

From productivity and workforce transitions to privacy, ethics and economic growth, the conversation is just getting started.

📍 October 20–22 | Nanaimo

🎟️ Registration closes Friday, October 16!

🔗 Register through the link in our bio.

#ArtificialIntelligence #VancouverIsland #EconomicDevelopment #AI
Get @reshare_app • @victoriachamber Here’s a look Get @reshare_app • @victoriachamber Here’s a look at what’s happening at The Chamber this October. 🗓️

🏦 October 1 | Bank of Canada Luncheon w/ Carolyn Rogers | Sponsored by @doanegrantthorntoncareers
🔗 October 8 | Emerge Connector at @mayfairoptometric
🦋 October 15 | Business Mixer at @victoriabutterflygardens 

Which one are you most excited for? 

#VictoriaChamber #YYJ #SmallBusinessMonth #VictoriaBusiness
Get @reshare_app • @tofinochamber Celebrate Small Get @reshare_app • @tofinochamber Celebrate Small Business Week with a Members’ Luncheon!

📅 Tuesday, October 20
🕦 12:00–1:30 PM
📍 The BEAR Bierhaus
Free for chamber members 
Registration Required 

Join fellow business leaders for lunch, great conversation, and a celebration of everything our members do for this community as we wrap up another fantastic season.

Register at tofinochamber.org or visit the link in our bio

#tofino #tofinobusiness
Get @reshare_app • @nanaimochamber Happening Next Get @reshare_app • @nanaimochamber Happening Next Week! Business After Business at La-Z-Boy!

Join the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 15, for an inspiring evening at La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries Nanaimo!

Connect with fellow Chamber members, enjoy great conversations, and discover fresh interior design inspiration with La-Z-Boy’s talented In-Home Designers, Hayley Savage and Llana Loewen.

🎁 BONUS! One lucky attendee will WIN a $250 La-Z-Boy Gift Card!

📅 Thursday, October 15, 2026
🕔 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries | 4950 Uplands Drive, Nanaimo
🎟️ FREE for Chamber Members | $15 for Non-Members

Don’t miss out! Register today and secure your spot. Scan the QR code or visit the Chamber’s event calendar.

#NanaimoChamber #BusinessAfterBusiness #LaZBoyNanaimo #Networking #NanaimoBusiness ShopLocal
Something a bit different today, a local business Something a bit different today, a local business trifecta, VI local design, designing for a VI local business and getting swag created by a VI local shop. 

Get @reshare_app • @swagprintfactory These designs might actually inspire us to lift something heavy. Almost. 💪

We always love seeing what @wild_and_united sends our way, and this new merch lineup was no exception.

Wild + United has built a gym around community, inclusivity and making people feel welcome. We love what this gym stands for.

For their latest collection, we printed Comfort Colors tees and crewnecks using direct-to-garment printing with water-based, certified non-toxic inks.

And can we talk about this artwork? We love all the designs they send us, but this new one by @cariboucreative is SO GOOD.

Great artwork. Great garments. Great people.

Merch for the people.

#MerchForThePeople #WildAndUnited #GymMerch #ComfortColors CustomMerch CustomTShirts CustomSweatshirts DTGPrinting ComoxValley
Get @reshare_app • @smalltownstartup We talk a lot Get @reshare_app • @smalltownstartup We talk a lot about “voting with your dollars,” but that idea gets especially real in a small town.

Every time you choose the local coffee shop again, meet a friend at the locally owned restaurant, buy a gift downtown, book the local service or finally stop into the place you’ve been “meaning to try,” you’re helping shape what your town can actually sustain.

The businesses we say we want don’t survive on being wanted. They survive on being used, and not just during festivals, holiday shopping weekends or the first few months after a ribbon cutting. They need enough people who make them part of regular life to STAY part of your regular life. 

That doesn’t mean you have to spend every dollar locally or feel guilty every time you order something online - that’s unsustainable and unrealistic. It just means recognizing that our everyday choices add up. If enough of us regularly choose the places we’d be genuinely sad to lose, we give those places a much better chance of staying.

It’s also not just about the businesses we can choose from today. Over time, those choices become bigger than a single transaction because they tell the next entrepreneur there’s a market here.

We all have ideas about the kind of towns we want to live in and to really create them, it usually starts with something as simple as becoming a regular in it. ♥️
Get @reshare_app • @bcchamberofcom 2026 Small Busi Get @reshare_app • @bcchamberofcom 2026 Small Business Week is almost here!

Join us for five free, virtual sessions with practical tools to help you build a more resilient business in uncertain times. Each session runs 12 to 1 p.m. PT, so you can join from your shop, office or kitchen table.

Swipe through to see the full lineup, then register free through the link in bio.
Get @reshare_app • @bdc_ca Business is moving fast Get @reshare_app • @bdc_ca Business is moving fast. Are you keeping up? 🚀

This BDC Small Business Week, join us for three webinars designed to help you uncover growth opportunities, navigate today’s market with confidence, build a stronger business, and a stronger Canada. 🇨🇦

Sign up today via the #LinkInBio
#BDCsbw 

In a rapidly changing business environment, how can you turn uncertainty into opportunity? Join our experts to discover practical strategies for growth and resilience. 

Register today. #BDCsbw

AI can boost productivity, but where should you invest for real results? Discover the strategies and solutions that can make the biggest impact. 

Save your spot for our webinar. #BDCsbw

Thinking about buying a business? Learn the key steps to a successful acquisition and the common mistakes to avoid. 

Sign up for our upcoming webinar. ✅ #BDCsbw

Le monde des affaires n’attend personne. Et les occasions de croissance non plus. 🚀

Cette Semaine de la PME BDC, découvrez trois webinaires qui vous donneront des perspectives concrètes pour faire croître votre entreprise, relever les défis d’aujourd’hui et contribuer à bâtir une économie canadienne plus forte. 🇨🇦

Inscrivez-vous via le LienDansLaBio
BDCspme 

Dans un contexte économique en constante évolution, comment transformer l’incertitude en occasion? Joignez-vous à nos expert·es pour découvrir des stratégies de croissance concrètes. 

Inscrivez-vous dès maintenant. BDCspme

L’IA peut stimuler votre productivité, mais où investir pour obtenir des résultats concrets? Découvrez les stratégies et les solutions à privilégier. 

Réservez votre place à notre webinaire. BDCspme

Vous envisagez d’acheter une entreprise? Découvrez les étapes clés d’une acquisition réussie et les erreurs à éviter. 

Inscrivez-vous à notre prochain webinaire. ✅ BDCspme
Get @reshare_app • @vialliance VIEA is hiring our Get @reshare_app • @vialliance VIEA is hiring our next Chief Executive Officer.

We’re looking for a strategic, collaborative leader to guide VIEA into its next chapter and help advance regional economic development across Vancouver Island and the rural islands.

Working with VIEA’s Board, partners, communities, First Nations, businesses and governments, the CEO will strengthen regional collaboration, develop and deliver initiatives, and help turn shared economic priorities into action.

Learn more about the role and how to apply through the link in our bio → News and Media.

Applications close Friday, October 23 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

#vancouverislandbusiness
Get @reshare_app • @thebossbabeshub Drop a 💯 if yo Get @reshare_app • @thebossbabeshub Drop a 💯 if you agree.
.

#facelessbusiness #womenempoweringwomen
#facelessdigitalmarketing #digitalfreedom
#onlineincomeopportunities
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