Description

For over 44 years, Small Business Week has been dedicated to honouring the incredible diversity of local businesses and entrepreneurs to our economies. This year, in celebration, the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Business Summit, taking place October 18th from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm for a full-day interactive and engaging event highlighting the vibrant and prosperous business community. 

Join us for a one-day conference dedicated to bringing together Kingston’s industry leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators who drive our community. Get inspired, create connections and engage in rich conversations with dynamic industry leaders from numerous different sectors. 

Participants can look forward to interactive and enlightening presentations (including opening remarks by Mayor Bryan Paterson), panel discussions, networking opportunities, lunch, and much more. This is an event business owners and their employees (of all sizes) within Kingston and area won't want to miss. 

Many thanks to Title Sponsor, KEYS Job Centre, Partner Sponsors, Cunningham Swan Carty Little & Bonham LLP and Utilities Kingston, Supporting Sponsor, ReStart Employment Services, Lunch Sponsor, Upper Canada Office Systems, and Media Sponsors Bell Media and Solography Kingston for their support on this program. 

Be sure to use your email connected to your Chamber membership to receive member-discounted pricing. Cancellations must be received two weeks prior to the scheduled event for a full refund. Lastly, please reach out to events@kingstonchamber.ca if you have any allergy/dietary restrictions or problems accessing the discounted pricing.

Agenda:

8:30 am Registration

9:00 am Opening Remarks 

• Bryan Paterson (Mayor, City of Kingston)
• Karen Cross (Chief Executive Officer, Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce)

9:15 am Resilience and Reinvention with Business Leaders of Kingston and Area

• Moderator:
  • Zermaan Khan (Director of Operations & Policy, GKCC)
• Panel Members:
  • Jennifer Baker (CEO & Digital Marketing Consultant, JBC | Pushing Digital Boundaries)
  • Jonathan Ladha (Co-Founder, Hülpr)
  • J. Joly (Founder, Branded to Film)

Three industry leaders will share their trials, tribulations and successes while rising to the top. Get inspired from their stories and learn how they reinvented themselves and (even) enjoyed the ride to be the leaders they are today.

10:15 am Understanding Employment Law

• Andrea Risk (Managing Partner, Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little & Bonham LLP)
• Keagan Davis-Burns (Associate Lawyer – Labour and Employment, Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little & Bonham LLP)
• Liam McMunagle (Associate Lawyer – Labour and Employment, Cunningham, Swan, Carty, Little & Bonham LLP)

Hear from top experts in the industry as they share some insights on attendance management, the intersection between employment law and criminal history/conduct and workplace investigations.

11:15 am Break and Connect

11:30 am Mental Health and Wellness in the Workplace

• Moderator:
  • Shari Hughson (Adjunct Professor and Entrepreneur Advisor, Smith School of Business at Queen’s University)
• Panel Members:
  • Jennifer Foster (Barrister and Solicitor, Ryder-Burbidge Hurley Foster) 
  • Jonathan Daniel (President, JD Physiotherapy Clinics)
  • Sarah Earl (RP Director of Clinical Programs, Resolve Counselling Services Canada/FSEAP Kingston)

Four industry experts will share their experiences in the field of mental health and wellness, discuss strategies for managing mental health and stress at work and the resources available for employees and employers.

12:30 pm Lunch and Connect

1:30 pm A Family of Young Entrepreneurs 

• Moderator:
  • Brian Hope (Regional Director of Sales, Diamond Hotels Management Inc.)
• Panel Members:
  • Jake Heney (Account Manager, James Media Co.)
  • Kaelah Cooke (Osteopathic Practitioner, AXIOM)
  • Leah Cooke (Owner, Slickers County Ice Cream)
  • Lucas Heney (Creative Director, James Media Co.)

Entrepreneurship runs in their blood. Four siblings will share their stories on how they've made their entrepreneurial journey a reality.

2:30 pm Break and Connect

2:45 pm Cultivating Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Work Environment  

• Sunita Gupta (Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Consultant and Co-Founder, I2C Immigration Consulting)
• Zermaan Khan (Founder/Managing Director, Insight Personnel & Consulting Services)

Learn how to address challenges to activate solutions geared towards fostering gender-equal, diverse, and inclusive work environments no matter the size of your business.

3:30 pm Closing Remarks and Social Hour

Let's reflect on the conference and connect!