CQCC: Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce

The Entrepreneur’s Manifesto
2024-02-14 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Vancouver)
Dates: February 14, 2024 11:00 am – February 14, 2024 12:00 pm

Experiences and insights from over 20 years of working with entrepreneurs

In this session, we will share insights, lessons learned (mine and yours!), tips and techniques on everything from Relationship Management to Client Management and Marketing!

This is an interactive, facilitated, shared learning experience, and not a 1-hour presentation, so bring your own learnings and lessons learned and be prepared to share them.

Come prepared to meet other entrepreneurs, learn and engage with this great community.

Register Now

Your speaker

Our Team

Gregg Brown

Entrepreneur Thought Leader Author

Gregg Brown LinkedIn

Gregg Brown

Entrepreneur Thought Leader Author

Over 30 years ago, Gregg was part of the ground-breaking team that opened the first wave of Starbucks stores in Canada. Since then, as a speaker and consultant, he has worked with leaders all over the planet ranging from Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson u0026amp; Johnson, and TD Bank through to international humanitarian organizations including the UN, Habitat for Humanity and the CDC.rnrnGregg has mentored and coached entrepreneurs for many years. He currently mentors veterans and ex-military with the Prince’s Trust Canada and entrepreneurs with the CQCC – Canada’s National 2SLGBTQI+ chamber of commerce.rnrnHe’s shared his ideas on Change and the Future of Work in Forbes, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and Entrepreneur amongst others.rnrnGregg holds a Master’s of Social Science Degree from the University of Leicester in the UK, with a focus on organizational psychology, leadership and performance and is an Associate Member of the American Psychological Association.rnrnHe is the author of Ready, Set, Change AGAIN! and and his latest book, released in October, is the #1 Amazon Bestseller, Spark Action: How to Lead Change That Matters.

Gregg Brown LinkedIn

In-Person: Fireside Chat with Swish Goswami + Networking
2024-02-20 16:00 - 18:00
Dates: February 20, 2024, 4:00 pm – February 2024 6:00 pm

Join us for a FREE absolute banger event with Swish Goswami, followed by Networking on the 40th Floor at EY, Toronto.

At the age of 20, Swish Goswami’s business was valued in the millions. Through trial and error, he learned how to build a product and market it to millions of consumers and how to effectively hire/manage a team, fundraise, and bring on customers/partners.

In this presentation, Goswami will share his entrepreneurial playbook and the A-Zs on starting a business from scratch, including conceptualizing an idea, collecting early customer feedback, scale, etc. He draws lessons and experiences from his new book, The Young Entrepreneur, and speaks candidly on the importance of entrepreneurs prioritizing their mental health.

AGENDA

3:30 pm – 4 pm: Registration & Networking

4 pm – 4:15 pm: Opening Remarks and Introductions

4:15 pm – 5 pm: Fireside Chat

5 pm – 5:30 pm: Interactive session

5:30 pm – 6 pm: Networking

Food and Beverages will be served during the event.

Your speaker

Swish Goswami built a multi-hyphenate career by the age of 26. He has started six high-impact ventures across four industries and is currently the CEO and co-founder of Surf, a tech company providing brands with a better way to engage and understand consumers while compensating them for their data. His company has worked with some of the biggest brands, including Netflix, Sony Music, L’Oreal, Electronic Arts, Hewlett Packard, Amazon Prime Gaming, and more.

Our Team

Swish Goswami

CEO, Surf Startup Canada’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year

Swish Goswami

CEO, Surf Startup Canada’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year

A disruptor, curator, and builder, Goswami explores entrepreneurship, mental health, personal branding, and trends influencing technology and business today.rnrnGoswami co-founded Surf with the vision to build an equitable data economy. This revolutionary browser extension passively rewards over 300,000 people for their everyday browsing and helps them save when shopping with their favourite brands. Since its launch in 2021, the company has made two acquisitions and raised over $8M from several NBA players, unicorn founders, and venture firms.rnrnA four-time TEDx speaker, Goswami is the bestselling author of The Young Entrepreneur and the host of Track Limits, a motorsport podcast that shares inspiring stories from Formula 1 drivers, mechanics/engineers, and team bosses. He is also an investor and advisor to popular social companies, such as FaZe Clan, Wombo AI, Othership, and the League of Innovators, through his angel fund, AGEX.rnrnIn recognition of his entrepreneurial and philanthropic achievements, Goswami was inducted into Plan Canada’s “Top 20 under 20” and Bay Street Bull’s “30 under 30”, recognized as LinkedIn’s Top Voice and Startup Canada’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and awarded thernUnited Nation’s Outstanding Youth Leadership award. Most recently, Goswami was named to The Peak’s 2023 list of emerging leaders, as a young leader helping to shape Canada’s economy, culture, and society.

Register Now!

