Community Futures Yellowhead East

09/09/2026

Register today for early bird pricing!

LIFT Business Conference returns to Barrhead on Thursday, October 22, 2026!

Register today and get special early bird pricing (until September 30).

Don't miss out on this signature event, including:
• Expert-led keynote sessions & hands-on workshops
• Panel discussion with insights from local businesses on key issues
• Business support showcase highlighting supports available to business owners
• Networking & collaboration with businesses & service providers

Learn more at www.countybarrhead.ab.ca/p/lift

County of Barrhead is proud to partner with Town of Barrhead and Community Futures Yellowhead East on this great event.

09/09/2026

Join us there

Registration is open tomorrow! You can find the registration form on Whitecourt's website. Link below. Make plans to bring your sister, your friends, your mom, your daughter, or just come strong and solo - we will have a seat for you!

To register call the Allan & Jean Millar Centre at 780-778-3637 ext.0

https://www.whitecourt.ca/your-town/news-events/news/post/2026-whitecourt-womens-conference-registration-is-now-open

09/08/2026

Could your business handle an unexpected change in the market?

You don’t have to export to the U.S. to feel the effects of changing trade conditions.

🔘A supplier raises prices
🔘A major customer cuts orders
🔘Shipping costs increase
🔘A new competitor enters your market
🔘Customer needs change

A recent BDC article on the latest U.S. tariffs offers some practical advice for Canadian businesses: understand your exposure, consider different scenarios and look for opportunities to diversify before you’re forced to react.

Because the businesses that can adapt aren't necessarily the biggest. They're often the ones that understand their numbers, know their customers, have strong systems and make time to work ON the business — not just IN it.

💡 That’s exactly what Build a Better Business is about.

Community Futures Yellowhead East's 10-week virtual program gives established business owners an opportunity to step back and strengthen the fundamentals behind their business — from leadership and profitability to marketing, people, systems and AI readiness.

The goal isn't to predict every challenge that might come your way - it's to build a stronger business that's better prepared to respond when things change.

📅 Tuesdays, September 22 – November 24
⏰ 12:00–1:30 p.m. MT
💻 Live online
💲 $40 for the full 10-week program

👉 Read the BDC article:
https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/blog/new-round-of-american-tariffs-is-here-what-should-you-do-now

📲 Registration here: https://CFYEbeyondthebusinessplan.eventbrite.ca

09/06/2026

When did you last step back from your business — and really look at how it’s working?

When you own a small business, it’s easy to spend most of your time working IN the business. Serving customers. Answering emails. Filling orders. Managing staff. Solving today’s problems. Getting the work done.

But growing a stronger business also requires time spent working ON the business.

That means stepping back to ask:

➡️Is the business profitable enough?
➡️What’s working — and what isn’t?
➡️Are there systems I could improve?
➡️Where am I spending too much time?
➡️What should I be doing differently?
➡️Where do I want this business to be a year from now?

You don’t need to disappear for a week-long strategic retreat. Even setting aside an hour regularly to look at the bigger picture can help you make more intentional decisions about where your business is going.

A stronger business needs both: time IN the business and time ON the business.
And if you’ve been meaning to spend a little more time working ON yours, that’s exactly the kind of thinking we’ll be digging into during our upcoming Build a Better Business program.

📲Contact us to learn more!

09/05/2026

What could 90 minutes spent working ON your business be worth?

For this pilot program, the answer is just $4 per session.

Thanks in part to sponsorship from the Town of Whitecourt, Community Futures Yellowhead East is able to offer all 10 live sessions of Build a Better Business for just $40.

That's 15 hours of interactive business development focused on helping you:
✔️ Get organized
✔️ Improve profitability
✔️ Strengthen leadership
✔️ Build your team
✔️ Improve marketing
✔️ Develop stronger business systems
✔️ Prepare your business for the age of AI

We intentionally want this pilot to be accessible to business owners who are ready to invest the time in building a stronger business.

Your investment: $40 + 90 minutes a week.

👉 Registration is open now: https://CFYEbeyondthebusinessplan.eventbrite.ca

09/04/2026

You might know Community Futures Yellowhead East for business loans — but financing is only part of what we do.

We’re here to help local entrepreneurs start, strengthen and grow their businesses with:

💰 Financing – Flexible business loans for startups, expansion, equipment, succession and more

💡 Advice – One-on-one business support to help you work through ideas, challenges and next steps

📚 Training – Workshops, programs and practical learning opportunities designed for small business owners

🛠️ Resources – Business planning tools, templates, information and resources to help you make informed decisions

🤝 Connections – Helping connect you with programs, partners, experts and other supports that can help move your business forward

Whether you’re thinking about starting a business, already running one, planning your next stage of growth or simply aren’t sure where to start — talk to us.

We’re more than business loans. We’re here to help you build a stronger business.

09/03/2026

Hope to see you there.

  Whether you're just starting out or running a well-established business, get connected and elevate your operation at the LIFT Business Conference! This conference is a flagship initiative to energize & drive connection within local businesses. Leave the day with practical knowledge, tangible ski...

09/03/2026

What does it actually mean to Build a Better Business?

You don't need to change everything at once. You need to know what matters most - and start there.

Through Build a Better Business, you'll work toward developing:

✔️ Your vision, values and company promise
✔️ A simple tool to better understand profitability
✔️ An organizational chart for your business
✔️ Position agreements for team members
✔️ A step-by-step hiring system
✔️ A stronger understanding of your target market
✔️ Promotional and sales systems
✔️ A system for organizing your Standard Operating Procedures
✔️ A plan for reaching your business's North Star

You'll also receive a digital copy of the Successful Small Business Systems Field Guide.

This is about implementation, not simply collecting more information.

📋 ORGANIZE IT - Identify your priorities and put the right business foundations in place.

💪 STRENGTHEN IT - Improve your operations, leadership, finances, marketing and team.

📈 GROW IT - Build the systems and capacity needed for sustainable, profitable growth.

📅 Starts September 22
💻 10 live online sessions
💲 $40
👉 Register now: https://CFYEbeyondthebusinessplan.eventbrite.ca

09/03/2026

Congratulations, can’t wait to Check it out!

🐾 WELCOME TO THE CLUB GIVEAWAY 🐾

To celebrate the official opening of Candy’s Canine Club, we’re giving one lucky dog three FREE full days of dog daycare, valued at $114!

To enter:

1. Follow the Candy’s Canine Club page
2. Share this post with your friends
3. Comment below with your dog’s name and a photo

Please make sure your shared post is set to public so we can see it.

The lucky winner will be drawn on Wednesday, September 9th!

Good luck to everyone who enters, and thank you for helping us spread the word about Candy’s Canine Club!

The winning dog must meet Candy’s Canine Club’s vaccination and group play requirements.