FERGUS – To recognize October as Small Business Month, the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce is hosting a luncheon on Oct. 10 at the Lighthouse Restaurant called Survive & Thrive in Rural Business.
Running from 11:30am to 1:30pm, it will be an informal fireside chat with a panel of local business owners.
The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the panel to discuss the ebbs and flows of rural business, seasonality, gaining local support, and other local business challenges and opportunities.
The focus is on growing and advancing business in the local, non-urban, community.
Sponsored and moderated by the Ontario Agricultural College, the panel features four local business owners:
– Janet Harrop, Harrcroft Acres Ltd – Harrop has lived in the Fergus community for over 20 years and through agricultural or volunteer board opportunities, has held numerous positions working with organizations across the county.
– Kim Jefferson, Joanie’s and Fergus BIA – Jefferson grew up on a farm north of Fergus and currently lives in Elora.
– Lori McCrae, NexGEN Marketing Group – McCrae is the owner and CMO of NexGEN Marketing Group with offices in Centre Wellington and Kitchener-Waterloo.
– Donna Pardy, Uprooted Farm – Uprooted Farm is an indoor container farm, located at Grand River Raceway, with a vertical hydroponic farming system that produces fresh, healthy, non-genetically modified, and chemically free greens and herbs.
Moderating this panel is Dr. John Cranfield, the associate dean for external relations in the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph, and a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics.
Tickets and information are available at www.cwchamber.ca, events@cwchamber.ca or 519-843-5140.
