Each new year brings with it new challenges – and new opportunities. At Venture Kamloops it’s our mission to tackle the challenges faced by Kamloops businesses and turn them into opportunities. This year, we provided assistance for a record number of businesses to listen to them and to work with them to achieve success. And we did that in new and innovative ways.
In 2018, Venture Kamloops introduced programs designed to give new business the absolute best chance for success in our city. Start Here 3.0, a partnership between Venture Kamloops, Community Futures Thompson Country, Open Door Group and Kamloops Innovation is a new online portal that essentially serves as the gateway to entrepreneurship and employment in Kamloops. Aspiring or established business owners can visit Start Here 3.0 and be confident that they will get what they need to start or grow their business from the people best equipped to help them.
VK Accelerate is an intensive, practical program that puts new entrepreneurs into their first storefront, with all the support they need during the critical first months of operation. The program provides support in the key areas that are vital for start-ups. With this solid network of support, new business owners can completely immerse themselves in the planning and execution of their passion.
We continued in 2018 to ensure we are providing the most relevant and accurate economic data possible to businesses who may not yet be located in Kamloops. The release of our Economic Impact Study in November gave us a fresh snapshot of the makeup of the city’s economy and provided projections that help businesses make informed decisions on their future in Kamloops. We also launched the VK Real Estate Map. This online tool provides up-to-date real estate sales data that allows businesses and their employees who are considering a relocation to Kamloops to make the most informed decisions on life in Kamloops.
We are proud of the work we’ve done for Kamloops businesses, but we are always looking to do more. We have some exciting plans in the works to expand our Business Retention and Expansion programs during the coming year that will provide even more opportunity for Kamloops businesses to tell us how they’re doing and what they need for success. Also in 2019, we’ll continue to refine the programs we have in place and seek to innovate at every opportunity, because just like the businesses we serve, we are driven to take opportunity and turn it into success.
- Jim Anderson, Executive Director
