Small Business Month starts with a bang

For 1,000 Canadian entrepreneurs, October is going to be the month they turn the dial on their marketing up to 11.

Toronto marketing firm Silver Lining Inc. is launching a cross-country tour Oct. 1 to recharge entrepreneurs and help them build a strategic one-year growth plan.

The system is the brainchild of Silver Lining founder Carissa Reiniger, who is also using the tour to promote the launch of her new book, Inspiring Entrepreneurs: How to Build Your Business To Its First Million. She is also launching a new website geared to entrepreneurs, called thesiteforentrepreneurs.com.

Both the book and the website launch on Oct. 1.

Yes, Carissa is the same 26-year-old entrepreneur I wrote about in the Financial Post a few weeks ago who has just taken over as president of Women Entrepreneurs of Canada. Ah, the energy of youth!

Free to attend, the Silver Lining seminars are sponsored by a host of organizations, including Research In Motion, Staples Business Depot, Intuit Canada, and Citi Financial. Each half-day event includes Reiniger’s presentation plus a half-hour workshop by a local accountant on “Financial Planning for Growth.”

Most of the events take place at Staples stores across Canada. The launch event on Wednesday, Oct. 1 takes place at the Ontario Investment and Trade CentreGalleria, 250 Yonge Street, in Toronto. Things get underway at 8 am each day.

Here’s the tour schedule:
October 1: Toronto
October 2: Ottawa
October 9:Winnipeg
October 14: Edmonton
October 15: Calgary
October 16: Regina
October 17: Vancouver
October 20: Halifax
October 22: Moncton
October 24: St. John's

You can register for these free events by clicking here.

Naturally, Reiniger is planning a similar U.S. tour for January-February 2008. Details to follow.