Community Futures Thompson Country (CFTC) along with Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and the Barriere & District and Clearwater & District Chamber’s of Commerce have announced they will collectively be hosting two small business succession planning workshops in April.
These workshops are being offered in response to data collected during Business Walks in 2015 that showed that a significant number of small business owners in the North Thompson were interested in selling or retiring in the next five years.
These workshops will be held:
• Barriere: April 26, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the North Thompson Volunteer Centre in the Ridge.
• Clearwater: April 25, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Dutch Lake Community Centre.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, only one-third (35 per cent) of small and medium business owners have planned for their future succession and among those who have a succession plan, the majority are informal, unwritten plans, which have not been shared with the intended successor.
These businesses are important to the North Thompson as they provide essential products and services to area residents, create and sustain jobs, and play a large role in contributing to the economic output of the region.
These four organizations recognize the importance of proactive small business succession planning, noting that these workshops have been designed to give business owners the information and tools needed to undertake a successful transition.
There is no charge to participate, and interested business owners are encouraged to attend whichever date and location suits them best.