The Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the next installment of its Bites and Insights breakfast workshop series: "Demographic Doldrums and Digital Dreams: The Confluence of Two Workforce Trends and How They Will Challenge Small Business."
This engaging session, facilitated by Ryan Clarke, Senior Consultant with MNP Digital, will take place on Thursday, May 15, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Chamber Business Hub in Downtown Courtenay.
Small businesses today are grappling with twin forces reshaping the employment landscape: the tightening of the labour market and the rapid acceleration of digital tools. In this workshop, Clarke will examine two intersecting trends:
Doing More with Less Staff: A deep dive into declining labour force participation, rising salary expectations from younger generations, early retirement among older workers and specific impacts on the North Island.
Tweaking Technology Toward Best Practices: How small businesses can adopt smart digital strategies鈥攆rom simple integrations and SaaS tools to beginner-level AI adoption鈥攚ithout breaking the bank. Clarke will also share a practical case study and timeline for implementing innovation in real-world settings.
鈥淏ites and Insights is more than a workshop鈥攊t鈥檚 where breakfast meets business intelligence,鈥� says Tracey Clarke, Executive Director of the Comox Valley Chamber. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled to host Ryan Clarke for this timely discussion on preparing small businesses for future resilience.鈥�
Clarke is a Senior Consultant with MNP Digital, bringing over 20 years of experience in business and digital transformation with both private and public sector clients. Throughout his career, Clarke has developed business plans for small and medium-sized enterprises, managed IT projects across Canada, and worked internationally in economic development. Growing up in the grocery industry on Vancouver Island, Clarke has a deep passion for family business and entrepreneurship. Now based in the Comox Valley, he helps clients better understand their business systems and where a thoughtful application of technology can empower people to focus on what truly matters.
Attendees will enjoy a locally catered hot breakfast, meaningful networking opportunities, and practical takeaways designed to help them navigate today鈥檚 shifting economic and technological currents. Registration is now open at . Space is limited.