CQCC Trade Mission to New York City
2024-02-20 17:00 - 2024-02-23 12:00
Dates: February 20, 2024 5:00 pm – February 23, 2024 12:00 pm

CQCC is leading a Trade Mission to New York City in February 2024!

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

WHY PARTICIPATE?

Promote your business across Trade Commissioner Service Canada and with our Global Affiliates in new markets with top 2SLGBTQI+Q businesses, corporates, and allied business leaders.

Enjoy a rich networking environment amongst like-minded business people and organizations who are ready to meet and help 2SLGBTQI+ businesses gain a foothold in the market.

Learn about supplier diversity and explore opportunities with Canada’s new Free Trade Agreement CUSMAs and the opportunities that exist for certified 2SLGBTQI+Q-owned businesses.

Take part in programming organized specifically for the Canadian delegation to match your business with corporate partners keen to work with you.

Making time to make connections works! Each year the delegates who attend our Trade Missions report that the introductions and networking made possible by participating helped their company forge valuable business connections and/or make inroads into a valued market.

Participating could qualify you to certify your 2SLGBTQI+ business at no cost to you via TCS’s new certification grant opportunity.

CQCC has secured additional funding that may cover up to 50% of your travel and accommodation per diems as a CQCC certified business (with support from CanExport).

More details to come!

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?

Canadian 2SLGBTQI+ SMEs* looking to learn more about supplier-diversity programs and/or seeking businesses or supplier-diversity opportunities in the North American region.

Qualified Corporate companies from abroad and Canada seeking networking opportunities with 2SLGBTQI+Q suppliers and Global Affiliate business networks can be involved as partners, sponsors, and more.

*SMEs will benefit most if they are currently certified 2SLGBTQI+ business enterprises through the CQCC, or be eligible for certification as an 2SLGBTQI+ business enterprise. For more information on eligibility, and certification contact Cass@queerchamber.ca.

TESTIMONIAL

2SLGBTQI+ owned businesses that participated in our previous Trade Missions called the experience “invaluable” and felt confident that concrete economic benefits would result, both in terms of building and expanding business connections and partnerships, as well as securing real contract opportunities.

Contact Us

Interested? Contact Cass@queerchamber.ca for more information.

Looking to certify your company as an 2SLGBTQI+ owned business? Contact Cass Elliott for more information.

LENGTH OF TIME & TRAVEL DATES:

February 20-23, 2024.

Dates are tentative: final dates and suggested travel times will shared upon successful acceptance of your application to join as a delegate on the Trade Mission. Reach out if you have any questions!

REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

2024 EY/CQCC Pitch Competition
2024-02-28 13:00 - 2024-05-31 15:00
Dates: February 28, 2024 1:00 pm – May 31, 2024 3:00 pm

Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with EY, invites CQCC’s certified suppliers and OUT for Business entrepreneurs to participate in the 2024 Virtual EY Pitch Series. This series comprises three Pitch Sessions throughout the year, offering selected participants the opportunity to present their pitches to a panel of judges within a 10-minute timeframe. Judges will provide constructive feedback and tips to help entrepreneurs enhance their selling techniques to corporate buyers.

The pitch competition is only for CQCC’s certified suppliers and OUT for Business Entrepreneurs.

Format of the 2024 EY Virtual Pitch Series:

Each round will feature at least three participants.

The order of presenters will be randomly selected before the presentations.

Presentations are limited to two individuals from each participating company.

Each participant will deliver a ten-minute presentation focusing on their service and value proposition.

A two-minute warning will be given, and presentations must conclude after ten minutes.

Presenters may use PowerPoint presentations, handouts, or videos.

Prizes:Winners of each round will be paired with mentors to prepare for the Finale in May.

Best Pitch: Full scholarship to the Supplier Diversity Professional Excellence, Tuck Executive Education at Dartmouth (approximate value: $4,000US).

Runner Up: To be announced.

Third Place: To be announced.

Dates (Subject to change):

MARCH 14 | 1-3 PM EST

APRIL 5 | 1-3 PM EST

APRIL 18 | 1-3 PM EST

FINALE in May. Dates to be announced.

You will receive a calendar invite for your slot upon registration if you get in!

Mentorship:After the last pitch session on April 18th, each finalist will be paired with a mentor from EY, who will receive up to four hours of one-to-one mentoring to perfect their pitch.

Judging:EY will secure a minimum of 5 judges for each session and the Finale. Candidates will be assessed on a scale of 1-5 for the following criteria:

Presentation materials

Verbal communications

Non-verbal communications

Use of time

Communication of core service(s)

Value proposition

EY is committed to maintaining a diverse supplier base and building relationships with suppliers that reflect the market, clients and communities they serve. EY seeks to actively identify, develop, and do business with diverse suppliers as an integral component of its procurement activities. Their Inclusive and Sustainable Procurement team drives the supplier diversity initiative at EY to promote supplier inclusion.
