The Salt Spring Chamber and Island Savings partnered up to host Small Business Week on Salt Spring Island.  Along with Windsor Plywood, Plat:form Properties (Bullock Lake Cottages), Driftwood Newspaper and the Harbour House Hotel, we hosted over 200 attendees for the Small Business Workshops and the 7th Annual Business Awards.  A performance by Sid and Arvid brought down the house but it was the Award Winners that were the Stars of the Show!

Workshops were held on October 16 and 17 and focused on a range of topics designed to help small business grow.   Workshops included sessions on Tourism Marketing and Succeeding as Small Business Entrepreneur.  Tourism Vancouver Island and Vancouver Island University were partners in the Tourism Sessions.  Guest Presenter on Tuesday was Mat Wright, world renowned marketing and social media expert who shared great insights into how we can all use social media to share Salt Spring tourism and businesses with others on a very cost effective basis.  The attendees represented a great cross-section of local businesses with varied interest and years of experince.  Presentations from local businesses Salt Spring Soap Works and Blackberry Glen B&B were much enjoyed.  Thank you to the Windsor Plywood, Plat:form Propeties, Harbour House Hotel and Country Grocers for assisting us to host these sessions.

The Sold-Out Business Awards featured a full buffet dinner that was enjoyed by all and entertainment by Sid and Arvid who offered their down-home take on business and politics and other messy matters on Salt Spring.  A standing ovation from the crowd let them know that the laughs and their tongue-in-cheek humour was a hit!  But the real stars of the evening were the Awards Winners in 9 categories.   With a record 115 nomination forms completed and 66 nominees in total, the judges had their work cut out for them!  However 9 Award Winners rose to the top!

Awards Winners:

Business of the Year Award (15 or more employees) – Salt Spring Inn

Small Business of the Year Award (less than 15 employees) – Salt Spring Metal Recycling

New Business of the Year Award (less than 3 Years in Business) – Rawsome Living Foods Cafe and Juice Bar

Non-Profit Association of the Year – BC SPCA Salt Spring Island

Tourism Business of the Year – Salt Spring Vineyards

Agricultural/Farm Business of the Year Award – Sue’s Park Drive Stand

Green Business of the Year Award – Moby’s Oysterbar and Marine Grill

Outstanding Customer Service – Ganges Village Cobbler

Young  Entrepreneur (under 25 years old) – The Resistance

Sponsors included Island Savings, Harbour House Hotel, Restaurant and Organic Farm, Windsor Plywood and Plat:form Properties (Bullock Lake Cottages). Trophy Sponsors are: Salt Spring Metal Recycling, Li Read Sea to Sky Realty, The Wine Cellar, Windsor Plywood, Island Savings, Country Grocer, Mouat’s Trading, Sports Traders and Thrifty Foods.

Full details on the Awards Winners here: SALT SPRING ISLAND BUSINESS AWARDS 2012