Windsor businesses forming closer ties

Natalie Bourgoin at her booth at the Windsor Essex Professional Business Exhibition on February 8, 2018. (Photo by Kaitlynn)

Story by Kaitlynn Kenney

Small businesses are connecting together to better serve customers.

On Feb.  8, the Giovanni Caboto Club and Go Windsor Events hosted the first Windsor Essex Professional Business Exhibition.

The WEPBX is a weekly business-to-business networking event for business owners to advertise their services to each other and the public.

Roughly 30 businesses attended, with donations being given to the local food banks through cash and canned goods.

Terry Rees, owner of Go Events Productions, said he hopes to bring the business community in Windsor closer together.

“My key deal is business growth here in Windsor-Essex,” said Rees. “When I came up with this plan, my whole thing was to create this on the foundation of giving. I want to be able to donate 20-30 tons of food to the food banks in this area.”

According to Statistics Canada, in 2015 the Canadian economy totalled 1.17 million employer businesses. Almost 98 were small businesses, about two per cent were medium-sized businesses and 0.3 per cent were large businesses.

According to an article on The Balance, there were 950,000 self-employed women in Canada in 2012, which is 36 per cent of all self-employed individuals.

This includes Natalie Bourgoin, owner of Femme Fatale Parties.

Her company offers everything from bath and body products to enhancements and adult novelty toys.

“I have representatives growing throughout Canada now and got corporate in the U.S.,” said Bourgoin. “I’m proud to see how it’s developed and how much more it will develop.”

She said she eager to speak to her customers and network with other businesses in the community.

There will be another event on March 1 at the Caboto Club from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.