Local Economy Action Network (LEAN)
The Sea to Sky Corridor Local Economy Action Network (LEAN) is project of the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, with a purpose of creating a greater shared value-based local economy in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Through collaboration and collective action with and among Sea to Sky Corridor Partners, it will create inspiration and learning, new networks and partnerships, new/alternative business models, and a new culture for economic development.
Goals:
- To generate awareness and inspiration for a greater shared value local economy
- To encourage and facilitate individual and collective action on local economic development
- To create and facilitate initiatives that will support and strengthen shared value-based local economy action
- To provide professional development and learning opportunities
What we do:
Social Venture Challenge Program
The Social Venture Challenge Program started in 2015 and has run every year since. The program concludes with a fun Dragons’ Den style community event.
- Meet the 2015 participants
- Meet the 2016 participants
- Meet the 2017 participants
The SVC was created to encourage, support and grow social ventures in Whistler, Pemberton, Squamish and the Lillooet by providing capacity building, mentorship, and business development learning opportunities to non-profit organizations, businesses and entrepreneurs to develop their business concept. A social venture is an organization (business or non-profit) that uses business strategies to create community impact (social and/or environmental benefit).
BC Buy Local Week – First week of December
Find out how you can get involved in BC Buy Local!
BC Buy Local Week was launched by LOCO in 2011. Buy Local Week in the Sea to Sky Corridor is the result of a collaboration between the Whistler Centre for Sustainability, and Local Whistler. The week highlights, celebrates and promotes local businesses and the benefits of keeping local capital in the community. This type of initiative is being run in other communities around B.C. including Vancouver and Tofino. #BCBuyLocal
Entrepreneur Angel Dens
Based on the idea of a Dragons’ Den, the Angel Den is a venue for providing support, encouragement and hard-hitting business advice to new shared value business propositions in the Corridor. The Whistler Centre for Sustainability has held three Angel Dens to support local entrepreneurs and business owners with new business ideas and challenges.
“Participating in the LEAN Angel Den was an amazing opportunity. No matter how much preparation you have done, as a new business owner, there is always much more to learn and it is impossible to become an expert at everything all at once. The Angel Den provided the opportunity to access specific knowledge from some of Whistler’s leading business and marketing experts. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and I was supported throughout the planning & preparation process. The guidance and suggestions from ‘my’ Angels allowed me to take immediate actionable steps to address some of my business challenges. And it was fun, all smiles no tears!” (Louise co-owner of West Coast Float)
“I’m grateful for the amazing business advice from the Angel Den participants, and I’m already incorporating their ideas into my business plan.” (Randi Kruse)
More on LEAN:
- Thinking about Shared Value Local Economies
- Why is Money Mart so busy?
- Economically Speaking Pecha Kucha (presentation notes in upper left corner)
- Five things you can do to help strengthen your local economy and support your community