Sometimes, it’s not what is said or asked, rather who is there that matters.
And the business talk with the mayor held at the Startup Squamish location on Friday was filled with some of the brightest business minds in the community, so many, in fact, that it’s better not to start naming them, in case we miss someone on our list.
Some were from multinational corporations, while others were one-person startups hoping to grow big profits right here in Squamish.
And all were looking for a business climate that supported their growth and a government that won’t put red tape in the way.
Mayor Patricia Heintzman pledged that council would do its best to make this happen, to create a climate that could result in more jobs and higher tax revenues to benefit everyone in the district. She and Startup Squamish co-founder David Crewson began the discussion with a short talk about entrepreneurship in Squamish, then the mayor quickly asked the large crowd to contribute ideas and ask questions to start a dialogue.
For Heintzman, it was the dialogue that was most important, the sharing of ideas to lead Squamish down a new trail of opportunity.
The event, scheduled to take an hour, spilled over into a second hour as the questions and comments continued from a group who wanted to know: Should a database of businesses be created? Should Squamish become known as the place for one particular industry or type of business? Is there a way to advertise every business in town to visitors and residents? Can the district make it easier for businesses to grow by eliminating red tape? Could business taxes be lowered?
After an hour and a half, Heintzman stopped the discussion, and that’s when the room really became alive again, as it had been just before the meeting, with people meeting each other, shaking hands and creating new opportunities for each other by connecting, discussing, sharing ideas.
It was exactly what Crewson wanted. Ultimately, he says, business is about relationships.
If he’s right, then we can expect great things ahead, because the loud buzz in the room indicated many new relationships grew from Friday’s encounter.
– Christine Endicott
