Case Study: EthniCity Catering

Sunrise

Early Access Experience at Milk Jar: Behind the Scenes Tour & Networking Lunch (limited spots available, advanced registration required)

Join us at Milk Jar Candle Co. for a behind-the-scenes experience with founder Holly Singer—who you’ll hear from later that evening as one of our True Confessions speakers. We’ll start the experience with an Indigenous Circle, hosted by Natalie in the Milk Jar workshop space. Next, you'll experience Holly’s thriving social venture in action, meet the people who bring Milk Jar to life, hear more of the story behind the business, and get hands-on by making your own Milk Jar diffuser. Then, keep the conversations going over a casual networking lunch by Italiano Please!—a local catering company creating meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It's a great chance to break bread and make some early connections. Please RSVP when purchasing your SVI ticket to reserve your spot as this is a pre-gathering and space is limited. Lunch is optional and not included in registration. Attendees can purchase their food on site.

Event Begins at Ralph Klein Park: Arrival and Registration

Arrive to Ralph Klein Park & Environmental Education Centre and register. Click for Google Map link.

Welcome and Intro

Marketplace of Ideas

Got an idea, project, or opportunity you’d like to share? You'll have the option to step up and give a 60-second pitch to the group. It’s a supportive, low-pressure environment to let others know what you’re working on.

Nourish & Connect

Take a moment to recharge with snacks and refreshments while connecting with fellow attendees.

Workshop A— Finding the Way While Building It (Deeter Schurig, cSPACE Projects)

Mission-led enterprises rarely grow in a straight line. Using cSPACE Projects as a case study, Deeter will explore how setbacks, capital constraints, risk, and changing circumstances have shaped the organization’s evolution. From permanent hubs to temporary activations, meanwhile leases, and new development opportunities, the session will look at how cSPACE has adapted its strategy while balancing social purpose with financial and operational realities. The conversation will open into a candid discussion about risk, resilience, and the trade-offs involved in building something that matters.

Workshop B — What Do We All Share? The Many Expressions of Social Enterprise

What does “social enterprise” actually mean, and where does your work fit? Hear from three Alberta practitioners representing a nonprofit, a purpose-driven business, and research, as they share how social enterprise shows up in their work and the challenges they face. Then, join an interactive exercise to explore the different ways people in the room understand and practice social enterprise. You’ll leave with clearer language for your own work, new connections, and a better sense of the diverse social enterprise community around you.

Workshop C— The City of Calgary: Opening Doors to New Business Opportunities

Learn more about how public procurement works, where opportunities are, how to access them, and how to compete successfully! The workshop will be led by Matthew Sutherland and Ana Eid Michel from The City of Calgary's Supply Management team. Matthew is a Procurement Leader, while Ana serves as a Senior Buyer specializing in public procurement.

Workshop A— Finding the Way While Building It (Deeter Schurig, cSPACE Projects)

Mission-led enterprises rarely grow in a straight line. Using cSPACE Projects as a case study, Deeter will explore how setbacks, capital constraints, risk, and changing circumstances have shaped the organization’s evolution. From permanent hubs to temporary activations, meanwhile leases, and new development opportunities, the session will look at how cSPACE has adapted its strategy while balancing social purpose with financial and operational realities. The conversation will open into a candid discussion about risk, resilience, and the trade-offs involved in building something that matters.

Workshop B — What Do We All Share? The Many Expressions of Social Enterprise

What does “social enterprise” actually mean, and where does your work fit? Hear from three Alberta practitioners representing a nonprofit, a purpose-driven business, and research, as they share how social enterprise shows up in their work and the challenges they face. Then, join an interactive exercise to explore the different ways people in the room understand and practice social enterprise. You’ll leave with clearer language for your own work, new connections, and a better sense of the diverse social enterprise community around you.

Workshop C— The City of Calgary: Opening Doors to New Business Opportunities

Learn more about how public procurement works, where opportunities are, how to access them, and how to compete successfully! The workshop will be led by Matthew Sutherland and Ana Eid Michel from The City of Calgary's Supply Management team. Matthew is a Procurement Leader, while Ana serves as a Senior Buyer specializing in public procurement.

Dinner

Enjoy a shared meal with fellow attendees and speakers. Opportunities for one on one time with business experts.

Sunset

True Confessions: Holly Singer, Milk Jar Candle Co.

True Confessions aren’t polished success stories—they’re honest conversations about the challenges, failures, and hard-earned lessons behind the journey. Join Holly Singer, Founder & CEO of Milk Jar Candle Co., as she shares the realities of building a multi-million-dollar brand carried in over 600 retail locations worldwide, while staying true to her values along the way.

Closing Reflections

We’ll close out the evening by 9 PM.