If you want to get really excited about small business in Canada, you don’t have to look very far.

Did you know that:

* One per cent of businesses employ over 100 people;

* Two per cent of businesses employ 50 to 99 people;

* 17 per cent of businesses employ five to 49 people; and

* 80 per cent of businesses employ four people or fewer?

These statistics reflect the reality that small business is an integral part of our economic structure. Over the last number of years new trends have continued to emerge, particularly in regard to the role of small enterprises in the overall economic landscape.

Think about it. Many major corporations in business today started as a small business. From Pengrowth to Microsoft, a founder with a dream grew to be a player.

The next big one may be right here under our nose, but let’s not forget about those entrepreneurs that are driven to provide value without mass. In many cases, business professionals choose a strategy to curb growth and not seek to become mega-corporations. More than a statistic, these businesses are an important economic stimulus.

We here in Calgary have truly benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit. Not only have we been blessed with entrepreneurs in the traditional fashion, but increasingly we have seen the emergence of small business owners from the young, as well as the “second career” group.

These important shifts on the business landscape have come about for a variety of reasons.

Some are needs-based, but increasingly others have chosen to chase their dream. And in that process, many are choosing Calgary for what our community has to offer: a business environment that honours entrepreneurial effort, a provincial environment that recognizes the importance of small business and a quality of life surpassing that for which many have only dreamed. Speaker after speaker at the chamber’s lunch series have waxed eloquent while extolling the virtues and the opportunities of our home town.

The Calgary Chamber of Commerce and its partner, the Business Development Bank of Canada, recognized the need to foster an environment in which the small-business sector could learn and survive. Since 1982, we have co-hosted Small Business Week with the major objective of strengthening the entrepreneurial business community in Calgary.

Many of our past ‘graduates’ have contributed immensely to our community. I am proud to note that not only have they provided a boost for the economy through provision of employment, but many have written the need to be a responsible member of the community right into their business plans. The culture created when the notion of philanthropy is incorporated assists the broader community.

Clearly, we have seen that we all need each other. Businesses of all sizes are important to the future well-being of Calgary. Each size of business has very different needs and we at the chamber are attempting to assist all members in meeting their fundamental goals, whether the requirement is for assistance with connecting, learning, advocacy or services and support.

While our larger members tend to be somewhat more self-sufficient when it comes to training/learning, we have found a need for assisting and celebrating smaller enterprises with those foundations. Small Business Week affords us that opportunity.

Celebrated nationwide during the week of Oct. 22-26, the Calgary chamber’s activities for Small Business Week incorporate educational seminars and informative dinner events, and are highlighted by the presentation of our Small Business Owner of the Year (SBOY) and Emerging Enterprise (EE) awards to Calgary’s most exciting and promising businesses.

The winners of the Small Business Owner of the Year Award and the Emerging Enterprise of the Year Award will be announced Oct. 25 at the Coast Plaza Hotel.

This year’s finalists are:

* Small Business Owner of the Year:

Fiberbuilt Manufacturing Mentor Engineering Inc. Venture Communications

* Emerging Enterprise of the Year:

Easy Visas Inc. Griffith Publishing Inc. Mission Girls Inc.

Small Business Week starts with a kickoff dinner at the Glenmore Inn on Oct. 22.

From Monday through Thursday there are numerous seminar series events at Mount Royal College’s City Centre Campus. Subjects include: Selling to Government, Selecting a Business Structure and Creating a Successful Marketing Strategy.

The awards banquet will be highlighted by the presence of guest speaker David Rodney, the only Canadian to summit Mt. Everest twice. Tickets are still available for all events and can be obtained by calling 537-1974.