Community Futures Chinook
5324 48 Avenue T1G 1S2 Taber, AB, Canada

To boost or not to boost? Let's jump in... https://youtu.be/i_iWf6ueKy0 Please enjoy Part 5 of Facebook Fundamentals, with Community Futures Chinook, Community Futures Entre-Corp Business Development, and London Road Media. Tune in weekly for new episodes!

Did you know this? I'm sure you do, but in light of recent knee-jerk reactions to our economy it seems many people are misunderstanding what it actually means. ...I suddenly realize this is such a critical point for many folks that I'm considering dumping a bunch of my graphics which don't clearly state the difference. . . . Support your independents = means to go, purchase, order, choose and help fund operations and cashflow for people who are invested in your community. Generally that means they have a stake in the pulse of your neighborhood or downtown or county both financially and personally, buying a building, hiring people, sponsorship of the Little League team, donations to area causes. It means they contribute to your local economy by keeping a larger percentage of money in your area which then trickles into city and county funds used for public safety, services, etc, because much more of each dollar you spend stays IN the city or town rather than being diverted to a corporate office in another state, or worse, an entirely different country. It means putting a new transmission in the Smith Family Kitchen's delivery vehicle so they can continue to grow their business (or diversify as our current health crisis requires, for example), not ordering a new truck from corporate headquarters across the country. It means paying for a 2nd generation to go to college and learn skills they will bring home and use to grow and build YOUR local community, such as when farm kids return home to invest in and grow the family legacy in new and innovative ways. It means ensuring that Tom's Hardware can keep putting their name on the backs of kid's jerseys each spring when they head out to play ball. "Support of independent businesses" is the energy, passion and life which runs through the streets of a place you call home. . . . Shop local = well, it used to mean the same thing and in many cases still does. However, and this is a really essential point to grasp, many people now use it to mean they bought from a company in the zip code where they live. They might think driving 30 minutes out of town to the massive walmart which pays no town taxes, is spending locally but with most of those dollars traveling to corporate offices 1500 miles away.....well, not so much. A vastly smaller portion of every dollar spent there goes to your local area and much more goes to the upper-level manager on the opposite coast reaching their sales targets to buy a third home in Colorado to use for winter skiing. Just because you chose Costco over Sam's Club this weekend did not mean you "shopped locally", just as ordering lunch from McDonald's instead of Billy's Pizza Parlor wasn't "dining local", and swapping suggestions of which chain grocery store has bread and toilet paper vs Dollar General....well, that's not the same thing at all, just as ordering online and picking up your order curbside at BJ's isn't putting money into the local economy. There is really, a world of difference between the two sets of actions and thinking. #independentlyowned #familybusiness #supportyourcommunity

Get your tickets to Power Up AB In support of our rural business owners, the first 100 registrants to sign up and attend the event will receive a promo code to spend $30 on ATB Marketplace!

Happy Monday! Part 5 of our new video series premieres tomorrow at 10am. The next few weeks focus on Facebook Advertising. Tune in to master all the tricks! Catch up on Parts 1-4 right now by heading to our YouTube channel. Get OnDemand alerts: bit.ly/3sq45PD

Ecommerce. Curbside pickup. Virtual services. Some of the most important changes the pandemic brought might actually be long-term shifts in the way we do business in the future. For instance, that corner bistro that started delivering food to customers can you imagine if they suddenly put an end to delivery service? It’s changes like delivery, curbside pickup, and other minor efforts that should stick around long term. Here's why: https://squareup.com//townsquare/transforming-your-business

Be kind, Be calm. Be safe. We know we’re all tired of COVID-19. But this fight is far from over. We need to keep doing the right things to prevent the spread. ...Keep washing or sanitizing your hands. Stay home if you're feeling sick. Maintain a physical distance. Wear a mask. Remember, we’re all in this together. Stay strong. Stay safe. In this together See more

Have you heard of LocalShops.com? You can connect your business e-commerce store (Shopify or Instagram) directly to this larger marketplace so shoppers in our area can easily find and purchase from you! Think of how it works like Amazon for ease and accessibility, but with the wonderful add-on of being able to support our local small businesses right here in Taber and Southern Alberta area. That's pretty cool! You don't have to be tied into our ShopHERE program either, as long as you have a compatible online store. Here's how to join the marketplace as a business or independent merchant: localshops.com/merchants/sign_up

Please do your part

The Taber Youth Employment Program is aimed to help youth, ages 15-30, overcome barriers to employment and enter the workforce here within Taber. An initative we support very much! The program will begin preparations for their next intake in the new year on January 4, 2021. Youth can apply in person, online via taberyep.com or by calling YEP at (403) 416-5115. This articles explains how they've adapted and adjusted the delivery of their programs and services to better handle the ever present challenges that COVID-19 presents:

Nine months into a pandemic, many of us are beginning to see cracks in our organizations. We want to help your business build resiliency & navigate through this uncertain winter. Join this virtual workshop on December 17. Register at chinook.albertacf.com/current-events

The Community Futures Network of Alberta is pleased to be a Bronze level partner for the first virtual Economic Developers Alberta conference #EDA2020