August Après 5's - The New Normal?

We generally take the full summer off to prepare for fall, but when Outbound Station approached us to host an Après 5 in August, we had to say yes! And we're glad we did, because it ended up being one of the best attended networking events of the year. 


A huge thank you to Jeffery Edward, co-owner of Outbound Station, and his team for hosting us in their tree-house like setting, with sweeping views of Howe Sound setting the scene for the evening.


It was wonderful to connect with so many familiar faces alongside new members, and especially to welcome our Britannia members out to the event. Nights like that are a reminder of just how engaged our Squamish business community is.


Couldn't make it? Join us for our next Après 5 at the Legion on September 9th.

Hellooooo August Members!

There's nothing better than watching our Chamber community grow, and August brought us four fantastic additions!

Let's show these businesses some love and welcome them to the Chamber community:

Dentville Drinks

https://dentvilledrinks.com/

Jenny Baker Coaching

https://www.jennybakercoaching.com/

Power Day Painting

Steins & Veins

https://steinsandvines.ca/

Quick reminder: Chamber membership is your ticket to being eligible for the Squamish Chamber Business Excellence Awards, so if you've been on the fence about joining, this is your sign! Nominations are now open!

Nominations are now OPEN!

Nominations are now open for the Squamish Chamber Business Excellence Awards, presented by RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate and The Village on Bailey Street. 

Do you know a business that's been quietly (or not-so-quietly) crushing it this year? A leader who makes everyone around them better? A team that treats their staff like gold, or a business that gives back in all the right ways? 

This is your chance to recognize them, out loud, on the record, in front of the whole community and yes, you can self-nominate, so don't be shy, you deserve recognition too! Businesses and individuals may be nominated for multiple categories but can only be a finalist in one.

Here are the 2026 categories:

• Arts & Entertainment
• Small Business
• Business Innovation
• Community Builder (For Profit)
• Community Builder (Non-Profit)
• Environmental Impact
• Indigenous Business
• Medium-Large Business
• Emerging Entrepreneur
• Workplace of the Year
• Business Leader of the Year
• Bill Manson Citizen of the Year

We're still accepting applications for the 2026 Peer Mentoring Group for Squamish Women Entrepreneurs


Peer Mentoring Groups help women business owners receive support from an experienced entrepreneur while building a support network of other women founders. Women entrepreneurs in the first five years of business can find it challenging to stay on top of everything and find balance in their life. 

The WeBC Mentoring Program provides women with:


• Personalized advice
• Guidance from an experienced woman business owner
• New ideas and opinions from an outside perspective
• An action plan to overcome their challenges
• Improved business knowledge
• New networks and partnerships within the business community
• Emotional support and relief from the isolation of business ownership

Starting this fall, WeBC and the Squamish Chamber of Commerce are facilitating a Peer Mentoring Group for women business owners in Squamish. 

Peer Mentoring Group details:


• Only 8 spots available
• Thanks to grant funding from the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, the program is FREE to all participants in 2026!
• Presented in partnership with the Squamish Chamber of Commerce

Member Feature: Patricia King of For The One You Love 

Patricia King has been working with older adults and families in the Sea to Sky for more than 30 years. For The One You Love grew out of everything she’s learned along the way, especially that no two families need exactly the same kind of support. For some, it’s practical and reliable home care that helps a loved one continue living safely and comfortably at home.For others, it’s companion care, that includes conversation, connection, time together, and getting out into the community.


The 3 Dimensions Club offers something different again: a place for older adults to socialize, stay active, be creative and have some fun, while giving caregivers a few hours for themselves.


Some families need a little support. Others need much more. And sometimes, the person who needs care is the caregiver.

We’re looking for Chamber members who would like to showcase their business through our weekly Feature Friday! All we need is a few photos, your social media and website links, and a brief write-up about your business. Features are shared across our Facebook and Instagram each week, and included again in the following week’s Chamber Insider newsletter. It’s an easy way to introduce your business to the community and get a little extra exposure through your Chamber membership. Contact us today!

September Après 5 - The Squamish Legion

We're heading to the Squamish Legion! We hosted our member-only AGM there in April, and it's been a long-standing hub for connection, remembrance, and community spirit here in Squamish. We're back in their cozy space to kick off our Après 5 season, and this time, the doors are open to members and future members alike. Come on out for good company, good drinks, and great local networking!

