Everyone has something to sell, we just choose to sell it differently. Thank you Calgary for your support to Africanival especially those who are coming to sell and promote their products and services at Africanival, the only festival in Alberta dedicated to showcase African cultural beauty, and the second largest in Canada, scheduled for July 12 -14, at 10581 107 Street in Edmonton.
This Sunday, I am excited to be meeting 40 Calgary entrepreneurs at the Business Extravaganza at the Genesis Centre in Calgary, organized by the Caribbean Association of Adventists in Alberta (CAAA). Andrea Cox and the team at CAAA have done a great job for years, bringing together entrepreneurs to connect, network, and share experiences.
It is tough to compete at a level with people that are 30 years ahead of you because you came to Canada at the age of 30 while, while your competitors have already been leaving here for 30 years before your arrival. However, there are support networks to help you start a business. The biggest challenge to start a business is funds and finding clients, that is, financial and marketing. “Are there grants to help me start my business?” This is a common question I get. The short answer is rarely. This is the reason why most people in our community start non profits to be able to apply for grants to pursue their dreams – fair enough! The inflexibility aside, grants come with their own challenges, especially, if solely dependent on grants, when they are gone, your dream fizzles out.
Entreprneurship too has its own challenges, its more competitive, and difficult to raise funds to finance your business. It is tough as you need a job to pay the bills while building your business. On the good side, entrepreneurship is more flexible, there is ownership, and possibility to pass it down to your generations to come, if you can build a community who will always need your products or services.
Everyone is selling something, to a company directly as an employee, or to clients directly as an entrepreneur, that will develop structures and grow into a business, hiring the founder, and others in the process. More successful entrepreneurs have a lot more resources to support themselves, their families, and their communities. Some go into entrepreneurship to build a legacy, some to help others, some to make a difference, some for the money, and some to build something they are passionate about. Whatever your motivation, its never to late to start. Trust me, if you have the drive, the ability, the skills, the talents, and the burning passion, you will never forgive yourself for not trying, especially with countless support networks in Alberta.
If you choose not to sell your skills, talents, products, or services through a middleman (employer), there are lots of opportunities for you to get support to sell directly to clients or customer and become an entrepreneur. The support is out there in places such as; Business Link, Micro Business Training Centre, and countless networking events such as our own, BizNet coming up on June 25, scheduled for last Tuesday of Every month. Today, an increasing number of social entrepreneurs that have built non profit organizations are developing ways to raise funds, as well as, generate other revenue streams by selling something to become more self-reliant and less dependent on grants.
Entrepreneurship has the tendency to foster an independent culture as entrepreneurs have something to offer and be paid for in return. It builds wealth, strengthens community through support from entrepreneurs in the community, and help move the community forward. No wonder USA is the biggest economy and the most powerful country in the world. Ladies and gentlemen, use this summer events to test if there is a market for your skills, talents, products, or services, and determine if you will keep selling through a middleman or otherwise.