About the Squamish Legion

RCL Diamond Head Branch 277 has a unique beginning! Branch 181 Woodfibre, chartered on June 20, 1945, was located across the water at Woodfibre, a BC coastal mill town that was about to be dismantled. At the same time, Squamish Branch 115, chartered January 27, 1931, was operating in downtown Squamish. The Woodfibre branch needed a new home, but the town was not large enough to support two Legions. On May 15, 1974, the two branches amalgamated to form Diamond Head Branch 277. 


When: Wednesday, September 9th

Time: 5:00-7:00pm 
Where: The Squamish Legion 
Cost: Members - $20.00/Future Members - $35.00

Business Essentials: A Practical Guide for Growing Your Trades Business

You're great on the tools but is your business built to run without you glued to every job? Running a successful trades business takes more than skill and hard work; it takes systems that let your business deliver consistently, even when you're not the one holding the wrench. In this practical, no-fluff workshop, we'll dig into the real challenges trades business owners face, the ones that keep you working in the business instead of ON it and what's actually causing them.

 You'll walk away with simple, practical steps to build a business that's more organized, more consistent, and easier to lead. Come away with actions you can put into place right away, a personalized Business Health Check, and a clear picture of what's next to build a business that works for you, not the other way around.


When: Wednesday, September 23rd

Time: 5:00-7:00pm 
Where: Squamish Adventure Centre
Cost: Members - $35/Future Members - $50

Build Your First AI Agent: How to Identify AI Opportunities in Your Business


AI is everywhere right now, but many business owners are still asking the same question: where do I actually start?


In this practical 90-minute workshop, attendees will learn how to identify real AI opportunities inside their business and understand where AI can save time, reduce manual work, and support day-to-day operations.


The session will cover how to spot repetitive workflows, think through what is actually worth automating, and understand the tools that can help bring these workflows to life. Attendees will also see a live demo of a simple AI workflow/agent being built using a beginner-friendly tool, showing how accessible this technology can be when applied to real business tasks.



This workshop is designed for business owners and teams who want to move beyond basic prompting and start using AI in a more practical, useful, and approachable way.

Meet Your Facilitator

Devreet Dulay is the founder of Internal Automations. She works with high-growth companies to figure out exactly where AI makes sense in their business and then builds it. Her approach is simple: start with the workflows before the tools, so what gets built actually gets used.


Before founding Internal Automations, Devreet was early at Respell, a Silicon Valley AI automation platform that was later acquired by Salesforce. She has since worked with scaling companies including Shopify and Gusto to implement AI and automation across their teams.


When: Wednesday, September 29th

Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm
Where: Squamish Adventure Centre
Cost: Members - $60/Future Members - $80

Are You Ready to Invest in Your Team?

Stepping Into Leadership is designed for supervisors, managers, and business owners looking to strengthen their leadership capabilities. Participants begin with a DiSC® assessment to gain insight into their leadership and communication style, followed by sessions on self-leadership, team dynamics, employee engagement, coaching methodologies, goal setting, project management, and cultivating a culture of excellence. The program is structured around three key areas: Leadership Skills, People Management, and Business Skills, equipping participants with the tools to lead with confidence, build strong teams, and drive results within their organizations.


When: October 20th, 27th and November 3rd

Time: 9:00am - 2:45pm 
Where: Capilano University (Squamish Campus)
Cost: Members - $399/Future Members - $499

2026 Squamish Chamber Business Excellence Awards presented by RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate and The Village on Bailey Street

This year features 13 award categories, including Business Leader of the Year, Emerging Entrepreneur, Bill Manson Citizen of the Year and more. And because you asked last year, we're expanding our Community Builder category to recognize two winners; one non-profit and one for-profit business.

This premier award ceremony highlights the diversity of talent and innovation that defines our local business community. From established organizations to emerging enterprises, the evening acknowledges the hard work sustaining our local economy and strengthening our community connections. We look forward to seeing who makes the nomination list!


For our full list of award categories, visit our official Awards Page

When: Friday, November 13th

Time: 5:30-9:30pm 
Where: Capilano University (Squamish Campus)
Cost: Members - $175/Future Members - $200

The Squamish Chamber operates on the unceded lands of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation (Squamish) on whose territory we are grateful to work, live and play.